#me: I mean 80 years you're doing ok

[whereisthedamndaddymanual]

Arthur: hehe, now hold on boy let me get my cheaters on if we're gonna read now

[evilkitten3]

the concept of orochimaru and sakumo having been a thing is so funny to me, especially from kakashi's perspective. imagine your government-assigned babysitting charge runs away to go live with an evil scientist war criminal. who is also your stepmom. you speak of this to no one

[francy-sketches]

do u guys think I can animate a 5 minute video in like 8 months

[strangestcase]

tomblr discourse in the monster high universe must be something else.

0 notes

💝​ lalalala Follow

What would I do without cherry smoothies... probably die again 💔​

🟥​ b3lfrypr3pz-deactivated09182022

Of freaking course the frilly daywalker is a vegan 😒​ bet you do witchcraft too you dirty hippie

💝​ lalalala Follow

🝢🜊🝣🝗🜚🝰

🟥​ b3lfrypr3pz-deactivated09182022

WTF is that lol

🟥​ b3lfrypr3pz-deactivated09182022

i t burns. wh at did you do to me .

💝​ lalalala Follow

^-^

17k notes

🧠​ msdeadfast Follow

Ok but Dead Fast: Night of the Living (2002) has no business being considered the worst Dead Fast movie when the MCU (Murder Cinematic Universe) not only retconned his origin story to make him a virus zombie rather than a curse zombie (which throws off his entire arc about being something more than his deeds!) AND made him be allied with B.L.I.G.H.T. of all organizations because Like say what you will about NOTL and the forced heterosexual romantic plot but at least 1) it gets what makes Dead Fast a hero and 2) GIVES HIS LOVE INTEREST A PERSONALITY AND SOMETHING TO DO

🕷️ 8legscomix Follow

Literally

Also they made the villain Dr. Igorable's motivations so laughable like..... so his wife got turned into a zombie and he wants to cure her? Ok? Did she ask for it? She doesn't even have any groaning lines. Im not even a zombie but that was offensive as hell. Like in the original comics he wants to straight up undo all forms of zombism forever

🧠​ msdeadfast Follow

NO FR LIKE....... so suddenly the eugenics obsessed human is tragic because being a zombie must be such a tragedy you guyyyysssss -_- and wanting to get rid of an entire monster type is ok. I swear that movie has turned monster attitudes towards zombies back into the 80s

⚠️ mentalhealth-hazard Follow

I am not sure if I'm overstepping here but, furthermore, the addition of Pendulum to the movie was unnecesary. Stereotyping shapeshifters as untrustworthy and traitorous is something of a past era. Either leave the character behind, or change it entirely.

🧠​ msdeadfast Follow

Jackson I love you and I love your takes. but you type like a Victorian in his deathbed ;-;

⚠️ mentalhealth-hazard Follow

The MCU is so dreadful, it's irrevocably turned me into one.

#It has also substracted years off my lives.

23 notes

🌊​ lacriatura Follow

🦈​🦐​🐠🪸​​🐡​🐟​

^ aquarium!

#lagoona's originals #ocean #sealife #ah-! so refreshing <- aesth tag

26k notes

🔥 666firepit666 Follow

Not to vague anyone but some of you have to shut the freak up about the ocean. You don't see me making little dioramas of the Malebolge because I'm not a little cringelet like you lmao

1 note

🌊​ lacriatura Follow

If you don't freaking love the ocean don't follow the ocean tag. Yes that goes for @666firepit666, square up and fight me if you're so brave Heath!!!!

#lagoona's originals #personal #more skulls for my skull collection!!!

10 notes

🌙​ wolf-in-chic-clothing Follow

Day 1 no toxic doomed yuri

🌙​ wolf-in-chic-clothing Follow

WRONG SIDEBLOG

#stop reblogging this

80k notes

🔩​ stitchez Follow

Got a new arm! Can't wait to try it out!

🐯 ninelives Follow

try it out how 🤨​

🔩​ stitchez Follow

Building a wretched creature out of corpses, of course!

🔩​ stitchez Follow

OH that was a double entendre! You should be ashamed of yourself!

🔩​ stitchez Follow

I would never use my arms for violent purposes!

54 notes

🔥 666firepit666 Follow

Lagoona dragged me into the pool and now my hair is out 😡​

🌙​ wolf-in-chic-clothing Follow

Skull issue.

🧠​ msdeadfast Follow

skull issue

👻​ ghostlygossip01 Follow

Skull issue. Take the L

💝​ lalalala Follow

Skull issue ^-^

🐯 ninelives Follow

skull issue lmao

🔩​ stitchez Follow

Skull issue! I dont know what that means but I'm sure it relates to your experience!

🎸​ innerdemon Follow

SKULL ISSUEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!

🔥 666firepit666 Follow

Your own cousin 🥲​

🎸​ innerdemon Follow

I AM NOT RELATED TO ANY BALD PEOPLE

105 notes

💎​ scarab-g1rl Follow

Alright, who stole my sinister amulet?

[beansprean]

introducing Katya Zamolodchikova as Nancy the Relentless!!! a concept @vampireshmampire and i braindumped about like a year ago lmao. far before the rumors about Trixie Mattel being in s6 came out owo!

My Familiar’s Ghost part 80

Masterpost Masterpost 2

See the latest pages on Patreon!

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Small panel, waist up of Nandor and Guillermo on a vague grayish-blue background. Nandor has one hand on his hip and the other pointing upwards as he leans toward Guillermo sternly and says 'Now I will show you how to call long distance.' Guillermo looks up at him, rubbing his arm awkwardly, still flushed from the previous page, and responds 'Ok...' 1b. Chest up of Nandor on a brighter blue background with his eyes closed in concentration, palms held up and out. He clears his throat and says, in a wispy bright blue speech bubble, 'I, Nandor the Relentless, am calling out to the etherrrr to inquire about available familiarsssss...' 1c. Shoulders up of Nandor and Guillermo lurching to one side in shock, Nandor's hands flying up, shoulder crashing into Guillermo's, as a glowing blue bubble suddenly shoves into their panel. Inside the bubble is a thin white vampire in drag with long white-blonde hair styled half up in a high ponytail by a sparkly red scrunchie. She is wearing a thin red dress with a black leather corset, a red-violet leopard fur capelet with gold coins dangling from the hem, a red jabot at her neck with a bat shaped gold brooch decorated with rubies, and shoulder length red gloves with ruby-encrusted gold caps shaped like claws on each finger. She lurches into frame with a huge, devious grin, shouting, 'Nandor, babygirl! Is that you?!' 1d. Repeat of Nandor and Guillermo standing side by side, Guillermo now having moved to stand slightly behind. Nandor slumps and scowls, already looking exhausted by this encounter, and greets poisonously 'Hello, Nancy the Relentless.' Guillermo frowns up at Nancy but stays quiet. From offscreen, Nancy coos, 'Heyy, mama! Still shopping in Turkish Cryptkeeper Kohls? I love that for you.' Nandor replies, irritated, 'This kaftan is not coal, it is made of wool from the sheeps of Al Q-' Nancy interrupts and asks, 'So, you're looking for a familiar?'

2a. Waist up of Nancy in her ether bubble, right arm crossed over her chest to rest on her left bicep, left hand reaching up to tap a jaunty claw on her cheek. She raises a brow and grins, tongue curling around one fang, and asks teasingly, 'Does that mean your scrumptious little slayer-boy is finally availableeee? 2b. Chest up of Nandor and Guillermo side by side. Glare fixed on Nancy, Nandor throws an arm out in front of Guillermo and shouts, 'No!! I have told you before, he is mine!' Guillermo startles, a green glow beginning to creep up behind him as goosebumps skitter up and down his shoulders. Nancy replies to Nandor, 'And your title is mine, Nandor the Plagiarist!' Nandor snaps back, 'I have been called Relentless since before you were born, Nancy the- the Pretender!' 2c. Repeat. Guillermo blushes and looks away, lips pursing as if attempting to whistle nonchalantly as his hand reaches up to grip the arm Nandor is holding in front of him and move it away from his body. Nandor's eyes flit over to him curiously, color rising to his cheeks. Nancy continues, 'Ooh, baby, you know how I feel about older men yelling at me. You should call more often.' 2d. Close up of Nandor in profile in the foreground, Nancy's bubble beyond. He glares at her and asks sharply, 'Do you know of any familiars looking for work or not?' Nancy, full body visible now as she perches on the edge of a table and leans back on one arm, legs crossed at the knee to reveal the high slit in her dress, fishnets, and thigh high black leather boots. She closes her eyes haughtily and stretches her free arm outward in a clearly rehearsed pose, replying, 'Well, gorgeous, effortless, beloved vampires usually receive applications directly...' 2e. Repeat. Nandor arches his eyebrows and turns his head away from Nancy toward the viewer, muttering, 'Then you must alert me if you find such a vampire.' Nancy wheezes with shocked laughter, kicking her legs wildly and flapping her arms, delighted rather than offended by the dig. Through her laughs, she declares, 'Read!!' 2f. Chest up of Nandor and Guillermo, the latter standing just behind and gripping the edge of Nandor's sleeve. Offscreen, Nancy recovers from her fit and says, 'Well, since I'm nice, I'll forward you a few. But- hello! Is that the slayer behind you? Did you turn him?! You bitch!! Guillermo, call m-!' Nandor scowls and interrupts, saying quickly, 'YesthankyouNancygoodbye.' He then flaps his hand in the air, dispersing Nancy's bubble and ending the call. Behind him, Guillermo frowns, flustered and blushing. 2g. Repeat. Nandor lowers his hand and glares where Nancy once appeared, sneering, 'Yeesh, why could you not have slain her?' Guillermo aims an unimpressed glance toward him, still purple in the cheeks. /end ID

[blueishspace]

Looped Sun 3

Loop #68

Scott: So this is really happening huh... ?

Grian: Yeah, we don't know much about it either so maybe we can learn together?

Scott: That would be...nice.

Loop #69

Scott: Well, loop 69.

Scar: Yes!

Scott: I expected it to be more special or something.

Scar: Why?

Scott: Eh, it doesn't matter.

Scar: I don't get it. What's wrong with 69- oh ohhhhhh.

Loop #73

Grian had been having a blast this loop, somehow having Scott in the loops meant being able to start in Empires and it was great. The Grian Empire was back and bigger then ever!

Scar was having an awful time this loop...ok, that was an exageration it was actually prett fun but nobody at warned him about the paper work! He's dyslexic how is he supposed to do this much writing quickly!??

Scott was doing good....Grian and Scar being here made him hopeful they would be able to get rid of Xonorth thus time around...

Loop #77

Grian: So everyone is a goat-creeper hybrid this time around?

Scott: I don't get it.

Grian: It's because...Docm77...and loop 77.

Scar: Wait is that why!?!

Grian: ... What did you think?

Loop #80

Grian should have expected a royalty variant eventually but do nobles really have to wear these kinds of clothes!? It's so stiffy!

...

At least Scar seemed to be having fun being a prince.

Loop #82

Grian woke up at the start of the newest loop to see Scott drowning himself with wine.

Grian: Scott? Had a... bad loop?

Scott: Woke up in Xonorth place *hic* spent the entire time unable to control myself because of Exors *hic* co-corruption.

Grian: ... I'll get you some water, can't have getting an hungover.

Scott: ... T-thanks.

Loop #89

Grian had just been elected mayor of the season 7 shopping district was ready to keep his promises...plus some additional stuff.

Scar: Oh, since you won does that mean I get to be mother spore?

Grian: Nah, still me.

Scar: But the shopping district is already-

Grian: Who said it will ve just the shopping district?

Scar: ... Don't you dare cover the entire server! I'll be.... Father...grass? I'll come up with a name later!

Loop #92

Grian: This is possibly the best possible outcome.

Grian and Scar watch as Stress is elected mayor of the shopping district.

Scar: Still, I wanted to have more fun with it!

Loop #94

Grian: How???

Grian stares in open mouthed shock as Technoblade is elected mayor of the shopping district.

Grian: HOW!??!?

Technoblade: Eh?

Grian: You don't even live here!

Loop #95

Grian: Finally! Mumbo won!

Scar: That was harder then I tought.

Grian: Now I'm going to rest for a straight loop.

Scar: Who knew convincing people to vote for Mumbo would be so hard? Oh well.

Loop #97

Grian took one look at Herobrine himself being made mayor and promptly left the server for the rest of the loop.

Loop #99

Scott: You know, the two of you have been here for almost 100 loops.

Scar: Yeah! ...why?

Scott: That's what? Almost 300 years? Give or take?

Grian: ... Oh gods we have been here for almost 300 years.

Scar: Welp, never guessed I would make it to my 330's... sorry...

Loop #100

Grian: Look a shooting star!

Scar: Did you make a wish?

Grian: Did you?

Scar: Aha! Not telling!

Loop #102

Scott started the loop waking up in a bed of golden flowers, faint light coming a hole above him.

Scott: Huh...

He made his way towards a purple door preparing for the way ahead.

A floating golden star? Scott doesn't think anyone will mind if he touches it.

Grian: The shadow of the ruins looms above, filling you with determination.

Scott: Grian!? How long were you here? Where are you.

Grian: Since the loop started, and It's hard to explain, I think I'm a ghost.

Scott: I hate that flower.

Grian: You spared him?

Scott: It's the principle.

Loop #107

When Scar arrived Scott was laying on fresh grass.

Scar: Scott! You're in this loop too?

Scott: Sure thing.

Scott looked up towards Scar inclining his head.

Scott: Something wrong?

Scar: No! No. Just, there is no Grian in this loop.

Scott: There is.

Scar's eyes widened in surprise.

Scar: No there isn't! I checked everywhere!

Scott: Have you looked up?

Scar: Huh?

Scar confused looked up to the sky and there he saw, instead of the sun in the sky was a glowing very unhappy Grian.

Scar: Grian!?! How did you get there!?

Grian: This time around the sky is a dome... And I'm stuck here.

Scott: Considering everything I'm surprised it took that long for this to happen.

Loop #109

Grian: This is what people call karma.

Grian was trying very hard not to laugh but this was just so funny.

Scott the literal star wasn't very enthused but stars can't talk.

Loop #114

Scar: Grian you good?

Grian: Huh? ...yeah... just a bad loop.

Grian looked like he was just hit by a car, which was impressive since the loop had just started a few minutes ago.

Scar: What happened?

Grian: It was one of those "what if 3rd Life wasn't a game but instead was serious?" variants which would be fine but there was like extra gore and Dogwarts experimented on people...

Scar: Oh... I...do you need something to drink or eat?

Grian: Just stay here...please?

Scar: Yeah! I can do that! I'm very good at staying here!

Grian: ... Thanks.

Loop #118

Scar had to admit, camp halfblood was so much fun and getting to be a child of Demeter was even better! He could grow plants now, Grian said some powers would stick across loops and he really wanted to see if these would. Still, without the others it was a little lonely.

He wasn't alone! I took a while but after they discovered camp Jupiter he finally found Scott!

Scott: Yeah, I'm a child of Venus. Surprised I wasn't made a son of Arcus considering Empires season 2.

Scar: Arcus?

Scott: Right, roman Iris.

Scar: Ooooh.

It was the time, Scar and Scott had hidden and were spying as Medea began to summon Helios. Scar was panicking and Scott was desperately trying to stop the summoning from taking place and then... She managed to do it and Helios was- wait.

Scar: Grian!?!

Loop #119

Scar: Wait wait, if I still have the plant thing do you-?

Grian: ... Yeah

Scar: Can I see? Please?

Grian sighed before exploding with light.

Loop #122

Grian: Supeheroes?

Scar: I know right! Isn't it great!?

Scar and Grian were on top of a skyscraper, scanning the city for crimes.

Scar: And I actually get to be Hot Guy! For real this time!

Grian smiled at Scar's antics before looking back at It's own outfit.

Grian: I just feel like this whole "Cute Guy" outfit is a bit tacky.

Scar: Nah, you look amazing G!

Grian blushed and looked away.

Grian: Thank you Scar.

Loop #123

Scar: Wooho! Another superhero loop? So cool!

Grian: And I get to be poultry man this time, villains prepared to get egged!

Scar: ...pegged?

Grian: No no no no no, Egged, like egg, very very different.

Loop #125

Hotguy was alone this time, he had given up searching for Grian months ago when he saw him... her?

Scar: Grian? What's going on?

Ariana Griande: What? After being a hero 3 times in a row I got bored. So, decided to bring the people happyness in a new way!

Scar: Oh! I'm not supposed to be here am I?

Ariana Griande: Oh yeah, the media is going to have a field day, superhero hotguy seen with superstar singer Ariana? We'll be on so many covers.

Scar: Oh I'll leave then-

Ariana Griande: I didn't say that, Scar?

Scar: Yes?

Ariana Griande: Will you dance with me?

Prev Next First

[wovenstarlight]

and another rant i have built up over jinjae is their everything around food. the first instance i can remember is the courtesy chocolates SHJ brings HYJ after the Babar dungeon, when he's in the hospital (chapters 80/81), which he says is for HYJ due to the stress he must be feeling over HYH. and then immediately kills any goodwill in the very next sentence by going Wowww you're so useful and i'd love to acquire you etc etc. HYJ's not even the one who accepts them from SHJ, that's BYR, and later HYJ says he only eats them because he has nothing better to do (no other option than SHJ, huh...) and even then the Dokkaebi ends up eating half the box. gift that's barely accepted.

the next instance i can think of is post-human trafficking auction in chapter 127 where SHJ makes him eggs, but. well. literally as he's cooking they have this exchange:

(this got so fucking long i had to put it under a cut. takes your hand come with me on this journey)

[SHJ] “I’d like for you to stay unharmed until I grow bored. Mentally, I mean.” [HYJ] “And my body doesn’t matter?” [SHJ] “If your bulk decreases, you’ll be easier to carry around.”

so "i'm making food for you" but also "i don't care if your health deteriorates and/or you lose weight, as long as you're useful". an interesting combination of messages to send, given that HYJ's also struggling in this scene to figure out what SHJ wants from him, what with seemingly looking out for him and his loved ones by lending Sillekia to BYR for fighting HYH, but also still continuing with this "my item" shit and only looking at him for his usefulness. but this instance IS notable in that it's the first time SHJ cooks for HYJ. a slight turning point in their relationship...?

it does seem so cuz after that... HYJ becoming sick of orange- and apple-flavored mana potions because he chugs them so often, and SHJ responding to this in chapter 185 (birthday arc, before HYJ admitted he stole his memories) by acquiring swiss chocolate-flavored mana potions for him. already he's started with the little treats.

and then. sorry i'm feeling the 216 feelings. 1 minute. Okay normal. and then. yes once again it's chapter 216, when SHJ first starts making readably genuine attempts at kindness towards HYJ, starting the entire interaction by making him a drink that "looked like it was just juice, but it was actually sweet. Tasty." normal behavior from SHJ to rent out the entire rooftop pool and bar to show off his bartending skills to HYJ btw.

then the VR dungeon arc, where SHJ can't see HYJ until he installs the first disc, but the moment he does he starts being absolutely unbearable, the relevant part being when HYJ's reached Achates and is stressed out over HYH's treatment to the point of losing his appetite, at which point SHJ sends him the "Must Eat Well" quest to coax him into eating, rewarding him with chocolate-flavored mana potions, which HYJ himself admits remind him of SHJ:

‘But why are they chocolate-flavored?’ It made me think of that person. It had tasted good.

we're told in chapter 249 that SHJ needs to expend tremendous effort to give HYJ quest rewards and that whatever he gives usually gets cut down (he's talking about point conversions there but i suspect it applies to other rewards as well). so to specifically seek out two potions, especially ones he knows HYJ will prefer more than the common fruit-flavored ones... [puts on my large jinjae-shaped sunglasses like that shit they sell for new years]

and ok i jumped ahead to 249 for the rewards thing but come back to 245 with me and look at that series of cooking quests SHJ sent HYJ to guide him through cooking dinner for himself and HYH. copying over my discord messages from when this chapter dropped for this part of the analysis:

ALSO SPEAKING OF SHJ that chain of quests at the end. he is driving me crazy but yes the cooking quests. like. okay. I mentioned before [...] that I considered this a jinjae scene chapter because. the layers of it all right. he sees hyj wants to cook for his brother but can't decide what to make/how to make it cuz the decision paralysis is hitting after the longass day he's had. so he goes ahead and picks a meal and gives him step by step instructions. overly specific so hyj doesn't hit some dumb roadblock like "idk where the spatula is" and lose it for real. it took multiple quests to give the instructions it might've been easier to give him a prepared meal from whatever store he's picking these rewards from but he spent that time anyway because I'm pretty sure going through the process soothed hyj. normality after the Everything of it all. and then at the end of it because he Knows hyj is prone to not eating when he gets stressed he baits him into eating with rewards. like. Bro. Bro like. OUGH. he cares. he cares.... AND ALSO THAT LAST FUCKING QUEST "made with a spoonful of your partner's love" IS NOT SOMETHING THE SYSTEM WOULD SAY SHJ I KNOW YOURE LEANING INTO "OH NO THE SYSTEMS ALTERING MY MESSAGES DW" AND LETTING YOUR FEELINGS SHOW. YOUR PAPER THIN MASK overemotional over cooking. god. god and even after the cooking thing knowing that hyj would freak upon waking up and not seeing hyh and so keeping an eye on hyh and sending him a quest to tell him where he is.... like fuck dude. FUCK!

ok that's enough of that excerpt this is starting to derail from food analysis. wait hold on actually 249's point about the cost of sending quests and rewards makes the cooking quest series even more impactful because how much did SHJ spend to go to that level of detail and care for HYJ!!!

anyway back to food analysis. 256 where HYJ dies to the inscription process and SHJ purposely serves him bitter tea and sweet cookies to point out that he shouldn't take rewards that come at great costs. SHJ you really love communicating things to people through food, huh? but the fact that the second he's understood SHJ takes away the bitter tea and replaces it with something less bitter and more savory. the fact that when the scout finds him, the last thing SHJ does, even after draping his coat over HYJ to protect him from the shards of falling sky, is refill his teacup. the fact that HYJ drinks it and thinks about how it's warm.

GOD!!! do you see my vision. do you see. SHJ and HYJ and cooking and eating as an act of caring. an act of love.

[maleficentmrsofallevil]

My plan to stop disordered coping

I have had several disordered coping mechanisms over the years. Here's what's worked for me.

Redirection - but there's a BIG qualifier here. I have read lots of "helpful" suggestions over the years that do NOT work for me, including:

"Take a bath!" I can take a bath anytime I want. I just took a bath this morning. I hate this suggestion.

"Journal!" Journaling is excellent if you need to go over something that happened that you haven't thought about much. I have ADHSquirrel brain. I am constantly ruminating over stuff I did, stuff I plan to do, stuff I haven't done... I think about stuff all the time. This is just ruminating on paper. No thanks.

"Make yourself a nice drink! Like chamomile tea!" I do not like chamomile tea, and I have a drink right here, thanks. These are literally basic activities of daily living you are recommending. Are you OK? Have you, uh, bathed lately?

"Take a walk!" Fuck off. It's 90 degrees and 80 percent humidity. You take a walk. I like AC, thanks.

Redirection that has worked for me: stuff that I know I will enjoy, but for some bizarre reason, I just haven't gotten to yet. Like redressing my dolls. Or unboxing a closet full of gorgeous, new playline dolls.

To my immediate left in my work-from-home office is now a neatly stacked pile of unboxed dolls. Instead of "I feel like shit. Let me open Amazon and buy something", I'm going to take 2 steps to my left, grab a box, and open a doll.

I'm not suggesting everyone run out and grab an enormous stash of unboxed dolls to cope.

What I am recommending: Put out a dolly outfit within easy reach and a doll you want to redress. Put a craft in a pretty little bag within eyesight. Choose something you want to do, would like to do, know you will enjoy doing, but just haven't gotten around to. Remove all sources of friction. Put all the tools, materials, and instructions you need in one place, nearby where you are when you're unhappy.

So instead of reaching for that disordered coping mechanism, you look at your little bag and go, "Oh! I've been meaning to work on that." Pick it up, and redirect.

[barbatusart]

Do you have a recommendation for a specific book of your work for folks who showed up for your Bg3 stuff? (Also if you read the parts out of order would that be an issue?)

welcome aboard!!! thank you so much for checking my bg3 stuff out, it's a pleasure to have you

as i said in my other post over here, im predominantly an extreme horror artist! i 100% decline to call myself an eroguro artist because personally i dont find the kind of gore & horror i do particularly erotic, but im super fascinated with the horrors of the body & the darkness of the general human experience, so thats the kind of stuff i tend to make. it isnt the worst most heinous Ever you'll find out there, but im fully aware that it's A Lot, so everything i make with @meanbossart is thoroughly warned for so nobody goes into our body of work unaware & gets a nasty shock.

bg3 in particular goes some pretty dark routes (some bits in a dark urge run even made me kinda reel back and go "jesus"), so id say for people coming in from bg3 your mileage may heavily vary. if torture & really extreme body horror doesnt bother you, you may be OK with SAD SACK (sus.space/sadsack) and its current wip sequel SORTIE (sus.space/sortie), but i would still recommend reading each book's individual content warnings thoroughly before choosing to spend any money. (everything is paywalled to further deter minors.) if you're on the fence about how much horror content is too much for you, or if you're curious about these titles but find the content warnings to be concerning, my DMs on tumblr+twitter and my IMs are always open if you have any questions about particular CWs or even need specific page numbers so you can either skip that bit of gore or be informed enough to approach the page number(s), take a Deep breath, and proceed when youre ready! for these 2 titles in particular, unfortunately they do have a linear story, so to fully grasp what's going on requires reading the books in order. again if it's something youre curious to the point of wanting to try but on the fence about, i am always welcoming of inquiring DMs to help make the experience thrilling + chilling but Not genuinely upsetting.

if you're OK with a little violence and body horror but not as splatterfest as these titles, im currently chipping away at the preliminaries for my giant project LOVOS4017 (lovos4017.the-comic.org) which is a love letter to TNG scifi and 80s cyberpunk anime. im currently on pause with the roughs since last year due to COVID frontline burnout, but ive by no means abandoned it; this IP is my baby that ive been workshopping the show bible for for over a decade & i want to see it through to the end B)

finally if you would like to read our work but want to avoid gore and extreme violence entirely, we do have some stuff that is violence-free! POOPPIX@YAHOO.COM (suscomics.itch.io/pooppix) is a comic with a really bonkers premise but no violence and no visible onscreen poop i promise about finding genuine human connection over unusual shared interests on the internet. ATTACK DOG (suscomics.itch.io/attackdog) is also a short solo comic i did myself about sex, quasi-submission fetish, & the requirements of true love (theres some mild gooey body weirdness but no gore i promise)

overall i thank you for showing interest in what @meanbossart & i do! we tend towards strange & unusual premises and presentations, but i hope that you find something within our body of work that entertains you. if you every have any questions about anything, please please please feel free to DM me at any time; my goal in life is to entertain & provoke thought!

[magic-crazy-as-this]

fanon vs canon: we're talking (an essay)

Hiya! I've been seeing a lot on my dash these huge arguments about fanon vs canon in the DC/Batfamily univers, and it's getting pretty heated. People seem to be getting upset about what "counts" as canon, what parts of the story are "real" or "made up by fans" and what is "allowed" to be "real".

Personally, I find the entire argument to be reductive and extremely so.

Here's why:

Batman as a property has existed for 85 years. The idea and mythology and story of Batman has been handled by countless writers and artists, been seen in every kind of artistic medium, and has been changed over and over again over the past eight and a half decades. This story has never been told the same way twice and that's half the point of these stories and mythologies we've built up. We've seen Bruce Wayne be morally questionable if not outright reprehensible, a loving father, a staunch loner, a murderer-by-proxy (Batman v Superman, you know not what you do). It's okay to pull ideas from across time because, well, there's a lot of it and things are changing all the time!

There's a lot more there than we can easily comprehend (this is kind of more of a "1a, but fine, whatever, hey) This is something I see a lot where someone is accused of being "too fanon" only for it to turn out to be something pulled directly from the over eight decades of work. Maybe it's not productive to accuse people of this kind of thing when maybe, just maybe, there are sources for this.

Flattening these characters into "allowable" ideas of the character limits our creativity I mean, think about it for a moment: why should we limit what stories we tell and things we create by what other people tell us is acceptable? After all, if we said there were only certain kinds of stories and ideas allowed, we would never have Dark Knights of Steel, Red Son, or even Batman Beyond. Without taking risks, making changes, and telling our own stories, we miss out on so many amazing ideas that would never be permitted to bloom. (ok but the LEGO Batman movies make Damian this cheerful people-pleasing little ball of sunshine and that's not it tbh, there are limits)

People are more nuanced than you think - it's okay to be a little contradictory (this means you!) When I was growing up, I was in an intense and huge music fandom that engaged in something called The Great Poser Hunt of '07 (IYKYK). In what was supposed to be a loving space for the outcasts and forgotten weirdoes of every known high school, we would bully each other relentlessly for "not liking the right thing" or "not being a real fan" and we would constantly test and torment each other over it. It was stressful, it was awful, and it made me and many others like me feel like we had to fit a certain aesthetic, mindset, and media taste otherwise we would be outcast again and this time from a group already ostracised. (And these aesthetics and media tastes that were chosen for us by large corporations but whatever, that's another essay for another day) I listened to Backstreet Boys in secret with my iPod under the blankets, I could let none of my friends know about my secret love of Bon Jovi, and the parts of my heart devoted to 80s New Wave were locked away where no one could see. I felt reduced to what other people wanted from me. I hope you're reading this and thinking "man, that sucked, I don't want to be like that! I want to like all the things I like and proudly!" Which is grand! Please continue to think nice things for yourself! My question to you now is: why would we do this to fictional characters, too? Why can't Dick Grayson be cunning and clever, sometimes kinder than he is wise, friendly and funny and horribly ruthless when he needs to be and all at once? Jason Todd already embodies this kind of thing by being a head-taking badass biker who loves the classics but you know what, he can listen to Slipknot and Britney Spears! That's okay, too! And whatever it is you like, whether it fits a certain aesthetic or scene or mould, that is okay. You deserve to enjoy your things freely and without shame and without shaming others. (So leave Jason's Katy Perry CD collection the hell alone, ya vultures!)

In conclusion:

It's okay for people to make up new ideas for the things you love. It's okay for people to try new things. It's okay for you to disagree with them, too, you don't have to like everything anyone ever comes up with.

But bullying people for their creativity, especially when there's over eighty goddamn years of media to be inspired by, when limiting creativity is stifling and has us miss out on truly special things, and when people in general are more nuanced than you think?

[oddbunny]

Found this Gael interview from 2006 in the comments section on another interview. Accidental rabbit hole.

2006 New York Post interview:

It's not for nothing that Gael Garcia Bernal was twice cast as revolutionary Che Guavara. The Mexican actor is as charismatic as he is outspoken - especially when it comes to issues concerning his native country.

He's also responsible for some serious box-office magic back home: 2001's "Y Tu Mama Tambien" was the biggest opening weekend ever for a Mexican film, and 2002's "The Crime of Father Amaro" was the most successful Mexican film in history (and possibly the most controversial - he played a secretly non-celibate Catholic priest).

Bernal is currently starring in director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Babel," alongside Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, and was recently seen riding a stop-motion stuffed horse in Michel Gondry's fantastical film "The Science of Sleep."

Q: Mexican directors are hot right now. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu made waves with "Amores Perros" and "21 Grams." Alfonso Cuaron did it with "Y Tu Mama Tambien." Is Mexico becoming a center for film?

A: There's definitely a worldwide sense that Mexican cinema is pretty big, or a bit "in fashion," right now. Latin cinema as a whole, really. There's this rebirth feeling. But this is nothing, for what the country deserves - Mexico is a country of 100 million people. The year "Amores Perros" was made, there were only six films made there! And this year, it's 65. So there's been a big increase.

But unfortunately, in Mexico, it's harder to make a movie, to even contemplate the idea of directing a film - not many people have the opportunity. I'm sure people from the mountains in Oaxaca find it so far away [from their reality] to do a film. And at the same time, it's exactly those kinds of voices that you want to hear.

If I had to stick with one reason why films matter, it's that: getting to know the "other," and finding that the other is not so different than you are. That's what I think of when I feel like I don't want to make movies anymore.

Q: You have moments when you want to get out of movies?

A: Yeah, I mean, sometimes you feel unprepared, you feel untalented, like you're doing something you don't like, or that you're just doing it terribly. Or you don't like the industrial side. But at the end of the day, there is always that thing. I want to do films because I am an audience first, and films have made me know more about the other - and that the other doesn't exist, really.

Q: Which is one of the points of "Babel." But some people, like the busload of U.S. and British tourists, come across worse than others, don't they?

A: Well, there's two points of view about this movie - you can see that, OK, the people from the U.S. are portrayed as scared people, really worried about health and dirt. But you can also see the other side: Why are the ones that die always from poor countries? We are always the ones that die.

Q: Your character in "Babel" makes pretty bad decisions after he's stopped by an aggressive cop at the U.S.-Mexican border. Have you, or someone you know, ever experienced anything like that?

A: My character makes a bad mistake in a drunken state. But yeah, when you're Mexican, it's a bit of a situation. You have to apply three months before, and it costs $80 for the visa. Sometimes you have to show bank statements to show you're earning money, you're not coming to the U.S. to work. It's kind of stupid - as if money was a sign of honesty, or goodwill. It's a rite of humiliation. They act as if you are coming here to steal.

Q: Is it easier for you to avoid this than most, though?

A: No, no - the last time I crossed the border, walking, I was asked, "Where do you come from?" And I'm like, "Well, I'm from Mexico." And they say, "No, where do you come from?" And I say, "I come from Mexico." I mean, what am I supposed to explain? And they say, "What were you doing in Mexico?" And I say, "Well, I live there." And they say, "No, but what were you doing right before you came here?"

I'm not gonna answer that. Because - you know, what do you care? We're radicalizing the process of integration, and that's terrible. Because it's going backward in time. But it's not just the U.S.'s fault - Mexico is shamefully not providing a place for people to work and live properly. It's everyone's fault.

Q: Did that experience make you want to avoid the U.S.?

A: No. I mean, we share the same territory! But Bush just signed off on the law to start building a wall. It's the second biggest wall that's ever going to be built, it's going to rival the Great Wall of China. And it costs so much money, and so much human resources. Maybe I'm stating the obvious here, but it's kind of ridiculous to build a wall. Walls are always destroyed eventually.

Q: Aside from acting, your production company organizes a worldwide traveling documentary film festival, Ambulante. Are you planning the 2007 festival yet?

A: Yeah, it's happening in 18 cities, on commercial screens, with a big chain - for half-price! Very cheap, it's like $2. And we're going to get together some 15-20 films, divided into three sections. One section we're calling "Dictator's Cut," which is about censorship. For one of those, we're showing both the "official" version and the real one; the rest are already restored, but some of them were completely not shown. It's very exciting.

Q: Your role in Michel Gondry's "The Science of Sleep" was one of your least political roles - was it fun to cut loose and just be weird?

A: It was great, it was a joy to act in. I had a lot of fun doing it. I think not many people have seen it here. Maybe because it was done in France? I mean, it's got good numbers, but still, I wish it would be much more.

There is still this myth - like, for example, I saw the trailer for [Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro's upcoming film] "Pan's Labyrinth," and they don't show you it's in Spanish. You never see a character speaking. I just think that's cheating, you know?

If they actually tell me that there's this weird Iranian love story - I want to see it, because it's in Iran. If it's about a love story in Florida, well, I've seen that before. I'm interested in the further-away, the more surprising.

Q: Do you ever worry that people will take you less seriously because of your looks?

A: [Laughs] No - there are prettier boys than me.

[the-bleeding-weave]

So ive been thinking of bloodweave (as usual) and i was listening to one of my fav songs, Hyacinthus by Aidoneus and i got an idea.

The song tells the greek tale of Hyacinthus and Apollo the sun god. Hyacinthus was a mortal spartan hero who was renowned for his strength and beauty. He caught the attention of Apollo who quickly fell deeply in love with him and Hyacinthus reciprocated. They quickly became inseparable, playing games together, Apollo taking him on rides in his solar chariot, they were madly in love. Until one day they were playing a game where Apollo went to throw a discus to Hyacinthus but unintentionally hit him fatally in the head. Apollo tried everything to heal him, even feeding him ambrosia as a last resort but none of it worked, and Hyacinthus died in his arms.

Apollo was so grief stricken he begged Hades to kill him so he could be with his lover but him being a god that was impossible. So he mourned for many years, lamenting the fragility of his mortal lover.

Now why do i bring this up with regards to bloodweave? Well first and foremost Astarion is obviously near immortal and Gale is a mortal human man. Humans are one of the shortest lived races in Faerûn, living only about 80 to 100 years. Meanwhile, astarion is a vampire who could theoretically live forever.

The following is a short little fic i wrote based on this thought and i figured itd be fun to use it to explore their personalities, including the less healthy aspects of their relationship 😈

The stars danced and shimmered across the sky like micca powder in sunlight, the light of the moon bathing two lovers sitting on a hillside. One of the men, Gale, turned his head to speak to Astarion.

"You know I've noticed how... anxious you've become recently. You've grown very protective of me, not that I mind of course. I appreciate your affection, I really do. I've never felt this comfortable with someone in my life."

"Is there a problem? Am I coming off as aggressive?" Astarion sat up almost startling Gale.

"No no no, it's ok! You're not doing anything wrong. I was going to say that, well... I'm worried about you. You're obviously very very stressed out about something related to me and I want to know what it could be."

Astarion thought for a while in silence, staring into the distance.

"I've been thinking about you and it hit me that... one day you will die, and there will be nothing I can do to save you."

Gale sat up at attention.

"I will continue to live for centuries and remain just as vibrant and alive as I am today, but you will only get weaker and weaker for the next 60 to 70 years," Astarion began to choke up, "you will get sick one day and no antidote or healing spell in the universe will be able to save you. And I will have to watch helplessly as you suffer."

Gale leaned forward and put a hand on his shoulder, but before he could speak Astarion continued.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you, humans are so so fragile. I... I love you more than anything in this bloody universe and it is fucking agonizing knowing one day I will be forced to spend the rest of my eternity without you," his words were strangled by tears.

Gale finally cut him off with a firm hug, hushing him in his ear.

"I hear you, I know there must be some way we can fix it. And I will do everything in my power to find it. I... I haven't felt more accepted and understood in my whole life since I met you, I want to see every beautiful thing you have to offer," he pulled away enough so he could press their foreheads together, "I will move continents if it means we can stay together, I promise."

Astarion sniffled as Gale kissed away the tears on his cheeks. He reveled in Astarion's love, for the first time he felt needed, he had sufficient confirmation that he was enough. Astarion, a man so famously hard to break, was openly sobbing at the prospect of losing him. In the same way he hurt to see his lover cry, he also felt an overwhelming tidalwave of relief.

[dollsonmain]

Saw Harley and Ivy Barbies and thought "They're not too bad, but Ivy's outfit is terrible" and that's my full thoughts on it while my doll friends sit down and have a deep discussion about how and why they're terrible.

Green Barbies are getting easier to find with Elphaba, Vina, and Ivy. I want more other colors. The fairies had pink, purple, and blue. I wouldn't mind more purple and blue and a light green and ye... yellow might be pushing it unless she's Spongebob yellow and the pink fairy basically looked normal, and orange is just the 80's Barbies again, but you get me.

They have fairytopia and mermaids, why not fantasy skin tones?

-

Talked to a friend and he mentioned that he isn't sure if he's masking so hard that his mask is himself, now, or if he was faking being ND as a child and I was like love, that's a thing so many of my ND friends have gone through.

I'm going through the same thing right now with this job.

All these years have been like "I can't do this much physical activity because it will hurt me more than the activity is worth" and here I am walking 3+ miles every day, standing on my feet for hours, bending, lifting heavy stuff, and I'm fine. I've just been lazy and refusing to do hard work this whole time.

I say, while having obvious, glaring moments of brain fog (I'll break down Monday's chaos under a cut) and confusion while on the register, forgetting what I'm doing while I'm doing it, being so tired and sore that hobbling home takes more-than-twice as long as walking to work, falling asleep while eating, having to push myself very hard to get chores done when I'm home especially the ones that require going up and down the stairs, and being in so much pain at home that I'm barely mobile...

So Monday, a guy comes in and buys gas at the register. There's a slight price break if you pay inside, for some reason, and I'd rather it was card at the pump only but that's neither here nor there. Sometimes the card readers on the pumps hiccup and people come inside instead of fighting with them, too.

He tells me his pump number, I take the payment, he goes back out.

He comes in a little later and says there's no money on his pump. I knew the payment took and was like "Ok, I'll put $30 on the pump you're on as cash and you're good to go."

Which doesn't make sense. In hindsight, that made no sense what-so-ever. I don't know why I thought that was a solution to the problem. It made sense at the time but as soon as he walked out the door I was like "Wait... What did I just do??"

Some back and forth and we discover that he told me the wrong pump and the lady at the pump number he gave me had put in her card like normal and pumped gas not noticing the money already on there, but that was HIS money.

I couldn't figure out how to refund the man's payment to her pump and take payment from her so we could reset everything, and that didn't fix the $30 cash charge that wasn't in the register because I didn't take cash from him, I just told the register that I did.

So I had to grab Alt-Manager, tell her what happened, and after SHE tried to refund the wrong-pump card payment so we could charge both customers correctly and couldn't she asked the woman if she had any cash. The woman had a $50, so the manager broke her $50, gave the man what he was owed for the woman's gas (the woman was like "that's for me!" but no, it was for the man) and the remainder to the woman.

We charged the man again for HIS gas, which he had already taken from the pump so we had to charge him for random groceries, and they both walked out.

Then I was like "Wait, I think this means the woman didn't pay for any gas."

Which Alt-Manager was like "Oh no..... I think you're right...."

She had to go call Manager who somehow understood what had happened and broke it down for both of us, while both of us were like "what...." but.

The man will have 2 charges on his CC: Her gas and his gas. The gas station gets both. The woman paid the man in cash for her gas. Manager "refunded" the $30 in cash I'd told the register it had to zero that out.

In the end it was all square, but it was so confusing at the time.

It would have been better to refund the man the cost of the woman's gas in groceries in cash and then recharge him for his correct pump and then charge the woman in groceries for how much she was owed, but I didn't know that was an option. To refund as groceries when the issue was gas. Though doing that may have messed up the drawer count, too, because that cash was never put in the drawer in the first place, so doing it the way she did was the best way to keep the drawer count right.

Anyway, Manager is very good at understanding and managing the money side of things and being firm with vendors, customers, and employees, but bad at time management and has unrealistic expectations regarding how long it takes to complete tasks, especially when also expected to run back to the register every few moments, whereas Alt-Manager is good at the money side but a little easy to influence/push around, and very good at time management making sure that everyone is in and out at the correct time and will jump out to take the register about 5 minutes before it's time to go so employees can count their drawer and do their dishes, etc.

[superfallingstars]

Hey, for the playlist ask thingy, what about:

What Peter would listen to

Remus trying to find a job

What you think the weird sisters would sound like if they existed

send me a playlist prompt!

Omg sorry it took me a billion years to get to this. The problem with making playlists is that there is basically an infinite number of songs in the world and I'm always like, well maybe there's a better song out there that I haven't heard yet and I should listen to just one more song/album/artist/etc. But that's the devil speaking. Anyway these prompts were so fun and I really really enjoyed them :-) also I wrote SO much

First up is Peter! I already have a Peter playlist (it's kinda on the silly side, aka it's rat-themed), but for this, I tried to focus more on what he would listen to, rather than songs that describe him (or rats). Since Peter is evidently very impressed by showy, tasteless displays of masculinity (aka James and Sirius), I imagined he would listen to – PROGRESSIVE ROCK! Prog rock at its best is like, really incredible musicianship and composition, and if you can buy into the drama it can be really good. But at its worst, it's just tasteless and pretentious and you're like, wow these musicians are so far up their own asses that they can't even tell that their extremely technically impressive guitar solo sounds like garbage, and also did they even listen to these lyrics, cuz they suck. And I went for specifically, like, late-70s-early-80s prog rock, when it started to get really overproduced and bad. Sorry I just kind of reamed prog rock in this paragraph I swear I legitimately like it… You can only hate something this much if you're intimately familiar with it. I should also note that I chose some of these songs for their lyrics ("The Logical Song" and "The Very Last Time" both are REALLY great songs for Peter's personality and friendship with James, respectively) and some of them are even good. They're not all bad. But they're mostly bad. Anyway! Please enjoy my garbage! 

Track list:

Supertramp - The Logical Song: "The questions run too deep / For such a simple man / Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned / I know it sounds absurd / Please tell me who I aaaam!!!"

Utopia - The Very Last Time: I love you Todd Rundgren. "Nobody sees how you treat me like dirt / Nobody knows just how badly a man can hurt [....] It's the very last time you will get on my case / It's the very last time 'cause I won't be a fool no more!"

Yes - Roundabout: this song is literally good

Rush - New World Man: man I hate Rush. But this is rather tolerable. "He's old enough to know what's right / But young enough not to choose it / He's noble enough to win the world / But weak enough to lose it / He's a new world man"

Yes - Parallels: sucks

Kansas - Point of Know Return: sucks

Asia - Heat of the Moment: sucks but it's a classic

Yes - Leave It: sucks even more than the last Yes song, which is really saying something

Electric Light Orchestra - The Way Life's Meant to Be: We're ending on a good note imo. They don't make concept albums about time travel like they used to! But really I put this on here because it made me giggle. "...I wish I was back in 1981 / Just to see your face instead of this place / Now I know what you mean to me / Ooh, and I wonder, yes I wonder / Is this the way life's meant to be?" lol. lmao even

Ok onto music that is good!

Next prompt was Remus trying to find a job! Gah I adored this prompt! That being said I kind of just made the saddest playlist ever LOL. I'm really fascinated by the time in Remus's life between the Potters' deaths and his employment at Hogwarts. Wtf did he do all those years? How did he get by? Since this playlist is about that time in his life, it's full of songs about the meaninglessness of life and just generally feeling lonely and empty and disconnected. And also working. FUN. Again I admittedly poached a lot of songs on here from my (very bloated and unfinished) Remus playlist. As far as genre goes, I like the idea of Remus having a pretty eclectic taste. But I tend to lean towards things that are lo-fi, scrappy, and less polished, as well as things that are a little jangly or jazzy (basically what I'm saying is that The Cleaners from Venus are theeee Remus band of all time). I'm going to try to restrain myself with the commentary this time

Track list:

Yo La Tengo - Everyday: One of the most depressing songs of all time imo. "Looking to forget tomorrow, looking everyday." Yeowch!

The Cleaners from Venus - Wivenhoe Bells (II): Like I said the Remus band of all time to me. Jangly, jazzy, lo-fi, + incredibly catchy songs about everyday English life

Even As We Speak - Nothing Ever Happens

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Pavement - Here: "I was dressed for success / But success, it never comes" 👍

The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now: obviously

Nick Drake - Been Smoking Too Long

Galaxie 500 - Cold Night

The Dismemberment Plan - Come Home: The more I listen to these guys, the more I'm convinced that they're one of the best bands ever, as well as being the rare math rock band with good lyrics. Very literary.

Mount Eerie - Moon, I Already Know: I can recite this whole thing like some devastating prayer. Remus song of all time. Moon, I already know I'm small on the ground I roll around and feel menacing mountains And all depths of sorrow dwarf me All towering terrors are mine to cower below I know, I know, I know already So don't look at me like that and then Duck behind clouds I know I'm small and that I have no idea I know, I know, I know Let me be dumb again Let food drip off my chin Let me think you're a light Please please let me sleep through the night unknowing Let me close eyes. Ok I'm gonna throw up and die

Ok this was probably the most difficult prompt for me – I really had no idea what The Weird Sisters would sound like. But if there's any area of music that I'm familiar with, it's mediocre 90s alternative rock, so let's get to it. In the movie, The Weird Sisters are made up of members of Pulp (hi, Jarvis Cocker) and Radiohead, so I decided to start there. And I think Britpop is a natural place to start for a UK band that was big in the 90s. But I wasn't really feeling it with the usual culprits – Pulp was too sweeping and dramatic... I thought Oasis would be more "rock," but frankly, they were just too annoying. I wanted something a little more power pop (a genre that I can only describe as sounding like Disney TV show theme songs. Or, like, Stacy's Mom). And while tapping through related artists for small Britpop bands I've never heard of, I came across the song "1 Time, 2 Times Devastated," and I was like – THIS IS IT. Exactly the kind of mediocre 90s rock/power pop that I was looking for. (Also sorry that I keep saying mediocre I just can't imagine that The Weird Sisters are very good LMFAO! Idk wizards have not convinced me that they have a cool youth culture! Sorry bout it!) Other than that, I thought "Girl From Mars" by Ash was also a good fit. The rest of the playlist is mostly early Radiohead songs (they've got that Britpop feel, but they're a little messier and unpolished. And solidly mediocre) and the more up-tempo Supergrass songs (there's this sort of bouncy piano + drum thing they do that I quite like).

Track list:

DM3 - 1 Time, 2 Times Devastated

Ash - Girl from Mars

Radiohead - Just

Cud - Robinson Crusoe

Supergrass - Tonight

Radiohead - Anyone Can Play Guitar

Supergrass - Moving

The Stems - At First Sight

Radiohead - Thinking About You

Supergrass - Richard III

Anyway this was probably more specific than anyone would ever want but idk man. What I lack in media taste (what with my enjoyment of Harry Potter and other mediocre children's media) I make up for in, um, media taste (pretentious music nerd).

Thank you so much for the ask. Please send me more music asks I beg. There's like a 20 business day turnaround but like, I love making playlists, and getting to infodump about music is literally my dream. I hope you enjoy the playlists :-)

[nanoland]

ofmd s2 incoherent rambling ahoy: about the women

now that

WE WON THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

, i've had enough raw joy injected into my veins to enable me to actually discuss ofmd!

................. aaaaaand now that That Episode has soured my good will, i gotta say: i do not love how this show depicts women.

to be clear: taken on an individual basis, every actress did a terrific job and their time on screen was a delight. nothing but admiration on that front.

however. in terms of how they were WRITTEN. well.

okay, so it was. perhaps. a little Huh when in s1 you had the two most prominent lady characters being mary and jackie. and mary was a white hetero abled woman, and jackie was a black queer disabled woman.

and mary was sweet, and a mother, and long-suffering, and artistic, and her finally attempting to kill stede was the culmination of his being a shitty husband for years and years. and she got a whole arc to herself and a charming happy ending.

and jackie was.... well, JACKIE. 100% girl boss. tough as nails, takes no shit, puts arrogant men in their place, nose jar, etc. not much of an arc. no happy ending. she finishes the same way she starts.

AGAIN! not saying that Jackie is a bad character. she's a great character, steals every scene she's in.

but. the contrast, yeah?

but hey, we can set that aside because while mary and jackie were the most prominent women in s1, they weren't the ONLY women. you also had jaguar lady and nana. they were both tough as nails, and took no shit, and put arrogant men in their place. it's ok! it's ok.

then.... s2.

lots more ladies! awesome!

we got zheng, who is tough as nails and takes no shit and puts arrogant men in their place.

we got auntie, who is tough as nails and takes no shit and puts arrogant men in their place.

we got anne and mary, who are both tough as nails and take no shit and put arrogant men in their place.

yeah. see?

meanwhile the guys are all over the spectrum in terms of competence, power, intelligence, courage, etc. lucius is an intelligent coward, pete's a brave idiot, roach is a cheerful sadist/masochist with no fucks left to give, ed's the best pirate who ever lived (allegedly-_-) while also being the worst captain in the world, oluwande's kind and vulnerable, frenchie has Seen Some Shit, izzy is doggedly devoted to his job no matter how many times the universe signals that it's time to pack it in, stede's smart but naive and gentle but mean-spirited.

(NOTABLE EXCEPTION: archie! archie's weird and feral and resigned to life and gets her ass kicked and i love her. she's clearly not a girl boss. however, also the only woman on the whole ship.)

now, obvs we get to see the boys being more nuanced characters than the girls because, on the whole, we spend FAR more time with the boys than the girls.

and i'm not objecting to that! OFMD is a show about queer men. that's fine. that's GREAT. it's totally allowed to be that. queer men rock and deserve the world.

but. still. if you're writing ofmd, and you know that you're only going to be introducing a handful of women and not giving them much to do.....

.......you kinda need to double check to make sure you aren't giving 80% of them very similar personalities, yeah?

[peachjagiya]

“His career goals and music style are highly marketable” sounds like a reformed way of saying only certain genres will do well which is what the comp has been pushing since it branched out into the US and what the fandom repeats to justify their clear bias towards being ot2.

Ok I'm not sure on your tone here. I think you're being salty.

There's a lot of assumption in this ask.

You're assuming I am basing my opinion on what the company pushes.

Not to be this guy but I've mentioned before I have 35 years experience in UK radio. Bear in mind UK radio which has it's own set of rules but that's where I'm based, that's where my opinion comes from. And if the company is saying only certain genres will do well, uhhhh... they are right, sadly. The actual problem would be if they said only certain ARTISTS would do well.

From my experience with playlisting very mainstream commercial radio, Jungkook's music is highly marketable for mainstream play. I got Standing Next To You added to my primarily 70s, 80s and 90s radio stations rotation by playing it to the SM who had never heard of Jungkook and only vaguely knew of BTS and he just loved what it sounded like.

Jimin also has a very commercial sound. As does The Astronaut. Namjoon's Still Life absolutely definitely has marketability but I'd say maybe Change Pt 2 doesn't, for example.

Fri[end]s has viability too but Layover might be a touch too experimental and chilled for mainstream play. For Us could be the exception. Think about how many pop songs you hear with that pitched up vocal. It's a very commercial sound. But then it gets very laid back after that and laid back sounds are a hard sell on radio when sometimes you have to keep the energy up (breakfast radio and drive time radio for example.) These aren't fandom opinions. They're just tried and tested principles of commercial airplay.

Rap like AgustD and Hope would usually probably end up on a genre show or in a "spice" playlist (which is like very limited play over a month to add a bit of interest) which is by definition a niche.

(Side note: and I think any of them would be happy to accept these truths if it means they're making music they love that feels authentic?!)

And almost every single by BTS has marketability. It's not an illegal word or a stick to beat anyone with. It's not a criticism. It's not an indicator of selling out or whatever stupid shit people want to throw at Jungkook. It just happens he loves to make pop music which is called popular music for a REASON.

You're also assuming I'm active in fandom and have a single clue what anyone says - Nah. It's just me on tumblr with a small circle of follows, occasionally seeing the odd tweet and sending my wife stupid BTS memes on Instagram.

You're also assuming I recognise OT2 as a thing. I don't even know what that means, if I'm honest. I'm Tae-biased OT7. I certainly don't recognise any two members as being better musicians or more valuable than others and my personal musical preference actually favours Hope, Yoongi and Tae so...

A side effect of doing this for many years is that I have to be realistic in how I listen to music and recognise where it will fit. It's not about who I like more.

If you were being nice and I just misunderstood, send me another ask and tell me off. :D

Boo anon/Thanks anon, depending on your intent. But have a heart regardless 💜