#ineffable puffins

[thavron]

WIP Wednesday

Introducing Lighthouse Keeper Crowley from @phoen1xr0se's wonderful Lighthouse AU;

There is a Light & It Never Goes Out

✨Please consider giving to her Fundraiser Campaign✨

This will eventually be a small part of a much larger image, but I was rather pleased with how it came out. I don't paint people often and it is something I have been actively working on improving.

[avoicebehindthestars]

You know how people see literally anything, say, a white coffee mug and a black one next to it, and it makes them think of Good Omens?

@phoen1xr0se Guess what today's bing wallpaper made me think of ;P

[avoicebehindthestars]

Actually, you know what, @phoen1xr0se? Scratch my previous reblog.

*goes to Aidin Island* *recruits Dog, a flock of puffins, Shadwell, Anathema, and Tracy's food (yeah, that's chemical weapon all right, don't tell the folks at Geneva)* *recruits Newt and immediately sends him your way as the ultimate guerrilla* *conjures up the flaming sword that DFAFM!Aziraphale has probably lost again at this point* *stands between you and the lighthouse where the Ineffable Puffins are still cuddled up*

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SITUATION HERE, LAURA?!?!?!

:(

[ineffablechocolatecheesecake]

Bit late for Valentine’s Day) Both of the pictures are a gift to my beloved Demon @ngk-668, as they are very fond of puffins) And adore the fic by @phoen1xr0se

[onceuponapuffin]

Fanatic Intervention Part 10!!

Part 10 whaaaaaat??

Alright, so idk if any of you have actually been to NYC, so I played it safe on that end. But I have been (just once), and if you haven't ever heard of Ellen's Stardust Diner, I highly recommend you run (not walk) to Youtube or TikTok or something and search it up. Those folks are amazing, and I had to give the place a nod. Because come on, Aziraphale would LOVE to be served by singing waitstaff.

Beginning || Previous || Next

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

You had all gone downstairs for dinner that night (you were not dressed fancily enough, but no one noticed so you pretended you weren’t feeling inadequate the whole time). Aziraphale ate, Crowley watched, you watched them while you ate, Anathema just ate because she’s the only rational one in the group here, let’s be honest. The second you got back into the room apartment suite, you crashed and were dead to the world until morning.

And so, you wake up, yawning and needing coffee, but otherwise alright. You make your way out of your bedroom, and find Anathema sitting at the large dining room table surrounded by papers, tarot cards, rune stones, crystals, a pendulum, and books. She’s frantically writing on a piece of paper.

“Good morning!” You say as you approach her. She looks up from her work.

“Oh, good morning. How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright thanks. What time is it?”

“Um...about 12:30.”

“Gosh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. A lot happened yesterday and you needed to recoup,” she replies with a shrug. You are so grateful for her understanding, but decide to put the effort into not dwelling on it.

“How’s it been?” You ask, nodding at her papers. Anathema sighs.

“Well, I haven’t made any headway yet.”

“Anything I can do?”

The doorbell rings. There’s a doorbell?? Of course there is.

“Oh!” You hear Aziraphale call from one of the living rooms. “That will be the crepes! ENTAAH!” You snort a laugh through your nose. From here you can’t tell if there’s a feather boa, but you can practically hear a feather boa in his voice – you don’t need to see one. Anathema sighs.

“I need...I NEED for you to get one of them out of my hair for a bit. If one isn’t ordering room service, the other one is prank calling the front desk. There’s a mountain of toiletries in the living room, and the doorbell won’t stop ringing. It’s driving me crazy.”

As if on cue, you hear Aziraphale calling from the door: “Crowley! We have enough shampoo!”

Well, babysitting supernatural entities wasn’t exactly the way you thought this would be going, but who are you to argue with Anathema? You nod.

“Any preference which one?”

“No. Just...one of them.”

“Yeah, okay. Give me five minutes.”

“Thank you.” She puts her head in her hands for a moment while you go to get yourself ready.

---------

You and Aziraphale walk down the sidewalk towards Times Square, sipping on frappucinos. Aziraphale had been skeptical about the drink until he saw the mountain of whipped cream and the caramel drizzled on top.

“Have you been here before?” He asks you casually. You shake your head.

“No, but I spend a lot of time on the internet. So I’ve heard things. You can learn a lot just by lurking.” You swirl your straw around the frozen coffee to mix in the last of the whipped cream. “Have you? I mean you and Crowley have been practically everywhere, right?”

“I’ve been once. But it was a very long time ago now. I came for the World’s Fair in 1939. Marvelous, really, the technology at the time. Not nearly as fascinating as how technology ended up evolving of course.”

“Technology isn’t your thing, though,” You say, raising an eyebrow.

“I prefer to admire it from a distance, but I can appreciate it all the same.”

You think about how he has a driver’s license, and the ancient computer in his bookshop. Besides, how would he make tea without a kettle. It makes sense.

“So,” Aziraphale begins, “What is this venture that you need me to accompany you for?”

“Oh I think you’ll like it,” You say with a smile. Aziraphale raises his eyebrows quizzically.

“Oh?” He asks, intrigued, as he takes another sip of his drink.

“Broadway,” You say. Aziraphale’s face lights up.

“Oh!”

“I figure,” You say, “What a shame it would be to spend time in New York City without seeing a show on Broadway. And I’m not sure I trust Crowley’s theatre manners.”

“I understand why you would have that opinion. He can be rather a handful,” Aziraphale says thoughtfully, as though he hadn’t been driving Anathema to insanity himself. “But I assure you, I’ve seen nothing less than exceptional behaviour from him when the two of us have gone together.”

“Well yeah, but that’s with you. There’s a difference,” You tilt your drink towards the angel to emphasize your point. He hums thoughtfully. “So,” You continue, “I figure you and I go see a couple shows. I think we have time for two of them so how about I pick one, then you pick one?”

“I think that sounds like a rather splendid day, in fact,” he says, finishing off his drink and disposing of it in the nearest recycling can.

“Great,” You say, “My pick first.” You dispose of your empty drink container as well, and pause to let the suspense build. “And I choose The Lion King.”

Aziraphale’s face scrunches up.

“Is it bebop?”

---------

Dear Reader, Aziraphale likes Lion King. He does not, however, like I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, or anything to do with Timon and Pumbaa. He is an angel that can forgive many things, but apparently he draws the line at “bebop” and fart jokes.

“I just don’t understand why it was necessary,” he says with a wince afterwards, “And in an adaptation of Hamlet of all things!”

“You say that like your friend Will didn’t write a thousand dick jokes.”

“I suppose,” Aziraphale doesn’t sound convinced. “The rest of it was lovely though,” he adds in a brighter tone, “Breathtakingly artistic, in fact.”

“It really was, wasn’t it?” You say with a sigh. In your hand you hold a bag full of merchandise from the show’s gift shop. Aziraphale bought an artbook. “Do you have a choice lined up?”

“I do indeed,” Aziraphale smiles and waves his hands in a rainbow-motion, “The Phantom of the Opera.” His face has so much joy in it.

Watching Aziraphale experience things is mesmerizing. The ways his face moves, the way his voice shifts around when he gets all excited, the way he gasps so audibly when the performance surprises him. It’s an incredible thing to behold, and you absolutely understand why Crowley spends so much time doing it.

“Well before we go see Phantom, I need some food.”

“Oh! Do you have any ideas where to go?” He leans towards you conspiratorially. “Any secrets you heard while Lurking?”

“Well,” You reply, playing into his game, “I have heard stories of a place called Ellen’s Stardust Diner, and I think you’ll like it.”

“And what makes you think that?” His eyes are sparkling with intrigue. Damn. You have to try and keep your knees from buckling, it’s so intense.

“Two words,” You say, “Singing. Waitstaff.” You hadn’t thought Aziraphale’s face could get brighter, but it does, and so you add the cherry on top, the trump card, the finishing blow: “And they take requests.”

-----------

Dinner was great, dessert was fabulous, Aziraphale was willing to put up with the bebop. Especially after you suggested he request a ballad, and they not only took it, but did a wonderful job of it. Phantom was long, but you both enjoyed yourselves.

Why am I suddenly speeding through this, dear Reader? I’m glad you asked.

When the both of you finally return to the hotel, it’s late. Anathema is still hard at work and you notice a definite...lack of Toiletry Mountain. Crowley is sat demurely at the kitchen table with a glass of whiskey.

“Are you okay?” You ask him carefully.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Crowley replies. You look at Aziraphale and shrug. The angel shrugs back before going to grab himself a drink, and you go see Anathema.

“Hey,” You say, “How’s it going?”

“Oh, much better!” She says, looking up at you brightly, “I managed to get things under control, and I got some very promising readings from the top of the Empire State Building.”

“I’m sorry, you went where? How??”

Anathema smirks and glances over at Crowley, then back at you.

“A witch has her ways.”

“And what happened to all the shampoo?”

“I made him give it back and apologize.”

“I...what….” You sputter. It takes all you have to sit down in a chair instead of just fall over. “How do you do this?” You ask, impressed.

“What do you mean?”

“In every fanfiction, in every alternate universe, how do you do this?” You gesture at the kitchen where you know Crowley is still quietly sat, listening to Aziraphale recount your day. Anathema smiles broadly and slides her glasses back up her nose.

“You can’t expect me to give away all my secrets, now.”

Have you ever before been in a room where you so intensely love everyone in it? If not, you have now.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 🖤

Beginning || Previous || Next

[purple-crypt1d]

non-exhaustive list of things that are good omens references no matter what my friends say

ducks, bookshops, plants, christianity, sushi, witches, witch-hunters, any hozier song, queen, everyday by buddy holly, soho, a small white thing next to a tall black thing, the colour yellow, whales, the word every, dolphins, puffins, the phrase "making an effort", bebop, flies, space, suggestion boxes, asking questions, coffee, 1941, magicians, nightingales, breakup songs, the word ineffable, oysters, tartan, thermoses, snakes, crepes, the bastille, apologies, bentleys, yellow cars, classical music, jane austen, sherry, literally everything in existence because they are everywhere

[avoicebehindthestars]

My absolutely all-time favourite human AU! Read it, people! You won't regret it, it's absolutely gorgeous!!

omg it’s FAN FICTION FRIDAY

Reblog and promote a fic of yours <3

[chained-to-the-mirror]

Ineffable puffins! (I’m stuck on puffins because of a commission I’m working on right now...)

My Patreon / My Ko-fi / My Redbubble / Commissions

Tags under cut

@chriscalledmesweetie​​​ @imnova​​​ @for-the-love-of-wolves​​​ @missmuffin221​​​ @sw70sw70​​​ @colourfulwatson​​​ @inevitably-johnlocked​​​ @whichever-whichway​​​ @ithinkthereforiamfandom​​​ @bakingsherlycakes​​​ @consultingpacha​​​@mylastvow​​​ @shylockgnomes​​​ @loveismyrevolution​​​

[mindthump]

How running a fake 'Last Jedi' porg fan account taught me to let go of my anger http://ift.tt/2AZMFiD

I remember the first time I saw a porg, I thought, "I have a bad feeling about this." 

Porgs, a small aquatic alien species native to the planet Ahch-To, debuted earlier this year in a behind-the-scenes video for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. They have been hanging out with Luke Skywalker during his self-imposed exile and who could ask for better companions? 

With their plush, pear-shaped bodies, huge puppy-dog eyes, and cute upturned mouths, it's almost like they were designed to be as cute as possible. Well, that's exactly what they are. They're designed to sell toys, clothing, books, backpacks, mugs, etc. 

Some people absolutely loved them. I worried they were too cute, too calculated, too... Disney. Were they the new Jar Jar? The porgs set off my self-entitled nerd radar and planted a seed of doubt in my mind about the upcoming eighth Star Wars installment.

Then, one morning, the seed of doubt sprouted, though I don't know what set me off. It's a weird time for Star Wars fans; after years of being starved for content, we've been promised a new film every year and a virtually unending cycle of hype. Something had to give. On the morning of Nov. 2, I changed my Twitter display name to "Porg Lover," my profile pic to a porg, and my cover photo to the same. 

I was no longer Bob Al-Greene, illustrator at Mashable. I was "the porg lover." I had converted my little-followed (but nonetheless verified) Twitter into a tongue-in-cheek parody of a porg fan account.

I'd had this idea for a few weeks at that point. I probably spend too much time on Twitter, and my timeline has become an endless feed of disturbing political news and breathless nerd culture hype. 

One of my coworkers had done something similar with his Twitter account not long before, dubbing himself the "Rick & Morty creator" in an extended bit about the shameful McDonald's Szechuan Sauce controversy. 

I remember scrolling through my TL, bouncing between stories about the hijacking of our last election and deals on limited edition Funko Pop figures, then something inside me snapped.

Soon I was posting links to porg products with captions like "hell yea," or just typing "porg" into Google Image Search and reposting the first thing that came up. 

I found Twitter's GIPHY integration gave me access to a surprisingly rich vein of animated porg content. And like a spice miner on Kessel, I dug in. 

I discovered that several hashtags like #PorgNation and #PorgLife already existed, and I started loading my tweets with an obnoxious amount of hashtags to get as many eyes on my content as possible. 

I sought out obscure articles and facts about the puffin-like creatures and tweeted eagerly, pretending that I cared passionately about them.

I'm not proud of what I did. The porg lover was an inherently mean-spirited gesture. I was fueled by an ineffable frustration, and I was mocking anyone who loved the porgs unconditionally. My friends and coworkers suspected something was up. And most wouldn't believe that I had come around to the porgs at last. Others got the joke, even if they didn't approve. 

Either way, I saw engagement start to grow and I got positive feedback from people I had never met, who clearly didn't get my real intention. Why would they? Unlike me, they're normal, decent people.

this account is cool but how are you verified lol

— Grant🌐 (@grantdhart) November 2, 2017

My porg stardom peaked early. By the end of my first day as "the porg lover," I tweeted a picture of the actor Mark Hamill, and tagged him in it. Hamill, who of course portrayed one of the great heroes of my youth and remains a social media hero to this day, quote RT'd me. I was stunned. My mentions exploded, and his RT earned 13,000 likes:

I could've stopped there. By all rights, I should have. I tweeted about porgs for a day, pretended to love them, and caught the eye – however briefly – of Luke Skywalker himself.

But I didn't stop. I kept tweeting about porgs. Every day. For weeks. 

I kept the bit going, and beat it into the ground. All the while, my follower count rose and I became a permanent citizen of #PorgNation.

I can't say for sure why I continued. I think I was trying to build up a tolerance to porgs, exposing myself to them constantly until they wouldn't bother me anymore. But maybe I just wanted to make everyone else as sick of porgs as I already was. Maybe it was just spiritually freeing to disguise myself as the porg lover, to be free to tweet whatever nonsense I wanted, and to let off some steam in what has been, overall, a pretty stressful year.

Either way, the ongoing porg charade began to wear on me. It strained interpersonal relationships and confounded those around me. It was a good conversation starter at parties ("So, how are the porgs doing?") but when my girlfriend asked why I was doing it and what was the endgame, I didn't have solid answers. Would you have the patience to date "the porg lover?" Especially, when so much of it seemed to originate from such a mean-spirited place. 

My darkest moment came when I posted images of a porg costume I had found on Google. Within hours, a follower reached out to let me know I should have credited the photos to the costume's creator. I was accused of using the porg content for my own benefit without attribution, like the Fat Jew of Star Wars.

I initially scoffed at the message – Didn't they know it was all a joke? – until I realized something. Someone had spent hours creating a porg costume. This person had been inspired enough to plan and execute their design from scratch, and brave enough to post it online for others to see. As a creative, I felt a kinship with – and an admiration of – this true porg lover. 

I'm not proud of what I did.

In that moment, I realized Star Wars means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Few creative properties in the history of the world have touched so many people the way Star Wars has. With legions of fans, every facet of the universe George Lucas helped create has been explored and celebrated, at one point, by someone. Even Jar Jar. Even porgs. 

My transformation into "the porg lover" had been fueled by frustration, by a feeling that porgs were not Star Wars. Or, more specifically, that they were not my Star Wars.

But, newsflash: I don't own Star Wars. It belongs to everyone, and always has. OK, technically it belongs to Disney, but this property, this galaxy, can be for everyone. And that's beautiful.

From that point, I started looking for a way out of the porg identity. But after maintaining a bad bit for a month and a half, how could I transition back to Bob?

It wasn't easy. Feeling guilty over the 300+ new followers I'd accrued as a porg lover, I set out to  alienate my fans as much as possible. Ultimately, over the course of several days last week, I wrenched myself back to normality. 

On Dec. 12, I became "the porg skeptic," loudly voicing concerns that the porgs would not be good. Soon after, I was "a porg in crisis," whose mental state was clearly deteriorating.

This was my "porg-nostic" phase.

On Dec. 14, in the ultimate attempt to squander the goodwill I'd accumulated – and in the midst of the FCC's abominable net neutrality decision – I became "#MAGA porg," a vocal Trump administration supporter/porg fan. 

Again, Twitter's GIF archive was there to help.

Finally, last Friday, before I saw The Last Jedi in theaters, I changed my Twitter account back to regular old Bob Al-Greene. Once again, I can feel secure knowing no one really cares what I have to say on social media. Balance has returned to The Force.

By the way, if you're wondering what I thought about the porgs in the film itself: they're fine. The Last Jedi has a lot of flaws, but the porgs are not among them. The alien fauna at the periphery of the Star Wars saga has always given the films texture and life, and porgs have a proud spot among classic creatures like taun tauns and the rancor beast.

As for me? I'll always be the proudest member.... of #PorgNation. If they'll continue to have me.

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

How running a fake 'Last Jedi' porg fan account taught me to let go of my anger

I remember the first time I saw a porg, I thought, "I have a bad feeling about this." 

Porgs, a small aquatic alien species native to the planet Ahch-To, debuted earlier this year in a behind-the-scenes video for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. They have been hanging out with Luke Skywalker during his self-imposed exile and who could ask for better companions? 

With their plush, pear-shaped bodies, huge puppy-dog eyes, and cute upturned mouths, it's almost like they were designed to be as cute as possible. Well, that's exactly what they are. They're designed to sell toys, clothing, books, backpacks, mugs, etc. 

SEE ALSO: Everything You Need to Know About Porgs

Some people absolutely loved them. I worried they were too cute, too calculated, too... Disney. Were they the new Jar Jar? The porgs set off my self-entitled nerd radar and planted a seed of doubt in my mind about the upcoming eighth Star Wars installment.

Then, one morning, the seed of doubt sprouted, though I don't know what set me off. It's a weird time for Star Wars fans; after years of being starved for content, we've been promised a new film every year and a virtually unending cycle of hype. Something had to give. On the morning of Nov. 2, I changed my Twitter display name to "Porg Lover," my profile pic to a porg, and my cover photo to the same. 

This is now a porg fan account pic.twitter.com/bNhv6l5aRN

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) November 2, 2017

I was no longer Bob Al-Greene, illustrator at Mashable. I was "the porg lover." I had converted my little-followed (but nonetheless verified) Twitter into a tongue-in-cheek parody of a porg fan account.

I'd had this idea for a few weeks at that point. I probably spend too much time on Twitter, and my timeline has become an endless feed of disturbing political news and breathless nerd culture hype. 

One of my coworkers had done something similar with his Twitter account not long before, dubbing himself the "Rick & Morty creator" in an extended bit about the shameful McDonald's Szechuan Sauce controversy. 

I remember scrolling through my TL, bouncing between stories about the hijacking of our last election and deals on limited edition Funko Pop figures, then something inside me snapped.

Soon I was posting links to porg products with captions like "hell yea," or just typing "porg" into Google Image Search and reposting the first thing that came up. 

Whoa... 😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/m17NLZDeF4

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) November 22, 2017

I found Twitter's GIPHY integration gave me access to a surprisingly rich vein of animated porg content. And like a spice miner on Kessel, I dug in. 

#starwars #StarWarsTheLastJedi #porgs #porg #PorgNation pic.twitter.com/g1q5FCmwNB

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) November 2, 2017

I discovered that several hashtags like #PorgNation and #PorgLife already existed, and I started loading my tweets with an obnoxious amount of hashtags to get as many eyes on my content as possible. 

I sought out obscure articles and facts about the puffin-like creatures and tweeted eagerly, pretending that I cared passionately about them.

Just some #porg facts ☺️ pic.twitter.com/EzZxSfQNLC

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) November 2, 2017

I'm not proud of what I did. The porg lover was an inherently mean-spirited gesture. I was fueled by an ineffable frustration, and I was mocking anyone who loved the porgs unconditionally. My friends and coworkers suspected something was up. And most wouldn't believe that I had come around to the porgs at last. Others got the joke, even if they didn't approve. 

Either way, I saw engagement start to grow and I got positive feedback from people I had never met, who clearly didn't get my real intention. Why would they? Unlike me, they're normal, decent people.

this account is cool but how are you verified lol

— Grant🌐 (@grantdhart) November 2, 2017

My porg stardom peaked early. By the end of my first day as "the porg lover," I tweeted a picture of the actor Mark Hamill, and tagged him in it. Hamill, who of course portrayed one of the great heroes of my youth and remains a social media hero to this day, quote RT'd me. I was stunned. My mentions exploded, and his RT earned 13,000 likes:

Wholesome porgnography. https://t.co/lYfVoFC7Uf

— @HamillHimself (@HamillHimself) November 2, 2017

I could've stopped there. By all rights, I should have. I tweeted about porgs for a day, pretended to love them, and caught the eye – however briefly – of Luke Skywalker himself.

But I didn't stop. I kept tweeting about porgs. Every day. For weeks. 

I kept the bit going, and beat it into the ground. All the while, my follower count rose and I became a permanent citizen of #PorgNation.

I can't say for sure why I continued. I think I was trying to build up a tolerance to porgs, exposing myself to them constantly until they wouldn't bother me anymore. But maybe I just wanted to make everyone else as sick of porgs as I already was. Maybe it was just spiritually freeing to disguise myself as the porg lover, to be free to tweet whatever nonsense I wanted, and to let off some steam in what has been, overall, a pretty stressful year.

Nothing but respect for MY president #PorgNation #UnitedStatesOfPorgs #porg #porgs #StarWars #maga #StarWarsTheLastJedi @starwars pic.twitter.com/ovppnIoSZk

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) November 3, 2017

Either way, the ongoing porg charade began to wear on me. It strained interpersonal relationships and confounded those around me. It was a good conversation starter at parties ("So, how are the porgs doing?") but when my girlfriend asked why I was doing it and what was the endgame, I didn't have solid answers. Would you have the patience to date "the porg lover?" Especially, when so much of it seemed to originate from such a mean-spirited place. 

My darkest moment came when I posted images of a porg costume I had found on Google. Within hours, a follower reached out to let me know I should have credited the photos to the costume's creator. I was accused of using the porg content for my own benefit without attribution, like the Fat Jew of Star Wars.

I initially scoffed at the message – Didn't they know it was all a joke? – until I realized something. Someone had spent hours creating a porg costume. This person had been inspired enough to plan and execute their design from scratch, and brave enough to post it online for others to see. As a creative, I felt a kinship with – and an admiration of – this true porg lover. 

In that moment, I realized Star Wars means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Few creative properties in the history of the world have touched so many people the way Star Wars has. With legions of fans, every facet of the universe George Lucas helped create has been explored and celebrated, at one point, by someone. Even Jar Jar. Even porgs. 

My transformation into "the porg lover" had been fueled by frustration, by a feeling that porgs were not Star Wars. Or, more specifically, that they were not my Star Wars.

But, newsflash: I don't own Star Wars. It belongs to everyone, and always has. OK, technically it belongs to Disney, but this property, this galaxy, can be for everyone. And that's beautiful.

From that point, I started looking for a way out of the porg identity. But after maintaining a bad bit for a month and a half, how could I transition back to Bob?

who am i what am i am i god are the #porgs god

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) December 13, 2017

It wasn't easy. Feeling guilty over the 300+ new followers I'd accrued as a porg lover, I set out to  alienate my fans as much as possible. Ultimately, over the course of several days last week, I wrenched myself back to normality. 

On Dec. 12, I became "the porg skeptic," loudly voicing concerns that the porgs would not be good. Soon after, I was "a porg in crisis," whose mental state was clearly deteriorating.

This was my "porg-nostic" phase.

I have no knowledge of myself as I am, but merely as I appear to myself guys i'm freaking out pic.twitter.com/T0A1CcBlGe

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) December 13, 2017

On Dec. 14, in the ultimate attempt to squander the goodwill I'd accumulated – and in the midst of the FCC's abominable net neutrality decision – I became "#MAGA porg," a vocal Trump administration supporter/porg fan. 

Again, Twitter's GIF archive was there to help.

Can't Stump the Trump!!! @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/IT8nEl9z7d

— Bob Al-Greene (@BobAlGreene) December 15, 2017

Finally, last Friday, before I saw The Last Jedi in theaters, I changed my Twitter account back to regular old Bob Al-Greene. Once again, I can feel secure knowing no one really cares what I have to say on social media. Balance has returned to The Force.

By the way, if you're wondering what I thought about the porgs in the film itself: they're fine. The Last Jedi has a lot of flaws, but the porgs are not among them. The alien fauna at the periphery of the Star Wars saga has always given the films texture and life, and porgs have a proud spot among classic creatures like taun tauns and the rancor beast.

As for me? I'll always be the proudest member.... of #PorgNation. If they'll continue to have me.

WATCH: Here's a breakdown of the beloved 'Star Wars' character, the porg

[onceuponapuffin]

It's my birthday so I'm gonna get a little sappy.

8 months ago I felt like I was boring and weird. I felt it was a wonder that anyone wanted to put up with me. I was getting back into reading a bit, I had tried and failed to get into law school, and overall I felt like a disappointment and a failure.

Getting obsessed with Good Omens and being involved in the Fandom has changed my life. I write for fun now, I read all the time, I will very soon be ready to start streaming on Twitch again. I have friends who join me in my enthusiasm for the show, and strangers online who like the things I have to say, and it inspires me to try new things and post like I have 1000 followers even though I have like 30?? I feel like I matter, I feel like I have Things To Say, and that people want to hear them.

Hard to feel like a disappointment when I'm so busy being happy and confident and planning my future. I didn't get into law school but I did get accepted to a masters program for library science, so you won't find me moping about being a failure because I'm too busy screaming about my successes (big and small) to anyone who will listen.

And a LOT of this is because of this Fandom and the people in it. I know that there are unfriendly corners of it where people don't feel welcome, but here in this corner where I have found myself, I feel like I'm home.

So thank you Ineffable Fandom. I love you. And thank you also to the Golden Trio of @neil-gaiman , David Tennant, and Michael Sheen.

With Ineffable Love,

Puffin.

[avoicebehindthestars]

Oh this is absolutely incredible! Well done! :D It's so wonderful to see my lineart come to live with the beatiful colours. I hope you had fun while colouring it in :)

Btw. according to the story, Crowley's shoulder should be uncovered, but I suppose it's hard to tell in the lineart :)

Story by @phoen1xr0se (TIAL&INGO, wip - it's wonderful, go read it, also support her crowdfunder if you can)

Line art/coloring page by @avoicebehindthestars (original here)

Colored by me!

This was really fun. Two versions because, Crowley my love, you really look wonderful no matter what you color wear (but also because I started with black then decided I liked them both too much to leave one out).

(@goodomensafterdark)

[avoicebehindthestars]

TIAL&INGO - This Is Real (fanart)

Remember how I said that I can't colour, don't colour, suck at colouring...?

Well... *clears throat*

ANYWAY~~

This coloured non-spoilery version of my previously posted lineart is dedicated to @phoen1xr0se along with my permission to use it to promote There Is a Light & It Never Goes Out - one of the most beautiful (and my personal unconquerable favourite) human AU in existence!

Below the cut you can find the original version of this fanart, also coloured. It contains a spoiler, so if you haven't read TIAL&INGO ch8, proceed with caution (though if you've already seen my previous TIAL&INGO fanart or the colouring page for this one, you're good).

If you'd like to give it a shot and colour it on your own, you can find the colouring page here :D

@goodomensafterdark If you wouldn't mind :>

[avoicebehindthestars]

Oh, this so sensual and tender! I love the intimacy of the close-up and the colours are everything!

Aziraphale wanted to laugh, or cry, or perhaps both. “Please tell me this is real,” he said, voice cracking, “before I go completely mad, tell me this is real, that we… that you want…”

“Oh, I want,” breathed Crowley, his voice low and rippling with something dark as he lifted a hand to cup Aziraphale’s face, his thumb stroking along the cheekbone reverently. “Fucking hell, angel, I want.”

It's doooone! What a fun piece this ended up being, and I definitely feel like I learned a lot along the way.

Scene is from @phoen1xr0se's "There is a Light and it Never Goes Out" over on AO3.

Check out Phoenix's fundraiser for safe and stable housing OVER HERE!

[crowleys-curl]

Gotta add some more!

The Serpent and the Thistle by @harlotofupdog - Aziraphale is a police officer

There is a Light and it Never Goes Out by @phoen1xr0se - Aziraphale is a professor researching puffins (not literature!)

Be Still My Soul by @mirjam-writes - Aziraphale is a landowner in early 20th century Finland

Summer's End by @feraltuxedo - Aziraphale is a sex worker in the zombie apocalypse

You’re the Bad Guys by @alphacentaurinebula - Aziraphale is a Cold War spy

Meeting Hell Halfway by @tishawastaken - Aziraphale works in complaints management

Of Fire and Falcons by @cemeteryangel725 - Aziraphale is a falconer

Coming into Focus by @cemeteryangel725 - Aziraphale is an American Civil War photographer

Drive Me to the Moon by @captainblou - Aziraphale is a ballroom dancer

Intermezzo by @feraltuxedo - Aziraphale is a music critic

I’ll tell you who’s in charge by @captainblou - Aziraphale is a secretary

The Ineffable Mrs Eastgate by TawnyOwl95 - Aziraphale is a regency lady

1 corinthians 13:1-13 by @ffonippop - Aziraphale is an independently wealthy drifter

You Can Cut My Hair But You'll Never Cut My Comedically Long Fanfic Titles!!! by @indieninja92 - Aziraphale is a mobile hairdresser

For His Eyes Only by @afrenchwriter - Aziraphale is a quartermaster for MI6

If I had time I’d add even more!

I like how good omens au’s give C&A their jobs.

Crowleys is a doctor, stripper, scientist, botany/history proffesor, sex worker, preist, reptile shop owner, flower shop owner, barista, IT worker, bussines man, police, astronomist, influencer etc

Aziraphale is a bookshop owner. He MIGHT be a proffesor. In literature.

[avoicebehindthestars]

Oh my stars, I can't even!! The flower petals had me melting to a puddle on the floor! And the blushes, dearest gods, the BLUSHES! and Crowley's silver streaks, aaaaa! I don't remember if he has any in TIAL&INGO but I'm a complete sucker for silver streaks, so who cares? The shoulder looks 100x sexier in colours, mrrr <3

I am loving everything about this! Thank you @lickthecowhappy for bringing my lineart to life :D

@phoen1xr0se Have you seen this beauty?

TIAL&INGO ch11 - This Is Real (a colouring page)

As promised, here's another colouring page for my beloved fandom's enjoyment! :D

Once again, it's for one of @phoen1xr0se's brilliant works - There Is a Light & It Never Goes Out, chapter 11 to be specific.

(Obsessed? Who, me?)

As previously, you are all welcome to help yourselves to this colouring page! Please don't erase my signature and credit me if you post your coloured version anywhere. A comment and some kudos on AO3 will be much appreciated!

But you know what would be the most awesome thank-you you could possibly offer? Donating to PhoenixRose's crowdfunder! She's a gem to this fandom, an inspiration to so many of us, and a joy to even more. And this time we can do something for her in return!

@goodomensafterdark If you'd be so kind as to do your thing ;)