#i love humans like a nature documentary narrator

[singalongpoppet]

Poems that escape me #4

The night sky seems to loom as its diurnal hours pass and marches her mindless babe of frore to smother the living fast

Above her brood’s tantrums her mum tears spill forth the mirth of every starlit eyes bane of yonder dying earth

Alluring, dancing patterns rime o’er the cusps of life eyes deluded by vibrant stars yet our mouths defy with strife

Vain yet able; mind of man protects the vessel in cloth we huddle near dying embers our fingers like droning moths

We thaw in tepid stories the smoke paints an endless tale the ”sane” recalls beneath the snow the hope of a springing vale

In every misty breath hangs a reverent pray’r

Gaze on the horizon the desolate dark skies one of us will live to see our cardinal sun, rise

[p0orbaby]

sick lessi fic 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ clingy gf

taking care of that cutie

-

Alessia is splayed across your sofa like an artist’s rendering of human misery. Her hoodie—an oversized navy monstrosity with a faint Arsenal logo she swore she didn’t steal from Leah—clings to her like damp moss. The grey sweatpants are worse. They’re not hers, nor are they yours. They came from the pile of clothes you were supposed to donate three years ago but never did because you thought you might need them someday. This is the day. You resent the foresight.

She’s been coughing sporadically for the past fifteen minutes, which is to say, coughing exactly every 47 seconds. You know because you’ve been counting. Alessia calls it “a tickly throat.” You call it self-inflicted.

“Stop licking your lips. You’ll make them worse,” you say, watching her smear yet another layer of cherry ChapStick over the crime scene that is her mouth.

“I have to,” she whines, drawing out the words like a five-year-old begging for a toy. Her voice is raw, a strange mix of gravel and helium.

“You don’t. You really, really don’t”

She ignores you, opting instead to roll onto her stomach in a manner that could only be described as unnecessarily dramatic. Her head flops onto the throw pillow you bought at a John Lewis clearance sale. The tag is still attached.

“I think I’m dying,” she declares, muffled by the pillow.

“You’re not dying, Less. You’ve got a runny nose and a bad attitude” you deadpan, sitting cross-legged on the rug in front of her, a bowl of soup balanced precariously on your knee. It’s the tin stuff—Heinz, chicken, condensed. She hates it. It’s why you made it.

“It’s the flu,” she says. “I Googled it”

“You can’t even spell ‘flu’ properly when you text”

“That’s because I was using my thumbs.”

“You always use your thumbs.”

“Rude.” She huffs, tugging the blanket tighter around her. It’s your favourite one, the soft grey one you bought when you first moved in together. Now it smells faintly of menthol rub and despair.

“You know, my mum used to make me this lemon and ginger tea with honey when I was sick,” she says suddenly, wistful, like she’s narrating a nature documentary.

“I’m not your mum”

“She also used to rub Vicks on my chest,” she continues, undeterred.

“Still not your mum”

There’s a pause, her blue eyes narrowing at you. “You’re actually a terrible girlfriend”

“Debatable”

She sneezes. A full-body event. You flinch, watching in real-time as her face contorts, her nose scrunching, her eyes shutting like a malfunctioning robot. The sound is seismic. You wonder if the neighbours heard it.

“Bless me,” she says automatically.

“No”

She sniffles pathetically, then gestures weakly towards the coffee table. “Can you hand me a tissue?”

You glance at the tissue box—one metre away from her outstretched hand. “No. Work for it”

Her lips twitch, the faintest flicker of a smile, but it vanishes as she rolls onto her side. “Why are you like this?”

You shrug, finishing the last spoonful of her soup. It’s cold now, congealed in a way that makes you feel vaguely ill. You wonder if this is what marriage will look like—fighting over tissues, stealing each other’s soup, and coexisting in a quiet ballet of passive-aggressive care.

As you scrape the bowl clean, Alessia shifts again, her head now hanging off the side of the sofa like some deranged bat.

“You’re so lucky I love you”

I know,” you reply, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead. She’s warm—not feverish, just Alessia warm.

For a moment, there’s quiet. She shifts again, her head now resting on the arm of the sofa, her eyes fluttering shut. You stand to pull the blanket up higher around her shoulders and tuck it in gently.

And just before you leave the room, she murmurs, soft and sleepy, “Love you”

You smile to yourself, the words lingering in the air like a balm. “Love you too, Less”

[thespineoftherighteous]

more more more more aftg show bloopers (p 4?? I think?) whoop whoop de fuckin whoop

Neil's actor being a huge Duolingo dork and in the behind the scenes while the other actors are fooling around between takes you can often see him with his head bent and hear the little 'ping!'s coming from his phone

also during late night shoots, as it gets closer to midnight he always has a point where he's like SHIT my Duolingo streak. and then just blocks out everyone while his fingers fly over his screen

(fans make compilations of him proudly showing his Duolingo streak to the camera and the number grows as the seasons progress)

(he definitely is the kinda bitch who cares more about maintaining the streak than actually learning languages)

actually omg while we're on the topic of languages

Kevin's actor tenderly reciting his French lines to Matt's actor and Matt's actor is just smitten. and he goes "say something else, love" and Kevin's actor strokes his cheek while saying another one of his lines and Matt swoons

(then Kevin's actor turns to the camera and goes "I just told him that he's a disappointment and is going to get his ass handed to him by ravens if he doesn't do exactly as I say" and, from the ground, Matt's actor goes "hell yeah you did. talk dirty to me any day of the week you sexy, sexy man")

coach's actor is always swearing to the point where they implement a swear jar...really it's just something for the kids to jokingly rag on him about, but he goes with it, and every so often they'll empty the jar to buy the cast and crew pizza

they're filming outside at night and it's cold and in between takes Matt's Aaron's and Renee's actors are all huddled together for warmth and Matt's actor gets pulled aside to get his makeup touched up and the other two just shriek at the absence of his heat and catch up to him to tuck themselves against him again

Andrew needs to snap his fingers in one scene but everyone finds out that day that his actor doesn't know how to snap so he has a little impromptu snapping lesson and of course it turns into everyone else trying to one-up each other with their snapping abilities

Nicky's actor telling everyone what he's going to steal from set (will literally say"[about Allison's bathrobe] damn that shit soft as hell. Ive been needing a new bathrobe actually. I'm stealing this" or "I'm stealing this lighter/bandana/sunglasses/etc") but because his humor is so dry everyone thinks he's joking. until months later. when the prop department can't find shit

Renee's actress is doing something completely mundane but Neil's and Allison's actors start narrating what she's doing like they're in a nature documentary (always with Australian accents for some reason??)

"and our specimen now reclines herself vertically on a piece of furniture us humans know as 'a desk.' this clearly less-developed creature seems not to understand the purpose of such an object. but given that this is her first time outside her natural habitat (the jungle) her lack of familiarity with modern technology is to be expected"

Renee's actress: *flips them off*

"ah and here we witness one of the most common behaviors of this specimen. specialists have dubbed it 'flipping the bird,' and explain it as a nonverbal expression of affection" "oh fuck off"

photo from another cold night-shoot and it's of Matt's and Dan's actors, she's standing in front of him zipped up in his hoodie, just her head poking out and they're having a conversation with other castmates like it's the most normal thing in the world, looking the very image of the couple they play

so much glorious content from shooting the dorm sleepover scene. the most popular thing to come from it is a picture from after they wrapped where the cast and some members of the crew had moved even closer to each other amid all the blankets and are asleep on top of each other

Andrew's actor will sometimes actually eat the ice cream he's given instead of just pretending to eat it, and halfway through the scene he casually mentions that he's lactose intolerant and sends the crew into a worried frenzy

if you haven't clocked it yet, these bitches are competitive. and one day, one thing led to another, and soon a bunch of the actors are all being filmed having a plank-holding competition. Dan's actress is the first to drop and she gets booed at for it because "you're an ex-stripper where tf is that upper body strength?"

she flips them off and goes to sit on Kevin's actor, hoping to squash his plank, but instead he starts doing push ups with her on his back. she grins

(Rikos actor wins that competition btw. and Neil's actor goes on a rant about "we succumbed to the ENEMY? a RAVEN? your characters would be ashamed of you" (he also lost?))

Allison's actress pretending to do a get-ready-with-me using all the stuff on Allison's vanity

Wymack's actor falling asleep in The Dad Pose™ when they're shooting a scene on the bus. and everybody gathers in to take pictures

when Kevin and Neil get all up in each other's faces their actors will pretend like they're going to kiss each other

not really a blooper but just all the actors for the foxes and the ravens mingling together in between takes and it looks so wrong

give me all the actors constantly taking the piss out of their characters

for ex during a scene where the monsters are in the car on the way to Edens, Nicky's actor looks towards the backseat where everyone is in character and goes wow what a fun crowd we are you'd never believe we're about to hit the club

night shoots are a. struggle. for Dan's actress. and the others love to take videos of her just standing on her mark with the most spaced out expression on her face

Andrew's and Neil's actors are shooting one of their typical intense, deep scenes and after one take, as soon as "cut" is called, Andrew's actor grabs Neil's face and starts serenading him with the song that's been stuck in his head all day

Renee's actress getting scolded for sneaking snacks into her costume

when Nicky's actor messes up a line (and he's the least likely of everyone to do it) he starts spewing Spanish

Andrew's actor constantly teasing his brother and Katelyn's actress whenever they have scenes together

like the two of them will just be talking together in between takes and Andrews actor will be behind the camera recording them and saying shit like "look at that MINYARD RIZZ" (or he'll use their actual last name) "hey btw [Katelyn's actor] I taught him everything he knows"

that scene where the foxes are rushing out of the dorm to check on their destroyed cars and Matt's actor just faceplants (Neil's actor: "wow. the dedication")

in one scene or other Allison's actress is drinking an iced drink and during one take she just keeps calmly shaking the ice around in her cup until one by one everyone cracks

in one scene Allison's actress is wearing sunglasses. and in between takes she lies down and on camera you can see Kevin and Matt's actors whispering trying to figure out whether or not she's sleeping because they can't see her eyes

Aaron's actor always using Neil's actor as a pillow during car scenes because they're always next to each other and they're actually hella tight irl

the kids love to steal any props that coach's actor needs to use (pens clipboards etc) before they start rolling just so they can watch him try to subtly fidget trying to find his prop before they get to the point in the scene where he actually needs it

all the actors just taking pictures together in the most brutal settings on set.

like Neil's makeup has his face all busted and everyone wants a selfie with him. they all have a photoshoot with the trashed cars. they have another one in front of the "happy 19th birthday junior" set. Neil is tied up at The Nest while they change his hair and Jean's and Riko's actors take selfies with him. another photoshoot with Neil handcuffed in the police car. all these settings in terrible scenes and the actors are in front of them with grins and peace signs

they're terrible.

[ariadne-mouse]

"And you are sure these are edible?" "Ja. Well, sort of." "What does 'sort of' mean, Caleb Widogast?"

Here is Shadowgast in the style of Scavengers Reign!

Yes, this is a transparent and blatant attempt to pspspsps my fellow fans of Critical Role into watching this series. The first season is airing now on Netflix as of May 31st. They picked it up after Max did not renew it for a second season, and will decide based on the reception now whether to continue - so I am hoping that lots of people discover the show and love it! The animation studio is Titmouse, who also produces The Legend of Vox Machina.

It's like a Miyazaki-esque Annihilation. Cosmic horror and cosmic wonder in equal and necessary parts. If you like the funky biology parts of Candela Obscura, give this a shot. There is horror. There is humanity. There is hope and connection. There are creatures of all shapes and sizes, including a wonderful amount of tiny idiots, which I have made many compilation posts about. It's a setting where you can envision David Attenborough peacefully narrating a nature documentary about it, but be horrified the same time. Just an absolutely incredible show.

[trekmupf]

Introducing Disco Gorn 🪩🐊

Pro

Everyone's close up's look so sharp and good; Sulu's eyeshadow and McCoy's eyeliner in the second half of the ep are the winners

McCoy's smile in the opening scene thinking he's going to get some nice food could light up an entire room (so could Kirk fondly smiling at his and Spock's antics)

The banter between Spock and McCoy really feels like they're getting to know each other better and find their dynamic

Kirk worrying about the Enterprise – not because he doesn't trust Sulu or the crew, but because he feels responsible, and he's always putting her and the crew first

Me, while Kirk is running across the exploding field: Mr Spock, is that worry I spot in your face, sir?

There's so much crawling and rolling around the dirt in this episode

Kirk's and Spock's conversation about how to proceed and the storytelling until the Metrons arrive is interesting

usually Kirk is more rational in decisions - in the past we've had plenty of scenes of him contemplating all angles and possible consequences before deciding, but here it's clear that the survivors story generated heavy emotion, especially anger, and he's deciding based on that, which is really rare

it's also a great decision to focus on Spock's face while Kirk takes action

Also the way Spock approaches Kirk again afterwards – and calling him Jim, pointing out their actual mission (and ethics) to preserve sentient life

Yet Kirk, fueled by anger and righteousness (we are the only police around) sticks to his destructive decision

Even when the pursuit actively endangers the ship due to continuous warp

Even when the other ship is dead in space

the narrative gives Kirk several opportunities to turn away, but he doesn't

The Metrons really caught Kirk on his one irrational murder day didn't they

This marks also the episode were Spock and Kirk are the furthest apart from each - Spock cannot reach Jim at all, and it has consequences

I mean the Gorn is one of the most iconic aliens in TOS; the glitter outfit, the disco eyes, the dinosaur design

also love giving Kirk a voice over to explain how advanced and dangerous the Gorn is because they knew the costume … did not radiate these qualities

I love the way Kirk deals with the situation: he's so resourceful

The way McCoy and Spock worry about Kirk together; Also Bones standing behind Spock in the captains chair again!

The way the crew is glued to the screen while Spock is narrating Kirk building the weapon feels like a tense moment in Attenboroughs nature documentarys

The Metrons as the second powerful race to test humanity; direct contrast to Kirk being his very best from start to finish in the Corbomite Maneuver and showing humanities great qualities (ingenuity, intelligence, compassion, respect for life) compared to this episode: giving into baser human emotions like anger and vengeance – which is still part of the human experience

Kirk's behaviour also contrasts his reactions in Balance of Terror, which had an almost identical set up, yet his reactions were thought through, rational and calm. Kirk is just a very human character with flaws.

Despite this ending up as a test for humanity this is an interesting idea of a more powerful and philosophically advanced species fucking up due to their own arrogance:

they judge an entire species based on a single decision by one being, which a) cannot represent the species and b) cant even represent the being (Kirk is a good man, we know this)

they then make a decision based on very limited information (they don't even know why they pursuit the Gorn and why there's a fight)

The arrogance in the end when their “pet” shows good behaviour

(there's probably more but you get the idea)

Kirk finding his way back to his morals and ethics when directly confronted with the injured and helpless Gorn is, once again, so Kirk of him

Kirk's booty in this scene deserves it's own Pro Point friends

Con

Not technically a watch con, but I can't not think about Shatner and Nimoy having hearing issues later in life due to the close explosives during the shelling scenes; Early TV show filming truly was wild

The pacing is off: the first half of the episode, in hindsight, feels really short because the fight scenes with Gorn drag and feel a lot longer

Even for 60's sci fi and Star Trek the Gorn is not a very believable physical foe

Us watching Kirk through the viewscreen with the crew feels strange; It's like they knew how long and boring the fight is so they brought in the crew to comment to keep us interested (a bit like mystery science theatre 3000)

The arena area itself is boring compared to the earlier sets

Counter

Powerful Beings test humanity

Brains over brawl

Quote: "We're a most promising species, Mister Spock, as predators go. Did you know that?"- Kirk "I've frequently had my doubts" - Spock "I don't. Not anymore. And, maybe in a thousand years or so, we'll be able to prove it" - Kirk

Moment: reveal of the evil dangerous Disco Gorn! Summary: A famous episode with a famous alien-enemy, Arena combines an action heavy beginning with interesting character work regarding Spock's and Kirk's relationship and Kirk's darker side without him loosing any appeal as the leading character. Even though the second half has less ideal pacing Kirk's emotional journey carries the viewer through the episode and leaves us with a richer and fuller picture of our captain.

Bones smiling at Kirk. That's all.

Previous Episode - Next Episode - All TOS reviews

[ape-apocalypse]

can you reccomend some of the documentaries you watched about apes?

Funny enough, I've been planning on making a list of documentaries so thanks for the push! I’ve watched a bunch to hype up for Kingdom and I’ll keep watching as we wait for POTA news. These are what I've been able to find with my various subscription services and internet access in the USA so their availability may vary for you. Also a warning that, due to these being non-fiction documentaries there is very real footage of animal injuries and death (from both humans and natural circumstances).

Monkey Business (Amazon Prime) - A long running show (9 seasons) about a primate rescue center in the UK. I really loved this one because you got to follow apes of the course of years. I even cried when one ape who had been there from the first season passed away in the final season. The show mostly focuses on chimps and orangutans but also features lemurs, woolly monkeys, gibbons and other species. The center focuses on giving the animals in their care the most natural life they can in captivity, and also assists in breeding programs for several endangered species. Jane Goodall even comes out in one episode to present them with an award for excellent enclosure construction. The theme song is very loud and distinctive, the point that my roommate asked how long this series was because she could hear the theme song coming from my room for weeks as I went through all 9 seasons. Highly recommend this one because the personalities of the apes really stand out when you spend literal years with them; it's worth the time commitment, I loved it.

(Also in making sure I had all the details about this show right, I learned there was a follow up show called Monkey Life that featured Andy Serkis himself narrating the first season and they seem to all be available on YouTube for free so I have a new multi-season show to watch now, thank you!!!)

Orangutan Jungle School (YouTube) - Rescue group dedicated to teaching young orangutans how to survive in the wild so they can be released when they're older. Only the first two episodes of this show are available on YouTube for free but I also devoured any clips I could find. I found this show particularly hilarious because the baby orangs are adorable. They cry when they don't get their cups of milk fast enough or when they can't figure out how to crack into a coconut. I always see adult orangutans as slow moving, so the activity and demanding personalities of the babies delighted me. If nothing else, watch these two clips because I have watched the clips of the babies screaming and the humans overreacting to fake snakes on repeat for ages.

Chimp Empire (Netflix) - Two chimpanzee groups in Uganda's Ngogo forest face off over territory and food, while each group faces their own struggles from within. This one is about wild chimps and it is fascinating to see their natural ways outside of rescue centers. The cinematography is gorgeous; I'd love to know how they got all these shots without disturbing the chimps. It's only 4 episodes; I wish it was longer but it packs a lot into its short run time.

Meet The Chimps (Disney+) - A one season show focusing on chimps living in a rescue center in Louisiana. A single season show so you don't get a lot of time with the chimps but it's got a much smaller number of chimps to get to know than Monkey Business. Also the troops are housed near each other so it's interested to see the dominance displays, even through a fence. My favorite part was near the end with the mystery of who was the father of an accidental baby. I guessed wrong!

Kingdom Of The Apes: Battle Lines (Disney+) - Two separate ape groups, one of chimps and the other of gorillas, sort out fights for dominance and leadership of the troop in their own ways. Personally I didn't like this one. Jumping back and forth between gorillas and chimps in a documentary less than an hour didn't leave me very invested, but I thought I'd add it if anyone was interested.

I'll throw in a couple podcasts too, should be free on your preferred podcast app:

Ologies, one episode on primatology and a separate episode on gorillaology

National Park After Dark, a two-part episode on the life, work, and murder of Dian Fossey, a primatologist who worked with gorillas and wrote the book 'Gorillas In the Mist'

The Wild With Chris Morgan, an episode on orangutans called People Of The Forest

There are a lot more documentaries I want to watch, especially several for free on YouTube. I hope this list is of interest to you and I welcome recommendations from anyone else.

[hirkyy]

i know anthropomorphizing animals and assigning them human qualities is often harmful (e.g. lion has a lust for blood or whatever instead of just feeding and following its natural intrinsic instinct) but i will never be able to let go of the insane nostalgia and love i have for documentaries i watched on animal planet or whatever as a kid where the narration assigned something like a meerkat group different names and personalities and told their mundane little meerkat life like a goddamn soap opera with betrayal and love triangles and trials & tribulations. better than game of thrones

[writingseaslugs]

smth funny/entertaining? welp, im not funny but i hope this entertains you nonetheless lol i've been brainrotting and need to spill my thou gh t s if youll read em; the tweels' courting ritual probably includes picking out the prettiest seashells and pearls, the side affects of this behavior; -they are not above throwing hands to get what they're looking for, -they start v i b ra t i ng with happiness the second you wear the gifts on a necklace of earrings even Jade will chirp/chortle, making mer-noises, he may be suave 99% of the time but his courtship being accepted is the 1%; he's relieved and it's obvious in mer-form, the tweel's fins will do floppy motions at the sight of S/O, and they'd probably feel a strong urge to squeeze S/O gently too ??? "Cute aggression, or playful aggression, is superficially aggressive behaviour caused by seeing something cute, such as a human baby or young animal. People experiencing cute aggression may grit their teeth, clench their fists, or feel the urge to bite, pinch, and squeeze something they consider cute." this, basically; but they're also cuddly as fuck, Jade would finally understand Floyd's obsession with hugs and squeezes they are not immune to the inherent affections of being a hybrid, its not all oOOooH ScaRy AnD SPooKy and nothin' else, the eel of your choice brought pretty seashells and wants kisses for it, let him hold you gently like a hamburger shrimp for all their "otter" nicknames for Kalim, they would totally cuddle their S/O like that; floating with their back to the water, sunny day, shrimpy in their arms, the world is good you could yawn for some good fuck too- if you clean their teefs like a cleaner shrimp for the jokes and/or make them food? you're moving in, rent-free, just continue doing that Trey is internally punching the air, he really wanted to be the one to get his teeth cleaned

Writing this felt like writing a documentary and the idea feels cute, ngl, narrating a day in the life of loving either(or both) of the leech twins in the same way you'd narrate a nature documentary

its halfpast midnight now, hope this was some good food for thought lmfao

These are absolutely ADORABLE!!! I love every single one of them and now I’m on brainrot train alongside you. This def entertained me too, and now I only got 25 more minutes left of my shift and I’m happy thinking about otter Shrimpy

[akhenvs3000f24]

Unit 07 Blog Post

The relationship between music and nature is profound and timeless. Nature is a vast soundscape, and for as long as we can recount, humans have drawn inspiration from its rhythms and melodies. Indigenous cultures like the Tlingit and Inuit have long been attuned to natural sounds, like whale songs and African tribes have incorporated the deep, low-frequency sounds of elephants into their cultural expressions. This deep connection between natural sounds and human music spans across species, cultures, and time. Whales, birds, and humans create music with striking similarities, despite the millions of years we have spent diverging from one another evolutionarily. Humpback whales compose songs that follow structures and patterns remarkably akin to human music, using repetition and rhythm similar to human composers. Likewise, birds sing intricate songs with call-response patterns, and even sing in recognizable scales. This shared musicality across species suggests that music might be more ancient and universal than we might initially think. I believe music could be an intrinsic part of life itself, a form of communication that precedes human invention.

Natural soundscapes have long inspired human music and found their way into human compositions, serving as a reminder of our connection to the natural world. Music imitates the flow of rivers, the rustle of leaves, and the calls of animals. I think it is beautiful that we try to emanate and embody the harmony and beauty we perceive in the environment. I believe that music acts as a medium that reawakens our emotional and spiritual connection to nature, offering a way to better understand nature’s significance beyond its material or economic value. For example, when forests like the ones in Finland are viewed only in terms of forestry management, this view diminishes the forest's sacredness and alienates people from a spiritual connection to the land. However, folk music, which is deeply rooted in cultural and spiritual traditions, can offer a way to bridge this gap through the spiritual experience it can provide. Nature can be understood in many different ways: scientifically, economically, emotionally, spiritually, and much more. This is why it is important to use an interdisciplinary approach when interpreting nature.

I believe that music can be a powerful tool for inspiring an audience of people to connect with nature. Because of its intrinsic ability to awaken our emotions and our spirits, when used in the context of nature and interpretation, it could be a effective tool for fostering deep relationships with nature and encouraging environmental stewardship.

In a time where technology is more prevalent than ever and humans are more and more engrossed by their phones, I believe music is a possible avenue for encouraging people to spend time outside and connect with nature. A challenge of interpreters is to convince people to get involved with nature. Although it might seem obvious to say that we should encourage people to simply throw away their tech as the solution to get into nature, technology isn't going away. As interpreters, we can either embrace it or fall behind. The internet, social media, television, music and much more can all serve as ways of reaching the masses and informing people about interpretive opportunities. Technology is a great way to communicate broadly, and I think this ties in with the theme of music being a method of communication, one that can convey meanings that go beyond words. Technology is a fantastic way to learn about nature and be encouraged to see the beauty in it, and something that certainly comes to mind for me are the many Planet Earth documentaries narrated by David Attenborough, which are impeccably good at capturing the vast diversity of our planet.

Lastly, a song that transports me to a natural landscape: Flowers by In Love With a Ghost. This is a simple instrumental song that I have loved for years, which incorporates natural sounds like running rivers within its composition. I have always found it very calming and lullabylike, and I associate it heavily with taking walks out in nature because that is when I listen to it the most.

I think it is no coincidence that many people can think of a list of songs they associate with nature, and that is because the two are deeply and intrinsically connected!

Thanks for reading! :)

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (1-7 Sep 2024)

i'm 3 eps in and murph's hair is still throwing me when i first see it. but i love that they get to sit next to each other.

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

Prisoner's Base (Nero Wolfe #21) (Rex Stout, author; Michael Prichard, narrator)

Wild with Happy (Colman Domingo, author; full voice cast) - "deeply imaginative dark comedy about death...performed by an all-star cast including Domingo, the legendary Oprah Winfrey, Tony Award nominee Sharon Washington (New York, New York), Tony Award winner Alex Newell (Glee, Shucked), and Golden Globe Award winner Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)." - short but extremely entertaining

Trouble In Triplicate (Nero Wolfe #14) (Rex Stout)

The Second Confession (Nero Wolfe #15) (Rex Stout)

A Safe Place To Land (Gloromeien, kahey2804) - "Bucky Barnes had it all—grease under his fingernails, dog fur behind the cushions of his couch, a cozy place to call his own. The house, the truck, the dogs, the works. A ride-or-die, close-knit community. A patch of land he could wander. A mountain view to inspire him. After six tours of duty and nine months in captivity, Bucky knew how bad things could get, so he didn't dare ask for anything else. Especially not someone to hold. Until a tall, blond super-soldier crash-landed into his quiet life and threatened to make all his dreams come true." - really excellent shrunkyclunks; creative use of canon events into a well-structured AU. really, really enjoyed this

💖💖 +166K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

take guesses on exits, one has to be right (queermccoy) - 9-1-1: bucktommy, 12K - I just love a truck stop sex worker AU, bless those writers that put them into the fandoms

The Prenup (spqr) - Suits: mike/harvey, 6K - new Suits fic! incredibly written, totally non explicit but super hot - the perfect way for them to flirt

Stigma (the_deep_magic) - The Eagle of the Ninth: marcus/esca, 12K - love a good take on soulmarks, one that manages to be both 'we were made for each other' AND 'we fucking chose each other' simultaneously

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Monét's Slumber Party - s1, e3

Handsome - Pretty Little Episode #3

D20: A Starstruck Odyssey - "Rolling Up The Hill" (s12, e2)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Was That the Worst Social Interaction in D20 History?" (s8, e2)

D20: A Starstruck Odyssey - "Wrecked on Rec 97" (s12, e3)

D20: Adventuring Party - "The Ball Continues Rolling Up" (s8, e3)

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Re: Dracula - September 1: Am Writing

Re: Dracula - September 2: Suck From my Wound

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Wild Life Week: Exploring Our Alien Planet with Cara Giaimo

Welcome to Night Vale #253 - instructions for folding

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Kaos

Re: Dracula - September 3: Anything of a Young Ladies

Short Wave - Are You Overestimating The Algorithm?

How To! - How To Cook at Home Like Sohla El-Waylly

Handsome - Seth Meyers asks about passports

Switched on Pop - Sabrina Carpenter is more than Short n' Sweet

⭐ 99% Invisible - Not Built For This #5: The Little Levee That Could

Vibe Check - Do Some Witch Sh!t

Re: Dracula - September 4: He Has Deserted Me

Code Switch - Going back to school with schizoaffective disorder

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Wild Life Week: Celery Makes A Nature Documentary

It's Been a Minute - The SMACKDOWN: Video Games vs. Journalism vs. Robert Frost

Shedunnit - In The Dentist's Chair

⭐ Ologies - Coffeeology (COFFEE) with Peter Giuliano

Re: Dracula - September 5: Patient Greatly Improved

Wild Card - Kacey Musgraves is trying to get right with time

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Wild Life Week: Why Would a Researcher Pull a Lion’s Tail?

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Songs To Boost Your Confidence

Short Wave - Dogs Go Viral For 'Talking' To Humans — But Can They?

Endless Thread - Ignore All Previous Instructions

Re: Dracula - September 6: Terrible Change for the Worse

Dear Prudence - My Wife Thinks I Had an Emotional Affair With My Best Friend. Help!

Dear Prudence - Prudie Plus: My Sister-In-Law Is Dealing With Infertility and Is Now Hateful to Everyone. Help!

It's Been a Minute - Gen Z asks: what is school for? Plus, rebranding gentrification

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice And What's Making Us Happy

⭐ 99% Invisible - Not Built For This #6: Maximum Temperature

You're Dead to Me - Leif Erikson

Re: Dracula - September 7: I Have Sown my Corn

⭐ Wait Wait�� Don't Tell Me! - John Leguizamo

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Dvořák Symphonies Nos 6-9 [London Symphony Orchestra] {2024}

Carly Rae Jepsen

personal 'Liked Music' playlist

Short n' Sweet [Sabrina Carpenter] {2024}

Rock Radio • Popular

Presenting Kacey Musgraves

Presenting Bay City Rollers

Bay City Rollers Radio

"Everlasting Love" [Love Affair] Radio

[wilted-woods]

Just some drawings of my Narrators and some facts/headcanons uvu

I'll be making more soon because these are fun to do! ^-^

Lovebug! Narrator:

Likes cutesy things (ex; Sanrio plushies, collectables)

Human name: Valentino

Hates anything horror related (ex; gore, jumpscares, sudden loud noises)

Hates loud noises (sensory overload)

Prefers calm love songs instead of the new generations' love songs (for specific reasons asides from most of them being obnoxiously loud)

Loves music boxes (helps him fall asleep when his Stanley isn't around)

Does tolerate some of the new generations' music (His Stanley introduced him to some with bass that can help stimulate his brain whenever he's overwhelmed)

Loves romance movies

Almost anything related to REAL love and romance

Can be a HUGE baby sometimes

Loves sweet and savory foods (not overly sweet and savory or he'll have an outburst)

Not a big fan of candy but would eat a Twix if he wanted as he does tolerate chocolate

He likes to show Lovebug! Stanley his new swimsuit during warm weathers and wearing matching sweaters during cold weathers

Favorite season: Winter (because hot coco be hittin' different in his opinion also because he gets to be with his Stanley)

Original! Narrator:

Loves historical documentaries and movies

Human name: Woodhaven

WILL lecture about any topic of his interest when given the chance (ex; The History of Chernobyl)

Rarely sleeps

Likes to read and write poetry

His favorite poet so far is Edgar Allan Poe (his favorite works are "Annabel Lee", "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven")

He rarely sketches anything

He prefers classical music but would attempt to listen to some of Stanley's suggestions (so far he tolerates Deaftones and Nirvana)

He mostly listens to Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and a couple of other composers

Loves historical paintings

He likes mostly savory foods

Enjoys a nice cup of tea in the morning and before bed

Tries to understand modern slang terms but miserably fails as he can't get himself to understand a majority of them so he always tend to ask Stanley for some clarifications (ex; "Stanley, what do they mean by 'Side-eye, bombastic side-eye and criminal offensive side-eye'?? Why are bombs and criminal offenses involved?? How does that relate to the conversation?? What is the purpose of that???")

Stanley would sometimes mock the "Toodle-pip" since it was so unexpected but did find it somewhat cute-

He prefers "The Happy Room" that's located at the Zending to relieve overwhelming emotions

Stanley's presence makes him feel better sometimes, he just won't admit it

He can get upset pretty quick

Prefers calm and cool weather

Favorite season: Fall/Autumn

Hanahakai! Narrator (also the one who was in the chain lmao and his Stanley is still trying to find him because this is the longest he hasn't been able to find him- he never meant any harm lmao):

A complete softy

Has an unknown memory disorder

Human name: Willow

Sometimes forgets who his Stanley is

Forgets the simplest things (ex; his tie)

Ends up in strange places and situations (ex; he got stuck in a tree and has no clue on how he got up there)

Loves watching the sunset

Loves stargazing

He's an oldies type of guy

His usual favorite songs are "It's A Long Way To Tipperary" by John McCormack and "We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn

Sleeps a lot (even to the point where it's unhealthy and his Stanley has to try and keep him awake)

His Stanley has to keep a very close eye on him or at least keep an ear out (metaphorically)

His Stanley is basically like a caregiver

Wonders off a lot (hence how he ends up in said situations)

Prefers calm and breezy weather

Makes desserts from naturally grown ingredients and has only one (1) Cow and one (1) Goat for dairy

Favorite season: Spring and warm breezy Summers

I also added a good amount so it wouldn't be so empty and I'm already invested with these ideas of mine-

[dogboyboyshorts]

THOUGHTS ON SOUTH SCRIMSHAW

im having a loooooot of thoughts. ok like i love specbio right so obviously i loved those elements but i was also super thinking about the nature of documentaries while reading. like there were moments in the narration where they sort of pulled back the curtain and referenced the documentary crew who were filming and researching these whales, which lended a very nice touch of realism and humanity to the picture, but the thing is that never happened because the entire story is fiction! i think its always such a clever trick when mockumentaries pull it (see also the youtuber segments of inscryption) so its really nice to see it in a more serious tone story. i was also thinking about anthropomorphization of the animals that are the subject of documentaries. like documentaries to make a compelling story will necessarily connect certain behaviors to human experiences to draw empathy from the audience, even if in reality the animals may not have the depth of emotion to display things like that. but in south scrimshaw, its unclear exactly how sentient the whales are; like theyre presented much like other social animals in documentaries, but since these animals are fictional we really have no way of knowing exactly how emotionally intelligent they really are, or if thats something the narrative is even interested in exploring. idk i liked it! ok that means i do know but yk.

[grim-faux]

ok real i have been reading your little nightmares series and your worldbuilding is SO GOOD i want to eat it

i always hated when ppl interpret mono and six as like fully literate mature beings because no!!! they are babies!!!!! and not just that they are babies who are also feral!!!!! so very obviously i have immediately latched onto your works like a rabid animal

i love your take on things like groups, how languages work, and how the essential collapse of society means that there really is no standard... anything, anymore- so kids have to get crafty when interacting with their environment and communicating between individuals.

im more combining this internally with the absolute mentally ill traumatized mess analysis of another creator and the fact that the two can co-exist is so exciting honestly

especially mono and his speek! its a very interesting type of narration and is a cute little tag to say "hey this is mono's thoughts in real time", and i imagine you would make a similar speek system for six, possibly as a contrasting style???

i also appreciate that you incorporated said feral nature of mono while ALSO just. making him a child??? a child with trauma up to the ears with a limited grasp on most societal constructs, yes, but a child with child-like thoughts, questions and behaviors. humans aren't solitary animals lmao

sorry im brainrotting ajfnJDJSNFME but i really do love your feral mono!!! i want to give him little kith on the forehead.

Lol, thank you kind anon. I always appreciate comments like this from the void, because the whole speek concept is something I’ve enjoyed working with, though I recognize it may turn off other readers. And I do enjoy all the different iterations of the kids, and how creators perceive this world.

It’s been such a fun and intriguing process to take familiar things from our world, or from the context of children, and twist it into how the children in LN might utilize such things such as playtime or games, or the ‘social’ constructs they might formulate without proper guides/mentors. It’s been like writing a nature documentary using an oblivious narrator, but everything the children do makes sense in the context and limitations of their situation. This is both humorous and tragic.

The children, especially Mono, take the world as they see it. The best survivors are those that can learn on the fly, and remember obscure details – such as fuses or how keys work, or can read simple maps. Because the kids have no real language, they’re more visual based and learn through recognizing patterns – a lot of their headspace is dedicated to recognizing repeating details in their environment, and the quirks of other creatures.

There have been a few loose examples of the differences between Six and Mono’s speek comprehensions, and how they interpret each other. Going off the original Titan comics and the first games, Six’s internal thinking is a little more sophisticated than Mono’s – only because she’s not Duo linguistic. Mono makes up language and if he likes the sound of something a child has for a ‘thing’, he will latch onto it. But Six is somewhat more closed off, and though her internal language is more sophisticated, she really does not know how to speek it or vocalize.

I did a whole write up on the anatomical aspect of how children go mute due to their hostile environment, and their vocal and muscles in their speech department become vestigial due to lack of nourishment – nutrients for muscle and wound healing, etc, is prioritized to healing. So it becomes physically impossible for some children to speek at some point.

It has been so much fun to work on this, to expand on the loose bits fed to us by Tarsier and their amazing world. Getting a comment out of the blue means a lot, since as you can tell, I love to think about this world and analyze it, and get feedback on how others perceive it.

[the-haunted-office]

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐑

Cyrus

•Can they use chopsticks?

He can, but he has a much easier time using them as a Nightcrawler using his TK than he does as a human using his hands.

•What do they do when they can’t sleep?

Usually either will talk to his sister, play on his guitar, or read something.

•What would they impulse buy at the grocery store?

Anything. Cyrus and Aurora are very curious about Earth foods. On the whole they enjoy Earth foods and so they want to try different things. More than likely, though, he’d load up a shopping cart full of different kinds of tea.

•Their coffee order:

None. Do not, under any circumstance, give a Nightcrawler caffeine! The applies to a significant amount of caffeine, smaller amounts don’t affect them so much.

•What sort of apps would they have on their smartphone?

Cyrus has no idea what a smartphone even is! He’d have whatever apps his friends have suggested for him. Probably a music app and a messenger program.

•How do they act around children?

Cyrus likes kids! He’s very friendly to them and often will offer them more sweets than they should have. He loves showing them the control booth and his duties as a Narrator. He is actually very curious about them and part of him wonders what it would be like to have his own.

•What would they watch on TV when they’re really bored and nothing they really like is on?

Anything. I think he’d be especially interested in the home shopping network, nature documentaries, and cooking shows, though.

Tagged by: @drchandras-sanctuary-for-ais

Tagging: @theblackcubeofdarkness and anyone else who wants to do it

[stewblog]

Avatar: The Way of Water

Avatar: The Way of Water has a lot going on, but there is one thing abundantly clear throughout its (interminable) 3 hour and 15 minute runtime: Director James Cameron has a boundless love for the world he has created and all of its native inhabitants. When the credits finally rolled, I was left wishing he had simply made a couple of faux documentaries about Pandora narrated by Sigourney Weaver.

Cameron takes particular pride and care when depicting Pandora’s flora and fauna. His passion for marine biology shines particularly bright in this long-awaited sequel as the majority of it takes place in, under and around water. A Pandoran whale ends up becoming one of the most endearing characters in the film. He also has a palpable love for the new family unit(s) that are introduced here. This sequel may have taken more than a decade to finally arrive, but James Cameron wanted this to be about something and not just contain wall-to-wall spectacle.

Personally, I would have preferred the spectacle compared to what we got.

For as much obvious affection as Cameron has for this world and these characters, very little of that translates into an engaging story or characters that register. This would have been forgivable and perhaps even understandable in a 90 minute, or even two hour, movie. But when you have no real story to speak of and not a single character, new or returning, feels fleshed out in a meaningful way with a runtime that outlasts The Godfather by about 20 minutes, something is horribly amiss.

Following a bit of a recap, The Way of Water picks up in earnest roughly 15 years or so after the events of the original film, which saw humans pushed out of Pandora en masse and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), now fully integrated into his avatar body. Jake is now a father to three children with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), as well as adoptive father to two wayward kids as well. There’s Spider (Jack Champion), the wayward human son of Col. Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), the immaculately conceived daughter of Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), who died while inhabiting her avatar in the previous film. All of whom are forced into exile when the regrouping human colonists are determined to kill Jake and dissolve the insurgency he leads.

These kids are the driving force of the whole thing, both mechanically and thematically, for good and ill. What story exists on the page is theirs. Sorry, Jake Sully fans, he’s only going to show up sporadically to get mad at his sons for disobeying him and little else. Neytiri has even less to do. The rest of the time we’re largely stuck with these kids attempting to settle into their new lives among a new tribe of Na’vi who have adapted and taken to the sea of Pandora the way Neytiri’s tribe flourished in its forest. This, naturally, leads to all sorts of fish-out-of-water hijinx, both literally and figuratively. The boys, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) and Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) just want to fit in. Kiri begins to more fully realize the spiritual and physical connection she has with the planet itself. The youngest, Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), is also accounted for.

Dull and unengaging as most of their escapades are, though, it’s during this middle stretch that Cameron shows where his heart remains. As in real life, his passion is for the sea and its inhabitants. If James Cameron could grow gills and never rise to the surface again, he would likely have already done so. You’ll not find a more vividly rendered and realized environment in a movie than the seas of Pandora. It is a space that is at once familiar and yet wholly, rivetingly alien. He presents us a dreamy vista of a submerged paradise and intentionally lingers there for extended stretches. It’s entirely digital, and yet it feels as tangible and real as anything else on a movie screen this year. There are other talented special effects houses out there, but the work that WETA Digital has put forth for this movie is something an echelon above anything else I’ve seen in recent memory.

But sumptuous underwater escapades only retain their engagement for so long here. There reached a point where I stopped being able to tell which blue alien cat boy which. Kiri’s connection to the planet can only be so meaningful without some engagement deeper than “she just feels it.” There was certainly space to play here. At its core you could say this movie was, at least on paper, intended to be an examination of fatherhood and the ways that expectations of fatherly behavior are often at complete odds with how children, and sons especially, are failed by living up to those expectations. Fathers need to be more than just a stern voice and a “protector” (the latter of which Jake Sully fails fairly spectacularly at being).

This could have been especially interesting given what’s at stake for Quaritch. Despite becoming Neytiri’s new arrow quiver at the end of the first movie, he’s now back but in Na’vi form. Ostensibly implanted with his former self’s full batch of memories and even personality, New Quaritch must now wrestle with inhabiting the build and visage of the very thing he once tried to annihilate, all while reckoning with the (now grown) son he may or may not have even known he had. A tale of two fathers, both at odds with their brood, their life and their purpose.

All of it is largely ignored. We don’t even get a perfunctory moment where Quaritch finds himself even slightly contemplating the nature of his existence and why he must remain on the path his former self set in motion despite the fact that he’s only technically that person still.

At least the final hour of The Way of Water is an absolute banger and an explosive reminder that almost no one else does large-scale, big budget action like James Cameron. It’s cleanly executed, thrilling from moment to moment and brimming with the kind of kinetic spectacle that you’d expect from the man.

And in full honesty, it’s hard to be fully mad at a mega-budget movie that is such an unsubtle diatribe against destructive environmental practices, annoying dudebros who love to play the part of military tough guys and historical atrocities enacted by colonizers. No other director would likely dare to be so brazen in their messaging with so much money at stake. But when central themes are left unexplored and characters remain frustratingly underdeveloped, all the audacity in the world can’t keep your movie from bellyflopping onto the immaculately rendered ocean surface.

[lyra2024]

Okay, let's talk about movies about Mount Everest!

Reaching for the Sky: Mount Everest on Film

Mount Everest. Just the name conjures up images of towering peaks, icy winds, and incredible human endurance. It's no wonder that the world's highest mountain has been a source of fascination for filmmakers for decades.

Whether you're a seasoned mountaineer or just someone who loves a good adventure story, there's a Mount Everest movie out there for you. Let's take a look at some of the best:

For the Thrill Seeker:

Everest (2015): This movie puts you right in the middle of the action, with stunning visuals and a gripping story based on the tragic 1996 Everest disaster. You'll feel the biting cold, the thin air, and the sheer determination of the climbers as they face a killer storm. If you want an intense, edge-of-your-seat experience, this is the one to watch. Big names like Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, and Josh Brolin add to the drama.

For the History Buff:

The Conquest of Everest (1953): This documentary takes you back in time to witness the first successful ascent of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Using actual footage from the expedition, it's a powerful and inspiring look at a historic moment. You'll see the challenges they faced, the teamwork that got them to the top, and the sheer joy of their victory.

Beyond the Edge (2013): Another look at the first successful summit, this film uses restored footage and adds a bit more storytelling to bring the expedition to life. If you want to understand the significance of this historic climb, this is a great choice.

For the True Story Fan:

Into Thin Air: Death on Everest (1997): Based on Jon Krakauer's best-selling book, this made-for-TV movie tells the story of the 1996 Everest disaster from a firsthand perspective. It's a sobering reminder of the risks involved in high-altitude mountaineering and the human cost of pushing boundaries.

For those who like a good IMAX documentary:

Everest (1998): This movie is about the struggles faced by the climbers during the climb and also focuses on the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster. Narrated by Liam Neeson, this film is a good watch.

Beyond Everest:

While not strictly about Everest, these films capture the spirit of adventure and the challenges of mountaineering:

Sherpa (2015): This documentary shifts the focus from Western climbers to the Sherpa people, who play a vital role in Everest expeditions. It's a powerful and moving look at their lives, their culture, and the risks they take.

Meru (2015): This incredible film follows three climbers as they attempt to conquer the "Shark's Fin" route on Meru Peak in the Himalayas. It's a story of perseverance, friendship, and the sheer will to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.

Why Watch Mount Everest Movies?

These films offer more than just entertainment. They give us a glimpse into a world that most of us will never experience firsthand. They remind us of the power of human spirit, the beauty of nature, and the importance of respecting the mountains. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and prepare to be inspired!

I hope this gives you a good starting point for exploring the world of Mount Everest movies. Happy watching!