#my first cd charm!! very happy with how it turned out :D

[weabooii]

What's Ito Fumiya thinking about....

[beevean]

I remember how a long time ago you made a top 10 list of your favorite characters ever.

Wanna do another one? 'Cause I think there have been a couple of new additions in recent times :P

Oh yeah, I did, a lifetime ago! Yeah, it needs to be updated :P but I won't rank them, I'll put them in chronological order of when I decided "yes they're my blorbo now"

Sonic the Hedgehog

If fictional characters can be considered your childhood friends, Sonic is mine :D

He's a simple, but nuanced character. He's freedom incarnate, he has an attitude and can back it up, he's cocky but kind and friendly. The only principle that binds him is helping people in need, not because he has to, but because he wants to :)

Dr. Eggman

You can't talk about Sonic without talking about Eggman :P much like Sonic, he's a simple character but quirky and compelling enough. Dude just wants to conquer the world because he thinks his genius needs to be appreciated by everyone, and he will prove it to you.

He's one of those villains full of style, bombastic, both lighthearted and cruel without one trait overshadowing the other. Sometimes the games simply show you his personality through the environment, such as CD's wretched Bad Futures or Adventure's colorful Egg Carrier. He's a destructive force of nature with an amusement park as his evil lair. An icon.

Guts

My favorite protagonist of all time. What can I even say about him? A character with 30 years worth of development, the symbol of the eternal, perhaps futile, struggle against fate, the incarnation of determination in the face of the whole world that wants you dead. He's more than one of the most iconic manga characters in history: he's an inspiration.

Bojack Horseman

Another one of my favorite protagonists, and almost the complete opposite of Guts. If Guts is an ideal, even with all his flaws, Bojack is painfully relatable. Bojack throws all of your flaws and bad thoughts and mistakes in your face and you will see yourself in him whether you like it or not. Still, he's charming and sympathetic enough that you always cheer for him to finally find the happiness he so vehemently struggles to reach.

Samus Aran

The her <3 the woman of all time <3

A great example of how you don't need dialogue to showcase personality. With all games combined, you can tell Samus is a serious, professional person, confident enough to explore hostile alien planets all by herself, cold and efficient during missions but still with some empathy. Metroid games have an unique environmental storytelling, and Samus is the emblem of this. Also, you know, she's super cool :P

Ryuunosuke Naruhodou

You'd think Ryuu is nothing more than Phoenix 2.0, and yes, they're similar. But I very much love his own character arc, how he started out as nothing and then ended the first game declaring that he's willing to become the enemy of the whole British Empire if it meant protecting a young reject of society. He also grows out of Asougi's shadow, fights him with everything he learned from him and his experiences, and his relationship with Susato is so cute, and he forms a strong bond with Barok dragging him out of his depression... favorite AA protagonist bar none.

Barok van Zieks

I once used Edgeworth as my favorite AA character. His Dracula version beats him by a landslide for me :P

I mean, obviously he relies a lot on Edgyboy: he's cold, painfully sarcastic, has a similar backstory of the death of a close relative making him jaded... but I prefer Barok both for his own character arc, for how much he suffered in 10 years and shouldered the moniker of the Grim Reaper because he thought it was the best thing for London, blaming the entire Japanese population to flee from the truth he secretly suspected (which, uh, is not good at all, but it makes sense in universe), until Ryuu shows up and turns his whole world upside down, revealing finally what kind person he is - oh, the way he showers Ryuu with praise <3 and also, most importantly, this guy is hilarious, the absolute peak of quirky prosecutors. Legjection, anyone?

Zero

Shadow if I liked him :P

I think I said everything I needed to say not long ago - gorgeous design, effortessly cool attitude, a likeable personality that evolves through the X and Zero games, aloof but honorable to a fault, loyal to the few friends he has. I can't really explain what makes him so charming, but let's just say, no wonder he stole the show :P

Hector

How did this happen? When I finished CoD my thoughts about Hector were "oh he's cool, he's kind of like Guts if he looked like Griffith lol", and now I am drowning in fanfiction and analyses and dying on the most lonely hill that he's the best character in the series D:

Impeccable design - sure, he's yet another Long Haired Pretty Boy in Kojima's arsenal, but his silver hair is iconic and his outfit is super cool and says everything about his seriousness and no-nonsense attitude. Beautiful character arc, of him starting out as jaded and cold and willing to participate in genocide, but slowly reclaiming his own humanity, the nature that rejected him through no fault of his own, and affirming his own agency, and selfishly throwing everything away and that being the best choice he could have made. He said that he wanted power, but in reality he just wanted a place to belong to, and he finally found it in a peaceful cottage. Also his powers are so fucking cool and he can swing all sorts of weapons, from the Dragon Slayer Killer to a Piko Piko Hammer, the range <3

Isaac

He may be doomed to be second favorite. But not in my heart <3

Fucked up babygirl of a war criminal who can wear makeup better than me. He takes you in because hehe funny emo guy voiced by Liam O'Brien going full tiddies out and wearing the most pathetic excuse for pants. Then, oh, he's actually Hector's foil in nearly everything. Oh, he started out from the same place of wanting to exist in peace, but he chose loyalty to an ungrateful Lord over freedom and he dearly paid for that. Oh, the tattoos might symbolize how far he'd go to give himself to Dracula. Oh, he saw himself as a weapon and saw nothing wrong with it. Oh, Hector carelessly destroyed his whole life in one feel swoop and no wonder he hated him so much. Oh, the Curse brought to the surface the darkest parts of him but he didn't use to be this way. Oh, he might have suffered from one hell of an inferiority complex. Oh...

He's cool and he's campy and both a shameless asshole and a tragic victim, I couldn't ask for more <3

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE BLOOD Vol.2: Mukami Kou [Track 7+8]

Original title: 堕落した証 & いらいらする

Source: Diabolik Lovers More, Blood Vol. 2: Mukami Kou [CD not owned by me]

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Kimura Ryouhei

Translator’s note: Oh boy oh boy. I should have kept my mouth shut during the last few tracks because these two tracks had me wriggle around in my seat as my stomach turned upside down. > < Those of you who have been around since last year might recall how I struggled with Shuu’s D-S Kyuuketsu CD because of the ‘bodily gore’ noises when he cuts the MC with a knife and then stirs his fingers around in the open wounds. KOU DOES THE EXACT SAME THING GDI. I had to pause several times because I got nauseous. :’’) Please no more of this Rejet. 

Track 1+2 ll Track 3+4 ll Track 5+6 ll Track 7+8 ll Track 9+10

→  LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

Track 7: Proof of Corruption

“Well then, where should I bite you next...~? Both your neck and arm are already dyed a bright crimson from your blood. Fufu~ While I’m at it, I guess I should make you even more red...Perhaps that’ll improve your looks a little.”

*Rustle*

[00:25] “Hmー Such slender wrists...Fufu, I could probably twist them with ease. If I were to plunge my fangs in, they might just pierce right through, don’t you think? Come on, show me your hand.”

*Rustle*

“Hm...These marks are still fresh. Hmー They weren’t left behind by me, which means they belong to one of those guys? Heeeh...Now what a lovely decoration you have here. You really are a maso-kitty, aren’t you? I sort of get now that you’re not doing all of this on purpose. Which means...is someone controlling you behind the scenes?”

*Rustle rustle*

[01:18] “Take flowers, for example. They don’t particularly wish to bloom beautifully, do they? However, some larger force in nature is ordering them to do so to lure in birds and insects. So perhaps you were put together by someone with the specific goal to seduce us Vampires? If not, a plain girl such as yourself couldn’t even dream of having someone like me suck you, not even out of pity. Fufufu...~”

*Rustle rustle*

He digs his finger inside your skin.

[01:59] “Ah-aaah...Since the wound hadn’t fully healed yet, my finger sank in the moment I pressed down. Does it hurt? Fufu~ I’m digging my nail into the open wound after all~ I bet it hurts...Then suffer more...Scream...! Nobody will hear you here. This place has been equipped to ensure that they won’t find you.”

*Rustle*

“But...Well...If they did know you were here, I wonder if they would come and get you? These guys who seem to be oh-so obsessed with you, I mean~”

Kou continues to stir up the wound with his nails.

“Are you writhing in pain? Ah-aaah...Your ugly face only became even more hideous. Should I say it has a certain charm to it? I’m incapable of loving you while you look like that though. However...”

*Rustle*

[02:57] “In regards to these wounds, I feel a strange sense of attachment. I wonder why? Perhaps it’s just fun to compete with other Vampires over a prey such as yourself? Hahaha...But in that case, I have to leave behind my own marks as well or it’s no fun, right? ...I’ll leave my mark on top of these wounds, as if to overwrite them. It’ll be perfect proof of how thoroughly corrupted you’ve become.”

*Rustle*

Kou bites you.

*Gulp*

“Mmh...*

*Gulp gulp*

“ーーHah!”

*Gulp*

[03:50] “Mmh...Haah...I can smell them from here...It pisses me off...Hahn...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Hah, haah...It makes me want to just rip up your whole arm with my fangs...”

*Gulp*

“Fufu...This must be the taste of hatred...~ Exactly...I can’t forgive them...Never! That’s whyーー”

*Gulp gulp*

“Haah...Haah...”

*Rustle*

[04:38] “I won’t return you to them. You’re basically mine now. Offer both your body and soul to me...And go mad. Fufu...Damn~ What’s wrong with me? Am I being spurred on by you? Uwaah...This is a first for me. Fufu~ I truly got my hands on a nifty toy. I was just going to have a little taste before handing you over to Ruki...but I might not want to let you go again.”

*Rustle*

[05:22] “Haah...Let me suck more...Your blood is messing with my head...as I find myself wishing you would offer more of that delicious blood pumping through your veins to me and me only.”

*Rustle*

“Oi. I bet you have other marks left behind by them as well, don’t you? Tell me. I’ll make you go through those painful memories again. Come on, hurry up and fess up.”

*Rustle*

[06:00] “Hey? Are you listening? If you space out like that, I’ll do something much, much more painful and rough?”

You muster a response.

“Hm? Your belly? Eeeh~? Now where could they be...~?”

*Rustle rustle*

“Ah, you must be talking about these. Marks spotted~ They really don’t hold back when devouring you, do they?”

He licks the marks.

“Oh, this one smells different. So, tell me. Did you have them bite you from head to toe? Hah! What a slut you are.”

You protest.

[06:46] “Hm? You didn’t wish for any of this to happen? ...Che. Why are you giving me that defiant look? Do I have to repeat myself a million times before your idiotic brain gets it? I was reminded once more the moment I sucked your blood. You’ve been tampered with in some way to lure in Vampires. I wonder who could be behind it...~? Fufu...Somehow that piques my interest...”

*Rustle*

“But for now, I’ll cover you with my marks. So I’ll thrust my fangs inside these wounds as well...”

Kou digs his nails into your skin once more as you flinch.

[07:31] “Aren’t you happy? I’m the one saying these things after all. ..Aaah-aah, such filthy marks. I’ll erase them right away.”

He bites you again.

“Hahn...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Hah...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Haah...Haah...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Haah...This stench is persistent...It won’t disappear...Ugh, it pisses me off. If I can’t get rid of it with my fangs...It just makes me want to mess you up as a whole...”

*Rustle*

“Haah...Guess I’ll just have to sink them in deeper and deeper...Like thisーー!”

*Gulp gulp*

“Hah...Nnh...”

You cry out.

[08:41] “Ah...It hurts? Look at you gushing blood all over the place. You really have no shame, do you? But you shouldn’t be able to feel the pain, you know? My fangs have already made it so you perceive everything as pleasure. Fufufu...”

*Rustle*

“I can tell you want me, so try and voice it out loud? Beg for me with a cute tone. Come on, hurry...Ask me to make you feel ever better~”

You whimper.

[09:24] “Hmm~~? I can’t hear you...~ You’re going to have to speak a little louder. Also, don’t forget to sound cute, okay?”

You repeat it.

“Fufu...~ Exactly, like that. Just be honest with yourself...Perhaps then I’ll be able to feel a little affection for someone as ugly as yourself.”

You beg again. 

“Mm~ Good. You managed to beg for it cutely, so I’ll love on you in return. ...With these fangs of mine, that is.”

Kou bites you again.

*Gulp gulp gulp*

“Hahn...Mmh...”

*Sluuuuurp*

[10:14] “...Hah...! ...Hm? ...’More’? ...You can crave it more. I kind of like it when people yearn for me. ...I’ll plunge them inside even deeper than before...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Haah, haah...Ugh...Haah...I guess the smell is starting to fade a little?”

You moan.

“Fufu...Seems like you’re feeling rather good as well. Your body has completely given in to the pleasure, it feels as if your blood has become sweeter as well.”

Track 8: Irritation

Kou inspects your body.

*Rustle*

“Where else have they bitten you...? ー Ah, don’t tell me. I’ll try finding it myself this time...~ After the stomach, it has to be...The legs, right~?”

*Rustle*

[00:18] “Yes, I got it right! ...They sure love going for the risqué spots, don’t they? Hah! Right near your crotch (1) ...How lewd. On top of that, you can tell they’ve sucked from here repeatedly...Very dirty! I wonder what kind of expression you made as they sucked from here? Perhaps you didn’t realize it yourself, but they pretty much got a full view of aaaall your embarrassing places.”

You squeak.

“How embarrassing, gosh! ...But I’m sure you love that sorta stuff, don’t you? After all, I can see a glint of anticipation in your eyes. Or am I just imagining things? Is it because I’m the one doing this to you? ...Well, I guess I’ll figure out the answer to my own question once I bite you. Well then...”

*Rustle*

“Where should I leave my mark? ...Right here. I’ve settled on this spot.”

He bites you again.

*Gulp*

[01:28] “Mmh...Hah...Haha! What a lovely view...Fufu...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Seems like it’s making you weak as well...Look at you twist and turn your body like that...What a dirty girl you are.”

*Gulp gulp gulp*

“ ーーHah! We’re still nowhere near done...Let me suck more and more...Hahn...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Hah...Hah...”

*Gulp*

[02:11] “Haah...Fuck...Could this be a trap of some sorts...? Fufu...I feel as if your blood is leading me straight to my own demise...Well, I guess that’s fine. As long as it feels good...whether it’s a trap or whatever, I’m not scared. Perhaps the person who set you up this way predicted this all along? ...Say.”

*Rustle*

[02:44] “I bet they knew that we would try and snatch you away like that. Guess we’re being mocked, huh? That pisses me off. ...You seem to be feigning ignorance but you’re part of the whole scheme, aren’t you? ...If you think this will all pass as long as you just obediently spread your legs, you’re gravely mistaken. I’ll give you something much, much, much more painful, you’d find yourself wishing you’d be dead instead...!”

*Thud*

Your eyes widen in horror.

“Hehe...”

*Gulp gulp*

[03:26] “...Heh. Does it feel good? Lucky you! I think you might be the first human who has gotten the honor to receive this much pleasure from me. Well, under normal circumstances, one bite is plenty to make any human ascend to Heaven, but in your case, the more I have, the more delicious your blood becomes and on top of that...You dare oppose me. It pisses me off. ...Mmh...”

*Gulp*

“...Hm? There’s marks on your thighs as well!”

*Rustle rustle*

[04:06] “I have to engrave my own mark here as well. ...Geez, I wonder what they find so appealing about these stick legs? I can’t relate, but I don’t like the idea of there being marks from someone other than me. ...Mmh..”

*Gulp*

“Nnh...”

*Gulp gulp*

[04:37] “...Hah...Ah...Haah...~ I feel sluggish for some reason...Have I been numbed? In that case, your blood is to blame. ...This is bad...Fufufu~ I just don’t understand how I want to keep an ugly girl such as yourself all to myself...Makes no sense, does it? I feel irritated by it myself but...I also just can’t help it. This strong desire for you keeps on welling up inside of me...What is happening to me? Geez...Honestly, it pisses me off! I’ve never felt this strongly attached to anything or anyone before!?”

*Rustle*

“Hahn...”

*Gulp gulp gulp*

“...ー Hah!”

*Gulp gulp gulp*

“Mmh...Haah, haah...I can’t get enough...Do you want me more? ...So do I.”

*Gulp gulp*

[05:57] “Hah...Yearn for me more and more...You just need to keep your eyes on me. ...You belong to me now. Happy? Of course you are. If you continue to writhe around like that, I’ll give you never-ending pleasure.”

*Rustle*

“Mmh...Haahn...”

*Gulp gulp*

“Mmh...Nnh...”

*Gulp*

“Haah, haah...!”

*Gulp*

[06:37] “Haah...! I can’t...I still haven’t had enough...Hm. I still refuse to give you up. I’ll make you forget about those other guys in no time. I’m obsessing over you, so it only makes sense. ...Unlike those guys, I won’t call you prey either. You’re mine after all. ...Doesn’t that make you happy? I’m a gentleman after all~ I know how to make a girl happy. I’m sure you didn’t like being degraded by having them call you ‘prey’ either, right? Fufu...~”

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー 

Translation notes

(1) 足の付け根 or ‘ashi no tsukene’ is the root/base of the leg where it connects to the hips. 

[tfw-no-tennis]

mtmte liveblog issue 22

oooh man, its time to feel some EMOTIONS!

I'm BACK after a hiatus, which was due in part to me getting my 1st dose of the covid vaccine! woohoo!

anyways, starting here w/issue 22....we have a great cover w/thunderclash, the legend himself

oof. the covers made me forget how much I don't like the art this issue...I hate to be mean to the artists but this art style just isn't doin it for me chief

god I love this issue though. the framing device of rewind’s movie is so so fantastic

tailgate listing off all his fake awards/accomplishments....ily 

rodimus my boy, you're a prime in my heart

the ‘not a decepticon’ label for cyclonus is so much hvbhkjfbskjf

I literally wanna comment on every single panel bc I love all the characters so much but then id be here forever...that being said whirl ily sm 

hvbjdfbhsfjhdfshja BRAINSTORM ‘according to perceptor - ships genius’ hvhdkjhbfhjs ily dumb gay idiot

and then the cut to perceptor after brainstorm like, blew up his lab vjbkdsfnbksjf dude

GODDDDDD drift ‘your name...defines you. it’s your soul expressed in syllables. hm? oh, yes, sorry. it’s drift.’ GOD he’s so fucking funny. I love early story hippy drift

god I cant stop thinking about how good this whole issue would be as an animated show...like, specifically rewinds film, it would be SO FUCKING GOOOOOOD mtmte show WHEN

rewiiiiind ;_; I fuckgin love rewind god. fellow video editing enthusiast....

ohhhh rodimus being embarrassed about his big speech at the beginning of mtmte....my boy I love u so much

gjhnbgehjsrkfbjksf magnus being suspicious of rewind oh my god. magnus ily but please, look at the lil guy, he’s a good boy, most of the time

the fuckgin footage that magnus removed hbvhakjbfhskf god. wasn't that intended to be footage of magnus dancing? I love him

minibot squad.....

and here it begins, the mystery stick rung question...

poor rung oh my god he’s just trying to polish his lil spaceship and people r throwing shit at him. taking Ls as per usual it seems

hand grenade tag hvbfjksdnfbkjdf love that callback

noooo rungs ship :( 

magnus’s censorship vhbhadkjfhdbhjsakjhfn

oh man I forgot about how they met that race of Transformers But More 

the one-upsmanship hbvkajsbehfjks

whirrrrrl lmao I love whirl sm

goddddd whirl just killing that other alien and ending the 16 million yr long civil war bvkjsdbfhjjkafs so fucking much

oh god oh god the ‘are you happy’ page, I'm not emotionally equipped to handle this like, ever

but I will say I feel like it would be EVEN MORE oof if it were milne or someone drawing it bc I feel like this art style takes away from some of the impact bc the expressions aren't really that...expressive? idk how to put it

anyways. every single answer destroys me!!! like even the happy ones, like chromedome and rewind and tailgate - well, in present time, none of those three are doing so hot, so that makes this just hurt 

and rung....that is so fucking depressing. jesus. this guy is so fuckng sad, somebody get him a friend stat

and swerve...ouch. this readthru I've really noticed how much early-mtmte swerve is not-so-subtly like, crying out for help bc he’s so alone and shit. jesus 

also brainstorms response is just plain ole sad w/context, but at this point in the story without context, it just seems very foreboding lmao. I'm realizing this readthru that brainstorm is very sketchy and ominous in a particular ‘is he evil?’ mad scientist sorta way in early mtmte

and then everyone else is also just so OOF in their own unique sad ways, but I think the worst out of everyone is drift....GODDDDDD. especially considering that at this point in the story, drift is this kinda goofy hippy guy, so seeing him just sit there with his face in his hand, not even answering the question...AND knowing that shortly after this he’ll end up banished...IT FUCKING HURTS M8!

meanwhile, the more upbeat ‘quest to see rungs alt mode’ continues...with an ‘alt mode party’ vhbadkjsdfnabskjf it looks so silly with a bunch of cars just sitting around a table lmao

I cant even tell who everyone is bc they so rarely turn into cars n shit lmaoooooo 

rodimus with the bucket on his head hbvhakjbfskjf I CANT

everyone’s reactions to thunderclash...i fucking love it

the fact that TAILGATE doesn't hate him, even though we’ve seen that tailgate tends to dislike people who are universally liked/who have achieved a lot of impressive things

rodimus you petty thot vbdkjbfdjhsakjdf ily

RODIMUS IS SO FUNNYYYYYY ‘I'm not making all these sacrifices and leading these guys into battle and being inspirational - I'm not doing that because it makes me look good’ RODIMUS VBHSKJDFNBKSJF

thunderclash talking about magnus’s article on typefaces....hdbksjfsdbkjgfb bro

AND THEN MAGNUS HUGS HIM....HGBSKJFDSHFKD I CANT

POOR DRIFT bvhajkdfbhjkjsfd rodimus saying he ‘rehabilitated him’ oh my god

the whole spectralism thing...im sorry I cant get over how funny all this is vbakdjfbksjf thunderclash rlly b out here charming rodimus’s entire crew

and then ratchet comes in, calling tc ‘thunders,’ and tc immediately notices ratchets new hands (somehow) hvbkjfhbskjf truly amazing

it cracks me up that rodimus is all 😒😒 at thunderclash, even though as we come to find out, tc really IS That Perfect, and him complimenting rodimus isn't sarcasm at all lmao

AND THEYRE LOOKING FOR THE KNIGHTS OF CYBERTRON TOO HVSDHFJBSHKHDFJS OF COURSE

the vis vitalis being a life support machine spaceship is a really cool concept tho

‘rescuing some orphans from an exploding sun’ I fucking cant

evil guy: [holds a gun to thunderclash’s head] 

rodimus: :D finally something doesn't go his way!

he’s so petty I’m..........dkdjhfdabhduifadijgl

and its the aliens from earlier! oooh

GODDD I forgot that swerve used rung in mystery stick mode to SCHWACK the guy

rung casually dropping the fact that the functionists like, experimented on him...there's a lot of implications there, and that'll certainly be explored more later...

the fact that his ID card says ‘rong’ hvbhjakhdsbfakhsjfn 

oughufadkfujbsfk the circle of light throwing wrenches n shit at skids...guys cmon vbhsdjkfnslfd

the circle of light is like ‘wtf you all have trauma and a bunch of weird unhealthy coping mechanisms this is wack byeeeee’ lmao

skids calling the lost light his home is rlly sweet tho

cant believe the religious space hippy cult is being so rude about a film made by a guy who died like a week ago. unreal 

cd finally figured out how to make the pffft sound, good for him

AUGHHHHH the fact that rewind used ‘little victories’ as the title of the film and that's something that chromedome said in the video ;_; I'm fucking inconsolable 

rodimus, despite his obvious posturing for the camera during the whole issue, comes off as surprisingly genuine when he says that he hasn't thought about his own future much, but wants the crew to have a happy ending....im gonna cry

‘who knows what's around the corner?’ tailgate, PLEASE don't say that, oh my god, 

OUGHHHH GROUP SHOT 

OHHH mannnnNNNNN i love this issue SO MUCH. what a good fun emotional rollercoaster wrap-up to mtmte s1. god. 

like, this issue has it all - humor, drama, crippling sadness, intrigue, worldbuilding...it’s so excellent 

and getting to see rewind again hurts so bad but also I love him

ok quick mtmte s1 retrospective...god s1 is so fucking good. I'm gonna have to read more to say which chunk of mtmte I liked best but s1 is so fucking excellent that it might be my favorite. though its hard to pick bc there's so much good stuff later on too...whatever, the point is s1 is so so good

the plotlines and characters are fucking stellar. like I cant even believe how well Everything works, its very impressive. I cant really think of anything major that made me go ‘yeah could've done without that plotline/character’

I love how dedicated jro is to connecting everything. I've mentioned it before but basically every single moment in the series has payoff - what you initially think is just a funny moment, or a fluffy character establishment bit, ends up ALSO being an important plot point later, in some way

an example would be here w/rung and his alt mode - it just seems like a fun little B-plot for this issue, and seems to pretty neatly conclude with the reveal that rung was eventually classified as an ‘ornament’ (lmao)...but we later on get to see a lot more about this, both here and in the functionist universe 

and like, stuff like tailgate’s autobot lessons w/magnus - at first that can be seen as purely character establishment stuff, showing that magnus is a strict rule-lover and tg is a loveable try-hard good boy - but that becomes plot relevant in remain in light, with tailgate saving the day due to his knowledge of the autobot code (and its also character relevant, with magnus’s arc in remain in light). 

and I know this is like. a normal regular thing in writing, but I'm just very impressed about how cleanly jro pulls it off, and how many things he’s juggling at once, especially in early mtmte - it’s very ambitious!

and we gotta remember, this is a comic book. I've read a lot of comic books, and the quality is all over the place. a lot of writers bite off more than they can chew, and the story ends up kinda scattered as a result. 

another thing I see a lot in franchise writing like this is a lack of strong early character establishing due to the author assuming the readers are at least somewhat familiar with the characters already - which can be totally fair depending on where it is in the continuity, but other times it can come off as lazy

in mtmte, the cast is extremely well fleshed out, and not only that, the cast itself is unique in that there are a lot of relative unknowns (franchise-wise) - which I think was an absolutely brilliant move, because then jro was able to essentially create The Definitive Version of these characters - characters like swerve, brainstorm, chromedome, rewind, tailgate...mtmte is their baseline characterization, because they haven't really appeared in much else

this also allows for deviation from the franchise norms - again, a comic book classic is good writing being stifled by a need to stick to a certain status quo regard the characters, the world, the powers, relationships, etc

(I've mostly read DC comics, and some marvel, so I'm thinking superheroes w/all these comic comparisons)

so mtmte had a good recipe for genuine creativity in that the characters were relative unknowns, the plot was basically ‘space road trip,’ the status quo of ‘autobot vs decepticon war’ had been demolished throughout the entire franchise...so jro was able to take all that and run, and it turned out so fantastic

and luckily it isn't over yet! so many comics suffer from premature cancellation...and sadly mtmte/ll isn't exempt from this, as we’ll see later, but I've seen some awful ones, where comics are forced to wrap up in like 2 issues while in the middle of an arc. yikes. 

but another comic staple...one of my least favorite things about comics books in general...something that was basically responsible for driving me away from comics after reading a bunch...the dreaded crossover event

yep, even mtmte isn't immune to this unfortunate plague on the comic industry. crossover events are the absolute worst, and I'm saying this as somebody who adores crossovers (in concept more than execution usually). they SHOULD be my favorite, but unfortunately they p much always completely suck

they're essentially a ploy to get you to read the other ongoing titles, but they usually only serve to bog down whatever story you're reading to the point where you don't even wanna read that one anymore, let alone read all the other ongoings. at least, that’s been my experience 

it doesn't help that reading orders tend to be hard to find/keep track of, and that you need to go read the other series to know what's going on. I just hate it, like, I came here to read THIS series, I don't want a bunch of other series showing up too - even if I was reading two series, I wouldn't want them crossed over, because they're separate stories! augh!

I'm totally losing my focus here but my point is...crossover events suck, and mtmte unfortunately is involved in one. I have not read dark cybertron, and I'm not about to. I've heard nothing but bad things so I have no desire to inflict that upon myself 

soooo ill be reading through the tfwiki articles for those issues to give myself a better understanding of what went on - which is more than I've ever done in the past - and maybe ill even make a single post summarizing my thoughts on what I read in the wiki, lmao

but yea ill be skipping to the mtmte s2 stuff next 

phew ok I'm super tired, my vision keeps blurring out and stuff lmao. its time for bed, I probably have more thoughts but ill save them for later. for now...peace out!

[sassaetcie]

Silver x Idia (The Molten Charcoal) chapter 1

Okay so I thought I may post the fanfic here too,,, just the time I start writing my others-

I need to write. This... doesn't make any sense. Well, actually it does. The fact it does is annoying. How could this happen? I have played more than thousands of games. I have read more than thousands of mangas. I have seen more than thousands of animes. I have heard more than thousands of CD drama. Maybe have I not tasted enough latte... Come on, this can't be a sin, this can't be the possible sin? Am I even authorized to call it a sin... Isn't rushing through a visible obstacle, after having seen all of the possibilities, a sin? Yet this would be so stupid for others... I am so fucking stupid... Even after eighteen years, I hope for the Prince Charming to come and save me. This is pathetic, yet no one would feel pity for that. Ehmm... is it "despicable", then? Yeah, probably. Eighteen years of flames craving for water. I want a pastel person waiting for me on a silver lake. Day should not come to this gathering, though. It would be far too stereotyped... Well, a silver colored moon and light bathing all of the place sure is as well but at least I am not asking for dusk or dawn... And let's forget about the (white) horse part, too. Is it not a fair compensation for my wish? I don't want the noble animal, I don't want the pretty landscape, I don't want the huge castle, I don't want the pretty dress. I shouldn't waste time on wishing and writing for this crap. But oh weeeeell, it's not like it's going to last anyway. I'm going to burn this right after I've written it, after all. This is just a way to kill this foolish desire of mine. It's not like I can update it... I've tried so many times, heh. Eroge? Boring to some points, I... am not attracted to girls in that way. Dating sim? Okay, I'm not attracted to girls... Otome game? BL? Whatever. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. SORRY. Sorry. The more I write it, the less I'll need to say it in reality, right? I will be able to just don't give a fuck... Right? Anyway, I'll burn this down. I shouldn't scribble that much on paper tho... or should I write though "entirely"? I'm going to waste so many papers, I'm dumb as fuck?! I will write on my computer next time buuut... Oh, fuck off. Nobody will ever try to hack me and... read my files? On my four hard drives? Lol, good luck with that, fuckers. I should stop writing there. I'm feeling a bit better for now. I could throw it in water but... it would only pollute and there's no proof it will disappear as fast as it will in fire. How many seconds of difference? That doesn't matter. This need to disappear. I cannot meddle with water in the end... This soft, reflecting liquid from which I am separated. My body will never absolutely fuse with it. My flames... are too strong and too weak.

[Started Recording at 8 pm : First? Day]

-Big Bro! What are you doing, open the door!

Steps cut the semi-silence for a delimited time, each of them. Their numbers were not important. Their susbstance, sure, was. The soft buzzing of machines could have covered them all, or even absolutely erased their origins. They were sweet for Ignihyde, after all.

-Y-yes... what is it... Ortho...?

The ever moving forward technology did not let him unite. He would have burned down the whole bunch, probably. The blue flames barely moved and yet twirled along like no other hair could. The door finally overwhelmed the other sounds along his fingers. Idia had opened.

-You're not talking loud like you usually do, I was a bit worried. I'm sorry, it seems you are alright.

-Y-y-yeah, don't worry... I mean, I'm usually quiet when I draw or write, r-right?

-That's true, I'm sorry, big Bro! So you were writing or drawing, I should have thought of it... :(

-P-p-please don't make such a sad face... I won't ever make something that can hurt you, okay? You're the best little bro I can have!

-Thanks big Bro! Can I come in? I have to talk a bit more to you and standing in the hallway will, maybe, attract people, although Ignihyde is somehow pretty diligent, hihi.

The blue light was not that of his aura, even if that was the only thing easily sighteable through an almost closed door. Thus, he was not lying. Why would have he, anyway? Perhaps a certain feature was preventing their personnalities to melt together, or disappear.

-H----heh... I'm... huh...

-So something happened to you, big Bro?!

-N-n-n-n-n-n-no! I'm... I'm alright...

-You can't be alright if you don't want to talk to me, especially if you already walked all the way to the door... Are you going to cry? :(

-N-n-n-n-o... I'm not going to cry... And please don't make that face, I will cry for sure if you do... W-w-w-w-well, not that I want you to threaten you into making always a happy face, I'm sorry, you have feelings too... I-i-i-i-i-i-i mean, I am not that threatening for you, you're so great and powerful, Ortho!! ... Sorry, just come in if you want.

-Yeay! Thanks, Big Bro!

The blue glimmering was numerous, as peaceful as it was supposed to be. Gleams were guarding the room and the one trying to sleep in it. They could have tried to be red under his request. But in the end, the will-o'-the-wisp would vanquish the glow, even if it were to be neverending lighting. The oceanic yet non oceanic lurked again. Some fans were slowing the progress of heat, although Idia probably had already taken care of his devices. The fire slept.

-S-so... what did you want to tell me... Ortho...

The door shut itself after being touched by the slender almost grayish fingers, yet far from being toxic human claws, still far from glorious Savanaclaw. The sun would burn him down if he did not burn down the whole sun. Sun thus had no place in his universe.

-I know that you hate sun and people outside, but you have to go outside! You will lack magnesium,  vitamine D, and since you don't move and only eat sweets and junk food, you are very likely to have cholesterol and be much more exposed to heart attacks and...

-I know, I'm sorry, Ortho...

-So, you can go outside when it rains! Nobody ever goes outside when it rains, right, right, right? :D

-H-huh... there are still some people who go out, you know... And I don't want to go out... what if I miss an event or a partner's call...

-Big Bro! You need to go out, I really mean it!!! >:(

-D-d-d-don't get angry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

-Moreover, there's a person who doesn't scare you, I know that. I know it because I talk to them and you didn't even try to RUN away from them!

He took some steps to bury in the room. He was able to move, after all. His feet were certainly not moving on their own... Or maybe they were, actually. His body was divided in many parts, like any other person.

-W-w-wait, wh-whwhwhwatdoyoumean Ortho...?

-Silver! You're not afraid of Silver! You even TALKED to him and watched him sleeping!

-I-I-I didn't w-w-w-w-w-ww-atch him sleeping! IwasjustpassingbyandIwaswonderingwhowassleepingthere...

-And I know why you're not afraid of him!

His body kept on crawling back to darkness, if darkness could be there. The black amalgamate was yet to become, destroyed again and again by neverending and never intended lights. The whole hoodie could barely hide the impossible river of flames. What could hide this pack of sparks?

-W-w-w-w-w-wait, it's not that I wasn't afraid or anxious, it's just that...

-Because he looks like the Prince Charming you spoke of when we were younger!

-Wait, just how many memories do you h...

-It's okay, it's not something to be ashamed of, Big Bro! You are very kind and caring, I want the same for you! But let's get straight to the point: Either you go outside on rainy days or I will take care of planning a date between you and Silver! :D

The fire could actually turn red. But it would goes even deeper in blue soon after. The more he sought for red, the more blue painted him over. Sparks would grow into flames. Flames into Furnace. And there was no way for it to become a Phoenix. The restrained body of the living clutched the hood on the azure someday arson, muffling the heat growing out of him. No water could separate this cursed hair. Would his hand freeze this very water as well? Ripple it until it breaks? Only tears could flow for some seconds, before returning among the void they should have belong to for eternity. Drops would vanish as well. His hands could touch the lake, but his being could not. Heat overwhelmed the fake liquid, and the long cheeks were denied of water again. Tears flowed again while his throat tried to muffle all of his being already muffled by the flames. They disappeared again, no matter how many times they tried to drop on the ground and free him from sadness.

-Ortho... please don't... I beg of you, don't... This will just be a bad end...

-Big Bro. I'm not joking anymore. You'll have fun talking to him!

-Ortho...

-I'm out, say hi to your gaming partner! I'm just about to call Silver!

He closed the door right after opening it. He was, after all, but one chunk of parts jumbled together. Definitely together.

[End of recording at 8:45 pm, First? Day]

I cried. I'm sorry but I cried... These tears won't even last. I don't want to go. I really don't WANT TO GO! What if I disappoint Silver? What if I annoy him? What if I just get awkward and start talking about videogames and he just falls asleep? He easily falls asleep, so maybe it wouldn't be my fault, but what if he falls asleep at the same time, maybe I'll be the one that make him sleep more than he usually does? What if I end offending him and Diasomnia by saying something stupid like I usually do? And what if I am the one to arrive first and waiting for him? No, no, no, no... But at the same time, what if I'm late?! He could think I'm doing this on purpose to see him sleep since he really could fall asleep while waiting for me, right right right? But he could also just leave and think Ortho made fun of him... Wait!!! I don't want Ortho to get involved further... I don't want to hurt him more than I already did. No please, please, please, don't cry Ortho, I'm sorry, I'm sorry imsoryrryimsorrry. If I don't go, Silver and Ortho will be disappointed, and Ortho will be taken responsible for making Silver lose some important time... Time he could have used to protect Malleus, yeah... He would probably say "no that's okay" with a peaceful look... I mean, he IS the Prince Charming, right? That day I saw him sleeping peacefully, under the tree, surrounded by animals... He is for sure the Prince Charming, the "ouji-samaaaa" character, right... He is, he is. But then, I shouldn't meddle with him, right. I am not a regular character, nor a MC, huh... There's no way he would save a dark supporting character like myself, heh... Maybe he actually could? If he doesn't know much of myself... Perhaps he would start to feel pity for me? I can't meet him... I can't meet him. What if he is not that much of a Prince? No. That can't be possible!! What if he has awful skills flaws... What if he is awful inside and just keeps the composure of a Prince? I am not hoping for the usual Prince, am I? I am not, I am not. I don't want the white horse, I don't want the castle... So it's okay for him to be slightly different, right? But if he is slightly different in another way? No, no, no. I shouldn't meet him. The more I see him, the less he will be a Prince, right? I DON'T WANT THE PRINCE TO DISAPPEAR. I DON'T WANT THE PRINCE TO DISAPPEAR. I DON'T WANT THE PRINCE TO RUN AWAY. What if the Prince doesn't exist? No, no, no, no, I did offer a compensation, right? But I can't tell him that I love him? How would he figure it out? There's no way. Even Ortho doesn't understand my affection for Silver to this extent. There's no way I'll be saved. There's no way I'll ever be loved. I will be alone. And die alone. Right? This is all the fault of this cursed family, right? Right? I can't tell him I love him. I can't tell my love to the world, but the world will not love me if I say nothing. But if I say something, there's no way of knowing in which way the world will move. I mustn't see him... I mustn't meet him... What if he thinks I'm disgusting for loving him... What if he's homophobic, moreover??? No there's no way he is. He's a Malleus fellow... Fae can't be that stupid. That's obvious... But I have to... But what if I tried to meet him but something "were" to happen... That still can happen, right. If we're meeting outside, rain could occur... right? Maybe I should try to go outside for like... some minutes at first... That would maybe make Ortho happy too... Maybe he would cancel the date before it happens... In the worst case I can still just use it as experience and strenghten my going-outside skill... I can do that... I'll just play a bit a SF game and I'll walk in the dorm corridors a bit... Oh yeah, I need to burn my venting paper too. I don't want Ortho to read this and become sad... But I don't want to burn it too... I hate fire so much... Well, I'll just play a bit and see what I... can do.

[make-some-manna]

Cielo Vainilla: Open your eyes

2nd fic by KoRnfan13

Inspired by @surroundedbyperverts headcanons and @black-jackal-on-blog svtfoe school days AU.

(Editor’s Note: I have let spellcheck correct some of the detected spelling errors but otherwise left everything intact. 1500 words, 8 minutes)

Some background info:

•In this AU Marco didn’t met Star ‘till college, so he had self esteem problems while growing up.

•Marco never hooked up with Jackie, so he was very lonely for most of his high school years.

•Janna became his best friend, she had deeper feelings for him but Marco didn’t felt the same, however, they became “friends with benefits” at age 20, out of self hate and loneliness, from Marco’s part, and out of true love and hopes that Marco could change from Janna’s part.

•Marco became “more” confident in college, this was only a facade to hide his own insecurities, he “hooked up” with many girls just to pretend he had high self esteem and in the hopes he could find someone who could love him for who he really was.

•Marco became a successful writer and got money out of the royalties from all the series/movies that were made out of his works.

•Janna didn’t go to college, but she has a career as a musician, she formed an alternative band called “Manna”, she’s still in touch with Marco.

•Tom is an independent director who became friends with Marco during the first adaption of his novel.

•Star hooked up with Tom Again years later.

•Marco sometimes “steals” Tom’s girls out of feeling superior to him.

The story takes place after a party Marco threw out of the success of his latest work, all his friends come in, except Janna, he didn’t told her, because he didn’t want her to ruin his chances to hook up with someone for the night.

His friend Tom brings a new girl with him “Star Butterfly” from Mewni, Marco quickly tries to make the moves on her, she doesn’t fall for it, but instead, does something that Marco hasn’t done in a long time… they talk. Moved by this new feelings, Marco realizes his mistakes, and that maybe he just needed someone who reminded him that he matters.

The party ends and a drunk Star tries to make the moves on Marco, but he rejects her, instead, he offers her to stay on his room for the night, he promises that he will protect her, and he does, he locks the door from the inside and sleep outside the door, making sure no one bothers her. The next day, Marco wakes up with a blanket over him, and a letter, thanking Marco for not taking advantage of her while she was drunk. Marco is touched by her words and he decides he needs to get his act together, so he goes outside his apartment and goes to his car, but then, a familiar voice calls his name.

Janna: Marco Ubaldo Díaz! (Marco leans on his car, turns and shakes his head)

Marco: Janna Ordonia… (with a smile)

Janna: Hey handsome

Marco: You’re following me.

Janna: just a little bit (giggles a little). I wanted to finish what we were talking about. 

Marco: and…?

Janna: How’d it go with the “Butterfly” Girl? Did she turn into a “moth” for you?

Marco: Yes she did.

Janna: Yeah?

Marco: she did (tries to laugh it out)

Janna: I can tell by the way you were walking that you didn’t sleep with her (laughs, then Marco turns) Let me guess. You haven’t slept with her because… it’s more fun when you can draw it out. Sex just isn’t as good if the woman hasn’t told all her friends she’d never sleep with you.

Marco: (pauses for a moment, smiles for a bit) You’re right on the money, Janna.

Janna: So she’s sweet, she’s got a magic wand… She must be exhausted from trying to be witty for you all night long.

Marco: Hey, Janna.

Janna: Sorry. 

Marco: It’s ok (takes his keys)

Janna: It just seems like you’re just never there for your friends until they’ve already given up on you.

Marco: (trying to get into his own car, reconsiders what Janna told him)I’m not blowing you off! I just… I just want to be alone for a little bit (looks at his feet a bit saddened). Trust me… I have a lot of things I gotta take care of. And if we’re friends, which we are, then you’ll understand.

Janna: (simple, honest) I’m sorry I got weird. I missed an audition and (in a sad tone)It made me feel bad you didn’t invite me to your party. (Marco turns, considers her)D-do you want to make it up to me? I won’t tell a soul (winks, slowly, Marco is drawn to her. His old self rallies one last time, he gets in Janna’s car.)

[The streets are empty. She plays a CD of music in the spirit of Radiohead and Paramore made by her]

Janna: Would you do a story about me if I made a CD?

Marco: Sure I would…

Janna: (gives Marco her demo, he grabs it as he clearly enjoys the music)Do you like my music?

Marco: (Happy and confident) It’s vivid!

Janna: If I weren’t me, I would buy a CD by me. (smiles)

Marco: Well, you know, if you can reach one person ha ha…(Marco smiles, but Janna is a little hurt by his response, she hides it well with a fake smile)

Janna: What’s happiness to you, Marco?

Marco: (looking at Janna) what’s happiness to me? …(turns to the window, thinking) what is happiness…

Janna: Because for me (looks at Marco with sparkly eyes), this is happiness… (smiles, Marco turns to her) Is being with you (Janna smiles to Marco, and he smiles back as he puts his hand on her hand)

Janna: (In a cold tone) There’s one thing that bothers me. (she takes her hand away from Marco’s) Why did you tell Tom that I was your… (clearly hurt and angry) fuck-buddy?

Marco: (His smiles fades away and is replaced for a surprised look) I didn’t tell him that. I didn’t say that (tries to assure her didn’t said that with a playful laugh)

Janna: *sigh* And when did you stop caring Marco? (trying not to break in tears)

Marco: (watching the road turns to Janna) Caring about what…?

Janna: (annoyed) About the consequences of the promises that you’ve made.

Marco: (incredulous)Promises…? 

Janna: (in an angry more firm tone) yeah, the promises Marco: (thinking Janna is messing with him again, tries to laugh it out)I thought (smiles and then laughs, clearly not taking Janna seriously)come on, what are you talking about?        

Janna: Do you understand how hard it is to pretend to be your “buddy?“ 

Marco: (his playful expression changes to one of concern)…

Janna: Marco I-love you, 

Marco: (he thinks about his last interactions with Janna) I-I..

Janna: I love you so much… (Marco turns to Janna as she screams) I FUCKING LOVE YOU!!! (Almost crashes with another car) Fuck! 

Marco: Hey whoa! (tries to get the car back to the road) don’t do this, (trying to calm her down, with a playful smile he says)don’t do this

Janna: (almost in tears, Marco tries to charm her out with a smile) We made love 4 times the other night Marco. 

Marco: Janna (with a smile) eyes on the road

Janna: You’ve been inside me…I-I’ve swallowed your cum. That means something.

Marco: Janna… (worried)Slow down

Janna: 4 times, It means something Marco. 4 times.

(He grabs at the wheel. She won’t let go, and speeds up.)

Marco: stop the car!

Janna: (She picks at things on the dashboard, as she talks with a manic energy.) 24 hours a day I live with the aching possibility that you might call me to do something!       

Marco: (caring, almost. pleading) Take me to your house. We’ll talk this out. I want to see where you live. I want you to stop the car (they almost crash with another car, he screams), JANNA I WANT YOU TO STOP THE CAR!

Janna: Don’t you know, that when you sleep with someone… your body makes a promise whether you do or not? (turns to Marco)

Marco: (turns slowly to face her. All he sees are haunted

brown eyes. He knows at the very least, there will be a

crash. She guns the accelerator. He is paralyzed, unable to change his fate.)

Janna: Tell me something, Marco. I mean, do you believe in God?

Marco: (fearing for his life) W-what are you doing? (desperate, almost begging) ok I love you! I LOVE YOU! (Janna smiles but she goes full speed into a bridge, Marco tries to take the wheel but is pointless, they crash, the car sails into an embankment of a road below)

During their funeral Star comes out of nowhere, she breaks in tears, this girl who met Marco for a couple of hours, somehow, felt like she knew him from all her life, and she was saddened of his lost, she felt empty for some reason, even if she knew him for a brief time.

[the-record-columns]

May 8, 2019: Columns

The weather is what it is...

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

Anyone who has ever talked to me about the weather and its potential to affect whatever event or gathering had been planned would probably have heard me say: “Well now, if I were in charge of the weather, I surely wouldn't have to worry about peddling any advertising for a living--now would I?”

The Record has been mighty lucky with the weather at all of our events, and I am counting on another beautiful Memorial Day Weekend for May 24 and 25th’s ChickenFest.

The recently completed MerleFest in April always has iffy issues with the weather, whether it is simply rain, or the Friday wind we all endured as tents seemed ready to fly away part if the time. At the VFW Campground they even had to deal with the dreaded capsized porta-john issue--thanks to the same windstorm.

In my opinion, the first edition of Wilkesboro's Carolina in the Fall a few years ago was truly a wet one. Wetter by far than the worst weather ever at the Rotary Club's Wilkes Agricultural Fair—an event widely known to be able to break a drought of Biblical proportions. My mother, Cary, however, would always look for the silver lining in every circumstance (cloud), and that is just not a bad thing to do.

So, back to the inaugural Carolina in the Fall. The Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro was in charge of looking after the sale of the artists. CD's, T-shirts, posters, hats and other assorted items at the Carolina in the Fall music festival in Wilkesboro. I was scheduled to work both nights, and on Friday I slipped out of the tent long enough to catch part of Rhonda Vincent and the Rage's set. It was beginning to get dark and the faithful were well bundled up, raincoats of many colors could be seen, and some brought their own pop-up tents and tarps. They were there for the music and by George they were going to stay and hear it—ankle deep water in places be damned.

After one their songs, Rhonda Vincent took a few moments to thank those who were hanging in there in spite of the weather. She then recounted a story of her days as a youth playing with her father's group. As the story went, they worked weekends in many places but played most Mondays through Fridays in Branson, Missouri. As I recall, she said they played five one-hour shows a day in Branson. One morning show there was a torrential rain storm and there was not a person in the audience—not one, she swears. Vincent said that she and her young brother were far less than excited about playing to an empty venue and said so, wondering aloud why even bother. Their father stopped them cold in their tracks and assured them that, while there was no one there, that was not the issue. He told them they were being paid to do five shows a day, and they were going to do the best show they could—every time—regardless of the circumstances.

The family then went on to do the show from start to finish to their fathers satisfaction—including her and her brother, who by then dared not to do their best.

Vincent went on to say that it wasn't too long after that that their group was invited to play on the Grand Ole Opry and that exposure got them lots of other opportunities, and was a real boost to their careers. She called the name of the man from the Grand Ole Opry who was in charge of booking acts at that time, but I cannot recall it. At any rate, her dad asked him how he came to invite them to play the Opry, and he told him he was on vacation with his family in Branson, Missouri recently. While there, he said he happened heard their group play to an audience of empty chairs while the rain poured down. He told them he and his family were around the corner under a bit of shelter, and he figured any group that would put on that good a show for no one, would certainly play well for an audience. The rest, as they like to say, is history.

My mother, Cary, would simply smile and nod knowingly.

   Southern Hospitality Will Get You Every Time

By HEATHER DEAN

Record Reporter

  Southern Hospitality: Disambiguation

“A phrase used in American English to describe the stereotype of residents of the Southern United States as particularly warm, sweet, and welcoming to visitors to their homes, or to the South in general.”

 I imagine growing up in small town America is the same as it is here. ‘Please and thank you’ are second only to ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ in our learned vocabulary. Manners are as important as the perfect banana pudding recipe, and no one knows a stranger. People who have never met wave in passing on highways and speak to each other walking down the sidewalks.

Seems like the perfect American scenario. Until, it isn’t.

I had popped into a local owned landscaping and garden shop, perusing the plethora of beautiful hanging baskets, abundant with a variety of colorful blooms. The place was packed, as it was a lovely day. People were picking out herbs, flowers, yard décor and reveling in the fact that perhaps, just maybe, winter has finally left us. The staff was helpful, people smiled and greeted each other in the isles as they passed. It was like a live ad out of Southern Living Magazine. In my pollen covered bliss, it was lost upon me that Mother’s Day, is in fact, this weekend.

There I was, minding my own business, standing in line to pay. The lady in front of me commented on the lovely color arrangement. The lady at the register commented on my good choice of a basket that still has blooms so that it won’t fade in a few days. Southern Hospitality dictates that we not be within 10 feet of someone without striking up a conversation like we’ve known them all our life, you know. I however, hate small talk and find it mundane, though I always answer politely, because I was raised with manners.

Walking to my car, I was lost in thought about my flowers and how lovely they would look on my porch. It’s the little things that make me happy. I was unaware of the lady walking practically beside me, her arms full of flowers as well. “Those are pretty. Are they for your mom?” she asked, rather loud, and assumingly, like any proper southern woman would in such close proximity.

And that’s when it happened. Being half-Yankee I never mastered the mindless but kind retorts and head nod of the Charming Southern Belle. At least, not without the obviousness of certain passive- aggressiveness, as my facial expression, especially the arched eyebrow, give me away every time.  As is my usual undoing, I answered her immediately and pragmatically, as this Heather does.  “No. My mom’s dead.”

After a few steps I realized she was not walking with me anymore. I turned to look at her and see if she needed help carrying her things. The look on her face said it all. I had committed the blasphemous faux pas of answering honestly, not lady-like and she was not pleased. In fact, she looked a bit miffed.   I tried to feel bad about it, honestly I did, but it took all I had not to burst out laughing. Well, in my defense, that’s what she gets for asking, bless her heart…

 Note:

In all seriousness, please remember that the holidays are hard for many of us, as we don’t have our loved ones with us on these days.

  Over 700 rockets land in Israel

By EARL COX

Special to The Record

Friday nights mark the beginning of Shabbat for every Jew in the world and for all of Israel.  It's a time when merchants stop selling and the public stops buying, and work comes to an end to honor G-d and to rest from six days of labor.  Hamas, however,  is ever vigilant to stir up trouble. Beginning this past Friday night, May 3rd, sometime around 10:30 p.m. EST up to the very moment of this writing, Hamas has been hurling rockets into southern Israel. 

So far, more than 700 rockets have landed and still counting.  Israel retaliated with precision air strikes, and tank and helicopter attacks on known terrorists’ locations and the rocket launching pads of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad who share a joint base of operation.  Hamas is targeting civilian homes as well as hospitals.  An Israeli teenager was seriously injured while attempting to reach safe shelter in Sderot and many civilians are being treated for shock and injuries.  Rockets even landed on the beach in Ashkelon.  Thank God the injuries and casualties were minimal compared to the number of rockets thrown at Israel in an attempt to deliver widespread destruction. 

Even so, hundreds of thousands of Israelis are being forced to run  for safe shelter each day and night with only a few seconds warning.  The bombs are falling at an average of every three minutes. Imagine having to help young children, babies and the elderly out of bed in the middle of the night hitting the floor running in order to reach a shelter in time to avoid injury or death.  Even patients in hospitals are being transported to underground bomb shelters. It's a nightmare which must be stopped. 

Little information is known about this particular attack but looking at the weeks and months leading up to it, there are many clues. The Palestinians are frantic for money on the eve of Ramadan and furious that Israel and the United States (among a few others) have put a stop to humanitarian payments and financial aid which the Palestinians wrongly used to finance their "Pay for Slay" program.  Once this happened, Qatar stepped in and pledged to give the Palestinians 30 million dollars a month to distribute as they see fit.  For a number of reasons which do not hinge on Israel, Qatari payments have been slow in arriving and with Ramadan soon to kick off, the Palestinians have their backs against the wall. 

There is also speculation that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are taking their orders from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Iran.  Their stake in this is to disrupt Israel in advance of Israel's Independence Day celebrations and also ahead of the international Eurovision Song Contest which will take place in Tel Aviv later this month however delegations began arriving on May 2nd. If Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad can cause disruption in this contest or perhaps a cancellation altogether, Israel's image will be tarnished and diminished. Hamas and the Palestinians are trying to force Israel to take military measures which they know will be condemned by the U.N. and others.

For more than a year, Palestinians have been gathering each Friday by the thousands along the Gaza border fence engaging in violent protests and taunting IDF soldiers. This past Friday an IDF officer's jeep was shot at from Gaza.  No group claimed responsibility however the IDF said it appears to have been the work of Palestinian Islamic Jihad which they believe Hamas is using to carry out attacks against Israel to avoid having to take responsibility.  All this is happening following the Israeli elections and at a time when Prime Minister Netanyahu is still forming his coalition government.  

Before the world asks Israel to reach any sort of compromise or peace arrangement with the Palestinians, the Palestinians should first prove that they are capable of living in peace with Israel and acknowledge that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state with fully defensible borders.  What would happen if Israel were to give up all her weapons?  The answer is clear; she would be attacked and wiped off the face of the earth.  However, if the Palestinians, the Iranians, Hezbollah and others were to lay down their weapons, what would happen?  Again, the answer is clear.

There would be peace with Israel and peace in the Middle East.  Every nation has a right to self-defense and, like it or not, this includes Israel - the rightful homeland of the Jewish people and America's only true friend and ally in the Middle East.

   Celebrating Our Mothers

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

I think it’s safe to say that most of us love our mothers.  If you are a frequent reader of my somewhat organized words, it’s not difficult to know when I’m reminiscing about my sweet mother. The passing of time has mellowed the heartache of not having her on earth now. However, I miss her every day. I have also noticed that it is only her good that I remember so maybe she was a saint.

She always put others first and especially her family, that’s just the way she lived her life. It is not odd for me to meet someone who was inspired by her kind way of being. That’s just the way mom was.

The fortunate among us enjoy the love of a caring mother or the memories of that wonderful mom in our lives. The world is made better by caring mothers. I know we love our Dads, but this story is about the moms in our lives.

One would think that the honoring of our Mothers with an official day would be a logical conclusion. However, it was not quick or easy. More than 40 countries around the world honor mothers with a special day and in the United States the story about Mother’s Day is fascinating.

As with most things it all started with someone’s idea.

In 1905 Anna Jarvis led the effort to establish Mother’s Day as an official US holiday. She was inspired by her mother Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis who was a peace activist who among other things cared for soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War. Anna Marie also created Mother’s Day Work Clubs in the 1850s, to teach women proper child-care techniques and sanitation methods.

It’s interesting that the mother that inspired the holiday used the term Mother’s Day for the Work Clubs more than half a century before our American Mother’s Day become an official US Holiday.

Anna Marie died in 1905, and it was in that same year that her daughter Anna Jarvis started the process to get Mother’s Day officially on the books. In 1908 the US Congress would not entertain the idea with some saying if we have a Mother’s Day we will also have a need to have a Mother-in-law's Day.

However, on a local level, the first official Mother’s Day celebration took place in the southern state of West Virginia in 1908.

The celebration was in the form of a memorial for Anna Reeves Marie Jarvis by her daughter Anna Jarvis. It was held in Grafton, West Virginia at St. Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, which is now known as the "mother church" of Mother's Day, and was incorporated as the International Mother's Day Shrine on May 15, 1962, as a tribute to all mothers.

With Anna’s continued efforts by 1911, all US states would recognize Mother’s Day as a State holiday, and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day, held on the 2nd Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.

It was certainly a great day of celebration for Anna. However, as time passed, she became frustrated with exploiting the holiday for profit. She felt that companies had lost sight of the sentiment and turned to greed.

The same lady who fought the battle to recognize our dear mothers now found herself in a great fight. Anna would now spend her time protesting various aspects of what had become the commerce side of Mother’s Day. She would be arrested in the mid-1920’s for disturbing the peace when protesting the selling of Mother’s Day carnations by the American War Mothers.

As we all know life takes all types of twists and turns and in the South many great things have are inspired, invented and shared with the world. The problem being we don’t always like it when people try to change it.

I am grateful for my mother and all the wonderful mothers who care about doing good. I don’t mind folks selling things that we can buy and give to our moms, however, if your mom is anything like mine was, the thing she wanted more than anything else, was a visit from her son.

A big thank you to Anna and her Mother who spent her life doing good for others.