#if this is the most actors i have to pose and the most difficulty i have for roevember i'll be happy. but somehow i doubt it lmao

[elliewiltarwyn]

Roevember Day 8: Meal

This is it... isn't it? This is the sort of thing I've been fighting for all along.

Good friends sitting down for a good meal, letting past hardships and tomorrow's worries fade into the background.

Seeking joy in darkness, buoyed by that radiance - finding small moments of joy to sustain us, give us the strength to carry on day after day...

The strength to find...what matters to us.

bonus: hilarious and slightly disconcerting not-quite-bug i encountered while setting up g'raha in particular

[admirxation]

彡 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚

𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥

ʚ 𝐟𝐭. 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐨 𝐱 𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐛!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 | 𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐖 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭 | 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭

𝐜𝐰 — 18+ mdni, pure smut (porn with little to no plot), NSFW, only fans, masturbation (m and f receiving), orgasms (m and f receiving), watching porn, obsessive behaviour and technically porn addiction, overstimulation (f receiving), squirting, and dirty talk.

By continuing to read after the cut-off, you’re consenting to see the content I have already pre-warned. Continue with your own discretion.

Paying a subscription to see someone naked? That was the most pathetic thing Choso could think of. He thought it was ridiculous whenever he scrolled through his phone and heard multiple stories of how people were putting tons of money into a website to see a girl get naked and touch herself, hearing how much money some people would make off these idiots; he didn’t see the point nor get the hype, just get yourself a girl or if you’re struggling that much go to a free porn sight where there are tons of videos with every fantasy performed without needing to break the bank—there were loads of good enough girls on there… right?

Well, Choso soon ate his words when he had been experiencing, to put it lightly, difficulty, in the dating field. He had been on a few dates and even got lucky sometimes with the odd hook-up from the midnight swiping on dating apps; but he always felt unfulfilled, bored even. He never knew why exactly, it’s not like there was anything wrong with them, many of them were nice and he had a good time with them, but none of them gave him that thrill or excitement, just felt like convenience if anything—that’s not how you should feel if you meet a future partner. 

His lack of excitement and interest just resulted in him giving up, spending endless nights in his room scrolling through his laptop and going through porn videos like a horny boy who had never seen a girl before. At this point he probably went through every category, finishing to some videos, but after a while, it got dull, lifeless, and utterly boring. He hated the overproduced porn videos, with the lights and a camera set up, knowing the actors didn’t feel anything and were just turning their minds off by overacting, faking every moan and squirt, he knew porn was just a fantasy but… let's just say the fantasy wasn’t being sold well in those videos. 

But there was one person who managed to sell it well to him. Someone that actually provided him that thrill and excitement he had been searching for. After another lonely night with his hand, he stumbled on your Instagram. He wasn’t expecting it, he was just looking through his feed until he saw you in a bikini with a suggestive pose and caption, seeing loads of men salivating for you in the comments; you were attractive, no, you were more than that to Choso, you were gorgeous and soon caught his attention and enticed him to scroll through all your pictures.

You had a fake name, obviously, and in every picture you were barely wearing anything, looking into the camera with those bedroom eyes with teasing and temping captions and poses; Choso could already feel his pants tighten as felt himself hardening, just looking at your revealing pictures. You were an only fans girl and he was already fantasising about you. He pressed onto the link in your bio, out of curiosity, until he whispered to himself about his initial hesitations. 

“No, I’m not paying for this… I’m not pathetic,” he whispered to himself as he looked at your fees. They were affordable but he obviously knew why; if it was affordable more people would buy it and continue to keep up the subscriptions, hence making you a hefty profit from seeing how many followers you already had. 

Fuck it. He thought to himself. “I’ll just pay the subscription once, get my fix and cancel it before the next one comes,” he reassured himself in whispered hushes as he got his card out, putting the details in and getting a notification the money had been taken out, taking in a large breath as the pixelated screen was no longer blurred images and showed him the full, gorgeous, vision that was you. 

Oh how naive he was to think he would get a quick fix and be over it. 

He was already obsessed, transfixed to the screen. Feeling a heated pool to his core as his cock twitched and throbbed in his tightening pants, his eyes half-lidded as he loved everything he saw with his dilated pupils. He bit his bottom lip watching you spread your legs for the adoring camera, massaging your fingers along your wet folds, moaning and gasping as you circled your clit, staring into the camera with those sexy sultry eyes; he felt himself already start to cum, his warm release darkening his pants, finishing from just the sight of you—no girl had managed to have that effect on him before. 

This little subscription fix was just supposed to be a one-time thing—as he kept telling himself—until another month rolled around, and another, until he was upgrading it to see more videos of you, god he felt so pathetic, being utterly obsessed for a girl just touching herself on screen, but he couldn’t go a day without fisting his cock and moaning alongside your videos, watching his laptop screen and imagining what you would look like on your knees for him, making you suck his cock, maybe even ride it—he could understand now why people liked this onlyfans business.

One night, coming back from work, he got a notification that you had uploaded another video; seeing your name and the title of it made heat rush through his body with a wave-like sensation, his blood boiling and collecting into arousal. He hurriedly stripped off his clothes, lying in bed in his boxers as he opened his laptop, springing free his member as he shoved his tight boxers off, palming himself as your video started. 

It started with the usual teasing, that adorable smile you would give to the camera as you gave it a show, he found it so sexy and alluring how you would slowly strip off and show more of your delicate and soft skin; he was already palming the base of his dick, watching as you took your lace bra off, squeezing and playing with your tits as you released soft and sensual whimpers that made him throb and ache with need. 

“Fuck, you’re so sexy,” he whispered as the video kept going, biting his lip till bite marks were formed on the skin of his bottom lip, his hand motioning up and down his large and warm shaft. 

Your legs were spread, moving your underwear to the side as you started to tease yourself. 

“Mmm~” you moaned as your fingers circled your puffy clit, your cunt already wet for the camera to see. “Ooohh, do you like that?” you asked in a seductive tone to the camera. 

Of course, Choso knew you weren’t going to magically hear his reply but he loved the fantasy of being with you, wanting and needing you just to be in his bed, he needed nothing more but to hear those lewd and hot moans as he whispered every praise and desire into your ear. 

“Oh fuck yeah… s-such a dirty girl, mmmph… Want… need you so bad nnghh~” he whimpered.

He pumped his hand harder, moaning and whimpering as he wraps his calloused hand and lets it run and smear the dribbling precum along the prominent vein on his warm shaft; his cheeks flushing red as he continued to watch as you pushed your digits into your soaking cunt. He would do anything to just fuck that pretty little pussy, to feel your tight walls spasm around him, wondering what it would feel like to pump you full of hot seed and fuck it further into your snug core as he made you his cumslut. 

You pinched your nipple with your spare hand, pushing your fingers inside and out of your aching core, your body already shaking and trembling as high-pitched moans flowed from your glossy lips.

“Ah, fuck~” you cursed, the audio capturing every moan, and the sound of how wet you were as you kept your legs open, giving eye contact to the camera as you exposed yourself; that drove Choso wild, imagining himself fuck you senseless as he looked into those pretty eyes. 

His cock continued to throb, his hot seed already pooling along his fingers, but he kept going, still painfully hard as he watched the whole of the video and moaned louder as he watched you overstimulate and slut yourself out on camera. His breathing was hitched as his adam’s apple bopped up and down as he panted and tugged on his dick. 

“Ahh, ahh… ooohh keep going pretty girl,” he moaned to the screen, feeling his balls tighten as he imagined what it would be like to glide his length in between your puffy folds, to rile you up with teasing motions until he finally rammed himself deep enough for the tip to bruise your cervix, to watch your tits bounce with every thrust he would give, and he knew you’d take it like a good girl as you screamed out his name. 

He heard your pants get heavier, your bottom lip quivering as your brow furrowed and your eyelids beginning to flutter as you rolled your eyes to the back of your head; you were about to finish, he watched you so many times he knew the rhythm of your breathing and look on your face when you were about to finish. 

“That’s it you dirty girl, oh please please cum, you’re so sexy when you squirt,” he released whispered pleads to the screen, wrapping his hand harder and pumping more quickly; he timed his final release just right when you released the loudest pornographic moan as you orgasmed and let your cunt paint your inner tights and fingers dripping wet. The video left Choso panting and overheated, his fingers and stomach covered in his hot ropes of cum.

Taglist: @bratbby333 @styrofoamplat3s

Please note that the best way to support writers is by liking and reblogging. All interaction is never forced but always greatly appreciated, whatever you do I am thankful you took the time out of your day to read my content. Thank you.

a/n: heart divider by @/cafekitsune // lookey lookey here we have another choso smut, can we tell I found a new man to obsess over? Hehe. Hope you enjoyed this and if you’re interested in more JJK content or other fanfiction from other fandoms please consider following me and/or being added to the taglist here [x].

[kohabielnin]

Valentine Day Headcanons

I know it took me a while to do this, as classes make it a little difficult for me, this is another gift for someone very special to me, the @kaval0 💕

Norton Campbell

• Incredible as it may seem, he remembered the date and was prepared days before as he saw the children arranging things to give gifts to those they like,

• Everyone in the mansion was surprised when he handed you a flower and chocolates,

• Naib stole some chocolates just to tease Norton, as usual,

• His embarrassed look when he handed you the chocolates was really cute,

• Both Melly, Frederick and Alice wondered if he was actually sick,

• In general, no one in the mansion expected Norton to give you chocolates

Ronald of Ness

• He closed the theater so he could have time with just you,

• I always saw this skin as one of Norton's most romantic skins because he's an actor,

• This man is not very good at cooking, so the one who helped him with everything was Lady Truth,

• He compares you all the time to flowers, especially roses,

• For a whole day, you can wear his hat and mask,

• He called Mr. Inference to boast that he had company on Valentine's Day...

Naib Subedar

• You two ate the chocolates together, it was cute according to witnesses,

• He worked hard to make the chocolates and even harder not to eat them 💕

• Norton played little a with Naib, but he didn't care and ignored Norton,

• He was a little shy when it came to handing over the chocolate, as he had never done it before,

• Eli helped him have the courage to go talk to you and Brooke watched so Naib didn't give up halfway,

• Spending Valentine's Day with him was definitely a lot of fun

Morningstar

• He made his servants make a feast just for you,

• He just loves spoiling you, whether it's a holiday or just a regular day,

• There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't say he loves you out of fear of losing you,

• He made you a crown similar to his as a gift,

• He himself searched the entire kingdom for the most beautiful rose so he could give it to you,

• In general, Morningstar is a sweet, beautiful, perfect and sweetheart

Orpheus

• This man simply wrote the most romantic poem you've ever seen in your life, along with flowers and chocolate,

• Guess who had a pinky in the middle of one of the letters you received? Exactly, Little Girl,

• You two had a great day together,

• He took the day to listen to you talk about the books you like while giving your opinion about them too,

• He is very good with words, so sometimes he would say something or other to embarrass you, like a compliment in French that he learned from Frederick,

• There was no shortage of tea and cookies in the afternoon for you two

Bonus due to our zap/discord ship in which I am Frederick

Frederick Kreiburg

• Ok... you woke up hearing him playing your favorite song on the piano,

• If you ask him about this, you will only hear: "I feel like playing this song", with an indifferent pose as always,

• On the coffee table, there is a plate with some strawberries covered in chocolate and a handmade letter from him,

• He has a slight difficulty being romantic, but his small acts show that he cares a lot about you,

• He won't mind spending the day playing the piano for you if you wish,

• If you don't want him to spend the day playing the piano for you, he won't mind taking you somewhere relaxing with few people

[therantsofawriterrr]

The Umbrella Academy Final Season: My Version.

Part One: We Also See Each Other At Birthday Parties

Overview: After getting back to a normal world with no powers, we see the Hargreeves trying to adjust to normal lives which somehow seems a lot harder to navigate. TW: uhh, emo discussions and stuff, mature language, sad people overall, some storyline changes because I'm writing it as the characters are playing it in my head, also long ass fic, I'm sorry. Pairings: Luther×Sloane, Diego×Lila, Allison×Raymond, Klaus×Dave, Five×OC, Ben×Jennifer A/N: Sooo, the fourth season made me want to forget it. Like I was literally thinking that I wanted Sir Reggie to use his memory-erase thing on me. This is for me and many others who wanted to see a happy ending, so uhh, here goes. I'm sorry if any of my imagination goes against fan canon, just think of them of my own hcs. also, im kind of using this to practice third person omniscient, so constructive criticism is appreciated. Btw, THIS HAS SPOILERS (potentially) because I'm also using some of the scenes from the season, stuff that I liked and all that. So, here goes ig.

Masterlist

What happens when you put seven superheroes into a normal world and strip them of their powers? It's an interesting question, a loaded question to be precise.

Well, that's what has happened now, with the Hargreeves siblings living their respective lives, trying to deal with the fact that they just had to live without their powers. They felt good about it, yes, but in some ways, it also posed a few difficulties.

Six years later, they were pretty well-adjusted. Or so it seemed.

Let's go to Number One, shall we? Luther Hargreeves, the self-proclaimed peacemaker of the family. At the moment, Luther was snoring in bed, drooling onto the sheets as he dreamed of a different life. A life with his wife, Sloane. A white picket fence, two dogs, and maybe even kids? But then, the scene changed. The kugelblitz appeared, taking his wife and world away, waking him up in a frenzy.

As soon as he did, he sat up, reaching out for her instinctively, only to find nothing but cold sheets. Tears started welling up in his eyes as a lump lodged itself in his throat, his hands going up to his face and his shoulders started shaking as he sobbed. This was pretty much like a morning routine, wake up, cry because of overwhelming grief, then get up and have some coffee.

The goofball of the family had turned into a depressed lover looking for his lost love.

As for Number Two, Diego Hargreeves and his wife, Lila Hargreeves, were quite literally living Luther's dream, with three kids and a wonderful house. But, suddenly going from crime-fighting and assassinations to dealing with kids, in-laws, a shitty boss, and the housewife life would be hard for anyone, don't you think?

Every day, Diego went out to work as a mailman, trying to get the mail to their owners with perfect precision. But, he failed, for his power was the reason for his perfect aim. And every single time, he felt insecure about himself. Now, he could get out of the truck and just deliver mail like a normal person, but then, this is Diego we're talking about.

Lila, on the other hand, has book club every other week. What the family didn't know, is that there is no book

They were a cute family, but they did need to talk to each other about some things.

Number Three, Allison Hargreeves was living with her husband and daughter, Raymond Chestnut and Claire Hargreeves Chestnut. While Raymond was happy living in a world where racism was a lot less than before and worked in a 9-5 job, Allison was struggling as an actor, trying to make time for family and land a good role. She also didn't really talk to the family except Klaus because she was afraid that they wouldn't want her, but she did regret her actions and felt lonely in that aspect of life.

Number Four was Klaus Hargreeves, the weirdest out of the group. It's those weird antics that also made him the most adorable in the group. Granted, he was a bit of a faint heart now that his immortality was gone, but the vibes were still there. But there was still the fact that he was three years sober, a fact that enabled him to wake up every morning with pride. Staying in Allison's basement, he had bubble-wrapped whatever surface he could, but being in charge of taking care of Claire finally made him feel useful in a way, so in short, he didn't really have any complaints.

And now, with his favourite brother Benerino coming out of jail, he could finally make him realise that he has a family as well!

Number Five, who was fine with being called Five, was working in the CIA, mainly investigating a cult that dealt with memories of another timeline. He used to dress up as a man named Jerome, putting on a fake mustache and a generic outfit to fit in. He clocked in early and left late, making people think that he was just another workaholic who didn't have anything to do at home.

But, there was a different reason. A reason that he wouldn't even tell his family. The PTSD of the previous many years, that he'd decided to ignore had finally started getting to him. He couldn't sleep without having nightmares of another apocalypse. The only way he could sleep without dreams was if he tired himself out to the point of passing out. Which is what he did.

Number Six, Ben Hargreeves was getting out of jail for being embroiled in a crypto scam. Granted, he had pretty much scammed too many people into losing too much money, but then why do people get involved in these markets if they don't keep in mind that it's risky? He could never understand people, really.

Now that he was out, he was free again, and he already had a plan to get away from the family once and for all. He didn't think he deserved to stay in a family full of love.

And finally there was Number Seven. Viktor Hargreeves, who was pretty much the strongest out of the group. But now, he just saw himself as an emo fuck-up who couldn't have a proper relationship, neither with his family nor with his partners. Building a life for himself in Nova Scotia had been hard, getting his bar business to take off had been harder, but what was hardest, was to actually commit to a person.

But then, could anybody blame him? He had lost too many people that he loved. There was Sissy, there was Harlan and there was the whole thing with Harold Jenkins. He was starting to think he needed to stay single for a while so that he could process his feelings and then put himself out there again.

But, even though they would do anything else, they did think that they needed to be there for Diego's first daughter, Grace's birthday party. So there they were, with smiles pasted on their faces in an arcade, where the children screamed while Diego and Lila yelled at each other.

"Diego! What are you doing?" She yelled into his ear, making him cringe.

"Getting the cake ready!" He yelled back.

"Piñata before cake! Go hang it!"

Diego went ahead and hung the fake horse with all the love he could muster and more. Though, Lila couldn't help but stare at him as he did, wondering how he knew that she had forgotten the piñata. She had called Diego up at the last moment in a panic, telling him about how she forgot to buy the West End one, and instead bought the East End one. Diego had just assured her and told her to breathe, telling her he'd handle it. He'd shown up with a vibrant horse, pretty much like the one she'd bought, but still different.

"What the hell are we going to do with two piñatas?" she'd asked, starting to panic again.

"We'll give the other one to Luther, babe. We both know he needs to get some of that anger out. Don't worry too much."

Diego stalked over to Luther carefully, handing him a bottle of beer and leaning back against the bar of some game, children shrieking with happiness.

"Hey, big guy," he said, internally wincing at Luther's answering grunt. "Where have you been these days? It's been what, a month since you'd called?"

"Just been busy," he said, taking a swig of the beer. They both knew how he'd been busy, but neither had the will nor the strength to discuss it. Diego missed him, but he sort of understood where he was coming from. He knew he'd go crazy if it had been Lila who had gotten lost after everything. He was pretty sure he would have been the reason for the world ending a fourth time.

Whereas Luther was mentally checking the wool-stringed map hanging in his house again and again in his mind, trying to figure out just where Sloane could be. He was hell-bent on finding her, to have the happy ending that they both deserved. He couldn't bear the thought of him living on while she died.

Elsewhere, Klaus had just entered the place with Claire and Raymond, with gloves on his hand and every other precaution he could think of.

"It's just a kid's party, Klaus. What's the worst that could happen here?"

"Oh, too many things. You of all people should know how dirty children can get, Raymond," he drawled in the typical Klaus fashion. Raymond only chuckled, shaking his head as Klaus cooed in excitement at the various candy stalls and selfie booths that were placed around the place. He had definitely been a weird addition to the family three years prior, but also an adorable one. His quirks made the house livelier for sure.

Allison, on the other hand, was sitting in her car, with her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. She was trying to convince herself to start the fucking car, to get home and practice her lines, but her eyes kept flitting to the rearview mirror, where the neon sign was glowing brightly. A sudden knock made her jump in her seat, and she turned to see Viktor, who she thought would be the last person to approach her.

She rolled the tinted window down to meet Viktor's cold but warm eyes.

"You aren't coming in?" He asked, voice frosty, but with a tinge of sadness in it.

"No, not really," Allison said, guiltiness lacing her voice. "I probably shouldn't ruin the party."

"Grace is your niece, too, you know," he said, looking at her firmly. "It's her birthday, and she deserves to see her aunt. Plus, the others care about her just as much you and I do, so they won't make a fuss."

Immediately, when she entered the place, she regretted it. Because while Diego and Lila were a bit warm towards her, Luther's gaze turned stony before he turned away. She wanted to run away and hide, but Raymond's comforting hand in hers gave her a little strength.

On the other side of the room, Ben was talking to Five, the one Umbrella sibling that he could tolerate to some extent.

"What was it, again? Ponzi scheme? White-collar fraud?" Five asked him with a smirk.

"Crypto exchange. Web 3.0, baby. Feds only went after because I'm an outsider. A fucking maverick like Elon.

"Well, that and you bankrupted a 100,000 people."

"The whole thing was like a witch hunt. I think I'm just gonna stay home now that I'm out."

"Yeah, well, say what you will," Five said with a small appreciative smile. "It's still good to have you back."

Klaus seemed to spawn beside them suddenly, putting an arm around Ben's shoulders. "Hello, Benjamin."

"Get your hand off of me, I don't know where it's been," he said with irritation lacing his voice, but Klaus was unconvinced. Even if he wasn't their Ben, he was Ben, and there was no one else that knew him better.

The party went on with the same vibes; somehow, it was the only Hargreeves party that's been normal. Usually, it ended up getting very chaotic and weird.

But then, all of them knew that they actually had fun in those parties.

Another A/N: I originally planned for this to have ten chapters, but nvm every chapter will get too long, so ig we'll just see how many parts this thing will have. Likes, reblogs and feedback is highly appreciated, please tell me if the transition from one character to other was too confusing or hard to process, I do that sometimes. Also, I do have a lot of changes, according to what I've seen on the tua tag, so I'll try to make stuff up too haha. Anyway, tell me if y'all like this or not, and tysm for reading

[literary-nose]

some thoughts on ‘if we were villains’.

before i begin, i warn you that this is not going to be a short post.

so, after two months, i finally finished “if we were villains”. for me, two months is a long time, despite the book having something of 400 pages. usually, i am able to get through a hundred of pages within a single evening, but that was not the case with this one. i would constantly read a maximum of 50 pages at best, only to close it shut and deciding to continue it on a different day.

the main reason behind this was truly none other than the magnificence of the descriptions of feelings in it. multiple times did i find myself unable to continue reading, sometimes even forced to take breaks worth days, because, while reading, i could nearly experience all the characters’ emotions myself, and sometimes the characters even expressed my own thoughts about the circumstances they were in.

leaving the general speech behind and moving on to more specific details, i cannot leave out the fact that, observing the dynamic between meredith and oliver, i could not help but feel uncomfortable - especially in the beginning, on the night of richard’s death and soon after it. never did i once experience such discomfort when any other couple was described - alexander and colin? marvellous. james and wren? excellent. james and oliver? stupefying, hell, not even meredith and richard made me feel like this (up until things started to get the way they got, of course), and i have yet to find a reasonable justification for this, except maybe for the fact that i, too, similarly to james, perceived the initiation, the start of all of this as “revenge-fucking”. i doubt my asexual identity is in any way linked to this, because i am mostly sex-indifferent. i have resorted to attributing this to the fact that, as we learn in the end, oliver had been and still is in love with james, while his situation with meredith, to me, really seemed like a typical case of being unable to tell the difference between romantic and aesthetic attraction.

what puzzled me further was the complete lack of participation in the story from wren’s side, and my confusion is only being reinforced by the fact that she is richard’s cousin. we barely get to see her at all, and every time we do, her participation is minimal. this i can attribute to her nature and her typecast as the ingénue, since typecasting clearly affects the characters quite considerably, but, even so, in my opinion, she deserved more than what she got.

now, regarding james’ motive in richard’s death - something i am most eager to talk about. as stated in the book, james did not have any intention to kill richard - in fact, he was ready to drag him out of the water, upon discovering that he was alive. and yet, something does not sit right. throughout the entire book, the idea that an actor’s thought process and feelings can easily get intertwined with those of the character they are portraying is commonly promoted, explicitly stated by both oliver and richard - in one of the prologues and during gwendolyn’s class respectively. 

taking that into consideration and putting it aside for the time being, i remind that on the night of richard’s death it had been “caesar” that the seven were performing, with james having the role of brutus, and richard, inevitably, being caesar himself. in shakespeare’s play, the death of julius caesar is mainly attributed to the mastermind of the conspiracy, caius cassius, who wants caesar dead due to his own envy. knowing that “brutus is an honourable man”, cassius manipulates him by calling out to his sense of honour and getting him to conspire against caesar as well, allegedly for the benefit of rome, despite the fact that, originally, brutus had no personal conflicts with caesar.

seeing as james is stated and portrayed to have a difficulty snapping out of character - as clearly seen when he confesses his crime to oliver by speaking in verse exclusively - i pose this question; why is it not possible that on the night of richard’s death, having followed him into the forest, he found his own thoughts intermingled with his role’s to such an extent, where he consciously decided that the death of caesar (richard) would be for the benefit of rome (the six of them, mainly, but also anyone else)? essentially, what could have happened is that he, blinded by the thoughts of brutus and not his own, intentionally killed richard, believing it to be in everyone’s best interests.

of course, this did not happen, and, in my own view, because such a key (justification of james’ actions) would not open the door to the ending we eventually got; under no circumstances would oliver have forgiven james this easily, let alone taken all the blame upon him, if the death of richard was a result of “brutus” getting too caught up in his character. on the contrary, james acting out of pure terror justifies his actions in oliver’s eyes, especially seeing as “and who would keep him from drowning me this time?”. thus, we reach the ending that we currently have.

obviously, i am not claiming that my view of this is correct; it is but a mere speculation, one of the countless thoughts i had while reading. and, most of all, i am entirely not unsatisfied with the fact that i was wrong, and that richard’s murder was not intentional. to be entirely truthful, the justification given to james’ actions by me would most likely lead to a far more tragic and saddening end, and, honestly? i am glad m.l.rio’s explanation differs from mine this much. i don’t think i would have handled it if my theory had proven to be true, lol.

lastly, the decision of the author to end the book in the way she did. personally, i have never been an avid fan of open endings; i prefer it when authors give their pieces a definite ending, one that the audience has to get over and learn to live with. as, however, every rule bears an exception to itself, this time, i was rather relieved to receive an open ending, an opportunity to believe or denounce the survival of james.

and, myself? i believe james to be alive. in fact, this specific aspect i find myself to share with james; he uses the words of characters to speak the truth about himself, concealing it, so to say, behind the masks of roles in such a way that, if one does not seek a hidden meaning behind a verse seemingly spoken out of the blue, they are bound never to find it. as such, under no circumstances would he have otherwise chosen that specific speech of pericles, which had been pronounced, as remarked by oliver, before what would have been his death, “if he had not asked for help”.

with that, i conclude my train of thought. when starting this book, having read a maximum of forty pages, i had a clear outline of what i believed was going to unfold, and, though i was right about certain aspects (i.e. richard’s death i had predicted from act I, and james’ involvement in it - instantly upon seeing his reaction to richard choking on his blood in the water.), other ones i could never have foreseen, and that makes me more than happy. though this was a fantastic experience, i do confess that i cannot envision myself re-reading this book - at least not anytime soon. it’s true that, perhaps, now knowing the story, i may not be affected by it to such an extent, but i think, if only for the time being, i would rather keep it on my shelf, maybe occasionally quoting it, as i find myself doing with most of the media i indulge in.

also, alexander vass i declare top tier gender. the amount gender envy this man was giving me while i was reading is entirely ludicrous.

a playlist based on the book, in case anyone is interested.

[xxsycamore]

𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲

↬ A lovely day at the park with your husband Ichiya and your dog Nayuta.

Ichiya Mitsumori x f!reader • rating: G • tags: Fluff; Tooth-Rotting Fluff; Married Couple; Married Life; Pet Names; Dates; Kissing; Humor • wordcount: 1,561 • masterlist

a/n: This is the product of infinite longing for Ichiya Mitsumori that I'm subject to because of diligently following the recommended route order. I fell for his prince charming persona and I wanted to write a little something with a reader that is head over heels about it and constantly gasses him up. Enjoy...?

"Arf! Arf!"

You break from the kiss with your lovely, charming, perfect husband, and look at the object of your distraction - but not with anger, no! You chuckle at Nayuta's 'barking', holding a hand in front of your mouth. Your lips are so warm with the remainder of Ichiya's kiss…

"Nayuta, aren't you taking your role to heart too much now? You don't have to bark…"

" 's fine!! C'mon, throw it again! And further this time! Please!"

You sigh and take the ball that Nayuta dropped at your feet, standing up from the bench to power up your throw even more. You just pray it won't get stuck in a tree or something like that… not that it would pose a difficulty for your cute puppy- err, Nayuta, but still!

"Here we go!"

"Arf, arf!"

And he's gone.

"Where were we?"

Ichiya grasps your chin, ministrations feather-light but firm at the same time, as if he won't let you face away from him a second time. You stare at his candy-pink eyes that enchant you anew each time you meet his gaze, and sigh dreamily. Feeling bold, you giggle and shorten the distance first, inpatient to capture his lips.

"The part where you kiss me, silly!"

This must be heaven. Married to the number one most handsome husband in the world, where each day passes by in a domestic bliss, you can't wish for anything else. It's the weekend, and you woke up extra early today - the first golden rays of the summer sun not having yet greeted you two lovebirds when you did, and as per planned, Ichiya prepared and packed a light breakfast to take on your walk. He loves having the park all to yourselves in the early morning, and that's not just because of Nayuta's doglike behavior. He doesn't mind him getting the strange looks all that much, that's something the cyan-haired man did to himself, but rather… Tsk, he feels you pulling away so soon.

"Mm… you're still shy, honey. I told you. There's noone around. Just us."

"Arf! Arf!"

Sigh.

"Nayuta. I will be the one to throw you the ball this time."

You watch your dear husband, and there's a certain guilt that comes with finding the mark of anger in his demeanor sexy… he leaves your embrace, caressing your shoulder as if promising to be right back.

Ichiya rolls his shoulders, preparing himself for a big throw. He takes the ball from the ground, thankful, so thankful, that Nayuta's doglike-behavior hasn't stretched out to putting the thing in his mouth and thus coating it with saliva. Getting a good grip of the ball, Ichiya huffs out a large portion of air and inhales anew, circling his arm in the air to power up.

You can almost see flames… but it's not because of that why you start fanning yourself. Ichiya is… he's too damn attractive like that! The way he rolled up his short sleeve up his shoulder, biceps flexing… no, you're not going to survive this sight much longer…!

"T-Throw it high and far, hubby!"

As if your encouragement magically charged up his throw, a flurry of what once was the ball flies over the park. Nayuta watches its trajectory with his mouth agape, but doesn't waste much time just standing there. He starts sprinting until his figure visibly becomes smaller and smaller in the distance.

Ichiya claps his hands to dust them off, turning to face you - like an actor in the moment when the curtain falls, his frown metamorphoses into a picture perfect smile - a genuine one, because, such small distractions are nothing when it comes to spending quality time with you.

He takes hold of your hands, and you blink bashfully at him, secretly hoping that he'd give you a kiss again… but he appears serious now, for some reason.

"As much as I find that the best thing those lips of mine can do while in your presence is to lavish you with kisses… they get awfully sad when not uttering words of love. I do hope you'd understand my reason for putting a pause to our loving dance. I've been subject to witnessing your beauty in the early morning light for too long, and my mind is full of things I want to say… how am I to stay quiet? I'd be a fool if I don't compliment you. Please let me."

With watering eyes, you find it difficult to even nod, speechless at how romantic he is. No matter how much time passes, you still can't get used to it. You place a hand on your heart, as if to beg it to calm down, and breathe in deeply.

"Please go ahead, Ichiya!"

Mirroring you, Ichiya also fills his lungs with a large portion of oxygen, the material of his shirt expanding slightly at the chest area.

"My beloved… thank you for granting me the opportunity to take you out on this spontaneous but precious date. As if to compliment your presence, the day is a lovely one; the sun was eager to rise today, almost ruining my plans to walk you here just in time so you can bask in its first rays, as you'd like it. Though there's more to be desired of the temperature, it's not too chilly today - of course, I came prepared, and a soft cotton cardigan is folded for you in the picnic basket. You've told me that I radiate warmth, so I'm not too worried. You've been clinging to me this whole time, so I can see that you're warm enough - I'm content with that. But seeing your beauty up this close, for so long, I'm afraid it makes me too lightheaded. Come to your senses, Ichiya…! This I must repeat to myself again and again, lest I get lost in your eyes that follow me so stubbornly. And once I get lost, it's dangerous, I will only wish to serve you, like a man lost his soul for his queen. No, my dear, I'm fully aware that a queen is to be served, but you see… I must stay with a clear mind. I indulge in the sweetness of your lips and it already robs me of my sanity enough, if I get any more lost I'm afraid that we will remain here forever. Denying you hurts me, you know? I will forget about anything else, about anyone else… the gracious curve of your smile outstretches on the canvas of your face, another picture worth several thousand words, and I want to be the artist to paint an even wider smile there. Naturally, my tool is those lips of mine. So then, if you'd let me…I would love to share a few more kisses with you."

"Arf Arf Arf!!"

You're crying waterfalls by now, and Ichiya lets out a little gasp, hurrying to take a handkerchief and bring it to your weeping eyes to catch the falling tears.

"Like little dewdrops…Here, here, my dear… don’t cry, I didn't intend to… I'd hate to see your eyes red and puffed up, even if it’s the result of happy tears."

"Arffff Arff!"

"Ichiya… thank you… ahh, if only I was as good with words as you…!"

Your husband chuckles as he pats lightly the area under your eyes, and it's the sound of dozens of little bells playing a harmonious melody.

"Worry not. Your husband already understands. Your heart is speaking to me, and I hear it loud and clear."

You beam at Ichiya with moist gaze, nodding quickly a few times. He stands like that for a good minute, silently admiring you. Then the serenity leaves his expression.

"He's been quiet…Nayuta? Where did you-"

Throwing a look over his shoulder, Ichiya shrieks as he sees the horrifying scene taking place while he didn't suspect a thing. Nayuta's cheeks are stuffed like a hamster's, raspberry jam smeared over his mouth with the picnic basket wide open.

Ichiya's loud shriek must have startled him, because the caught-red-handed Nayuta freezes, barely remembering to gulp down before speaking.

"I'm sorry! I got hungry, and Ichiya-san's sandwiches are sooo good!"

Snatching the basket to check the remaining contents, Ichiya's soul nearly comes out of his body as he confirms that indeed, there is nothing left. So much for his romantic breakfast with you.

"Nayuta."

You're fast to pat Ichiya's arm, getting his attention.

"It's fine, Ichiya! All this running around must've made him real hungry! You should've made more for him!"

Ichiya sighs, switching between looking at Nayuta's sad puppy dog eyes and yours. He chuckles eventually.

"I feel like he would've eaten everything no matter how much I prepared… But you're right. Did you eat well, Nayuta?"

Nayuta almost lets out a ruff but settles for human words instead, thanking Ichiya for the meal. Then he wins himself a head pat from you, content with playing along with this whole puppy stuff when it makes you laugh so much and dote on him.

And before Ichiya can pout and show sighs of jealousy, as pathetic that might be…

"Ichiya, Ichiya! Let's go back home and cook a new breakfast, together! Just me and you!"

Hearing that, Ichiya's shoulders roll back again in a confident stance, as he stands up and offers you his hand.

"It would be my pleasure."

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @ale-teodora @kimi00twin @otomelady @privilegedpancake @g-kleran    @pumpumnnnp @thesirenwashere @ravenarld @kimmy-banana @devonares @animeworldsposts @randomanimatedhusbandoseeker @galaxyprison @sadshaxk @starshards26 @pro-cat-stination @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @keen19thcenturygoatsstudent @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @canaria-blackwell @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @aquagirl1978 ​ @ikemenlover24 @violettduchess @mcofthemansion @tiny-wooden-robot @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Hello JALEBI, how r u doing?

Want to discuss something about Barun Sobti🌝We used to see him as a very fun loving guy, his face was so innocent that it seems he didn't understand the world yet at then. Bt now whenever I see any of his pictures, videos(which is rare) he looks tired,lifeless, I can't feel any joy in him. For me(may be I am over analyzing or something) it seems, he losts the willings for living on its full. He seems as a very numb guy now. I know there is many difficulties in this world which can change people totally bt this is really very sad to see him like this🙂

I want to share one more thing(which is actually pointless) that whenever I become tooooooo much lost into Arnav, Khushi's chemistry🥺, I unwilling start to blame Barun's wife🌚. My over thinking stupid mind likes to think that, Barun's wife was jealous of Sanaya and start to pressurize Barun to quit the show. Cz it's really very foolish reason which Barun used to give. He is an actor by profession so he can't quit or blame his job in order to spend more time at home. U know, bcz he have to go to the shooting today or tomorrow. So why he would want to quit a show which was so successful,otherwise to pacify her wife🙄. Or if it was a true excuse😒, then why he continues to be an actor bcz now he has a child also!!🔥Then my mind says that,does Barun's wife is the reason for his silent mood?!🙂

Person me, if my msg shows that I'm a terrible person🙃. It's midnight, and I can barely think rightly at this hour,just wanted to share these thoughs and clr my mind so sending u this msg. U surely can ignore this msg, if it's inconvenient.😞

Again sorry to bother you

From,

Smiley Anon😁

I don’t know where to begin. First of all I have a set strict rule that -

I do not discuss actors’ personal lives here

Second, you have to draw the line at parasocial relationship. “A parasocial relationship is a long-term attachment to a media figure (a blogger, an idol, or even a politician) based on what a person “knows” or understands about that figure over time. We develop parasocial relationships based on repeated interactions with these figures on social media or on television that make them seem relatable and accessible rather than far away from us “regular” people.”

This can be good or bad. The good is that the people who likes Barun’s/Sanaya’s works bond over loving those actors capabilities.

The bad is when someone assumes their life and marriage without even knowing them in real life.

Can you make a comment about Barun not keeping the best of appearances compared to his contemporary actors (for example Arjun Bijlani)? Sure, but-

(1) Barun is a normal human being who might be going through a plethora of things (the human body and mind are extremely unique)

(2) it’s none of our damned business to figure out why he doesn’t look the way he did ten years ago with makeup and good lighting.

Maybe he has aged? Maybe he hates posing for cameras so he always looks a bit uncomfortable? Maybe he just didn’t get sleep last night? Who knows and who cares?

Also I’m baffled at you heaping blame on his wife when he has been very vocal about just how much he loves her and that she’s been the most important person in his life. Like this isn’t even an assumption. In the little he has spoken it is evident how much his marriage means to him.

Yet to override what your favorite actor says to believe a twisted version of events is… sigh c’mon don’t do that. It’s the biggest way you can disrespect the actor tbh.

Also btw Barun was working 16-18 hours a day, daily, for two-three years by the end of ipk. It’s insane. Tv actors often fall ill due to these extreme working conditions!

What he did then is what we now call a mental health break (which is when people step back from their jobs/duties for the sake of themselves and their mental health). And Barun is neither the first nor the last one to do it. There’s Prince Harry, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, Olympic human simone biles, global KPop sensation BTS, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, etc.

Also Deepika Padukone was diagnosed with depression at the height of her career.

These people have taken a pause from working because they were burned out.

Just like Barun was.

You can be curious as to how do stars get burned out, it’s their job right? Yeah but no job is fun when you don’t get a break.

Imagine being hours under hot lights, being sleep deprived and barely being home to sleep, memorizing pages after pages of lines on the day of shoot and then when you’re unable to deal with pressure you see fans commenting “oh his wife is the problem,”

I hope you have the sense to see the stupidity in this. Also burning out is an individual experience. Just because we can’t understand why a successful actor would leave a show, it doesn’t invalidate his reason!

He wanted to leave, he left. Period.

He loves acting, but not to the point where he doesn’t even see his family and is forced to play one damn character to its death.

Dude I’d give up writing fanfics if I was forced to write sixteen hours a day without a break for a year.

He got his break and he’s carefully choosing projects with proper time commitments (music videos, movies, web series).

TBH I don’t even know where this whole “blames the wife” comes from. If you love the actor, watch his interviews! He literally blames the crippled working system of TV.

Like it’s no surprise we’ve never gotten Barun and Sanaya to work together again simply considering this toxic discourse where his lovely wife is dragged in every now and then, although I don’t think it bothers them as they’ve plainly stated that multiple times.

Also he was 25/26 when he shot IPK. Trust me at that point everyone knows what the world is and they’re far from innocent. He was a fully grown man. Married with a few solid years of work experience. He knew the world well enough to prioritize his mental health and family over any money producers would throw at him.

There’s a very thin line on how to talk about the decisions you think actors are taking based on parasocial relationships with the said actors and I literally only replied to you because:

- you dismissed mental health

- you’ve been on my blog before and you’ve been very sweet

Anyways, I will not be engaging anymore in this kind of discussion.

I sincerely hope you won’t fall for these delusions any more. And if you truly love an actor, respect them. And respect includes respecting their choices and believing what they’re saying within a healthy line.

Too much of anything isn’t good. Not even IPK.

Hoping the best for you,

- jalebi

[ceresprime]

Hello there! I just discovered your blog and have been reading through some of your reenactment posts and figured it was worth asking about if as long as it’s not too much trouble. I am very interested in the idea of getting involved with reenacting, but as a young non-male person it’s very intimidating and I’m not sure if it’s really within my abilities, given that I am a full time student, and thus far my inquiries to a specific regiment have gone unanswered. Would you be able to give me something like an overview or a “starter guide” for this kind of thing (what the commitment is like, what knowledge and training is necessary, what the general cost is, etc)? Your blog has already been a great resource in any case—thank you!!

Hello dear fellow non-male student history nerd!

I'm so happy to answer your queries and glad my blog has given you the perspective you desire! (also remind me to post about some of my last events...)

Here, I'll break down the commitment to this joining hobby of reenacting into categories: Demographic, Knowledge, Cost, Time, What Unit?, and of course a TL;DR.

Demographic

Anyone of any race, age, and gender can join the hobby! Does anyone criticize Hamilton for its actors not conforming to the demographics of the historical figures they portray? Reenacting should be a hobby for anyone who wants to. Some overarching organizations that coordinate reenacting groups are still hesitant in letting non-males join the ranks, but there are many units out there that do. (Although I speak for the New England area, mostly Rev War.)

As for the physical demands of the hobby, it can vary. A musket weighs 10lbs (4.5kg). As part of the light infantry, we run a lot. As part of the artillery, we also run a lot. Not all artillery is like that though. Grenadiers and battalion companies move a lot slower, marching in line typically.

Though, being a full-time student does pose the difficulty of cost and time. I'll talk more about that soon.

Knowledge

We learn as we go. Reenacting groups are always looking for new recruits, so they're willing to help you out, wherever your knowledge base is. Speaking for Revolutionary War British Army/Artillery reenacting, you would want to learn the 1764 Manual of Arms (these are the commands to handle your musket, video here) and marching (these are commands to move around the battlefield or parade ground) during your first or second year. Most groups have required drills to coordinate everyone (and ensure safety) before a season.

I'll post a quick guide of stuff you'd want to know sooner than later, again, for a soldier during the Revolutionary War.

Now, another part of this is public interaction! You wear a certain uniform, after all, so you and your unit are responsible for educating folks about who you are and your time period. Two things to know:

This is not all on you! Your group has done the research to create your uniform, so listen to them answer questions (and keep the answers in mind so you can answer that same question next time). It's perfectly okay to say you don't know and refer to someone else.

As an audience member, I was way too awkward to know what to ask or how to ask it. So it's your responsibility as a reenactor to invite questions or just ramble about history. People are there to hear you. If you've learned from your unit, talk about your uniform, or talk about some stories from the time period, or (my favorite go-to) explain how your gear works. People always want to know how a flintlock musket mechanism works. This part comes with time (and maybe watch my YouTube videos... once I make them).

Cost

Reenacting is definitely a commitment. Generally, the older the time period, the more expensive. From a Rev War perspective and as a full-time student that works during the summers, it's sorta affordable.

Both of my units have yearly membership fees ($25) to keep up with our insurance, but with one of them has a student discount.

Most units have loaner gear for newcomers to be set for the first year or two, as you're getting your own stuff. Before you read any more, follow this key rule above all else, do not buy anything until you've asked your unit! This will save you money and the right reenacting gear lasts forever.

Some advice for money and stuff is best in a list:

Blanket sales! End-of-season (usually September to November) events are where you should look for second-hand gear sold by other reenactors, usually laid out on a blanket in the grass. Hence a blanket sale. You find all sorts of goodies there.

Get your mess kit first. Whatever the time period, this applies. Buy your personal bowl, spoon, and cuttoe knife. These tend to be necessities and are not included in loaner gear.

For Rev War, Townsends isn't horrible at first. It's mass-produced but it looks decent and is sometimes more affordable than other places. Ask your unit, first, of course.

Be careful with a cheap musket. Do not cheapen out here, but you don't need brandy-new. Muskets made in India or "Belgian Bombs" are often not safe, if you look out for a second-hand Miroku or Pedersoli, you'll save a lot. Also, be sure to keep it clean and it'll last you forever.

If you're curious about where I got my kit, check out this post for a collection of a ton of Revolutionary War reenactor links.

Time

Being a full-time student, you may also want to know about the time commitment to reenacting. My units are really chill and don't require me to come to a certain number of events, but we do have required drills to ensure we are all functioning safely just before each season (February to March). We offer about 20 events per season (about April to November).

Events are always on the weekends, and for me typically a 1.5 hour drive. The furthest we go yearly is about 3 hours to Fort Ticonderoga. Most events, you arrive Friday night or Saturday morning and leave by Sunday afternoon. Some events are only Saturdays. Some are special calendar events like 4th of July parades and Patriot's Day Weekend (April 19th).

As a student, I have not felt any strain on my academics personally. My instructors give me a lot of leniency on weekend homework because I'm doing something educational for the public. If you wanted, reenacting would probably count as an independent learning study.

What Unit?

Ask around. I joined the guys with the shiniest cannon around, so that's one method. Also, as a young non-male, I encourage you to look at another question I answered about being such a fellow regarding looking like a male soldier and staying safe.

I prefer talking to units in person, too. You'd get a better vibe for the people and how strict they are in terms of historical accuracy and requiring members to come to events. Some questions to ask are along the same lines of what you've already asked me, but reach out if you want more guidance here.

TL;DR

Just go for it! Reenacting is a hobby for anyone who's got an interest in history. Your unit can work with you on knowledge, expenses, time commitment, etc.

[isilrina]

It's strange how I was just pondering this when it popped up on my dashboard! Oo

For those curious, with my medication, my visualisation fluctuates between a 3 and 4 (leaning closer to 4 most days, though some days it barely reaches it). Oddly, the more I concentrate to sharpen it, the more it blurs or dissolves. This difficulty in visualisation makes it challenging for me to draw purely from my imagination. I also struggle with the one below -_-"

To give you a sense of the reality, it's akin to an old movie that's been resized super small before being enlarged again (very low definition, scrambled pixels, blurry edges or no edges at all), constantly moving or flickering, interrupted by random ads and flash news.

There are days when it's easier for me to conceptualize in terms of the emotions an idea evokes rather than the visuals.

This is why I'm sometimes not very satisfied by my drawings; they're like fixed screenshots of what's alive in my mind, devoid of sound and feelings. It's also why I cast actors or real people to portray original characters or fictional ones.

This is the primary reason why I enjoy doing line art so much (because the edges are clear) and why I use resources, poses, and occasionally trace parts of my drawings. I often pinpoint joints, connect them with lines, or apply shapes to the picture before drawing from them.

I'm currently working on distancing myself from tracing, sketching more on paper to resist the temptation (quitting smoking after 10+ years was easier than that XD).

I'll probably share some pictures of my sketchbook and time lapses so you can better understand and see for yourself what I mean.

In my latest drawing, Daniel's face is the result of careful observation of how each shape comes together. It took me a long time, but I'm very pleased with it because it wasn't traced like the first line art (which was quite ugly X'D).

It's okay if some of you choose to unfollow me because of tracing. I understand why some people don't view it as real art, even though many art masters, like Da Vinci, used it. (Check out: camera obscura, it's fascinating stuff!)

Just know that a traced line art takes a few hours, at most a day, but coloring can take weeks, even months sometimes, so judging the whole picture based on a single line feels limiting. But I'd rather have people unfollowing me than mask, deceive or lie to them.

And for those who decide to stick around, you'll witness the evolution post after post ;)

Wishing you all an amazing day. See you around! ^^

i have neither a good imagination nor aphantasia, but a secret third thing

[b4nanaa]

RUBRIC

Each student should present on one literary text during the semester. The presentation should last about 15 minutes. ○ You should read aloud a small excerpt (for around one minute) that particularly interested you and you would like to discuss with the class. Afterwards, you should comment on the themes and style of the excerpt you chose and the reason you think these are interesting. ○ Your presentation should go far beyond summary or the expression of likes and dislikes; it should articulate an argument somehow related to the themes of perception, cognition, self, cosmology, and/or narrative. ○ At the end of your presentation, you should hear some questions from the class as well as pose your own questions to the class. CHAT GPT:

-The text describes the author's experience with a theater group called Up With Kids, which provided a creative outlet for children, including those with various challenges. The director, Bonnie, had ties to Up With People, a show choir known for its connections to an evangelical cult, the Nixon administration, and Halliburton. The author, who has mild cerebral palsy, found a sense of belonging and acceptance in Up With Kids, where differences were embraced.

The narrative reflects on the author's roles in Up With Kids productions, particularly the significance of being cast as Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz." The text explores the author's struggles with self-consciousness about his physical condition and the desire for acceptance in the world of acting. The story also touches on the author's encounter with Margaret Pellegrini, one of the last surviving munchkins from the original Wizard of Oz film, and the realization that success in the entertainment industry often involves persistence and outlasting others.

Ultimately, the text delves into the author's personal journey in the performing arts, acknowledging the challenges of living with a disability and the complexities of navigating the entertainment industry's expectations. It emphasizes the importance of resilience and the realization that survival itself can be a form of success.

-It seems like you've provided an excerpt from a piece of writing. It depicts the narrator's experience in a theater group called Up With Kids, where they feel a sense of superiority over their castmates, particularly due to their self-perceived rising star status. The narrator seems to downplay their own challenges, such as a mild disability affecting their leg, and is in denial about the nature of their condition. The mention of their brother Danny mocking them and their mother's stern reaction to comparing their difficulties to another boy with a walker adds layers to the narrative. If you have any specific questions or if there's anything you'd like to discuss about this passage, feel free to let me know! Some highlighted texts: -"The word star was used liberally. “Maybe you’ll be a big star one day,” she said, “or a little one like me.” It’s hard to say exactly when it occurred to me, like the first twinge of a developing cavity, that all this was a little sad. It could have been when Margaret told the crowd, to an uproar of delight, that Toto made twice as much as she did because the dog had a better agent. It could have been when she projected the promotional poster onstage of Henry Kramer’s Hollywood Midgets, the acting company that had given her her big break, or when my mom elbowed me in the middle of Margaret’s talk to say she sounded just like a kazoo. “Isn’t her little voice just precious?” Most likely, though, the revelation that Margaret was being exploited for her short stature came months later," - "In the choreographer’s gentle rejection lay a deeper truth: I would never be a professional actor. The fantasy was over. Later, I’d call this my munchkin moment: the moment I realized I was window dressing along the Yellow Brick Road, not the one skipping down it. I was one of the little people some other, more charismatic teenager would pledge not to forget."

IDEAS:

-He wants to deny his disability and pretend it doesn't exist

-While also ignoring how he won't let that hold him back

-Part of his self acceptance includes accepting that just because he doesn't succeed, doesn't mean he didn't make it. Sometimes persisting and being resilient is part of making it in the business, like Margaret in spite of how she was exploited.

Give a small summary

Pick the evidence

Talk about them

Yea

UHH DRAFT:

me writing this

なぜ私がこれをしなければならないのですか…why must i do this...

me to chris because i cannot play fortnite and watch avatar

if only...

ok enough tomfoolery... time... to work.

'If I only Had a Leg' is a memoir written by Greg Marshall detailing his experience with a theater group called Up With Kids, an organization that allowed him to channel his creative outlet in acting and singing. Within it also allowed for a sense of belonging and acceptance, as within his group it included other kids who share similar challenges as him. Although he is accepted by others in Up With Kids, he struggles to accept himself and his physical disability as a part of him when it comes to acting. (GOING TO REWORK)

"The word star was used liberally. “Maybe you’ll be a big star one day,” she said, “or a little one like me.” It’s hard to say exactly when it occurred to me, like the first twinge of a developing cavity, that all this was a little sad. It could have been when Margaret told the crowd, to an uproar of delight, that Toto made twice as much as she did because the dog had a better agent. It could have been when she projected the promotional poster onstage of Henry Kramer’s Hollywood Midgets, the acting company that had given her her big break, or when my mom elbowed me in the middle of Margaret’s talk to say she sounded just like a kazoo. “Isn’t her little voice just precious?” Most likely, though, the revelation that Margaret was being exploited for her short stature came months later."

What stood out to me?

-The fact that Toto made more money than her because he just had a better agent

-How much this passage highlights how exploitive the entertainment industry is

"The use of the word "star" is noted as being liberally applied, perhaps reflecting the industry's tendency to build up and sometimes exploit dreams of fame."

[jihanesroom]

Uptown Funk

★Video and Edit

Reflection and Analysis

3 Successful Shots

Shoe

Minus the positioning of actors being a little too close and not spaced out enough, i think the reaction of this shot was very successful as the framing and timing watched the original very well.

Jackson Mississippi

I like this shot a lot as I feel it captures the high energy of the original. despite having fewer people and a medium shot rather than a full, i feel this shot overall reads the same due to posing and composition.

I'm too hot (Hot damn)

I believe this shot is overall, the most well replicated, as well as being the one I am most proud of. The use of a fish eye lens enabled hemispherical distortion which allowed for all members to be effectively in frame. Though movements are different, the upbeat tone and energy are effectively conveyed.

Improvements

I think the final segment of our recreation, the part where Mars and Ronson look at women passing by, could do with some improvement.

First, this scene is very dependant on syncing with music, and needs to be perfect to be executed correctly. Unfortunately we didn't sync it quite right, and had to result to editing through repeating clips and zooms. Second, the lighting in this section fails to match the rest of the video, in addition to not being well lit overall. both these make the video end on a lower note, which could be improved.

Difficulties

A difficulty we encountered was timing and syncing, especially due to camera movements and dancing. We combatted this by playing the soundtrack in the background and working alongside it.

Takeaways

I took away that syncing to music is incredibly difficult. Due to this, I have decided to forgo the use of lip syncing when making my actual music video for coursework.

[quotes121sworld]

Newly Single Kym Marsh Breaks Her Silence on Her 'Marriage Separation' #KymMarsh

Newly single Kym Marsh broke her silence on Wednesday about the reported split from husband Scott Ratcliff.The 46-year-old Waterloo Road actress is said to have split from Scott, 34, just 19 months after their wedding. And now in a new interview with The guard She reflected on her life and failed marriages. Kym's first husband was former EastEnders actor Jack Ryder, 41, whom she married in 2002 but divorced seven years later.In 2012, she married 48-year-old Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas, but the two divorced in 2014 and she met Scott in 2018.

Her Opinion: Newly single Kym Marsh broke her silence on Wednesday about the reported split from husband Scott Ratcliff

Hart: The Waterloo Road actress, 46, is said to have split from Scott, 34, just 19 months after their wedding (pictured in January)Looking back on how she learned to deal with her personal difficulties, she quipped to the publication, "It's just experience."Kym reportedly deleted husband Scott from her Instagram bio following their shocking split. According to this, Kym removed "Scott's wife" from her Instagram profile The mirror. Instead, it reads, "Mum to David, Emilie, Polly and Archie." YaYa to Teddy, Polly and Clay. "Actor, presenter, singer". Over the weekend, Kym was seen for the first time since her marriage's dissolution was reported, and her engagement and wedding ring were conspicuously missing. The couple are said to have split after a trial separation because work kept them apart.A source told The sun: "They both really tried to make it work, but the rifts had been there for some time and they could only see each other a day or two a week at most.""Kym has been so busy, and last year (on Strictly Come Dancing) even her weekends and weekdays were overloaded with rehearsals. Lately she's been filming all over the place and rehearsing for a new theatrical production.”

Moving on: Kym reportedly deleted husband Scott from her Instagram bio following their shocking split

Rehearsals: Kym's intense Strictly rehearsals over the past year have reportedly put additional strain on the marriage (pictured with pro partner Graziano Di Prima)

End: After breaking into the pop scene as a member of Hear'Say, Kym married 36-year-old EastEnders star Jack Ryder in 2002 but divorced in 2009 (pictured in 2001)Adding to how Army Major Scott's work drove a wedge between him and Kym, the insider said, "Scott is stationed at a barracks down south — he's also had a very busy career." Kym is also still a working mom and lives in Cheshire with her family. "Ultimately, it was the fact that they lived so far apart that it was just impossible."The source said the couple "had a trial break earlier this year" and "hoped to get things back on track," but added that they've decided "it was best to go our separate ways."Last January, Kym revealed that Scott was sent away for two weeks two days after their October 2021 wedding — something she "didn't expect" and called life as an Army wife "pretty grim because of the distance."She acknowledged that in addition to the stress of distance, the danger his job posed exacerbated the problem as she feared war.She said, "There's always anxiety, it's always stressful when he goes away." "Right now there may not be a real threat of war, but there is always risk in these dangerous places."As well as assessing the distance in her life, she also opened up about how Strictly exacerbated her fears - as the training timed to coincide with Scott's absence from the Parachute Regiment and the pair hardly saw each other anymore. Speak with OK! In January 2022 she said, "It was really good." Well, I say that, but we got married and two days later Scott was sent away for two weeks and we didn't expect that!

Ex-partner: Kym married Hollyoaks' Jamie Lomas in 2012, but the couple split just a year later (pictured in 2009)"It was a little dark, but it's just a part of being an army wife...""It felt like I could really celebrate being Mrs. Ratcliff on my honeymoon."Explaining at length why he had to leave his new wife for work so soon after the wedding, Scott added, "I do three semesters a year at (Military Academy) Sandhurst and every semester I go away for two weeks to do a training exercise to be carried out abroad.” .'Kym has children David, 28, and Emilie from a previous relationship, as well as daughter Polly, 12, with Jamie, with whom she also had son Archie in 2009, who died shortly after birth. Read the full article

[gerardyay]

Assignment 2 commentary

Prompt: With the limitations I have, I wanted to create a story that has action and emotions. I then took inspiration from the many Ultraman shows that I've watched as a kid. Where the suit actors where able to convey many emotions with their gestures and body language despite the mask/face of the ultraman being unchanging.

Subject: The subject I chose is thus my pose-able ultraman toys that comes with interchangeable hands that helps to convey emotions.

Design process: Starting with the storyboard, I took many inspirations from instagram user @yutakibara who uses ultraman toys to convey simple stories with the help of props and environment building.

Thus, with that source of inspiration, I knew that it was possible to convey many emotions with the toys I have. And as he also uses a minimum number of pictures to convey complicated story I felt confident in what I wanted to do.

And as I wanted action, the first thought that came to mind was explosion and swords.

This draft thus come to mind, where

Guy A wants to kill Guy B

But Guy B has a gift fot Guy A

Embarrased, Guy A gifts the murder weapon instead

But it turns out, the gift Guy B gave was a bomb all along.

Making it a story with action, betrayal and naivety.

Concept & execution: The concept would thus be using a limited sense of action figures only to convey all these action and drama.

Giving rise to this:

Frame 1 : An over the shoulder shot (but with view on the sword and fist) to emphasise on the sword and Decker. Where Decker(sword guy) is slouched whereas Trigger(Bomb guy) is in a shy pose typically portrayed in anime schoolgirls. Contrasting the two emotions of one being heavy and one being jovial

Frame 2 : Shocked stance of Decker while maintain the shot to continue emphasis on Decker.

Frame 3: slight tilt to have a dynamic feel and a feeling of shock, Posture convey shyness with typical hand on head.

Frame 4: Over the shoulder on Trigger so that emphasis can be on the sword.

Frame 5: Low angle shot so that emphasis can still be on sword.

As the sword as a prop has the meaning of something harmful, conveys that harm is still possible. But will Decker still do it?

Frame 6: Exit with jovial pose on Decker, lessen tension.

Frame 7: As I wanted to have the head turned towards the box as an obvious action, this neutral shot conveys its best as deviation from neutral pose is more obvious. Such that it shows that Decker now has his attention on the box

Frame 8: Neutral pose with decker breaking 4th wall as a kind of 'oh shit' expression

Frame 9: Explosion with Trigger on 1/3 of the picture.Bringing emphasis on trigger while he does the 'ojou sama'/evil laugh.

However, problems that arise in execution that was not thought of in the design process includes:

Camera Angle

Arrangement of photos

As certain camera angles convey certain emotions and perspective, I experimented with multiple angles.

With the most prominent difficulty being that of frame 3 where I wanted to convey embarrassment and shock. As I felt that the pose I had was not enough to convey those emotions, a slight tilt was then incorporated to create a certain dynamic of shock as well.

Arrangement of the photos was not what I had thought of in the design process. With all the photos together, I felt that the arrangements can be better used to serve another purpose rather than a simple 3x3. I thus arranged the title, a seemingly normal sentence of a 'gift' with a happier picture and that pair being in the centre would capture the attention of the audience at first glance and subconsciously assume the gift was something positive such that the twist would be more of a surprise.

Critique Main Points:

Peers agree that the organisation of the pictures and title fits what I was trying to achieve

Background has too many noise and is distracting

Differentiation between characters needs to be more obvious as they look too similar

A simplified story would be better as the current story leaves a lot up to interpretation.

Using human individual would be better to convey emotions.

The box is not clear that it is a box

Changes:

I kept the arrangement the same

As my original though process did not have a specific location, I assumed wrongly that any location would suffice. But after the critique realised that having a cleaner environment would be better to portray and see the subjects. I thus used the wall of my room to take the pictures instead.

3. This is something that has never occurred to me as I was very used to them being different characters. But after asking around my group of friends, 1 one of them felt that they were the same as well which made me realise that recognising the audience that the project is for is very important. Even though most people could differentiate the two, if a project is for most audience should always make things as obvious as possible. I thus changed one of the characters to a character with a more distinctive red colour scheme rather than a mixed colour scheme.

4. Through the critique, I realised that many things that have made sense to me may not be so obvious for the audience. As well as different perceptions of the same pictures.

Eg:

My perception:

Slouched body language as well as a clenched fist on the guy holding the sword (an object that often convey the meaning of hurting), that showed a heavy feeling and thus an intent to kill. Coupled with the next few shots, that shows a shock and embarrassment , a thinking of 'oh shit what should i do now'

Audience perception:

A gift for the other. But was shy to give it out.

Thus, a simpler story is incorporated where only one character as malignant intentions. And because the killing intention is unneccessary, an 'embarrased' shot was not needed.

5. As my concept was to stick to using gestures only I stuck to my concept of using toys.

6. This goes back to my presumption of things that makes sense to me but was not as obvious to audiences. I thus changed the box to include a sticker of a ribbon that most typical gifts would posses.

With the main points of critique utilised the final product is:

Conclusion: The main learning point of this assignment is that simplicity is key as well as that I cannot always assume that the audience knows what I'm trying to convey. Hence to assume that the audience knows as little as possible would the best option going forward.

[photosworthseeing]

Blog recommendation of the month - Interview

https://hammadichakouath.tumblr.com/

1. When and how did you start to become interested in photography?

I have always had a big interest in Photography, especially Black and White Photography because I think B&W photographs have a soul and will never die, they are able to cross the ages. That's why it is so unique and the main characteristic of my work. I remember, I used to visit Magnum Photos's website almost everyday to look at the pictures, I really enjoyed looking at the portraits and documentary photography. Two of my favourite portrait photographers are Philippe Halsman and Steve McCurry.

I started taking photos about ten years ago when I got a camera as a gift from my brother, thought it was only a basic digital camera, but i didn't mind and just started creating my own photos and apparently I came to like it very much. To me photography is a creative way to express myself and my feelings.

2. How would you say your photography changed since you started?

When I first began photography, most of my photos were merely street photos or photos taken on the sly. Gradually I became interested in photography in general: Portraiture, Long Exposure, Landscape, and so on. On the top of this, I came into Analog Photography to complete my education. As an open-minded, curious person, who promotes diversity, I couldn't limit myself to only one style of photography. I hope that the audience can see that through my photos. This has been a big challenge for me at the beginning until i was able to take any kind of photo I want.

Now before pressing the shutter release I take all the photography elements into consideration  to succeed a photo. I also edit my photos, something I didn't do before. I am not very keen on post-processing although it's interesting and fun, but by manipulating an image we distort its authenticity. However, my point of view has changed since the beginning that's why I suggest for those who start photography to keep their beginner photos, some of them are masterpieces, we only realize that afterwards.

3. One part of your photography are self portraits, what draws you into this kind of photography?

I use myself as a model to take portraits for several reasons. For instance, when I have an idea for a photo in mind  I can't wait to make it happen, as the only model  I have  on the spot at my disposal is myself, I simply start doing it. In addition I am a very demanding and patient person, to take a single good self-portrait, it sometimes takes me several hours, adjusting the lighting and looking for the right angle, we all know: 'If you want a thing done well, do it yourself'. It's also a real challenge to do more with less, besides I don't think there are many models that would agree to remain exposed  to artificial light too long and i don't have to pay myself :) Last but not least self-portraits are not about myself, it just happens to be my face or my body that is quite simply suitable for the concept. Self-portraits are exercises to excel at portraiture, the more I take self-portraits the better.

4. What is the biggest difference in your approach when you're doing portraiture compared to self-portraiture?

There is really no difference because as I mentioned above doing self-portraits is a good practice to do great portraiture. However, when it comes to make a  client portraiture, for example, I respect his or her request even if I don't usually take those kinds of photo wanted. Most of people like a properly exposed or bright photo. But when it is a self-portrait, I give free rein to my imagination, as I like the strong contrasts between light and dark, in that case I don't hesitate to take underexposure or dark photos to create the film noir atmosphere.

5. Please describe your process when working with a model.

I usually work with friends, most of them are young artists (singers, actors, fashion models), we cooperate together, they pose for free and they get photographs in compensation. Personally, I have no difficulty in finding a model, we set a date, place and how long the work will take. It's interesting to work with outgoing people to take good and expressive photos. Nowadays you can easily find a free model on the social networks. However, if you have trouble in finding a model, you can ask your relatives or friends to pose for you.

6. Do you have any tips for photographers who never worked with a model before?

I would say: Trust yourself, be confident in what you're doing, express your own ideas, be imaginative and creative, everything can be done, the more photos you take, the better, you can make a selection at the end. Don't copying other photographers'work too much.

Suggest your model to wear her favorite clothes and makeup. Make your model feel comfortable: You can just make a simple conversation, give a compliment, direct them when they don't know what to do, also give your model a sneak peek of the photos that you just took, it helps to loosen up and also to correct her or himself. In case you wanna be on the safe side, have the model sign a little contract, this can avoid some misunderstandings.

7. If you'd have to describe yourself as a photographer in one sentence, what would that sentence be?

I would say I am a passionate photographer. I am very demanding and perfectionist and passion pushes you towards greatness. I've been told that before.

PWS - Stephi

[accio-victuuri]

Hi can you provide the link to read manhuas you prefer?

Hello Anon! OMG Manhua/Manhwa Rec! Here we go! I’ve only been reading for 2-3 months (consistently), so this will be pretty limited. I will link to the legit sites. A google search will direct you to others.

Most of these are WIPs and some, sadly, are discontinued. I won’t add TGCF or MDZS here cause those are already a given. 👇🏼

• Body Electric by Dong Ye ( completed, supernatural, lots of trigger warnings and plotty )

Ba Song is the hotshot cop who’s been handed an open-and-shut case: the suicide of a young woman. Except… who commits suicide by stabbing their own body and strangling themself? There's only one man who can help him with this mystery — Bo Shan, the renowned forensic pathologist with a severe and cold personality. What's more, his body produces bioelectricity, allowing him to acutely sense bodily injury with his touch. There's an electric current between them, and each touch sizzles with energy

If you like crime dramas and stories where they solve mysterious cases then this is for you. The romance is subtle, and their relationship is not insta-love. strangers to colleagues to friends to lovers trope. This also discusses alot of issues the society has that will make you stop and think. Ba Song is really the honorable MC in here who always wants to help people and do good. While Bo Shan is the reluctant one but deep inside, he wants to make a difference too. I wish they would make a donghua or live action out of this.

• 30 year old by S-Monkey - ( ongoing, age difference, blind dates, slice of life)

Charlie Wei is a single and handsome executive. He’s also a closeted gay guy who’s been on way too many bad blind dates with women. Charlie’s still hung up on his ex-boyfriend James and is… gasp, 30! Charlie’s family thinks he’s straight and too old to be without a wife! During another bad blind date, Charlie meets the flirty Ethan, who both annoys and intrigues him. Can Charlie finally come out and find true love with Ethan or will he continue on his streak of bad blind dates?

The cover looks melodramatic but it’s really not. This is so funny! I read this because people were saying it reminded them of BoXiao. And yes, there are moments here that remind me of them, but it’s more like an AU of BoXiao. I stayed up late trying to get caught up in the chapters and you won’t realize it cause it’s just that good. I love seeing the older MC loosening up and being more of himself. and the younger one being more responsible in his career. They just become better versions of themselves because of each other. It’s so sweet!

• I ship me and my Rival - by Pepa ( ongoing, comedy, reads like a meta )

This follows the adventures of Wei Yanzi, a third-rate actor in the Chinese entertainment industry, stumbles onto a shipping fandom for himself and another actor (Gu Yiliang) while trying to escape from the flame wars and negativity. He's so taken with this group of fans who actually see him as a good guy instead of an enemy/rival of Gu Yiliang that he falls head-first into fandom and becomes actively involved in trying to provide shipping fuel and the fans' daily dose of fluff.

IF THERE IS ONE thing you will read here, let it be this. It is hilarious. If you are a CP fan you will relate so much and it’s a good time. It just shows how people who think are rivals can actually be really good friends in real life. What we see is not always what it seems. and people will interpret things based on their bias. The MC here is so dramatic! how his inner feelings/reactions were drawn will make you laugh.

• Path to You - by Sinran (completed, slice of life, age gap fluff and comedy )

When almost college dropout Jensen attempts to drink away his problems, unemployed Nathaniel suddenly pukes on him and ruins his night. As an apology, Nathaniel offers to help Jensen with his studies. Despite Jensen's difficulties in getting along with people, the two become friends and something deeper begins to grow between them

The story is so soft. If you want something with mild angst/misunderstandings— then pick this. I love the progression of their relationship and how they take care of each other. There are other themes showed here other than the romance.

• Red Candy - by Hanse (completed season one with a cliffhanger, explicit scenes, assassins )

Shihyeon, aka “Red Candy,” is a secret agent whose code name comes from bathing in the blood of his marks on dangerous missions. Shihyeon’s tasked with seducing and obtaining intel from Hajun, a hot college professor. Shihyeon can disarm enemies, but didn’t expect to be disarmed himself by Hajun’s own tight body. Now Shihyeon’s caught between loyalty to his spy agency and Hajun. Can Red Candy survive the incoming wave of enemies and still indulge in the sweet ecstasy of Hajun’s embrace?

THIS STRESSED ME OUT MAAAN. Wow. I loved this. That season one cliffhanger. It’s definitely up there as my favorite. If you think about it, the tropes are really not original. An assassin is sent to shadow a person and they develop a relationship. That simple. But NOOOOO! There are so many things going on. The Main mystery plot, Their relationship, their shared past plus you have other sketchy secondary characters. And did i mention explicit scenes? Lots of them. I want this two to have a happy ending!!!

• Lone Swan - by Chu Man (discontinued, cultivation, star crossed lovers)

After losing his memory, Yiqiu Shen, a disciple from the decent sect meets a very special man named Luofeng Yan, who is the leader of the evil Divine Wind Cult. When escaping and conflicting with Yan, Shen gradually finds his original self as well as his previous love back. Together they rip off the facade of the martial world and reveal the hidden true

I didn’t want to add a discontinued story here, with no novel as a source material but this one made an impact on me. so. yeah. THE ART. breathtaking. The plot = layered. There are times I don’t even know who is telling the truth. It had so much potential and i hope it will get picked up again at some point. People rec this to those who enjoyed TGCF and MDZS, and they are right. 👍🏼

• Dragon in Distress by Si Wang Wen Hua - ( ongoing, dragons, past life, lost power, fantasy )

This is a story about a little Eastern green dragon and a little Western black dragon playing together.

The synopsis is pretty simple if you look at it but this one is pretty interesting. and surprisingly funny. tinie AoAo is so cute! 🤍 the other MC has tsundere tendencies tho. Lots of lore and more truths to uncover as the story progresses. I’m not giving it enough justice with how i’m reccing it, but if you like dragons and fantasy — give this a go.

• Breaking through the clouds 2: Swallow the Sea - Huaishang (ongoing, based on a novel, crime, drama, cases)

Wu Yu, a newcomer of the Public Security Bureau, is gentle and frail. He doesn’t care about the difficulties posed by Bu ZhongHua, his strict boss, and only wants to stay in the background to be paid on time with enough for food. However, no one knows that this young man’s head is targeted by top drug traffickers for a large bounty or that this courageous young man has once slaughtered the dragon of the abyss. With a chain of interlocking cases, a series of troubles come one after another. Can the two people work together to survive through the difficulties?

Do you see a pattern with me? lol. I like crime themes. This one is the same and by the looks of it, the cases they solve will take longer to unravel. I haven’t read the novel it’s based on yet so i’m just going with how the manhua is progressing. I like it when Wu Yu turns full on action-mode and when ZH takes care of him. Plus it helps that they are both gorgeous. I’ll get back this with a proper link.

• Where the Wind Stays - by Yusa (completed season one, curses, demons, possession, timeskip, explicit scenes)

To break an ancient curse that plagues the royal bloodline, young Prince Tasara is destined to be sacrificed in death. Nara is enlisted as a palace servant to carry out the prince’s execution when the time comes. But he develops a soft spot for the cursed prince, and after committing an atrocious and unforgivable act against Tasara, Nara is desperate to right his wrongs. Soon, their lascivious relationship that had been kept under wraps tests his resolve. Will Nara be tempted away from his original mission? There’s no telling how far he would go to earn Tasara’s forgiveness.

This story broke my brain, in a good way. I don’t wanna say much cause it will spoil the story. It’s the type that you gave to see and suffer through yourself. I am excited for what happens in season II!!!

Honorable Mentions:

I’m placing these here cause I have only read a few chapters and tho I liked them, I wanna read more before reccing it in full. 👍🏼

• I accidentally saved the Jinghu’s enemy

• Global Examination

• Monster entertainment

• Demon Apartment

And that’s it! Hope enjoy Anon! 😊

[shihalyfie]

One thing I noted with dub names in Digimon is any name that exceeds 2 syllables is often changed or shortened (i.e. Yamato is changed to Matt, Hirokazu shortened to Kazu, etc.). This is let up with Tamers onwards and not always the case but I wonder if it's of the belief kids can't take names that're "too long." (I do remember learning syllables are counted a bit differently in Japanese).

Potentially, given that one particularly distinctive fact about Japanese names is that they often tend to be longer (due to how its syllable system works). Syllables are counted differently in Japanese, although I suppose the more accurate way to put it is that with only one exception, every syllable must have a vowel, which often leads to words and names getting pretty long. So because them being long-winded makes them look more obviously Japanese, we can't have that. To be fair, names that are overly long in length are much harder to put on marketing materials -- Japanese can compensate for this because of kanji and the fact even kana will have only half the number of characters -- and certain combinations of letters and sounds will pose genuine difficulty for the average English speaker as well, which makes marketing even more difficult (I'm sure the voice actors can get used to it, but I do get concerns about the less sensitive random person doing media coverage fumbling it and causing an embarrassment on an already hard sell series). But, again, the issue is not inherently the change as much as the fact it's so blatantly obvious this is not the minimum necessary; capitalism's terrible and I get worrying about hard sells or words that accidentally sound like other words, but for many of the changes, the only explanation really is just "anything that feels Asian is foreign and bad".

This obvious shortening happens even in video games -- and I know memory limitations are a factor, but you cannot tell me Fire Emblem Fates was doing this purely for memory limitations -- and, I mean, even in Tamers the characters with the most aggressive name changing just so happened to the characters with Chinese names that were difficult to obscure the origin of. (In the series where "racist microaggressions against Chinese people by refusing to acknowledge their names" was an actual plot point, at that.)