#imma be writing bits out and adding it to my lore for this man

[spxnglr]

Getting Started at Ghostbusters: PROBATIONARY PERIOD

When you're accepted as a rookie Ghostbuster, you'll start a probationary period. The length of this period varies, but it is usually at least three months. To progress, you must complete a series of courses at Ghostbusters HQ at 110 North Moore Street, New York.

Basic Equipment Course

Basic Paranormal Elimination Course

Emergency Vehicle Operators Course

Proton Pack Safety and Usage Course

During the probationary period, you'll gradually start taking on tasks under the supervision of a qualified Ghostbuster, who will evaluate your progress. These tasks are designed to help you develop the basic skills required to handle disturbances and emergencies and can range from making coffee to cleaning ectoplasmic residue.

If you successfully complete this probationary period, you will become a fully-fledged Ghostbusters Field Operator on a permanent contract.

Please refer to the following document for the terms ad conditions of your contract with Ghostbusters Inc.

Your Contract with Ghostbusters Inc.

ONGOING TRAINING

All Ghostbusters Inc. staff must sign up to our Ongoing Training Program. For field operators, this program covers more than just studying science, regular training and learning how to use new equipment. Field operators must also acquire detailed knowledge of the region and its history, as well as study basic reference works: Tobin's Spirit Guide, the Spates Catalog and the Roylance Guide.

Note: these reference books are published in strictly limited editions, so they are often difficult to find. Although they can be consulted at the Ghostbusters HQ Library, you may be able to find your own copies at Ray's Occult Books.

-- (Ghostbusters Equipment Manual & Protocols, pages 9 - 11.)

[reactionimagesdaily]

Reaction Images Guy’s Gourmet Image Collection (6,000 Follower Milestone)

We hit 6,000 followers! Nice job team, very proud. <3

To celebrate this milestone, we’re taking a trip down memory lane! I’ve gone through every image this blog has posted so far, and every ‘mood’ category ([undefinable], frick the frack off, hell yah, and so on), and made a masterpost of my favourite image from each category, complete with some annotations on WHY I like those specific images so much.

Shoutout to @rambler-of-procrastination​ and that one anon for the idea!

Actual images are under the cut. Because this’ll be a long one :P (Also apologies to anyone on tumblr mobile or with bad internet, because you might be seeing a lot of shiny squares xS xD)

[undefinable]: ‘sunglasses’*

(*To clarify - the names these images are being given are the names they’re saved under in my folder)

This one was actually really difficult for me to decide, because this category contained a lot of images I really love. There was that gif of a guy jumping down a floor to smash into a table, there was the historian one, there was ‘please let me see your bionicle collection’... But ultimately, this is the one I went with.

The caption I put for this image was ‘the coolest gif ever’ and I stand by it. Not only is it cool, however, but there’s threefold comedic value as well. Firstly, the fact that the last guy puts classes on his hat as well as his face is funny in and of itself. Secondly, his quick and professional motions make him fit really well in with the first two people, despite the fact that he’s tacking his addition on at the end in an entirely different context. Thirdly, the whole thing goes by so quickly it takes a moment to register that it’s a joke at all - you’re just like “sunglasses, sunglasses- WAIT A MINUTE! That guy isn’t in the move! And did he just put sunglasses onto his hat?” I feel like that moment of realisation just adds to the comedy, yaknow?

;_;: ‘[crying]’

Yeah, the name is really imaginative on this one. Hah-hah. :P

In all seriousness, I actually have a few good crying ones, so this was another hard choice. But I think this one sticks out to me, just because it’s one I can vividly remember using on an occasion where I was actually moved almost to tears by something. So I guess now it has, like, an emotional signature for me?

Even beyond that, the two-in-one format enables for the expression of more emotion, and a sort of variation - like a gif that doesn’t actually have movement. (If that makes. any sense at all lmao.) And it’s very expressive! Very much a cry face; there’s no need to peer further at it like “what emotion am I supposed to be reading from this?”. You just know immediately what you’re dealing with. So it’s got high utility and effectiveness to boot :D

Hell yah: ‘[whhhhp] [click] NICE’

This one’s such a classic, dude. I couldn’t not have it at the top here. It’s just that perfect combo of “hell yes, casual recognition” and “ah yes, exquisite”. Plus, the fact I’ve seen it in video form so many times means I can hear every detail in my head, which is a fun experience :D

Hell Nah: ‘hey- no- hol’ up- HEY- HE-’

I have a lot of images that say something equivalent to ‘no’, but this one... this one says it and means it. There is palpable passion in these nos and heys, beautifully accentuated by the zooms and grainy quality and face-tracking shaky cam editing. It creates a sense of increasing franticity as the thing keeps happening and you can’t stop it no matter how hard you try. Simply exquisite. [chef’s kiss]

Frick the frack off: ‘Are you prepared for the death you’ve earned little man’

Okay okay LISTEN. I’m aware that the text is barely visible and the image is functionally useless. But it,,, it’s just so fucking funny. The dissonance between the illegible caption and the man’s slightly derpy face kills me whenever I see it.

No further elaboration here. It just sparks so much joy.

Y’all are heathens: ‘E X C U S E   M E’

I love this one because it’s so POINTED. The completely focused stare, the wide shot revealing the subject of the stare before the camera zooms into the starer... you know exactly how this person is feeling and exactly who the culprit is, the fact that not a word is spoken and all the emotions are conveyed through expression and camera. It’s storytelling in gif form, and it remains, I think, the best image I have to express disgust and disbelief towards a singular individual.

Ah shit: ‘OH NO (Michael Rosen version)’

This one really came down to the wire - there’s an image I adore of,,, I think it’s DJ Kahled? and then over it is comic sans that says ‘i played myself/im a fool/im a fool in a man’s shoes’ and it’s absolutely hilarious. But this one, I think, best captures an ‘oh no’ mood. You’ve got the pause beforehand. The widening eyes, the looking back and forth as the gravity of the situation sets in. And then, finally, the ‘oh no’ itself. 10/10 reaction meme, perfect for the job that it does, moving on.

(Also, shoutout to Michael Rosen for inadvertently ending up on this list twice! Man’s just prime meme material IG)

Depression time: ‘Mike meme’

This was another difficult one! ‘I’m so tired’ and ‘achievement unlocked: existential crisis’ both speak to me on a pretty fundamental level. But ultimately, it had to be this one. The two facial expressions are kind of like getting two images for the price of one - like the [crying] image, they help convey a kind of motion or elaborated emotion despite being a still image. Something about it perfectly encapsulates the phrase “depression time”. It’s my go-to for that exact kind of mood, or scenario. Utility combined with an impeccable vibe and a source that I actually recognize. You just can’t beat it!

Huzzah: ‘Gentlemen, the time has come.’

The formal language of the captioned statement clashes SO brilliantly with the fact that the image is three middle-aged men in tight-fitting wetsuits, about to pilot a vehicle that they made by sticking a van on top of a hovercraft skirt. Chaotic energy all around; and yet it retains that celebratory ‘huzzah’-type vibe.

w h a t: ‘[dissolves]’

This gif is incredible. The guy in it (George Carlin) goes through an absolutely astounding face journey all by himself. Then it’s accentuated by content aware scale, which has insane comedic potential in its own right, and you’re left with one of the goofiest, most emotive gifs I’ve ever seen. It perfect captures that feeling of being taken COMPLETELY aback by something, and the subsequent sense of reality distorting as you struggle to process the new information you’ve just received.

(Maybe that’s an experience unique to people on the autistic spectrum. IDK. But to me personally, it’s a vibe that really resonates xD)

F: ‘F (Hulk)’

We all need a good F to express some respects every once in a while, right? Of the images I have that represent that specifically, I probably like this one the most. I like the facial expression that kinda conveys ‘aah, sorry buddy, here ya go’, and I also like that he’s holding an individual F key from a keyboard, like he pulled it off to hand to someone. It has [gestures] hidden layers.

Ooh-de-lally: ‘oooooo0000OOOOOOOh’

I really don’t have an elaboration for this one. It’s just perfect for the mood it’s encapsulating. It’s so cheeky! So curious! So full of life and mischief and looking at a thing! I love it T_T

Cursed: ‘Stop it.’

We’ve got some intense shading, an uncomfortable close-up, and an intense caption. It’s not a cursed image in the traditional sense, but if I’m being honest, none of the ‘cursed’ images on this blog really are. The point is that it conveys a mood while also being FREAKY-DEAKY. (Is that how you spell ‘deaky’? ‘Freaky-deaky’... that’s a thing, right? Maybe it’s spelled ‘dekey’...)

The close-up itself is particularily poignant to me. Something about that uncomfortable lack of personal space really resonates. Oh - and the greyscale! Something about the fact that the image isn’t in colour (I mean, it wouldn’t be, it’s from a manga, but you know what I mean) helps with that creepy vibe as well, I think. :P

Wow: ‘mind - blown’

This is one of those instances where my fave is decided by how got dang goofy it is. The man in the gif is simultaneously taking us on an incredibly journey of discovery and mind-blowing knowledge, celebrating with us the power of an epihphany - while also looking like he’s a heartbeat away from bursting into tears. I’m not sure if ‘cognitive dissonance’ technically applies to this scenario, but I kind of want to call it that anyway.

Not only that, but there are a bunch of other details. The production value of the explosions and the green-screen, the fact that he keeps on going, the fact that I’ve seen the original video and know that he’s making ‘bwah’ noises with his mouth?? It’s a show-stopper all-round.

I LOVE YOU!!!: ‘face to phone (plus hearts)’

This one’s kind of a subjective one, honestly! (I mean, this whole LIST is subjective, but that’s not what I mean xDD). I don’t really have an objective explanation as to why this one is, for me, THE quintessential image. (I love the heart effects added everywhere, obviously, but it’s far from the only image to have them!) Instead, I gotta go with my personal experience - namely, that this is the image I use most frequently to express affection for someone over messages. It’s kind of perfect for that use, to be honest, with the phone. It’s completely wordless but it conveys everything that I want to convey in those moments of hunched-in, overwhelming affection for someone. And that’s something a little bit special. :)

Welp: ‘Da-da-da, we’re dead!’

This one just has such a welp vibe. But it’s also not JUST welp - it feels like there’s a lot more going on (if that makes sense). There’s an air of resigned depression surrounding the whole thing; it’s a real “we’re boned, but it’s not like there’s anything we can do about it”-type energy. Plus, as a long-time fan of the movie this is from, I can hear the original line in my head whenever I see the gif. Always a fun treat. :P

Genuine mirth: ‘Laughing Tom Cruise’

In general, those image edits of the same person laughing in a bunch of different ways - with a bunch of different, slightly transparent faces over each other - are my favourite way to be like “hey that was funny” without going ‘XDDDDD’ for the bazillionth time. Of those images, however, I have to pick this one as my fave (that’s appeared on this blog so far, anyway ;D). It’s the first one i got! It’s the first one I posted! It has sentimental value. ^_^

Contemplation time: ‘takin’ notes’

This decision was actually another really close one! For a while, I was definitely leaning towards the Buzz Lightyear ‘HMM’ meme. (You know, the one where it’s really zoomed in? I love that one.)

However! I ultimately went with this one because I just kinda,,, use it a lot? It fulfills a pretty unique role in my roster, wherein when someone’s talking to me about something vaguely important, it’s the quickest way to show that I’m taking in what they’re saying in some capacity xDD

I have lots of other images to express general scepticism, but I don’t really have others to express attentiveness. So that’s why this one is probably my fave for this specific category ^_^

Horny on main: ‘Tortured by thirst’

This one gets points from me because it uses allusion rather than direct referral. I really love the images that are just shit like ‘oh he HORNY horny’, don’t get me wrong, but this one - someone got creative with this one! They saw a page in some Star Wars encyclopedia and was like “if I crop this just so, it’s prime meme material”, and they were right!

Additionally, the letterbox-narrow framing of the image looks like one of those dramatic zoom-ins on someone’s eyes, further emphasising both the image’s latant comedic energy, AND just how thirsty the guy actually is. It’s another image in the collection that’s just a lot of fun.

:): ‘smile’

This is one that I didn’t have to think about. This is one that I knew before I even landed on the relevant category. I once claimed that this was the image I most frequently use, and while I have no way of ascertaining that for sure, it’s probably my favourite... maybe overall? As much as I can reasonably quantify something like that, anyway. It’s small. It’s unobtrusive. It’s joyous. It’s kind. It’s full of love and affection. What more could I want?

Fear: ‘[Sobbing] Please don’t eat my ass, spirits.’

I feel like 90% of my justifications for these images being my faves are ‘they’re funny’. This is one of those times. This shit is hilarious. Everything about it comes together in a cacophony of humour - the night light, the caption, the facial expression - and at the same time, it doesn’t take away from the fact that this man is terrified out of his mind. The thought that the spirits might eat his ass is as fear-inducing for him as it is laugh-inducing for us. It’s just magical.

Called out: ‘HERE BITCH   SINCE YOU WANNA BE ALL EDGE AND NO POINT’

There were a few really strong contenders in this category, but ultimately, this image is the one that won out for me. :P Not only is the pun glorious - and I love it - but there’s a viciousness to it that really creates a sense of being called out. Like, ‘oh, you want to be an edgy little shit? well HERE YA GO’. I’m not quite sure how else to verbalise it, but it gives me that sense, and I really appreciate it for that xDD

Free Real Estate: ‘free real estate (eyes)’

Yes, this genre has its own category on this blog. (As we’ll see later on in the post, it’s not the only one!) Yes, the one I’m picking as my favourite is a close zoom on the bog standard version. I’m BASIC and I CAN’T PICK A FAVE OKAY. They’re all very situational!! And I love them all!

Gratitude amigo: ‘THANK YOU (bin edition)’

This is another image that works through being multifauceted! Obviously the ‘thank you’ text works on a surface level to tell people, well, ‘thank you’, but it works in another way! Say the bin represents low self-esteem. And the gun in the bin represents you. It’s the perfect image to thank someone not only in general, but for being nice to you when you feel low, or when the chips are down! That extra bit of utility has me, personally, turning to this image more than any of the others I have that function as an expression of gratitude.

Trans Rights: ‘SHUT THE FUCK UP TERF’

A lot of images violently advocating for the rights of transgender people are special. But this one has been the subject of (or at least, an aspect of) debate in the UK’s political center. That’s something special. That’s worth celebrating.

(Plus, maybe it’s just my distraction-loving brain, but I appreciate how bright and colourful and messy the image is. There’s analysis to be made about how mess and colour represents a collective human experience, and that more unites us than divides us regardless of things of gender identity, but there’s also the fact that heehee hoohoo I leik da shiny.)

Disgustan’: ‘Horribly Unfunny   Juvenile   Tasteless   Dumb   Forced   Disgusting   Pathetic and Desperate’

Aside from being another image sourced from my favourite youtube channel, the thing that I really like about this image is how thorough and scalding this is. A lot of the time, the best reactions are non-verbal, conveying emotion through expression without saying a word. This, however, excels at the opposite end of the spectrum; unleashing a deluge of dismissal upon whoever’s unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. They come like the hammer blows of a professional boxer, and they’re damn effective and tearing something down. I... I really need to use this one more often. :P

Disney: ‘I FUCKING HATE DISNEY BRO   I’M SICK OF THIS SHIT’

I have a couple of images that focus on taking the piss out of Disney (yep, that’s an entire mood - am I wrong, though?) but this is probably my favourite because it reeks of desperation. The watery eyes and the scribble edit of the original text, combined with the explicit ‘I’m sick of this shit’ statement, really push that feeling of ‘oh my god, this megaconglomerate is buying out every intellectual property it can, and also (as I understand it) funding discriminatory legislature from behind an insincere veneer of progressivism’ that I think more and more people are picking up nowadays. Perfect representation of contemporary sentiments - pretty damn good image overall.

I am so great: ‘I don’t come cheap. You can’t afford me.’

Badass one-liner. Confident stride out of the room. Astounded titan groupie. The sunglasses. General big dick energy. This image truly has it all. Nothing more needs to be said.

Stole your meme lol: ‘Steal this meme’

On a smaller level, I like this image because of the inherent comedy of a computer screenshot being edited into a scenario where it’s being presented as a physical sign or item. A neat little blend of digital and hypothetically real. It gives me a sensible chuckle.

On a larger level, I’m partial to this one because the character in it is expressing two of the sentiments that you really feel when you’re yoinking a meme from somewhere in the internet: mischief/mirth, and bashfulness. Like, “yeah, this is the done thing and I’m having fun, but also is this okay?? Might I perchance save this image for my own mischievous little machinations?” And as someone who runs a blog dedicated to reaction images,,, yeah. It’s relatable. That’s all I’ll say. xD

Genuine reassurance: ‘Really’

Not much elaboration to be had here; this one just strikes me as the best fulfillment of its specific mood uploaded to the blog thus far! A lot of the time, when someone says ‘Really’, it’s like a ‘YES REALLY, don’t be PREPOSTEROUS’ sort of thing. But this is more of a ‘really, it’s okay’, which I just,,, prefer? It’s sweet, and it’s... well, genuinely reassuring. :P

[Music stops]: ‘[the weekend whip stops]’

Mostly, I prefer this one because not only is the show one that I’m familiar with, but the song itself (The Weekend Whip) is an old favourite that I grew up listening to! Not only do I get that joyful kinda nostalgia from this image, but it also increases its utility for me personally, because it’s something that I’d actually be feasibly listening to (and then stop because of some BS).

Gweetings: ‘actually the funniest walk I’ve ever seen’

Okay, listen, I’m aware of how many times my reasoning for this list as boiled down to ‘it makes me laugh’ and I’m here to tell you right now that I’m STICKING WITH IT. Look at this man’s fuckin limbs!! Look at his head bobbing about on his neck!! Look at those big-ol strides that are being carried out in spite of the fact that the whole body is doing its best imitation of the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tubeman.

And then!! Look at the GOOFY GRIN ON HIS FACE. Does he know what he’s doing? Is he totally oblivious? I have no idea, and it haunts me in the best way. Keep walking your walk, guy. It brings me joy every day.

I will cause problems on purpose: ‘Elmo Rise’

INTENTIONAL CHAOS AND THE SUBSEQUENT REVELRY

Ambivalent: ‘Duly noted.’

For me, this one’s all in the caption. In short: it fits the mood category so very well. When a person says ‘duly noted’ it is a deliberate acknowledgement devoid of any value judgement or general opinion. It is ‘I recognise that that a thing has happened, and that is all I do’. To that end, it is the perfect ambivalent statement. Irrespective of all the other things going on in the image, the caption basically shoots it to the top of the charts in regards to how well it does its specific job.

Beyond that, the movements are small but consistent, which is pretty aesthetically pleasing, and the bright colours are - once again - a fun addition that spice the image up and give it some life. So, uh, yeah! General winner all-round, this one.

Bog Moss: ‘ahaha, I do that’

Okay, some clarification might be necessary for this specific mood: ‘Bog moss’ is for the category of images that are a big mood, or generally relatable. It’s called ‘bog moss’ because of an inside joke I had going with some friends when I named it. Just for clarification ^_^

In regards to the image itself... well, it’s another one that really acts as a perfect summation of its mood. I quote it to myself- I mean, not on the daily, but pretty often. It’s light and congenial (ahaha), but it still contains that identifying ‘I do that’ that speaks to the relatability of a certain thing. I can’t think of an image better-suited to indicating that something is, indeed, a big mood in some shape or form.

Mockery: ‘UH-OH!!!!!   Looks like these comments have been infected with... SHIT IDIOT BRAIN FUNGUS!’

If I had to surmise why I love this image as much as I do in two words, it’d be these two: Production. Value. The hazmat suits plus the multicoloured and multifonted lettering plus the half-dozen warning signs underneath create a dense, chaotic image that really emphasises exactly HOW crazy toxic the comments must be. Very well put-together piece, all in all. [Nods like some kind of reaction meme connoisseur]

Please exercise empathy: ‘that’s a human person.’

This one HAD to be the favourite in this specific category - it’s what inspired the category as a whole!

Beyond that, I think the sentiment it expresses is one that’s really handy to keep in mind in this day and age, you know? We’re seeing ever-increasing amounts of parasocial relationships, internet drama, and general dehumanisation all over the place, and I think that, collectively, we could all benefit from leaning back everyone once in a while and remembering that oh, yeah, there is another human person behind this somewhere. At the very least, it’s a sentiment that I can appreciate, and try and stand behind, in my day-to-day; and that’s why I’m a big fan of this particular image. :)

Nice music: ‘epic sax’

I maintain that the saxophone is the sexiest instrument; for proof, I direct you to the three gentlement in the front of the audience in this image, who have almost definitely all popped stiffys at the glorious sights and sounds before them.

Beyond the personal appreciation, there’s a lot of imagery in here that’s goofy, but also full of LIFE! And PASSION! And ENTHUSIASM beyond words that makes you just kind of want to contort your body into a pretzel as a response to whatever incredible sounds you’re experiencing! And that’s what loving music is about! (To me anyway.)

...I’m gonna go listen to the Halo soundtrack now. :P

Sic ‘em: ‘TEAR THE BITCH APART !’

I think the reason why one works as well as it does it all about angles. The camera is from below, and the woman in the image is looking down and off to the side, seemingly at something kinda far away. (Maybe she’s on a balcony? IDK lol). It isn’t a direct stare. In the collection of ‘sic ‘em’ (i.e. fucking murderise them dude) images I have, this one best emphasises the haughty, stern, disconnected authority and self-centredness that I think you’d need to unironically advocate for someone’s death and/or destruction. (If that makes ANY sense at all.)

Plus, ‘tear the bitch apart’ is kind of a funny phrase, so I like that as well.

Grooving: ‘Orange Justice’

This is another image selection where, for me, it comes down to bright colour. The neon green, neon red and jet black (with white highlights) is bold, but it catches my attention easily. Once that’s happened, the actual dance moves combined with the tracking shaky cam ensure that my attention is held for at least a couple of loops> I’m ltierally staring at it, while it loops, as I write this text. Taht’s not even a joke. I’m enjoying myself and am quite capable of typing coherently while my gaze is fixed on something else. There’s some fresh lore for y’all!

Not immune to propaganda: ‘YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO PROPAGANDA. BUT NEITHER AM I...’

In general, all the images in this category are crackers. But this one gets points from me for the fact that it manages to actually include some measure of nuance, and the openings of a discussion about ‘propaganda’ and the way that the best way to tackle it is constant vigilance on the parts of everyone involved. Good on you, reaction image! Good on you. 

Silence!: ‘silence, brand’

‘Silence!’ is a good meme. I like it a lot in general. A giant crab shooting laser eyes at something and telling it to shut up? I mean, what’s not to like? But this one in particular is one I really appreciate. For one thing, it combines the meme template with the blorbos from the comics its referencing, leading to a spark of individuality amidst all the other silence memes and paying tribute to its source material. For another thing, I personally believe in the necessity of telling brands to be silenced online every once in a while. So, this one gets my vote! (Although I’m also pretty partial to ‘silence, codebreaker’ if I’m being honest.)

Genuine wrath: ‘I was pissed’

Okay, okay, maybe this isn’t ‘genuine wrath’ in the sense that it’s a gif of a person trashing a room in a fit of rage. (And don’t get me wrong - I love those. They’re hilarious.) But this, I think is my favourite for this specific mood because it’s less funny. The others can still be passed off as exaggeration for the sake of humour, and can be used in an incredibly meme-y way. But this one is simple. Fairly measured. Doesn’t have a lot of funneee destruction. But it still conveys a simple message: “I was pissed”. You can’t escape the sentiment. You can’t inchworm around it or joke your way out of it. It’s just straight up ‘yeah, I wasn’t happy about this’. Reaction images are great fun, but if you want to use one while still feeling genuinely, actually annoyed by something, I’d say this is a pretty solid one to go with.

(edit: I just lost a BUNCH of progress on this post right when I had it ready to upload and now this is LITERALLY ME. FUCK.)

(edit 2: IT KEEP DELETING MY SAVED PROGRESS. TUMBLR. TUMBLR PLEASE)

Pretty sus NGL: ‘So what is the truth’

This one is a pretty good one because of it’s,,, I’m not sure how to phrase it off the top of my head. Solidity? Like, y’all know what a ‘steely-eyed gaze’ is, right? (If you don’t, it’s basically a fancy term for a glare or a stern look. Steel = strong, e.t.c.) This whole image feels like a steely-eyed gaze in gif form. It’s certain. It’s sure of itself. It’s fully aware that something isn’t adding up about the situation, and it wants to know where that wrongness might be. So it asks: what is the truth? No beating around the bush, no funny little raised eyebrow. A simple question, in expectation of a simple answer. I think if you want to get to the bottom of something, this’d be a damn fine way of going about it. 

Gotta go fast: ‘runnin’’

The speed of the man running. The fact that whoever’s holding the camera is keeping pace, and - for the most part - keeping the footage even. The uniformly-running legs that look like little cartoon legs. The rough cut that makes this gif look like some kind of infinite loop. The kite looming ominously in the background, like that’s the entity being fled from. The fact that the guy running is Jack Black. There’s just a lot to love here.

Ight Imma head out: ‘lol bye’

The posting of this gif to the blog actually predated the ‘lol bye’ category, so this actually originally fell under ‘[undefinable]’ - I re-categorized it later when I was going through this list.

Anyways, I love this one to fuckin bits. There’s a franticity to it, but it’s a practiced franticity - the characters all know what they’re doing and what their roles are. It’s the perfect summary of that mad dash to hide whatever fuckery you’ve been up to, mixed in with the implied collaboration/teamwork of a group of people taking the plunge as a team. The small image size and slight pixellated compression add to its chaotic aura, and the last character (TK) taking a backwards plunge out the window ties it all together in a neat little red bow.

Case Closed: ‘It is law.’

There are a couple of reasons why I’m partial to this image in particular. The first is in regards to the mood it represents. It’s authoritative - the hand slap, the fancy suit, the full stop at the end of the sentence. The feel here really is for a “this decree has been set in stone”-type vibe, which fits well with the ‘case closed’ mood.

The second reason I like this image is that it was featured in that original ‘I like your shoelaces’ tumblr post, and I like to pay some respects to this website’s history every once in a while. :3

Not-okay cute things: ‘I CAN’T DO THIS IM   SERIOUSLY GOING INSANE RIGHT NOW’

I have a few of these, and as a general category, I like them a lot - I’ve definitely used the word ‘dissonance’ already when explaining why I like an images, but all of these ones DO have a big dissonance between the image and the caption that comes with the image that definitely adds to their comedic value and general appeal.

Beyond that, this one specifically is my fave for the category because the long caption ACCENTUATES that dissonance. The words are long, implying a real coherence, but their content implies an impending loss of that coherence. Meanwhile, the plush and its blank stare seem to convey that coherence has already been lost, and that the caption is some kind of post-mortem message. I’m definitely reading way into it, but it’s kinda fascinating. And I ENJOY reading into things! Hence, I enjoy the image as a whole.

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Holy hell, it’s done. It’s over. It can’t hurt me anymore

Happy 6,000! (collapses and dies)

[bloomfield-book-ratings]

Alien Covenant: Origins by Alan Dean Foster

I absolutely love the 1979 film Alien, I think it’s a pillar of cinema. The whole egg to face hugger to chest burster to double mouthed eyeless monster with acid for blood and a knife tail is like a perfect Pokémon evolution of both horror and terror. And don’t forget the set design holy cow. I was less impressed with everything that came after that until Prometheus which is, oddly enough, one of my comfort movies.

That’s when I became obsessed with the story line, it wasn’t just monsters and mayhem and roll credits anymore, nah bro we had malicious synthetics experimenting on humans without their knowledge or consent, and starting the chain reaction that led to the existence of the Xenomorph, and commits genocide no less. In Alien Covenant, which is a little too gory for me to watch a lot, the plot gets even more interesting with David disguised as Walter taking over the ship full of colonists and placing some embryonic face huggers in cryo storage.

I wanted to consume every available piece of information and additional lore or facts or information, I wanted to know so badly, I was so curious and fascinated. I’m telling you all of this so you know how much I love the franchise and how hard it is for me to tell you a hard truth: this book is terrible.

SPOILERS AHEAD

So first of all, the author has the same emoting capabilities as a paper towel. I felt nothing for any of the characters. Was that intentional? Should that have been intentional? Me thinketh not. For once I finally understand the faux pas that is “show don’t tell”, we get told a lot of things, things hard to envision and even harder to care about when the writing is as dry as a piece of burnt toast.

I swear this should not have passed editing inspection for several reasons. There were some continuity issues, the biggest one being a fight scene where descriptions like there being body parts flung in the air in an explosion and a soldier being pierced in the face with a long shard of bone ending in “no causalities on either side”. Uh, hello? Also a characters manner of speaking changes suddenly and jarringly in like, the last one sixth of the book? And was I to this a annoying old man British thing where he ended non questions with “what?” And called one character “old boy” a lot. You know the movie Chicken run? The old rooster? That’s all I could hear.

Sadly, this book doesn’t even need to exist at all. With the movie preceding it’s release and therefore the outcome already known, it held no intrigue or suspense in that department. We already know the Earthsavers don’t stop the Covenant from departing. And there is nothing added to the plot of Alien Covenant in any way, there’s just some stupid guy having dreams about the xenomorphs and gaining a cult following that try to prevent space colonization and fail. I cannot think of a single thing I can hold onto as being useful going forward. Nothing scientific, nothing notable about the characters was revealed, in 344 pages he drug out what could have been an after thought. Especially since none of the events in this book were actually brought up in the movie. I hate to say it, I hoped for so much more, but this story is useless and irrelevant. Worse, it’s not even interesting.

And oh my god don’t get me started on how confusing it was to keep track of characters when he used descriptors like “the matronly woman frowned at her smaller female counterpart as she spoke robotically to the portly and rotund pale man.” And then in the next bit he uses names but you have no idea who the name belongs to. Then he’s back to saying things like “the youngest male member of the council and the one with considerably more melanin than the rest of his associates”. I feel like he was kind of fat phobic but in a weird way like yeah imma write a bunch of fat characters so I can describe the way they’re fat in so many different ways, none of which are flattering or even neutral.

I wanted to like it. I wanted for it to be good. I hold the franchise and movie plots dear to my heart still. I am a devout member of this fandom, which I feel is still important to stress so when I say zero stars you know I was not coming from an antagonistic place or didn’t understand the subject, and I didn’t have any preconceived negative feelings toward it.

But I have been robbed by the worst thief of all. A bad book.

[mc-slowwalker]

currently watching punz’s mcc vod and have not gotten an ad so far so there is that

ikr??!? like their system is just so bad. I love learning, I love knowledge and knowing stuff but gosh. also half my lecturers are just not good. like all they do is read off the slides like I can do that myself :/ :(

oh god know I could never be an updates account. I don’t even know how they get half their information like how does one figure out that dream commented on some random tik tok??? I meant that I’ve been a person that has seen a tweet feom an updates account that dream is on some stream and gone to that stream. yeah I never know what’s going on cause I never have the energy to catch up with stuff I’ve missed but also I have this like need to know everything so I just have like half the information. I don’t even know how dts work on twt. like sometimes they tell people to off themselves in qrts/replies or like dm them probably too, which is so, so shitty. but yeah it’s kinda laughable how they have to censor all the words. but yeah no dts are not cool in the slightest. I’ve never gotten any of that because for the most part I have a very limited online presence and like I wouldn’t get to worried by it or anything but it’s such a shitty thing to do. god the kaveytfon thing was so ughh. and all I saw of it was clips and summary threads. yeah I get that. it’s a bit annoying cause some of my irls are gamer nerds that dislike dream cause “he cheated,” “he scripts manhunts,” “he’s bad at the game,” “he encourages his toxic stans,” and some other “anti” arguments. but what can you do. like I was just talking about minecraft once and one of them was like “oh but he so cheated” like yeah dude we’re well past that now these days we’re shitting on dream for making questionable sounds on a discord podcast /j. yeah like 100% I know dream can handle it and his friends will back him if needed I just feel really sad for him sometimes. maybe it’s just me cause I sometimes have annoyingly emotional reactions to things unnecessarily. bbh popped off with that one tweet on main.

nah we just say uni here and I didn’t know if you also said uni in america or just college. ohhh I see. we just say uni here. ohh that makes sense. and that’s pretty handy! here the only subjects I’m required to do are any that could be a possible prereqs for any major that I may choose to do. a friend of mine who is now going to college in america is doing spanish too! haha yeah my english language teacher once said something about it like two years ago and it’s never left my head ever since.

brooo no,, beets are good!! well not always but I like them in one specific sandwich that I used to have for lunch in school when I was in yr10. but they’re definitely a great plot point. ughhh I 100% agree with the silly lore stuff. it’s so fun and I love it but all the fandom does is whine. like first they’re like “oh I miss silly lore” and then they’ll get silly lore and be like oh not like that. I will never forgive people for writing of l’sandburg. I was asleep for most of it but it was still great. so true!! that was jack manifold right? smartness man ever. everything that ever happens on the dream smp is canon, there is not “semi lore” or “just a bit.” I add the “bit” argument because I’ve seen it used to excuse some c!actions recently. lmaoo yeha like I enjoy high production lore especially if they’re passionate about it but there’s just something about silly minecraft roleplay that I love. like when I first joined the fandom, it was through animatics and then watching the actual streams was so different but in a good way

no we haven’t!! it’s on the list of stuff we still don’t know about. glad to know you agree that enderwalk and c!dream and best friends. idk much about ballsmp but it looks fun and 3rd like looks cool tok like I’ve seen artwork and it interests me. and I really wanna get into hermit craft. if I do with any of them it’ll probably be hermitcraft. wait I do not know about that but that’s absolutely hilarious. I may just not remember cause I feel like I do know about it but my memory is unbelievably shoddy.

oh hahahaa I was asleep for that bit but I heard about it lol. ahahahah george and sapnap just there after dream just leaves is so funny. never fails to make me laugh/not laugh when dream just leaves that quickly. dreams been on a roll since like mcc like he’s done so much. liek today he was even on bads stream playing gartic phone !! I missed it live cause I was busy but imma watch the vod now!

alright I’ve just gotten through like the half of punz’s mcc vod that I had left and not a single ad so woooo for that!

Yooo pay to win actually wins!

Lectures are a bitch I keep falling asleep in them!! Which is bad because I always decide to try and sit up front to show dominance but I keep falling asleep

Oooh sorry I thought you meant that you ran one. Yeah no how tf to they do it??? Everything ccs do seems so fucking random??? Also my brother hates dream not because he cheated but because his fan base is bad? The only fan base you know ya little shit is me step up fucker. I am emotionally attached to dream so I understand

Calling it university isn’t super common here and I don’t think most americans even know the difference. Honesty it’s more about what the school calls itself, so like theres Harvard University & Bowdoin College but you mainly refer to them by their names anyways.

No all beets are bad and I will take 0 criticism on this they’re bad in real life and they’re bad in minecraft!!! Did I forget to add that jack manifold said that I was pretty tired when I wrote it and kinda gave up my b akjdkd. Animatics are banger but they’re just 3 times more banger when they have to be taken out of context. I just started watching 3rd life from grian’s pov and I’m enjoying it so much! The idea is super interesting also big fan of any game that has proximety chat

I miss the garlic phone thing! I had a busy day but I wanna watch it after jack & scott ylyl