#me discussing sense8 with literally anyone

[im-some-lionheart]

heyy i've literally been on your blog for like 4 seconds BUT i saw some ships that i love, so - do you want to do a list of your OTPs from every fandom? partly because it could be fun for you, partly because i need more serotonin which i only get from finding new ships haha

omg absolutely! First of all, thank you for asking 💕

I just started writing and this ended up being super long *hides in shame* I hope you enjoy it ✨

I love so many shows and ships, so I'll list them all below but if you ask what my absolute favorites are, I'll just add "!!!" to the fronts of the specific ships that make my brain melt, bc of how fucking much I love them.

The number of ! indicates the amount of brain damage that ship has given me, which is directly proportional to how many hours I could go on and on about them as characters and them as a couple and how perfect they are for each other.

Alright let's do this.

I'll start with the classics, and then move on to lesser known ones:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Queer as Folk US - Britin (Brian x Justin)

!!!!!!! Harry Potter - Wolfstar (Sirius x Remus)

! Harry Potter (ot3) - Wolfstarbucks (Sirius x Remus x James)

Harry Potter - Jily (James x Lily)

Harry Potter - Drarry (Draco x Harry)

Harry Potter - Scorbus (Scorpius x Albus Severus)

look- I know jkr is problematic, which is why I don't give her money anymore. But fanfic is free and I grew up with these characters, I will not let go of them. I have SO MANY thoughts about wolfstar and the Marauders jfc I could go on for hours.

!!! BBC Sherlock - Johnlock (John x Sherlock)

And any adaptation of Sherlock Holmes tbh, the Guy Ritchie movies are also *chef's kiss*

!!!!!!!! Supernatural - Destiel (Dean x Castiel)

fair warning here: Destiel is my otp and I believe in endgame Destiel but as I've said before, Dean is my emotional support character, which means I ship him with basically anyone who is strong enough to lift him up against a wall 🤗 which includes but not limited to:

Supernatural - Denny (Dean x Benny)

Supernatural - Drowley (Dean x Crowley)

Supernatural - Dean x Lee

Supernatural - Dean x Lissa

Also, if you've never watched spn... Idk what to tell you, you're in for a wild ride. Because that show is BRILLIANT but ALSO and (I cannot express this enough) at the same time it is a trashcan on fire. If you've watched it, you know exactly what I mean.

Alright, let's move on:

!!!!! Shameless US - Gallavich (Ian x Mickey)

!!! Teen Wolf - Sterek (Stiles x Derek)

Teen Wolf - Scallison (Scott x Allison)

Teen Wolf - Allydia (Allison x Lydia)

Brooklyn 99 - Peraltiago (Amy x Jake)

Brooklyn 99 - Holt x Kevin

Brooklyn 99 - Rosa x Pimento

Welcome to Night Vale - Cecilos (Cecil x Carlos

Welcome to Night Vale - Michelle x Maureen

WTNV is a podcast, not visual media but if you haven't listened to it, do yourself a favor and do it now!!

Sense8 (ot3) - Hernando x Lito x Danny

Sense8 - Raj x Kala

Sense8 - Amanita x Nomi

Sense8 (ot3) - Raj x Kala x Wolfgang

Glee - Seblaine (Blaine x Sebastian)

Glee - Huntbastian (Hunter x Sebastian)

Glee - Brittana (Brittany x Santana)

Supergirl - Supercorp (Lena x Kara)

Supergirl - Karolsen (Kara x Jimmy)

The Flash - Thallen (Barry x Eddie)

The Flash - Westallen (Barry x Iris)

The Flash (ot3) - Westhallen (Eddie x Barry x Iris)

The Flash - Harmon (Cisco x Hartley)

Davinci's Demons - Leonardo x Lorenzo

... Aaaand, I think that's all I can remember for the fictional ones 🤔 some of these shows I haven't watched in yeeeears, but I thought I'd add them bc why not.

Now. That being said...

These next ones might be problematic. But I *do* actually ship some rpf... I KNOW SHAME ON ME.

Now, I want to make it very clear that I only engage in fan discussions, I read fanfic, and then I move on with my life. I DO NOT bring this up to the people involved, nor their families nor their friends nor their partners. And I hate when people do that. I know these are real people and not fictional characters so I don't harass them about this, nor do it bring it up to them in social media or their concerts or in any possible way.

I just enjoy my anonymous tinhatting with strangers online, and then I get off the internet, and go to work, and see my friends, and I move on with my life. I simply like the idea of these ships. I like to imagine, from whatever little information I have received about these people (based on what THEY themselves have made available for me and others to look at and overanalyize) I like to imagine that this people had been at one point or another romantically involved. But I honestly couldn't care less if they weren't. I'm just having fun reading fics online.

My rpf ships are:

Larry (Harry Styles x Louis Tomlinson)

Kaylor (Taylor Swift x Karlie Kloss)

Swiftgron (Taylor Swift x Dianna Agron)

and I guess for the sake of fairness I'll add:

Taylor Swift x Joe Alwyn (bc unlike some gaylors and bi-lors I DO believe they're together for real, and they make me believe in love 🥺)

... Aaaand that's it. That's all the people and characters I ship. 😬

[jamalexlee]

Ask me: FANDOM EDITION: Allll of them, please!?

To clarify its for Brooklyn 99

A - Your current OTP: Ok so I have to cheat right out the box - cos I have two. Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago and Captain Raymond Holt and Kevin Cozner. They’re just perfect for each other, so complimentary and so in love - but real you know?

B - A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind Jake and Doug Judy. They are a friendship otp (mostly) but yeah lifelong togetherness. And it was tumblr that got me wondering on this.

C - A pairing you have never liked and probably never will Jake and Amy with anyone that isn’t each other during the show. Brooklyn 99 is better at this than most tv shows but the people introduced solely to keep the will-they-won’t-they couple apart will always annoy me - its just taking air time from the bits of a show I like and forces so much jealousy and stuff - and I’m not into that

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t Rosa Diaz/Adrian Pimento. They just never clicked for me as a couple and she is so out of his league its painful. Not that I’m against Rosa having a boyfriend I actually liked her with Marcus and was upset when they broke up. But yeah…

E - Have you added anything stupid/cracky/hilarious to your fandom, if so, what I don’t think I’ve offered much to the 99 fandom - I mostly reblog others bits and agree or add silly comments.

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? 22 years. I was with Buffy from the get go - and while its got its issues and bits of it hasn’t aged very well I wouldn’t have been the same without this show in my life.

G - Do you remember your first OTP, if so who was in it? Bangel. The combinded high romance and excruciating pain had me hooked. I still feel it when I watch it all these years later.

H - Do you prefer characters from real action series or anime series? My anime interest has grown over the last few years but action still wins overall - especially since I can’t help loving seeing my favourite characters in pain - and the live action means we get to see the actors and actresses hurt and cry for the sake of the drama - anime can’t compare.

I - Has tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why? I try not to let tumblr do that to me if I can help it (these days anyway) but (and I realise I could die for this) I have started to dislike corners of the Star Wars fandom due to their treatment of certain characters.

J - Name a fandom you didn’t care/think about until you saw it all over tumblr. Oh god so many - but… sense8. It was advertised no where so I wouldn’t have known it existed or watched it without tumblr giffing the hell out of it - and wouldn’t that have been a shame.

K - How do you feel about the other people in your current fandom? I’m assuming this is Brooklyn 99 so… I love them. Honestly. Their love kept the show going when it was cancelled allowing us to continue enjoying this wonderful funny show.

L - Your favorite fanartist/author gives you one request, what do you ask for? @lupismaris please please more chapters for But Alone is Alone (Not Alive)

M - Your favorite fanart or fanartist? I’m so bad with names - but I’m hoping the upcoming Silverflint Big Bang and rarepairing weeks will teach me the names better.

N - Your favorite fanfiction or fanauthor? See above - I have so many I love but I suck with names.

O - Choose a song at random, which OTP does it remind you of? Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Paloma Faith -  and Silverflint. Seriously there’s a fanvid to this on Youtube that fits them so well.

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas): Black Sails - Thomas comes to Nassau instead of Flint going to him. There are so many characters I need him to meet on that island. Feel free to have him arrive in earlier season to meet characters that totally didn’t die (vane cough cough) - and p.s. I’m total Silverflinthamilton trash so yeah…

Q - A ship you’ve abandoned and why? Destiel. I hung on to this for far longer than I should have mostly because I couldn’t handle the truth of this pairing - that it was world-class queerbaiting of the highest degree - mind you I stayed with Supernatural for longer than was sane too (9 seasons god help me)

R - A pairing you ship that you don’t think anyone else ships. Is there actually a ship in any fandom that no one has ever thought of before? I mean even as Crack!fic it’ll have been done. I guess my closest is Joshua Donovan and Steve Jinx from Warehouse 13 - I don’t know if anyone ever put those two together and its a small fandom

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon:  I don’t really have a personal headcanon for Brooklyn 99 - I agree with a bit of fanon that’s gotten popular - Bi!Jake. Honestly I kinda love the idea of Jake having been oblivious and accidentally had a boyfriend without him realising - and it being played by John Mulaney.

T - If you mostly have homoships, do you have any heteroships? Bangel, Peraltiago, Willow/Oz, Fred/Gunn - though I should mention that I headcanon one or both of these couples as bi so… not totally hetero.

U - If you mostly have heteroships, do you have any homoships? I mostly ship queer ships - its just a fact. And if I ship it I’ll reblog about it - probably more than people would like honestly.

V - Are you one of those fans who can’t watch anything without shipping? Don’t be daft. But on the same token - why’s it bad if you do? Shipping is just another part of fandom. Another avenue of interest and discussions to have in your fandom. And why would you deny yourself an extra dimension of enjoyment.

W - 5 favorite characters from 5 different fandoms: Ok so not choosing Black Sails for this because how in the hell do you pick just one favourite character in that? I’m changes several times a day. Honestly I’d struggle to do a top 10. So Tara Maclay, Buffy The Vampire Slayer - I saw so much of myself in her when that show first came out and she was a very important character - and I’m still pissed about what the show did to her. Captain Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 - god what a character, so much too long about him and he is a complete character flaws and all. Wynonna Earp - I love this woman soo much - and not just because the actress that plays her is a goddess either (honest), Dave Lister, Red Dwarf - I’m literally watching it right now - and honestly it was the first time I’d heard my own accent on television and I fell in love immediately and The Doctor - honestly a favourite character that can be a totally different character from one season to another? Classic - this character hasn’t been used the best yet (seriously why always white and why so long to be present as female?) The Doctor is still unique and wonderful character I’ve loved many versions of.

X - 3 OTPs from 3 different fandoms: Silverflint - there’s just so much in that relationship so much to work with, unpack, rewrite and do with it - you’d never run out of things to do with it - especially if like me you’re cool with either Hamilton or Madi added in (or all of the above), Holmes/Watson - in all versions in all mediums they are soulmates in all of them and I’ll never get bored of these two together, Posner/Scripps - it never happened in canon but it should have - Scripps is oblivious but totally in love with Posner and Posner knows - Scripps will figure it out in University and they will live happily ever after.

Y - A fandom you’re in but have no ships from:  The IT Crowd - I don’t ship anyone there. Not really anyway.

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go: Black Sails is awesome - if you haven’t watched it go do it now - you won’t regret it - but fair warning it’ll ruin all other shows for you.

[hoechyeatylerhoechlin]

Self-acceptance, letting go.

You know, I feel I need to share something, even if no one reads, I just need to get it off my chest and release it. TW for Biphobia.

I am 27 and this year have realised I am bisexual/pansexual. My whole life I have felt such confusion and denial over my sexuality. When I was younger I didn’t even know how to recognise my sexuality at all. I hadn’t even really given a meaning or word to my inner most feelings. I didn’t even date anyone in my teens or 20′s, so have never explored my sexuality really.

When I was 21 I worked with a girl who came out to me as a lesbian. We became pretty good work friends and I spent a lot of time counselling and encouraging her through her relationship problems with her long-distance girlfriend. At the time I just really wanted to help her and make sure she knew I supported her. 

I guess she was the first out queer friend that I had ever had (all my high school friends were cis straight slightly homophobic girls), so I had never had anyone I could even think of asking advice from. So, I had started to consider the idea of opening up to her about my sexuality. 

Then one day, we were discussing a show called Sense8 where some of the characters are pansexual/bisexual and she started telling me about how she would never date a bisexual girl. How they always cheat and a bunch of other biphobic stuff. The worst part is I could tell she didn’t mean for it to be hateful. She was just talking about a bad experience with an ex and how she hated that after they broke up the girl dated a guy and you know same old biphbic stuff like how they are cheaters etc, and that basically she would never date a Bi girl again.

That one single conversation, that one conversation, it literally set me back 6 years in my self-acceptance. Hearing that from the only queer person I had ever really knew, from someone I had given so much time and energy to, who I genuinely cared about and wanted to be happy.. I don’t think I even really registered at the time how harmful it really was to me and my self-acceptance. 

What’s crazy is I carried on being her friend after that, and continued to encourage her through her relationship issues, and eventually she moved away to live with her girlfriend. But even long after we lost touch, I never stopped thinking about that moment and that hurt has stayed with me all this time. Because of that one conversation, I really convinced myself I couldn’t be Bi, because there isn’t a place for me. Not with my friends/family and certainly not in the queer community. 

I am 6 years wiser now, and working very hard to let go of shame and work on self-acceptance. I want to heal from that experience and I think the first step is voicing it and letting it go, and forgiving her for the hurt she caused me. I have recently come out to a few family members and felt such a release from that. I hope that in letting this experience go, I will open myself up to more healing, self acceptance and hopefully to finding the confidence to meet people in the community that I identify with.

If anyone took the time to read this and happens to have any advice, if you can relate or have something you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out/add to the conversation, (but obviously no biphobia will be tolerated thank you).

[lgbt-teenager-support]

books about bisexuality?

(books and captions from barnesandnoble.com) 

Not Otherwise Specified - Hannah Moskowitz

Etta is black, bisexual, and in recovery from an eating disorder, and that combination of things doesn’t mesh with being a ballerina living in Nebraska. It certainly doesn’t help her stay friends with her old lesbian besties who consider her tainted. But Etta refuses to be put in anyone’s neat little boxes, and as she finds the right people to surround herself with to help her love who she is, she also discovers they may be her key to getting out of town and finding her best life in the future. Putting this book at the top of the list is a Bi Visibility Day no-brainer; if you’ve ever wanted to feel the literal urge to fist pump from the bi pride in a YA novel, put a copy of this in your cart, plus one for everyone you know.

Far From You - Tess Sharpe

Mina and Sophie were best friends, even through a car accident that changed their lives. But now Mina’s dead, and Sophie’s determined to find out who killed her. Along for the ride is Mina’s brother, Trevor, who not only wants justice for his sister, but wants Sophie as well. But as the two get closer, Trevor learns Mina and Sophie were more than just BFFs; they were in love. For many YA readers, Sharpe’s debut is the first time they saw the word “bisexual” in a novel. For still others—present company included—it’s the first time we saw an on-page sex scene between two girls in a YA. Whether it was a first for you—or will be—there’s no question this is one of the most important bi YAs the category has to offer.

Coda - Emma Trevayne

Anthem has a passion for music, but as a conduit for he Corp, most of what he listens to is work, powering the grid through him while shortening his life span. All he has to live for are the twin siblings he takes care of, the girl he’s smitten over, and his friends, including his ex-boyfriend. Sexuality is a non-issue in Trevayne’s dystopian society, but passion for music and rebellion? Is everything.

The Art of Wishing - Lindsay Ribar

You know the drill—girl finds genie, girl gets three wishes…girl falls for genie, who happens to be in the form of a high school boy, and learns the villain gunning for them both is her new guy’s ex-boyfriend… totally run of the mill, naturally. While I loved the first book in this duology a lot, I managed to like the sequel even better—it’s in The Fourth Wish that Margo and Oliver discuss not only what it means for him and for them that he’s bisexual, but the gender fluidity inherent in his continuously taking the bodies that would be most pleasing to his new masters.

Otherbound - Corinne Duyvis

If the fact that this debut has a bisexual protagonist doesn’t sell it to you on its own, consider this: 1) it’s a super-rare standalone fantasy, 2) that also has disability and racially diverse representation, and 3) is the closest thing to Sense8 in YA form. Amara is a mute slave girl, charged with protecting a princess. Nolan lives in an entirely different world, but when he blinks, he is transported into seeing through Amara’s eyes. As dangers grow for Amara, and the control dynamic between her and Nolan changes, the two of them will need to work together to keep themselves, and the princess for whom Amara has begun to develop feelings, safe.

Under the Lights - Dahlia Adler

Actress Vanessa Park may be new to realizing she likes girls, but Brianna Harris, the publicist’s intern sparking that discovery, has been an out-and-proud bi girl for years. While Vanessa works to process what it would mean for her friendships, family, and career to come out, especially with her being Korean American already putting her in a precarious place on the Hollywood food chain, Bri’s experience with bi erasure tie in to her own hesitations about moving forward with someone who’s not ready. As its author, I’m probably a little too biased to tell you if this book’s any good, but there sure is a lot of making out (and then some).

Trust Me, I’m Trouble - Mary Elizabeth Summer

When you read this book’s predecessor, Trust Me, I’m Lying, you don’t know the main character, teen con artist Julep Dupree, is bisexual; frankly, neither does she. She falls for a guy, things happen, and…well, that’s all I’ll spoil about that. But she also meets Dani, a 19-year-old Russian mob boss who’s back with a vengeance in the sequel, resulting in my personal favorite girl-girl couple in YA this year.

About a Girl - Sarah McCarry

There’s no missing from that cover that there’s a relationship between girls in this book, the third and final of the Metamorphosis trilogy. But as the book opens, main character Tally actually has feelings for her best friend, Shane, which he seems to reciprocate, resulting in a fan-yourself-level sex scene. The emotional aftermath isn’t quite as fun or romantic, though, and when she sets out on a quest to find her maybe-father, she’s free and clear to fall for the mysterious and alluring Maddy.

Over You - Amy Reed

Max is the calm, responsible girl to her best friend Sadie’s wild child, but when they go away together for a summer to a farm commune and Sadie gets mono, Max finally gets to emerge from her shadow and be her own person. Newly independent, she finds herself drawn to Dylan, the very same guy who piqued Sadie’s interest before she got sick, and an unusual choice for Max, since she usually prefers girls. I loved this book for being a great novel about toxic friendship, and it’s a great pick if you’re looking for a novel with a bisexual main character that doesn’t revolve around a romantic relationship.

Empress of the World - Sara Ryan

This was my personal first read with a bisexual main character, and I suspect I’m not alone there. When Nic goes to spend the summer at a program for gifted youth, she certainly doesn’t expect to fall for a girl; after all, she likes guys. But when she falls for the beautiful and talented Battle, she falls hard, and the girls’ mutual and confusing feelings give way to a sweet romance that transcends labels or expectations.

Grasshopper Jungle - Andrew Smith

It’s hard to put Smith’s neon-covered apocalyptic opus into a genre, but it’s here for its rare bi male character in YA, caught in the confusion of having feelings for both his best friend, Robby, and his girlfriend, Shann, while also fighting to survive an infestation of human-size praying mantises that have descended upon their Iowa town.

Pantomime - Laura Lam

Gene is the daughter of a noble family, but she doesn’t feel at all at home in female trappings. Micah’s a runaway, who joins the magical circus of Ellada as an aerialist’s apprentice. As he becomes a bigger star in the show, he also finds himself drawn to two other performers—female aerialist Aenea and male clown Drystan. But Pantomime isn’t about a character who falls in love; it’s about a character’s evolution and understanding of identity. Winner of the 2014 Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction, the story continues with Shadowplay.

Cut Both Ways - Carrie Mesrobian

Will’s finally had his first kiss, but he didn’t expect it to be with his gay best friend, Angus. Determined to put it behind him, he starts to date Brandy, but it doesn’t stop him from gravitating back to Angus over and over again. The thing is, Brandy’s no beard; he genuinely likes her, too, and he has no idea how to balance them both and make a choice. Though Will doesn’t consider bisexuality or use the word (which is addressed in the author’s note), to the best of my knowledge, this is the first realistic contemporary YA from a major house to be narrated entirely by a male character engaging in sexual activity with both a male and female character, and that’s no small thing.

Adaptation - Malinda Lo

When birds start flying into planes all over the country, it’s impossible to call that many collisions a coincidence. Then Reese and her crush, David, get in a crash of their own, and when she wakes up a month later, she has no recollection of what she missed. Her life only gets more confusing when she meets the beautiful Amber, and realizes she’s confused about more than just what’s going on outside; apparently her sexuality isn’t quite what she thought it was, either. As she works to solve the mystery of what happened to her during the month she was unconscious, she also must confront her feelings for both David and Amber, an issue which continues in sequel Inheritance.

Love in the Time of Global Warming - Francesca Lia Block

It’s the end of the world as Pen knows it, and with her family disappeared after natural disasters rock Los Angeles, there’s nothing for her to do but search for what comes next. As she embarks on her Odyssey-mirroring quest, while thinking about her parents, her little brother, and her best girlfriends—one of whom had been on her mind in a new, kissing-related way for a while now—she finds a new band of friends to join her, which includes the alluring and mysterious Hex, taking her sexuality in yet another turn as they fall in love against the backdrop of a world falling apart.

you can find more bisexual books here, here, here, here, here, and here

hope this helped!

-Mod Charlie

[bughead-fic-request]

I would like to thank @leaalda for making these amazing banners.

This is an effort to spread the word about all fan fiction writers in our little fandom. If you would like to be featured or nominate a writer, please contact me. Please reblog this post if you can and check out some of @believe-that-you-can-my-friend work!

1. First things first, if someone wanted to read your stories where can they find them.

My tumblr account is believe-that-you-can-my-friend and anyone can find my masterlist by clicking on the menu button (the three parallel lines at the top of my sidebar) and then choosing “My Bughead Stories”. You can also find me on AO3.

2. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m Vera, I’m from Greece and I’m currently on the 23rd decade of my life. I’m a Classical Studies graduate and I’m considering doing a Master’s too. I’m a major foodie, a fashion and style enthusiast, an avid dancer and an old school rock lover. A quite sarcastic human being trying to make it in this world with the attitude of your average clown-friend.

3. What do you never leave home without?

Probably my phone, as true to our 21st century standards. Plus, my headphones and my sunglasses.

4. Are you an early bird or a night owl?

I’m a night owl for sure. I hate early mornings and I love sleep but I also can never go to bed before 2 or 3 am.

5. If you could live in any fictional world which one would you choose and why?

I would want to live in the Pokémon world or the Harry Potter universe but during the Marauders era. Witty and utterly smitten James Potter, rebel with a cause Sirius Black, the First Wizarding War, this is a true fantasy right there that I’ll never ever outgrow.

6. Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?

There are a lot of Greek people that you guys, obviously, won’t know. Not many international celebrities in my resume, I’m afraid. But I briefly chatted and took a picture with Jim Chapman from YouTube while I was visiting London two years ago.

7. What are some of your favorite movies/TV?

I enjoy a lot of different movie genres but I guess an old Hollywood one, some good old Hitchcock or anything drama are my typical choices most times. Out of the top of my head, definitely Gone with The Wind, Casablanca, Pulp Fiction, The Breakfast Club and such. As for TV shows, Lost is always first in my heart. Current favorites would be Sense8, Stranger Things, Westworld, Riverdale.

8. What are some of your favorite bands/musicians?

That’s a question that would take me pages to answer. Long story short, I’m a cultural chaos regarding music. I listen to almost everything, my Spotify has a tone of personal playlists and my vinyl collection is reaching a terrifying extend. My favorite genre is definitely classic rock but I also really love alternative rock, indie rock, and rock ‘n’ roll. On an average day, I’m usually blasting something along the lines of The 1975, then Pink Floyd, then Frank Sinatra, then Tchaikovsky, then Kanye West, then The Killers and so on and it’s a miracle that I still manage to stay a somewhat sane person.  

9. Favorite Books?

Anything Jane Austen, Bronte Sisters or Dostoyevsky can get me going. But for the level of angst and devotion and truly wicked love my favorite one is Wuthering Heights.  

10. Favorite Food?

Chicken curry with rice. I also really love shrimps.

11. Biggest pet peeve?

Probably people that chew very loudly. Or ignorant and uneducated people, not in the academic sense of the word, but ill-mannered and rude.

12. What did you want to be when you were little? What do you want to be now?

For many years I wanted to be an architect. This plan though sunk because my sketching skills are equivalent of a two year old. So, I ended up studying the Classics (basically the study of the Greco-Roman world, particularly of its languages and literature, but also including philosophy, history, and archaeology.) This field and area of studies is something I very much enjoy and value but I don’t really see it as my lifetime job. What fascinates me and makes me passionate about is Journalism so I’m thinking about extending my studies in the journalistic field as well. And then of course there is writing; the ultimate dream.

13. What are your biggest fears? Do you have any strange fears?

I’m scared of wasps, only because I’m allergic to a lot of things and, seriously, I don’t wanna push my luck. Another one would be my odd phobia of getting nauseous and being sick. For some weird reason I associate vomiting with death. Other strange fears, no, nothing comes to mind. As for more fundamental ones, it’s the fear of ending up alone; loneliness is something that scares me deeply. Also, disappointing my inner perfectionist by being average or not good enough at any aspect of my life.

14. When you are on your deathbed what would be the one you’d regret not doing?

Live more. I have a very composed and rational mentality, I always think first and then act and generally I’m more of an observer than a doer. I regret, for example, not being a crazier teenager or a more reckless college student or generally a little bit more “loose”. Hopefully, my introverted self will stop watching stoically life passing her by and take more chances by the time I reach that final moment, haha.  

Okay… let’s talk about your writing!

15. Which is your favorite of the fics you've written for the Bughead fandom?

Where The Wild Roses Grow – Angst is the air I breathe, enough said.

16. Which was the hardest to write, in terms of plot?

Up until now I used to write only Bughead prompts and one-shots so, plot wise, I can’t think of any of them causing me too much headache. I could say Fruit Punch Lips & Leather Jacket Dreams, only because of the length of the chapters and the hurricane of ideas I had in my mind. Right now I’m trying my hand at my first multi-chaptered fic for the Bughead fandom and I can definitely say that it is proving to be quite the task in terms of planning and prioritizing.

17. How do you come up with the ideas for you fic(s)? Do you people watch? Listen to music? Get inspired by TV/movies?

For me, it’s mostly TV and movies. I always make parallels between plotlines and couples so a lot of ideas do come from stuff that I have seen on the big screen or during a marathon of an old show. But they also come from everyday life, I mean I could be discussing something with my best friend or doing groceries or driving and something along the way would strike me and demand from me to write it on paper.

18. Idea that you always wanted to write but could never make work?

I really really wanted (and still want, to be honest) to write a Dancing With The Stars Bughead fic. I know it’s crazy and totally random but the idea had stuck in my head while I was watching some dancing videos on YouTube and instantly I had everything planned; the roles, the plot, the dancing sessions, the choreographies, the drama, everything. I gave up on the idea merely because it’s quite difficult to portray such show on paper and I was afraid that the scenes in my head would turn out totally different if I attempted to write them, so I’ll treasure this story in my heart and think fondly about it whenever I listen to a song I had picked for a Bughead dance-off. But you never know; maybe my muse will be more confident about helping me give life to this idea in the future.

19. Least favorite plot point/chapter/moment you’ve written?

I wouldn’t say it’s my least favorite but I don’t feel very confident about Heliophilia, the second chapter of Fruit Punch Lips & Leather Jacket Dreams. There are a lot of things that I like in the chapter obviously, but I find the beginning a tad cheesy and then at the part with Betty’s and Jughead’s date I believe that I just ramble on and on with no purpose whatsoever. I was very inspiration-deprived while working on that chapter so, to me at least, it feels like not my best work.

20. Favorite plot point/chapter/moment you’ve written?

Jughead raised as a Serpent in my latest fic. I like the dynamic the gang element gives to his character and I really wanted to explore it in my own little universe. It just adds another layer to his personality and diverse characters are always the most fun to work with. Also, #GirlNextDoor was very fun to write. Being in Jughead’s shoes as an accomplished writer and envisioning future Bughead in their own adult apartment had me overwhelmed with lovely feelings.

21. Favorite character to write?

Jughead, for sure. Maybe because I relate more to his quite nature or maybe it’s the fact that I appreciate the writer in him and his old soul, which are again qualities that I have too as a person. He has so much potential as a character, so many layers to peel off. Yeah, Jughead Jones is a delight for me to write.

22. Favorite line or lines of dialogue that you've written?

I don’t think I have something specific in mind. If I go back and read any of my stories, I always find something that I feel pretty confident about, either that’s a sentence or a whole paragraph. I guess that’s why it takes me so long to update; I always check and double-check and reread and erase and add until I feel positive that what I’m putting out is something I’m quite satisfied to present to all of you. That and the fact that me, a Victor Hugo wannabe, doesn’t know the usage and the importance of a full stop!

23. Best comment/review you’ve ever received?

Every single one. Literally. The fact that somebody takes the time to write even a single “great work” means the world. Yes, the long, commentary-like reviews are always an extra delight; every author would agree on that, because, we love receiving feedback that shows the emotion and the reaction our words brought to each reader. It’s very direct and on-point. But even just a thumb’s up or an incoherent array of vowels can literally make my day!

24. How do you handle bad reviews or comments?

I’m one of the fortunate ones that never got any bad reviews or hate comments. I hope it stays that way because, on a good day, my confidence as a writer (and as a person in general) is beneath zero! But constructive criticism is always welcomed and wanted.

25. If you could change anything in any of your stories, what would it be?

The occasional typos! They drive me nuts, I hate them and I hate myself for them. Also, I’d like to remind myself to put a damn full stop every once in a while, not only a plethora of commas in insanely long sentences!

26. What is your favorite story you’ve ever written? Any fandom?

I was very into Spaleb (Spencer and Caleb from Pretty Little Liars) for as much as it lasted and, amongst a few other stories, I’ve written an one-shot titled The First Cup of Coffee about the four times Spencer gets the first cup of coffee in the morning and a fifth that she realizes she wants Caleb to have that privilege. Basically, it’s five snapshots of their life together and the growth of their relationship through the years and I really enjoyed writing it and generally envisioning a future about that couple. I also had a great time writing about Klaus and Caroline from The Vampire Diaries. But none of my previous fanfiction experiences amounts to the utter excitement and joy writing for Bughead fills me with.

27. What are you reading right now? Both fan fiction and general fiction?

Fanfiction wise, I need a lot of catching up to do. I have so many fics that I either want to continue or start reading and so little time but I’m getting there. It’s personal at this point! As for general fiction, I’m reading Uncle Vanya by Chekhov and some various poetry.

28. Do you have an advice for writers that want to get into this fandom but might be scared?

Just write. Open a plain document and write. Write whatever you have in that brilliant head of yours, write what you would read if you were about to search between genres and plotlines. Don’t think about note numbers or people’s reaction; just write what your heart desires and your muse urges you too. If you enjoy what you write then, trust me, everyone is going to enjoy it too. Don’t doubt yourself and don’t try to change your style or adjust to any norms you might consider as successful. Writing is personal, a kind of identity, and it’s unique and mesmerizing so proudly present your own identity to the world. Also, be sure to support your fellow writers. We are all a team here, a group of people that enjoy the same passion, and love and recognition is always a must. So applaud your fellow Buggies and applaud yourself for everything that you put out in this fandom, either that is a 40k fic or just a fifty-word paragraph. What you write matters and it might change somebody’s day. So share it and never second-guess yourself.

[avelera]

Some next day thoughts about Thor 3: Ragnarok:

(cut for spoilers)

- At first I was a little jarred by the ending’s abruptness. But then I thought about it a bit more. Yes, as a movie ending, I still think it’s a bit too abrupt, I would have liked 5-10 more minutes to cover some of the dangling plotlines I’ll discuss further down. But then I realized that with all the Marvel movies out there, they’re likely going to be binge watched. So this format makes sense when you realize that this movie is only going to end there for about 1 year in its lifecycle. For the rest of its existence, viewers are just going to immediately go to or cue up either Black Panther or Infinity War, so it’s actually more like a very long TV or Netflix episode than a standalone movie in the traditional sense.

Nevertheless, some things I would like to have seen more resolution are:

- Bruce - They made a pretty big deal of the fact that if he ever switched back to the Hulk again, Bruce Banner may never come back. Now, most likely it’s not a dark enough movie series for that to be true. But still, the fact it was never brought up again after he transformed nags at me, I would have liked to see some concern from Thor & his crew over whether Banner is ok. Though I suppose some of that could be explained by Valkyrie knowing Hulk better, Thor “preferring” Hulk, and the fact that Hulk has now had enough time out in the world to actually be quite stable. It almost implies that Hulk was an infant, or an overly-caged animal so his unmanageability was purely because he wasn’t getting enough time to grow up or exercise. That being said, you’d think Loki would be a little more freaked out. And dammit, I’m worried for Bruce.

- Loki - Has shown a pathological inability to play well with others, pretty much since he learned he was adopted and from the stories of Thor 3 even before that. He is the ultimate little shit. The fact that he was shown peacefully going along with the good guys for even 5 minutes without stabbing Thor again or just causing mischief or fucking off from there gave me a weird feeling of cognitive dissonance. Like, this status quo has already lasted 5 minutes without someone actively trying to kill them, no way Loki is this patient. Then again, this was somewhat resolved by the post-credit scene of the other big ship appearing, since Loki will sometimes go along with things if a team up is required for survival, at least until he figures out how to join the other side.

Some other thoughts:

- Apparently Asgard has fewer people in it than your average shopping mall? Also none of them have the same superpowers as their royal or valkyrie elites? Apparently it is an anime land where if you don’t have a cool character design you don’t have powers, sorry guys, you’re all cannon fodder with as little ability to defend yourself as the average human and maybe less considering you have advanced magic and science sometimes but most of the time you don’t even have guns.

- Hela looks hella like Loki. I’m beginning to wonder if Thor is the adopted one here. Also wondering if, in a more serious moment, what impact Hela having once been Odin’s favorite child would have on Loki given their similarities? Some reflection by him on that point would be interesting.

- Also, wtf, are they gods, are they random aliens with delusions of grandeur, how do they embody concepts...? Thor’s lighting powers were SICK AS HELL AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF THAT FIGHT AND HOLY SHIT HE LOOKS AMAZING WITH THE ONE EYE GODDAMN but I’m just really confused from a lore/cosmology angle of what the fuck Asgardians are in the larger cosmos and as relates to Earth.

Some other good/GREAT things about the movie:

- Seeing that level of diversity was such a fucking relief like I didn’t need to brace myself or roll my eyes whenever anyone who wasn’t the Designated POC was shown as always white and usually male, it was actually wonderfully diverse and awesome wow thank you Taika. 

- (A little mad though that we didn’t get to see the Valkyrie bisexual scene, Disney is still really bad with dealing with LGBTQA+ stuff and this is another reason I fear the consolidation of all IP under The Mouse)

- Anyway, just in general, the directing, holy shit Taika Waititi is a master. 

- Like, the movie was 95% laughs and it’s really hard to transition an audience that was just laughing its asses off to a serious moment but every single serious moment hit like a punch in the gut. Like immediately. Holy shit. Odin’s death, Valkyrie’s flashback, the tiny micro-expressions of Loki and Thor dancing around what they really mean to each other these days, Banner’s identity crisis... my only complaint about any of those is that they didn’t last a little longer, but they were so efficiently done that I can’t really be mad about that. Their brevity matched the pacing of the film, and it’s only my fangirl heart that would have loved some long lingering over all the horrible Feels everyone is going through. Ah well, that’s what fanfic is for.

- That being said, it did feel like there was a couple moments and themes that could have used a little more attention, though the complaint here is minor. There is some serious fridge horror in Banner losing 2 years of his life. What about the people he killed under Hulk’s influence? What about the feeling he’s going to lose himself forever if he ever changes again, and him doing it anyway to help his friends? That was one theme that felt a little under served to me given the seriousness of the implications. 

- Hela was amazing omg. Like, it is hard to introduce a new villain that’s just magically better than everyone at everything and is also a stone cold badass woman. Somehow, somehow they managed it most likely through the immortal talent of Cate Blanchett. She was genuinely terrifying and genuinely felt like a member of their family, unlike some missing family member villains who just feel tacked on. 

- Though I will say I was a little surprised by the reluctant villainy of Karl Urban’s character. I expected him to be a more willing ally of Hela, his story was interesting in how he was basically just an opportunistic but otherwise loyal Asgardian trying to survive and I could have used a few more minutes of focus on him just to sort of pull his story together as more than just someone for Hela to talk to while shit is going down.

- Btw, SPEAKING OF HELA I’ve been saying for AGES that we should be reexamining what Thor being “worthy” is all about because it’s not necessarily the modern concept of good vs. evil. Given that Odin slaughtered his way across 9 realms then turned on the child who helped gain it for him, being “worthy” could literally just mean “able to kill the largest number of people efficiently” according to Odin.

- Uh, do any of our heroes have their powers anymore if they drew them from Asgard which is now a pile of rubble?

- But OMG WE’RE GETTING ASGARD ON EARTH YEEEESSSSSSS. Ok so one of my number one writerly influences, J. Michael Straczynski who also wrote Babylon 5 and Sense8, wrote a Thor comic about Asgard being reestablished on Earth and IT IS HILARIOUS AND WONDERFUL GUYS I am SO EXCITED to see Asgard planted in the middle of the goddamn MIDWEST this is going to be GREAT. Also Dr. Strange must be losing his shit right now HE ASKED THEM TO PLEASE LEAVE NOT BRING THEIR WHOLE PLANET HERE

- Oh, and on a total badwrong side note, I still ship the fuck out of Thor and Loki and I am sorry. I hate incest in general, blech, as a plot device but Loki definitely does not see Thor as a brother also they’re kinda not even human so for some reason that sneaks by my radar. But I’d dearly love to see some Thorki where they’re as snarky and antagonistic and sort of tragically doomed to always be messing with one another as was in Thor 3, and not like... wide-eyed tragic uke Loki or some such (not that that isn’t valid for writers to explore, I just DESPERATELY want some obnoxious-conniving-little-shit Loki and exasperated but actually able to keep the upper hand and occasionally tragically upset and annoyed that Loki just can’t stop being such a conniving little shit for five minutes and sit at the dinner table like a normal person goddamnit why can’t i quit you Thor... just saying). 

Honestly, that movie was just so much fucking fun, I need to see it again.

[skollwolf]

we’re doing one of these folks

WAS TAGGED BY: @mogblin (+ @benthicpressure kinda)

TAGGING: look if y’all wanna do this thing then I am tagging you go go go (it’s nearly midnight and I’m doing this sleepily, tagging people is effort)

RULES: ANSWER THESE 85 STATEMENTS AND TAG some folks i guess

THE LAST:

1. DRINK: choco milk

2. PHONE CALL: probably Ris @blazingfirecrotch when she was trying to tell me she got lost in the parking lot next to mine 3. TEXT MESSAGE: Cal probably? idk 4. SONG YOU LISTENED TO: uhh I’m going to have to plead guilty to having just listened to taylor swift’s new music video because it was so fuckin bad, so that song 5. TIME YOU CRIED: magnus wanted to make her proud folks

6. DATED SOMEONE TWICE: nope 7. KISSED SOMEONE AND REGRETTED IT: i too was once sixteen.  so. 8. BEEN CHEATED ON: nope 9. LOST SOMEONE SPECIAL: yes 10. BEEN DEPRESSED: haha...yeah 11. GOTTEN DRUNK AND THROWN UP: see also: i was once sixteen.

3 FAVOURITE COLOURS:

12. blue 13. black 14.  probably like...grey

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:

15. MADE NEW FRIENDS: yup 16. FALLEN OUT OF LOVE: never 17. LAUGHED UNTIL YOU CRIED: the fictional character of taako exists and means everything to me so like...probably 18. FOUND OUT SOMEONE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU: i guess at work sort of?  but that was just a generally bad work environment and not aimed at me in specific 19. MET SOMEONE WHO CHANGED YOU: I don’t think so.  I’m pretty settled in myself right now I guess?  Like I feel like I’m kind of getting to be the adult I wanted to be, and other, new friends can slot into that but not necessarily change me easily.  I’m mostly changing myself i think.  anyway it’s midnight. 20. FOUND OUT WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE: i already know 21. KISSED SOMEONE ON YOUR FACEBOOK LIST: insofar as my fiance is on my facebook friends list and is the only person i kiss at this point in my life, yes

GENERAL:

22. HOW MANY OF YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS DO YOU KNOW IN REAL LIFE: 100% 23. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS: i have a small baby son named Sterling who’s a dumb cat and he means the world to me. 24. DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR NAME: i would like to alter my legal name so that it’s...actually my name, yes. 25. WHAT DID YOU DO FOR YOUR LAST BIRTHDAY: uhh i think my family came to visit? i kinda lost track of my birthday this year seeing as i proposed to my then-boyfriend-now-fiance several days before my birthday 26. WHAT TIME DID YOU WAKE UP: 6am by accident whoops 27. WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT: discussing danganronpa i think? 28. NAME SOMETHING YOU CAN’T WAIT FOR: actually having my new job clear me to work on site, marrying the goob, the dragon age series in generally to feed my need for more dorian  29. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR MOM: a few months ago i think? 31. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW: nothing but i have a song off the moana soundtrack stuck in my head so probably that’s up next 32. HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO A PERSON NAMED TOM: i worked with one all of this past year 33. SOMETHING THAT IS GETTING ON YOUR NERVES: fuckin work being ambiguous about my on-site start date like jesus please stop feeding my anxiety disorder like this

34. MOST VISITED WEBSITE: tumblr, youtube and ao3 are probably all in contention

35. HAIR COLOUR: medium brown i guess 36. LONG OR SHORT HAIR: one side is considerably shorter than the other but both sides are too fuckin long right now.  and by too fuckin long i mean it reaches my shoulders and that’s illegal 37. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON SOMEONE: i’m going to marry some guy so i sincerely hope so 38. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF: the work i’ve put into being a good adult, and am still putting in. 39. PIERCINGS: my ear piercings refuse to close despite my best efforts so that i guess 40. BLOOD TYPE: i’ve literally been told this like eight million times and forget it each and every time 41. NICKNAME: jay, jules, jaj 42. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: super engaged.  engayged. 43. ZODIAC: aries

44. PRONOUNS: he/him 45. FAVOURITE TV SHOW: uhhh uh uh sense8 steven universe and brooklyn 99 tho like i’m a season behind on all of those oops

46. TATTOOS: i’ve got plans but no actual tattoos atm 47. RIGHT OR LEFT HANDED: right 48. SURGERY: a fuckin bunch of teeth out over the years.  so many teeth.  you could reassemble half of a human mouth out of the combo of baby and adult teeth that i’ve had removed, and it would be very creepy 50. SPORT: karate and fencing back in the day, football or hockey if i’m watching on tv 51. VACATION: we went to new hampshire not that long ago 52. PAIR OF TRAINERS: if this is about shoes then my combat boots are always my fave, i guess

MORE GENERAL:

53. EATING: just had some fucking maple syrup and brown sugar oatmeal and i am content.  if this is about favorite foods, then anything american-chinese food is good by me 54. DRINKING: still choco milk 55. I’M ABOUT TO: sleep 56. WAITING FOR: job stuff. 57. WANT: to play @benthicpressure’s d&d campaign i waaaant it 58. GET MARRIED: yeah! soon ideally! 59. CAREER: the dream is video game streaming/writing fiction but like realistically anything that makes a living?  working as a pa maybe. 60. HUGS OR KISSES: both but the latter only from uno human 61. LIPS OR EYES: eyes 62. SHORTER OR TALLER: if this is a romantic thing, then yes, my partner is significantly taller than me, and yes, it is immensely helpful when things are on high shelves 63. OLDER OR YOUNGER: i’d say older generally but like my partner is very slightly younger than me so eh 64. NICE ARMS OR NICE STOMACH: arms 65. HOOK UP OR RELATIONSHIP: the latter 66. TROUBLEMAKER OR HESITANT: depends on my mood and where i am i guess.

HAVE YOU EVER:

67. KISSED A STRANGER: ye 68. DRANK HARD LIQUOR: ye 69. LOST GLASSES/CONTACT LENSES: oh god ye 70. TURNED SOMEONE DOWN: uh not formally, no.  i don’t think i’ve ever been asked out in as many words in my life.  i did gently let down a few people who were dancing around asking i guess 71. SEX ON THE FIRST DATE: even when i was sixteen sex and dating were things i did that were distinct experiences, and without any overlap.  and once i combined the two we did not have sex on the first date and that was hopefully my last first date so like...nah i guess 72. BROKEN SOMEONE’S HEART: no one ever told me if i did.  i had some messy breakups but i don’t think it hit heartbreak level for either my partners or myself 73. HAD YOUR HEART BROKEN: yup 74. BEEN ARRESTED: nope 75. CRIED WHEN SOMEONE DIED: ....yes of course 76. FALLEN FOR A FRIEND: yeah.  pretty much exclusively, like...isn’t everyone you love a friend first?

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

77. YOURSELF: makes the handwavy motion

78. MIRACLES: nope 79. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: only for cute animals otherwise...no, that’s not how i understand love. 80. SANTA CLAUS: i’m not only a full grown adult but also a jew 81. KISS ON THE FIRST DATE: yep i have done that 82. ANGELS: i mean the torah tells me my ancestors wrassled ‘em so

OTHER:

84. EYE COLOUR: brown/black 85. FAVOURITE MOVIE: look i will fight anyone who makes me pick just one favorite

[wbwest]

New Post has been published on WilliamBruceWest.com

New Post has been published on http://www.williambrucewest.com/2017/07/07/west-week-ever-pop-culture-review-7717/

West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 7/7/17

I took last week off, but I hope y’all had a great 4th of July weekend. Life’s still kinda kicking my ass, so this’ll be an abridged edition this week.

I finally got around to watching a movie! It’s been on my list since I first heard it was in pre-production, and I’m amazed it took me this long to watch it, considering my love for the source material. The Founder stars Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonald’s who really just stole the concept from the McDonald Brothers. A down-on-his-luck shake machine salesman, Kroc happens upon the fledgling McDonald’s restaurant in Southern California. Knowing a good thing when he saw it, he pretty much insisted on becoming a part of the operation, mainly focused on franchising the business. And that’s when things get interesting. I LOVE McDonald’s. You can hate me all you want, but like Jim Gaffigan says, “Everyone has their own McDonald’s”. Mine just happens to be the actual company. I don’t know enough about the history of the company to know how factual an account the movie was, but it was sure damn entertaining. Keaton is amazing in it, and I feel like anyone would enjoy the movie even if they think they don’t give a rat’s ass about McDonald’s as a company. I highly recommend this film.

We finally got our first trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans, and now I realize why they were so hesitant to release it. MY GOD THIS LOOKS TERRIBLE! It looks like Into The Badlands – a show that I hate because people fawn over it when it looks like something that would’ve aired after Xena on Saturday afternoons 20 year ago. Yeah, I even told one of the Badlands creators that when he confronted me over my “appraisal” on Twitter. Badlands is a bad show, but it gets “diversity points”, so folks give it a pass. This show doesn’t even get diversity right, so it’s really just a shitshow in the making. I hate hate HATE that this is considered an official part of the MCU, even if it’s just a part of the never-referenced TV wing. Anyway, this trainwreck debuts in IMAX on September 1st, but will officially air on ABC beginning September 22nd.

Speaking of diversity points, CBS lost all of theirs when they let the Asians go from Hawaii Five-O last weekend. Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park both left the show after salary negotiations broke down as they requested pay equal to their costars. I’ve never seen more than 15 minutes of that show, but I know the dude from Lost seemed pretty important to things. He was basically the White guys’ interpreter to all things native. CBS has claimed that they offered them sizable increases, which weren’t deemed acceptable to Park and Kim. Now the Five-O showrunner, Peter Lenkov, is now joining the side of the network, saying that CBS made “generous offers” to the stars, yet they decided not to renew their contracts.

This has turned into a discussion of race in Hollywood and how things still aren’t equal across the board. I’m a big fan of billing. Billing is important, and should go to the most well-known star. It’s the reason all the ’89 Batman posters say “Jack Nicholson” first. Dude was a bigger star. Now, I didn’t watch Lost and I didn’t watch Battlestar Galactica, but I still recognize Kim and Park from those shows. Maybe it’s just because I’m a geek and folks were always talking about those shows. The show’s star, Alex O’Loughlin? I can’t name a thing he’s been in. Don’t know that dude from Adam. And the other lead? James Caan’s kid? Whatever. Y’all mean you couldn’t pony up the cash to keep Lost Dude and Battlestar Girl? We’re not talking about big names here so, unless there was a favored nations clause where O’Loughlin would have to get a raise if they got raises, thereby thwarting the whole “equality” thing, I don’t see what the problem was. As has been pointed out, all O’Loughlin and Caan had to do was stand in solidarity with their costars and this would’ve been a non-issue. Word on the street it O’Loughlin is quitting at the end of the season anyway, so it’s not like we’re talking another 5 years here. He couldn’t keep his ego in check for a season? Nah, for too many folks, as long as they’ve got theirs, they don’t care if you’ve got yours.

We also got a trailer for Pitch Perfect 3, forcing me to reiterate that NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE A TRILOGY. I know everyone involved likes money, but sometimes there are natural, built-in ends to things. That thing was a 2-movie franchise and that’s it. Don’t forget – I lived that life. I was in the same competition the Bellas won in the first film (we came in 2nd), and I experienced the aca-graduation blues that the girls experienced in the second film. That’s pretty much it. There’s nowhere else to go. I mean, sure there are some random outlier outcomes. One of my groupmates is a hit producer in Asia now. Another is a pretty big pop star in Hong Kong. The rest of us? Dead-end jobs and bills. I used to occasionally do karaoke, but even that got to be too depressing. That shit is fun while it lasts, and then you’ve got to move on. So, in that vein, I can understand the plot of the 3rd movie, with the girls wanting to have one last hurrah, but I don’t really understand the concept of putting them on a USO tour. Is that something the troops wanna see? Has Pentatonix been dropped into the theater of war? It just seems kinda farfetched to me, and I was fine with how things were left in the last movie. Sure, I’ll see it, but it won’t be in a theater.

Things You Might Have Missed This Week

Hide grandma’s wallet – QVC is buying out Home Shopping Network.

After 3 seasons, The Carmichael Show has been canceled by NBC. I really wish someone else would snatch it up, as it’s a smart show

Netflix has renewed Dear, White People for a 2nd season. Meanwhile, they canceled Girlboss after one season. Reed Hastings giveth and he taketh away.

Speaking of Netflix, hearing the cries of fans, Sense8 will officially conclude with a 2-hour finale special

Netflix also renewed one of my favorite original shows, F is For Family, for a 3rd season.

Apparently a series based on the popular Step Up film series, called Step Up: High Water, will premiere on YouTube Red, where absolutely NOBODY is gonna watch it.

Fuller House season 3 will coincidentally premiere on the 30th anniversary of Full House, September 22nd.

Make your vacations weird again, as Cirque du Soleil has purchased Blue Man Group.

Patton Oswalt is engaged to 80s actress Meredith Salenger. Ya know, the same Patton whose wife died last year. I guess we all grieve in our own ways…

Lack of interest brought down The House, which bombed at the box office last weekend. It was reportedly Will Ferrell’s lowest live-action opening for a major studio.

Nick Fury will reportedly be making his MCU return in 2019’s Captain Marvel

HBO is reportedly getting the True Detective band back together, with a 3rd season to star Mahershala Ali

Nixing speculation that she was still up for the White House Press Secretary job, Kimberly Guilfoyle has reupped her contract with Fox News

Rob Lowe and his sons will chase the supernatural in The Lowe Files, and I literally cannot wait.

New game show, Snap Decision, premieres August 7th. Hosted by David Allen Grier, the show breaks precedent because it will debut on GSN and in syndication on the same date.

The world’s leading (and only) bar scientist favorited my tweet this week

We’re gonna do something different here this week. Usually, if you’ve been paying attention to the week’s news, you can at least try to figure out who or what had the best week. Some weeks it’s harder to choose something than others. Then I remembered, “Will, this is YOUR site.” After all, this is all pop culture through my lens, so it’s my rules. So, sometimes I might choose something that meant a lot to me that week, while you were none the wiser. But I bring it up on the site so that we’re all on the same page. And that’s the kind of pick I have this week.

After watching The Founder, I was left thinking, “Michael Keaton is a goddamn national treasure”. After watching Spider-Man: Homecoming last night (yeah, we’ll talk about it next week, when more of y’all have had a chance to see it), I was thinking “Why have we been sleeping on Keaton the past 20 years?” I mean, with the exception of The Other Guys, I honestly hadn’t seen a Michael Keaton movie since probably Batman Returns, and yet Birdman is the one considered his “comeback vehicle”. In The Founder, he really made you feel for a traveling salesman who was at the end of his rope. After a string of laughable failures, he finally found something to which he could hitch his wagon: McDonald’s. And while he also had to prove this to everyone in his sphere of orbit, most importantly he had to prove this to himself. He really needed a win, and Keaton did such a great job conveying that.

In Homecoming, Keaton plays Adrian Toomes, better known as the Vulture (though he’s never called that by name in the film). Not unlike Alfred Molina’s Dr. Octopus, he’s something of a sympathetic villain. Were it not for the fact that comic book franchises deal in the good/bad binary, you could almost relate to him and understand where he’s coming from. He’s a modern-day working class guy who feels ignored by the fat cats up on high. He doesn’t have evil goals. He simply wants to provide for his family, and he has a code of honor that dictates he must do whatever it takes to make good on that promise. I felt that Keaton did a great job expressing the plight of the working man. Sure, he got to utter some cheesy villain dialogue, but that simply comes with the territory. If you stopped for a minute, and ignored the fact that Spider-Man HAS to win, you realize that Toomes is actually kind of on to something. Again, though, I’ll get into more Homecoming thoughts next week.

My pal Chad pretty much swears by Michael Keaton as his favorite actor – a lot of that having to do with his immense love of 1989’s Batman. I’ve gotta say, I was never a huge fan of Keaton’s Batman, and when Chad would laud Keaton’s praises, I wasn’t really seeing it. I see it now, though. I have seen the light and I am healed! Dear Hollywood, more Michael Keaton, please! He pretty much impressed me on two different cinematic fronts this week, and that’s why Michael Keaton had the West Week Ever.

[seatats]

I was tagged to do this by the lovely @chocolatechippotts, thank youuu!  😍

Rules: tag 20 followers you want to get to know better

Name: Claudia

Nicknames: Dia is the only one that I’ve heard some people use, the rest of the nicknames I’ve had came from my surname

Star Sign: Leo ♌ 

Height: 5′6 which is like 169cm? something around that

Sexual Orientation: I’m not going to be original here but I like really really really would love to marry Kristen Stewart. Or Ed Sheeran. Or anyone who’s Irish actually. OR NOEL FIELDING if anyone knows who that is omg. I could go on but yeah my “sexual orientation” whatever that even is is a bit chaotic right now.

Hogwarts House: I heard there is a way to check on-line but I’ve never done that so I don’t know if it’s actually true but I would say probably Gryffindor just because I can be really annoyingly righteous sometimes. I just don’t like injustice man idk

Favorite Color: honestly, the color of Louis Tomlinson’s eyes. except for clothes, for clothes I like black

Favorite Animal: any type of dog and cat, also lions because fierce and any type of wild cats tbh. and elephants, elephants are great and I wish I had their chill personality

Time Right Now: 01:24

Cat or Dog Person: I honestly can’t chose, because I kind of have both

Favorite Fictional Character: I can’t name just one. I answered this the other day so I’ll just repeat those and add some I forgot last time. So like I said any character from the HP books though Sirius, Bellatrix and Lucius were my favourites, apart from that Jonatan from the Astrid Lindgren book “The Brothers Lionheart”, also Holden from “The Catcher in the Rye” AND last time I didn’t realise it didn’t have to be just books which opens a whole world of TV shows to discuss which you do not want me to do so I’m just going to say HERNANDO FROM SENSE8 I LOVE YOU 

Favorite Singer/Band: This is a complicated matter because I like most music that isn’t techno. So my favourites are a really weird bunch of completely different types of artists: Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Ed Sheeran, Rage Against The Machine, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Joy Division, Flume, Disclosure and One Direction... yeah.

Dream Job: Um... I’d very much like to be a war correspondent or just a reporter who gets to travel a lot and do crazy shit that could potentially get me killed, that’s the dream. Or a writer so I can just imagine all that crazy shit and write about it.

When Was This Blog Created: it’s just like 6 months old, I’m a baby blog 👶

Current Number of Followers: Idk why but I think it’s like faux-pas to give your follower count so I’m not going to say but I’m so grateful for each and every one of you, come talk to meee  😍

What Made You Decide to Make a Tumblr: I ask myself this question every single day

Why Did You Pick Your URL: well Cristiano and Ricardo are the power couple of the football world so I think it’s self explanatory. also, it kind of fits Larry too because HUSBANDS and because Louis loves football and I LOVE football Louis

I tag @78669 @cricky-renaldo @leons-goretzkas @matheror @crickiesthalochild @angeliclp @youfuckingloosah @loveglitteryangelstudent @somanythoughtsandno1curr @flouisboyante @thegirlinthemirrorposts @calums-ass-louis-sass @dunkirkcurls @hugsandlove @the-magnus-effect @youthfulouis @crickyandme @crickyislove Ignore this if you’ve done it already! Also, if you feel like doing this and I didn’t tag you then literally just tag me as the one who tagged you lol I’m basically tagging everyone is what I’m saying okay bye 💕

[honeyvenable]

I think you me your favorite Shows now 😼

yessss i dooo!!!

1. Orphan Black 

That´s absolutely my favorite tv show, i really like the story and the conceipt, and Tatiana Maslany KILLED in all of her characters so much that in my mind they´re actually different people irl. Its a very good show, really funny sometimes and really tense too, i watched it like 4 times haha. And also, there´s the one character i’ll never know if i want to be like or to date her, COSIMA!!!

2. Sense8

Such a beautiful show OMG I love it I watched so many times and i cried BAD when netflix canceled it. It has people from all around the world with different thoughts and lives and I also feel really connected, like I was a part of it. It is a beautiful story and some very HOT (literally because there’s one they’re in a hot tub) scenes.

3. AHS!!!

I love everything about this show!! I think it’s so incredible to have a show where every season has a different story from the other but its still has the same actors. And to see how brilliant they’re in their job doing such different characters and with very different stories alwayssss impresses me so muchhh!!

4. How I met your mother

It is one of the funniest shows i’ve ever watched and i was really happy watching it, I watched it 4 times!! (i think i’m an addicted to rewatching series that i love), i LOVED the story and the characters and i was quite obsessed with it for some time hahaha. BUT*DO NOT READ THIS ONE IF YOU WANNA WATCH THE SERIES*

This could definitely be my favorite show if it wasn’t for the ending, like why on Earth would Ted end up with Robin??? Like we spent 9 SEASONS waiting to met the mom and then she dies??? and Ted goes after Robin?? Barney and Robin were so much better and the reason why they broke up was bc robin wanted to focus on her work. In MY opinion Ted was just a second option to her and he deserved more even tho i LOVE Robin. I don’t think I would change my opinion but if anyone wants to discuss I’m open to listen (IF someone can listen to all of this rambling lol)

[kintailscape]

Awesome Con 2017- Day 2

Saturday, Day 2: I spent the night driving around dead bodies in the streets and saving my town and my daughter from tiny glowing balls that were trying to invade our bodies. So I woke up exhausted and shaken from my nightmare. But David Tennant was speaking at 10:30, so I got my butt out of bed. I hauled myself to the Metro and arrived at 8am. However, I just missed a train by 3 minutes and had to wait 17 minutes for the next one. Even worse, there was an issue with the trains when I tried to transfer and it was 40 minutes until the next Yellow train I needed arrived. So I didn’t get to the convention center until 9:35, which was when the doors were supposed to open for seating. As I arrived in the registration hall, I heard one of the best quotes of the con from one of the volunteers “David Tennant is by the garage door!” It was only to indicate that’s where the end of the line to see him currently was.

I hurried over to the pretty sizable line that was weaving from one side of the room to the other. I heard my name called and turned to see a friend from grad school I hadn’t seen in over 10 years! It’s great running into people at cons, but I was still in my one track mind of “must get to end of line!” During the next hour, nearly the entire room filled up with the line and, as far as I saw, every one of the 5,000 seats ended up being filled. The line volunteers were amazing, though, packing us all in there and keeping order. They would say things like “Welcome to the line! This is all part of the experience!” and “You’re doing great! You’re almost there!” VIPS got in first. Not including them, I think I was about a third of the way from the front. There was a WHOLE LOT of line behind me; I cannot imagine much of that portion got in.

There were some nice cosplayers in line near me, including a Rory & Amy Pond, a Kaylee & Jayne, and one of the kids from Stranger Things. I got into a short discussion with someone in line segment across from mine about Sense8 because I overheard the name of the show being spoken and literally butted right into the conversation he was having with the person next to him in line. Fun fact: I WILL NEVER PASS UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH ANYONE ABOUT SENSE8! The line was long and moved slowly. It dawned on me, after a while, that I might not get in at all. I’d told myself that my biggest rule of the weekend was to have fun and not be disappointed if I couldn’t see everything I wanted. So I was sad at the realization but also working through all the other things going on that morning that I could do instead. In the end, my section of the line was let in and directed all the way over to the far side of the room where there were a few free seats. About 30 seconds after we walked in, David Tennant took the stage. It still took me a couple minutes to get to a seat, but I didn’t miss a thing. YAY!

10:30 AM-11:15 AM David Tennant Explores Time and Space It was fantastic seeing the actor who portrays my favorite doctor in person, talking about his acting career and portraying the doctor. I loved his answer regarding how it’s possible to play a character that has lived so long and knows everything: You can’t really research being a time lord. It’s hard to convey the knowledge of millennia in a look, so you have to play him as a person yearning for discovery with brilliance and intellectual heft. His advice to actors was bold and honest: 1-don’t be late 2-learn your lines, 3-don’t be an arsehole. And, FYI, I’d love to read a Shakespearean take on the Marvel Universe. “I’d love to see Peter Parker get bitten by a spider in iambic pentameter.”

The fortunate part of sitting at the very end of the room meant I was one of the first ones out the door when the event was over. So I went straight downstairs and got into line for Felicia Day’s Q&A and got a great spot in line. The room filled up entirely, every seat taken, so I felt lucky to get one.

12:00 PM-12:45 PM Felicia Day Q&A Felicia was a little late, because of autograph signing, but she was apologetic and immediately commented on the DC humidity (which I hate too) “This is how Aquaman lives. It’s not good!” LOL She had a lot of great lines… “If you mess your kid up a little bit, they’ll be more interesting.” “I got to play [Charlie] for four seasons–that’s a good track record for a female on Supernatural!” “The gender balance is better now and no one is the worse for it.” “We’re all here to enjoy that thing we all enjoy together.” Felicia was a great mix of kind and funny and clever. It was like listening to her book again only there she was in person.

I headed straight for the Legendary Comics event line after this and talked a lot with a guy behind me in line. It’s SO NICE to be able to talk Classic Who with fans now and actually know what I’m talking about. And it’s also just so nice to be able to talk Classic Who with anyone, actually. He showed me some of the great photos he took of the Doctor Who Experience which he’d been to… did he say 4 times? It was either 3 or 4. At any rate, it was a great conversation and a lovely way to pass the time in line. I believe this line is also where I spotted someone cosplaying as an Ewok and that was awesome.

1:15 PM-2:00 PM Legendary Comics: Monsters & Myths Honestly, I didn’t know anything at all about Legendary Comics, but I definitely enjoyed getting to hear the creative team talk about their project, Firebrand. Urban fantasy is my favorite genre, and it was great to hear about the world of magic and sumernatural they created. And part of it takes place in the Seattle Underground, which I’ve been in. What a brilliant place to set it! I also like that it’s a 3-woman creation team responsible for it. They definitely sold me on Firebrand.

Of course, the real reason I was in attendance was because I wanted to see John and Carole Barrowman. I missed Carole’s Q&A earlier, so this was my chance to see her. And I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get into John’s Q&A later, so this was my chance to see him again. I AM SO GLAD I WENT! They talked about their new project, Cursed, and I was hooked from word one. John entered wearing a kilt and sporran (I couldn’t get a good photo from where I was sitting, sorry). Then, with mood music and mood lighting as well, he proceeded to give the introduction to the series. As someone who slept with a poster of Scotland over her bed for all of her years as a teen, the quickest way to my heart is to say “Bonnie Prince Charlie” in a thick Scottish accent. And, yep, there was John doing just that. Cursed involves Bonnie Prince Charlie just after the Battle of Culloden when something supernatural happens to curse his descendants. The story takes place in modern day with one of these descendants, Charlie Stewart, who falls victim to the curse. So it’s got history and Celtic legends and supernatural elements and drama all wrapped into one. It’s like they’re writing it just for me! What a joy it was to hear them talk about it and answer questions in a more informal setting as well. They talked about working together on projects (it involves teasing and lots of wine) and about what makes good sci-fi (the story) and what they have in common (a love for Kit and Game of Thrones). And I hope to never lose the memory of John in a kilt, thrusting his pelvis at the mention of his photo op with David Tennant later. LOL

I attempted to get into Harry Potter and the Genetics of Wizarding, but when I arrived at the room, it was filled to capacity and there was a short overflow line already. It was only about 10 people long, but there was no knowing if anyone inside would leave. So I decided not to wait around just in case. I had things to do! I bought an expensive and not very tasty vegetable wrap from the food cart near the meeting rooms and borrowed some space on a bench next to a nice gentleman by the street level windows. I ate and watched a whole family of cosplayers working on their outfits, including applying more makeup to an adorable Beast Boy.

Then I headed to the exhibit hall with one mission: find the Supernatural Impala and sit inside it. I was shocked to learn the evening of Day 1 that I’d somehow missed seeing the Impala… so I desperately needed to fix this situation. I did indeed find it (and ran into another friend who, like me, was skipping out on library volunteering that day in order to attend the convention). There were actor-worn outfits you could put on to pose for photos in the car, but I didn’t really care about the photo op (and putting on clothes that tons of fangirls put on didn’t really appeal to me either, though I did pet them a little). What was exciting to me was being INSIDE the Impala. They did a great job tricking it out–cassette tapes, visors signed by cast/crew, a duffle in the backseat, a trunk full of hunter necessities. It was amazing to just get those details that you only get from being there–how soft the steering wheel was, how much give/slidy-ness the seats had, how close the seat and steering wheel were to each other, how the door latch worked, etc. I didn’t take nearly enough photos and felt too shy to go back and take more. And my time inside is kind of a blur because I was so thrilled. But it was SO WORTH IT.

While I was searching for the Impala, I noticed a mother and daughter pair carrying a gorgeous Hamilton art print. Naturally, I stopped them to ask where they’d bought it. So after enjoying sitting in the Impala and internally squeeing SO HARD, I went in search of the exhibit space. Just when I thought I wouldn’t find it, I stumbled upon it (almost literally; the art was displayed up on the walls of the space but also on mats on the floor. I checked out all his pieces, and I loved some of the Harry Potter ones. But, ultimately, I bought the Hamilton one. The artist had a lovely conversation with me about how the current state of things (how we’re blaming immigrants) is really just a repeat of what we’ve seen before and how it has not gone well historically when society tries to use minorities as scapegoats. Among the examples we were throwing back and forth, he mentioned the Polish and I said I was Irish and he said “Well then you know!” as if I’d been there at the turn of the century in person to have lived through that discrimination. Or as if what the Irish faced upon coming to America could even begin to compare with what Africans had to go through in this country. Not that ANYONE’S struggle is any less valid than anyone else’s. But the point is, people forget that this is not new to our country. It was definitely an enjoyable and spirited conversation.

I headed back upstairs to the main hall so that I wouldn’t miss Jason David Frank, the Green/White Power Ranger. Power Rangers was definitely a presence in my formative years, and I loved the green ranger (though, to be fair, I loved them ALL. And while Tommy Oliver was probably at the top of my list if I’d had to rank them, I don’t really remember playing favorites). By the time I got there, they had already started seating, but there was a line formed outside the Main Stage. A volunteer was asking everyone if they were there for JDF or John Barrowman. It was only 3:30 and John Barrowman was going on at 5:30, but there was already a line for his Q&A! I headed in but heard the people behind me answer “JDF or Barrowman?” with “Uhhhhh green power ranger guy?” LOL The place was definitely not full, so I needn’t have worried. I sat down and waited. And waited. And waited.

The Wait While waiting in the Main Stage room, advertisements/messages were displayed on the big screens. It was lovely to have something to watch to pass the time. And I’ve captured them below for the full con experience because I was there for at least an hour, waiting for Jason David Frank and got to know them quite intimately: Is Japan Cool?- Here are some cosplayers from all over the world for no explained reason but in Japan. People seated in front of Kate remark: these are characters from very old fandoms… Baby Driver Trailer- Oh, here’s the trailer for that movie they talked about in the event you didn’t go to. It’s a heist movie with lots of driving. Uh huh. The cast is decent though. And it’s got a good look. And the music is neat. Crystal TARDIS- David Tennant at a booth! Crystal TARDIS! *shows picture of a crystal TARDIS figure with Peter Capaldi’s doctor inside, not David Tennant’s* Your doctor preserved in crystal forever! That doesn’t sound creepy at all! He’ll be PRESERVED. *shows more of Peter Capaldi’s doctor in a TARDIS* And when the lights turn off… *shows Peter Capaldi’s doctor in a TARDIS glowing blue* It glows! *shows the stand that makes it glow with Peter Capaldi’s doctor, taking away all the magic of the glowing illusion previously showed* Get yours today! *quickly finally shows the one with David Tennant* Is Japan Cool?- Here’s a guy who owns a noddle cart sets up for the day and makes bowls of soba and ramen for his customers. Awww. Emoji Movie Trailer- You’re going to laugh not just at the jokes in the trailer but at the fact that we actually came up with a decent plot for an emoji movie. Seriously. Also Patrick Stewart does the voice of Poop. You’re so there, right? Planetarium- Have you been here yet? You’re at a sci-fi con, so you probably love space. Come see the planetarium! Baby Driver Trailer- Hmm, this actually looks good, doesn’t it? And it’s got some interesting reviews. And it’s fun to say Tequila every time Jamie Foxx says it in the trailer. Maybe you’ll remember to put it on your Netflix queue. Is Japan Cool?- Here are some reasons to come to Japan: Sumo wrestlers, harajuku girls, this tower in the distance, um… pubs? You like those, don’t you? Oh busy scramble street crossings. Um… capsule hotels? Crap, we’re running out of reasons. Umm…. vending machines! We’ve got those! Seriously, just come to Japan. Please. It’s cool. We promise. Awesome Con 2018- Next year, we are taking the exact weekend that the Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference had this year in 2017. And probably Kate is the only one in attendance to realize this. Is Japan Cool?- We have cosplayers! People in front of Kate: these costumes are really old and outdated Baby Driver Trailer- Oh man. This movie looks awesome. This shit is bananas, dawg! It uses music the way the rest of us use air! Tequila! I mean, look at him driving! This is amazing. Tequila! That’s some Oscar shit right there! What the fffffff?! Main stage schedule for the day- here are some events you might have missed or might be sitting here waiting for at this very second. Just in case you’ve forgotten why you’re still sitting here here Great Courses- Hey, we know you want to learn some things! We have a way for you to learn it with no tests. A geeky guy like me? I’m going to want to dive into as many as possible! Is Japan Cool?- Seriously, we’re not sure yet. We need more validation from you. How about we give the winner of the costume contest a free trip to Japan? Do you love us yet? Costumes are Not Consent!- Speaking of which, if you’re being harassed, see a staff or member of the Brute Squad for help Baby Driver Trailer- HOT DAMN YOU HAVE TO GO SEE THIS MOVIE NOW! WHEN IS IT COMING OUT? YOU ARE PRETTY SURE THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST MOVIE EVER!!

?-? PM Jason David Frank Q&A Just as I was beginning to get annoyed, he finally showed up. Apparently, he’d been tied up signing autographs. Which, yeah, I get. He gets paid to do those. But unlike Felicia Day who was a few minutes late and very apologetic and had sent word to us explaining why she’d be a little late, JDF just rushed in and was all over the place and not that apologetic. He kept talking to his assistant/companion/manager (no idea; he never bothered introducing her to us) and trying to get Facebook Live up so he could run contests on it during the panel. And, yeah, I get it. He was flustered and has ADD and his mind was probably in twenty places at once… but I felt a little offended that he wasn’t giving us a little more respect and appreciation for turning up to see him and waiting through a hell of a lot of self-doubting advertisements for Japan. I dunno. Maybe I just expected someone more professional or maybe more calm and centered as someone so studied in the martial arts. He did do a good job talking to some of the fans who were… well, more obsessed than I am, let’s put it that way. And he gave away two headshots. But he didn’t start off with an intro to his recent work/projects, just jumped right in assuming we had some idea who Bloodshot was (maybe that makes me a bad fan for not knowing, so it’s partly my fault). And he did give a lot of good advice about being positive “I can. I will.” and “At the end of the day, it’s about fun and making you happy, not money.” It all sounded great… but it just didn’t ring as true as it could have, I guess, if he’d respected out time and shown up on time. He did make me laugh when he was talking about being asked who would win in a fight, the green ranger or the white ranger. “Me! They’re both me. I’d win!” And of course, there was also the universal truth of “Spandex don’t lie!” In the end, I think he did the best he could to save the event. I’ve just never seen an actor treat his fans quite like this at a Q&A before so I hadn’t expected it. But actors are allowed to be imperfect people too; I don’t want to be too hard on him. But I didn’t really enjoy hearing him speak the way I’d hoped to.

I used the back doors of the room as a shortcut to get into line for John Barrowman, which worked out wonderfully. I remembered standing in line to see John Barrowman at Awesome Con last year and looking up toward the food place to see one of my friends sitting and eating. I looked up this time and there she was again! Ha! Plus, I definitely got in, despite not having stood in line at 3:30.

?-? PM John Barrowman Q&A As always, John was hoot. He was dressed as a TARDIS and in high heels. He even brought his husband out, who was dressed in Captain Jack’s greatcoat and little on underneath (Scott must have an amazing amount of energy and patience to keep up with that man!). John told some extremely entertaining stories. He sang “I am what I am.” He gave great, inspiring advice as well. John is just a born entertainer and loves feeding off his fans’ energy. I went a little super-fangirly when he mentioned that S.E. Hinton messages him on Twitter (SQUEEEE!). I laughed at his story about his 50th birthday party (Stephen Amell in a speedo sounds like a great birthday present for him), about him getting the call about being in Doctor Who, and about him trying to find the gas tank on his DeLorean. I took 4 pages of notes, actually, so I’m having trouble trying to sum it all up. But: his thoughts on the recent Star Wars movies are similar to mine, he would like to kick the crap out of Nazis with Captain America and have Captain Jack trick Hitler into committing suicide, he would like to play Charlie if there were an adaptation of Cursed, he also associates Australians with Tim-Tams, he deliberately backed up onto Daleck wisks because the operators inside can’t look away, and his story about meeting Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) in Who Tower where she greeted him simply with a nod and the word “Captain” is just amazing. But the best part of the whole thing was when the kid was upset upon learning that Malcolm Merlin was not going to come back to Arrow and John got down and hugged him because he was upset about it too. I LOVE that he understands that characters he plays mean so much to the fans. There were also some great LGBTQ-friendly moments. “Your sexuality doesn’t define who you are. Your heart does. The rest is icing on the cake” and “If someone doesn’t like you for who you are, tell them to piss off.” The Q&A really ran me through every possible emotion.

I was feeling good upon leaving. His Q&A was supposed to run from 5:30-6:15, and at 6:15, Wil Wheaton was having his Q&A downstairs. But when I looked at my watch upon getting downstairs, it was already 6:55! Jason David Frank’s lateness must have thrown everything off, and I hadn’t even been looking at the time to realize it. Luckily, I was right outside the room I wanted to be in for a 7 PM event.

7:00 PM-7:45 PM Slash of Our Ancestors: History of Fanfic A few minutes into the panel, a friend appeared in the doorway and took the seat beside me. He said to me “I figured if I was going to run into any [members of the Harry Potter group] it would be here.” LOL! I love running into friends at cons. Anyway, this was an interesting panel about the history of fanfiction, with a particular emphasis on slash fanfiction. The talk went from zines to archives to message boards to LJ to AO3. “You know you’ve built a useful internet tool when people start putting fanfic in it.” There was also some good analysis of fanfic itself–how attitudes in society get reflected in fanfic and so some tropes aren’t used any more, about the rules of fanfic (rule 1- punctuate; rule 2-don’t tell the actors), how it’s becoming normalized but there’s still a stigma, how it created a safe space for queers to explore, how we used to kill off wives and now just write threesomes, how quality/standards are different because we can’t mentor new fans any more, and how terms themselves have changed (actorfic=RPS), and how anime’s fic culture evolved differently. I also came out of it with a handful of recs I now need to track down.

We headed to the room the next event I wanted to attend was being held in in time to catch the ending of MAGfest’s event where people got to use green screen and actually be in a video game. That was pretty cool!

8:15 PM-9:00 PM The Shipping Game Live! Run by geek dating site DragonFruit, this was a card game similar to Slash, which I’d just played the first time last week with my Harry Potter group at our annual Game Day event. In this version, cards were drawn from a large deck of characters and one person had to argue the pairing as an OTP while the other had to argue NOTP. Then we audience members decided the winner. I find shipping across fandoms a lot of fun in games like this, but especially when it results in an interesting, viable pairing. I was shocked when the audience did not go for Clark Kent/Iron Man! In fact, the audience voted NOTP on nearly every pairing but the last two. They didn’t go for Princes Zelda/Black Panther despite the fact that they’re both royalty. And I can’t remember what they decided regarding Han Solo/Moaning Myrtle. It was a lot of fun listening to pro & con arguments for these crazy pairings.

We were headed to the same Metro stop, so we called it a night and traveled back home. The wait to switch trains was not as long as the night before (probably because it was a little earlier), and it was nice to have the company. I made a late night Walmart run and then still did another load of laundry when I finally got home around 10:30.

Awesome Con 2017- Day 2 was originally published on The Fangirl Project