#intrepid reporter

[dabblingreturns]

I have a profound weakness for competent side charecters who deeply belive that they are actually the main character and consider the hero of the story to be an annoying side charecters who is getting in thier way.

Especially intrepid reporter charecters.....please never write an intrepid reporter who thinks they are a side charecters.

[hotvintagepoll]

this is a poll for a movie that doesn't exist.

It is vintage times. The powers that be have decided to again remake the classic vampire novel Dracula for the screen. in an amazing show of inter-studio solidarity, Hollywood’s most elite hotties are up for the starring roles. The producers know whoever they cast will greatly impact the genre, quality, and tone of the finished film, so they are turning to their wisest voices for guidance.

you are the new casting director for this star-studded epic. choose your players wisely.

Previously cast:

Jonathan Harker—Jimmy Stewart

The Old Woman—Martita Hunt

Count Dracula—Gloria Holden

Mina Murray—Setsuko Hara

Lucy Westenra—Judy Garland

The Three Voluptuous Women—Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, and Lauren Bacall

Dr. Jack Seward—Vincent Price

Quincey P. Morris—Toshiro Mifune

Arthur Holmwood—Sidney Poitier

R.M. Renfield—Conrad Veidt

The Captain of the Demeter—Omar Sharif

The First Mate of the Demeter—Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Swales—Ed Wynn

[desertfangs]

I'd forgotten how absolutely insane and intense Louis feeding on Daniel at the end of the interview is:

[Louis] looked again at the boy. "I've failed," he sighed, smiling still. "I have completely failed. . ."

"No. . . " the boy protested.

" Don't say any more," said the vampire emphatically. "I have but one chance left. Do you see the reels? They still turn. I have but one way to show you the meaning of what I've said. "

And then he reached out for the boy so fast that the boy found himself grasping for something, pushing against something that was not there, so his hand was outstretched still when the vampire had him pressed to his chest, the boy's neck bent beneath his lips.

"Do you see?" whispered the vampire, and the long, silky lips drew up over his teeth and two long fangs came down into the boy's flesh. The boy stuttered, a low guttural sound coming out of his throat, his hand struggling to close on something, his eyes widening only to become dull and gray as the vampire drank. And the vampire meantime looked as tranquil as someone in sleep. His narrow chest heaved so subtly with his sigh that he seemed to be rising slowly from the floor and then settling again with that same somnambulistic grace. There was a whine coming from the boy, and when the vampire let him go he held him out with both hands and looked at the damp white face, the limp hands, the eyes half closed. The boy was moaning, his lower lip loose and trembling as if in nausea. He moaned again louder, and his head fell back and his eyes rolled up into his head. The vampire set him down gently in the chair. The boy was straggling to speak, and the tears which sprang now to his eyes seemed to come as much from that effort to speak as from anything . else. His head fell forward, heavily, drunkenly, and his hand rested on the table. The vampire stood looking down at him, and his white skin became a soft luminous pink. It was as if a pink light were shining on him and his entire being seemed to give back that light. The flesh of his lips was dark, almost rose in color, and the veins of his temples and his hands were mere traces on his skin, and his face was youthful and smooth.

" Will I . . . die? " the boy whispered as he looked up slowly, his mouth wet and slack. "Will I die? " he groaned, his lip trembling.

"I don't know," the vampire said, and he smiled. The boy seemed on the verge of saying something more, but the hand that rested on the table slid forward on the boards, and his head lay down beside it as he lost consciousness.

Louis is disappointed that Daniel is asking for the blood and believes he's completely missed the point of his story (which is that immortality is misery and suffering, while Daniel sees the potential for life and love). So he grabs him, violently drinks from him, and then leaves him passed on the table with no idea if he'll live or die. And he SMILES at him.

Louis, you absolute bastard*. No wonder Daniel wakes up and decides fuck this, I'm going to find Lestat.

*Look I understand he has his reasons but still.

[jacquelying]

the part of the horror mockumentary where the ppl who pointedly havent appeared in any confessionals so you KNOW theyre dead are introduced:

[bunnymcfoo]

So @pacific-coast-hockey and I attended the live auction for the Cuda's ugly sweaters last night and man, it was extremely entertaining and well worth the price of admission (free). He got photos, and I think he's going to add them here, but I kept track of which jerseys went for what, and a few random notes. So here's my half!

IN ORDER:

Radim Šimek - $1400 - I've very rarely seen Simmer look that pleased by anything, and it was a genuine treat to see him smiling over the very active bidding war for his jersey

Tanner Kaspick - $750

Cole Cassels - $900

Leon Gawanke - $925 - his jersey went to someone holding up a Go Gawanke sign, which was very cute

Scott Sabourin - $1550 - I think there was some recency bias at play with the bidding here, given his fight and jazz hands on Friday night. He was not smiling the way the other guys were & Kasper and I were joking that he wanted to go HOME

Nathan Todd - $950 - that man has a very shiny bald head

Shakir Mukhamadullin - $1200 - he looked very adorably pleased by the bidding war and this total

Ozzy Wiesblatt - $1075

Magnus Chrona - $1050 - His jersey went to someone wearing his University of Denver hoodie and he looked extremely happy about it

Ethan Cardwell - $1000 - Guys, I cannot tell you how adorable Cardsy and every single thing he does are. Holding up his jersey to be auctioned was no exception

Brandon Coe - $850

Nikolai Knyzhov - $1050 - I have no notes here but please know I love Knyzy and would die for him

Daniil Gushchin - $950 - I'm genuinely surprised this didn't go higher? Also, as I type this he's not listed on the roster on the Cuda's website, but that doesn't mean anything. I hope. 😬

Bradley Marek - $850

Bradley Kemp - $900 - he looked quietly pleased at this and I'm more than a little shocked that his jersey went for more than Coe's

Valtteri Pulli - $850

Eetu Mäkiniemi - $900 - how on Earth did his jersey not go for more? It's an enteral mystery

Bordy - $1900 - he did this very cute thing where he gestured to go on, go on when it looked like this bidding was stalling at around, like, $1200. It went to the female half of the eternally drunk Michigan fan duo, who was absolutely not going to be outbid by anyone, not even God himself

Kyle Rau - $750 - I felt bad for him following Bordy, but honestly, $750 isn't bad considering that he uhhhhh signed with the Cuda, like, two days ago or whatever

Artem Guryev Arty Party - $950

With the (I think) $650 that Frenzy's jersey went for, the Cuda raised an awesome $21,400 for Working Partnerships USA, along with whatever they got for chuck-a-puck and 3.147 stuffed animals (our group contributed, like, 12 of those, go team us!)

All in all, an excellent weekend for the Cuda :)

[ceramicdolphin]

thinking about jellycat snowy

[potatoesandsunshine]

mentopolis was so good....

[tblueger]

taylor haase truly the most important twitter account in the world to me. i don't care about "stats" or "data" or "analysis". i care about whether or not sid has shaved yet (no) and the fact that ruhwedel's son is at practice and gets excited whenever chad skates near him

[pluresque]

kind of want to make an iwtv oc ...

[gillianthecat]

Between Us - episode one an intrepid reporter watches, without having seen UWMA

Going in, I know next to nothing about this show. I have the tag filtered, and I haven't read the summary or seen the trailer. I did see part of the first episode of Until We Meet Again, but as far as I remember these characters weren't in it. The only information that has made it through the cone of silence is that either the characters or the actors are named Win and Team, one of them is blond, and they did a bunch of product placement in UWMA, possibly with Lay's chips. And I'm not very positive about any of that being true.

summary after watching: For me, this show is holding up on its own. It turns out I did remember more about the beginning of UWMA than I thought, but I feel like Between Us would work even if I didn't know UWMA's basic premise. Yes, Pharm's flashbacks would be confusing, but they're also confusing for him so I don't think that would make the episode too confusing overall. There are a lot of things I still don't know, but it feels like normal episode one information still to uncover, not plot holes because the show is assuming I already know the story. And, up to a point, I would rather have less information than too much, so I appreciate the mystery. I was surprised by how prominent Dean & Pharm's story has been so far. I expected it to be more background. I wonder if its going to stay this prominent, or if it's more to set the stage. Overall the show feels very professional and... not expensive, but adequately funded. The production values all feel pretty high - lighting, sets, editing, soundtrack, cinematography - and the acting is very good. It all makes me trust these storytellers know what they're doing. So yes, I am hooked. I can see why y'all have been so excited about this show. I will definitely keep watching.

Below are my notes as I watched. I took a lot so they're beneath the cut.

So. Diving in.*

*pun unintentional at the time, but appreciated now post-viewing

- I like this parallel morning opening. Blondie with the tattoos is hot, pushing back his hair to the rock soundtrack. Actually they're both cute. I like the alarm clock cliche, although Mamoru from Kabe Koji wins with his 20 plus clocks, and Wah from Why You... Y Me? still beats this guy with his paltry single alarm clock.

- The cool kid and the chaos boy? That's my first impression.

- Hmm. Swimming pools may be important? based on the opening credits.

- Aw. A crash-into-you with an adorable het couple. Including whats-her-name (Sammy?) from those other shows I can't recall. Were they in UWMA too? (Don't answer that.) Interesting that they get to meet each other first, before our main couple.

- ooh... A one sided pining situation? or love crush at first sight? I can't tell yet.

- And here comes That Fucking House 2.0. I guess I knew four things about this show- I'd heard she was in it too. (Do you think there is stock footage of the exterior that all these shows are using, or do they each shoot their own?)

- Wait, is that Santa?! He looks so different, I mostly recognized him by voice. I'm still not sure, I haven't gotten a good view of his face yet.

- Ah. Team at least is a swimmer. That makes sense with the pool footage. And now I've figured out their names.

- I like Team's dorky new friend group! I don't always like the comic relief characters but so far A, Bee and Sea seem fun. (Also love the names joke.)

- I feel like I just saw this pool in something but I can't remember what show.

- I think I like Win's friend group dynamic as well. Whew, that's a relief. I also like Win's slight mysterious brooding air. And the way he looks at Team, with the heavenly music on the soundtrack. (so I guess it is crush at first sight? rather than long term pining?)

- so far I've gathered Team is a first year and Win seems to be a sophomore or a junior, but my instinct is junior. (I don't know if the U.S. terms apply in Thailand.)

- Team seems like a sweetheart so far. Is Win making this announcement about scholarship students not being guaranteed a spot in a "I like you. Get out of my school" kind of way, or is it just a coincidence? Either way, its stressful. Athletic scholarships are a fucked up system in general.

- Oh Pharm! He's the main guy from UWMA! I recognize him. I (obviously) have no idea where we are in his story.

- My guess is that Pharm and Manow were his friends in UWMA, but A, Bee and Sea are new for this series.

- Win looks so cool, even his sauntering walk. I totally would have had a crush on him in college.

- Oh! I was about to get excited about their first real interaction but they were just teasing us.

- Is Win basically raising his brothers? He acts like it.

- It is Santa. He seems so different here somehow.

- Tul looks vaguely familiar, but I'm not sure from what.

- Hmm, what is going on with Team? Why is he being mopey?

- I continue to really like the way Win looks at Team, and how they show Team as totally oblivious.

- oh. That's why this whole thing with Manow is familiar? I think I did watch this part of UWMA where they watch the swim tryouts. So I guess Pharm's love interest is one of the other guys on the swim team? I honestly can't remember what he looks like, or how they met. Ah, I guess this must be him staring love struck. It's slowly coming back to me. (Are these scenes reshot? or are they using footage from UWMA?) Ah Dean, that's right. I did know his name at some point. So far I'm finding him more intriguing here than I did in the little bit of UWMA that I watched.

- oh yes, I remember that Pharm was in the cooking club too. It's slowly coming back. Maybe I did watch a little more then I thought.

- These hints of Dean and Pharm's story are working for me. Perhaps they're just there as a treat for UWMA fans, but I'm enjoying them as well. But I do know the basic premise of UWMA, I suspect I would be more confused if I didn't know the whole second life thing.

- Also, I was not expecting this much of their story. It really feels like a side couple, rather than a couple whose story is over and done with. Which perhaps makes me expect that the makers intend this story to stand on its own - that Between US and UWMA are supposed to be parallel pieces, rather than a main show and its companion.

- There is a lot more attention to Pharm & Dean's story than I was expecting though. Which isn't a problem, I was just expecting them to be more background characters. And this is making me want to watch UWMA more than seeing the beginning of that show did.

- Aw, what a good friend Team is. And Win thinks so too. Yet again, I like the way Win looks at him.

- So far I have No Idea what Win & Team's story is going to be - what their conflict or obstacles will be. But I don't mind, I'm still intrigued.

- Is Tul played by the same actor who played the horny roommate in Love By Chance? If so, he's certainly been typecast, poor guy. I did like him in LBC though.

- They finally interact! I love how Win is always tracking Team with his eyes, while Team remains basically oblivious to existence. Ignoring him, not in a mean way, just in a only aware of him as a generic swim team leader way.

- Ouch. The make up artists here are good.

- Win. What is your deal? You obviously have a crush, why are you so mean to Team to his face? I am Intrigued.

- Dean comes across as such a weirdo, omg.

- Interesting that it feels like In learning more about the setup of Dean and Pharm's relationship than about Team & Win's. I admit that I'm getting a bit impatient with it. Part of the reason I dropped UWMA is that I didn't find Dean's actor that compelling and I still don't (so far, that could change).

- Ah, some insight into Team: "You never let anything be important to you!" I do like his and Dean's friendship.

- Um, WHAT is Team's friend (I can't remember if he's A, Bee or Sea) wearing as a pendent? It looks like a piece of fried chicken.

- oof this porn watching scene is so awkward. Poor Team. It does all feel realistically adolescent though.

- Ok, wow, I was not expecting THAT. I like it though.

- on shit, and Team's following him!

- oh I really like this sex scene. See BL, consent is sexy. The way that Win, keeping tight rein on his very obvious desire and arousal, makes sure that Team wants this, that he knows what he's doing. It is Very Hot. And their chemistry is fire. I also like how cool kid Win has his post-shower fluffy unstyled hair, making him feel much more vulnerable.

- I don't know if it's intentional, but I like the contrast between Pharm and Dean's literally destined love, and this thing between Team and Win, which feels like it could be any college hook up. Yes, Win has had his eye on Team for a while, but as far as I can tell, Team took little notice of Win until his porn induced horniness drove him into Win's arms. And Team I really don't think was planning this, he just got aroused by win's arousal and gave in to temptation. I just like the arbitrary feeling of it against the backdrop of the heaviness of fate.

- I still don't know what their story is going to be. And honestly, if I wasn't being an intrepid reporter I probably wouldn't even try to figure it out, I'm just intrigued by them and their dynamic and content to see where it goes. But since I am doing these reports, my first guess is that they're going to continue to hook up in secret, outside the bedroom Win is going to pretend Team doesn't matter to him, and Team will slowly fall in love and get hurt by this. I'm not very attached to this theory, but it's the best I've got so far.

- Thinking about it, so far I actually know very little about Win and Team as characters. But the actors have made them both compelling enough that I'm intrigued, and want to know them. I feel like my initial impression of Win as "cool kid" is probably correct, but I'm not so sure about Team as "chaos boy." He seems a little more organized than that, a bit innocent but not too naive, kind but not saccharine. He seems a bit of an average everyman in fact, but not in a boring way.

Ok! That's it for now. I probably should go to bed, but I want to watch episode two instead. The nice thing about starting a few weeks behind is I don't have to wait.

[blotgydja]

her trusted zoom recorder, worn leather notebook and freshly sharpened but not too pointy pencil were at the ready ─ placed out haphazardly on the table before her, just as if they had been mindlessly discarded while its carrier shrugged off her coat. her interview subject had yet to arrive, and thank goodness for that. now she had a little time to note down the atmosphere in the bar, the chill wind breezing through the brooklyn streets outside, and check her watch an unnecessary amount of times. he was famous, a musician, an artisté ─ her time in the social pages had taught her that people of his calibre were simply never late, it was people like her who were early. on this exact day, the sentiment was true. katherine had caught an early train from manhattan, eager to be present, prepared & at ease when he would eventually show up.

beneath her cool facade a tincture of nerves roiled. for one she had not written a profile in a while, her career at last settled in the realm of her passion, participant observation & investigative journalism rather than sugar-coated endorsements of public figures. in part he was to thank for that: their initial meeting and her subsequent profile of the heartaches’ alexander choi was the first piece of work that drew the slightest of acclaim to her pseudonym, sending her down a path ending in the midst of a legion of newsboy strikers. his life had changed in the ten years since the first interview, though on much a larger scale than hers ─ five records, three with the band and two solo ( all of which she’d given a listen to over the course of the last two weeks, while she cooked, cleaned, pretended to read but in actuality just listened ), acclaim younger artists could only dream of, the world at his feet. call her egotistical, for she was though the reporter was remiss to admit it, but she wondered if he might remember her: if their last interaction had been as consequential to him as it had been to her.

a page and a half worth of notes later, the object of the sun’s interest appeared. older, though still as handsome as a decade before, he arrived at her booth with his manager & publicist in tow.

❛❛ katherine plumber with the sun. ❜❜ she re-introduced herself in greeting, hand reaching out to shake his. a polite smile had curled her mouth upward, keen eyes tracing his features for any kind of reaction. had he been briefed of their history? did it matter to him, or his team, at all? ❛❛ it’s good to see you again, mr. choi. ❜❜

𓆩 — the interview, round two • @gajigwa

[canwriteitbetterthanueverfeltit]

oh noooo I want to write a snowbaz superhero au

[micamicster]

Girl whos never heard of the spice known as cinnamon: this chai latte has a hint of fireball to it?

[astradites]

what is love? a dream. a little lois lane, clad in the little prep school skirt she hates, waiting. of course her father would never dream to be on time, so here she stands. nine. a happy age, other kids played with barbies, read fairytales. dreamt of love. yet the purple hued irises of lois lane found comfort in a love for writing. doodles. what is love? a lie. this prom dress is too tight, these pictures too uncomfortable. she hates this. (secretly, she can enjoy it — but lois lane cannot exist to feed a man's ego. she can't listen to her date talk about his life like she cares. don't you see, one day i'll be on every billboard? don't you see — i'm meant for more than this. for more than you.) what is love? lex luthor treats her like a possession. she exists as the pretty thing on his arm & it works, for a bit. lois notices it becomes remarkably easy to get what you want when you're the eye of the most powerful man in metropolis. until he suddenly thinks he can buy off your stories. until he expects something in return. what is love? a weakness.

until he comes. superheroes are fantasy, akin to dragonslayers and knights and all those books she hated. but then he picks her up, holds her tight and flies her to the sky and suddenly she understands. why romeo died for juliet. why rapunzel waited in that tower for her prince to come. superman's eyes stare into hers, his knuckles against her lips. soft hands for a savior.

❝ i'm not asking for a bodyguard clark. ❞ oh how wicked she feels, clad in her nightgown on the balcony as lois looks up at him. its so intimate — so foreign. to call him clark when he adorns that S. her S. her superman, her star, her story. all hers. ❝ — are you coming to bed? it's late. i've missed you. ❞

what is love? a love letter to clark joseph kent.

i won't let anyone hurt you. clark kent for lois lane. ♡  @astraheros

[musesofthemoon]

The little creature has been out for a while. Getting news of new worlds connecting was her game, and there was something of a surge of them lately. When one thing cropped up, something else would keep it going. She only hoped that some of this would still be news as she returned from the outing, and hopefully there wouldn't be too many problems now.

She was on the way back, of course, before she could see someone familiar in the distance. It certainly made the girl happy, as she quickly rushes over in greeting. It's Makenshi! Maybe they could head back to the Comodeen together, while catching up on what the other had seen back then. Even if he seemed a little bit preoccupied by something, that would be alright. Maybe it was something she would be able to help with as well?

She may be tired, but it's her job to help out in any way she can, and she couldn't just say no if there was something that needed to be done.

For now though, Crux flies up closely, a joyful look on her features. "Kuryuu! Kukukuryuuu!" she chirps.

@shiroi---kumo

[byliners]

scientists annoyingly remind her that the only constant in life is change ⠀⠀ [ a load of bullshit ] ⠀⠀but lois understands that the way things are will never be the same. she lives life in the fast lane, acting before thinking — & before she only had to respond for herself. ⠀⠀ motherhood ⠀⠀ shifts the bar completely, an entirely new dynamic that makes returning home from the daily planet for dinner feel even more anxiety inducing. newspaper gathered in one hand ⠀⠀ quickly dunked in the trash — as if the times had half the talent lois lane has ⠀⠀ the other drops boxes of chinese takeout as per their wednesday tradition. ⠀⠀ ❝ spring rolls have arrived ! ❞ ⠀⠀ lois announces, pulling out her chair and hearing the rapid footsteps signaling @springthings arrival. brace yourself lane, you've stood for peace talks with warring nations & now you're afraid of telling your daughter you're in a relationship? ⠀⠀ pathetic. ⠀⠀ ❝ dig in, i got half price at the place by work today & i figured i'd grab some extras for the weekend too. ❞ ⠀⠀ carefully, she avoids saying it straight : avoids telling her the changes coming soon. avoids mentioning a little trip with clark kent [ superman ] to an innocent child looking for stability.