#i love this version so much they're all my little sisters fr

[queenmakings]

The Baby-Sitter’s Club (2020): Season 1 Episode Titles

[angelfirstclass]

Rogue above all else.

This is fan post declaring my love for Rogue and that I love her more than I am attached to a particular ship. For all I know, Rogue can be with whoever she wants to be with and I'm sticking by her. I am an equal opportunity Rogue shipper and have liked and enjoyed Rogueneto and Romy fanfics and art and etc. I don't believe in ship wars and just want to promote my girl.

I love Rogue. I think she is the most beautiful animated character and she is such a complex, interesting character from the comics to cartoons to the movies. Her powers are super interesting with or without Carole Danvers' superpowers and make her an empathetic person.

Firstly, I love that Rogue is the daughter of Mystique and Destiny. What a crazy upbringing that must have been and so unique. I love that she was born and raised in Mississippi and still keeps her roots, but then became the adopted daughter of two smart, ambitious, and strong lesbian women. The backstory of them raising her is super interesting because there is such a conflict of interests for Destiny and Mystique from knowing Rogue was going to be a powerful mutant, using and training her to be part of the Brotherhood, introducing her to people like Magneto, and also loving her like a daughter.

Mystique is such a unique character and such a powerful woman that it makes sense why Rogue is as powerful and strong willed as she is. In my headcanon X-men First Class stuff still applies so Raven is still Charles' adopted little sister and so Rogue is like Charles Xavier's distant niece which makes things interesting. Raven and Destiny hid Anna Marie away while she was growing up, but came to Xavier to help her after her run in with Carole Danvers. They had to reluctantly give Rogue up to the X-men in order to save her, but it was a bittersweet moment that Irene and Raven both regret.

Secondly, I love Rogue's vulnerability and empathy. Her absorbing powers are so unique and bring up a lot of questions about what makes a person. She can absorb powers, memories, and feelings and can even hold on too long and absorb entire psyches and life forces. In the beginning of her story way back in Avengers Annual 10, she is bad and unafraid to use her powers. She not only uses her powers indiscriminately, but she also isn't afraid to kiss people to absorb them.

The Rogue we see in X-men 97 is far more tempered and though has a past, has learned to use her powers sparingly and not want to hurt people. She uses her super strength and flying powers, but rarely uses her absorption power because it is a double edged sword. She may gain powers and drain energy from people, but gets their memories, traumas, fears, etc. which may not be a pleasant experience.

Thirdly, I like pretty much all forms of Rogue. I love X-men Evo Rogue for her gothic personality. I think a teen Rogue would be introverted and different to most girls her age. I like Wolverine and the X-men Rogue for being independent and Wolverine's best friend. I like their dynamic and I like when she is Wolverine's partner and team mate and platonically just gets him because she has absorbed him and they're so much alike. The most vulnerable of all Rogues is Movie Rogue which is a controversial portrayal of Rogue. I personally think Anna Paquin is gorgeous and good actor who portrayed the sweet, vulnerable Rogue to a tee.

This Rogue wasn't raised by Mystique and she didn't absorb Carole Danvers' powers yet. She was a scared teen girl who couldn't touch people and whose storyline revolved around her feelings about her powers and wanting to have physical intimacy. It's not my favorite version of her, but it did beautifully show Rogue's inner angst.

My favorite version of her is X-men TAS or 97 Rogue who I think is Rogue Prime. She is the daughter of Destiny and Mystique, has absorbed Carole Danvers' powers, is the ex of Erik Lensherr, in an on off relationship with Remy Le Beau, sister of Kurt Wagner, great friend and dedicated X-man, and all around bad ass chick.

She has the Brotherhood/Magneto's ex/Mystique's daughter thing as her background which makes her a complicated character with a dark past which makes for juicy storylines, but she is mature enough to be fully reformed and a good person. Her duality and grey toned sense of the world makes her so well suited to complex men like Erik Lensherr and Remy LeBeau who are not traditional good guys with squeaky clean pasts and morals.

I love X-men 97 Rogue. I love Lenore Zann. I love the sass, the Southern charm and cute accent, I love her no bs attitude, her compassionate heart, and her empathy. Rogue is my Queen and I stan.

[spider-jaysart]

What was the last comic you read & your least favorite?

@pin-crusher2000

Last comic:

Supersons haha, because I love rereading it

Least favorite:

Ooooh sooooo many!!!😤

(Incoming spoilers about some of them btw, in case you plan on reading some of these)

1. The comic that Bendis wrote, which caused Jon's whole age up and then changed everything for him in his life in main comics after that

2. The Supersons comic that starred the older, current version of the boys, because even though it was supposed to be like "Oh look fans! The boys are back!!", It just wasn't the same since DC already messed things up. And there were also some ooc moments inside the book too in a way where it felt like they swapped a bit of personalities🤨, which was pretty odd and didnt help so much for the enjoyment either

3. Don't know if you know this video game series or not, but it's called Telltales the walking dead games, and after the series ended, a comic series called Clementine was released a while after that and it's all so horrible, because it ruins everything about Clementine (the main character) and the good ending she had in the last game, making all the struggles she went through in her survival journey over the years to keep living and hopefully find peace one day seem like it was all actually for nothing. The writer doesn't understand her at all and mischaracterizes her so much that it's super annoying!! I HATE that book so much!!!😤😤 That is not my Clementine, just Tangerine

4. The Legion of heroes comic where they met Damian, because the way they treated and spoke about him, especially right in front of him and also Jon who they know is his friend, was just so disgusting to see and I was disappointed in the way Jon handled it and how he still joined their team after that AND the fact that he still dated Saturn girl too. His written reaction during that moment just wasn't enough, because I believe he should've been way more mad about it all, lost some respected interest in their group, and have his feelings on Saturn girl really changed up afterwards, which he would've been right for and it fits his character better because he's protective of his loved ones like that

5. Marvel zombies. I've never read it before, so I can't say if anythings wrong with it, since I don't know how most of it's story throughout the series goes to actually say if it has good or bad writing, but I just hate whenever I see it, because it's all just really gross and too messed up for me. Don't get me wrong though, because I love apocalypse stories, they're my faves, it's just that looking at this series and the stuff that happens on page feels a bit too much for me

6. Beast Boy by Kami Garcia.

Idk if this counts enough to be added into the list, cause the book was good, it was fine, it's just an annoying thing that stuck with me that changes my view on the book whenever I reread it now, because Beast boy seemed like he was genuinely really into the popular girl in the story, but then at the end it turned out he was actually just using her to get the feel of being popular and that just didn't sit so well with me when I read that part, because that just only makes it look like that's all he ever really wanted from her now and wasn't actually interested fr, even when he did look like it. Then he just runs off onto an adventure in the end after admitting to his friends that he didn't actually care that much about her anymore, just when he had finally gotten her invested in him and it's like, dude, what the heck??? That's how you handle it????

7. "Beast boy loves Raven" and "Robin" both by Kami Garcia

These are both also fine stories, it's just another thing about one of the romances, which doesn't let me really get through the books so well the way I want to. Damian falls for Raven's sister in "Beast boy loves Raven", a little too quickly tbh, and soon starts dating her, which is continued in "Robin" (because ofc he does, he can never just be a single kid that's not being set up everytime with whatever same age girl they can throw at him or just can't be left not crushing on some mature woman who's way too old for him, which is just icky whenever that happens). It feels weird because he's instantly into her the second they meet without him getting to know her, he's flirting right away back with her when he doesn't actually get like that in canon and mostly keeps his feelings to himself when it comes to crushes since he's reserved, and then he begins dating her after not too long and then they're pretty close and so cutesy playful as a couple, which should be fine, but it's just the way it's done that feels off to me loll, and I'm not so sure how to exactly explain the vibe, like it's too overly sweet in a way that's just not fitting because it was kind of quick and Damian seemed way too expressive with it a lot??? Probably not the right way to say it, idk lmaooo, but a friend of mines also understands and feels the same on the whole topic here. Like, it all just feels ooc on Damian's part the way his character there handles the whole thing. And this is not because I'm a Damijon fan loll, cause even if it was Jon in the love interest role instead of Raven's sister in the two books, I wouldn't want it to be rushed either. I would want Damian to have to get to know him better too before actually developing any romantic feelings and showing any signs of interest in him, and after a good while of getting to do that, then he grows more comfortable around him and they start dating later, cause that would fit his character better and would make the cute, playfulness feel more fitting in the relationship and seem more natural since they've already gotten close enough to be that way. It's one of the reasons why I like Damijon lol, because they're both already so close in their friendship, that dating could work between them so well. Once again though, this is all just my opinion that I'm expressing

8. I am not Starfire

That book is just so dumb lmaooo, only the art is good. Mandy, the daughter of Starfire, is an annoying, spoiled child who only envies and disrespects her Mother, makes everything about herself, gets too mad about everything for no good reason, and she doesn't even share any Tamaranean features with Starfire in looks either, except for the green eyes and very normal looking ginger hair, like seriously??? Dick is obviously the Dad, but he won't step up to get involved at all and pretends this isn't his problem, and I hate that this a trope that keeps happening whenever Dick and Starfire have kids with eachother, one of them gets taken away or either just leaves the other on their own to deal with everything, which sucks, because they should be able to be a happy family all together already where the kids grow up with them both in their lives, not more of this. Anyways, besides those mentioned things, everything else in this book is also very annoying and makes no sense too and it's not worth the read at all because of it

9. The Injustice crossover with Jon

Most of that book was annoying, like for example when Injustice!Clark broke Jay's arm and then Jon threateningly went into Ultra power mode just to....give Clark a hug for it. Like wtf lmaoooo???? He was overly playing pacifist and it was so, so stupidly silly. And I don't even know what's going on in that universe now after he left it, like that's how much of nothing he did in there, except get sassy with everyone and try befriending Injustice!Damian lolll, which made things feel like a literal waste of time in the crossover when it seemed like he would actually try changing things up in there somehow

Okay, so I think that's it for now, cause I can't think of anymore books at the moment lol, so thanks for the ask, crusher! I like that I got to express about some of these! :)

(I apologize if these rants were a bit much btw, I just get like that sometimes because I don't get to do it enough😅, so, sorry about that, unless you're fine with it though and actually like reading that, which is awesome then, cause then I've got a good listener loll)

[astral-express-family]

Ramblings about my Detective Family because I love them sm and today is family day

They're my family in the way they are because i got into the series when i was around... 15-ish? i think? and i was at a bit of a low point then so i latched onto them as a family. I played the game Haunted Hotel: Death Sentence and then it spiraled from there. As a result my Detective Uncle James still has a special place in my heart <3

(under the cut 'cause this is a big family so it's gonna get Long)

Dorian Brown - My dad fr fr. He's invisible. When i first got into the game, i honestly wasn't super fond of him. I grew fond of him after a little while, watching thru YT playthroughs of the game and just seeing him more.

Mortimer Brown - Best uncle. Dorian's twin and a former criminal who went through a redemption arc, but still supports my chaotic antics. When i say that i don't have a favorite family member, i'm lying. It's him.

(Honorary Mention, Arabella Brown - My aunt, elder sister to the twins. Dotes on me fr fr. Has a husband and son, they're family but i don't have the mental energy to elaborate on the two of them.)

James Blackthorne - Listen i just think they're found family sibling energy. As a result, he's my uncle. He's probably my favorite of the trio, and he spoils me with affection. He has no inherent magic, and he's surprisingly fierce if you don't know him.

(Honorary Mention, Jessica Blackthorne - The wife of Uncle James. She doesn't get a lot of characterization in the game itself, but i love her she's my aunt.)

Anna Gray - Found family sibling energy. She's just my aunt it is what it is. She can time travel, and i love to hear her stories about her time traveling exploits. She's also immortal but we don't need to talk about that ;P

Dorian Gray - Anna's husband and my beloved uncle. He does painting as a hobby, and i do it with him! Also immortal, thoroughly a reference to the story The Painting of Dorian Gray, if that wasn't obvious.

Richard Gray - GRANDPA-CORE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!! He's Aunt Anna's dad, and he's an asshole (affectionate). He's a ghost, bound to his own skull which Aunt Anna carries around. He's prickly and kind of rude, but he has a soft spot for his granddaughter and grandniece (me). They wrote him out of canon and i will forever be sad about it.

Alice Gray - My cousin we're best friends forever. Anna and Dorian's daughter, we love to hang out all the time. Inherited a different version of her mom's time powers. I cherish her and she cherishes me we love each other with our whole hearts.

Amber Edevane - My aunt, in a convoluted sort of way. Not too much older than i am now (like six or seven years-ish i think), but i latched onto the series when i was like fifteen so it is what it is. No-nonsense and protective, but loves her family.

Shade - MY AUNT FOREVER AND EVER!!! For the sake of my selfships, Amber's my aunt through her. She's my aunt through sibling energy with Dorian. Sorely underutilized in the games themselves, i will miss her forever. Same age as Amber but i latched onto her for the same reason as i did Amber. I adore her and i'm super clingy to her.

[acourtofthought]

I agree with you and dear anon. I also like to add some things:

Mor and Elain are similar and soo many ways while Lucien and Azriel couldn't be more different than they already are. Azriel loved Mor for over 500 years! That's something the fandom, specifically El/riels, should stop underestimate, especially when throughout the books, even with Elain on his left, his eyes catch Mor quite often on his right. The sudden interest that Azriel took in Elain has always been questionable to me because where did it come from? It all started when Azriel volunteered to show Elain the garden, even though before that he rather wanted to go out in the City than "babysit" her. Didn't think much of it at first because it looked more like a friendly gesture, until Feyre decided to be weird and talk about how they'd be a good couple. I was genuinly confused because where did that come from? She'd seen them 2-3 times together and she already thought they'd be great as mates and that's all because... they're both quite? Feyre's comment on how Elain would enjoy the quite around him, because Azriel isn't as loud as the rest of the IC, made me think like "Girl, you fr? Do you even know your sister?". Elain isn't actually quite and definitely not introverted like Azriel. We've seen that from book 1. Trauma, depression and the people around you can change you. So, the only good explaination as to why he takes such an interest in her is because 1. 3 brothers + 3 sisters, which also leads to -> 2. Jealousy: Azriel didn't do anything for Elain the time Feyre was in the Spring court. There's no mentioning of him being worried for her or taking care of her.. In fact, we get a little scene of Azriel and Cassian playing a stick game because both of them didn't want to guard Elain and Azriel literally clapped Cassian on the back as if to say "Good luck" and just flew off to the city. But then, after Lucien made it clear of what Elain needed and what her sisters needed to do, which was to take her out of the house, just then Azriel volunteered? Why? I truly see it all as him realizing that he's the one left behind without a mate, specifially an archeron, and thinking about the fact that the guy he can't stand got the girl he thinks the third bat boy should've gotten. My Interpretation doesn't seem to be wrong, considering Azriel's bonus chapter.

I see it as Azriel trying to rebound. That, because his first love doesn't feel the same for him, he's basically going after someone who is almost like Mor, so he can use his second chance right and know what it feels like to be loved by Mor, even if it's... Mor 2.0

It makes sense to me as to why he isn't paying attention to Gwyn, who is completely different from Mor and Elain, while possible mating bond and his shadows are. I don't think I need to go into detail of how different they are since we all can tell, but another thing is for sure, that we haven't discussed: Gwyn doesn't benefit him in any way. Certainly not as a Mor 3.0, not as someone who has relations to the archerons or bat boys, and not as someone who's part of the IC because she simply isn't all that. It gives him the chance to view Gwyn as a person and then actually fall in love with HER, instead of a version he created of her, of which she gives him the HEA he wanted.

And as for Elain: We've already discussed of how different Lucien and Azriel are. To me it seems like, while Azriel is still trying to be with Mor in some way, Elain wants to be further away from Lucien and anything that he's related to. His very much fae- like appearance reminds Elain of the future that she refuses to want while Azriel's human- like appearance reminds her of the past she mourns. Of what she had and could've had, if it weren't for the sudden change that Ianthe and the Hybern King had forced upon her. It really doesn't help for Lucien that Azriel has managed to be a comfort to her and hide everything that would be too dark for her while Lucien has found himself in situations in which he stood in a very bad light. Azriel has the chance to see her everyday, Lucien needs approval first and even then he's being watched like a hawk. Lucien is at a complete disadvantage, given that his looks alone is something Elain had been raised to fear and hate. Azriel, the only human looking in the IC, is the perfect person to seek comfort from.

In conclusion: Azriel is looking for ways to still be with his first love, even if it's not exactly her, while also looking for ways to be included in his family (even though he is). Elain is searching for every memory that takes her back to the life that she had and could've had, which also means staying away from every direction that leads to the future she was raised to stay away from.

Then there's that problem for El/riel: Despite the sexual attraction and interest, Azriel and Elain are also very different. From their personalities to their likes and dislikes, to their wants, needs and plans... Attraction is certainly not enough. Being on good terms for a long time isn't enough.

Yup. Yes. All of that.

I do think the that when Az helped out Elain in ACOWAR or even offered her TT, it was as a reflex to seeing Cassian and the others step in first. Lucien is the one to tell them to take her to a garden since they won't let him near her? Convenient that moments after Feyre communicates to Rhys what her plan is and Rhys sends Cassian / Az to move the sisters, Az offers to take Elain.....to the garden!

Feyre asks Elain if she can take her to see how her seeds are coming in after asking a favor of Cassian? Az jumps in and offers help so he can feel like he's doing something!

Cassian tells a hysterical Nesta that they'll get Elain back from being kidnapped but Nesta tells him he can't because he's too injured and Az is sitting here watching this whole thing knowing his shadows can get him in and out? Az offers to get Elain back! Also, it just occurred to me that Nesta saying "then you will die" might not be as dramatic as some try to make it. It sort of feels like Nesta is convincing herself of the worst case scenario (sort of like when a kid tries to ride a bike for the first time and says, "It's impossible! I'll never do it!". We know that's not the truth and is just their fear and anxiety overwhelming them. Every single thing the IC does has the risk of dying. Feyre going into the Weavers cottage had the risk of dying. Feyre entering the Spring Court as a spy could have resulted in her dying. Lucien and Feyre traveling through Autumn to get back to Rhys and Elain came with the risk of dying. So her saying to Az, "then you will die" and him saying, "I'm getting her back" is really no different than any other thing the characters do throughout the series. And there was less risk for Az than anyone considering he can turn himself into shadows.

Cassian offers Elain a dagger which she's uncomfortable taking? Az to the rescue, offering TT, but only after Cassian offered first!

In the entirety of ACOWAR, Az is helping out Elain only after everyone else points him in the direction of what to do and every second in between he's fixated on Mor who pushes him further and further away.

Then in ACOFAS we have Az even more irritated with Lucien for the fact that the IC has grown to depend on him for information. He continues to look at Mor with heat and yearning though she still shows no interest and then......Elain gets him a gift and he feels guilty that she's serving them because it reminds him of his mother.

In SF, Mor is no longer around much but when she is, he still has a few moments that show he's not completely over her. The rest of the time, he's fixated on the fact that his brothers got bonds but he didn't. That Elain shies away from Lucien so making them mates was (in Az's opinion), a wasted bond and why was Lucien worthy of a bond that matched his brothers bonds (three brothers with three sisters) while Az wasn't? Hot, seemingly available sister who doesn't want her bond and makes him feel noticed, what with her Solstice gift and all the times he got to jump in and play hero to the damsel in distress Elain appeared to him in ACOWAR....he's the available brother who couldn't have the female he wanted so why not gravitate towards the other option?

And Elain was super human of the three sisters. More human than Nesta ever was even when Nesta was human. She was engaged and in love when she was given a freaky fae mating bond with an arched eared, long red hair, mechanical eye'd male who is struggling to control himself around her because of the bond even though we know Lucien is the most well mannered and polite of any of the characters. One who is not usually driven by emotions. She was raised to fear the fae yet now she's bonded to one of them on a level that defies logic? And, when she's always been in control of her emotions, being near Lucien probably makes her feel out of control and it's unsettling for her.

Being around Az is easy. There's no pull, there's nothing making her feel crazy around him, she can sit there and continue being the polite and proper well mannered lady she was raised to be and not animalistic over someone who is basically a stranger to her. And he looks human with his ears and lack of shadows and he behaves very human around her even though we know he's the farthest thing from it and it's tricked Elain into this belief that she can go in his direction and she can feel like human Elain. I'm not saying she wants to be human again but I don't think she's fully ready to say goodbye to her humanity (similar to Nesta).

But I think if Elain and Az had kissed there would have been no spark.

You can be attracted to someone and want to see what it's like to be with them but that doesn't mean when you're physical, there's actually chemistry. Sometimes the anticipation is more exciting than getting what you want.

[zerobaseonefics]

i am so so sorry for not being active here but i had a lot of stress because of university shit etc (i still do but not as much as i did last week) (and this week)

you should adopt me as a sister frfr!!

yes about hanbin: he said that you both are already planning the wedding??? you should have told me… #betrayed

and i took my nails off (if thats how you say it😟) and they were no and i had to cut my natural long nails 😔😔

no cuz i lost a lot money now on enhypen albums (i love them sm wtf its so sudden but after i found out that they were in poland (i found out sbout this during they were there) my enhypen fangirl era came back and yk i bought the dark blood album i dont remmeber what version but its dark blue and i pulled sunghoon and sunoo(AGAIN) but i wanted heeseung and jake #depressed (i got jay post card tho) and i csnt find people who sell the original photocards☹️ LIKE GIRL IM ABOUT TO GO CRAZY ABOUT HEEJAYKE LIKE OMFG NOOO NAHH WTF WHAT::;;;;::;;:::&&&&

how did the macarons taste like (good bad mid) ?!??,,? i will buy you a whole macarons factory just so you csn eat them everyday for free 😋😋

DONT CALL ME A ROOKIE!! its the first time it happened (taking a nap and then not being able to sleep again) like i take naps almost everyday because they are so lovely😔😔 but yes no school no university no anything for a long time😋 (just work) (like 20€ per week) (im teaching 2 people english so not a real job tho)

anyway my brother (6 months old) (literally 18 years age difference💀) is so annoying but so cute like bro i hate him sometimes and then day after i love him the most😐😐😐

oh and my hesrt was broken by a guy… he has the same name as i do (unisex name) we were 8-9 years at the same school and he had a crush on me 5 years ago but i didnt have a cursh on him back then so i told him that we are just friends and now since 2-3 years i started to have a crush on him but now i found out that he has a crush on deomeone else (this is mainly the reason why im so delulu rn) (i was always delulu but this is literally getting so out of hand) i also started kind of disliking zb1 i mean not that i dont like them anymore its just im not keeping up with their content now as much as i did like bro my ult groups are always changing (once it was shinee then svt then got7 then nct then gidle then enhypen then txt then svt again then treasure then zb1 and xikers and now its new jeans, le sserafim, xikers, ateez and enhypen (just that i dont keep up eith xikers and ateez content that much)😐😐😐😐 get me some help like i literally love them for a time then lose interesy in them and find another group and then its repeating all the time ykyk omg im so no

i understand bro i went through it myself so don't worry 😭 how's it going? i have no idea how you choose your college in germany so if you wanna talk abt it i'm interested 🤭 hope you'll be able to go wherever you want

bitch you're already adopted ‼️ i've always wanted a little sister

yk i didnt know how to tell you this cuz i'm a bit shy..... but he told you now so you know!! i'm not fully a betrayer!!

OH THEY WERE NATURAL??? the length was so pretty i thought it was not. it's a shame you had to cut it

enha have me on a chokehold fr this cb pure you don't understand 😀 they're also my ult but i've been not keeping up as much as before with their content. this album was just soooo good and now i'm in this enhypen shit forever bro like that's it they got my interest back

nOOOOOO 💔 BRO IM SURE YOU'LL FIND PPL WITH THE ORIGINAL IT'S A BIG GROUP IT'S EASIER

girl the macarons were awful. too sugary (i should've expect this from algeria they love getting diabetes...) </3 i felt like i was eating blocks of sugar there was no other taste i wanted to cry ok. waiting for you to buy me a macaron factory or else im gonna have to marry someone who makes them properly.

this may seem like 'not a real job' but even this is very important on your resume when you'll look for work later! it's still a great experience

that's every little brothers 🙏🏼 i have two and there's days i wanna crush them to the ground and days i wanna give them everything </3 but the age difference between you two is so big!! you know what's cool about that? you can design that kid 🤭 you can teach him how to be a good person, give him good taste, everything! that's the best thing about younger siblings

hE HAS ANOTHER CRUSH NOW?? HOW COULD HE MOVE ON FROM THE PURE??? nah he has no idea what he's missing rn 👹 don't be heartbroken over... a man 😧 okay?? move on too >:( he's no heejake >:(

ABOUT THE ULT THING. i have no idea how ppl keep the same ult for such a long time like.... i mean mine are pretty much stable too but yk there's time where you lost interest as you get into a new group. i always end up coming back to my ult but there are period yk. when i see people holding fanbases for example i'm amazed cuz how do you diligently wake up everyday and do everything about one and onlY ONE GROUP??? AREN'T YOU TIRED??? AREN'T YOU FED UP WITH THEM AT SOME POINT???

plus my problem is i'm here for the music only 🙏🏼 i don't like the music my ult put out? honestly i'm not hyping the comeback or anything. my older sister listens to kpop and fr no matter if the song's good or not she votes on every music show, she streams the song, eveRYTHING. i don't even do all that when i like the song tbh... i think it's funny to see how everyone has a different way of stanning

[meili-sheep]

Barbara and Diluc are my two favorite characters in the whole game that arent the otherworldly siblings. Definitely not because of the projection and too deep understanding--

But like fr tho-- Barbara and Jean's relationship is like a worse genderswapped version of Diluc and Kaeya’s. Like that one anon said, Jean barely even acknowledges her as her sister and to me it just feels like the "Bad Ending" for what couldve happened to K and D. Even after The Incident, they still managed to scrape together some kind of friendly amicable relationship but Jean and Barbara have none of that.

Jean and Barbara's relationship to me barely even seem strained because theyve grown so distant to the point that theyre basically strangers to each other. Or at least its only strained at Barbara's end, as she still wants to be loved or at least acknowledged by Jean. Jean who at this point, cares for little else but Mondstat and making sure it stays safe. Heck-- even her death quote in game is "Mondstat...". Barbara's death quote is Jean's name. And we all know that cliche of "the last thing you say is the thing you love most" thing.

Jean, despite being the (temporary) overseer of the City of Freedom is shackled to her work station and duty. Barbara meanwhile, despite being incredibly devoted to her god, manages to set some sort of a balance between her work life and personal/private life. Sure, the balance might be incredibly uneven but its leagues better than what Jean has-- devotion to the point of using everything she can to ensure and pursue her desire. Yes, the desire is noble but it shouldn't be all consuming, it shouldn't be your whole ass life.

Okay mightve strayed a little from my point there oops-- what im trying to say with the above essay is that Diluc and Kaeya could've ended up like that, Diluc not acknowledging Kaeya as family and both of them losing themselves in their work or beliefs.

Im not one to compare characters to each other-- i believe that each character can and and should stand on their own and should be acknowledged, treated and respected as such. I dont like just using a character to raise another character up and only doing that, it seems like a disservice to me. But I understand that characters can be used as foils and you cant deny the few parallels these siblings have.

Diluc and Barbara to me are such wonderful and interesting characters because of their dynamics with the people closest to them and are still wonderful characters standing alone. They are both incredibly flawed and imperfect people but they're still doing whatever they can to be the best version of themselves they can be. I had a point somewhere in here but I think this just devolved into "i think barbara is a great character, heres my tedtalk on it" and im not even mad. I'd elaborate on my things more and a little more coherently but it is currently 1 am as of writing this and dear lordy id probably have to send you a multiple page essay or something AHAHA

TLDR-- i love Barbara and Diluc, theyre great characters i can relate to on a personal level and also because their own personal story is wonderful

Here is what I find relatable about Diluc and Barbara.

They are trying to be better people.

Diluc is trying to come to terms with his experience. And trying to learn to trust people again.

Barbara is trying to find the balance of being a positive role model and support while still trying to take care of herself.

Both are aware of their flaws and are trying their best to improve themselves.

And that's where Kaeya and Jean falter for me. They don't seem to have that same drive to try and improve. They are both much more comfortable keeping things as they are. And aren't really looking within themselves.

[flooficandii]

the oc interaction special™

alrighty folks this is the moment youve been waiting for this is a handy dandy little compilation of nuniq and valotumblr ocs interacting

note:: these will mostly be one-sided since i won't write your oc's dialogue without your permission teehees .

starting off with her more "canon" interactions since me and stars (@starstainedarts) write together a lot 👍

lakan

in the storyline where we mush up all our ocs together, lakan is the one that convinces nuniq to join the protocol

nuniq saw the kingdom logo on brim's pauldron and immediately decided these people were not worth listening to

soOOOO naturally youre gonna wanna bring out the radiant professor who spent the past few years being a sore in kingdom's neck

lakan and nuniq have pretty similar experiences. they're part of the "kingdom fucked up my home" club

although nuniq was still wary and standoffish to the rest of the protocol at first, she and lakan got along really quick

she trusts them enough to take her blood even after seeing them on the field lmaO

lakan is sorta like an older brother figure to her. they're like an unhinged version of her old friend amaruq

they steal her dog sometimes. it annoys her but she can't do anything about it because aput loVES lakan

overall they have a very deep trust and they both empathize with eachother. theres so much lore to go over with both of them but i'll shorten it for the sake of this post hHFJDJGK

tefnut

if lakan is an older sibling to nuniq, tefnut is sorta like a little sister

...a little cousin, more of

their radiants are interconnected (tefnut to water, nuniq to snow) so i like to imagine they help eachother develop their skills

they play this little game where tefnut tries to turn a snowball into liquid, passes it, and nuniq tries to freeze the water blob

its like .. liquid tennis

eventually it gets bigger and bigger , cleo for example would send a wave towards her and nuniq would turn it into a thin sheet of ice

clean, just like that

unfortunately tefnut is a duelist SOOOO theres a bit of babysitting involved /j

especially when it involves yoru

cleo will sneak back into the base from a late night out with him and theres nuniq in the lobby picking tangles out of aput's fur

"you went out with the punk again? mhm. alright, tef. i won't tell your mom."

overall wholesome friendship but they can be very scary when synergized

shatter

nuniq respects cairo very much as a leader

cairo on the other hand, treats nuniq the way she wished she was treated

theyre both people who knows what it feels like to look after/worry about a team, except shatter is much more experienced whereas nuniq was forced to take on that role

shatter helps nuniq feel at ease during missions. this is a competent and capable woman who knows when to call the shots

she's the protocol's mOM lmao

"you're deadly, shatter. i think we'll work together just fine."

"you've got glass, i've got ice. what say we cut 'em up?"

side note!! brim's relationship with shatter, tefnut, and kj helps nuniq further trust him. she respects that he fights for a safe future for and alongside his family

(i am once again advertising how much i love sandstone . shatter and brim old married couple fr fr)

--alright!! i just about covered the lorey interactions so valotumblr oc funsies below this line--

tao (@rerenah)

kingdom. (derogatory)

alSO THE RBF🤝🤝🤝 ITS SO REAL LMAO

theyre both the intimidating quiet type so seeing them together would be . intimidating squared

but do approach them

i dont think tao wants to let on as scary + nuniq will show trust as soon as her gut decides you're good

she admires his selflessness in that his healing requires the draining of his own life force

her respect towards him is in a way similar to the way she respects sage

except in a more relatable way because it involves sacrifice

i honestly feel like she'd yell at yoru to get off his ass because she thinks tao is trying his absolute hardest

she's 100% willing to stand up for him tbh . but this is something tao and yoru will settle on their own so she lets them be

"tao. no need to break a leg for me, alright? if i get hurt, save your stuff for someone else."

"you do so much to protect us, tao. i'm proud of you."

noura (@lemonssoda)

the whole noura situation would throw her off tbh

like

*looks around* CYPHERS KID IS ALIVE???

having noura around helps nuniq better understand cypher. whether he likes it or not his dad side WILL be vulnerable to the rest of the team and nuniq just appreciates that

as for noura herself, nuniq is surprised at how.. different noura is from cypher

if cyphers conniving and secretive noura is very bouncy and peppy

its almost funny

but there are a few similarities, like their wits, info-gathering and maybe even their laugh

(yes this is a suggestion to give noura and cypher the same laugh haha wink wink nudge nudge)

from her abilities and personality i take it that noura can be a little . brash in battle lmaO so that means nuniq would have to keep a very close eye on her

it pays off though, sometimes it takes brute strength to reinforce a tight defense

i think these two would get along!! noura might (lovingly) annoy nuniq but she cares for her. on a mission nuniq might try to protect noura specifically because cypher's already lost his family once, and she'll try to stop that from happening again.

"noura, put down the snowballs. only i can use those. okay? okay."

"i gotta hand it to you, noura. that was fantastic. this isn't permission for you to run into the enemy again, but.. good job."

aurora (@a-valorant-effort)

dude i wont lie i feel like nuniq might turn to aurora for mentorship sometimes

nuniq had noone to turn to when she was still figuring out her radiance so most of it is self-taught, but aurora could possibly give her some wisdom that she could never grasp on her own

if ever she hears about how aurora acquired her radiance she'd be so.. surprised

after something so scary and life-altering it's amazing to see how composed she is

she has the experience of a school teacher and the radiant mastery of a goddess

she FEARS this woman. in a good way

i think the closest comparison i could make is with astra?

both astra and aurora have the capacity to fuck up the world as we know it but they're on the good side. thank god

"aurora, nakurmiik. you make my job so much easier."

"i'll try my best to help you protect this place, aurora."

koi (@niagaragrape)

KOI IS SO SWEET.

KOI . IS SO . S W E ET

shes an aggressive and mobile pusher but shes polite and follows orders so shes nuniqs type of person fr

i feel like these two would make snowmen together no doubt

then koi would slap some ink and stickers on them

koi is everyones little sister i said what i said

nuniq is not exempted one bit

in that sense i feel she'd be the most protective with her? not so much as to smother her of course, koi is still a grown lady

but she wants to make sure nobody takes advantage of her kindness

glares at yoru

now of course yorus nice to her and everything but nuniq just wants to make sure he doesnt say anything stupid

hes just.. blunt and insensitive sometimes so its hard to trust a person like that with koi yknow

koi? nuniq will let you cry into her dog just putting that out

"koi! i have an extra parka in the back of my closet. just say the word and it's yours. i'm sure you'll spice it up with some cartoony patches, yeah?"

"if you find yourself in a pinch, koi– run to me. i'll provide you some cover."

cub (@fishincherrycola)

ok wait interactions aside could i as the writer just say i love how droopy cub is HFJDKGKDK

she's so sadness from inside out-coded /pos

fish put this interaction in the comments and i loved it so im gonna put it here

"cub— CUB. you're not supposed to put that in your mouth. it'll cut up your tongue and freeze it, cub. goodness."

.. context, cub was Consuming her snow

nuniq WILL question cub's choices for being into chamber but like. oh well theres nothing she can do

(same with lakan i will mention)

(or any chamber-dating oc in general. but her opinions aren't mine i encourage you all to get his french ass)

she will gladly keep him from interacting with astra he gives her the nasties lol

but since cub chooses to associate herself with chamber,,,mmm,,,, maybe she won't try to interact with her that much outside of work

sort of a silent agreement but it's a teeny bit selfish on nuniqs' part because its mostly her own motivation to keep astra safe in case chamber wants to weaponize her

aqua (@aurorasoratumbles)

similarly to tefnut, i can imagine aqua and nuniq practicing their radiants together!

i think this is a given for any water radiant oc lol

hehehe theres the little prompt of aqua and nuniq dishing the dirt on anyone in the protocol.. tfw you love your teammates but sometimes they just irk you and you HAVE to talk about them

okay though

aqua being close to chamber?

and nuniq being on good terms with aqua?

that forms a little bit of a strange triangle

nuniq can't exactly break a tight bond because of her distrust towards chamber, so in this scenario,,,, she might actually learn to *retches* trust chamber a bit

especially with how chamber genuinely seems to be a good friend towards aqua

im not sure how it would come to light exactly, but if nuniq ever found out about what aqua did to her brother? she'd sympathize so hard

she's heard many stories about how the vp's radiance costed them their normal lives and their loved ones. she's been there too, just not on this level

angsty lore aside (aqua may you find some rest gHFJDJGJ please take a nap and eat some gummy worms) nuniq thinks aqua brings a lot of value to the team

ukiyo (@melonnmiru)

any kind of radiance that involves things not immediately visible to the eye (such as astra's cosmic powers, or spiritual/otherworldly interference) catches nuniq's attention

i think nuniq does believe in a few spiritual things herself, mostly from inuit mythology

so for ukiyo to bridge the gap between the dead and the living,,,,a scary power, but an amazing one when used correctly and put in the right hands

that being said i'm not entirely sure nuniq would trust in her abilities yet

she'd rather have ukiyo train her radiance first, or keep watch on her if ever she has to go into the field

so as much as she doesn't want to, she'll be a bit strict around her

its for her safety mostly, its one thing to be given radiance– another thing to be in charge of literal spirits

chameleon (@lianecamoufle)

canonically...there might be a bit of wariness/hostility because of chameleons history as a kingdom scientist

as with all kingdom employees it will take quite a while for nuniq to trust her

especially considering chameleon hasn't shown any clear resistance to kingdom, and was only taken in after her radianite exposure

in fact, nuniq wonders if shes aware of all the atrocities kingdom has done

viper acknowledges her faults as a kingdom chemist, brim wears their symbol almost as an act of rebellion (in my headcanon at least) but chameleon hasn't shown any remorse whatsoever for what kingdom has done. either she's naive to their actions or she directly helped in them, which nuniq fears

her being childhood friends with chamber unfortunately does not help the case ,,,,,

as much as nuniq wants to trust her friendly face her gut instincts make it difficult to do so. she'll respect her as a colleague but she'll try to keep her distance

"all these processing plants. reminds me of the one that they built over my home. maybe you might know something about it, chameleon?"

"gotta say, turning invisible is a really good fallback. running is what kingdom does best, right?"

[ambreiiigns]

wait i wanna like. for no reason but i wanna elaborate on the Squads Tags or people i mention in the tags sometimes. i wanna talk abt me friends :-) i'm taking this chance to talk abt me friends

notabili pinguini is perhaps . my main squad. top 3 main squads possibly ? . never met Any of them irl Yet but like they kinda feel like irls.... like. they're the /online/ squad i've had for the longest time (2017?!?!?!?! a little earlier but we made the gc in 2017 i think) and we're all italian and idk it feels like irls 🥰🥰 and two of them ARE irls now . so. 🥰 ya kno 🥰🥰🥰🥰 i do not know what person i would be without them fr. they shaped me. unfort they did. so Pinguini it's (me) karen mike & Nis

Nis is. ne tag is abt Nis 🥰 Nis is so special Nis is easily my bestest friend and easily one of the people i care the most in the universe ? like. right next to close family is where i'd place Nis i think. in terms of how much people matter to me . & ne is a word?pronoun? we made up to talk abt Ourselves. it's just me but we an n bc both our names start with N and this letter Bonds us and also it's a mix of me+noi(we/us). like. bit of a gollum/sméagol moment when we talk abt us tbh. bc we say we're like,, one person split into two idiots. my bitter half. plato's soulmate theory -esque UGH!! she's so special we agree that just saying we're Best Friends simply doesn't cut it so we always feel like we need to explain our dynamic to? convey? how special it is well enough ?!?! so this is why i get long-winded when talking abt Nis. sorry to anyone who's ever had to listen to me talking abt Nis. it's been a liddol messy a liddol complicated this year w ne but we're fine now. not as well as we used to but! can only get better from here. & i love her so much

then. if i ever mention I Porci. it means pigs. but i'm not using that to talk abt the cops for once in my life ‼ for some reason my actual irls decided to make that the name of the squad :^) and we're all like. we've all been friends since kindergarten. sometimes on and off y'know you kinda drift apart after high school starts cause most of us went to different places but for the most part we lichrally stuck together our whole lives so far. and i lov them so much! god!!!!! i grew up w those bastards i've known them so long!!! aaaaa!!! and we always fall back together and it just. it's good it's so good

le guglielmine is. a bit of a doxxing moment bc it's almost a last name to some of us? this doesn't make sense. i mean. not all of us use (a version of) that as a last name bc family tree but. it's our half of the family's last name kinda. i'm Not going to explain it any better so let's move on. it's just my three cousins sara serena & vanessa mostly. permanent girls night out w us whenever it is that we hang out which is Often as fuck esp when hot girl summer starts. this year looks like we're gonna be together 24/7 again yass we're planning to illegally camp on the beach Or get a motel like losers this year idk. anyway ANYWAY! occasionally the squad also includes my liddol brother (gioele) my other cousin (dennis which is sara & vanessa's younger brother) and serena's boyfriend (antonio) . the three Boys aren't permanent sometimes antonio simply cannot come over and most of the time gioele & dennis simply Do Not want to hang out w us so. >:( at the core it's Me Sara Serena & Vanessa and we ROCK sara & vanessa are sisters serena is Technically their aunt (their dad is her brother) and i'm simply a cousin but we were all born like. in the span of five years (serena first. then sara next year. then me next year. then vanessa two years later) we are Too Close in age and we spent Too Much Time together growing up so we all truly just grew up together like we were all batshit little sisters we have the most fun and three out of four of us are gonna move in together by the end of the year for uni reasons !!! and i could Not be more excited!!!!! i wish it could be all four of us but serena does not care to go back to school (queen) the dream Is to live all together at some point obviously but we'll get there. they're my best friends xx

honorable mention to Gioele my beloved brother he is Everything to me i would kill every person i mentioned so far in cold blood for him but also he has so many scars on his arms from my nails . i'm 20 years old and we're still on the floor beating each other up like kids almost every day after dinner and it's Fine it's Ok i love him so much. nicknames for him include Jeremy Fisher (like the salad finger puppet guy. no reason i just liked to say that name out loud at the time so i stuck it on him i still have his phone number saved as Jeremy Fisher) or lately it's mostly been Gioia (which does mean Joy and it is because he does bring me so much joy but also just bc his name sounds similar lmao)

i got tags for some of my discord server squads such as the cliche (not a typo. not one WE made at least we just decided to call ourselves that to spite our biggest enemy) and i THINK i have sort of a tag for the taxers and i KNOW i have a triumvirate tag which is abt. me and two specific taxers (mud & anna who also have their own solo tags as a treat <3) unfort i'm Shit at keeping up too many conversations and i lost track of discord a long time ago but they??? they mean so much to me! all of them! ahhhh

in the same spirit i wish i had either a squad tag or individual tags for like. dee emi sin lucy & enj and. maybe i will have those tags. i plan to have some version of those tags but... gotta work on it i dream of it at night

[catholicartistsnyc]

Meet: Cole Matson

COLE MATSON is an actor, producer, and president of the Catholic Artist Connection. (www.colematson.com)

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): What brought you to NYC, and where did you come from?

COLE MATSON (CM): I was born in Houston, TX, and spent the second half of my childhood in southeastern Virginia. I first came to NYC to study acting as an undergraduate at NYU (Playwrights Horizons Theater School at Tisch School of the Arts). I then moved to Baltimore after college and worked part-time for the Baltimore Theatre Alliance while acting in theater and film. After a few years, I went to the UK to study theology, ending up doing a PhD in Divinity with a focus on theology and theatre through the University of St Andrews' Institute for Theology, Imagination & the Arts. After finishing my PhD, I came back to NYC in 2015 with a call to serve artists. During a road trip in 2011, I had met a large number of young Catholic artists in NYC who were interested in working together to build community. After a very direct call from one of them, my friend (and Catholic Artist Connection co-founder) Emily C.A. Snyder, I came to NYC to help do just that!

CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? Do you call yourself a Catholic artist? 

CM: I do call myself a Catholic artist, as well as a Catholic Christian who is an artist. I see the role of the Catholic artist as sharing an experience of Christ with others, through the incarnate form of an artistic medium. Christ can be more or less explicitly discernible depending upon the nature of the particular art piece, but our entire lives and beings as Christians are founded upon Christ, so Christ will be active in everything we do through the power of His Holy Spirit. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien's visions of the role of a Christian artist are my models. My personal mission has become less about creating my own art (though there is a certain itch I need to scratch, and some stories I'm struggling to birth) and more about helping create an environment of support that allows other artists to birth their own stories more easily.

CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

CM: Primarily through the larger-than-one-would-think community of fellow Catholics and Christians who are unafraid to proclaim their faith as well as their artistic vocation, and are excited to support each other in their vocations. There are also places like the Actors' Chapel in NYC and Family Theater Productions in LA, which are missioned specifically to provide a place of worship for performing artists. The idea of having a parish church dedicated specifically to that nomadic community, and especially having a "post-theatre" Mass at a time convenient to performing artists, is an extraordinary one, and I'm very grateful that it exists in NYC. I've had religious and lay Catholics tell me that I should sacrifice everything to pray at the "right" hours (e.g., morning prayer at dawn, Mass on Sunday morning), and even get up at 4 a.m. to pray for several hours before sunrise if I really want to grow in my spiritual life. When I responded that going to bed at 8 p.m. in order to get up at 4 a.m. eliminated the possibility of working in the theatre, I was told that, well, maybe that was a sacrifice I needed to make if I was really serious about serving God. This idea that the late-night and peripatetic schedule of the performing artist is mutually exclusive from the "serious" service of God is still alive in some places; giving artists support in their vocation by giving them a particular church and offering Mass at a time they can easily attend is a valuable counter-witness to this lack of understanding.

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

CM: Oh, man - again, the Catholic artist community of NYC. I also appreciate conversations with artists of other faiths who also experience difficulties in the arts due to their faith. (My Jewish brothers and sisters have been particularly supportive in this regard.) I've had plenty of artists (and, unfortunately, teachers) who were actively hostile to my faith, and the work that comes out of it. (For example, when my undergraduate playwriting teacher learned that my love of The Lord of the Rings was behind the fantastical work that I was exploring in class, she told me, "Fantasy is juvenile trash not worth an adult spending their time on." Another, when he learned that I was a Christian, told me that the Church was the source of all evil in the world.) However, I've also experienced other, non-Christian artists (and teachers) who are interested in supporting an artist's living out of their values, whether or not those values are rooted in a religious faith. I find that when we are open and confident about our faith and its importance to our lives as artists, especially focusing on the core of the Gospel, which is the love of God for each human person, we are more likely than not to be met with respect and support, even where there is disagreement.

CAC: How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

CM: 

1. Pay them what they're worth.

2. Be open to and support initiatives of the laity to support art and artists.

3. Trust them. If they're actively self-identifying as Christians while working in the arts, their faith is probably important to them - it's too risky otherwise. Trust in their faith and love of Christ and the Church, and that the Holy Spirit is working in them. Even when the work they are creating is a little scary or strange, trust that God is working out some prophesying in them for the good of the community and the glory of His Name. It's like speaking in tongues - look for someone who can interpret the movement of grace, rather than quashing the movement of the Spirit.

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

CM: Don't assume that because someone is a Christian they're therefore a bigot. Also, understand that evangelization is about sharing a good gift we've received, so that others can share our joy - it's not about forcing people to join our club. Most of all, encourage artists of all faiths to create work based on their faith, without assuming that that work is therefore "lesser." I know a dancer who was not allowed to choreograph a dance about Mary for her MFA thesis because her supervisor believed that religious content destroyed "real art". To get around this, she told her supervisor she would create a dance about a woman she knew, but she didn't want to share too much about her story, because doing so would ruin the power of the dance. She then created her dance about Mary, which was lauded by the supervisor as extremely moving and powerful. :-)

CAC: Which parish(es) did you attend? Do you recommend any particular parishes for their sacramental life, beauty, and/or community? 

CM: My parish has been St. Malachy's - The Actors' Chapel, which I highly recommend. (I'd like to highlight the 11pm Sat post-theatre Mass, the 11am Sun Mass with full choir, and the 6pm Sun young adult Mass.) I also recommend going to CatholicNYC.com and signing up for the Archdiocese's Office of Young Adult Outreach email newsletter, which lists an extraordinary number of events and groups for the spiritual support of young adults. You can find other parishes which have been recommended to the Catholic Artist Connection as welcoming places for artists at catholicartistsnyc.com/communities.

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?

CM: I enjoyed being a part of The Sheen Center, first as artist-in-residence and then as an employee, for 3 years. I would especially recommend attending the annual Sheen Center Theater Festival in the summer, which shares new work by Catholic playwrights. A list of Catholic theatre companies, visual arts collectives, music groups, and arts center in the greater NYC area can be found at catholicartistsnyc.com/communities. Three I would particularly highlight are Turn to Flesh Productions, which produces new work in classical styles by and about women; Storm Theatre, which produces modern and classical fully-staged productions that often have a direct link to Catholic faith (e.g., their festival of JPII's plays); and Magis Theatre, which is a more experimental physical ensemble led by a Jesuit priest, and which performed the most "eucharistic" theatre I've ever seen in New York (a production of Calderón's two versions of "Life is a Dream," which ended with the entire cast singing "Gloria!" and the performer playing Adam revolving in worship, arms raised to Christ the Sun, on the stage of La Mama ETC, the flagship of NYC downtown experimental theatre).

CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist living in NYC?

CM: Through the Catholic Artist Connection, the Actors' Chapel, the Sheen Center, and my residential intentional community of Catholic artist men, Our Lady of Harlem Artist House. Mostly through friendships which have been built through these trellises, as well as through one-on-one introductions. It's all about the friendships.

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice? And if you have a spiritual director, how did you find that person? If you go on retreats, where do you like to go?

CM: My primary practice is to pray the Divine Office and attend daily Mass as often as possible. I also do some centering prayer in the morning and the examen before bed. I see a spiritual director once a month, and go on an 8-day silent retreat once a year. I also try to take the first day of the month as a day of recollection, to be more silent than usual and go over the results of the past month and my plan for the coming month. I found my most recent spiritual director, Fr. Ray (RIP), through a Jesuit friend’s recommendation. You can find a spiritual director by going to the Catholic Artist Connection’s list at http://www.catholicartistconnection.com/spiritual-directors.html. The page also links to Charis NYC’s Spiritual Director List and the Office of Ignatian Spirituality’s Catalog of Spiritual Directors. For retreats, I generally go to Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, NJ. (I’ve seen beaver, deer, and kingfishers at their pond!)

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice? And what are your recommendations to other artists for practicing their craft daily?

CM: A daily artistic practice has gotten more difficult as my work has focused more and more on arts administration. I try to take the first available hour each day (after prayer) to work on whatever creative project I’m focusing on at the time, whether it’s the Catholic Artist Connection or an article I’m writing. I recommend deciding what your highest-priority creative goal is at the moment, and doing at least something each day to move yourself toward it (giving yourself a break on the Sabbath if you want it).

CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist. What happened, and what brought you the most joy?

CM: I’ve been in a time of rest and recuperation lately, and have been reminding myself to listen to my own creative instincts and priorities. To that end, I recently went on an 8-day retreat, during which The Lord of the Rings was my spiritual reading. On one day of the retreat, I spent the morning praying and walking outdoors in the snowy mountains. In the afternoon, I read Tolkien. In the evening, I watched Selma, as a way of reminding myself why I wanted to tell stories in the first place (to inspire myself and others to heroic action and to give hope). I repeated the pattern one day after I came home from the retreat – praying, walking, reading, and watching Of Gods and Men. This time has been one of “filling up the well” so that the fields of creativity can be watered for later growth.

CAC: What resources have you found helpful in securing housing/roommates? Which neighborhoods would you recommend to artists moving to the city?

CM: My first housing situation in NYC during my most recent sojourn was as an artist-in-residence at The Sheen Center. Go to sheencenter.org/residency if you want to learn how to apply for 2-4 months of free housing at the Center while working on a specific creative project. At the end of the residency, I knew I was looking to live in community with other Catholic artists, and I had met a few other men who were looking for a similar situation. Therefore, we put our heads together to look for an apartment. I was temporarily staying with family in Kansas for a few weeks and teaching at a summer drama camp, so I used StreetEasy to find apartments which matched our size, location, and rent needs. (There were 6 of us.) Other members of the group volunteered to scout out the highest-ranking apartments. When we found one that the scouting team agreed worked for us, we jumped on it. We quickly gathered everyone’s financial documents, and secured a lease. That community is now Our Lady of Harlem Artist House. If anyone is looking for advice on setting up a similar community, just contact me!

CAC: But seriously, how did you make a living in NYC?

CM: For my first year in NYC, I worked as a staff and faculty member at CAP21 Conservatory/Molloy College. For the past two years, I’ve worked as a Programming Associate at The Sheen Center. I’ve appreciated being able to work full-time in the arts, as well as do some paid acting, speaking, and article-writing on the side. First, I recommend identifying 10 or so organizations that you would like to work with, and approaching them directly to see whether they’re hiring. In terms of job listings, I found the most success with the NYFA Classifieds, TCG’S ARTSEARCH (requires an annual membership), and Playbill. For acting submissions, I recommend annual memberships to Actors Access/Showfax and Backstage, as well as checking Playbill. But most of all, build relationships with the people with whom you want to work.

CAC: How much would you suggest artists moving to NYC budget for their first year?

CM: $36,000 if possible.

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in NYC?

CM: The Drama Bookshop. Studio space: The Sheen Center, Molloy Studios. Headshot photographer: Shirin Tinati. Health insurance: Go to https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ to see if you qualify for free or low-cost ($20/mon.) health insurance. Check out CatholicNYC.com for jobs and housing. The Listings Project and Facebook’s Gypsy Housing and NYC Area Catholic Looking for Roommates groups are also good housing resources. And most important, get on the Catholic Artist Connection weekly email newsletter.

CAC: What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?

CM: 1. Join the Catholic Artist Connection email newsletter and check out the communities on CatholicArtistsNYC.com.

2. Identify 3-5 artistic groups/organizations with whom you are interesting in working, check out their work, and ask how you can get involved.

3. Create the work you want to create, without waiting for someone else to give you the opportunity to create. And the most important bonus piece of advice underlying all: Focus first on building the foundation of a strong daily spiritual practice, and commit to it above all else. Find a home parish, a spiritual director, and a small group of faithful friends to keep you grounded. Pray always – Christ is your surest companion.