#in some ways rory is almost representative of this

[natequarter]

rtd writes normal people escaping the mundanity of their lives whereas moffat writes weird people escaping the normality of other people's lives really does sum it all up

[mssr-crumpled-paper]

Peeta and Gale: being a character

Consider this post a continuation of this.

So, as I've said, I had a really hard time relating or believing in Peeta as a character when reading THG. This post aims to point out some of the points why I believe Peeta is more a concept than an actual character (and how that's incredibly unfair for Gale).

On Peeta:

The first, and most obvious point, is that the purpose of Peeta's character is to represent Katniss's conscience, but also to be the "better" choice. Idk about everyone else, but it was always glaringly obvious to me that Peeta would be the endgame for Katniss, one way or another. He was made with the explicit intention of being the perfect partner for Katniss, and a perfect person in general. Notice how he has no substantial flaws of his own, is distinctly devout to Katniss even without knowing anything about her personally; and every mistake that he does make can easily be chocked up to his care for Katniss or trauma from forces he can't control.

We know virtually next to nothing about Peeta as well. Please be kind and name me 1 instance where either of Peeta's brothers' names were mentioned anywhere. Like in the books, not on a wiki page. None, no names for his dad, for his mom, for his family. Barely know any of his friends, except for Delly.

We also do not know his relation to District 12 or the Seam. Now, many people will argue that this would be pointless, but I believe not. Peeta, for him to truly be able to exist as a character in his own right, needs to be considered within the context of his community. And since we don't get ANY, it makes all his talks of "people are starving," and "kids in 12 are struggling" seems unconvincing. Like was he poor? Absolutely. He also ate bread regularly, never had to take out tessarae, never had to hunt or kill, and he was a merchant's kid. Half of the people from the district, who are so closely or at least somewhat related to Katniss, we never see him interacting with ever.

In combination, all of these elements make it so that Peeta is basically devoid of an actual character other than "good guy with bread." Readers are free to project whatever image they see fit onto him, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect husband, the perfect brother. He didn't even mention his family twice after losing them, and I won't assume the pain wasn't horrible for him, but he quite literally said "No one needs me." Of course they need you Peeta, they're your family? He felt almost disconnected from the context surrounding him, making it hard for me to truly buy into his character.

On Gale:

The first thing we know about Gale is that he is Katniss's best friend, the person who knows the real her, the one who she can let loose with. Immediately this is a lot of information to work with. Considering the fact that Katniss up until this point didn't seem too fond of people in general, Gale is set up to be a good guy with a sense of love and respect for his friend. And since we meet him in the forest, one can assume that he's struggling as well, or at least rebellious. It's also very obvious within the first chapter that Gale is a flawed character (re: him snapping at Madge, which he acknowledges as a tactic of the Capitol).

This fact is elaborated on right after, when we are told that Gale is also a fatherless hunter running around in the woods. His family is poor, and he's the sole provider for the family. He has three younger siblings, one of which is just a baby, and a mom. Like Katniss, he's put his name in for tessarae for a long time, and provides for a 5 persons household mostly on his own. We know the name of Rory, of Posy, of Hazelle, his mother who does laundry for work, who later works as a house-keeper for Haymitch. We know that Hazelle placed a lot of trust in both Katniss and Gale. We know that Rory has to eventually put his name in more times to get tessarae.

We know Gale's relation to the District. He's generally popular with kids his age at school. He banters and interacts with the people at the Hob. He hunts for game and provides for the district. He holds a hatred for the Capitol that was larger than himself and Katniss. He understood their methods of systemic oppression. He was generally class conscious about his condition, and his thirst for righteous revenge stems largely from the suffering that people of the district and he himself go through. He saved his district to the best of his ability when it was razed to the ground, and he joined the rebellion effort because he genuinely believed that would liberate his people.

There's a lot more I can say about the wider context of Gale as a character, but on a whole he feels real. Very flawed, very angry, and very real. SC makes no pretense about Gale being someone who cares deeply for his district, for Katniss, and for his family. That's a sense of solidarity that I can cling onto. He exists within that general context that he was put in, and therefore makes more sense.

[broadraiwrites]

No. 5: SUNBURN Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House) Characters: Tisha Kent (oc), Micah Kent (oc), Rory Cullen (oc) Pairing: None Verse: Main Mentions: Wyatt Foley (oc), Caleb Timbers (oc), Alex Colon

For sixteen year old Tisha Kent, being awake at two o'clock on a Monday morning felt typical. She slept for a few hours during her father's shows, waking up during what was usually the main event to prepare for the return of whichever of her parents was currently missing. 

In this particular case, it was Rory. Da, as she called him in her best imitation of his accent. At the sound of her alarm, she bolted out of bed to prepare for the next part of her show-night routine. She tied her blonde hair up in a messy bun atop her head to show off the blue undercut hiding below it. The color had been a reward for making straight a's the second semester of the previous school year and matched the blue of Rory's splinter of 44OH, much to the shagrin of two of her other fathers, Wyatt Foley and Caleb Timbers, who represented the yellow side of the faction. Tisha had argued that her own blonde locks were already close enough to yellow as it was. 

She moved quickly around the house, trying her hardest not to wake her three younger siblings as she did, sliding down the hardwood floor on her Chucky socks to the bathroom to start gathering the necessary supplies. Towels, but not the white ones, nor the white washcloths, were the first to make it to what the family playfully referred to as the carnage room. The carnage room was a bedroom attached to the downstairs bathroom where her fathers would often clean up after shows to keep from dripping blood, tacks, and glass shards throughout the rest of the house and putting any of the smaller three children at risk.

With towels placed by the bedside, the teenager went to gather her next round of supplies. Rubbing alcohol, peroxide, bandages, gauze, and a pair of tweezers soon sat sprawled around the towels as she ran through the list in her head. She only needed a few more things before Rory came home. 

“I told you you don't need to do all this,” a familiar voice rumbled in the doorway. The form cast a shadow over the teenager that enveloped her completely. Micah Kent, Tisha's biological father, stood with a box of gloves and antibiotic ointment in his large hands. “I can take care of him. You should be sleeping. You have a history test tomorrow.”

“You mean the one about the Irish potato famine that didn't actually happen?” Tisha asked. “No thanks; this is way cooler. If I've timed things out correctly, Da and Wy should be home in about twenty. I just need to get some warm water going when they get here and grab my camera.”

Her camera was her favorite part of the entire process. She always took photos of the damage done before they set about cleaning it up. The first time she had ever been backstage at a show with her father, she knew that was all she wanted. She wanted to document every moment. 

The teacher who led the after-school photography club had a hard time accepting all of the photos of the blood and the ringside destruction from a high school freshman in the beginning. When you have a student who comes from a family made almost entirely of deathmatch wrestlers, however, there isn't much that can be done.

Quickly retrieving her camera from its place on her dresser, Tisha soon met Rory and Wyatt at the door, taking immediate note of the sticky red substance caked on Rory's forehead. “I thought you and Alex were friends!” she laughed, still trying to keep her voice down as they rushed to the room where Micah waited.

“Didn't stop me and Wyatt from slicing each other up, now did it?” Rory sat down on the edge of the bed and flashed his signature grin in her direction, letting her snap a quick photo of his bloodied face. He would need that one for his socials later, he thought as he took a cold washcloth from Micah to clean the mess away. “Gonna need to see if I can find a way to get this tooth the rest of the way out, too. Fucker knocked it loose, and it can't be fixed halfway in there!”

Tisha smiled, stepping back from the group as Micah went to cleaning and applying the antibiotic ointment to the cuts on Rory's face. As they methodically went about cleaning him up, turning him this way and that to reach every shard of glass remaining in his skin, Tisha snapped the occasional picture of the process. She didn't care what anyone else thought; she was way cooler than the other kids at school.

[daveslutstaine]

While I have other posts in works right now, I figured I would go ahead a make a post on my top 15 favorite singers. I'll also be splitting this list into two posts since Tumblr unfortunately only allows me to put ten images on one post (boooo). This list is specific to the heavy metal/rock genre, so while I enjoy the voices of Loreena McKennitt and Rory Gallagher, I will be excluding them from this list as Rory is a blues artist and Loreena is a folk singer. But enough with all that, on to the post!

1. Sean Harris

I don't know about you dear reader but I love Diamond Head a lot. This was one of first few bands I listened to when I was discovering the older metal bands as a teen. I grew up with Nu metal and some of the cores, so my only true exposure to the metal bands of old was Iron Maiden, and while I love Dickinson to bits, Diamond head managed to captivate my heart way more. I couldn't believe I hadn't discovered them sooner. I was completely blown away by them, but most importantly, I was completely in love with the voice of their former front man, Sean Harris. The guy has a voice alright, hitting notes I wish I could hit these days (oh how I will always mourn the loss of my voice). While many of their songs are good examples of the might of Sean Harris's voice, the first ones that come to mind are Helpless and It's Electric. I would link them here but unfortunately the versions I personally feel are best are difficult to find on YT, but can be found on my blog if you're interest!

2. Rob Halford

And it would not be a proper list if I didn't add in Rob Halford. What else can I say that hasn't already been said about this man's incredible voice. He has range and still manages to impress many despite his advanced age. I know I have mentioned this so, so many times before, but I saw Judas Priest live once during their Firepower tour and it was an unforgettable experience. They played "Painkiller" and WoW. I am actively struggling to find words that accurately describes what I experienced that night. I never thought Rob could be capable of still being able to go as high as he did during the end of the song at his age but damn I was wrong and I'm glad of it. I truly never forget it, and while I know 99% of my followers know who Rob is, the songs I feel best represent his vocal capabilities are "Here Come The Tears" and "Painkiller".

3. Ronnie James Dio

And next up is my favorite Rainbow and Black Sabbath singer Ronnie James Dio (sorry Ozzy). A tiny guy with a big voice, Ronnie first caught my eye, or should I say my ear, when I first heard the song Holy Diver. I thought his voice was so pleasant for a metal singer I was almost questioning why he decided to go into the genre to begin with, but I am extremely glad that he did. His voice was a big factor in Heaven And Hell becoming such an important album to me and I cannot picture any other singer doing that album justice. Hell, I can't see any singer taking his place in anything he's done, and though I do love Rainbow, I will admit I don't bother with anything that doesn't include Ronnie in it simply because the other two do not come close to being as good as he was. Ronnie had something special to his voice that not many singers do, and while I am aware that I am biased, I do believe him to be one of the best there ever was in the genre, and so this list would not be complete without him as he has damn well earned his spot in my heart. My favorite songs of his include "Heaven And Hell", "Temple Of The King", "Sunset Superman", "Lonely Is The World", "Man On The Silver Mountain", and "I".

4. Klaus Meine

And now for a singer that I don't necessarily consider a metal singer, but he is definitely a rock singer so I am adding him to this list because he truly deserves it, everyone meet Klaus Meine of the band Scorpions. Though a lot of people dislike the way he sings due to his accent showing through, I've never been bothered by it. I actually like hearing his accent in his singing! It gives his voice a unique quality in my opinion! Personally, I don't believe one or two songs can really show off his vocal capabilities, so I would say the albums "Blackout", "Animal Magnetism", and "Love Drive" would be good ones to check out!

5. Joey Belladonna

Back to the metal singers! This time we have Joey Belladonna of my beloved Anthrax. He too is a singer that is way too good for the music he plays but I'm glad he does so anyway because as much as I love Anthrax with Neil and John, I would probably not love them as much if they had a different singer. I will also say that Joey's voice is still going strong! I haven't gotten the chance to see them live yet, but For All Kings was an enjoyable listen! I do hope to see them one day though! Best songs with him are "Madhouse", "Neon Knights (Black Sabbath cover)", "Medusa", and "Lone Justice"!

6. Till Lindemann

Next up is one man with a voice to be reckoned with, Till Lindemann. Though I don't post about them as much as I used to, I hold Rammstein very near and dear to me as they pretty much got me out of a, "musical funk" so to speak, and Till's voice had a lot to do with that. I think Rammstein is the first band in which I actually paid more attention to the vocals than I did the instruments in the background. His voice is not what I would describe as generically pretty. Don't get me wrong, it is beautiful, but it's rougher, brutal, and yet it has this soothing quality to it that I haven't found in other singers. It's also impressive to me that he naturally has a voice like that without training. I know, I know, plenty of other singers have a pretty voice without ever needing training, but Till is different to me okay. Favorite songs in his case are "Seeman", "Klavier", "Stein um Stein", and "Reise Reise".

7. Bruce Dickinson

And of course I am going to put Bruce Dickinson on here. The man's voice is simply too iconic for me to not include him, and as much as I love Paul, his voice does not compare. Bruce's voice has a might that is insane to me and you have no idea how glad I am for that. His training as an opera singer truly paid off because boy oh BOY does man SING. "The Trooper", "Wasting Love" and "Powerslave".

8. Geoff Tate

Now we have Mr. Geoff Tate of Queensryche! The way I would describe his voice is that it's similar in strength to Rob's. Obviously it doesn't sound the same. Geoff has his sound and Rob has his, but I would argue that the range and strength is very similar. Geoff does have a slightly higher pitched voice than Rob, but overall, he can go into the lower notes when needed. Songs I feel best represent this are "Queen of The Reich", "Is There Anybody Listening", "Night Rider", "Silent Lucidly", and "Another Rainy Night". Truly one of my favorite singers of all time!

9. John McDonald/Midnight

We now have a man that I hold incredibly, and I mean deeply, dear to me. John McDonald, or better known by his stage name, Midnight, is best known for his work with Crimson Glory. And let me tell you, it did not take long for him to become one of my favorite singers. One listen at Crimson Glory's self titled album was all it took for me to fall in love with the strength and ferocity of that voice of his. Seriously though I cannot recommend that album enough it's so good! Their second and third albums are also major bangers in my honest opinion I love his voice so much!

10. Michael Kiske

And last but certainly not least (for this post anyway) is Michi, my personal favorite of Helloween's singers. The dude has one of the best voices I have ever heard and AAAAAAA it's so good. He has such a crazy range and powerful, beautiful voice that is suited to what he does and yet it's almost angelic. "A Tale That Wasn't Right", "I Want Out", "Helloween", and "Future World" are personally some of my favorites because they show just how strong that voice of his is! GAH I love it!

[literatikoo]

Rory dropping out of Yale; my thoughts

So I grew up in an Asian household (think Lane's family but with a mother-daughter relationship similar to Lorelai and Rory) where it was instilled in me from a very young age that a) handouts are for the weak and we should work for every single opportunity available b) do not waste the opportunities you get even a little bit. My parents took these fundamentals to the extreme sometimes, leading to Paris levels of insanity (more so because they're both academics), whereas I quickly realised that taking the easy path isn't necessarily a BAD thing. That being said, I was still very very shocked when Rory dropped out of Yale. I watched Gilmore Girls with my mom and the difference in thought really shined through when she just couldn't accept Jess not graduating (whereas I understood perfectly) but then there were also similarities in the way that we were both horrified when Rory accepted the internship from Mitchum. In fact, my mom very nicely told me that if I ever drop out of college like that she will hound me day and night until I go back.

So why is this important exactly? This school of thought that me and my family have, that rejects any sense of privilege (mostly because we don't have any) is very similar to Lorelai's (though she could pick and choose when she wanted to renounce her privilege) and this is by extension what Stars Hollow and Lane and Jess represented to Rory. On the other hand there's the world that we know nothing about; Emily, Richard, Logan, the DAR, these were the things that Rory discovered when she dropped out of Yale and essentially rejected her mother’s path for her. I hated this storyline, not because it was bad, but because it was so exceedingly well written that it made me very uncomfortable. Here is this girl, very similar to me as in she's a gifted child who is just tired of schooling and needs a break. But unlike me, she has the privilege to completely give up on the dreams she was working towards just because it was hard.

Unlike Lorelai, Rory liked her grandparents' world, even in the earlier seasons (the debutante ball for example). She was just never given the chance to fully embrace it because at that point she was still under her mother's control. So it's no surprise that when the dreams and life she had carved out for herself with the help of her mother failed (Mitchum telling her she didn't have "it" to be a journalist) she ran in the opposite direction from that life. The situation is a layered and complex one, and I truly believe if Richard and Emily had let Lorelai handle it then Rory would've been back at Yale sooner, if not immediately. Maybe she would've worked a little or looked at other courses but if she was with her mother instead then she wouldn’t have lost her sense of self so completely. But... Rory needed to lose her sense of self at that point, mostly because it was so tied with Lorelai and her dependence on her, so to become her own person she had to make some really bad decisions. She also needed to be fully immersed in the privileged lifestyle to realise that she didn't want that either.

Unfortunately this drastic and sudden shift in support systems left Rory reeling and as a consequence left her even more confused and floating than she had been right after she got “feedback” from Mitchum and stole the yacht. Which is why we see her struggling with her daily routine, she tries to accept what the luxurious lifestyle entails (partying with Logan for example) but simultaneously looks for echoes of a previous life (throwing herself into organisation and planning for the DAR).

I don't know if this is a popular opinion or not, but according to me Rory didn't go back to Yale because of Jess. By the time he came into the picture she was already 90% there, she was tiring of the easy, aimless path and wanted the challenge of having a dream again. She just needed one last push. I do think it was important that it was Jess who was the one who gave that push, for a couple of reasons; a) full fucking circle, she helped him at his rock bottom and he made something of himself thus making her come to the uncomfortable realisation that the roles have changed b) no one else was around to do it, Lorelai had given up on her, Logan was useless and Paris wasn't intuitive enough to know that she needed it. And honestly, if Richard or even Logan tried, they wouldn't have been successful because to Rory they very clearly represented the easy path and she wouldn’t have listened to them and lastly, c) Jess and Lorelai had the exact same character arcs, which is why he's the only one other than her mother who would've gotten through to Rory. Jess says and represents the same things Lorelai does, but because of timing (the ONE time their timing was good) and their relationship being different from Rory and Lorelai, what he said is exactly what she needed to hear at that moment.

Rory's burnout of epic proportions was a long time coming, she had a difficult time in Chilton, an even harder time in Yale and it didn't help that her personal life was almost always in shambles. The reason this burnout derailed her as much as it did was because of the play of privilege. If Rory didn't have her grandparents to fall back on, she would've done what the rest of us did; suck it up or find a different career path. But she did have them, and while the route her character arc takes is unrelatable to me, it stays true to the storyline and the situation that Rory is in.

[longitudinalwaveme]

Thoughts About the DCU’s Cities (and Other Nerdy Stuff)

You know, in addition to being a really terrible place to live, Gotham has some really weird demographics. And by that, I mean it seems to have no middle class. The city’s non-police officer, non-criminal population seems to be composed almost entirely out of millionaires living in mansions and poor people living in slums. Now, this is probably partially because it’s a lot easier to get drama from the very wealthy and the very poor than from the middle class, but it’s still a bit strange. It’s like the population of Gotham is 70% criminal (this group includes the corrupt wealthy businessmen and politicians, random thugs, and supervillains), 9% corrupt cops, 1% honest police officers, 10% innocent poor people, and 10% innocent rich people. Now, I haven’t read every Batman comic out there, and there are probably some counter-examples, but it’s still a strange overall trend. 

On the flip side, you’ve got Central and Keystone City, which have their own weird demographics. In the Flashes’ hometown(s), the lower and middle classes are well-represented, but unlike Gotham, which is chock-full of millionaires, Keystone/Central has a noticeable absence of the wealthy, with W.W. Wiggins and Mr. and Mrs. Rathaway serving as the major exceptions. (Wally did win the lottery at one point, but that didn’t last very long.)  Central City is more white-collar and financially stable than Keystone is, but the populations of both cities are both overwhelmingly presented as being average, everyday people.

 Gotham’s big villains are, by and large, very well-educated. While there are exceptions (like Catwoman, Killer Croc, and some of the Clayfaces), it’s still a noticeable trend. Mr. Freeze (aka Dr. Victor Fries) earned his doctorate in the field of cryogenics. Poison Ivy (aka Dr. Pamela Isley) earned her doctorate in botany. Two-Face (alias Harvey Dent), was the District Attorney of Gotham City before he became a villain. In order to become a district attorney, Harvey would have needed to earn a law degree, pass his bar exam, and obtain a Juris Doctor degree (J.D.). The Scarecrow (alias Dr. Jonathan Crane) earned a doctorate in psychology and actually taught as a professor of psychology before becoming a supervillain. Harley Quinn (alias Dr. Harleen Quinzel) likewise earned a doctorate in psychology. The Riddler (Edward Nygma), wouldn’t have needed a college degree in his older origins, where he was a carnival worker, but in recent years, he’s sometimes been presented as having worked in computer programming or with law enforcement, usually as some sort of forensics expert. He probably would’ve needed to earn at least a bachelor’s degree to get a job as a computer programmer; to be a forensic scientist he’d likewise need to get a bachelor’s degree (in, well, forensic science). Professor Hugo Strange has a degree in psychology (probably a doctorate).The third Clayface, Preston Payne, was a scientist at S.T.A.R. Labs before becoming Clayface, which means that he almost certainly had a degree of some sort. The Penguin (alias Oswald Cobblepot) also has a college degree. It’s in ornithology, because of course it is. 

The Flash Rogues, by contrast? Not so much. We know Zoom (alias Hunter Zolomon) has a college degree, presumably in law enforcement and/or criminal profiling, since he worked in the FBI and later for the KCPD as a criminal profiler. Albert Desmond also went to college and got a degree (likey in physics and/or chemistry), since he works as a scientist after reforming. Professor Zoom the Reverse-Flash (alias Eobard Thawne) may have had the 25th-century equivalent of a college degree, since apparently he was a teacher at some point in his history. The Pied Piper (Hartley Rathaway) may have a college degree, but it’s not entirely clear. In the first telling of his origin, Hartley’s father claimed that he graduated from college and got a job at a prominent business firm, but in a later retelling, Hartley said that he attended and got kicked out of several colleges and never mentioned graduating from any of them. If he did graduate, it was probably with a degree in business or something, since I’m sure that’s the field his parents would’ve wanted him to go into. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Top (Roscoe Dillon) at least attended college at some point, since he seems to be from a more upper-class family than most of the other Rogues, but there’s no concrete evidence for it. 

The rest of the Rogues almost certainly never attended college; I’d be surprised if most of them even made it through high school. Golden Glider (Lisa Snart) probably made it through high school, since she became a prominent figure skater. Heat Wave (Mick Rory) and the second Trickster, Axel Walker, are both high school dropouts, as is Captain Boomerang, Jr. (Owen Mercer). The second Mirror Master, Evan McCulloch, is probably a dropout as well, since he ran away from the orphanage at 16. The first Trickster, James Jesse, was a carny kid, so he might never have formally gone to school at all. Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Sr., the first Mirror Master, Sam Scudder, and Weather Wizard are more unclear (especially the latter two). I’d say that there’s pretty good odds that both Captains dropped out of high school. Sam could go either way since we know nothing about his personal life before he became the Mirror Master. Weather Wizard is probably the most likely of the four to have graduated from high school, since he seems to be from a more well-off family than many of the others and likes to at least act well-read and well-educated. But I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that he was a dropout, either, especially since we know he was always in Clyde’s shadow and didn’t seem himself as particularly smart or special before he got the wand. So who knows. 

[redwhitebuddie]

i have gotten accidentally attached to the new gossip girl reboot. i just watched it originally out of boredom but i cant stop having thoughts swirl in my brain. and specifically, i have some thoughts on the aki x max x audrey relationship.

forewarning: this is just my opinion and it is very early on (?) in the series so take my opinion lightly. 

i am really hoping for a aki x max endgame, no poly ENDGAME or one of the boys with audrey. this is because i see potential for the relationship dynamic for aki x max.. let me explain. 

1. we often only see this opposite parallel dynamic in straight couples

aki and max are by no means complete opposites but for the sake of this explanation of the dynamic, just hear me out. think gilmore girls (jess and rory), friends (chandler and monica), OG icarly (sam and freddie) etc... i think the dynamic of max being the outspoken, irrational, animated, “bad” boy who conflicts with almost everyone in his life EXCEPT the calm-natured, level-headed, fly-under-the-radar guy would bring a life to queer male relationships that we don’t usually see. having aki be able calm max down but keep his hidden, more intimate personality thats still him, just more real. and then max being able to help aki see himself in a more confident light (we got a glimpse of this in 1x01 in the closet scene).

2. the way the show dealt with the aki x max and max x audrey situation

when we were told that audrey and max hooked up, it was TOLD not shown. in opposed to max and aki’s intimate moments, for which we have physically seen every single one of them. of course we saw the looks between max and audrey, and the hand on the knee thing but that also involved aki (actually even more so aki because audrey took max’s hand off of her thigh but aki didnt stop max at all, just let his hand sit there).

3. intimacy v sex appeal

there is something to say for sure about the fact that they have shown on-cam physical non-sexual interactions between max and aki and none between audrey and max. think: aki grabbing max’s jaw in 1x01 and the stare between them, the dress up/closet scene (closet also holding metaphorical value for aki’s sexuality), the thigh grab. even the non-physical intimacy, like aki taking a more confident and powerful position than is his norm and sticking up for max and his awful teacher relationship.

the interactions between max and audrey have been either entirely friendly or sexual, nothing intimate (especially since we didnt even see their sex scene or anything leading up to it)

4. stop looking for a chuck x blair replacement

while i love the first gossip girl, it was entirely straight, white, and completely lacking diversity. trying to take our current group of POCs and queer people and applying them to the straight, boring couples is doing a disservice to the diversity of the current characters. if you wanted to fit the characters into the molds, then blair would be monet and chuck would be max, but they definitely aren't getting together anytime soon.

random other thoughts/notes:

-having max being apart of aki’s identity relevation is super powerful, and i think touching on that would be awesome to see the show do (partially, because i still remember the girl who made me realize i was gay wayyyy back in the day, and i hold alot of happiness when i think of her and i hope aki can have that with max even if they arent endgame)

-THIS IS IMPORTANT: while having a pansexual character like max is amazing (like so amazing, pan representation is so important) and also having possibly bisexual aki is, im so scared that both of them will end up with women AND BEFORE YOU HATE ME PLEASE HEAR ME OUT!!!!!!! often show writes will think that just having their character be labeled bi or pan etc.. is enough and just check off the queer representation box and move on.. and then stick the characters in a straight relationship. i just really yearn for some representation for those who are in gay relationship to see their pan/bi/omni/queer identify still being represented.

-this is by no means saying i dont want drama or the poly relationship to happen. i dont think max is in a space for a monogamous relationship, he still wants to live his youth and sexual prowess. i just want some drama, possibly aki finding his footing in the queer community, some audrey/max drama, some audrey/aki drama, i want breakups, heartbreaks, relationships etcc... but i would love to see a pan man/bi man relationship because i feel like that relationship type, even within the queer community, is unexplored in media.

this was all too long and i apologize but i couldn't sleep without getting these thoughts out of my head (i have wayyy more about this show, especially them brushing off monet and her queerness and the issue with teen tv and queer women but thats a post for another day)

idk if anyone cares but yeah, im a gossip girl 2.0 stan and a aki/max stan.. thanks for listening and sorry for spelling/grammar errors, it 1 am.

[austennerdita2533]

I know you don't really ship Logan/Rory though it makes me really happy that you don't hate them either! I just feel like so many Taylor songs apply really well to them: Champagne Problems, Mine ("a careless man's careful daughter" is so Rory!), Starlight, Gold Rush, I Bet You Think About Me (like in the context of Logan being with the well-bred heiress Odette and the Huntzberger parents looking down on Rory as lower class even though she's in the DAR and her grandparents are multi-millionaires and she's a freaking debutante and don't get me started on the way this show sloppily mishandles issues of money and class lol!) I Know Places, Red and probably others! I'm not even a huge Rogan stan, they're more of a low-key OTP for me, but I always felt like Taylor has a surprising amount of songs that could easily fit them. Then again, the beauty of Taylor's songs is that so many of them are so relatable that they could fit many, many different ships :)

Yeah, I wouldn't call myself a Rory/Logan shipper, but I do lowkey like them! They're interesting to watch.

More than that, I can appreciate the depth and complexity of their relationship, the formative impact they have on each other's lives. There's genuine love and affection there. They go through a lot together. I mean, they navigate their first real adult relationship through all its ups, downs, and family interferences; they confront questions about who they are, what they want to be; and they both have to decide on the direction or the shape they want their lives to take in the future.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't root for them at times.

Rory and Logan's relationship is significant, but also tragic, to me in a way, too. What I mean by tragic is that they seem to represent that "love isn't always enough to make it work, to make it last" trope and that's almost as gutting to watch as it is to experience. I relate to that so much because I've been there myself. I know how that feels. It sucks to say goodbye to someone you're in love with, to someone you'd hoped to have a future with, all the while knowing that the directions you're headed in are too different now, you're no longer who you once were, and what you want or need are things that person can't provide for you anymore. So you have to let them go.

Like--OUCH! That's some seriously scarring emotional hurt! It breaks my heart when I think about it too deeply. 😢

You're right about there being a lot of TSwift-applicable songs for Rory and Logan, though! "champagne problems" and "gold rush" are the two I attach to them the most, thanks to all the gifsets, but the others you mentioned work as well!

I'd argue "White Horse" could fit, too. Mostly when Rory's up in her feelings about Logan sleeping with all of the bridesmaids. Oh, and "illicit affairs." Perfect for everything that goes down between them in the revival. "happiness" is full of angst/nostalgia that'd pair well with what I described above, particularly the "there'll be happiness after you/ but there was happiness because of you too/ both of these things can be true."

"Midnight Rain" could be a good Rory/Logan song, too. "He wanted it comfortable/ I wanted that pain/ He wanted a bride/ I was making my own name."

[super-freq]

Stompbox Studies - Class 1

Want to build your own effects pedals? A good place to start is understanding how transistors work. Transistors are those three legged devices seen populating many stompbox circuits.

Transistors are are a core building block in electronics. Integrated circuits, like op-amps, are made up of many transistors! Transistors are used in all of the circuits you’ve probably played or heard on recordings: Rangemaster, Fuzz Face, Tonebender, Big Muff, Tube Screamer, and too many more to list here.

The goal of this series of blog posts will be to present concepts you can use to understand how guitar effects pedals work, apply these ideas to debug, and make your own pedals.

Why I am I doing this? I have been building Stompboxes as a hobby for years now and want to build a deeper understanding of the electronic concepts underneath it all. I have been building pedals for years but it has always been sort of paint by numbers. I had some friends get into the hobby recently and they had lots of questions. Here are the answers I could come up with.

This class will be broken into three parts: a discussion in this blog post, a lab where your goal is to build the Dallas Rangemaster, and a reading assignment and study guide.

Discussion: Dallas Rangemaster

The Dallas Rangemaster is classic guitar pedal. Created by Dallas Muscial Ltd. in the 1960s. With a name like “Dallas” you’d think they were from Texas but in fact the company was located in London England!

The Rangemaster is a booster. Basically it’s a single transistor amplifier that filters the lower frequencies. It takes your guitar signal and shapes it and amplifies it.

Original Dallas Rangemaster

DIY Rangemaster

The Rangemaster was used by so almost every guitar player you can think of from the 60s. Here’s a short list of notables:

Eric Clapton

Tony Iommi

Marc Bolan

Rory Gallagher

… too many more to list

Many more used other pedals similar to or derivatives of the Rangemaster. Many companies sell boosters that are direct copies of the Rangemaster or are built from a single transistor like the Rangemaster for the same purpose. It’s definitely a pedal worth study.

Zvex Super Hard On

Electro Harmonix LB1

Hornby Skewes Treble Booster

Brian May Treble Booster

… and the list goes on

The Rangemaster circuit represents a basic building block that can be used in many guitar pedals. Understanding this circuit is a gateway to explaining how lots of classic effects work. It’s also a building block you can apply to effects of your own invention.

The circuit

Electronic circuits are expressed with schematics that have their own symbols. This is similar to the way music is expressed in notation or way a roadmap may be drawn.

Usually we give each part a number and a value. The lines represent an electrical connection between parts. Here is a list of the part numbers and values for the Rangemaster.

PartValueR1470KR268KR33K9C10.005µC20.01µC347µPOT1A10KQ1PNP

Rangemaster Parts

The parts here are four types: Resistors, Capacitors, Potentiometers, and transistors. lets look at each of these.

Resistors

Resistors are all listed with the prefix R in the parts list. There are three resistors R1, R2, and R3. Resistors impede the flow of electrons. We can use resistors to limit how much current is at any point in the circuit.

POT1 is a potentiometer, which is an adjustable resistor. Use a “pot” when you need a variable amount of voltage or current at a point in your circuit. For example a pot is often used as a volume control.

Capacitors

Capacitors are like little electrical reservoirs. They act as a gap that DC can’t pass but they allow and AC signal to pass! Capacitors used in the Rangemaster are C1, C2, and C3.

Capacitors are used to affect how audio is passed through your circuits. Capacitors are used to create filters and control the frequency of AC.

Some capacitors are polarized! One leg is marked with a + and that leg should go to the more electrically positive side of the circuit with the other leg going to the more electrically negative side of the circuit. Notice C3 has a + on the bottom that connects to the +9V in the schematic.

The transistor

In the original Rangemaster the transistor was OC44 or OC71. This was a germanium transistor. Transistors come a few varieties. Two of the most common are PNP and NPN. The OC44 is a PNP transistor.

You can build Rangemaster type circuits with almost any transistor. This is great because the OC44 and OC71 are hard to get and expensive these days. Some common transistors that would work as replacements are: 2N3906 or 2N5087. These are silicon transistors rather than germanium.

Typical transistors

The symbol for PNP and NPN transistors look like this. These are almost the same. Note the arrow! You can remember which is which with this: NPN = Not Pointing iN, PNP = Pointing iN.

PNP and NPN Transistors

The original Rangemaster was built with a PNP transistor. You could also build a Rangemaster type circuit with a NPN transistor. Some common part numbers for NPN transistors are 2N3904 and 2N5089.

NPN Rangemaster

Notice the changes to the circuit. (1) the transistor Q1 is NPN. (2) the +9v and -9v are swapped. This is where your battery would connect. (3) the capacitor C3 has been flipped around so that the + terminal is pointing towards the more positive side of the circuit and it’s other terminal connects to the -9v the more negative side of the circuit.

OHMs Law

OHMs law is a basic principle of electronics. OHMs law determines the flow of electrons through a circuit. If you thought of electrons like cars and the circuit diagrams above like a roadmap OHMs law could be used to predict the flow of traffic!

OHMS has three ideas:

Voltage (abbreviated E) is the electromotive force (measured in Volts, millivolts, and microvolts)

Current (abbreviated I) is the number of electrons in the flow of “traffic” (measured in amps, milliamps, and microamps)

Resistance (abbreviated R) is the opposition to the flow of electrons (measured in OHMs)

We can use math to calculate the flow of electrons through our circuit. Use the diagram above to help you remember the formulas.

E = I * R (find the voltage from the current and resistance)

I = E / R (find the current from voltage and resistance)

R = E / I (find the resistance from voltage and current)

The numbers you use need to be in the same realm. If you are working with Volts (E) then Current (I) needs to be amps. If you have voltage in millivolts then current needs to milliamps. If the units are mixed you can multiply or divide by 1000.

Volts VAmps AMillivolts mV (V / 1000)Milliamps mA (A / 1000)Microvolts µV (mV / 1000)Microamps µA (mA / 1000)

What does this mean? Take a look at the images below. You can use OHMs law to calculate the current and voltage.

In the first image we have 9 volts going through R8 which has a resistances of 2000 ohms (or 2K ohms). Whats the current? Using OHMs law we can figure it out!

I = E / R

I = 9 / 2000

0.0045 Amps or 4.5 milliamps or 4500 microamps

What about the second image. Image we don’t know the voltage but we do know we have 2 milliamps going through 1000 ohms resistance.

E = I * R

E = 0.002 * 1000 (Notice I converted milliamps to amps)

2v = 0.002 * 1000

Voltage Divider

Traffic moving down a road divides when it reaches an intersection some traffic will go one direction and some traffic will take the other route. The same is true of electrons moving through a circuit. If you were watching the road from a helicopter you’d see more traffic take the larger roads and less traffic take the narrow roadways. Think of the size of roads as resistors. Larger roads have less resistance and narrow winding roads create more resistance that slows traffic.

Look at the first example. There is 9 volts going through R1 and R2. What is the voltage at the intersection ?1. You can solve this if you understand voltage dividers. The formula is:

?1 = 9V * ( R2 / (R1 + R2))

?1 = 9V * ( 1K / (1K + 1K))

?1 = 9V * 1000 / (1000 + 1000)

?1 = 9V * 1000 / 2000

?1 = 9V * 0.5

?1 = 4.5V

Here I walked through the steps to solve the problem. Notice I converted 1K to 1000 ohms. Then finished up from there.

The formula is: V * R2 / (R1 + R2)

The shortcut here is if both resistors are the same value then voltage is divided in half. This would be true for any values for R1 and R2. Try it yourself. Imagine R1 and R2 are 10K. Then try R1 and R2 at 47K and 100K.

What happens when the values are not equal? What’s the voltage at the intersection: ?2.

?2 = 9V * 100K / (100K + 20K)

?2 = 9V * 20K / 120K

?2 = 9V * 20,000 / 120,000

1.5V = 9V * 0.166

Solve number 3 on your own!

To solve ?4 we have to know that resistors in series are added together. That means that we have a total resistance of 16.7K. To solve ?4:

?4 = 9V * (10K + 4.7K) / (2K + 4.7K + 10K)

?4 = 9V * 14.7K / 16.7K

?4 = 9V * 0.88

?4 = 7.92

Solve ?5 on your own…

With this knowledge you can start examining the Rangemaster circuit. Notice R1 and R2 for a voltage divider!

POT1 is also a voltage divider. Let’s take a moment to look at potentiometers.

Potentiometers

These are adjustable resistors. You’ll use potentiometers or “pots” when your circuits need to be able to adjust the resistance at a point in the circuit. A pot has three legs. Imagine the center leg is located between two resistors. The resistances change as you turn the pot!

We draw the pot like the image on the left. Internally it acts like the images on the right.

Imagine we have a 10K pot. With the knob in the center the resistance is divided equally with 5K on the top and 5K on the bottom. This is a voltage divider! In this case you would see have the input voltage at the center leg!

If you rotated the pot clockwise the resistor on the top (R3) might be 0 ohms and the all of the resistance 10K might appear at the bottom.

If we went counter clockwise it would be reversed.

If you rotated the almost to the end you might have 2K resistance at the top and 8K at the bottom. Imagine there was 9V at the top, use the voltage divider to calculate the voltage at the center.

Transistors modeled as a current controlled resistor

With these ideas we can now look at the transistor, which is the heart of the Rangemaster. The Rangemaster is an amplifier. It takes a small audio input and produces a louder audio output. The transistor is used to amplify the signal.

A transistor has three legs. For NPN and PNP transistors the legs are called: Emitter, Base, and Collector. The Emitter is leg with the arrow. The Base is in the middle.

To explain how the transistor works we will model it as a current controlled resistor. For this discussion we will use the NPN version of the Rangemaster schematic and the transistor will be NPN.

Take a look at the diagram above. Imagine the transistor drawn on the left is in your Rangemaster circuit. Imagine that inside the device is a resistor. The value of this resistor is controlled by the amount of current present at the base. Outside the transistor the Rangemaster has a 10K resistor (POT1) at the collector and a 3K9 resistor at the emitter.

With no current applied to the base there is so much resistance you can image that there is no connection at all. We would see about 9V at the collector.

When a small amount of current is applied to the base the resistance between the collector and emitter starts to decrease. Imagine the collector/emitter path is now showing 100K resistance. Now we have a voltage divider! You could use the formula above to calculate the voltage at the collector!

With more current applied to the base the C/E path might go down to 10K resistance. Using the voltage divider formula the voltage present at the collector goes down as more of the electron traffic goes through the 3K9 resistor.

With a lot of current at the base the C/E path might go as low as 100 ohms and the voltage at the collector would go even lower!

Did you notice when the current at the base goes up the voltage at the collector goes down. And conversely, when the current at the base is low the voltage at the collector goes up. A transistor amplifies because it allows out circuit to turn small changes in current to larger swings in voltage.

Notice the diagram above. When the current is high the voltage is low! This is an inverting amplifier. The signal at the output will be a mirror or opposite of the input signal.

Biasing the Transistor

There is a little more needed to make this work. Imagine the incoming signal might swing between +1v and -1v. When the input is above 0V the transistor starts working. When it’s 0V or less the CE path is closed off.

Look at the diagram above. The signal going in is a sine wave but the signal coming out is getting chopped. This would cause some distortion! In this case it probably wouldn’t sound too good. It also explains why your transistor circuits sometimes don’t sound right!

To make the amplifier work we need to bias the transistor so with no input the output settles at a point somewhere between the extremes.

Take a look at the diagram above. Here I’ve added R1 and R2 from the original schematic. These provide an amount of current to the base so that it sits around 7V. With this arrangement positive input pushes more current to the base opening the CE path and lowering the output. When the input signal is negative this pulls current from the base which increases the resistance of the CE path and the voltage at the output goes up.

Biasing is the term that describes applying a DC current to the base of a transistor such that it is it near the middle of it’s range. It needs bias so the output can go up and down from the bias point.

All 4 of the resistors play a part of the amplifier. R1 (470K) and R2 (68K) provide the current to bias the transistor. POT1 (10K) and R3 (3K9) also determine where the bias should be since the lowest voltage output is determined by the voltage divider created by these two resistances. Imagine the CE path had 0 ohms resistance.

? = 9V * 3.9 / (10 + 3.9)

? = 9V * 3.9 / 13.9

2.5 = 9V * 0.28

This concludes the discussion of the Rangemaster. From here the goal is to build your own! Along the way think of this discussion.

Building the Rangemaster

For this part of the lesson it’s up to you to figure out which build method and which circuit you want to build.

There are several approaches you can take to building the Rangemaster:

Kit

PCB

Strip/Vero-board

Perf-board

Terminal strip

Solderless Breadboard

Kit

Buying a kit will cost more but you’ll get everything you need in one package!

https://www.distortionltd.com/diy-kits/diy-kit-rangemaster

https://www.ebay.com/p/1572955451

https://puzzlesounds.com/store/rangemaster-treble-booster-kit/

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/effects-projects/boosters/rangemaster/

PCB

A PCB makes for an easier neat clean build but you’ll have to source parts yourself.

https://www.taydaelectronics.com/rangemaster-diy-pcb-guitar-effect.html

https://rullywow.com/product/serpentboost2/

https://puzzlesounds.com/store/rangemaster-treble-booster-pcb/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203154217735

Strip/vero board

This is perforated boards with strips of copper. Use it for prototyping.

https://paulinthelab.blogspot.com/2014/04/rangemaster-treble-booster-stripboard.html

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2014/02/dallas-rangemaster-pnp-negative-ground.html

https://www.sabrotone.com/request-dallas-rangemaster/

Perfboard

Like vero board but has one pad per hole.

http://effectslayouts.blogspot.com/2014/11/range-blaster.html

http://diy-fever.com/effects/dallas-rangemaster/

Terminal Strip

The original Rangemaster was assembled on a terminal strip. This is for the artists and historians.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/diy-rangemasters-opinions.379310/

http://turretboard.knucklehead.dk/2011/02/28/terminal-npn-rangemaster-with-mods/

Solderless bread board

Use a solder less bread to experiment with the design.

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BreadboardRMs/BreadboardRMs.htm

Study guide

Here is some reading material to follow up the discussion above.

This guide to Breadboarding the Rangemaster at Small Bear Electronics is a great guide to circuit.

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BreadboardRMs/BreadboardRMs.htm

Stompboxology was a news letter put out in the early days of DIY when the internet was young. It never caught on and it and it’s creator mysteriously vanished. That said I found this issue to contain one of the best discussions of transistors for stompbox usage I have read. It also contains a discussion of core concepts for electrical engineering that you will need to know to build effects pedals.

http://moosapotamus.net/files/stompboxology-going-discrete.pdf

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the Rangemaster. Most of it is over my head but it’s still good reading.

https://www.electrosmash.com/dallas-rangemaster

Stompbox Studies – Class 1 was originally published on Super-Freq

[mbtimes]

How Would an ISFJxESFP couple work?

ESFP would likely be the one who asked out the ISFJ, they would probably host a lot of parties or get-togethers. The ESFP would want to try a bunch of new things and would be the more energetic one of the two, depending on the ESFPs love language they would give the ISFJ a lot of it. As for the ISFJ they would help give the ESFP some structure, would be more willing to let the ESFP take the reigns, and at times it would almost feel like the ISFJ was organizing the ESFPs chaos because in a way they would be. The ESFP would bring the ISFJ to try new things, and the ISFJ would help the ESFP slow down a little.

Some couples that represent this relationship are Homer and Marge Simpson, and Gwen and Arthur from BBCs Merlin.

some ESFP characters are: Jack Harkness, Joey Tribbiani, Pippin, Buzz Lightyear, and Finn the Human

some ISFJ characters are: Sam Gamgee, Duchess from the Aristocats, Dr. John Watson, Rory Williams from Dr. Who, Trinity from Matrix, Pumba, and Lady Ranicorn.

[rockislandadultreads]

April 23, 2021: Day of Silence: book recommendations

Day of Silence is GLSEN's annual day of action to spread awareness about the effects of the bullying and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning students. In the United States, students take a day-long vow of silence to symbolically represent the silencing of LGBTQ students. Know you’re not alone, and the library is a welcoming place filled with all sorts of educational titles, resources, and stories like the 4 listed here. For more information, please visit GLSEN’s website here.

The Pride Guide: A Guide to Sexual and Social Health for LGBTQ Youth by Jo Langford

Sex education materials meant to explain important basics to kids are too-often not written with an empathic understanding of what those basics are. This is particularly obvious regarding books that include LGBTQ identities. Even when they do hit the mark, many have a limited scope and don't take into account the practical realities of developing sexuality. The Pride Guide is written explicitly for the almost ten percent of teenagers who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, or any of the unique identities that are not heterosexual/ cisgendered. It explores sex, dating, relationships, puberty, and both physical and online safety in one resource. The issue, today, is not whether or not queer youth will get sex education. The issue is how and where they will gather information and whether or not the information they gather with be applicable, unreliable, or exploitative. Equipping teens and their families with knowledge and self-confidence, this work provides the best protection against the unfortunate consequences that sometimes accompany growing up with an alternative gender or identity. With real-world information presented in a factual and humorous way, responsible adults can teach queer youth to (and how to) protect themselves, to find resources, to explore who they are, and to interact with the world around them while being true to themselves and respectful of others. Written with these issues in mind, The Pride Guide covers universal topics that apply to everyone, such as values clarification, digital citizenship, responsibility, information regarding abstinence as well as indulgence, and an understanding of the consequences and results of both action and inaction. For LGBTQ youth, this is a resource containing information on the unique issues queer youth face regarding what puberty looks like (particularly for trans youth), dating skills and violence, activism, personal safety, and above all, pride. Parents and other supportive adults who are motivated to educate themselves and who are interested in gaining some tools and skills around making these necessary conversations less uncomfortable and more effective will benefit from this book. The go-to resource for making informed decisions, The Pride Guide is indispensable for teens, parents, educators, and others hoping to support the safe journey of LGBTQ teens on their journey of discovery.

Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager

World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—and you’ve never heard of many of them. Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah. But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity. It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.

Weird Girl and What's His Name by Meagan Brothers

In the tiny podunk town of Hawthorne, North Carolina, seventeen-year-old geeks Lula and Rory share everything—sci-fi and fantasy fandom, Friday night binge-watching of old X-Files episodes, and that feeling that they don’t quite fit in. Lula knows she and Rory have no secrets from each other; after all, he came out to her years ago, and she’s shared with him her “sacred texts”—the acting books her mother left behind after she walked out of Lula’s life. But then Lula discovers that Rory—her Rory, who maybe she’s secretly had feelings for—has not only tried out for the Hawthorne football team without telling her, but has also been having an affair with his middle-aged divorcee boss. With their friendship disrupted, Lula begins to question her identity and her own sexual orientation, and she runs away in the middle of the night on a journey to find her mother, who she hopes will have all the answers. Meagan Brother’s piercing prose in this fresh LGBT YA novel speaks to anyone who has ever felt unwanted and alone, and who struggles to find their place in an isolating world.

[jostenneil]

hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to recommend all those small town books and adding your thoughts and descriptions of them! It helps so much. I’m adding them to my list, I’m so excited! Also, if it’s no trouble, can you also recommend me dramas or tv shows with this narrative? I’ve been wanting a new show to watch :D

SOOO as i am sure you've seen over the course of the past few days,

hometown cha cha cha - a new gem that is absolutely fantastic to me. it's about a dentist who loses her job and takes a trip to a seaside city for some perspective, only to end up moving there and set up a dental clinic in semblance of a fresh start. the problem is that she's a city girl, and this isn't the city. there's a lot of preconceived notions that she has about the people in town, as do they about her, and so far the show has been a slow and steady practice in the kindness and patience we learn to emulate when meeting new people and understanding that they are as troubled and hopeful in their own lives as we are. also, the romance thus far is positively swoonworthy. i went into an emotional crisis last night over it

into the ring - another kdrama fave that i was positively obsessed with last year. it centers on the politics of a small town, and how a girl who is notorious for making (rightful) complaints to city hall ends up running as a district representative. initially this is only something she does bc she's in desperate need of money, but the mc has so much inherent love for her town that she ends up being a pretty proactive representative anyway. her relationship with one of the people who fields complaint calls at city hall is also a focus, and it's one of the most tenderly developed romances i've seen in a long time. there's just a lot of care and attention to detail in the show that makes your wholehearted investment worth it. every character brings something unique to the table

anne with an e - obviously if i was going to rec the book series then i was going to rec the show as well lol! if we are going to be completely technical then admittedly i do think the sullivan movies have the best portrayals of anne and gilbert as well as the best depiction of their romance (esp in the sense of accuracy, the third movie aside), but the more recent show i think does a better job of staying true to the books' nature of investing in a full cast. it really captures that homey, small town feel that i so love, and i think it expands on the cast in ways that other adaptations haven't really cared to

gilmore girls - admittedly i don't know that i need to include this bc i think everyone knows this is the go-to small town show. but nonetheless. there is a lot about the show that has aged poorly over the years (namely how enjoyable rory is as a character, which is. . . very little unfortunately as seasons go by) but i still think it possesses a lot of small town charm, esp in its comedy. the way everyone's lives just seamlessly interweave in stars hollow is both incredibly real but also ridiculously funny bc sometimes overlaps in episode plot points are so obscure as to be bizarre. i genuinely think it's a really enjoyable show up through the fourth season (the affair plot point aside)

sweet magnolias - this is a new show that started airing last year but oh my god! the level of invested i was as i watched it was so crazy. the plot touches on a lot of different characters but it centers itself in the friendship between three women who are each dealing with their own struggles and decide to open a spa together as a sort of healing project. the character arcs aren't particularly unique but everyone is nonetheless so endearing and i really appreciate how almost every character is human. like i think a lot of shows with teens can tend to make them out as unforgivable esp bc it's so common for adults to portray them these days, but the teens in this show are actually teens, and i like that they're given opportunities to grow and change in spite of mistakes they may make. i rly value those kind of narratives and overall the atmosphere of the show was just very healing. also heather headley is so damn pretty i was completely enamored with her the whole season

everwood - little to no one has heard of this show likely bc it started airing at around the same time as the oc and one tree hill and i mean. obv it was going to be overlooked in comparison. but personally i love it a lot! the initial plot's about this kid ephram who's just lost his mom and moves to colorado with his dad and sister. his dad worked a lot before his mom's death and as such ephram doesn't really have much of a relationship with him, so rebuilding that is a huge focus. there's also amy, aka the girl ephram likes, who's dealing with some trauma of her own bc her brother landed her boyfriend in a coma. there's a lot of baggage in this show re: death and i think there's a sadness that really permeates the atmosphere, but not in a way that's disconcerting per se. it's just real. it gets down to the ugliness and loneliness of trauma, esp wrt the teen characters, and i really appreciate that. the only major flaw is there's a plot point where ephram dates his college babysitter who is in college and gets her pregnant although his dad scares her off so he never finds out. but we ignore that

friday night lights - as someone who was in marching band and could still not for the life of me tell you what is what in football, this show is so damn good. it's about a rural texas town exclusively driven by its football team, except this year, the first game starts off with the star player being paralyzed from the waste down, putting a number of different people on the spot: the star player's girlfriend, his best friend, the new head coach, the runner-up qb who has never actually played a real game. i think anyone who watches the show ends up watching it for a specific character or dynamic but at the core it's just about the like. inherent goodness of people. like some of these people make mistakes due to pressure or grief but most of them are irrevocably human and that's what drives the show forward, as do the unlikely but endearing relationships formed between various people in the town. my personal favorite dynamic is between tim and lyla, who are in a bit of a unique place as the best friend and boyfriend of the injured star player

i hope you enjoy! let me know if you try any of them hehe

[anxiouspotatorants]

I feel like the "who is Christopher" argument has become so torn down mainly because of ASP's main intention for Rory to mirror her mother's life and trajectory, only in a different way, and because a lot of Logan fans just don't want to accept the fact that the character they proclaim to have been Rory's most perfect boyfriend is actually not only imperfect, but a deliberate parallel to the man who wasn't interested in being a present parent for Rory even when he could've been as an adult. This along with the fact that Rory will now apparently have their kid and likely raise it herself, given the ending of AYITL, is likely just having them be faced almost forcefully with the fact that this character isn't actually what they want him to be, hence the incoming "but Rory isn't Lorelai!/Jess is her Christopher!" arguments, or even the ridiculous "Rogan is actually Emily/Richard!" one. If we were to even try and fit all the comparisons to these obviously they would fail, since Rory isn't a complete carbon copy of Lorelai and comparing Jess to Christopher is ridiculous because Christopher never really left Lorelai, he offered to marry her at 16, she rejected, and he took to thinking that now he apparently has no obligation in developing any sort of lasting bond with Rory that goes beyond her being connected to Lorelai. But the archetypes for Logan and Christopher are pretty distinct and obvious, which is why ASP even created the character in the first place.

And personally I don't agree with her plan or with the logic that Rory's life somehow has to mirror Lorelai's in the form of a sudden pregnancy while being at crossroads in her life, mainly because as we saw in the revival, it just doesn't work properly, since what we got was filled with numerous plotholes and loose ends than tied up ones. But the Christopher/Logan comparison has been one that she's stuck to ever since she created the character, and it's one that pretty much takes up a majority of his writing and screentime, even if I were to take season 7 into consideration. Conversations like the one you had in your post about how characters can be a combination of characteristics from others, like in the case of Rory and Jess, are actually very interesting, but in most cases rogan fans just take to yelling about whichever parallel is more appropriate for them to argue that actually their ship is endgame. It's either Jess is Christopher or their ship is Emily/Richard or "Rory is not Lorelai so it's worthless if Jess is her Luke". Like the last one in particular makes no sense in terms of wording, but I digress. Main point being, you can easily argue that there is more to a character that you like than the archetype that the writer built him off of without coming up with even more ludicrous "parallels" that make no sense and are never shown in the narrative. Discussions like how Jess and Lorelai are similar is actually pretty interesting because it might not necessarily be a parallel that is intended in the narrative, but it's a product from the same writer who loves these characters, and they're both tied to Rory in their own ways. Whereas comparing ships that generally have no sort of connection whatsoever (particularly when it comes to rogan and luke/lorelai) just for the sake of arguing that one is automatically better just falls flat, in my opinion. Of course the same can be said for jess and rory being compared to the latter but at least those both have their own interesting parallels. This obviously doesn't mean that Jess is bound to be Rory's Luke and behave the exact same way Luke did with Lorelai, but Jess doesn't have to do everything Luke did in order to become a closer friend and supporter to Rory, either.

Oh this is a really good reflection and clarification! For me, even though I know that ASP intended for GG to be a sort of cyclical story where Rory ends up becoming like her mother, I really don’t lile that kind of «bound to repeat the past»-trope. I do understand, acknowledge and even like all the parallells I see, but like you said, the «who is Christopher»-discussion and all the ones like it kind of cheapen the story. I currently ship Rory with Jess — I say currently because it hasn’t always been the case. As a kid I was only exposed to pre- and post-Jess episodes and I shipped her with Logan because he was the first love interest I saw. That’s not to say that I think R/ogan is a lesser ship, but rather that I grew up, learned English and saw the show with new eyes that just so happened to prefer her and Jess.

Now from that context one would assume that I like the «Logan is Christopher and Jess is Luke» concept, but I seriously don’t. It might just be personal taste, but I feel like that concept cheapens the story and relationship between Rory and Jess. He’s not the better fit for her because he’s «a Luke». He’s the better fit (in my opinion) because he’s Jess. And she’s Rory. And (again, in my opinion) they understand each other in ways no one else does and bring out the best (and often most truthful) versions of themselves in each other. So for some meta-prophecy to tie them to each other rather than what they have as individual unique characters, or for the debunking of said prophecy to discredit the relationship already written for them, is kind of pointless and a little bit disappointing. If Logan is the better boyfriend, it shouldn’t be because he represents her grandparents’ world (look I’m sorry I love Emily and Richard but being rich and sassy does not make you better than anyone else, nor better for Rory), but because he would understand and love her as she is in her entirety — and vice versa. If R/ogan shippers feel that way then great! If they’re more obsessed with discrediting Jess through a meta-prophecy that my literati-shipping ass doesn’t even like, then too bad for them.

Also controversial sidenote: while I am in no way opposed to a «single mother Rory»-plotline, I would actually kind of like to see a potential revival of the revival start with her choosing to have an abortion. I know that could be a very unpopular opinion, and I genuinely have no problem with people disagreeing with me, it’s just what I feel. Rory choosing an abortion could not only break the meta-prophecy but also create a unique plotline that can both bring in new intrigue and prove itself to still have parallells to the past. Also I really would like for Lorelai to be supportive of Rory’s choice — even if her choice is to terminate a pregnancy.

[literatigifs]

Anonymous asked: Unpopular opinion but I really hate in 6x18 when Jess says "you said everything was fixed... you came to Philly alone" I don't think either of those things are her flashing a green light I'm single, especially when the invitation was delivered to the apartment she lives with Logan in. The idea that those things are Rory leading Jess on just feels so misogynistic to me? She doesn't owe him anything and I think the fandom sometimes acts like she does

Yeah, I actually agree with you on this one. Part of the reason why I think that Rory genuinely just wanted to go and see him and Truncheon is because Jess never outright asks if she's single now or not, and yeah, Rory didn't mention Logan and she probably should have, considering her and Jess's track record with unexpected visits, but Jess also never asks? I don't necessarily think that he expected her to come with Logan if they were together, since the last time he saw Logan, they got into an argument, so I'm pretty sure that neither Rory or Jess would want to be subjected to that. But I do think that his point about coming alone to Philadelphia is that she took a longer trip to see him while she was in a relationship with someone else, and even though they're of course friends, the way the trip ended was less than ideal for both of them. Either way though, you're definitely right that those weren't signals that Rory was single, and I think that Jess took a risk of his own kissing her in 6x18, even if she also kissed him back.

But one thing I can also note on in that episode is that even after Jess says that he doesn't deserve being treated like this by Rory, which I don't think it's him saying she "led him on" so much as not really being honest with him about her still being with Logan, to which she obviously agrees with, it's still significant that he says he's not sorry that she came here. Of course their meeting didn't end well, but I think that Jess's "It's what it is." line meant that even when them meeting like this ends badly, which has become a bit of a recurring thing for them, he still accepts it and isn't sorry that she came to see him. I often view it as him basically 'forgiving' her for coming to see him, in the sense that he's probably always going to accept any visit from her, even if it leads to this. It's why I'm always weirded out by people hating on Rory for visiting him this episode or even saying things like "she doesn't deserve him!" when pretty much all of Jess's actions, especially in this episode, make it clear that he would still and always want Rory in his life, even if they can't be together. The issue with a lot of fans of this show is that they sometimes place a lot of attention to Rory's boyfriends than to Rory herself, and even ones that proclaim they love her have no problem blaming her or even faulting her for being badly written in the revival, since she "isn't good enough for Jess now". I've seen this similar kind of attitude from r*gan shippers as well, to the point where some even consider Rory to be some villain in not giving L*gan a reason to leave Odette, as if Logan isn't a 32 year old man who should be more than capable of leading his own independent life? There's always going to be misogyny in fandom spaces because even if it's populated by women, almost all have zero issue with placing more emphasis and love and attention towards male characters than female ones, and since this is a show centered more around women, this often comes to the detriment of Rory. It's also something that I'm never going to understand because if you really love and respect Jess as a character, and not just for what he represents to you, you'd also respect his choice in not being sorry that she came to see him and 'forgiving' her, in a way. Jess is always going to love her even if they're not together, and by the end of it it's made clear that he doesn't outright expect them to be together in order to continue being in each other's lives. The revival even further made this clear, since they reconnect as old friends. Jess loves Rory throughout his entire screentime, so any dumb arguments like "he deserves better" or "he should find someone more like him" are just null-void to me because I simply can't ever imagine him wanting to be in something definite with someone else. And like, I don't think that Jess remained celibate or whatever strictly for Rory, he obviously doesn't have his life put on hold for her. But to me, it's obvious that he's always going to care for her, regardless of where she is in her life or what she does, and that to me is partly what makes their relationship my favorite one.

[longitudinalwaveme]

Arkham Files: The Flash (Wally West)

Hugo Strange: From the patient files of Dr. Hugo Strange, director of Arkham Asylum. Patient: Wallace “Wally” West, also known as the Flash. Session One. So, Mr. West, how are you? 

Wally: Let’s go over the situation I’m in, shall we? My wife and I visit your creepy, Gothic asylum-perfectly legally, by the way- to make sure that Bruce Wayne is okay, and you get us arrested on bogus charges of trespassing. Then you pull strings to get me stuck in Arkham Asylum while I’m awaiting trial, and now you’re trying to have me declared legally insane so that you can lock me up in here for good. How the heck do you THINK I’m feeling? 

Hugo Strange: Your hostility is unnecessary, Mr. West. I am trying to help you. 

Wally: If this is your definition of ‘helping’ me, I’d hate to see what you do to people you want to hurt. Seriously, did you go to the Zoom Academy of Making Things “Beeetttteerrrr”? 

Hugo Strange: I am nothing like Mr. Zolomon, Mr. West. 

Wally: I’ll say you’re not. Hunter...he’s sick. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. But you? What’s your excuse? 

Hugo Strange: I do not need an excuse, Mr. West. You may not realize it yet, but you-and all the other costumed vigilantes-are doing more harm than good. 

Wally: What do you mean, more harm than good? I’ve had my powers since I was ten years old, and since then I’ve done my best to hold to the promise that I made to Uncle Barry: to use my speed only to help those in need, to combat evil-and never for my own personal gain. I haven’t been perfect at it-I’m not as selfless as Uncle Barry, and I’ve got quite a temper-but I’ve tried. I’ve really, really tried. 

Hugo Strange: Let’s talk about your Uncle Barry, shall we, Mr. West? 

Wally: Why? So you can twist my words and use them to make him out to be some sort of misguided lunatic? Not gonna happen. 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, I assure you I bear no ill will towards Mr. Allen. Obviously, you bear a great deal of affection for him. I simply wish to know why that is. 

Wally: Because he’s a hero! He’s brave and loyal and honest and kind and good. He cares about everybody. He uses his powers to protect the weak and help the poor and defend the helpless. He became friends with Albert Desmond when nobody else would’ve given him a chance and got him his job at S.T.A.R. Labs, and he’s tried to help Mick Rory get the treatment he needs for his pyromania, too. He’s raised billions of dollars for charities, and he’s helped to save the world more times than I can count. (Pause) And he does all that while also working for justice as a police scientist! 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, the exploits of Mr. Allen are well-known. I was asking you why you, in particular, are so fond of him. 

Wally: Well, he did marry my favorite aunt. (Pause) More importantly, though...as a kid, I really needed a hero, and he….he was my hero. My parents barely knew I was alive, except when I did something that inconvenienced them. When that happened, my dad would call me names or hit me, and my mom would wail and cry and guilt-trip….and then they’d go right back to obsessing over their own problems or arguing with each other. I...I felt like I was all alone, except for Aunt Iris. She was the one person in my family who really seemed interested in me, and she also had this awesome job as a reporter in a big city. She was really cool, but because I lived two hours away from her, I didn’t get to see her very much. (Pause) When Uncle Barry first became the Flash, I didn’t know who he was...but I idolized him. I was his biggest fan! I was even the President of the Blue Valley Flash Fan Club. (Pause, laughs) President and only member. The other kids thought he was cool, but they weren’t as invested in him as I was. To me, he represented freedom. 

Hugo Strange: It sounds as though you were a rather lonely little boy, Mr. West. 

Wally: Yeah, I guess I was. (Pause) That’s why I was so excited when my folks sent me to live with Aunt Iris in Central City during the summer when I was ten. And that’s when I first met Uncle Barry. Like I said, I didn’t know he was the Flash yet, so at first I thought he was...well, honestly? Kind of a dweeb. But then he told me that he knew the Flash and could introduce me to him. I was so excited, I probably could’ve inhaled an entire shoe. Anyway, Uncle Barry used his super speed to change into the Flash and act like he’d been waiting for me to arrive, and that’s when I met the Flash. He was everything I’d dreamed he would be. Even though I had been a little bit of a brat to him as Barry Allen, he treated me with respect; like he was happy to meet me and have me around, and it put me over the moon. Eventually, he started to explain how he’d gotten his powers, and that’s when it happened: lightning struck twice. I was doused in the same chemicals he’d gotten his super speed from, and I gained access to the speed force. It was the best day of my entire life. Besides the day I married Linda, of course. I became his sidekick, and from that point on, he was like a second father to me. He laughed at my stupid jokes, got me ice cream, took me on field trips, played games with me….all the things I dreamed of having my dad do with me. Eventually, he told me his secret identity. It was shortly before he and Aunt Iris got married, and I was ecstatic to learn that my favorite aunt was going to marry my hero. I was the ring bearer at their wedding, and from that point on, Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris basically raised me. They helped me through my parents’ divorce. Uncle Barry taught me how to balance a checkbook and apply for college scholarships; Aunt Iris helped me get my driver’s license and taught me how to really notice when other people were in need. (Pause) If it hadn’t been for them, I...I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. Maybe I’d be one of Captain Cold’s strays right now. 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, let me posit a question to you. If your uncle loved you so much, why did he put you in a costume and allow you to fight dangerous criminals? You became the so-called Kid Flash at ten years old, and by the time you were eleven, you had already faced the Weather Wizard, Captain Cold, and the first Mirror Master-to say nothing of your garden-variety gangsters and thugs. Surely, a responsible adult would have ensured that you stayed far away from such violence...and yet Mr. Allen seemed to almost thrust you towards it. 

Wally: (Annoyed) Thrust me toward it? Are you kidding? If Uncle Barry hadn’t allowed me to be his sidekick, I’d have struck out and done superhero work on my own. I wanted to be just like him, remember? If anything, I thrust him into letting me fight criminals. (Pause) Besides, it wasn’t like he was just letting some random kid fight crime. I had super speed, remember? The chances of my getting shot were virtually nil. And the Rogues have a thing about not hurting kids. I wasn’t in any particular danger, especially not with Uncle Barry watching out for me. 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, you obviously are unaware of this, but your uncle is a very sick man. 

Wally: Have you been listening to anything I said? Uncle Barry is the best man in the world. If that makes him crazy...well, I don’t want to be sane! 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, I understand that this is difficult for you, but you must face reality. Your uncle was a very eccentric, very lonely man. He had few friends; most of his life was absorbed in his work. He always wanted to be someone special, but he knew that slow, lazy Barry Allen was no one important. Like you, he idolized a superhero-in his case, the Mystery Man known as Jay Garrick, and, like you, he wished that he, like his hero, was special. When his metahuman powers were activated by the lightning strike, his mind, already fragile from years of being mocked and looked down upon by his peers, shattered. He decided to use his powers to emulate the hero he had read about and idolized as a child, so that he could finally be special. Eventually, his antics drew the attention of other, even more damaged individuals, thereby indirectly inspiring the debut of all the costumed oddities that both you and your uncle spend so much time playing cops and robbers with. And then he met you. Another lonely little boy who wanted to be special. When you got your powers, he saw a chance to expand his fantasy world; recklessly endangering you. He may have been deluded enough to call you a sidekick, but what you really were was a child soldier. No wonder your life was sent into such a tailspin when he was temporarily lost in the speed force five years ago. Without him around to help maintain the fantasy that he had indoctrinated you into, you were lost, and the only solution you could think of was to take up the role that he had once filled. You are not a hero, Mr. West. You are a sad, deluded child; just as your uncle is a sad, deluded man. But I will see that you get the help you need. 

Wally: (Furious) That’s a load of bunk, and you know it! I don’t know what your game is, Dr. Strange, but you’re not going to get away with dragging my uncle’s name through the mud! 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, your loyalty to your uncle is misguided. He is a dangerous vigilante, one who took advantage of your innocence and loneliness to turn you into yet another costumed freak. What he did to you was wrong, and it is my duty to make sure that you, and the rest of the world, realizes that fact. 

Wally: (Very loudly) Don’t you talk about Uncle Barry that way, you filthy liar! (Stands up rapidly; knocks over the chair he was sitting in) 

Hugo Strange: Mr. West, I would advise you to refrain from such open displays of hostility. Otherwise, I will have to recommend that your children not be allowed to visit you, for the sake of their own mental health. 

Wally: And how do you think it affected their mental health to have their parents locked up on phony charges, huh? 

Hugo Strange: Neither of you were fit guardians for them, Mr. West. I understand that having them separated from you was upsetting, but it is for their own good. You and your wife obviously love them, but you are too ill to properly care for them, and your wife was only enabling your behavior. It was simply not a safe environment for the children, so they have been removed from your home until such time as you have been cured and can properly care for them. Two generations of costumed vigilantes is quite….(Hugo Strange is frozen solid) 

Capt. Cold: And he’s got the nerve to call us crazy. Really, accusin’ you an’ your missus of being bad parents? I seen how you dote on those kids, West. Only a nutjob could think you were unsafe for ‘em. 

Wally: Captain Cold? 

Capt. Cold: The one and only. You ready to bust outta this joint, kid? 

Wally: Are you seriously asking me to help you escape prison? 

Capt. Cold: Sam got Lisa and all the guys out already, and I’ve pretty much already escaped, kid. Just figured I’d be nice and get you outta here, too-before the Doc decides to give you a lobotomy. (Freezes and breaks Wally’s metahuman power dampener) Besides, Central City is furious over what happened to you and your missus. They ain’t exactly gonna expedite you back here. 

Wally: All right...but as soon as Iron Heights gets rebuilt, I’m taking all of you Rogues straight back there. 

Capt. Cold: I wouldn’t have it any other way. (Pause) C’mon, kid. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.

[safflowerseason]

You reblogging Gilmore Girls inspired me to go back and watch and now I'm back in my Jess/Rory feels. Ngl, the way they ended up kind of reminds me of how I felt about Dan and Amy's ending in Veep, and the lack of any real sort of closure or resolution to their storyline, even with the entire revival. I'm interested to know your thoughts on the way their story was handled/wrapped up. (Plus side -- my love for Emily Gilmore was revived again, what an icon).

Hi Anon - thanks so much for writing in. I love hearing from other Veep fans who enjoy the same shows I do ☺️ Your ask caused a mini-storm of Rory/Jess reblogs on my end too, lol. And yes, Emily Gilmore is a fucking icon. A tour de force performance. 

What’s interesting about Gilmore Girls for me is that while I do love it a lot and enjoy talking about it and occasionally get in my feels about it, it’s not a show of my heart for me the way Veep and The West Wing are. I probably would not donate money to a political cause in order to watch a GG reunion special, lol. So while I love Rory/Jess very much, I don’t feel psychically wounded by their storyline the way I feel about how Dan and Amy’s storyline was treated. 

For me, Rory and Jess’s final meeting in S6 works as both closure and a form of resolution. It’s a little ambiguous, but there’s pretty definite takeaways: Rory realizes she loves Logan (bleh), they acknowledge their connection anyway, and even though Jess is disappointed, he’s also a real adult about the whole thing. He’s obviously not going to cut Rory out of his life or anything drastic and immature like that.

The revival, in contrast, tosses a firm resolution out the window, but this seem to be ASP’s preferred modus operandi where Rory’s relationships are concerned. It makes clear that that in the last ten years they’ve developed a deep and enduring friendship and that he’s still carrying a torch for her. Is that closure? I think it’s closure in the sense that we’re given all (or nearly all) the facts about where they stand with one another and their relationship is treated very significantly by the show (in other words, there’s no Mandelian gaslighting). We don’t know what’s going to happen with Rory and Jess, but we know their relationship matters, and that they are a major part of one another’s lives. 

In some ways, I think that the “lack of closure” you’re referring to is really just ASP letting Rory and Jess’s profound connection endure in a very realistic way. Two people can have a soul-deep relationship, can even have confused and repressed romantic feelings about one another, and it doesn’t always mean they have to be a) romantically involved or b) fully cut out of one another’s lives. (Okay, this turned into a real essay, so below the cut are my angsty feelings about teenage Rory/Jess, haha).

I tend to get most in my feelings about teenage Rory and Jess, though, because that’s when their dysfunction is on display, and as y’all know, I love me a star-crossed dysfunctional couple who can’t quit each other. And also mostly because the show totally nails the adolescent yearning of their relationship, the almost-grown-up-but-not-quite desire that’s powering their connection. They just want each other so much. And I love the fated sense of doom hanging over their attraction in S2, as they edge around each other. It’s done really lightly and aching, and so pure and bittersweet, you just know this is all going to blow up in everyone’s faces somehow, that both Jess and Rory are going to self-sabotage. (Yes, of course, Jess is objectively more dysfunctional and the dissolution of their relationship is absolutely his fault—he’s barely staying in school, he’s a complete emotional wreck, he strings Rory along, he should not be anyone’s boyfriend. But Rory also has emotional issues that exacerbate things between them.)

I do have a lot of complicated feelings about how Jess is written in S2 and S3. I think Jess is a great character and they got better at writing him overtime, but at first he’s stuck in this kind of cartoonish over-the-top rebellious teen mode, talking like he’s a greaser member of a street gang in the 1950’s, and I think Milo Ventimiglia delivers a lot of those lines way too heavy-handed in the beginning. Whenever he baits Dean in S2, I always cringe a little, partly because everyone is acting so embarrassingly, and partly because, whatever ASP might be wishing, it’s not actually 1952 and no one talks like that. Ventimiglia shines a lot more in his quieter moments with Luke and Rory.

But I also feel that the way the breakdown of their relationship was handled was very…hamfisted. We barely get any Jess and Rory just being Jess and Rory before their relationship starts dissolving before our very eyes. There are some super cute moments sprinkled throughout S3, but they’re all overshadowed by Dean basically muscling in Rory and Jess’s first date or Jess ruining his meeting with Emily or Jess flaking on Rory…so the poignant bittersweet sense from S2 just becomes this impending sense of dread in S3 as we wait for Jess to do something so truly horrible he becomes unsympathetic to the audience. I actually don’t rewatch most of S3 for this reason, but at least it makes his redemption feel earned. I applaud the show for actually bringing Jess back in S4 when his life is still 90% a mess. He’s taken a few baby steps, but it’s realistic about how hard and messy it is to really change your life. Without those messy S4 appearances, his obvious growth in S6 wouldn’t feel nearly so powerful. 

Obviously Rory loses her virginity to Dean and has an affair with him blah blah, but I think her relationship with Jess really represents her loss of innocence as a child. He’s the first person she actively “loses” after her dad. Christopher’s absence is built into Rory—it’s a part of her identity. But Rory loves Jess and loses him even as the purity of their emotional connection is increasingly emphasized over the rest of the series. That loss is foundational for the rest of her relationships—it’s a huge part of why she relapses with Dean and why she finds Logan so appealing, and it’s a huge part of why Rory keeps Jess firmly in the friend box for the rest of the series, even as they connect and reconnect and as Jess grows enough to realize that no dramatic pronouncements of love are going to win Rory over. 

I don’t know. That scene when they’re kissing by the phone box and everything is new and perfect and tender and untouched between them and they’re both just like wow and you just know it can’t stay that way forever. It’s so perfect. It’s the perfect encapsulation of what it’s like to be seventeen and in your first real relationship (and then Rory runs off to apologize to Dean…ugh. Boundaries, Rory!) (also, I do not count Dean as her first real relationship. They're just playacting. Rory only dates Dean because he’s a magazine’s idea of a perfect high school boyfriend. She has nothing in common with him. They spend the entire time fighting about Harvard. Dean sucks.)