#invasion of the frogs

[grassbreads]

I've been doing a lot of reading lately about the history of vampires in fiction and how the vampire as we know it today first entered literature, and the subject is honestly fascinating. The traditional folklore around vampires and vampire-like creatures is largely very different from what we'd think of as a vampire today, and it's also very different from how vampires appeared in even their earliest literary incarnations.

For one thing, there's nothing particularly alluring about most traditional vampires. They're bloated corpses that have crawled out of their graves, not dashing mysterious counts in lonely castles. They're not a particularly stylish or sexy monster.

However, from pretty much the moment that western literature first turned to the vampire myth for inspiration, writers saw something in the concept to sexualize. The poem "Der Vampir" (The Vampire) by Heinrich August Ossenfelder is often cited as the first ever true literary depiction of a vampire (published 1748!), and it is about a man corrupting a chaste and religious woman through his unwanted kiss/vampiric bite. John William Polidori's 1819 short story "The Vampyre" is widely seen as the first work to truly codify vampire fiction, and the titular Vampyre Ruthven is in large part inspired by the womanizing Lord Byron. Le Fanu's Carmilla depicts an intense attraction between Carmilla and her victim Laura. Stoker's Count Dracula is a man with overly flushed lips and hair on his palms, marks of Victorian fears of sexuality.

From the very start, vampires in literature have been a sexual monster. They're emblems of the seductive and terrible—the kiss of death that you can't help but be drawn to anyway. A violent forced intimacy that will corrupt you and drain away your very life force. There's a great deal of xenophobia and fear of the un-christian in early vampire fiction as well, but the fear of sex and sexual assault have always been a driver of literary vampires' horror and allure. Writers seem eternally split between desire for the vampire and revulsion at that very lust, even from the moments that the creatures first graced the page.

There's a great tradition of vampiric fiction both using vampirism to evoke sexual predators and making vampires themselves desirably sexy. Thus, given that it is very concerned with sexual assault and bodily autonomy as themes, often uses predation by a vampire to evoke sexual violence, and is deeply horny about vampires and blood drinking, Jun Mochizuki's The Case Study of Vanitas is actually one of if not the best modern successor to the canon of early vampire literature. In this essay, I will

[grassbreads]

I just realized that nobody had actually linked Perfect Crime Love Letter on the poll itself yet, which is unacceptable, so here you go:

vote C-ta

Final Round.

[herpsandbirds]

WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT BULLFROGS?

Conservation gets complicated when a native U.S. species is appreciated in one part of the country but despised in another. Consider, if you will, the American bullfrog. “In the Eastern US, where it’s native, its oversized impact is a good thing. In the West, where it’s been introduced, though, the bullfrog tends to wreak havoc.” I recently received those comments from J.J. Apodaca, executive director of Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy. ARC is a nonprofit organization focused on protecting amphibians and reptiles, which includes developing strategies to preserve their habitats...

Read more: https://whitgibbons.com/what-should-we-do-about-bullfrogs

Photo: Bullfrogs are the largest frogs in North America. Native to the eastern states, they can be an unwelcome invasive species in the West. Photo courtesy Parker W. Gibbons

[proteusolm]

Please. West coast people. I need you to stop broadly stating that American bullfrogs are invasive online. They are not invasive to North America in general. They are invasive only specifically to parts of western North America. Don't blindly encourage people to kill them without clarifying it they are in the regions in which they are non-native 😭

They're good boys in their native range, which includes the majority of the continental US and southeastern Canada.

[random-tmnt-drawing-ref]

Clothing beam

[diamondsandlemons]

When I was a kid and the only computer I could use was the desktop in the office, I used to always watch this video as the last thing I did before logging off, because of the sense of calm it instilled in me

[markscherz]

I have question, do you have a least favorite frog?

Yeah, Pepe.

[grassbreads]

Thanks for the tag bestie!

Last Song

Snowflake by The Hoosiers. They're releasing new music again for the first time since like 2015, and I'm so pleased about it :). Big win for the mid 2010s 8tracks fandom playlist girlies.

Currently Watching

Bigtop Burger! It has been a shockingly long time since I've watched any actual movies or TV, but the season 2 finale of Bigtop Burger by Worthikids came out yesterday, and I have been losing my mind over it a little bit.

Bigtop Burger is a youtube series and it's very short (the longest ep is 6 minutes, and most of them are under 4), so it's super easy to get into. Season 1 is a goofy comedy about a clown-themed food truck, and the last couple episodes of season 2 will rewrite your brain.

Currently Reading

I'm actually between books right now! I just finished rereading The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle, which was just as brilliantly effective the second time through. Genuinely a must-read for anyone into Lovecraft.

Next on the tbr pile is Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I haven't started it yet, but I liked the first episode of the TV adaptation, and I loved Gone Girl by the same author, so I'm anticipating a very good time.

As for web novels, I'm still making my way through the last book of Silent Reading/Mo Du by Priest. It's a good story and I like the characters (especially Fei Du), but I can't recommend it to others without a huge grain of salt for copaganda reasons. It's an interesting and impressively intricate crime drama, but at the end of the day, it falls into the same pitfalls as the rest of the police/crime genre.

Current Obsessions

I have a massive collection of webcomics that I've bookmarked as "to read later," and I've been devoting huge amount of my time the past couple weeks to actually reading all those collected tbrs. I hope you're ready to hear me scream about my web comic obsession.

A special shoutout goes to Countdown to Countdown by Velinxi, which is hands down my favorite of my recent reads. It's set in the not so distant future, in a vaguely post-apocalyptic society where a huge chunk of the population now has various superpowers. The main character is the son of the director of a culty prison tower that offers people with powers safety from the dangerous outside world on the condition that they act as though they're powerless. That main character wants out from that condition.

CtC's art is utterly stunning, and the story is a ton of fun (with a delicious amount of absolute heartbreak). You wanna read this comic so bad.

This post will be a mile long if I fully explain all the other things I've recently read and adored, so here's a speed round of the recent highlights (so far) from my web comic folder:

Ingress Adventuring Company by kayartics. A D&D-inspired fantasy about what happens to a powerful but messy wizard decades after he and his party save the world.

Going to Weather by SJ Costello. A ghost story set on a whaling ship.

The Property of Hate by modmad. The story of a young girl recruited to become a "hero" and save a literal world of imagination (and the story of the monster who recruits her).

Broken by Kristina Caruso. A fantasy horror about a psychic zombie and a fairy super-soldier trying to survive in a world of eldritch abominations and military dictatorships.

Wilde Life by Pascalle Lepas. A supernatural horror/slice of life about a man who moves to rural Oklahoma and discovers that his new home is overflowing with the paranormal.

Read more indie webcomics for the love of god. The creators need the support and these fantastic stories need to be enjoyed by more people. I'm never going to shut up about web comics.

Anyway now that I'm done getting carried away, here's tags (and feel free to ignore if you don't want to do this of course). @torterrachampion @halloweentual @travelingneuritis @reloaderror @helpfulbug @brushbugs @grelleswife and @96kyirah. The last tag goes to anyone else I didn't tag that wants an excuse to join in :)

9 people you'd like to know better

ty @haasegawa for the tag !!! so sorry i didn't get around to this sooner qwq

Last song: mine

Currently watching: very slowly finishing pokemon journeys, leon is so delicious

Currently reading: stormbringer except it's taking forever because i have the jp and en versions and i'm reading both at the same time

Current obsession: bsd in general, particularly fixated on soukoku and the next gen fic that i'm writing

tagging : @cyber-seaweed @xarlutye @cinammonelles @cyrafoam @severaltuesdays @frostlineprince @bimalewife (first mutuals on the list ty for following!), and @sweebat @killjoy-prince !

[tacagen]

just continued watching tmnt87! and is that a motherfucking bishop prototype.

[winemom-culture]

Lrt speaking of frogs during more yard work over the weekend I sent my mom this pic of this toad on our ac unit like haha look at the toad and she responds back like oh that’s the bastard of the earth, you should kill it two ways

[grassbreads]

Clipped this for my own enjoyment but y'all can have it as well.

[keroradio]

Ta-da! Today we have the first audio drama, or rather, the introduction, the main story for this CD is on another track. In total there were 10 audio drama CDs, two sets of 5 with each album being tied to a different frog

The uploads for these will have a one day break on either side, as well as a shorter track, partially because writing out the story will take more time, and partially because I calculated how many tracks there are in total and it turns out I started this a little too early; there are some seasonal songs I wanted to post around the corresponding time, and this will pad things out just enough to let me do that

On that note, there's a translation (and notes) under the cut

Hopefully it turned out well, I forgot how hard these guys are to translate by ear (^.^')

--------------- N: When you're listening to a CD, keep the room bright and sit away from the speaker- What? Ah, it's fine? (1)

Alright then, to show our gratitude that you bought this production, our best wishes to you

Well, it's sudden, but this is the Keron army Pekopon invasion base, secretly built deep under the Hinata house

K66: I'm the commander of the Keroro platoon, nobody else could have gathered you today

Private 2nd Class Tamama!

TMM: Yes!

K66: Corporal Giroro!

G66: Hmph, really, it's not that this will be anything but you doing what you want

K66: Gi-Giroro-kun

G66: What is it?

K66: Since this time is audio only, could you change your voice? It's scary, yes sir

G66: I-Is that so? (sweetly) Hello, I'm Giroro~♥

K66: G-Good job

N: That was also scary...

K66: Moving along, Sgt Major Kururu

966: Ku ku, present

K66: And Angol Mois-dono

M: Yes, uncle!

K66: Ah~ As always, you're such a good, honest girl, aren't you?

TMM: I won't lose like this

N: Tamama fretted

TMM: Yes! It's Private 2nd class Tamama~! ♥

K66: Replying once is enough

TMM: Gaan!

N: And then slumped

K66: Well then, everyone's here

D66: Uh, I am...

K66: (Shocked noises) I forgot him

There's no way I'd forget you! A person we value so, so much!

Lance Corporal Dororo!

D66: I've come to participate

K66: That was close, his trauma switch is still off

G66: Just hurry and tell us what in the world this is about! (awkward pausing) Um, what might this be about? ♥

K66: The grey cells of our army, yet also like a grandmother's embrace, Sgt Major Kururu has invented a fearsome new weapon to easily and simply conquer Pekopon

TMM: Fearsome?

G66: New weapon?

K66: And so, keep your eyes peeled and see that new weapon!

Mois-dono 12487 circuit, switch on!

M: Roger! Switch on!

(Everyone makes exclamations of amazement)

G66: Oh! But isn't this just a normal CD?

K66: Your eyes can't see it, can they? Corporal Giroro

G66: What are you saying?

K66: This CD was developed by Sergeant Major Kururu, when it's read by the treasured home sound system of the enemy, we can freely control them through what they hear

(More exclamations of amazement)

966: Ku ku ku ku, I really am the man that makes the impossible happen

TMM: Ooh! Let's try it out right away Mr Sergeant!

K66: Wait, I'm not finished speaking yet!

Gero gero gero gero, it sounds fearsome, right? This Pekopon invasion CD is going to have 5 kinds made

G66: F-five kinds?

D66: That's amazing, good sir (2)

K66: You understand, right? If in this Heisei era recession somebody released a 5 CD, what would happen? How much of a problem would it be?

M: Mois knows! Uncle will make so that people who want to acquire all of these CD will have to aimlessly search all over for them. You could say "Strength in numbers"

K66: Mois-dono~

TMM: I can't lose!

N: Tamama fretted once again

TMM: Mr Sergeant's amazing! It's a miracle you have the popularity to make a 5 part CD set!

K66: (Distressed noises)

TMM: I screwed up

N: And once again Tamama slumped

K66: Setting that aside! All eyes on the monitor!

Behold! Our audio weapon!

G66: Th-this is!

TMM: Oh!

M: It's an original drama CD, isn't it? Uncle

K66: Precisely

TMM: Hmm, the first one is Mr Sergeant's Gunpla diary, the second is Mr Sergeant's poem collection, third is Mr Sergeant's health diary, forth is Mr Sergeant...

G66: (noises of irritation)

K66: How's it? What does everyone think? It's the best, right?

G66: Keroro! You moron! What part of this is a Pekopon invasion CD!? Ultimately, isn't this a CD of your interests!?

K66: However, after all, see, it was fun to make

G66: It was only fun for you!

TMM: Right? It won't sell with titles like this

K66: Gero!

TMM: Since there's 5 in the set, I want to make one "Tamama: The path to hand-to-hand combat, yes sir" volume (3)

G66: I'll make a CD too! One that appeals to the spirit of the Keron army "Giroro: Speeches of rage, yes sir" volume

966: Ku Ku, I've also been thinking, "Kururu: Discover through sound, great field guide, yes sir" volume. How is it?

M: Um, I have something to say. If there's space, I think a "Mois, return to her home town" volume would be good, you could say, feathering your own nest

D66: In that case, I think a "Dororo: A wonderful world of flowers & greenery, yes sir" volume would be nice, good sir. It would have bird songs, & river sounds-

723: Hey! Stupid frog!

K66: Auwah!

723: I heard it from Yoshizaki-sensei. You're making an original drama CD, aren't you?

K66: Uh, that's...

FYK: Aren't you being secretive, sergeant?

K66: Fuyuki-dono too!?

MMK: Hello! Did my Tama-chan come to play?

TMM: Ah! Even Momocchi!

723: For a well made CD, it would be nice to get Mutsumi-san as a guest to do a special talk, wouldn't it?

K66: What?

FYK: In that case, as the Occult Club, we could do an audio report on the 7 mysteries of the world

K66: Well, that's...

MMK: Since he world's 7 mysteries would cover a lot of material, let's release it as a first & second part 2 disc set

K66: W-wait a minute-this is- I'm supposed to be the author of this-

UMMK: What's that? You've got complaints about the 7 mysteries of the world?

K66: Gero~

723: No matter what, it should be something fun

K66: Well, that's true, but...

723: Then let's all do it

K66: (Noises of frustration)

N: Just then, something inside of Keroro snapped

K66: I don't wanna! I don't wanna! I don't wanna! Everyone's doesn't wanna listen to my ideas and are making their own 5-part CD sets!

G66: What? You're suddenly having a tantrum!?

TMM: "I think you should stop crying "me me me me" like a kid! (4)

K66: No way!

G66: Aren't you embarrassed as an army man?

K66: I wanna make a gunpla diary! I wanna make one!

D66: Everyone, my suggestion-

TMM: More than that, We should do a Private 2nd Class Tama-chan diary!

M: That's good, but so is my "Mois-chan: uncle love-love diary"!

TMM: Burying me under a similar idea, I won't forgive this woman!

N: Again, again, again, again, Tamama fretted

723: More importantly, are you going to call Mutsumi-san as a guest or not?

G66: I-I think if Natsumi says so, we should call him

K66: No no no no! It's my CD! We're doing what I want!

G66: You're crying over a CD!

FYK: I thought the world's seven mysteries was good

MMK: Isn't it? Hey Paul! Give it your all and to back up Fuyuki-kun! Paul! Buy every dictaphone you can find!

P: Yes, miss

M: Then, how about a three-part harmageddon-

TMM: Keep that off this CD!

N: Again, again, again, again, again, Tamama lost it

TMM: I've had it!

723: Call Mutsumi!

Everyone: Unintelligible arguing

966: Ku ku ku, it's already a mess, huh?

N: Any way, in an ugly, hostile environment like this, will the Pekopon invasion CD be born?

____

1-It's a parody of the warnings that started being placed at the beginning of animated shows after flashing lights in the Porygon episode of Pokemon caused photosensitive migraines & seizures. The warnings tell viewers to sit a good distance from the screen and to keep the room well lit since this reduces the photo sensitive effect, but since it's a CD it doesn't really effect anything.

2-Keroro's ending sentences "de arimasu" is derived from military speech and translated as "yes sir" to reflect that, while Dororo's "de gozaru" is both formal and archaic (the modern counterpart is "gozaimasu"), so I translated it as "good sir" to have a similar feel.

3-The pattern for the proposed titles is, of course, modeled off the episode titles, but "volume" ("title" no maki) actually means something closer to roll, a lot of works use this pattern which dates back to when everything was written on scrolls.

4-I had to fudge this one because it doesn't translate neatly; you've probably noticed from listening that Japanese has multiple options for first person pronouns that have different associations and how well a character's categories match to the "I" they use can tell you more about them.

Keroro normally uses "Wagahai" which is an old fashioned and slightly arrogant sounding way of calling yourself (it's a bit like saying "my esteemed self") and is sort of a more archaic counterpart to the modern "Ore-sama". But during his meltdown, he uses "Boku" which it typically used by boys and younger men, in this case to make him sound more childish.

....Either way, it's a little ironic that Tamama's the one complaining about Keroro doing this since he also uses a more childish speech pattern.

[mothraeve]

Frogs and bugs ( by: My Garden of Eve)

I hate the Spotted Lanternfly which has become an invasive species in Maryland. I am happy to say my frogs are doing their part in keeping their numbers down 🐸

[random-tmnt-drawing-ref]

[seabeck]

A dog on a log in a bog, hunting a frog

[deepinifhell]

Okay so we know Farah puts bugs and spiders outside and that she perceives animals like humans.

Now presumably Farah sees the consumption and use of other creatures as a necessary and normal part of nature cause like Morgan's leather jacket doesn't seem to bother her in any way and also she's a vampire. However, I do think it might be um...jarring for Farah the first time Pax remorselessly murders an invasive species in front of her. Especially because she would have seen Pax collect creatures and return them outside previously.