#i made this cause i got recommended a season 5 theory video and ended up going down the rabbit hole just now lmao

[stairset]

I get why some Stranger Things fans didn't like the twist that Vecna was the real big bad all along and the Mind Flayer was basically just an extension of his will cause yeah it does kinda ruin the whole "incomprehensible eldritch abomination" vibe it gave off in the previous seasons. HOWEVER I personally enjoy how the writers decided to take the phrase "man-made horrors beyond our comprehension" and show that in the most literal way possible.

[you-cant-spell-subtext-without]

hello hello hello!  and welcome to Season 12 of Supernatural. 

I admit that initially I STRUGGLED WITH SEASON 12.  I LOATHED the British Men of Letters (other than Lady Antonia Bevell; her hot working mom energy can get it); I have...mixed feelings about Mary; overall it was not a stellar season for me the first go-round.  HOWEVER I shall now give it a second chance,  and look for the subtext within the bad (and if my theory tracks, there will be much subtext as...there is much bad).  Maybe I’ll even develop Ketch appreciation.  **ONWARDS ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH, MY FRIENDS:

When we last left Dean, I neglected to mention that Amara brought his mom back (this is how much I repressed Mary Winchester I guess?)  We cut to Mary, confused, in a nightgown (I get this is part of the character and that’s why she is wearing it sO wE kNOw iTS rEAlLy MaRY WinCHEstEr because of her nightgown and not Sam Smith’s exquisite face, but honestly WHY - LIKE DID SHE WEAR THE DAMN THING IN HEAVEN THE ENTIRE TIME TOO?).

DEAN [breathing heavily] 

Mom. Listen to me. Your name – your name is Mary Sandra Campbell, okay? You were born December 5, 1954, to Samuel and Deanna Campbell. Your father, he bounced around a lot for, uh, work, and you bounced right along with him, and you ended up in Lawrence, Kansas.

MARY 

How do you know all that?

DEAN 

Dad told me. March 23, 1972, you walked out of a movie theater – Slaughterhouse-Five. You loved it, and you bumped into a big Marine and you knocked him flat on his ass. You were embarrassed, and he laughed it off, said you could make it up to him with a cup of coffee. So, you went to, uh, Mulroney's and you talked and he was cute and he knew the words to every Zeppelin song, so when he asked you for your number, you gave it to him, even though you knew your dad would be pissed. That was the night that – that you met –

MARY 

John Winchester.

DEAN 

August 19, 1975, you were married... in Reno. Your idea. A few years later, I came along, then Sammy.

***DEAN DESCRIBING EVERY DAMN DETAIL OF THIS HAS MURDERED ME.  Also, I know John Winchester “told him the story,” but something about this retelling - these are NOT John Winchester’s words (other than maybe “big Marine”).  The emotions, the feelings, the “you talked and he was cute” Dean is describing is Dean’s retelling, the version he created in his mind of this damn meet-cute, this little love story he played over and over in his head, and that makes me feel warm and tingly and also want to ingest sharp knives.  

***Everyone already knows about the damn Zeppelin reference but just in case you wanted to be tortured, please recall that later on we will get

THIS FUCKING SHIT

Nothing to see here other than Dean using a reference from this LOVE STORY on Cas.  I HATE it here in super hell.  Next rounds on you, Sam.

Anyway, Mary has caught on:

I paused here just now because I had a tHoUGHt.  This season is all about exploring Dean and Sam in their role as sons (this is discussed at the SDCC panel prior to the season; btw they are all free on Prime and I recommend watching before you start each new season for little “reveals” behind some of the plot lines).  We know Sam has no relationship to Mary really, he was a baby when she died, but Dean was a little boy - with a personality, character traits, identifying characteristics that his mother probably knew like the back of her hand.  That’s why my first run-in with Mary left a bad taste in mouth during this season - LIKE THIS IS YOUR KID, and there is NO inkling or recognition until THIS moment?  In a show that just spent an entire season exploring the “unexplained connection” between Dean and GODS SISTER, there no immediate “OH” from his own mother?!

But then I realized why she only connected at this very moment.  This particular moment - and not the moment where he lists the factual details about her before the story of the night she met John.  That little story with all those cute details - that’s the part of Dean that Mary knew before she died - when that part was ALL of Dean.  Before hunting, before John’s quest for revenge turned him into the person he is today, before he saw himself as a blunt little instrument.  That’s why initially Mary has no recognition that this is her son - because the Dean she knew was sensitive, and kind, and OPEN, and liked love stories, and laughing, and warm hugs and maybe flowers. Because if you think about it WE DONT KNOW THAT DEAN.  We only know Dean AMD. (After Mary’s Death).

*****************************************************************************************************

So maybe Mary represents Dean Before Mary’s Death, and whatever part of that Dean remains, no matter how deep he has been buried.  The part that connects with people; the part that doesn’t want to be alone.  The part that helped Amara.  The part that loves Cas.  And that’s why Amara brought her back.  

*****************************************************************************************************

Ok, if I think of it this way, I may like Mary a little better now.

BUT ALSO MY BABY:

Cut to Cas.

[THE MAN WALKS OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE CRATER MADE BY THE LANDING AND SEES CASTIEL PULLING HIMSELF OUT.]

MAN 

Holy mother.

[CASTIEL STANDS UP AND LOOKS AROUND]

CASTIEL 

Where am I?

MAN

Uh...Earth?

CASTIEL 

No. How far am I from Lebanon, Kansas?

MAN 

Uh... Th-three hours, maybe. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Who – What are you, man?

[CASTIEL WALKS TOWARDS THE MAN AND TOUCHES HIM ON THE FOREHEAD. THE MAN DROPS TO THE GROUND. CASTIEL LEAVES HIM THERE AS HE DRIVES OFF IN THE TRUCK]

***I spy a Season 11 random parallel

And Cas says, “Earth - 

***Also, I often wonder if in his mind’s inner GPS, Cas bases distances on how far he is from Dean. 

In the meantime, Bad Things Are Happening to Sam.

***Toni Bevell, don’t join the British Men of Letters you’re so sexy hahah

Other than noting that this is yet another too oft- repeated Sam, the Victim, Always Gets Tortured scenario, I see no point in recapping these parts.

I will just continue to post Toni Bevell hotness for these portions of the episode. Ok?  Ok.  You’re welcome.

BACK TO THE BUNKER:

I already posted this sweet baby reunion in my final Season 11 analysis/recap, but lets see it again at another angle and from Mary’s perspective CAUSE CLEARLY she has...*thoughts*

Poor Cas had no idea he was about to MEET THE PARENT 

It melts my little heart that Dean uses Cas’s full name to introduce him to people.  Especially members of his family who are trying to kill him.

Anyway, then we get a much longed for gem of typical Cas deadpan:

(*I still miss Casifer a little bit though*)

And then we have 

A MOMENT OF CONNECTION!  

At the SDCC panel, Misha specifically noted that both Mary and Cas are outsiders, so this tracks. 

They head to the garage:

[Exhaling sharply, Mary walks towards Baby. She runs her hand lightly over the car.]

MARY This was John's car. Oh, she's still beautiful.

DEAN Hell, yeah, she is.

MARY Hi, sweetheart. Remember me?

[MARY LEANS DOWN AND LOOKS INTO THE CAR SMILING. SHE STARTS LOOKING AT THE FRONT SEAT BUT HER EYES AND HER THOUGHTS LINGER ON THE BACK SEAT. DEAN LEANS DOWN LOOKING AT THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WITH PRIDE. DEAN LOOKS AT HIS MOM AND REALIZES SHE’S HAVING VERY SPECIFIC MEMORIES OF TIME IN THE BACK SEAT. DEAN LOOKS AROUND THE CAR, AND LOOKS AT HIS MOM.]

***this is where you truly see that Sam Smith is a genius because she took those directions and put them all into THIS:

And then THIS:

DEAN 

Oh…

[MARY LOOKS UP AT DEAN. DEAN REALIZES HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONCEIVED IN THAT CAR, STANDS UP QUICKLY AND LOOKS OVER THE CAR. DEAN SWALLOWS HARD, AND GLANCES AT CASTIEL WHO GIVES HIM A QUIZZICAL LOOK.]

DEAN 

We should go.

***At this time I would like to remind everyone that Cas is also generally in the back seat of this car.  

MOVING ON

Meanwhile-

Back at the bunker, Cas is Continuing to Connect with his boyfriend’s mother:

[EXTERIOR DAY; INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS AND THE NOISE OF VIDEO GAMES ARE HEARD. THE CAMERA PANS TO MARY WHO’S WATCHING THE SCENE. CASTIEL IS PICKING UP COFFEE.]

CASTIEL 

Thank you.

[CASTIEL TAKES THE COFFEE TO MARY AND SITS DOWN.]

CASTIEL

This must be difficult for you. I remember my first moments on Earth. It was jarring.

MARY 

One word for it. I grew up with Hunters. I've heard of people coming back from the dead before. But to actually do it... after 30 years. A lot's changed.

[MARY LOOKS AROUND.]

MARY A lot.

Cas:

This is usually a look Reserved For Dean, so its interesting Cas is looking at Mary here [they also weirdly joked about Cas hitting on Mary at the SDCC panel and now I'm giggling because if Mary represents the soft part of Dean this all makes PERFECT SENSE).

BONUS

Actual footage of Sam in super hell

The Cas/Mary bonding worked BTW:

[INTERIOR: GREGORY IS SITTING IN FRONT OF HIS DESK WITH CASTIEL, DEAN, AND MARY STANDING BEFORE HIM.]

DEAN 

So, you dug the bullet out of his leg, no questions asked?

GREGORY 

She offered me 100 grand.

MARY 

And you took it?

GREGORY 

Student loans were a bitch, okay?

[ANGRILY CASTIEL STARTS TOWARDS GREGORY.]

DEAN 

Cas! Cas! Cas! Don't hurt him. Not yet.

**Disclosure: I do not accept the “Cass” spelling and take creative license to change it in the script whenever it appears**

GREGORY 

All right, look, she didn't give me her name. When we were done, the driver bailed, I got paid, and then some other chick shows up, and they all drive away.

MARY 

And that's everything you know?

GREGORY 

(insincerely) Yeah. Totally.

****Um, Mom that’s my boyfriend you don’t order him around like tha-

Oh, well, ok then.

***This is important, because Cas doesn’t obey anyone (other than Dean) blindly ever since he invented free will and all that.  Hence Dean’s surprised/impressed look to Mary above.  

Meanwhile:

I recall that I spent most of my first watch of Season 12 gushing over Toni Bevell, so I’m glad to know this won’t be changing.  You’ve been warned.

Next up, Sam is again sex tortured, Cas is a Helpful Boyfriend, and for some reason, Rick Springfield.  

[sweetheart90210]

Thoughts on Jikook

So, I have been lurking for the past 2 months on anything/everything jikook related and when I tell you I have never ship ever in my life ever, especially when it’s two people not even cartoon characters. OMG ok before I get into my thoughts here a Disclaimer: I have never done this before so excuse me if there’s any grammar errors also, this just my thoughts and opinions on everything that i have consumed  so whoever reads this your a god and I don’t blame anyone if just you scroll past this lol.

. What’s funny is that this started out of boredom lol, ok so since October, I have fallen into the rabbit hole that this ship is. So I was on youtube just doing usual stuff and I don’t know why till this day, but I search BTS funny videos so as i watched some vids, and  I see my recommended list and there’s this shipping video about Jikook on this youtube call black&white couple, and at first I’m like “uhh ok well lets just see what this is” it was jikook lowkey exposing themselves i think that’s the title so after watching i wasn’t convinced 100%, but I had questions that needed to be answer.

So the first thing that stood out to me was the GCF thing in the video cause it said it was a by an openly-gay artist( I didn’t know who Troye was) and in my head i was like that’s impossible like a korean idol using an openly gay artist’s song in what world considering how south korea is with the LGBT community and as a gay person who finds fanservice not so enjoyable because to me, it's like “ooh looks at us we almost kiss hehehe” you know its cringy and it's obvious the idols don’t like but do it anyway, I’m probably on the minority but I digress. My point is majority are not so open about the gays or even touch on the subject or even acknowledge a gay artist, so when I lookup Troye sivan and his boyfriend all up on instagram and how JK openly admires him and did a cover with Namjoon, rainbow flags, rainbow flags everywhere. And to add more fuel to the fire, I come to find out JK planned the whole thing without any managers, or staff an actually took JM on trip just by themselves.

Now what really bothers me is how a lot of the fandom likes to turn a blind eye for Jikook and Jikook only. it’s the only pair that gets the most hate. and I honestly think it's because it’ has the most probability of being real and a lot of people aren’t ready to accept that maybe your oppa likes dick. I have a twitter and I only follow 5 jikook accounts and they have a lot of followers but it’s crazy how nasty and ugly the replies/quotes are when they post a Jikook moment, the one that really took me out was the Ice block gift. OMG i have never seen so many people try to disprove something that’s literally in there face with no subtly what so ever like why are people so triggered, and ready to pop a vein, and foam out the mouth lol. I don’t get it. Also recently with the new GCF that dropped there was a post about Namkook with 20k likes pointing out how the video got warmer when Namjoon smiled and basically celebrating the editing, however the same can’t be said when the black border turned white when JM’s scene came on, because a lot people where like “it’s not about ships”, but yet the Namkook post can get 20k likes and everyone can go goo goo gaga gaga over it.....OK. My point Jikook is a threat to these people and unless they come out which I highly doubt they will, no one is gonna want to see the how JK and JM are subtle yet obvious and are showing us to there best to their ability. Speaking of coming out If they were too I would honestly love it if they did after their enlistment cause I don’t want them to ge treated over there differently just because of their sexual orientation. you know how the military is over there the hyper masculinity and don’t ask don’t tell BS. safety is the most important.

Ok Last thing cause this is getting too long and messy. The video was my catalyst( lol I had to) into diving deep into this, so the second thing that caught my eye was the member’s reaction when Jikook did something or where in there own world. Basically Jikook have the ability to turn people into third wheels. like the awkwardness that oozes from the other members when these two start. I’ll never forget the Japan interview like WTF was that shit and the “arrest me”......*sigh* I can’t. there’s so much more and don’t get me started when I found MMA 2018 and Rose Bowl, especially Rose bowl, like my man really gonna suck his ear like that in front 50-60k people like.... do you have no shame at all lol. Season’s greeting, Bon Voyage( all seasons), the winter package preview. like y’all don’t understand these two are ruining my life(in a fun way). What makes this more interesting is not only the dynamics Jikook had in the beginning but also the consistency, and they have extra loud this year as well. so yea these are my thoughts I wanted to share I’m not an analytical person but this not rocket science,  I think JK is the main reason why is so obvious lol bless his heart he truly wears his heart on his sleeve, JM is hard to read but he has his caught of guard moment too. OOHH and the TATTOO!!. THE FUVkcing tattoo

OK listen I don’t know who came up with that OT7 bullcrap about “representing all the members bs, but let me tell you something if you have to explain something that is so obvious, you might as well agree that you see what we see, cause the reach in that idea has to many inconsistencies, So he got the A an upside down V to represent Tae, RM for Rm, Y for Yoongi????, PAUSE THE MUSIC. where his stage name at? where’s Suga also J is for Jimin, Jin, J-hope, and JK....???? you mean to tell me that one J on his ring finger is suppose to represent the rest of the members???

He might as well tattoo “BTS” on a different section of his hand cause the way this theory reaches beyond the great wall of China is sending me lol. Ok I’m ending this now cause I’m turning this into a rant and I don’t want this to be rant so yea based on what I have seen not only from the past and recently Jikook are 99.9% a couple, leaving that 1 percent cause you never know, maybe they really are just close bros, but the probability is high for sure. Thank you for reading if you made it this far, it’s long and messy, but these are my thoughts I’ve had for a while.

[pine-cloud]

GoT hot take

Daenerys:

Everyone is really angry about what GoT did to Dany’s character and I get it. They wrote it badly. BUT, it was always going to end this way. The problem is the show made us so invested in her character, had her triumphs celebrated, and then turned her evil in like 3 episodes and sighted flimsy evidence about foreshadowing. Saying that she was cold because she watched her  abusive brother be killed and that was enough to say that she would burn down a city full of civilians 7 seasons later is not enough. Her character ALWAYS wanted to preserve and protect the innocent.

Daenerys being brutal to bad people is not necessarily foreshadowing that she will be brutal to innocent people, as the show seems to think HOWEVER, it does illustrate her ability to be brutal, and could show how she will turn to brutality when she thinks she is right or that it’s for the greater good. The show said some of this afterward, but they didn’t properly set it up. I think GRRM will.

The irony of Dany being corrupted by power is exactly the kind of thing GRRM would write. It illustrates the corruptive power of the throne.

Jon being forced to kill her fulfills the Azor Ahai/Nissa Nissa story, further proving that he is the prince who was promised. The prince who was promised prophecy being fulfilled will tie in the red God in a much more satisfying way then the show ever did.

In the house of the undying, Dany touches the throne, then goes through the gates of the wall, then sees her dead husband and son, foreshadowing that she will die before getting to sit on the Iron throne.

Dany wants to tear down the systems that have kept corrupt people in power—but she always excludes herself and her house form that power structure. She is blind to her own flaws.

While the show shows her conquering people and the Dothraki as badass and admirable, and her intentions are, there is more nuance. “A Dance With Dragons explicitly undermines the white savior narrative by suggesting that violent interventions to reform foreign societies are always more complicated than they appear, no matter how good their intentions. But this nuance may be lost in the television medium.” (I recommend reading the full article, it lays out a good example of the nuance of the white savior trope in the books versus in the show-but that’s a whole different post.)

All the ASOIAF characters are morally grey and Dany is no different. She’s not a monster, she’s wrong. Unfortunately, her mistakes she have the power to cause devastation.

Dany has often had violent impulses, but when she listens to council, she sees reason. What will happen when she is stressed, paranoid, distrusting of all those around her, and so close to her goal? So far she’s been on the right side, but her ability for brutality and power hunger can turn (just not in only 3 episodes).

The whole point of the story is that it doesn’t matter who sits on the Iron Throne. The power is corruptive. Even good kings have parented bad ones. Why would it end with another Targaryen on the throne? What would be the point?

Bran is king and it makes perfect sense:

Yes I get the critique that he is very connected to the North and it’s culture, but he’s not Bran Stark of Winterfell anymore. He holds the memories of all of living history.

Bran rebuilding the realm echoes Brandon the Builder, it comes full circle.

He makes sense as a ruler. He can see through corrupt officials and councilors. he will probably live hundreds of years (unless he needed that tree to support his life in which case, never mind), which will give the necessary time to rebuild and be stable after the 30ish years of massive instability. He is the only person ever that is completely subjective. He set a precedent of electing rulers. Although both he and Dany are infertile, she still probably would have chosen her successor. It is not in her character to establish any form of democracy. She always believed that the throne was her family’s birthright, even while admitting that her father was bad.

People are mad because he didn’t do anything to help and now he’s king. Here’s the thing, he’s a bigger character in the books, after season 4 they just kind of dropped his story, but he has much more power than they ever showed.

He is the antithesis to darkness and death and all that the White Walkers represent. His character represents human life and redemption.

If his mystical powers don’t come to some fruition, then what was the point of his, or any magic, storyline?

The Wall is where Jon should be:

He was raised as Ned Stark’s son, he won’t forsake his watch vows in the end. He would never have abandoned his brothers forever, especially since he has a duty as their lord commander (both 998th in his old life and 1000th post resurrection)

 Even though the night’s watch is no longer needed to fight the white walkers, but they are necessary to have as a place for displaced people. Also they can help assimilate the wildlings into the north, and no-one would do that better than Jon.

Jon belongs in the North. So does Ghost, and Ghost is a physical embodiment of Jon’s soul and the dire wolves have always represented the Stark children’s connection to the North. It’s not a coincidence that the only one with a dire wolf in the end is the only one in the “true north”.

If his true heritage was found out, he would always be a threat, someone would always be trying to use him in a plot. At the wall, it doesn’t matter. That’s why Ned wanted him there in the first place.

Jon will want to do penance for the rest of his life for what he did to Dany. At the wall he will have purpose.

Other things:

Jaime and Cersei-I agree that it was total bullshit. Yes I think they will die together, but not like that. Jaime’s character development had no payoff and the Valonqar theory wasn’t addressed. I get the irony that she died because the world she built literally crashed down on her, but that will not be how Jaime ends.

Arya going off adventuring makes perfect sense. She was never going to sit still, especially after all she’s been through. But she also will never give up being Arya Stark.

“It doesn’t make sense that they repeated ‘the lone wolf dies but the pack survives’ if all the stark children are going to be apart!” It is completely different. They were apart due to circumstances beyond their control, they lost track of each other and they didn’t know who was alive or dead. They found their way back to each other and now they are closing their own paths, not being ripped apart by circumstance. They know where they are, and they’ll see each other. Jon never felt truly at home in Winterfell, so he’s ended up in the only place he felt fully accepted. Arya will never again sit still, even in her own home, but she’ll return someday. Bran has a larger purpose now. Sansa wanted desperately to leave in the beginning, and then she realized she just wanted to be home. She is the best fit to rule the north.

In conclusion; they (more or less) followed George’s plan, but they didn’t have the books to go on after season 5, so the way they set up the story is barebones. The books have lots of problematic things but they are also more nuanced and much better planned. Even if you are disappointed with GRRM’s endings, I think they will make sense.

Anyway watch Emergency Awesome’s video on the book vs. show’s endings.

[wildfangz]

@liliithvatore tagged me in that simself thing thats been goin around DAYS ago but here it finally is! also thank you for the tag this was fun :-]

I tag @slythersim @thelurgoyf @seoulchii @weicyn @solitasims @daisydezem @raha-plays-the-sims if they want to do it & anyone that just wants to do it in general! message me and I’ll even @ u directly if u want. 

anyway lets DO THIS shitload of questions under the cut u’ve been warned!!!

1. what is your name?

julian

2. what is your nickname?

jewel, jules

3. birthday?

oct 26th

4. what is your favorite book series?

percy jackson and the olympians will probably always own my heart & soul

5. do you believe in aliens or ghosts?

yes & yes. tho i do think a lot of alien sightings and conspiracy theories and what not are bullshit

6. who is your favorite author?

maggie stiefvater probably? also cornelia funke but its been years since ive read anything by her so i cant be sure BUT i loved inkheart & the thief lord so much

7. what is your favorite radio station?

ummm when i listen to the radio at all i kinda just switch between two rock stations and our popular music station.

8. what is your favorite flavor of anything?

blue raspberry !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tasty and i love a blue tongue

9. what word would you use often to describe something great or wonderful?

cool. or bitchin’.  i play it simple

10. what is your current favorite song?

hands like houses - revive

11. what is your favorite word?

roulette and inhibition which i never get to use either as much as i want !

12. what was the last song you listened to?

emarosa - givin’ up ! its a bop!

13. what tv show would you recommend for everybody to watch?

the new she-ra on netflix its so good. and gay

14. what is your favorite movie to watch when you’re feeling down?

moana. its also like the only movie i dont have trouble getting thru despite how many times ive already seen it

15. do you play video games?

16. what is your biggest fear?

idk... being inherently unlovable i guess n ending up alone? also spiders !

17. what is your best quality, in your opinion?

im fairly open-minded and laid back. Unless someones being like, purposely nasty or something I generally don’t get defensive or aggressive. also a lot of little quirks that piss others off dont bother me im very u do u as long as its not actually harming anyone and ive had people tell me this makes it easier to open up to me so thats probably my best quality....

18. what is your worst quality, in your opinion?

....at the same time though i do get very sensitive when faced w/ criticism even if its of the fair variety when its not phrased really gently for various reasons and i dont like that. especially since I have a tendency to not even talk to people about it. I’ll just immediately start distancing myself. also other than that i think overall I have a really high tolerance lvl but if you cross that line I hold a grudge like a motherfucker

9. do you like cats or dogs better?

cats! dogs are good too but cats are a lot easier for me to handle...and quieter generally but even when they’re loud cat sounds dont get to me quite as much as barks do

20. what is your favorite season?

autumn but im starting to really like summer for some reason? wack :/

21. are you in a relationship?

nope

22. what is something you miss from your childhood?

the lack of responsibility, probably. that sounds real bad lmao but for me its like...I know I’ve grown in various ways over the years but I also feel like so many of my experiences, my trauma, my mental health has held me back and I don’t think I’m mentally where I should be for my age. so all the responsibility of adulthood is just..really overwhelming for me sometimes, even though ive been given a pass from certain aspects of it and the rest is pretty simple its the idea!!!!

23. who is your best friend?

my ex

24. what is your eye color?

25. what is your hair color?

26. who is someone you love?

my mom

27. who is someone you trust?

not really anyone rn unfortunately...would like 2 work on that

28. who is someone you think about often?

are my OCs a fair answer because i am always thinking about my babies.....

29. are you currently excited about/for something?

my favorite webcomic (that also has two of my all time favorite characters in it) just came back!! the artist disappeared back in 2015 like the day after I binge-read the whole fucking thing & i was so disappointed but its BACK and 2018 has been redeemed

30. what is your biggest obsession?

sims probably! i could talk about anything relating to it for hours

31. what was your favorite tv show as a child?

there were so damn many its hard to even think and figure out the most notable ones...i really, really liked teen titans though?

32. who of the opposite gender can you tell anything to, if anyone?

my ex, again

33. are you superstitious?

not terribly so but somewhat. I take certain things as signs and I mean I do believe in astrology & such to a degree

34. do you have any unusual phobias?

i used to be afraid of mirrors but thats all i can think of and its not even a thing anymore...the only other thing is tornadoes but i dont think its unusual. but it definitely sucks for me ‘cause i live in tornado alley!

35. do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it?

behind it....like taking pretty pictures and dont like ppl capturing my image 2 film

36. what is your favorite hobby?

sims.....also singing!!! and drawing!!!! video editing!!!!!!!!! the works

37. what was the last book you read?

The Dream Thieves....havent finished it though because last time i went to read it a spider was lying in wait and im traumatized

38. what was the last movie you watched?

coco i think???

39. what musical instruments do you play, if any?

drums, various other percussion instruments, and violin mainly

40. what is your favorite animal?

ferrets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

41. what are your top 5 favorite tumblr blogs that you follow?

uhhhhh @bratsims @liliithvatore @cabsim @wildlyminiaturesandwich @keysims pls dont feel bad if i didnt include u these were just the first to pop into my head and ive been following some of them since I first made my blog!! and have kept up with their stories completely and enjoy them etc check them OUT !

42. what superpower do you wish you had?

shapeshifting!!! dysphoria? gone. ugliness? gone. want to morph into a fucked up clown and scare people when they realize all the classic clown features are a real actual part of my face? possible!

43. when and where do you feel most at peace?

chillin’ at the pool in summer during the part of the day when no ones there.... swimming is always relaxing 2 me then i love just resting under the sun and drying off afterwards especially since we have a little pond nearby and i can hear the water! its nice

44. what makes you smile?

always and without fail? interacting with anyone i have a crush on. i’ll look like a dope the whole time

45. what sports do you play, if any?

i used 2 play basketball a lot. Like not seriously but it was a thing

46. what is your favorite drink?

dr pepper and monster energy (original flavor) pumps through my veins at this point. we love a carbonated beverage

47. when was the last time you wrote a hand-written letter or note to somebody?

two years ago for my ex and I’s first year anniversary... I never got it mailed but I did at least take a picture of it (with included caption because my handwriting is atrocious). i was very up front about being a romantic and see heres the PROOF

48. are you afraid of heights?

nope! very excited by them actually

49. what is your biggest pet peeve?

i cant stand passive aggressive behavior. my stance is either get over it or quit acting like a bitch because otherwise im just going to ignore you thats the scorpio way (in all seriousness I really, really do recommend not putting up with it and ignoring it until they decide to be up front with you. it can be exhausting constantly reading into conversations and its not healthy for you or them. if they have something to say they need to learn to talk about it properly, and that lack of social skills is not ever on you)

50. have you ever been to a concert?

yep! i think about....six or so? i love them...which is really funny im autistic and EVERYTHING about them should freak me out and they do in other circumstances but at a show i just live for it

51. are you vegan/vegetarian?

nope! ive thought before id like to go vegetarian...but i couldnt do it with my health problems. also i love shrimp too much

52. when you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

ive always wanted to do something creative! when i was rlly young I thought a lot about singing and acting and writing in particular...all things im still interested in.... also i wanted to be a dictator ages 4-7 because i told my mom i wanted to be president of the world and make people do what i say and she said “honey thats a dictator not a president”. i then made that known at school and that turned into a situation!

53. what fictional world would you like to live in?

pokemon universe or bust. 

54. what is something you worry about?

never being able to do things i want to do or catching up with others because of my disabilities

55. are you scared of the dark?

yes but a reasonable amount i think

56. do you like to sing?

yes :]

57. have you ever skipped school?

yes i used to play sick a LOT and as my parents caught onto it id even go all out to convince them. i was good at school but i hated it so much

58. what is your favorite place on the planet?

dunno! malls maybe i love shopping and looking at material objects i wish to own

59. where would you like to live?

oregon! portland in particular thats been my dream for a few years now

60. do you have any pets?

a cat! he lives with my dad & grandma though...hes grown up there and likes going outside so I felt bad about taking him with me when i moved out but anyway this is him hes fat and stupid and i love him his name is coffee

61. are you more of an early bird or a night owl?

night owl because my rhythm is all fucked up but in my heart....an early bird...if i get a good nights sleep i’ll be up early yacking your ear off and so excited for the day

62. do you like sunrises or sunsets better?

sunsets are prettier...but sunrises feel more refreshing

63. do you know how to drive?

nope ! im gay !

64. do you prefer earbuds or headphones?

headphones. better sound quality also discourages people from talking to me slightly more

65. have you ever had braces?

nope! but i need them

66. what is your favorite genre of music?

post-hardcore maybe?

67. who is your hero?

every trans person living their truth and being open and loud about who they are past present & future. the worlds not particularly kind to us and our existence alone is considered a radical act, so its always given me hope to see others refusing to pretend to be someone they’re not in this environment and I’ll always have mad respect for that

68. do you read comic books?

i read manga and webcomics...ive always wanted to get into superhero comics but the amount of issues and different versions is ridiculous and makes it inaccessible 2 me 

69. what makes you the most angry?

i mean its hard to pinpoint what makes me angry the MOST...but a contender is definitely how some people feel free to treat others with cruelty and think its their god given right to deny or attack someones existence in some way, & how acts of kindness, even the most basic are branded as liberal bullshit or whatever....it goes against everything i was taught growing up

70. do you prefer to read on an electronic device or with a real book?

real book! electronic device can be easier but....rough on the eyes after a while and nothing beats the real thing for me

71. what was your favorite subject in school?

language arts...at least when we did creative writing stuff

72. do you have any siblings?

two older sisters & an older brother that passed away years ago but. still my brother u kno

73. what was the last thing you bought?

mocha frappe baby!!!!!

74. how tall are you?

5′4″

75. can you cook?

a little bit....not as much as id like to though but im learning

76. what are three things that you love?

storms, cheesy breadsticks, and cat purrs

77. what are three things that you hate?

unnecessary rudeness, being talked down to or generally treated like im stupid, grapefruit which is the worst thing on this list

78. do you have more female friends or more male friends?

female i think?

79. what is your sexual orientation?

im the big bad promiscuous bisexual your parents warned you about

80. where do you currently live?

oklahoma. gofundme campaign to get me out

81. who was the last person you texted?

my friend jojo! just Now!

82. when was the last time you cried?

yesterday afternoon but im a changed man now thats behind me. i will cry about different things soon

83. who is your favorite youtuber?

the mcelroy brothers. also super best friends play. matt, pat & woolie are all great tbh

84. do you like to take selfies?

depends on whether i feel ugly or terribly dysphoric that day or not

85. what is your favorite app?

ummmm....love live school idol festival ive been playin for years its an addiction

86. what is your relationship with your parent(s) like?

dad = bad mom = okay. theres some issues that strain it but its not too bad

87. what is your favorite foreign accent?

i have no idea what the fuck australians are talking about half the time but i dig it anyway 

88. what is a place that you’ve never been to, but you want to visit?

Italy, Greece, Germany, Japan, Mexico, various other states (ive only been out of state three times. twice to texas and then once to kansas. for five minutes)

89. what is your favorite number?

6!! 26 also

90. can you juggle?

ive always wanted to but alas.... :-[

91. are you religious?

i suppose...but im rlly not into organized religion

92. do you find outer space of the deep ocean to be more interesting?

space probably theres so fucking much of it man!

93. do you consider yourself to be a daredevil?

not to brag but sometimes i eat my mcdonalds hamburgers cold from the fridge so you can figure that one out yourself B)

94. are you allergic to anything?

pecans. not deathly allergic though so catch me eating turtle pie anyway! 

95. can you curl your tongue?

nope :[

96. can you wiggle your ears?

nope :[

97. how often do you admit that you were wrong about something?

usually as soon as i realize....unless someones being real smug and annoying then i might be stubborn about it

98. do you prefer the forest or the beach?

ive never been to the beach but i love her!!!

99. what is your favorite piece of advice that anyone has ever given you?

probably that you have to look at your accomplishments differently when you’re disabled or just struggling, to not be so down on yourself because its a fact that what might be a mole hill to someone else is a mountain to you and you have to judge yourself accordingly. Like maybe you weren’t able to clean the whole house, but washing the dishes and tidying your desk doesn’t usually get done but you did it. That that should be celebrated because while it would also feel good if you did more, you still did something and thats great all things considered.

100. are you a good liar?

sometimes, really depends what im lying about and if im like....into it at all. If my guts against it for whatever reason I’ll have trouble

101. what is your hogwarts house?

i always get slytherin or hufflepuff! usually with like 1 point difference

102. do you talk to yourself?

i am talking to myself right now as i fill this out

103. are you an introvert or an extrovert?

extrovert mainly! i used to think i was more introverted but now i think a lot of exhaustion when theres any comes from me just going the extra mile and actively trying to read people and pick up on social ques.... if I just chill im fine

104. do you keep a journal/diary?

nope...ive tried but i just cant keep up with it so i do the next best thing. shouting into the void on the internet to a bunch of strangers

105. do you believe in second chances?

depends on what you did the first time. Some people just don’t deserve taking that risk imo...but i can be a little guarded so maybe thats a bit too harsh

106. if you found a wallet full of money on the ground, what would you do?

turn it in, unless there was no identifying things in it & it was found somewhere kinda random. Then I’d maybe hold onto it unless my gut challenged that

107. do you believe that people are capable of change?

absolutely. i mean thats all we do throughout our lives is change and evolve...that being said I think extremely drastic changes are maybe not entirely impossible, but extremely rare, and the residue of the former self usually sticks around in some form

108. are you ticklish?

yes, dangerously so

109. have you ever been on a plane?

nope

110. do you have any piercings?

one day hopefully!

111. what fictional character do you wish was real?

asra from the arcana.....even if he wasn’t my boyfriend thats just a dude u could chill and eat some pomegranates with u know. Before I downloaded the app my friends kept telling me he was made for me and he really was he ticks like everything on my Favorite Characters Feature List except villain but he has that particular allure & attitude i like so much in villains so thats not a single point off hes perfect

112. do you have any tattoos?

nope...one day! hopefully!

113. what is the best decision that you’ve made in your life so far?

accepting my genderqueerness and bisexuality definitely. Self Love hasn’t been perfected just yet but that was such a huge step in the right direction

114. do you believe in karma?

yes! she doesn’t get shit done as much as id like however

115. do you wear glasses or contacts?

glasses. not contacts yet because my eye doctor is a bitch

116. do you want children?

I do....just not sure if id be a good parent. Its really important to me if I had a child itd be for the right reason and I could raise them well in a healthy environment & be able to take care of all their needs yknow

117. who is the smartest person you know?

probably my friend jojo

118. what is your most embarrassing memory?

one time i looked outside and the sunset was really pretty and i wanted to get a photo of it so i walked out.....and stood like right by the street so there weren’t trees in my way...and then i realized mid-pic 1) i am not wearing pants & my shirt is full of holes 2) id been depressed for days so my hair was a tangled mess. I tailed it back inside so i didnt even get a nice pic it was blurry!

119. have you ever pulled an all-nighter?

120. what colour are most of you clothes?

black i didnt even have to think about that one

121. do you like adventures?

they are pretty swell

122. have you ever been on tv?

a few times when i was little. always photobombing the news reporters 4 what i thought would eventually lead 2 fame & fortune

123. how old are you?

21

124. what is your favorite movie quote?

this is technically lyrics to that lil song in moana at the end but

“ They have stolen the heart from inside you. But this does not define you.”

hits me hard every time! emotional impact? i know her

125. sweet or savory?

sweet!!!!!!!! gotta balance out my bitter somehow

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #45

It’s been more than a year since I started this weekly rec list. No, I didn’t quite do it every week, otherwise there would be 52 now, but I’m pretty impressed that I kept it up this well. I honestly wasn’t sure how long I would keep wanting to do this, but my obsession with Voltron fanfic is still going pretty strong, though it’s waxed and waned at times. Let’s see if we get another year out of it. Thank you to everyone who likes and reblogs these rec lists, and especially for reading the fics and letting the authors know that you appreciate them. That’s why the list exists.

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. Also follow @maychorianrecs for individually tagged posts, the easier to search and reblog. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

Returns and Lost Belongings by Itsjez Words: 8,986 Author’s Summary: Shiro curled up in his small bunk, legs tight to his chest as he stared at the control panel on the wall opposite. Even now, days since he’d “returned”, everything felt different. Oh sure it wasn’t as if he’d been gone for a year or worse ten, but still. Just where had he gone?That question weighed most on Shiro’s mind. My Comments: Angsty and suspenseful post-Season 2 fic in which Zarkon is an incredibly present and dangerous threat not only to Shiro, but to the entire team. Great resolution and great comfort.

Back to the Future (With a Dash of the Past) by SteamPowered514, theeyesofthestorm1848 for (the entire discord) Words: 11,914 Author’s Summary: Haggar gets mad, messes up, and sends the Paladins back in time one day before they leave earth to fight the good fight against Zarkon. The paladins get to say goodbye, make their peace, and go back to their lions for the first time again. Too bad Commander Mitch Iverson sees the dramatic changes in his students and jumps to the conclusion that they have to be alien spies. My Comments: I love the fact the paladins get a choice time, and they want to go. They have time to prepare, time to grab hold of each other and jump. Hopefully everything will go better this time around. The addition of a tenacious and genuinely concerned Iverson was a very fun touch. What a great fic.

Whump Week by bookwormgir1LH Words: 2,400 Author’s Summary: A collection of triple drabbles written for Voltron Whump Week. 1. Fever: Lance 2. Hypothermia: Pidge 3. Blood Loss: Keith 4. Torture: Shiro 5. Insomnia: Hunk 6: Poison: Allura 7: Head Injury: Coran 8: Free Day: Pidge & Coran My Comments: Can you believe I’m STILL finding gems from Whump Week to rec? Good grief, what a gift. Enjoy this lovely variety pack of whump.

The Space Race Is Over (And I’ll Never Get to The Moon) by Schistosity Words: 14,939 Author’s Summary: The garrison trio stumble into trouble on an undercover mission after they uncover a surprising and eerily familiar piece of space junk. But with the harsh reminder of how far they are from home comes an opportunity to, in a small way, help it. A fic about kids who love space, miss home, and don’t know correct museum etiquette. My Comments: This is such an incredibly fun and good fic. There’s some angst, some action, some humor, some great characterization, but mostly it’s just about how cool space is and how cool humans are for wanting to be in space. It brought up a lot of RL feelings for me, haha, things I feel when watching videos of shuttles launching or visiting the Air & Space Smithsonian. Highly, highly recommended.

Swear On It by EdgarAllenPoet Words: 7,449 Author’s Summary: “Geez, Keith. You kiss your mother with that mouth?” My Comments: Absolutely wonderful Dads of Marmora fic with a sometimes angsty, mostly humorous Lance POV and wonderfully protective Kolivan. And curse words. So many curse words.

A Former Shade of Blue by F-117 Nighthawk (F117_Nighthawk) Words: 8,590 Author’s Summary: The Blue Paladin crash-lands on Earth after Alfor sends the Lions away and is trapped in her healing pod for ten-thousand Altean years. When she wakes, she must come to terms with the Galra Empire. This was started before season three was released. You can take the three generations of paladins headcanon from my cold dead hands. My Comments: Really angsty and action-packed look at the life of the former Blue Paladin, Keith’s mother. I’m still kinda sad this theory got jossed, but at least we have fun fics.

Catch Me If You Can by wingedflower Words: 3,485 Author’s Summary: Hunk only wanted to make a pie and Lance only wanted to be a good friend. What could possibly go wrong? My Comments: Aww, so cute! There are not NEARLY enough fics in this fandom of Hunk and Lance just hanging out and being adorable together. I’m begging you, fandom, more like this please.

Too Little Too Late by EdgarAllenPoet Words: 3,890 Author’s Summary: “That was where Kolivan found Keith, spacesuit big enough to pool around his feet and flap over his hands, both of which were curled tightly around a sword as he stood in front of Pidge like the fiercest little warrior Kolivan had ever seen.” My Comments: Urgh my heart. Tiny, deaged Keith is distrusting and wary of adults, probably for some extremely good reasons, but Kolivan manages to win him over in the most Blade of Marmora way possible. The ending gave me cavities, and I’m happy about it.

It’s a Losing Battle - No Need to Feel Ashamed by kyanve Words: 6,849 Author’s Summary :While the Castle’s getting its final repairs to leave, Shiro spends some time in the Arusian village helping rebuild, and finds out one of the Arusian elders has been around long enough to know better than to believe his assertions that he’s “fine” - and that the Black Lion is stubborn, opinionated, and also not falling for it. (Occurs around chapter 3 of Truce.) My Comments: Stand-alone companion to a previously recced fic. I loved this view of Shiro and Black early in the series, and the worldbuilding for the Arusians was really cool. This author seriously excels at the worldbuilding, I highly recommend their stuff.

A Life in Pink and Blue by Sand_Cursive Words: 4,796 Author’s Summary: So long in stasis had done a number on her faculties, on the only ones that mattered, and for a few brief, blissful moments she had forgotten that there was a war. That her people were being decimated, that the horrors of the galaxy had descended upon her home, that she had great cause to be afraid. An Allura Character Study My Comments: A great look at Allura’s thoughts both pre-series and during some key moments in Season 1. Good backstory and worldbuilding for Altea, too.

Singularity by acestriker Words: 8,201 Author’s Summary: Nothing feels right anymore, and Keith finds an unlikely ally in Matt Holt. Things go downhill from there. A face gets punched, and the team is in tatters. (formerly “Unravel.” I thought this title fit better.) My Comments: Angsty post-season three fic with Matt and Keith teaming up to figure out what’s wrong with “Shiro.” It’s a little rough on everyone, but I really enjoyed the relationship between those two, very supportive no matter what.

Let Me Be Your Shelter by StarryFeathers Words: 5,780 Author’s Summary: What happens when the one who always saves needs the saving? They are used to following, used to him doing the saving, but this time it’s their turn to bring him home. Alternatively: Shiro should really trust his instincts but the Paladins make him proud. My Comments: Really great, tense fic in which the other paladins fight against time to save an injured Shiro, plus some backstory for Keith and Shiro. Very emotional.

A Bone To Pick by Ahhuya Words: 9,557 Author’s Summary: It started as a tingling sensation. Keith shoved it off as training in the Red Lion for too long. Soon enough however, he started to lose control of both his own body and his lion. My Comments: I’ve never seen this particular way to whump a character in fanfiction before. Poor Keith is much too stubborn for his own good, but his motivations and actions make sense. Still, he has to accept help in the end.

Get What You Need by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 3,114 Author’s Summary:“Shiro taught me everything I know about being a pilot.” A look back at the beginning. My Comments: Thoroughly enjoyable fic about Shiro giving Hunk some pointers, not just on piloting but how to deal with things in general. I absolutely adore how they were help each other here and the development of their relationship throughout. Extremely satisfying.

To Love a Lion by aurumdalseni (kyo_chan) Words: 1,403 Author’s Summary: Just as important as the bond among paladins is the bond the paladins have with their Lions. In this, a kiss for each of the Lions who have accepted them for who they are. My Comments: Sweet and short collection of bonding moments between the lions and their paladins.

Space Tortuga by ozbian Words: 1,379 Author’s Summary: Allura chats with an alien monarch, then decides to let her hair up. (What happens on Space Tortuga stays on Space Tortuga) My Comments: You know what’s more fun than diplomatic Allura? Allura deciding to go, “Screw diplomacy, I’m gonna have fun now.”

Don’t Commit Felonies, Kids by fandomsnstuff Words: 2,858 Author’s Summary: When Sam Holt gets rescued from the labor camp the galra put him in, he’s reunited with his daughter a whole lot sooner than he expected. My Comments: Wonderful Holt reunion with some great banter to lighten it up at the end.

Garrison Trio for Life by A_Zap Words: 1,261 Author’s Summary: Pidge had made her decision: she was going to stay. That doesn’t mean that she stops reflecting over her decision and her team as she sits in front of Lance’s cryopod. Luckily, the third member of the Garrison Trio knows what to say. My Comments: Nice missing scene with Hunk and Pidge talking while Lance is healing in Season 1.

The Moments When You’re (Not) Alone by Voidfish Words: 2,809 Author’s Summary: Five times Lance comforted the team (and one time the team comforted him) My Comments: Sweet fic, all the way around. Love everyone being open with each other.

Take A Break by WildWolf25 Words: 2,223 Author’s Summary: They drew a shuddering breath and released it. “And no matter what I do, no matter how much code I write or what kind of enhancements I make or how many numbers I crunch in whatever way… none of this looks good for us. None of it. And… I’m scared. I’m terrified, and I don’t know what to do besides keep trying to make more improvements to the lions, decrypt more Galra tech, do more even though I know that what I’m doing will barely even make a dent.” They sniffed and leaned into his hold more. “Why does the universe have to be so big?” They asked, voice watery. Lance hugged them from the side and rubbed their opposite arm. “I don’t have an answer for that.” He said quietly. “None of us do.” Pidge groused. “That’s the problem.” Lance took a deep breath. “I’m scared too. We’re all scared.” (Lance finds Pidge working late again due to stress, and does what he can to help) My Comments: Aw, Pidge gets herself worked up thinking about the odds of their fight, and Lance offers some comfort. Lovely fic.

In Your Arms by Copiel Words: 6,286 Author’s Summary: In which Lance gets sick, the team takes care of him, and Keith realizes a thing or two. (And yes, there is some cradling in arms sprinkled throughout) My Comments: Endgame Klance. I just love feverish, delusional Lance and a worried team so much.

Beneath a Sky of Orange Leaves by Zurela Words: 36,366 Author’s Summary: Thanks to the druids, Keith and Lance are launched through a corrupted portal and crash onto a mysterious planet. Stranded, alone, and with no one else to rely on but each other, they quickly realize that rivalries don’t last long in survival situations. My Comments: Engame Klance. Great characterization and bonding in here, some very deep discussions about why Keith and Lance both push others away when they should be seeking in help. In the middle, Lance get desperately sick and Keith has to care for him. Excellent survival fic with teamwork and dumb boys learning to take care of each other.

Rough Week by taylor_tut Words: 2,517 Author’s Summary: It’s been a rough week for the paladins, especially Lance. My Comments: Lance is too self-sacrificing, and too stubborn, and his team loves him very, very much.

Turn Up the Heat by Copiel Words: 2,546 Author’s Summary: Lance just wants someone to make his room warmer, and he gets more than he bargained for. My Comments: I’m always up for weak, feverish Lance and a worried team. This is a great fic for scratching that itch.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

Light on the Dark Side of Me (26634 words) Water and Blood (27612 words) Coran's Guide to the Care and Keeping of Earthling Humans (33273 words) As Color Fades Away (138083 words) The Field of Blood (22769 words) The Machinations of Perception (53464 words) I'm not the Lance You think I am (59352 words) Little Crystals (2304 words) The Ones Who Were Left Behind (44569 words) The Lion in Winter (29107 words) - now complete

[grimelords]

Hello I forgot to post my July playlist when July ended so here it is now! It turns out it’s incredible easy to write 1500 words when you’re writing about songs you love so sorry about that. Four hours of top quality bops that range from russian choral music to classic !!!, please enjoy.

Signs Of Life - Arcade Fire: Everyone hated the new album but in my opinion it's not only not bad, but Signs Of Life is one of their best songs yet. Also the video is incredibly good. The Man - The Killers: The Killers are back and they're making good songs again! This song sounds like the bicep emoji! Hung From The Moon - Earth: Accidentally listened to this album a lot in July and kicked off a drone thing that has lasted through august. Elevation - Television: Everyone always talks about the guitars in Television but nobody ever talks about how good the rhythm of the chorus in this song is. Taman Shud - The Drones: Good song to yell along to and the only song I know that uses the word 'inchoate' Mountain Of Air - Ellen Arkbro: I really can't recommend this album enough if you like the sound of having a dream made of brass. South Point - Grizzly Bear: Grizzly Bear are a prog band. Apache (Jump On It) - The Sugarhill Gang: Not only groovy, but racist too. There's a good part where he explains that maize is just corn. What’s A Girl To Do? - Bat For Lashes This is a good song and a great music video Glass - Bat For Lashes: Bat For Lashes does better worldbuilding in this song than most novels. Offering - Cults: I may be the only person in the world who is absolutely gagging for a new Cults album but thank god they're back. Return Of The Mack - Mark Morrison: THE song about being back on your bullshit. Baller Of The Year - ESG: If you play this in your car it automatically starts ghetto swerving AND you start crying. You Know I Wantcha! - Devin The Dude: Incredibly gross song about being very horny by yourself in a strip club for you to listen to. Crawling After You - Bass Drum Of Death: After all this time, this song may be the only thing I love about GTAV. Bad Liar - Selena Gomez Maybe the only Selena Gomez song I've ever heard and it's so SO good. Seven Eight Nine (Part 2) - Kenny Wheeler: I developed a bad habit of listening to ABC Jazz when I couldn't sleep but thankfully I found some real gems doing it. Fine Di Cobb - Originale - Stelvio Cipriani: Yet another fantastic find from spotify's Best Of Eurocrime playlist. A Fifth Of Beethoven - Walter Murphy: It is so funny that Beethoven wrote one of the biggest disco hits of all time. Between this and Wendy Carlos' Switched On Bach there's a very funny history of classical music causing a big stir. The Lighthouse - Amon Tobin: It's crazy that Amon Tobin's best album was the soundtrack to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory but he really elevated video game music as a whole with this one. If The Brakeman Turns My Way - Bright Eyes: The concept of an opium den with a periscope is very nice to think about. Hold Music - Architecture In Helsinki: Places Like This is an all time classic that nobody respects because people think Heart It Races is a novelty song instead of a masterpiece. I Found A New Chapeau - Jo Jones: "The world's greatest jazz drummer Jo Jones!" goes absolutely off for nine minutes against an organ that sounds like farts. It's Real - Real Estate: [beckons you closer and whispers] it's real real estate Obvs - Jamie xx: In Colour was truly the album of the year cause baby it is simply breathtaking start to finish! Blue Train Lines (feat. King Krule) - Mount Kimbie: I hope King Krule joins Mount Kimbie as a full member because they have such a good thing going. This song took a while to grow on me but now I really cannot wait for their new album. The video for this one is also extremely good even though it required me to read an artist's statement from the directors and a whole wiki article to understand it. Six Days Remix - DJ Shadow: Last month I attended a 17 hour Fast And Furious marathon that has permanently affected my brain chemistry (which I've been meaning to write a long post about) and at the end I was certain of only one thing: the Six Days Remix was the best thing about Tokyo Drift by a country mile and it's easily a top 5 DJ shadow song. Nandi - Jlin: I can't say enough good stuff about this album and this song is an absolute standout. 3 Freaks - DJ Shadow: Everyone's always saying 'oh it was such a mistake for DJ Shadow to abandon his sound after making two critically acclaimed albums pushing sample based music in a new direction and make a hyphy album that everyone hated' but consider this: Turf Talk And Keak Da Sneak Fight For Peace - Frank Klepacki: I developed a brain parasite this month that forced me to become completely obsessed with the 15 year old RTS game Command And Conquer Generals, and then I found out that the soundtrack was on spotify. Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits: Everyone's always talking about Mark Knopfler being good at guitar or whatever but for my money the drummer is the real mvp of this song, and the part where he just goes ham for like half a bar at about 4:20 really cracks me up. Strangest Thing - The War On Drugs: Literally every song The War On Drugs have released from their upcoming album so far I have absolutely loved and I cannot wait to hear the whole thing. Kyanite - Jlin: Jlin baby!! This is like traditional music from an alien civilisation or something, it's incredible. Sophisticated Lady - Art Tatum: Speaking of music from another planet I firmly belived Art Tatum was touched on the brain by God. Romance Without Finance - Tiny Grimes: Please enjoy this 70 year old song about not dating broke girls, the backing vocals really make me laugh. All Is Written - Matana Roberts: Matana Roberts is a very specific feeling but if you're in the mood for confrontational experimental jazz please get into this whole album. Start with Coin Coin Chapter One if you want the full experience. Time For Us - Nicolas Jaar: I love when Nicolas Jaar does funny voice. In the world I dream of this song is a dancefloor classic. Blanket Me - Hundred Waters: I love Hundred Waters and this song make me so emotional to the point where i'm almost afraid to hear their new album. When The World Was At War We Kept Dancing - Lana Del Rey: Lust For Life is incredible and hearing Lana sing 's it the end of an era? is it the end of America?' is like.. directly targeting my brain stem. I cannot describe how much I instantly fell in love with this song when I first heard it. Jane - Jefferson Starship: The new season of Wet Hot American Summer reminded me how good this song is. I spent like half an hour reading the wiki article about Jefferson Airplain, Jefferson Starship and Starship and how they came to be to my girlfriend this month and let me tell you: she hated it. Take You On A Cruise - Interpol: The instrumentation in this song sounds so much like the xx's first album it is insane. Vegas - Polica: I feel like I have a new favourite Polica song every week they are honestly the best band in the world. Woody's Roundup - Riders In The Sky: Hello, I woke up with the Woody's Roundup theme song from Toy Story 2 in my head one day this month and so I put it on my playlist. It's a good song, highly recommended thanks. All Night Vigil, Op. 37: No. 3, Blessed Is The Man "Beatitude" - Sergei Rachmaninoff: Accidentally got very heavily into this russian orthodox christian choral music this month. Magic Arrow - Timber Timbre: My friend texted me out of the blue saying how good this song is and he's absolutely right. Timber Timbre's self titled is an album i've continually returned to for years now, it's truly something special. Don't Say I Know - Tera Melos: Tera Melos are finally, finally back! And they're making incredible impossible music that's catchy as hell again! Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire: Had a very intense moment with this song this month, listening to it on repeat and convincing myself that it was coming for me too. Hocus Pocus - Focus: Baby Driver is a good movie! And this song and scene was a real highlight. How Long - Out Hud: Thankyou to @popculturediedin2009 for introducing me to this great song from a !!! side project I never knew about and thankyou to the Lindsay Lohan film I Know Who Killed Me for introducing it to them in the first place. I Can't Turn You Loose - Sly & The Family Stone: The guy making noises into the microphone right at the start is really, really funny and I can't believe it's taken me this long of watching The Blues Brothers pretty regularly to look up the original version of this song. Oh Yeah - The Subways: Rediscovered this album this month after singing Rock And Roll Queen about 20 times in a row with my friends thanks to a Singstar glitch and remembered how I had an absolute breakdown about this song when I was about 19, listening to it on repeat for hours and fretting that I was going to die because I would no longer be a teenager soon. Me And Guiliani Down By The School Yard - A True Story - !!!: Bring back mid-2000s dance-punk we need it now more than ever!

[madegeeky]

Giftening 2020: Obligatory Vote for These Post (spoiler version)

Want the non-spoilery version? Seriously, though, super spoilery for main plot points for a lot of these. Skip the ones you don’t want to know about.

Ones with * are my nominations, so you know where my biases lie. :P Ones in bold are my top pick for the categories. I did not include things that don’t need the boost (like Utena).

ANIME 

Aggretsuko - A tv show about an unassuming shy red panda woman who works in an office building and deals with the stress of it by going to karaoke and screaming out death metal. The show largely deals with her making friends with two women who she admires and a dude who likes her. The dude who likes her is actually a geniunely interesting storyline because at the end of the first season (which I’ve not seen beyond), he basically admits that he’s built this image of her in his head that isn’t real and he wants to know the real her. (Which, fuck yeah.)

Fushigi Yuugi* - This is a story about two teens who used to be friends fighting over a man which is literally the antithesis of everything Jet is. And yet, Jet watched the whole damn thing. Watch her squirm as she has to deal with that in a liveblog format. You can get a preview of some of that in Doc’s liveblog of it that she did for Jet.

NON-ANIME ANIMATED

Archer* - This is an animated parody of James Bond made for adults. It's offensive as fuck because Archer, the titular character, is a James Bond stand-in and that character can also be offensive as fuck. In fact, one thing to appreciate about this show is that all the characters are shitty, awful people and the show never attempts to excuse their shitty, awful behavior. Plus, it's one of the few shows where half the main characters are women. I am a tiny bit hesitant to rec this for a liveblog due to the offensivness however, as far as I can tell it's not popular on tumblr, and those are generally the ones that cause the most trouble so... 

Daria - The story of a misanthropic teenager, her family, and her best friend. The characters are specifically meant to appear to be tropes before slowly being unveiled as three dimensional people. It's got a dry sense of humor that I think Jet will enjoy. I actually didn't know until years after I watched this that it was a spin-off of Beavis and Butthead (which I hated) so don't let that dissuade you. 

LIVE ACTION

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - I haven't seen past a certain point because it starts going super deep into exploring depression and that is one of my main triggers for a depressive episode, so I cannot speak of later eps. However, this show starts out funny and silly and evolves into a show exploring how toxic the main character actually is and how unhealthy her coping mechanisms are. It's amazing to see a character type whose actions are usually excused or written off as funny instead be specifically called out as being awful and toxic. (It was a Shit Show is still one of the best songs I've ever heard and Mr. Geeky and I sing it to each other whenever shit hits the fan.) 

Hannibal* - If you know of Hannibal, you know the basics premise is that of a man who eats people and is chased by the FBI. The writing in this is some of the best writing I've ever had the pleasure of seeing in a piece of media: it's subtle, smart, and trust its audience to follow along without having their hand held. However, what's really great about the TV show is that it's not afraid to do its own thing. It constantly fucks with your expectations and deconstructs and explores tropes in ways I've never seen before. I haven't seen the ending yet but I highly doubt it's going to end in a place where Silence of the Lambs will happen. The acting is fucking great and even though Anthony Hopkins gives an amazing performance as Hannibal Lector, after seeing Mads Mikkelsen play him there's no going back to Hopkins. In general, if you're looking for something original (which is ironic considering it's based on a book and there are several movies) and smart, I cannot recommend this enough. 

Russian Doll* - (Doc, please skip this one, as in 5 years when you're done with Two Storms, this is one of the things I'm considering nominating should I ever win a liveblog again.) I don't really know how to explain this show because it's so fucking weird and is so focused on character and ideas that the plot is both super simple and extremely complicated. It's a story about a woman who starts to relive the same day over and over again except, instead of the typical thing where it starts over when she falls asleep, it's only until she dies (so sometimes she lasts for hours, other times for a couple days). However, almost immediately there are signs that something else is going on, that something outside of the main character's repeating day, something has gone horribly wrong. (Count the fish.) It's a very thoughtful, character-driven show, more about exploring ideas than plot which I, personally, didn't mind at all. Another one I highly recommend overall with much less blood and gore than Hannibal.

Xena - IT'S FUCKING XENA PEOPLE! Okay, but just in case you don't know what the show is about is through cultural osmosis, Xena is a show about a woman who used to be a truly horrible murderous bitch and her continual attempts to make up for the wrongs she has done. The main relationship in the show is between Xena and her (girl)friend, Gabriel, and although the show can be ridiculously silly (time is made up and history doesn’t matter!), it also explores deep, dark issues. One of the best things this show explores is the idea of redemption and forgiveness and that perhaps nothing Xena does will ever get her those things.

LIVESTREAM

Crank* - Jason Statham plays a man who has been given a poison that slowly cuts off his adrenaline, meaning that eventually he'll die. He has to do increasingly ludicrous things to get his adrenaline pumping overtime to make up for it slowly being cut off. It's one of the most fucking bananas thing you'll ever watch but is just a bunch of fucking fun. (CW: Public sexual assault. I only mentioned because it’s a scene that last for a bit. It's a complicated scene so I won't get into it here but send an ask if you want more details.)

Dale and Tucker vs Evil* - Dale and Tucker, two hillbilly best friends, are going into the woods to fix up their vacation home when they stumble across some college kids. Random circumstances make the college kids think D&T have kidnapped their friend and so they decide they need to attack D&T to get her back. Hijinx ensue. I don't want to say much more because there's a moment that is, to this day, still one of the funniest fucking things I've ever seen, largely because I did not see it coming.

GAMES

Doki Doki Lit Club - This is a game about games. You play a guy in a dating sim. Your first playthrough everything seems normal enough. You join the literature club, meet and talk to girls, and then one of the girls commits suicide. And then game restarts and the girl who committed suicide just... doesn't exist anymore. Your replay the exact same days but it's as though she never existed. Things only get weirder from there. This game does a great job of turning dating sim tropes on their head, as well as exploring games in general. (Content warning for a lot of things. Let me know if you want more details.)

Slime Rancher (stream) - There's really not much to spoil here. You play a woman who is in charge of a ranch full of slimes. There's some messages you'll find, left by the old owner, telling story about their romance. There also some messages between you character and a deliberately gender-ambiguous significant other. And that's about the closest to story you get. Otherwise it's just catching and ranching slimes.

Subnautica* - Fucking fuck I love this game. When this game first starts it appears to be your typical survival game with no real direction other than what you want to explore. But then you find an alien structure. And you realize that your spaceship didn't randomly crash. And you find out that there's no way get off this planet except to explore deeper and deeper and find out what the aliens were doing on this planet. A genuinely beautiful story, told mostly through entries in data pads and voice messages left behind, this ending is one of the most moving ends I've ever experienced and I never ever would have expected to be able to say that about a survival game.

We Happy Few* - In this alternate universe, the Germans invaded Britain during WW2 (although, through exploring the world, you learn that the differences started well before that). When the story starts up, the Germans have left Britain behind and Britain, for unknown reasons, appears to be cut off and/or abandoned by the rest of the world. The majority of the country is constantly hopped up on a drug called Joy, which is specifically used to help them forget something horrible that happened in the past. (I have theories.) The story starts when your character goes off his Joy and gets kicked out of society. There's a general sense of unease about everything and the more you learn the more that unease grows. The art style is great and the world building fascinating.

MISC (there’s nothing spoilery here but it feels weird to not have it)

Interactive Horror Story Livestream - Doc has talked a bit about this in at least one of her Xmas streams and it sounds amazing. Not only is Jet hilarious with horror stuff but knowing Doc’s writing skill, it will be something that we’d never want to miss.

Bean Boozle When Failing a Hard Game* - I am a sadistic bitch, I admit to this, and I love watching people eat Bean Boozle, the jelly bean of horrible flavors. One of my favorite videos content creators has done is playing an incredibly difficult game and then being forced to eat a random one every time they fail. 

[stacks-reviews]

New Releases 7/18/17

Happy New Release Day! There’s a lot going on in books, a few things in movies, and a certain beta I’ve been waiting on.

In Books –The Betrayal Knows My Name volume 7 by Hotaru Odagiri Yuki is an orphan with a strange ability to feel others emotions when he touches them. One day a beautiful stranger named Zess appears and saves Yuki before he can be hit by a car. Yuki feels like he knows this stranger from somewhere 

I have been waiting for this for FOUR YEARS. I checked yesterday and volume 6 came out in September of 2013. After volume 6 I would check every now and then like I do for the series I follow monthly but I never heard a word about it. After about a year I just finally came to terms that it had been canceled. Then they announced its return earlier this year. It has been on hiatus for Hotaru Odagiri’s health. I’m just glad it’s finally back. I really enjoyed it the series when it first came out except for the fact that I had trouble telling some of the characters apart. I will soon be rereading the whole series because I can’t remember what happened at the end of volume 6. There should be at least one more volume to go. Not long after they announced it’s return, they also announced that it would be ending soon. There is also a twenty-four episode anime based off the series that was released in sub titles only by Funimation earlier this year.

–Blood Mirror (The Lightbringer #4) by Brent Weeks (in paperback) This will contain spoilers if you have not read book 3 The Broken Eye of the Lightbringer series.  At the end of The Broken Eye Gavin Guile is powerless and is locked in the prison he made for his brother. Kip has fled the Chromeria with the help of his grandfather to try and slow the advance of the White Kings army. Karris is taking over as her duties of The White and will try to keep the empire from falling apart. Teia will go deeper into the spy organization she is infiltrating while also reporting on their actions to Karris. Ironfist has shown his true colors and has also left the Chromeria to continue his work for his true master.

I love this series. I had so many theories destroyed in this book but it also created a lot of new ones. I’m still numb from the realization in The Broken Eye that Andross might actually be the good guy here instead of the villain I’ve always seen him as. And where could I even start about Gavin. Then there’s Kip and what happened in this book. 

It’s a really great series. I love the ocular powers in this series. Just how it is set up, how each color has it’s own properties, and the consequences of using it too much. There are so many twists and turns. I really recommend this series if you haven’t read it yet.

–Dept. H volume 2 by Matt Kindt, water colorist Sharlene Kindt, and letterer Marie Enger Mia is a special investigator sent to research the murder of her father in a deep-sea research station. Everyone in the station is a suspect, including her own brother. 

Mind MGMT was my first experience with Matt Kindt’s work and I was blown away. The story is fantastic (I’m about to start volume 3 out of 6). The illustrations are amazing water colors. I had to read more of his work. And Dept. H did not disappoint. 

After waiting months for another copy of volume 1 to arrive at my work, I finally got to read it last week. It also has a great story with wonderful water colors. There was a moment where my jaw dropped open because chaos happened and it came out of nowhere. Not everything has been revealed yet. For example Mia has talked about her mother a few times and how she died from some kind of infection of which there is no cure. Although not expressly stated, it would appear that those in the station are trying to find a cure but even the fish they are examining might also be infected. Volume 1 was amazing and I can’t wait to read volume 2. 

–Kakegurui Compulsive Gambler volume 1 by Homura Kawamoto Hyakkaou Private Academy is an institution for the sons and daughters of the wealthy. here it’s learning how to read your opponent, the art of the deal that keeps you ahead. To hone those skills Hyakkaou Private Academy has a rigorous curriculum of gambling. Here the winners live like kings and the losers are put through the wringer.

I’m interested in this series because it reminds me of Liar Game by Shinobu Kaitani but with less murder. Maybe. There might be murder. I would like to give it a try because I love mind game series. Watching as L and Light played mind games with each other is a big part of the reason I enjoyed Death Note as much as I did. 

–Liselotte and Witch’s Forest volume 5 by Natsuki Takaya “They say that in a place far, far away; in the east, of the east, of the east…there is a forest where witches dwell. They are said to bestow blessings or inflict curses, brew potions in steaming cauldrons, practice their magic…and fly their brooms into the night sky. This is where Liselotte has decided to live after she was banished from her home by her brother.

The final volume of this cute series by the creator of Fruits Basket. It is still on hiatus while Natsuki Takaya looks after her health.

It is a cute series that follows Liselotte as she and two attendants live in the forest. One day she is saved by a stranger who looks a lot like a boy she was in love with who had died. Volume 4 never came to a bookseller near me and I haven’t had time to order it yet. 

–Monstress volume 2 (B&N exclusive edition) by Marjorie M. Liu, artist Sana Takeda, and letterer/designer Rus Wooton “Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900′s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, Monstress tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.”

The Cumea are a race of sorcerers who experiment and kill a race called Arcanics, magical creatures with human characteristics. Maika; who is suffering from some memory loss, is an Arcanic who’s mother was killed by a Cumea. Desiring answers Maika infiltrates  a sorcerers home and chaos ensues because of the ancient god who is living inside of Maika. 

It’s been a while since I read the first volume and a friend is currently borrowing it so I don’t have much to fall back on for more details. I enjoyed the first volume. It was dark, violent, beautifully illustrated, and has a very rich world building. The series; at least from what I’ve heard cause I haven’t seen many cats (talking cats, what’s not to love about that) in the graphic novels I’ve read lately, has some of the best cats in graphic novels right now. 

I actually saw where the B&N exclusive edition arrived last week to my local B&N but I also wanted to mention it on it’s official street date in case other B&N go it late for some reason.

–Princess Jellyfish volume 5 by Akiko Higashimura In the bustling city of Tokyo there resides a place called Amamizukan, a safe haven for girl geeks (otakus of trains, jellyfish, Japanese dolls, and more) who are terrified of ‘stylish’ people. One such girl is Tsukimi who loves jellyfish. One night she meets a stylish lady who helps her save the life of a jellyfish at a pet shop. This chance encounter will result in an odd friendship (at first anyway) between the two and the rest of the residents at Amamizukan. But this stylish girl is actually a boy.

It’s super cute shojo series that was made into an anime a while back. As well as a live-action film that according to one of my friends is very well done. 

–Twinkle Star volume 3 by Natsuki Takaya Sakuya lives with her cousin Kanade. In times of pain, she looks up at the stars. On her birthday a strange boy shows up at her house with a present and then leaves. At school she finds out his name is Chihiro and he just transferred there. He treats her coldly until an incident at the club information session. Will it bring them closer or will they forever remain in the dark?

Another cute series by Natsuki Takaya. I have the first volume but haven’t finished it yet. It is a completed series. There should be two more volumes after this one.

–Waiting for Spring volume 1 by Anashin Mizuki is a shy girl who is about to enter high school. She vowed to open herself up to new friendships but the four stars of the boys basketball team is not who she had in mind. Soon she’s targeted by jealous girls and forced into the spotlight. 

This just sounds like a really cute shojo series. 

In Video Games –Destiny 2 Beta The beta of Destiny 2 opens to all preordered PS4 versions of the game today. I’m really excited for it. 

In DVD/BLU-RAY –Adventure Time complete season 7 Finn, Jake, and the whole gang return. This season contains the miniseries Stakes starring Marceline and that creepy but good episode where we find out BMO’s imaginary friend Football is real and lives inside that mirror.

–K: Return of Kings The second season of the series K that takes place after the movies K: Missing Kings. It has been a while since I watched K and although I own the movie, I haven’t had time to watch it yet. K was really good and the animation was fantastic. It was gorgeous to watch. Return of Kings follows the events after Missing Kings.

–Record of Lodoss War (DVD/BLU-RAY combo pack) “In a land torn by war, young Parn and a ragtag team of adventurers set out to restore peace to the island of Lodoss. While an evil sorcerer seeks the destructive power of an ancient goddess, the Grey Witch presides over all with a  cold-hearted bent for neutrality. The ensuing battles cost many lives before a brave new generation of heroes rises to face the sinister enemies once and for all.”

This combo pack contains episodes 1-13 of the OVA series Record of Lodoss War and episodes 1-27 of Chronicles of a Heroic Knight. I’ve never seen the series before but I’ve heard of it several different times. I have one friend who loved the series when he first saw it years ago and was excited to hear that it was getting this release by Funimation. I really want to give it a try sometime. I looked up the trailer and it looks pretty good. The dub to it doesn’t sound that great because some of the characters in the trailer didn’t sound like they tried very hard. I’m hoping that it will improve in later episodes. As a general rule if an anime I purchase has a dub, I have to watch the dub first. Unless the dub is really bad then I may switch to subbed. Second watches I watch it subbed.

[mindingmyownbusiness]

All the questions.

Challenge accepted muahahahaha...

a soft, stay at home ask game

your favourite playlist (made by yourself or someone else) it’s a tie between this one and this one

how many houseplants in your room, and what kinds are they? None

your favourite “grounding” activity (anything that involves using the hands/doesn’t involve “spacing out” or escapism - something like gardening, knitting, dancing, cooking) shelving books when I’m at work, crafting when I’m at home

an account on social media whose posts make you smile savewithstories on Instagram

5 tv shows that cheer you up Brooklyn 99, Parks and Rec, The Great British Baking Show, The IT Crowd, The West Wing

how you get relaxed when you’re struggling to sleep hahahahah oh you’re serious ummmm okay I either zone out playing a game on my phone or I fire up the Calm app and listen to some nature-related white noise

your favourite board game I really prefer card games but Taboo is fun

if you were going to write a non-fiction book on any topic, what would it be? Probably about some weird conspiracy theory or something

a quote that you would consider getting tattooed or putting in a frame Go ahead, underestimate me. OR We’re all stories in the end, so make it a good one.

something you’ve created in the last year that you’re proud of (a playlist, a piece of art, some writing, a craft hobby, a social media account, etc) I’m pretty proud of my fanfiction, I’ve also been experimenting with typography and hand lettering

a tip or hack you’ve learned that makes cleaning or tidying easier Cover baking pans with aluminum foil so you can throw away the mess and avoid scrubbing stuck on crap off your pans

if you could make a candle that smelt like anything, what would you pick? Sebastian Stan. Probably. Or books.

the last so-bad-it’s-good joke you heard I’m literally the worst at jokes

an artist (of any kind) whose work you look forward to seeing I’d just love to visit the MoMA and see whoever is there

the last tv episode that made you laugh out loud Something in Season 1 of Community

how you wake your body up when it’s feeling tired, achy or needs a stretch I shake out and try to pop my joints when I’m stretching but tired and achy there’s nothing better than burying myself under my weighted blanket

a bath, shower, beauty or toiletry product that makes you feel revived, or that you always re-order when it’s running out Twisted Peppermint anything from Bath and Body Works

a book series you can always escape in Women are Some Kind of Magic by @amandalovelace

the sport or exercise you enjoy the most, and what’s helped you get better at it hahahahaha oh crap okay well I used to play a fair bit of volleyball and I hate exercising

a skill you’ve picked up in the past few years recommending books to young kids

a youtube video you find useful, entertaining or relaxing Anything by the vlogbrothers

if you were going to dye your hair any colour of the rainbow, what would you choose? Purple

the book you just finished and what you thought (no spoilers!) Bibliophile and it was really interesting and artistic

describe the most wacky, weird and wonderful at-home outfit you’ve put together a tank top and pj pants cause I’m not that weird

a game you’re playing that takes your mind off things Disney Emoji Blitz

the film you watched most recently that you could watch again and again The Martian

your favourite flavour and brand of tea Sweet Tea

a good-will story you’ve heard on the news that’s made you feel hopeful When the original cast of Hamilton got together on Zoom to sing the opening number for a tiny fan

a favourite easy recipe: 5 ingredients or less, or takes less than 30 min to make Shrimp Tortellini

a song that makes you want to have a boogie round your bedroom Juice by Lizzo

[leodottavioleandrodottavio-blog]

Leo Dottavio | Leandro Dottavio | How To Be A Comedian

One of the most regularly asked questions I get while touring is "just how to I enter this business?" I've been an expert touring comedian for 25 years, so I have actually heard this a great deal! In the larger, feeling, becoming a comedian is actually a three-pronged undertaking.

  Compose your material Hone as well as develop your comedy product (rehearse your "established")Obtain work. Sound straightforward sufficient? Well currently comes the challenging component; in fact doing it. The difficult realities are that even if I offered you all the answers just one to 2 percent of you would actually apply it and also go out and also do it.

Comedy is not just an art. It's a skill-based science and also an organisation. Nevertheless, most comics-- both professional as well as newbie-- correspond comedy with frivolity and also they treat their careers flippantly. Like anything worth doing, comedy takes work. It takes work to create brand-new material and it takes more work to go out and get the gigs. Movie industry is two words; there's the "program" and also there's the "organisation" and also it may stun you to recognize that much of the moment, you need to put more effort into the business than the show. The bright side is, when you do it right, you're having such a blast that you don't really work a day in your life!

  Sound like fun? Allow's progress!

  Allow's start with writing as well as establishing product. There are a whole lot of people out there that think that you can not find out comedy, that you're either born with it or you're not. That's a pure as well as basic misconception talked by people that don't have an idea regarding the scientific research behind laughter or the framework behind it. If you actually think of it, have you ever seen an infant bulge of his mother's womb:.

  " So two individuals were making love ... after that boom! Out pops me! Is this thing on?" You call that a birth canal? It's even more like trying to push an egg with a stir stick! Hey Mama? (spit, spit), you ought to cut that stuff! Have not you became aware of a 'Brazilian?'".

Leo Dottavio

It simply doesn't take place! Approved, there are some individuals that appear to naturally have a sense of humor constructed in. They appear to obtain it. My theory is that they matured around comedy, either listening to the greats at a young age, or they were elevated in a household that was loaded with wit. All the comedians I understand that make me laugh had exposure to funny people at a young age and began adjusting funny behaviors. Those behaviors got them attention. They started to identify the patterns of actions as well as language that led to laughter as well as applied them to other circumstances with great results.

  The keyword from the above paragraph is "patterns." There are particular patterns that experts make use of over and over again, to obtain laughs and also it's typically a pattern that develops surprise. According to psychologists who study wit, in this context, surprise is the primary aspect that causes human giggling, If you can amaze someone with what you are mosting likely to claim, they will generally laugh. One of the most convenient means to do this is to apply one of the 12 significant funny solutions that I uncovered over the years of researching the best comedians. Hell, you do not also need to study the greats to recognize this formula. If you have a good friend (I think we all do), that turns whatever you claim into a sexual connotation, than he/she is possibly using this formula. It is called the "Dual Entendre." This essentially implies "2 meanings." You primarily take a common phrase as well as rotate the intended meaning to imply something completely various, yet it can in fact fit in the declaration, but its overstated ...

  The other day I went to the grocery store. The staff said, "Did you locate every little thing you were searching for?" I said, "Well, I located the a glass of wine and the candles, but I could not locate a true love ... You had Mahi-Mahi, yet I'm not into twins.".

  In the above joke, when the staff utilized the word "every little thing," she suggested everything in the store. As a comedian the word everything can be a lot of points. In this case I went with a 'true love.' What makes the joke work is not just the misdirection on the intended meaning of words, yet the fact that funny analysis of the word still fits within the context of the concern. If it didn't make good sense, then there would certainly be seriously.

  Let's take a look at another Double-Entendre play on words: Previous head trainer of the Tampa florida Bay Buccaneers was having a terrible season. At journalism meeting a reporter stated to the coach, "Train, exactly how to you feel regarding the execution of the crime?" McKay replied, "I recommend it.".

Leandro Dottavio

You can see there that the word execute was made use of in 2 different methods. This framework must be a regular device for any person who is finding out exactly how to write funny. Among the ways I improve this capability as well as make it much more readily available to my day-to-day life is via practice. Once a month I do a word exercise that reminds me that our language has a ton of words that have numerous significances. Maintaining this refined in my brain, gives me a device that is always sharp and readily available. This enables me to re-interpret something a person states and apply a comical spin on the word. The workout is straightforward, yet incredibly effective. For the workout, I take fifteen arbitrary, but fairly typical words and write them down. After that I discover at the very least five different definitions for each word. Working this workout regularly will give you a remarkable upper hand on your quickness as well as finesse as a comedian. It's basic, yet exceptionally powerful. Especially because couple of comics actually do it. This is only one of twelve major comedy frameworks utilized by all the very best comedians and funny writers. If I was to include them all in this short article, it would certainly take you a week to finish reading. It is an easy, yet powerful example of exactly how you can adjust the English language and produce surprise and also trigger giggling from a target market.

  FACT: Every comedian who makes you laugh makes use of at least one comedy structure. It is the structure of the words or the act-out that causes the giggling. Without the structure, there is no giggling.

  Also when you have all twelve funny structures down, (most comics collaborate with 3-4), as well as you establish an act of at the very least five minutes, to begin, half an hour to start making money, you need to start to function as well as hone it in front of a target market. I would certainly start with friends. Run the product by them, see what they believe, see if you can make it better by tweaking the surprise. As soon as you feel comfortable that you can do the 5 mins without thinking about it, do it before a target market. Just how do you do this? Well, if you're in a larger city, there are possibly plenty of open mics. These are areas where you can perform 5-10 mins of product to 'check it' in front of a target market. This is the method I began. If you do not have the advantage of being in a huge city, then you could have a funny reveal that plays once a week or when a month in your town at a local bar or dining establishment.

 If that holds true, take a trip down there as well as ask if you can M.C. the program. The majority of bars that have 'one-niter' comedy shows, do not have an M.C. So if you appear and ask, they will probably be more than satisfied to have you do it. When you do your 5 or ten mins in advance, after that you can video clip tape it. When you have a video clip tape that's of good quality, you have a business card to obtain various other work. So now you still have to function the 'business' side of the exactly how to be a comedian equation.

 When you have an act that is creating a laugh every 18-20 secs, as well as has a strong beginning, middle and also end, it is time to venture out there. What most starting comedians don't realize is that when you hit this degree, (can take 6 months, or 2 years), it's time to buckle down regarding treating your stand comedy like an organisation. You are now an item (or service), as well as you need to market. At this moment in your career, you will certainly not have a manager or an agent. If you are lucky sufficient to have the cash money, you can employ a Public Relations manager (around $3500 monthly). They can aid you venture out press releases, areas on the radio or television. But you have to have a gig to promote initially. But a lot of us do not have that choice when we're beginning so allow's leave that alone. So you have a 30 minute act that you've been developing at open mics as well as various other events like conferences, parties, and so on. How do you get it on the road? At this point you might be taking a look at several possibilities in your trip to coming to be a comedian:.

Targeting the funny club and one-niter market.

Breaking into company funny or speaking involvements.

I do both clubs and corporates in my profession, but now I mainly target business simply due to the fact that there's more cash in it for me. There is additionally the college funny market, cruise liner market, resort and also casino market, heat up comic market (for real-time sit-com, game and talk show audiences), and armed forces shows. Armed forces programs can be huge. I was dealing with an intermediary for the armed force that said he could have me benefiting the remainder of my life doing military programs. We could spend a lot of time going through all the possibilities, however that might take days. The important point to bear in mind is that if you can create as well as create a comedy regimen that is clean and good, you can function for life. As soon as you have this info, it's time to target your market, do your research study and start selling. That's right. Start selling. You are your very own business currently and also you provide a solution. If you learn to treat yourself like an organisation by preparing a business strategy, setting objectives and also following up, you will begin to work. When you begin in funny there are 3 settings offered. They are each expected to do for different quantities of time:.

  KEEP IN MIND: This is organisation is affordable, however here's something most comics don't recognize: If you strive as well as you develop your act as well as you establish your credibility for being an excellent comedian, you WILL FUNCTION! This service and the bookers who supply comedians around the country are constantly looking for great talent.

  If you wish to target the club market, you need to likewise target the one-nighter market.This way you have extra booking options available to you when scheduling dates. How do you target? Begin tiny; begin regional. If you have funny in your location, get in touch with the clubs, go to the clubs, ask the supervisors, door individuals, M.C.'s what the procedure is for getting in the door and also auditioning or doing a guest collection. Be courteous and be consistent. Jay Leno drove from Boston to the New York City Improv numerous days a week for lots of months prior to Bud Friedman (the owner of the Improv) allowed him do a collection.

 He was prepared. He did a terrific task. The rest is background. When you obtain your opportunity, be prepared as well as do a well-crafted 5-10 min collection. Afterwards, speak with individuals, see what it takes to return to do another set. As soon as you join individuals as well as establish partnerships and also a track record for being a solid act, currently you have all you require to get work. A lot of comedy skill bookers on the road call for to see video. Some will certainly take a chance on you if you have references from some headliners. It's an excellent suggestion to establish connections with as lots of comics as possible. Behave to every person, constantly act professionally. It's these connections that can make or damage your chances for obtaining job. Make at the very least 10 telephone call a day for your occupation.

  Call comedy clubs and bookers. If you do not get them on the phone, always, I imply always leave a message. Keep precise records on who you talked to, that the choice maker is, the names of assistants and also the most effective time to call.

  If this sounds like you are a sales person ... after that well, you are. This is business side of the formula of just how to be a comic and it's where most comedians fall short.

  When you do ultimately obtain a booker on the phone. Be respectful as well as inquire if you can send them a video clip and also if they choose to see the video clip online or on DVD or E.P.K. (Electronic Press Set). Believe it or otherwise, there are still some bookers out there who would like to hold a DVD in their hand.

  Several of these bookers are tough nuts to crack. When I run into that issue, it's time to make an individual sales phone call. I simply email or call and ask them,.

  " I actually wish to satisfy you as well as play your area. If I can fly available in two weeks or two, do you assume you could find area in the line up for a guest set?".

For the hardest bookers in the country, this has constantly functioned. Yet just how do you manage that? Why your building your get in touches with as well as one-niter jobs, you see to it you book something in or around the location of the club you so covet. When you have that date in position and reserved, call the club and see if you can drop in as well as do an audition set. Put in this added action and also you'll more than likely obtain a visitor set.

  As soon as you do the guest set, send them a thanks card (as well as or something with your image on it), to thank them for the chance and keep complying with up until you get a place. Never comply with up greater than as soon as a week, unless you still have not spoken with the target person, after that adhere to up every 3 days.

  Calvin Coolidge said, "determination and also uniformity trump ability any type of day." So be persistent and consistent. Be polite and maintain following up. And also if calling doesn't function. Pay them a visit. Let them know you're relentless. When you start putting dates together. Make use of every possibility to video clip tape. Try to obtain wonderful audio high quality, when possible. A wonderful tape results in extra work.

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<p>What IS Mercury In Retrograde? </p>17 Facts, 2017 Dates & Survival Tips About What It How To Prepare And Affect

Mercury in retrograde begins Dec 3rd!

Well, folks, Here we are. Mercury season runs from December 3-22, 2018. You dropped your cell phone, or a few electronic devices and cracked the screen.

You may not be into things involving the zodiac or horoscope, and perhaps you've got no idea what the Farmer's Almanac has to do with astrology or retrograde season, either. But one thing is for certain, you more than likely have heard someone blaming a tech problem or a communication glitch on "Mercury in retrograde."

No, you're not losing your A-game or accepting leaning into a belief system which has your thoughts going into the dark side. It's Mercury season and there is a reason why some people imagine it to be less than true.  

If you are like me, (and I'm dating myself) when you hear about Mercury going into retrograde certain imagines leap to your mind. You envision an old-fashioned mercury thermometer being put under your tongue to see if you had a fever.

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Or maybe your brain thinks which mercury as a source attracts. You remember those Mercury batteries that are hard to replace, and a hassle if you need one, to find.  

Rarely does the word Mercury come with a positive mental image There's a reason for it. When it goes retrograde Mercury has earned itself quite a reputation. It's known to enable communication, but if it's illusion affects the planet, well... you sort of want to know why, do not you?

RELATED: How Mercury In Retrograde REALLY Affects Each Zodiac Sign (Because YES, It's BAAACK)

Sad for a small little planet. Mercury was commonly called Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, in Greek mythology. So, is it any surprise when Mercury enters the picture that communication would be involved? In actuality, there are lots of smart people who believe if not managed carefully, decisions made during Mercury retrograde is not just bad judgment, it could ruin lives.

Mercury is also positioned closest to the Sun, and as you already know. . .it's hot there. As much as a little planet with no life form may seem harmless to planet Earth, there is something about retrograde which makes an impact on our energy.

Call it cosmic influence. Oh, and did you know that zodiac signs who have fiery personalities and strong senses of liberty (-- ahem, Aries...) has Mercury as their influencing planet in their  ruling Sun, rising moon, or other house in which communication is affected.  

People with erratic and strong personalities are often referred to as "mercurial" --described as unpredictable, rapid, and just a bit restless, by those who understand them. A mercurial person is someone who is hard to predict.

via GIPHY

Is it any wonder that when any sentence that includes the words "retrograde" and "Mercury", would raise caution?  

Now, that you're aware. You have been warned. Pay attention because Mercury in retrograde begins on December 3rd and ends. It's time to get prepared.

Wish to learn how to best prepare for this time of Mercury season?   We have gathered up the 17 most popular questions and survival tips   about Mercury in retrograde. This time around, you can survive it.    

1. What does it mean when people say "Mercury is in retrograde?"

When Mercury moves in opposite direction to planet Earth, it's in retrograde. Planets typically move from East to West, but during the season that is retrograde, Mercury moves from West to East instead.

2. Is Mercury in retrograde a thing?

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No. The shift in rotation of Mercury is truly considered a type of illusion. It looks like directions have changed, but that is because the planets are moving, as Earth moves in its orbit around the sun past the planet Mercury.  

A fantastic illustration of this can be if a man is sitting in a car and the car beside it begins to reverse out of their parking spot.

Initially, it may appear that your car is slowly moving forward, when actually you're not. The same can be said about Mercury. Mercury season can be a tool for self-improvement when used as a year to confront illusion.

RELATED: The Crazy, Reckless Things You Do After A Breakup, According To Your Zodiac Sign

3. What is the science behind Mercury in retrograde?

The science of Mercury in retrograde relies on astrology. But science that is traditional does not support the theory of Mercury retrograde.

Science has not proven that Mercury retrograde produces a negative effect on communication or creating problems with technology (as is frequently blamed).

4. How does   Mercury in retrograde work?

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They will tell you that communication is impacted by Mercury in retrograde if you ask an astrologer. They'll tell you that you are most likely to have problems in your relationship in the region of communication.

Maybe you may have problems expressing how you feel. Some admit that Mercury in retrograde is an illusion but at the same time appeal to individuals who sense the warning to be heeded by the shift in energy and brace for releases of change until it's over.

5. How often a year does Mercury  go into retrograde?

According to Live Science, Mercury in retrograde typically occurs 4 times annually and can last up to 20 days each cycle based on the season.  

The dates for Mercury retrograde in 2017 were and are:

January 1 to 9

April 9 to May 3

August 12 to September 5

December 3 to 23

For 2018, the dates are:

March 22 -- April 15, 2018 

July 25 - August 18, 2018 

November 16 - December 6, 2018 

6. Is Mercury in retrograde a great thing or a bad thing?

At the end of the day, Mercury in retrograde is what you make of it. Some say that they have had some experiences during its season.

Astronomers believe in season recommend that people exercise caution and to provide time to the things that require your consideration especially.  

7. What should I expect to happen when Mercury is in retrograde?

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That depends. If your sign has Mercury influences, it may be sensed by you more. Generally speaking, you can expect there to be a greater demand for flexibility. Plan ahead when it comes to travel, or if you're going to sign a contract.  

8. What are the stages of Mercury in retrograde?

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A shadow period is truly until Mercury retrograde takes place. It's believed that this creates what is called a backspin into Virgo and Leo.

9. What are the advantages to Mercury being in retrograde?

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As individuals refer to Mercury retrograde, it can be thought of as a call to action. By way of example, if you knew that you may have a problem you'd prepare ahead of time.

Likewise, if there are things in your life which are more fiction than fact, you can use these statements as reminders to work on false beliefs in your life.  

10. Is Mercury in retrograde worse if there is a full moon?

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This year, not only does Mercury enter retrograde during a full moon, but there was a lunar eclipse during the shadow period the retrograde period. There can be energies that influence a person in this time that make things feel harder than normal.

In December's Mercury retrograde's time period, there is a Full Moon in Gemini and just a final meteor shower, called The Geminids.

RELATED: The Way October's Meteor Showers Affect Each Zodiac Sign's Character

11. How does Mercury in retrograde affect relationships?

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In a connection, when conflicts occur, occur in areas of ego or previous difficulties. So, if there are issues in your relationships in the area of communication, then it is possible to work on it. A connection that partners at this time will grow stronger.  

And, relationships which choose to neglect each other may not.  

RELATED: The Kind Of Guy You Should Wait For, According To Your Zodiac Sign

12. Is it bad when Mercury is in retrograde to get married?

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Some say that this period of time causes a lot of frustration because people feel more reluctant. There are. There might be a propensity to cancel decisions and plans .

If you and your spouse agree upon your union plans, you can revisit what makes your relationship unique. You can confront issues with open eyes and an open heart.  

RELATED: The Way Your Wedding Date Affects Your Marriage, Based On Astrology

13. What does Mercury in retrograde do to communicating?

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According to astrology sites and astrologers, Mercury creates signals. If you listen to this time as a manifestation of ego and confrontation of private illusions there is room for growth.

RELATED: The Way You Really Speak To People, According To Your Zodiac Sign

14. Do couples  breakup?

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Some say that Mercury retrograde affects relationships most. Needless to say, if your connection and communication already struggle, then you will likely be more at risk than others.  

However, there's an opportunity here, too. If your connection is important to you and both spouses understand that communication problems are coming, you spend more time trying to blatant mistakes when they happen and are able to work.

RELATED: The Way You Know He Wants To Leave You, According To His Zodiac Sign

15. Is it okay to buy car, or a house, or anything tech when Mercury is in retrograde?

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You are able to make any conclusions like you normally wouldit's advised that you take time to ensure that communication is clear.

It can not hurt to pay more attention to the details in this time, and because this year Mercury retrograde will last there is an opportunity to increase mindfulness.

RELATED: How Much Of A Saver Or Spender You REALLY Are, According To Your Zodiac Sign

16. What can I do to survive when Mercury is in retrograde?

Some astrologers suggest using a handy-dandy planner or what is called an ephemeris astrological planner aka like this one.

17. How do I find out more?

You read books can take classes that teach about the topic on sites like Udemy, or watch YouTube videos on the topic.  

But just in case you need it here are some hints on surviving communication issues during Mercury retrograde this time around:

Use this opportunity to be flexible.

Practice forgiveness. 

Allow room for quality communication.

Take the time to decide big decisions.

And bear in mind, you have control over how you react to this time period in your life.  

When Aria Gmitter  is not exploring the meaning of life with help from the world, she could be found stargazing or in search of the upcoming great cup of tea.   Follow Aria on networking.   You can ask   Aria any question about astrology, horoscopes, zodiac, relationships, and love on Mondays at 10:20 pm on Facebook Live.  

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