#lw meta

[luvwich]

💭

i follow a lot of blogs on here and i also happen to be a forgetful, attention-challenged whore. if there's ever something you wanted to make sure i saw, or wanted my thoughts on, or just that you thought i'd enjoy — i'd legit love it if you tagged me, shot me a DM, etc!

i know this is a hard step to take and feels weird but i promise, i promise promise promise, it is not weird. i promise i will be really flattered you thought of me 💓

it's so challenging to reach out. it is hard to be direct in spaces like this, where much is oblique, where the rules of engagement aren't well-formed, yet we are all pouring our hearts into art and writing and blorbos and all the rest. i think that dichotomy can lead to a lot of unmet expectations and disappointment — i know it has for me.

but like, i'd love to hear from you. it's not just something i say. i mean it. i'm trying to do it more, too 💕

[waitmyturtles]

OMFG CHEEWIN IS IN THIS AS A PRESS CONFERENCE HOST OF A BL SERIES

I AM DYING

[chainofclovers]

Ted Lasso 3x3

Good lord. This episode was like being on the Scrambler at the fair. You know the one, you sit in the little seat at the end of a big arm like a spoke of a wheel, and the central machine spins steadily, but because of the position of the arms, and I don’t know, physics, you kind of get flung from point A to B, then B to C, then C to A again, but it’s a slightly different A than before, a slightly different spot, and it goes fast and your surroundings are blurry but then there are little moments when you land at each point where the movement pauses and you can see clearly, just in time to propel someplace new again. 

The Scrambler was always my favorite ride. I’m too chickenshit for huge rollercoasters, I get irrationally angry (terrified) if upside down, I don’t want to be splashed with water, etc., but also I’m not a baby. I liked being disoriented. And I think I really liked this episode. 3x1 and 3x2 were both awesome and I was cruising along feeling very aware of what show I was watching, and tonight I was absolutely watching the same show but the fucking great needle drops and the whole weird energy of the thing left me—to overdo the stupid metaphor—scrambled.

I can’t believe my last pre-s3 fic included Ted having bad feelings about Precious Moments figurines in a rental house and then it turns out actual Ted’s actual mom collects them!

(Weird bullet to start with? Well, I feel weird!)

The boys (adult men who coach AFC Richmond) just want Julie Andrews to boss them around and punish them. I get it. 😌

Ola’s! I’m so excited for Sam and I love the vibe of his restaurant and I love that he’s getting to do this communal, home-oriented endeavor that connects him to so many things about both Nigeria and the UK right as his football club is becoming a cult of personality. 

Everything with Tish was so unsettling. I love that Rebecca was trying desperately to play the whole thing for laughs, but then it was genuinely chilling. I have so many (strong) feelings about Rebecca and motherhood, and I’ve felt this whole time like it was incredibly important to her character’s journey that she is never going to be a mother, exactly, even though I’m just a human girl and I would love to see her stepmommin’. But tbh I am HERE for seeing what happens precisely because she was angry about the premonition, she didn’t bite back her feelings, she called the vision cruel. I’m going to need to rewatch and listen to every word that Tish says but I am! Losing! It! 

Zava is great as a device and I’m loving that Jamie isn’t having tantrums but is instead using his words (to great effect!). He’s standoffish but he isn’t being a total prick. And I’m very :eyesemoji: about these early morning trainings with Roy, and, you know, what purpose Roy is going to find there beyond helping to mold Jamie. I really like that most everyone else is very much not immune to Zava, and I like that there’s a logic to that—they’re winning, they’re thriving, they’re a surprise success story. 

I am obsessed with Ted’s obsession with Dr. Jacob and how he’s continuing to call him Dr. Jacob. I completely get why it’s so upsetting and bewildering. I would be a basket case. Also I think there’s something incredibly perfect about the terrible foot they start off on (restart, anyway), with Dr. Jacob doing the stupid Trump impersonation and just really putting his foot in it. I guess there could have been worse ways to choose to answer the phone, but it’s difficult to think of one! And Dr. Jacob might not get much screentime, but we get so much—the cringiness of the realization it’s Ted on the line. The cozy homey Kansas kitchen. The busy lived-in domesticity, interrupted. And then he’s in this fugue state for weeks, obsessing, and there’s Sassy. I kinda love that he tells her up front about Michelle and their ex-therapist; they clearly haven’t seen each other in a long time, and that’s the first and only news he thinks to tell her!? Yikes. 

Shandy! Yes. (And Roy wanting to do the interview. HELP.)

I have every feeling in the world about Colin and his boyfriend. I absolutely love—I mean, I hate it for him, but I love it for this story—that he’s seemingly secure in his sexuality in terms of understanding who he is, and is closeted because of the world he lives in. Colin and his absurdly noticeable car and hiding in plain sight among the casual gay jokes of the world he lives in. My heart was in my throat over Trent seeing them. My hope is that we’re going to get confirmation that Trent is also queer, and that all this is going to have something to do with the book he’s writing (hopefully in a good way rather than a horrific way!), especially since the audience hasn’t heard Trent pitch his book project and we really don’t know much of anything about the kind of story he’s looking for. TIME WILL TELL, I GUESS. 

I’m sure there are a million other things, but to be entirely honest my entire brain is just the words “shite in nining armor” over and over and over again. Maybe my brain will come back online tomorrow, or maybe it won’t come back until May 31, or never! Goodnight!

[softlyapocalytpic]

@persephotea are just thinking about the Girls(TM) this week and it’s both so much fun and allows Amy to have a character arc that doesn’t end in tragedy in an AU

But also just… hammers home why her story is a tragedy. There is no Lainey in Steelheart canon, no person who is stubbornly by her side for everything, and Butch gets there too late.

She’s already cracked. Already broken in a way he doesn’t know how- and doesn’t really should know how- to fix. And then it gets worse.

She doesn’t get a lot of gentle buffers, but with Lainey she does.

Sunshine will always be the heart of my soul, but the more I developed Amy the longer it hurt my heart she never really got to Get Healthy. To be her entirely own realized person.

But for the first time I’m actually starting to wonder, who is that person? What does is she like? What does true happiness look like for her?

[spaceorphan18]

Okay, something I noticed while doing the meta -- Penelope kept an entire issue of LW and a coin purse in her bosom. And, I mean, sure, those dresses have zero pockets and handbags didn't seem to be a thing, so where else was she going to keep it?

But now I want a scenario where she gets caught up in the moment with Colin and he inadvertently discovers the amount of stuff she keeps hidden there.

[maevelin]

Colin Bridgerton needs to suffer meta.

Wait...wait...hear me out first!

I am one of those fans that want to see Colin Bridgerton SUFFER for Penelope yes. BUT with good reason I promise.

Because aside from the book material here in the show Colin had a different path in some stories. He believed himself to be in love and got heartbroken because of it.

He actually needs to feel that burn, that suffering to realize what being truly in love actually means. To actually feel there is no comparison to the real thing. To feel that what he believed being in love meant was not actually real or comparable in any form or way with what he is capable of feeling...for Penelope. (Book reference: This was Penelope...and this was love.)

No one can blame him for seeing Penelope as a friend so far. I think that is understandable but he also is a man who has had privilege in all his life, he has traveled the world from his secure place and is oblivious when it comes to certain things. He is a great guy, loving, devoted, honorable, a flirt and whatnot, but in order to mature he needs to go through some serious introspection. He does need to find his purpose and I would like to see that too in this season (himself as -book spoiler- an aspiring writer too).

I also want him to feel the pain and the struggle that comes with the LW reveal for him to realize that when we speak about a love of the magnitude he feels for Penelope not even what he deems as betrayal can make him give her up. It just does not matter. He will defend her no matter what, he will love her no matter what.

Let me quote Doctor Who for you (yes again):

"You betrayed me. You betrayed my trust, you betrayed our friendship, you betrayed everything I ever stood for. You let me down!.... Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?”

THIS is what and who Colin Bridgerton is for Penelope but to get there he first has to realize it and for that he needs a shock. HE NEEDS THE DRAMA. He is a Bridgerton guys if he is not a messy drama queen who suffers then what is the point? lol... Colin needs to have that maelstrom of emotion. The whirlwind. The pain, the jealousy, the YEARNING, the realization. He needs to be brought down on his knees (I do not oppose to the literal thing btw lol) before he rises again. Stronger than ever. And on the ready to protect his WIFE.

There is just no other way. And I will sure enjoy this because this...is what falling in love is and this season is about romance and Mr. Colin Bridgerton is our MALE LEAD HERO and as SUCH I want him to earn his position which means: HE IS OUR BELOVED IDIOT! YES HE IS GONNA SUFFER. YES I WILL CHEER FOR IT. YES I WILL BE HAPPY FOR MY GIRL PENELOPE AS THIS HAPPENS. YES TO ALL!

IT IS TIME!

I waited long enough! Now bring me season 3!

[somedayillbepeterpan]

on today's rewatch: S3E7 [Joining of hands]

I haven't done a good job in putting out original content for the past few months and I blame my new job entirely 😂 It's so intense, it turns my brain into mush most days.

I'm 68% functional right now so if my ramblings don't make sense, I apologise.

Today, I am thinking of Colin's retreating back after he discovered the Pen was LW.

(Colouring this gif is so hard. It's so dark 😭 I wish I was better at this.)

I don't know why I'm locked in on Colin's back.

On him walking away.

On his coat billowing as it matches the force of his steps. I have a thing for people's footsteps or way of walking because I often think about how I walk and how it represents what I'm feeling at the moment. My many, many rewatches offered me the realisation that there isn't a lot of full body shots of Luke Newton for S1 and S2 nor are walking shots. If there are full body shots, he's with Nicola so your attention is split.

I read a meta somewhere that book!Colin canonically loves walking so much so that he would endure the rain to help clear his thoughts.

I always thought that this walk was more heartbroken than angry. He walked away because his heart was breaking into pieces. But I also think that he walked away because of his love for her.

I know that the last thing he says to Pen in this scene is that he will never forgive her but I also think that he was talking more to Lady Whistledown than to Pen because at this point, they are still separate in his mind.

Clearly, this walk is the hardest to understand and has been part of heated debates of what canonically would Colin really do (this being compared to the source material aka book!Colin). I don't want to broach that debate too much because I would've done the same as Colin (as someone who is an introverted demisexual empath who value the words that come out of my mouth and actions to take but often overthinks them). And these are mere ramblings of a Polin brainrotter.

Now, there are three significant full body walking shots of Colin in S3: Colin's entrance in E1 (the faux swagger), this retreating walk in the early part of E7 (the heartbreak), and the him trying to clear his thoughts in the latter part of the same episode (the drunk, angry yet pensive one).

This walk represents the war that Colin has fought so many times. When his emotions overtake him, he finds himself walking away. I say find because I don't think Colin was self-aware nor mature enough to understand why he walked away. It's why he traveled around, it's what happened to him with Marina, and what he almost did to Penelope. In my head, this very distinctly represents Colin's trauma about his dad's death. His emotions always get the better of him.

This is another thing that I appreciate about Colin and Penelope's relationship-- they helped each other grow. If Penelope didn't have the courage or honestly, the love, to confront Colin when he was about to walk away in the modiste scene, we wouldn't have known the root of Colin's emotional trauma. Of him feeling inadequate and abandoned/betrayed by the people he loves.

On a different side of this debate, this is what separates this relationship to all other relationships that Colin has in his life-- the depth of love and understanding that him and Pen have shared gave them the the power to get out of this situation much, much stronger.

(on a side note, writing this is making me so excited for s4 even though I want to tamper my expectations)

In conclusion, I didn't appreciate the words that came out of Colin's mouth. But on the other hand, I appreciated that he walked away and he didn't do what book!Colin did. While this scene was devastating to watch, I really really appreciate how Colin spent time understanding his emotions about the whole LW situation. I know we all wanted to tear his hair out by the end but love doesn't put a timeline on forgiveness. Nor does it paint a pretty picture.

But time does help in growing yourself better.

[orangepeelshortbreadcookies]

Colin and the brothel

So I've seen leaks or speculations circling around about season 3 episode 7, about how Colin would find out Penelope is Lady Whistledown. Specifically, how he would react to this reveal, apparently: they would have a big fight, and after that, he would go to a brothel in anger. The reaction to this possibilty, as far as I've seen, has ranged from at best, skeptical, and at worst, absolutely furious. Even as the leak also assured that Colin would not seal the deal with adultery, the mere implication that he would even consider it, as what I've seen, was either unimaginable or so beyond the pail that it was sufficient evidence to villify him.

For now, everything still remains speculations. If it turns out he would not go to the brothel after LW reveal, it's fine. Otherwise, if it turns out that he would go the brothel after a fruitless argument with Penelope...? ALSO FINE.

Like, is it cheap drama? Yes. Is it a valid response considering the situation? Also yes. Intrusive thoughts can be one hell of a drug. But aside from that, considering his circumstances, I would think it a pretty solid development for his character.

Let's get the meta reason out of the way: the writers need knock him off his pedestal, according to what they claimed, in order to get him and Penelope to the same (somewhat) level. So far he has been a perfect gentleman, perfectly accomodating, helpful, honest and emotionally honest with Penelope. Forgiving and compassionate. The same arguably cannot be said about her. Going to the brothels is Colin's Chekhov's gun of a crutch, a toxic, "empowering" coping mechanism for him the same way LW is for Penelope. The narrative frames his experience with the two sex workers in similar way with Pen writing a gossip column: temporary reprieves from emotional distress. Achievements that according to society they should be proud of. It would not be surprising to me that Colin would briefly retreat back behind this familiar shield after the Whistledown bomb drops on him. And what a bomb that would be.

And with his current state of mind, and the stage of their relationship, I'm not sure how else he could have reacted, beside dissociating the hell out of the situation for awhile. He could not break off their engagement, because (according to the leaks), their engagement or marriage was already public and could not be annulled or postponed without causing a huge scandal, and because he loves her, he does not want to do this. He could not tell his family, they would probably be very angry and for good reason. Because he loves Penelope and would not want to rob her of the joy of with his family at Bridgerton House, especially not after she told him how much it meant to her. Telling his family she's LW would be a pretty surefire way to end that refuge for good. He would be furious, and rightfully so. He would feel tricked. Manipulated. His opinions ignored. That his affections were taken for granted. He would feel like he trusted and confided in the wrong person. He would feel like the Marina story was repeating itself before him, made worse by the person who condemned her, the person who he thought was his best friend, who after listening to him asking her to trust him, didn't, and behind his back made decision about his future for him. Plus his own moral opinions against Whistledown's ethics and her subject matters, Colin has some pretty good, compounding reasons to be angry. That anger has to go somewhere. And there's not many places it could go.

So yeah, going to the brothel, to me, for Colin, in the moment, would feel like one of the few ways he has left to assert some sort of agency in his life. In a reductive, possibly destructive way, yes, and on surface level, strictly carnal, the two prostitutes heard him and respected his wishes. And at the moment of distress, that would feel like a lifeline. And if he can't go through with that, if he manages to rein himself in, it would speak volumns of his emotional maturity and how much he loves Penelope. That self-control of your worst impulses is also what Pen could learn from him and guess what, it helps them grow.

[edgyedgelord]

I'm back to yell at y'all to BUY MY STUFF!!!

Prices listed are my offer but I am willing to haggle. Know that I won't drop them super low and I have checked on other websites what the average price is for the items that I'm selling for their quality.

The base cost for the laptop I want is $1,182 with the specs I need, ports, and ofc the power adapter. I want to try aiming for $1,250 if possible in case prices go up, shipping, etc. and anything extra would ofc be appreciated. I will also accept donations but would prefer if you instead gave them to those in more need than me.

I'd also like to say that I wish I didn't have to do this during a time where people are suffering for their existance. If you have money to spare please send it to families in need or trusted organizations who can help them. If I reach my goal and get employed I will be donating whatever I can afford to the families in need and organizations that can help them. This doesn't just apply to Palestinians but anyone affected by any sort of genocide.

Current Goal Progress: $81.88/$1,250

This post will update regularly with new items and prices. If you find something you like send me a message with an offer and we'll discuss. I may add a bit more to the price for shipping depending on how much it is. You will have to pay first before I send it out.

If you're not happy with the item and want a refund message me and send it back. I'll return the money once I have the item back.

Oculus Rift S - $150

Full set including the headset, controllers, wire, and box. Condition is well used, poor even, but can be repaired. Still functions but is worn out so boot up is slow and can have issues at times.

Has duct tape residue cause the lil bit that holds the wire fell off. It's been cleaned off after I took these photos I just need to update them.

Recommended for tech geeks looking for VR parts or that can repair it, or those who aren't picky.

Do not buy if you're looking for a first time headset, just get a Meta Quest or Steam VR headset.

Wacom One - $100

Perfectly fine condition on the outside with the only issue being that the display doesn't work. Other than that, it functions perfectly fine.

Comes with tons of pen tips, two pens, the wire, etc. I recommend this if you're looking for a Wacom that isn't overpriced and if you're looking to not support the company but want one of their tablets.

Recommended for fellow artists needing a cheap tablet with all the fixins but doesn't need a display. I tried to get it fixed but they were charging almost the same price as when we bought it.

Xp-Pen Wireless Deco LW Black - $50

Theres actually nothing wrong with it. It's just old and I don't really use it anymore since I got my newest tablet.

It'll come with a carrying bag, pen, case for the pen and extra nibs, cleaning cloth, and even the manual.

Recommend for beginners needing a cheap starting tablet or those in need of a cheap replacement or backup, like myself when I got it.

Advice: If she starts losing calibration and recalibrating isn't working check to make sure the program/drivers are up to date. Still works like brand new even years later!

Pokemon Cards - Prices Vary

I have a massive collection and 90% of those are doubles. Need that ONE card to complete a set? Looking for something fancy for your binder? Wanting a couple of random cards to get into the TCG? Hit me up! I have so many cards I need to trade away or sell it's ridiculous.

More details on this post.

[thekatebridgerton]

The thing is that in the books, I've always loved the duality between Anthony and Colin and the fact they basically turn into each other, as soon as they fall inlove.

No seriously hear me out. On one hand you have book Anthony. He's responsible, hard on everyone, doesn't joke, or smile, he lives for his duty so much he's planned to marry without love in order to fulfill it. Anthony has the temper of an annoyed father figure who just can't put up with his siblings anytime they cause yet another mess he must fix. And this is evident in.... How he treats Colin, the sibling who likes to prank him and lives to try his patience. But Then Anthony meets Kate, and lo and behold she makes him laugh, he can joke with her, he can be himself with her, confide his true thoughts, enjoy his life, feel free from his responsibility when he's with her, so of course she's the only person who sees this funny and immature Colin-like side of him.

Then we have book Colin. Charming, well spoken, people don't think he's ever lost his temper in his life, he's the life of the party going from sibling to sibling playing matchmaker and reveling in the way he can drive Anthony mad with his antics. Colin, who can get away with murder with just an impish grin and a flick of his fingers. Looks like the least responsible of his brothers, what with his traveling around and never setting roots. But then he realizes he's inlove with Penelope and she brings out not only the protective instinct in him, but also the Anthony like temper that he's never shown to anyone. She makes him angry and he lets her know it! but she also makes him want to set roots and take responsibility for her because she evidently hasn't considered the consequences of her actions as LW. Nevermind that Penelope didn't ask him to help, too bad, she's going to be his wife and he's going to be overbearing and overprotective and stern! Penelope needs stern! he can't be charming Colin with her, she's prepared to walk all over him if he gives her an inch. In the books its fun, because Colin pretends he doesn't have a temper until Penelope brings it out and from then on he's pretty much done with joking around. with her he's all MY WIFE, MY HOUSE, MY RULES. and Penelope goes NO IT AINT. Because Penelope is exactly the kind of person who can and will override his temper with hers. So he has to be his true self, and his true self is a bit more like Anthony than he lets people see.

And that's the meta of the day for you

[yomeritoo2]

GUIA PARA NUEVOS EDTUMBLRS

Sw = starting weight (tu peso inicial)

Cw = current weight (tu peso actual)

Ugw = ultimate goal weight (tu meta de peso más extrema)

Gw = goal weight (pequeñas metas de peso, por ejemplo, gw1 50kg, gw2 45kg, ugw 40kg)

Lw = lowest weight (tu peso más bajo)

Hw = highest weight (tu peso más alto)

Binge = atracon

Fast = NF ("no Food", ninguna comida, Ayuno)

Liquid Fast / lq fast (es masomenos como el ayuno, pero se puede consumir calorías liquidas)

Omad (one meal a day) = alimentarse solo una vez al día y ayunar durante las demás horas del día.

Mono = comer solo un tipo de comida, por ejemplo: comer solo manzanas o lechuga durante un día o más.

(El mérito de esa publicación no es mío. Una chica brasileña la encontró en polonês y hizo la traducción para el portugués. Lo único que hice fue traducir del portugués al español. Infelizmente no pude etiquetar a la chava, pero eso no significa que no esté agradecida con ella. Obrigada, pelas informações, meu bem! 🦋)

Les dejo el enlace de la publicación original ⬇️

[polinated]

ok so i need to get stuff out of my chest regarding part 2. tldr; it's a frustrated but optimistic rant lol. hid it below in case you don't wanna read it, which is totally fine!

i know part 2 has left many people (including myself) a bit jaded, and understandably so! lol if you've been following me for the past few months you know how much i've been chronically obssessing over polin on here. they were the matter that made up my brain lol. were there stuff i didn't like and wish they'd done differently? a few things, yes, and the feeling fucking sucked. like, for one, if it were up to me i would drag out more the resolution part between colin and pen. give us a bit more to balance the angst and make that happy ending feel a bit more earned. because i felt empty after watching that. i thought, hmm, this isn't working for me.

but the thing is, if i really tried i can justify some of these choices textually, and honestly it's helped me understand some things better in retrospect, like when colin was so incessant about pen dropping LW, which bothered me at first. why tf would he circle back to not forgiving her when he already kinda did before the wedding? then i realized, because he still had issues with the idea of LW herself, and not penelope, and it's making it difficult for him to reconcile those two parts of her. also that entrapping statement he said to pen. that was fucking harsh, but i've come to think that angry people say stuff they don't mean just to hurt the person that has first hurt them. i just wished he said sorry for that statement at some point.

anyways, this isn't to say i'm kissing the show's boot or giving it a pass or whatever. i'm ready to say that the writing is not very good in parts. but i'm just seeing the story for what it is and making my way from there. i think certain expectations i've been subconsciously nursing also had something to do with it. i tried my best to limit speculations, but alas, i could not help it lmao. i just wanted the best for polin.

but yeah, i still wanna have fun about part 2. will still make gifs, shitposts, and the occasional meta if i feel like it. but also i won't hesitate to say negative stuff about it if it's begging to be said, and that's okay!

[neoaya]

Hot take!!! (Nuclear tbh)

People are way too shitty to the LW devs, especially Yumeno Rote.

This guy is responsible for every single piece of non-story card character art in the game, that includes units, costumes, alts, expressions, Music Video CGs, etc. Seeing as a new unit is released per week, along with 2/4 event costumes and 2/3 rebirth costumes at the end of the month, this guy is at MINIMUM drawing 8 fully detailed illustrations and backgrounds per month, for three and a half years straight.

The only other gacha to my knowledge that has one artist doing all the character art like this is Limbus Company, which even then has a significantly longer period between new art being added to the game. (I'm aware there are likely a lot more, but most to my knowledge have multiple artists)

So when I see a post criticising Lost Word, what do you think is being criticised 90% of the time?

Is it:

The fact it's a gacha game

Genuine criticism of the game itself and its mechanics or story

Hell, even criticism of the questionable work practice of having one guy do all the game's art

If you guessed 4, "near insignificant nitpick of Rote's art, AUs shown, or a VA (in a game where you can pick from 3 for every character) because it doesn't fit within their headcanon in a game about multiple different universes" you'd be correct!

Don't get me wrong, I have seen the first two plenty of times, but they're always either fair critiques or people who just don't want anything to do with gacha games and don't care which is understandable.

But for 4? The sheer amount of hatred and seething vitriol people express for details most people wouldn't think twice about is insane to me. It never seems to come from a sincere place of disappointment but rather fear to fit in, like "Oh this relates to me, I better lay in to it as much as possible since everyone else shits on it, wouldn't want to give people the impression I'm weird for liking it after all". It just seems depressing to me that people feel the need to act miserable out of peer pressure and not wanting to stray from the popular opinion.

As someone's who played the game since launch at this point I feel more than qualified to tell you it's FAR from perfect, hell I wouldn't even call it all that good. Gameplay fluctuates from playing the game for you to forcing you to have a full understanding of the meta, grinding is a chore, drop rates are far too low, the nature of the game forcing normally evil aligned characters to act more reasonably, and I unironically think the lack of representation and downright bad writing for Aya until now is singlehandedly responsible for making her drop by one place 3 years in a row in the THVote popularity poll.

So why do I still play it after all this time? Because I genuinely just want to see what they do next. I like seeing what new takes on characters they come up with, I like seeing where the story goes, what the next event will be and I love Rote's art and all the other art contributed by the JP community, I even think the Hifuu and RoM section of the story is genuinely good. It's nice to have a constant and reliable stream of Touhou media to read through in-between the wait for actual new games.

Somehow I don't feel that guy in the middle would want to come on livestreams 3 and a half years after launch if he didn't find it fun, same goes for all the artists and doujin circles that have contributed their art and music, especially those with more than one card or song.

If you want anyone to blame, blame GoodSmile for publishing this game and making this the complete extent they're willing to promote it and Touhou as a whole. (Last new character from them was a Reisen nendo from six years ago btw!)

In conclusion, I think LW has objectively done more good for the series than harm. You can not understate the fact that this game is responsible for introducing Touhou to so many new people and giving the spotlight to characters that are otherwise overlooked. Inaccurate character portrayals are rarely an issue when the series embraces differentiating itself from the source material, that's the nature of doujin culture. That and it seems silly to try and gatekeep people who got into the series through Lost Word, telling them they're experincing it wrong only serves to turn them away and I don't blame newcomers when official touhou media is still hard to come across in the west and the three most popular games in the series still don't have a digital release.

As a tangent, I used to have a problem with how Aya was depicted in a lot of fan media, even from people here, but a friend taught me I shouldn't let those alternate interpretations ruin my enjoyment of her and that I shouldn't fault them for seeing her that way. I feel others should be able to learn from that.

(I definitely forgot some stuff but this is ranty enough as is, I just wanted to get it out of my system)

[st4rryd0lly]

vingangelstar's new year, new lw d13t!

goal: lose 44 by april/sooner

max intake/day: 600

net intake goal: under 100

meta days: 1500

days off work: 0

exercise: daily. the goal here is to burn off what i 34t, or close to it!

new ugw: 110 by april 23rd 2025

i am trying to 34t cleaner by not ingesting sm pre-processed f00d, so the goal here is to mainly consume salads and protein :3 this will help me stay energized throughout the day and overall feel better because im essentially going to be omad'ing. i will hardly drink sodas and try to stick to just water.

m4l3sp0 below the cut

[womaninwinter]

This one little moment has produced So Much fic and meta, there's hardly anything left to say about it (but don't worry that won't stop me from trying!!).

The first thing I'm interested in here is George's motivations – he's made it very clear that he thinks Lucy left because of Holly, so bringing her up is basically him merrily pulling the pin out of a conversational grenade. And the whole "old Luce doesn't mind dirt" thing is just mean tbh, Lucy straight out told him in THB that Holly's "perfect" appearance bothers her (with the implication that it makes her feel insecure), so he's essentially shoving the knife in right into what he knows is a sore spot. Of course, he's still very hurt by Lucy leaving (which I think is particularly understandable given that as far as he knows, Lucy's reasons for going were petty in the extreme), and he's just put that aside quite generously to bandage her up and listen to her story, and accepted her coming back to stay indefinitely on very vague terms. But I think that now that the fear for Lucy's safety has worn off, some of the bitterness has crept back in, and he's not-so-subtly reminding her that he hasn't forgotten everything just because she's in trouble.

The second thing is the famous orange juice moment. Until recently, I read it as Lockwood being slightly petty about remembering Lucy's tastes seeing as she pretended to forget how he took his tea, but I never fully liked that, because it doesn't really gel with how he behaves in the rest of the scene. From the second Lucy appears at his front door – in fact, right from the start of TCS – Lockwood is all about "how can I get her back." He's solicitous of her feelings, he's constantly checking up on her, he offers her a place to stay without hesitation – it just doesn't make sense to me that he would be trying to score points.

And then I read this fic by the ultra-talented @egrets with LW's POV on the whole scene, and in this one, he's just desperately babbling about the orange juice in an effort to distract Lucy from asking about Holly. In fact, I'm just going to quote it bcs it's so good and everyone should see it:

“You fret too much about Holly, George. She’s never complained about staying over,* has she?” He said that last bit quickly, hoping Lucy wouldn’t catch it. “You want some orange juice, Lucy? It’s your favourite: the kind with pulp.” Mind, he knew that she didn’t like pulp, but maybe it’d get them out of this conversation about Holly. Instead, George tsk ed. “Lucy doesn’t like orange juice with pulp. Remember?” Now George was just making him look bad. “Oh, yes, that’s right. It gets caught between your teeth, doesn’t it?” Her stare was heavy, penetrating Lockwood in a way that made him want to sit in the corner for timeout like a child. “I’ll take the juice,” she said finally, then tried to lighten her tone. She wasn’t particularly successful. “So, did Holly stay over last night?” “Personally, I always thought straining it through your teeth is part of the fun. You can pretend you're a blue whale.” His silliness was not an adequate enough distraction, because when he caught Lucy’s eye, she was scowling. “What?”

I love this interpretation because it tracks with how Lockwood behaves about Holly in the run-up to this moment, especially in the scene at Lucy's flat, where he straight up pretends not to hear her when she mentions Holly's name (so so funny to me incidentally). So, clearly, Lockwood thinks that Holly is some part of the reason Lucy left and is desperate to avoid the subject, so yeah, using the orange juice as a very weak attempt at distraction is far more on brand than petty jibes IMO. (Petty jabs are very much a George vibe though tbh).

[spaceorphan18]

The Lady Whistledown Papers : 1x01 - A Diamond of the First Water (Part 2)

Hi! Welcome back to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I'm taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton's character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton! If you're looking for previous entries you can find them here :: Back Issues

Formal Introduction to Lady Whistledown

After the credits, we get a bunch of news boys running around spreading the Lady Whistledown pamphlet -- and while she narrated the opening, it's here that we get here formal introduction. She's rather biting in her first issue, and I find it fascinating that Penelope, in her writing, would come out swinging strong. She wanted to make an impact and grab the reader's (and the audience's) attention. But her commentary about bearing her teeth is a way for Penelope to attempt appear strong, confident, and dangerous right off the bat.

It's really fascinating that she does this as an introduction, because it's such the opposite of her natural personality. Sure, we'll learn that Penelope can definitely hold her own when she needs to. But only, really, when back into a corner. She prefers being the soft, romantic lost her own world, daydream of love and romance. But while the harshness of her first issue is a bit of her playing a role with LW, eventually, she does find her own voice in her writing, and LW shifts to reflect that.

I also want to note that she doesn't start the pamphlet with her eventual 'dearest gentle reader'. I'll have to listen for when that happens.

It's funny the show as a whole has a very different dynamic in the first season. Despite the comedic opening and lighthearted credits and brightly lit and colorful world, the first season is a little more biting. There's swearing and smoking and everything is a little rougher around the edges. I suppose, in a way, it may mirror Daphne and Simon's rougher (in general) romance. But I think it was also a way for Netflix to be be like -- see, we have this new, edgy historical romance.

I just wanted to note it here because the tone changes so drastically and by season 3, it's a much softer show, but reflects the romance better in being so.

Oh, also, I have to note the score. I love LOVE that Lady Whistledown gets her own theme music. It's kind of the this up and down hurried and fluttery melody that reflects the flying papers and whirlwind of mystery that LW presents. I love the music choices so much.

There's also a neat little misdirect they do -- as LW proclaims that even if the ton doesn't know her, she knows them, and the camera intentionally lingers on a smug Lady Danbury, as if suggesting that she might be LW herself.

****

Marina

Before I get into this scene, i just want to point out in the previous one that Eloise is the first Bridgerton to pick up LW. She also suggests she go see Pen to check in on her due to the disastrous showing in front of the queen.

When we pick up with the Featheringtons again -- Pen is in what is probably her usual place, over the by the window where she can watch Bridgerton house reading a book. (Or maybe pretending to read it when there's so much going on in the drawing room.) I tried zooming in on the book - but I can't tell what it is, other than it looks like poetry.

I should also point out this the first time we see her in one of her classic yellow dresses. I wish I was better with clothing meta, I do. The only thing I'd really want to point out is that there are flares of pink with in, and that combined with the bow in her hair help make her look young.

I should note that Lady Cowper is visiting the household, and that Lady Cowper seems to be a mean girl friend of Lady Featherington. They're gossiping away - but one should note that it's already obvious, from the first issue, that people suspect a Bridgerton is writing LW based on the attention the Bridgertons are getting. Is it surprising that Penelope is happy and fond of Daphne for getting the Queen's approval?

(This now makes me wonder if we got any Daphne and Pen interaction this season. I honestly don't remember, we shall see!)

Anyway, I adore the little smirk Pen gives when listening to Lady Cowper throw shade at her sisters. As we'll see in a moment, Pen gets a lot of crap thrown at her from her own family, she is going to revel a little when they get it back in their faces.

Also, oooff, Lady Featherington wanting Pen to put down the book so not to 'confuse' her thoughts. This comment alone marks the contrast between Pen and her mother's priorities.

So, Lady Cowper and Lady Featherington continue gossiping about how Marina is going to stay with them during the season. Portia makes an interesting comment about how LW knows nothing, which is funny since Pen clearly knows everything. It's at this moment that Pen gets up to interject -- exclaiming that she wants to hold off being in society for another year like her bff Eloise, but Portia won't hear of it. Of course, LW would have no idea that Marina would be coming to stay - but it does make me wonder if Pen liked having written the bit of wrong information about the Featherington girls so to leverage a possibility of getting out of the season.

Pen really would like to stay back - and continue on with studies. It's an interesting little tidbit, not only does Pen really not want to be out in the spotlight, but she is one to value her education, and I'm sure she and Eloise have talked at length about things they could if they had the opportunity and learning more (and going to university) is definitely one of them.

Of course, Portia won't hear any of it - why would a woman want to fill her brain up with anything? :P But I will say, Portia does notice her daughter's nervousness, and is endeared by it. It's a rare moment of softness Portia has for her youngest daughter in this little exchange.

And... then there's Prudence and Phillipa, who come in with some not helpful comments about how she looks. And I do believe this is the only time anyone really makes reference to her weight. It's a bit eye rolly, but Prudence and Phillipa are only really reflecting the meanness their mother projects. I'm glad that Pen's weight is not really brought up, though, for the rest of the series.

I also want to note that -- Pen has a lot of elements of fairy tales and fantasies brought up in her story, and I remember one thing that stood out to me is how very much this was Cinderella-esque, with the wicked mother and sisters bit. (I am glad they kind of have a great reconcile arc in Season 3, tbh).

Also, Phillipa's line about curing acne with arsenic and lead is hysterical - partly because back they would have tried that and partly because Phillipa as the well meaning dunce is on clear display.

I'm really kind of fascinated by these cards they're all looking at -- cards of eligible bachelors. I have so many questions. Are they like 1800 tinder profiles? Swipe right get a dance? Stake your claim? Collect them all and win a prize? Is there one for Colin and does Pen have it stored away in her secret stash under the floor boards?

So, anyway, we get backstory and set up about Marina, and how she's poor and from a farm, and Portia is obnoxious in her elitist, snobby ways. And then Marina shows up looking as cute as a button. I love that the sisters look worried, but Pen is so happy. Just Marina being a beautiful girl puts Portia in her place. But I also think there's a bit of fascination there as well -- she's not from high society, and yet she's still pretty.

****

Lady Danbury's Ball

Unaspiringly, we get a lot of expository dialogue coming from the LW narration -- I didn't really notice it until starting this project, but it's purely for us to learn more about the world and times of the show -- I don't necessarily think LW's readership would need to know any of this information.

Any ole way, this is the first time we get to see Pen out in society. She's not glued to a wall, but it's obvious that both she and her sisters are being looked over as every other lady at the place is being chatted up by eligible bachelors and danced with.

Let's talk her dress for a second -- as you zoom in, you can tell there's a butterfly spread across her chest. And not only is the butterfly the symbol of her family, but it's reflective of her story. She'll be the awkward, little caterpillar who transforms into the beautiful butterfly. It's just gonna take a little, as we're just starting her story out.

The string version of Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next plays in the background. And it's a nice complement for the scene - and all of the women making their way through the marriage mart, but it does play over the next little bit with Penelope watching Colin, and I think there are some lyrics from the song that really fit her :

Only wanna do it once, real bad Gon' make that last / I've got so much love (love) Got so much patience (patience) I've learned from the pain (pain) I turned out amazing (turned out amazing)

Alright, so let's talk about this. Actually, no, let's talk about Colin's hair journey first. Because the boy's hair changes length in every scene in this episode, lol. It was not that long in the first scene. But yeah, let's talk about how he's dancing away unseriously with some pretty lady while his future wife is just two feet away, staring longingly at him.

Oh, Pen. Oh, girl... This is the first time we that Penelope has feelings for Colin, and it's the first time the show is acknowledging -- yeah, we know there's a love story here, we'll get to it, eventually... And, oh, they really sell it in that first moment, just how much she wants to be that girl dancing with him. And, I mean, she's probably remembering times they have danced together -- because Anthony will suggest as such in the next episode. But she's not one to go out and ask him -- she's bold enough to take on the entire ton in her writing, but not to ever dare confront her feelings for Colin, or even dare act upon them.

(And, I mean, idk, were ladies allowed to ask a gentleman for a dance, or did she have to wait?)

But also -- this is her first ball out in society. Even if they did dance together before, it was really more as children having fun together (and I'll make note of this when we get to that Irish dance at the end of the episode). Penelope is supposed to be seen as a real woman now -- a real marriage prospect, but as the camera pushes in on her longing face, you have to wonder if she's still believing it a possibility at this point, or if she already thinks it's not a thing that will ever happen to her.

And, you know, watching the scene again, I'm almost of mind that all of that could even be at the back of her mind. I think there's a simpler want and need in this moment -- the want to just be close to him, to be in proximity, to take joy in the little touches and brushes the dance gives. I feel like that's at the forefront more than anything here.

Shifting focus entirely, we move to some Bridgerton sibling shenanigans. Anthony is being a butt over Daphne's propsects and then literally, out of nowhere, Colin and Benedict shows up, and Colin announces he's going to Greece on tour. I wonder if there was some dialogue cut or something because it's such an odd little comment to shoehorn in somewhere. You almost think, for a moment, he'll be ushered off the show like Francesca will be (thank god, not).

It's important for his character - because travel is going to be a huge part of his character, but it's just funny to me how waved away this moment is. Daphne is like, wow, cool that's interesting, and then Lady Danbury shows up and it almost feels like an irrelevant little comment.

I do kind of love that they all kind of hightail out of there trying to escape Lady Danbury but fail to do so.

It's a good thing we set up Pen longing for Colin because that make this moment feel... perplexing. Is he gonna see our dear, sweet Penelope? Of course not. He's going to see the hot new thing to come to town, Marina. And he's just enchanted with her.

Portia and Lady Cowper are going to continue to gossip about Marina up in the balcony, and I find it hilarious when Portia is like - man she's ugly, and Lady Cowper does, like, a double take and is like, uh, wait, no?

Colin's going to 'join the swarm' and dance with Marina. He's smitten with her right from the start. Hello Season 1's major B-Plot, we're now fully in motion.

I am fascinated by what Portia gossips about -- how it's kind of a big deal that Colin, because he's a Bridgerton, is attempting to court Marina so early. What exactly is it about the Bridgertons that make them such a big name family -- is it because they're super wealthy and Lady Bridgerton is a Viscountess? Is it Daphne's newly minted status a the Queen's Diamond? Is it because they're all hot? Is it just because Portia lives next to them? Because I feel like they don't seem particularly all that cool (said in a lovingly way). They're all awkward weirdos in their own special way. So I find it funny every time someone is like --oohh the Bridgertons because do any of these other people really care all that much?

Awww, my dear Penelope!! Look at her standing all alone. She's even alienated from her sisters, look so sad that no one will come to ask her to dance. You know, that color may not suit her fully, but she does look cute as a button here.

You know what's interesting, though, when the Duke arrives, Portia tries to shuffle her daughters onto him, and no Portia would bother with Penelope. But Pen is nowhere to be seen. It's to be of note that Pen's going to go make herself be in places where she can't be see but she can take in all the drama.

And, on that note, I'm going to wrap this edition up! Until next time - will we make it through the rest of the episode?? No, probably not. :D There's so much in this first episode!!