#previews start september 15

[rougedraconteur]

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[marveltrumpshate]

The MTH mod team is proud to bring back Marvel Trumps Hate for a seventh run! Inspired by Stony Trumps Hate and Fandom Trumps Hate, our purpose is to encourage fandom unity while raising money for nonprofit organizations that work to protect civil rights, marginalized and oppressed communities, and the environment.

Our fandom-wide fundraiser auction raised $36,852.10 USD for charity with the help of 156 generous creators and hundreds of bidders last year (and we not only hit a massive milestone to celebrate half a decade of MTH ($200k!), but we also surpassed it with a grand total of $215,652.53 raised over the past five years). This year, we’re looking forward to raising just as much awareness and money for some Marvel-ous causes!

Creator sign-ups will open in one month’s time, on Sunday, September 15, 12 AM ET (Eastern Time). Creators may offer different types of works such as fics, art, edits, videos, beta services, crafts, and more for any character, ship, or universe in the Marvel multiverse.

Sign-ups will run until Saturday, September 28, 11:59 PM ET, which should give everyone plenty of time to think about what they’d like to offer, spread the word, and sign up as a creator!

There will be a preview week from October 13 to October 19, during which potential bidders can peruse all the auctions and start building their list of fanworks to bid on. We will also use this time to make corrections to auction pages before bidding begins.

The 2024 MTH Auction Week will then run from October 20 to October 26. All auction times are in ET. If you’re in a different time zone, you can convert times here.

Please follow us for updates and visit our About, How to Participate, Schedule, and FAQ pages for more information. If you have any questions after doing so, you can contact us here!

We believe our fandom is a caring community determined to help those in need just like the superheroes we love so much, so let’s unite, organize, and pay it forward. As the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes theme song goes, “assembled, we are strong!”

[teddyqd]

TMP/Magnus Kickstarter Update

Hi all! We just got a huuuuge Kickstarter update, and I thought I'd share the TL;DR that we (the mods of Statement Remains) put together to give people a hand navigating it!

TMP News - The digital premiere will be available on October 22nd for backers at the Archival Assistant level and above, and for Knight & Noble Patreons. - It will include a preview of The Magnus Protocol pilot episode and some exclusive bonus content. - The audio of the preview episode, without the extra content, will be released to KS backers at the Researchers level and above on 31st October.

- There will be a post-premiere livestream on Twitch with cast and crew, sometime after the 31st

- All the pre-launch previews will be exclusive to backers and patrons, but the official debut (in January 2024) will have new content not seen in the previews (including the full orchestral debut)

- The double length pilot episode releases Jan 2024, with a weekly release schedule following (and a 2 week break every 10 episodes)

- They are currently finalising script drafts for season 1, writing for seasons 2 and 3, doing primary recordings for episodes, and editing the Pilot episode

Casting Announcements - Meet Alice Dyer, played by Seer Pink (they/them). You may know Seer from streaming/tiktok -- this is their RQ debut! - Meet Samama Kahlid, played by Shahan Hamza (he/him). Shahan has previously played Siva in Trice Forgotten!

Other Castings - Anusia Battersby (she/her) as Gwendolyn Bouchard - Lowri Ann Davies (she/her) as Celia Ripley - Ryan Hopevere-Anderson (he/him) as Colin Becher - Kazeem Tosin Amore (he/him) as Teddy Vaughn - Sarah Lambie (she/her) as Lena Kelley - Ellie Dickens (she/her) as Lady Mowbray - Tim Fearon (he/him) as [ERROR] - Alexander J Newall (he/him) as [ERROR] - Jonathan Sims (he/him) as [ERROR]

There are "multiple returning friends and enemies from The Magnus Archives", but revealing them now would be a spoiler!

Making-Of Documentary - The documentary is well underway! - It will feature candids from meetings, interviews, and video diaries from Jonny and Alex! - The full version will air after the series is concluded, but a teaser segment will be released alongside the premiere!

ARG Updates - Official start date: **15 September**

- Far larger scale than the mini-ARG, featuring both digital and in-person elements - Will feature lots of worldbuilding and exclusive story that will provide an even deeper insight into the world of TMP

- Bookmark https://themagnusprotocolarg.com! This will be the main ARG hub! - Questions about the ARG can go to arg@rustyquill.com. They will not provide hints/help solve the puzzles.

- Important note from the ARG site: Participants of this ARG must be over 18 for legal reasons.

Mic Updates - The Podcast Pro mics are nearly ready to start shipping. They are finalising packaging and etching the finished microphones!

---

And a quick note from me on behalf of the SR server! We're currently looking for mods to bolster our team, so that we can feasibly host the ARG solving efforts! If you're interested, you can join the Discord here: https://discord.gg/h6bkdqc5yd

[foxes-that-run]

Trying to feel positive about the surprise songs, glad they were haylor and it makes sense she was thinking about him after he performed with Stevie. But I can’t help but feel a little sad like she always wanted him to be the one but he just hasn’t showed and I want Harry to show up so bad. Not even publicly but just in general for her. Dn if he ever will

I was expecting this show to be quite Haylor because of the date (13th of the 7th month), Italy & Harry's performance with Stevie. On 13 July 2012 Taylor put on a preview show of 7 then-unreleased songs from Red in London. And I wasn't disappointed, The 1, her first overtly Haylor song in years mashed up with the 7th ever live performance of Wonderland.

May 15, 2015, Las Vegas Rock in Rio. 2 days before the 2015 BBMAs. (Harry colour IG post)

May 20, 2015, Bossier City Louisiana (1989 Tour), on Harry and Taylors anniversary. It was followed by the Clean Speech she referred to the 2015 BBMAs 3 days earlier and 'where you should be' which Harry later referenced in Woman. (Harry colour IG post)

June 6, 2015, Pittsburgh (1989 Tour) - the day after the One Direction Hiatus story first broke. (Harry colour IG post).

June 20, 2015, Cologne, Germany (1989 Tour). Day of Taylor's letter to Apple, 1989 not on Apple music. (Harry colour IG post)

September 29, 2018, Houston (Reputation Tour) - day after Haylor anniversary of Begin Again Paris weekend

April 21, 2023, Houston on (Eras Tour) Taylor introduced it and said it has a"twisted kind of Alice and Wonderland vibe" day before Peace Ring Anniversary ......(also the show after he was MIA while she was in Florida.......)

And then today, 13/7/24... I seriously wonder why.

As the Surprise Songs started I said in the group chat "Wonderland's never getting played y'all" I was thinking of the above list and was proven wrong within seconds. Mashed up with The 1 of all songs and followed by I Almost Do... I don't know why. Hope is not word I'd use, but... Haylor really is 'still alive at the cemetery, never quite buried.'

[f1bb]

F1 Big Bang 2024 Schedule + Announcements

HERE WE ARE AGAIN FOLKS

Welcome Welcome Welcome to the F1 Big Bang of 2024!

There are a few changes this year, so please be sure to read through this post.

Firstly, we have a mod change! @nobrakesdown will be helping us out this year both in admin stuff and the discord! They will have the tag mod!cove on any posts.

Secondly, we are going to (attempt) staggering fic release dates this year. This means that after proposals are claimed and matches are made, teams will be able to pick their preferred posting date (more information will become available for this process when we are a bit closer.)

Third, we are also planning on opening the collection for amnesty posting after all the teams have posted their works. This means that if you have signed up but are unable to submit a proposal, and still complete a work, you will be able to post that work to the collection during that period.

Speaking of the collection, through technical difficulties, this is the correct AO3 collection for 2024. Unfortunately Tabs has had to take a leave of absence from the event, and as such we are unable to access the first 2024 collection that they made, nor are we able to access the parent collection. If this changes, an announcement will be made, but for now the right collection is (f1bigbang_2024) on ao3.

Finally, we have moved the schedule up but have not shortened it. It is as follows:

• Writer + Artist Priority Signup: March 15-30

• Writer + Artist Late Signup: April 1 - June 7 (writers) OR June 14 (artists)

• Checkpoint #1: May 7 (optional)

• Writer Proposals Due: June 15

• Writer Proposals Preview: June 18

• Priority Artist Claims: June 19-20

• Second + Late Artist Claims: June 21-22

• Checkpoint #2: July 31 (mandatory for artists)

• Final Works Due: August 27

• Collection opens/works revealed starting: September 1

As always, if you have any questions the ask box will be open or you can join our discord and as questions there as well!!

Thanks all!!! Happy writing!

[bikinibottomdayz]

OCTOBER 25, 2024 RELEASE

All my videos can be found here, full release under the read more! I am also offering the two Great Gatsby videos as a bundle for 30 USD! If interested, please contact me at bikinibottomtrading@gmail.com!

This release includes: Maybe Happy Ending, Moulin Rouge! (John/Solea), The Roommate, Empire Records, Great Gatsby (Alex Prakken)

EMPIRE RECORDS September 25, 2024 | McCarter Theatre | 4K MP4 (8.32GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Lorna Courtney (Corey), Samantha Williams (Gina), Liam Pearce (AJ), Analise Scarpaci (Debra), Tyler McCall (Lucas), Eric Wiegand (Mark), Michael Luwoye (Joe), Damon Daunno (Rex Manning), Taylor Iman Jones (Max), Alex Lugo (Ensemble), Hoke Faser (Ensemble), Sam Poon (Ensemble), Leah Read (Ensemble), Maximilian Sangerman (Ensemble) Notes: Great 4K capture of this world premiere musical! One head obstruction that blocks the center-right, mostly when characters sit / lay on the floor, worked around fairly well but still some missed action. Some moments of wandering / readjustment and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBJWDh | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL APRIL 17, 2025

MOULIN ROUGE! October 15, 2024 | Broadway | 4K MP4 (10.4GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: John Cardoza (Christian), Solea Pfeiffer (Satine), Frank Viveros (u/s Harold Zidler), David Harris (The Duke of Monroth), André Ward (Toulouse Laurtrec), Pepe Muñoz (Santiago), Sophie Carmen Jones (Nini), Jacqueline B. Arnold (La Chocolat), Nicci Claspell (Arabia), Jeigh Markus (Baby Doll), Cameron Burke (s/w), Olivia Cece (s/w), Aaron C. Finley, Bahiyah Hibah, Kamal Lado, Heather Makalani, Nick Martinez (Pierre), Dylan Paul (s/w), Brandon Stonestreet (s/w), Brooke Taylor, Alec Varcas, Cole Joseph Wachman, Shaun-Avery Williams, Jordan Wynn, Jenn Stafford Yip Notes: Excellent 4K capture of John, Solea, and Pepe’s (scheduled) first performances on Broadway! Roughly one minute total of blackouts due to people walking in the aisles. Action on the far left and on the walkway is obstructed. Some washout on the wider shots. Some wandering and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call and encore, audio is fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBNmyU | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL APRIL 17, 2025

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING October 16, 2024 | Broadway (Previews) | 4K MP4 (8.96GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Darren Criss (Oliver), Helen J. Shen (Claire), Dez Duron (Gil Brentley), Marcus Choi (James & others) Notes: Great 4K capture of this show’s first preview! There is a tech hold an hour in, it is edited out and the video resumes after the show starts up again. A few brief black outs due to late seating, people leaving etc. Video starts about two minutes into the first song. Some wandering / readjustment and unfocusing throughout. Includes audio of pre-show speech by Michael Arden and curtain call, audio is fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBNwwK | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL APRIL 17, 2025

THE GREAT GATSBY June 2, 2024 (M) | Broadway | 4K MP4 (10.28GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Jeremy Jordan (Jay Gatsby), Eva Noblezada (Daisy Buchanan), Alex Prakken (u/s Nick Carraway), Samantha Pauly (Jordan Baker), John Zdrojeski (Tom Buchanan), Eric Anderson (Meyer Wolfsheim), Ryah Nixon (u/s Myrtle Wilson), Paul Witty (George Wilson) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of Alex’s debut as Nick! Minor head obstruction on the bottom, no action is missed. Some moments of wandering and unfocusing. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBtnQs | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL APRIL 17, 2025

THE GREAT GATSBY August 28, 2024 | Broadway | 4K MP4 (10.37GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Alex Prakken (u/s Jay Gatsby), Eva Noblezada (Daisy Buchanan), Noah J. Ricketts (Nick Carraway), Samantha Pauly (Jordan Baker), John Zdrojeski (Tom Buchanan), Eric Anderson (Meyer Wolfsheim), Chilina Kennedy (t/r Myrtle Wilson), Paul Witty (George Wilson). Samantha Pollino (s/w Gilda Grey) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of Alex as Gatsby (on his birthday)! Act One is a bit more wideshot, and in general the filming is slightly worse, but still a very good capture! Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBFdB9 | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL APRIL 17, 2025

THE ROOMMATE August 29, 2024 | Broadway (Previews) | 4K MP4 (7.89GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Mia Farrow (Sharon), Patti LuPone (Robyn) Notes: Good 4K capture of this show’s first preview. The first half is wideshot and doesn't have any zooms, but all action is visible. Second half is filmed like normal. Some moments of wandering and unfocusing. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBFqxr | ASKING $16 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL APRIL 17, 2025

I am also offering the two Great Gatsby videos as a bundle for 30 USD! If interested, please contact me at bikinibottomtrading@gmail.com!

[fanwork-exchange-promos]

Problematic Big Bang 2024

Posted by: tavitay ProblematicBigBang | Carrd  | Twitter  | Bsky |  Tumblr Description: The Problematic Big Bang is a collaborative, multifandom big bang all-inclusive, proship fan event where writers and artists can come together via written works and art. Writer, Artist, Pitch Hitter and Beta Reader sign ups are open now! This year we are allowing artists who create with other mediums to apply in addition to digital art and traditional art. Such as podfficers, Playlist Creators, Recipe Creators and Mood Board Creators! Writers will be able to specify which forms of art they are interested in potentially being created for them. The minimum requirement for Writers is 3000 words. It does not need to be a completed story. Unpublished wips can be used. Artists will need to create a piece based on the writers story. Our event is organized through a discord. We will have an a03 collection but you are welcome to post anonymously. You are welcome to join the discord server even if you don't plan to participate in the bang. Please dm our socials or email with any questions. Problematicbigbang@gmail.com Dates Problematic Bang 2024 Schedule -Writer Sign Ups: October 9th - November 9th -Artist Sign Ups: October 9th - November 19th -Beta + Pinch Hitter Sign Ups: September 23 - March 13 - 17 -Summary submissions: November 9th- November 17th -Summary previews: November 19th - November November 26th Summary claims: November 19 - December 14th Pairs announced: December 18th Initial check-in: January 3 Check-in 1: February 6 - 8 Check-in 2: March 13 - 17 (Last Chance to Drop) Check-in 3: April 12 - 16 Final check-in: May 9 - 15 Preview Posting: Starts May 20th Posting Schedule announced: June 1 Posting day: Starts June 6 - June 30th Sign Ups Writer Sign Ups Artist Sign Ups  Beta and Pinch Hitter Sign Ups comments via The Fandom Calendar https://ift.tt/60Y1z3o

[imasallstars]

EVENT UPDATE

The 会いに来てくれますか…？開店！ミリシタ ぴえぴえかふぇ🥺生配信 episode has ended and has brought us with some extra information of upcoming items!

This is a rundown, featuring screenshots and data from the official idolmaster blog post. Only upcoming news will be announced

NEWS

GACHA PREVIEW. Details of the upcoming gacha has been announced. The next MILLION LINKAGE box will feature LINK cards for Kotoha Tanaka and Serika Hakozaki thrown into Spade no Q's world. The update will also feature a cover of the original song as well as new outfits. Look forward to their release on September 27th 15:00 JST EVENT PREVIEW. Details of the upcoming Platinum Star Trust13 event for OCTOBER has been announced. The event will feature the next STARDOM ROAD THEATER event, Sky Survive. SPECIAL UPDATE. The “Produce Story Challenge: iDOL GRAND PRIX” will feature a PRE-RELEASE CAMPAIGN slated for WINTER 2024. Miya Miyao was revealed to the be the idol alongside Shiho Kitazawa to have their routes currently in progress. GACHA PREVIEW. Details of the upcoming gacha has been announced. The box will feature the FINAL BATCH of SHS2 cards for Takane Shijou and Iku Nakatani. Look forward to their release on October 1st 15:00 JST GACHA ANNOUNCEMENT. The SECOND HAIRSTYLE GACHA: PRIVATE DRESS EDITION will end with the next SHS gacha. Once it end the my BRAND EDITION with glasses will start with Miki Hoshii and another idol. These SSR cards will be granting an ACCESSORY that can be used on other outfits if applicable. Any IDOL or SSR OUTFIT already outfitted with their own glasses will be able to switch to the new one. GACHA PREVIEW. Details of the upcoming Permanent SR gacha has been revealed. After the completion of MILLION CONFERENCE! Encore, the next set is MofuMofu Change! series which brings back the Ears&Tail series but switches the outfits the idols are assigned to. EVENT PREVIEW. Details of the upcoming Platinum Star Trust-Special event for OCTOBER has been announced. The event will feature Youkoso Mystic Ceremony's setting and feature Elena Shimabara, Serika Hakozaki, Roco Handa, Chizuru Nikaido, and Kaori Sakuramori GACHA PREVIEW. A special LIMITED GACHA will be added in featuring the two silhouetted idols. The theme will match Youkoso Mystic Ceremony and have a cover sung by the featured idols. GAME MECHANICS UPDATE. There will be no MAIN COMMU planned for NOVEMBER and DECEMBER. The aforementioned cover of Youkoso Mystic Ceremony will be the NOVEMBER SPECIAL COMMU. The DECEMBER SPECIAL COMMU will feature AI NEED YOU (FOR WONDERFUL STORY), the series' 20th Anniversary Song

[sunwarmed-ash]

🔥Sinful Sunday🔥

Ch 15: The truth hurts worse than anything I can bring myself to do to you

Ships: Hankconvin, hankvin, hankcon, Connor/V

Rating:🔞Explicit🔞- Sexual content

Tags: hurt/comfort, angst and smut, the truth comes out, but there's also smut after, Daddy kink, copsandwich *just like any good edging session, you're gonna suffer but you're gonna be happy about it

Ch preview:

“When did it start?” “A few weeks ago.” “When exactly?” “September 15th. 8:23 PM.” Hank looks left, mentally calculating.  "So before we hooked up.” “Yes, technically, by a few hours, but, not due to a lack of interest. Remember, I was ready on Saint Patrick's Day. Well, longer than that, but the opportunity genuinely presented itself then, just like it did the night I sucked your dick in the kitchen.” Hank pivots past that sexual deflection with ease.  “Why here Con? You know first hand it’s not a safe world for androids yet. And this place, hell its probably the most dangerous place you could go!” “I disagree. I’d argue the DPD is a more dangerous place for me. I’d be a walking target. Everyone there knows which side I chose in the end. What my face looks like. At least here-”  “Some of them still do,” Hank interrupts. Connor’s eyes lower at the second, unspoken accusation.  Hank crosses his arms over his chest and shrugs.  “I didn't fuck anyone else from the department Hank!” “That's not what I heard.”

[captainemeraldz]

Here's Kit and Starline, as well as color tests of both palettes for the AMV! (All the goofy goobers as well as bg main colors)

Picking out colors for this is really fun, I'm trying to get a color palette where every character stands out no matter the main color.

I should start posting more once September begins, and my goal to finish this AMV is in November! But, considering the song is around 3 minutes and 15 seconds, it might not be done by then. If that is the case, I will post a preview of it as well as a new release date!

Super excited to show more progress here, I'm planning to make more Sonic animations if this one goes well!

[wrestlingisfake]

G1 Climax night 1 preview

This is the opening night of New Japan's annual heavyweight singles tournament. This year's format involves twenty men, divided into two blocks of ten. Over the next month, each participant will have one match against each of the other nine men in his block. The goal is to have the best win-loss record among your block.

The top three in each block advance to a knockout stage on July 15 and 17. This is a pretty big change that I'm excited about, because it means more wrestlers will be mathematically alive much later in the block stage. Basically it'll be #2 vs. #3, for the right to face #1, to decide the block winner. Finally, on July 18, the winner of A Block meets the winner of B Block, with the winner earning a trophy, a flag, and the right to challenge the IWGP world champion on January 4, at Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome.

A Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Shingo Takagi - Naito regained the IWGP world title a couple of weeks ago in New York; the title is not at stake throughout the tournament. If Naito wins the G1, he'd earn the right to choose the challenger for Wrestle Kingdom, but I don't expect that to happen. On the other hand, if anyone beats Naito during the tournament, they'll likely get a title shot within the next couple of months, and I definitely see that happening.

Naito won the tournament in 2013, 2017, and 2023. Takagi's personal best is 7-2-1, which would probably be good enough to get out of the blocks this year. This is only the second time these two have met one-on-one; Naito won their last encounter.

Star power aside, the big draw here is that Naito and Shingo are members of the same faction, Los Ingobernables de Japon. I don't expect any dissension in the ranks, but they're also not going to go easy on each other. Takagi's whole style is to clobber the fuck out of dudes, which is a problem when Naito has been visibly banged up for years. The most exciting finish would be for Shingo to score a bit of an upset over his leader, the world champion. But I can't really see them running this match back in September, so I'm picking Naito to win.

B Block: Yota Tsuji vs. Konosuke Takeshita - This is Tsuji's second trip to the G1; last year he debuted with a 3-3-1 record that I found somewhat disappointing given all the hype around him. Takeshita is new to the tournament. He's been affiliated with DDT for years, and his big claim to fame is AEW, but if he's representing any group it's probably the Don Callis Family. Not counting crossover shows like Forbidden Door and All Together, I think this is his first time stepping onto New Japan's cerulean blue canvas.

I like that Tsuji is second from the top because he's one of the guys they need to elevate, and quickly. I don't know that I'd pick him to win the tournament, but I would definitely give him a a lot of key wins, and probably finish in the top three. But he's got a tough draw tonight, because this is a must-win situation for Takeshita.

I think Takeshita will probably end up in the middle of the pack, maybe finishing around 4-5. Newcomers and outsiders tend to only do so well in the G1, and he's both at once. But in light of that, New Japan knows he needs a strong start, and Tsuji is the kind of guy they can feed to someone who needs a strong start.

A Block: EVIL vs. Gabe Kidd - Evil reached the semifinals last year, mostly to tease what a debacle it would be if he won the whole thing, without actually doing it. I can't imagine they'll take it that far again this year. Kidd, the STRONG men's champion, debuted last year with a 2-4-1 record, because he's more concerned with hurting people and freaking out than figuring out how to win. That's a good character for him to play, but this tournament is about results, not tantrums, so he's probably not going to be competitive in the G1 for a couple more years.

Back in the day, whenever two Bullet Club guys faced off in a tournament, they'd do a comedy routine about how one of them is willing to lay down for the other, but then they'd have second thoughts and end up having an actual match. Nowadays, though, they don't even bother to act like collusion is possible--the War Dogs (such as Kidd) are too belligerent, and everybody in House of Torture (like Evil) is too devious. My guess is that Kidd will come out swinging, and Evil will hit a low blow (or get someone else to do it) to level the playing field. Evil should probably win here, although I don't expect him to be a major factor late in the tournament.

B Block: David Finlay vs. Yuya Uemura - Finlay is the IWGP global champion, and he was one of the quarterfinalists in last year's G1. Uemura returned from excursion last fall, so this is his first trip to the big dance. Typically when Young Lions graduate to full-time wrestlers and qualify for the G1, they do very poorly in the first year, so it'll be a moral victory for Yuya to secure even one win. But he's definitely not going to pick up that win here. I expect Finlay to start very strong and then stumble in the home stretch. This is going to be a mugging.

A Block: SANADA vs. Jake Lee - Sanada won the 2020 tournament; last year he went 7-0 in block matches, so you'd have to figure he's a heavy favorite. Lee, coming in from Pro Wrestling NOAH, is appearing in the tournament for the first time.

The big story is that, on July 13, Lee disbanded NOAH's Good Looking Guys stable, turned on his ex-partners, aligned with New Japan's War Dogs, and declared his exit from NOAH altogether. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but this will be our first glimpse of Lee and whatever repackaging he'll undergo for this new direction.

Sanada is an easy pick to win the G1, simply because he lost the world title at the last Wrestle Kingdom, and it'd be straightforward to tell a story about him getting it back one year later. But the easiest story to tell for Sanada in this tournament is if he stumbles early and has to climb out of a hole. So Lee is my pick to win here.

B Block: Jeff Cobb vs. Hirooki Goto - Cobb, the NJPW World television champion, went 8-1 in the 2021 tournament, so he's got what it takes. Goto has won the whole thing, but that was waaaay back in 2008; even his big second-place finish in 2016 feels like a lifetime ago. Much has been made of the way this year's tournament excluded aging mainstays like Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, and KENTA; the fact Goto made the cut suggests they have a purpose for him here. But I suspect that purpose is to finish 2-7 so he can put over a bunch of guys like Cobb.

A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Great-O-Khan - Sabre was a quarterfinalist last year. Khan (the KOPW champion, for whatever that's worth) has never scored better than 4 wins and 5 losses. Throughout 2024, Sabre has been acting like he knows big things are awaiting him on the horizon, and he's repeatedly commented that he needs to win the G1 this year. He sounds like someone who's been told he's getting a big push. Now, I don't know why he would telegraph that to the audience in such a blatant fashion. So I could be totally off the mark, or he could be feeding us a red herring.

Regardless, I think Sabre will finish in the top 3 for the block. To create suspense about that, though, he should give up some wins against weaker opponents, and I think Khan fits the bill nicely.

B Block: HENARE vs. El Phantasmo - Henare only won one match in his first G1, and only two in his second, and that really pissed me off. I'm always pulling for this guy and being bitterly disappointed. Hopefully that's going to change after he recently won the NEVER championship in the biggest match of his career so far. Phantasmo's personal best isn't much better--three wins, three losses--but I'm not as worried about him finding ways to get ahead.

In 2023 Phantasmo was turfed out of Bullet Club, and he went into last year's G1 feeling incredibly isolated until the Guerillas of Destiny invited him into their stable. In 2024, all the Tongans in GOD have left to join the Bloodline in WWE, so Phantasmo is headed into this year's G1 feeling even more isolated. Will Jado still be by his side? Will he introduce a new look or something? Will he just be a sad sack devoid of motivation? This match will answer those questions. I just hope ELP protects his neck, or Henare will run him down like a truck.

A Block: Shota Umino vs. Callum Newman - You'd think Umino would be pushed as the future of the company, but his G1 debut last year with a 2-3-2 record suggests otherwise. He needs to post a higher score, and it'd be pretty hard not to. Newman is a newcomer, and I wouldn't have expected him to make the cut in 2024 except that he won a six-man tournament to qualify, scoring upset wins over the likes of Kenta and YOSHI-HASHI.

Umino ran into some trouble a month ago when he suffered hip and back injuries in a routine AEW match. I was real curious if he'd even make it to the G1, and he didn't confirm so until this past Monday. I doubt they would rebook the tournament to give him more losses on account of that. But if he's still hurting, this could be a particularly grueling tournament for him. I don't expect Shota to get out of the block, but he could surprise me. As for Newman, he's at the "just happy to be here" level where a 0-9 record is very possible; he's the heavy underdog in all of his matches, including this one.

B Block: Ren Narita vs. Oleg Boltin - Narita debuted in the G1 last year with an anemic 3-4 record. Boltin is entering for the first time, following a six-man qualifying tournament where he knocked Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Taichi out of the field.

Boltin was a Young Lion when he, Tanahashi, and Toru Yano captured the NEVER trios title a few months ago. I expected that to effectively "graudate" him out of the Young Lions system, and he'd get to pick out custom gear and have his own entrance music. But so far, he's had none of that--even when he qualified for this spot, he was wearing the plain black trunks and they played the generic curtain jerker theme. So maybe this match will be his big coming out moment. Or maybe he just doesn't give a crap, I don't know.

If any other Young Lion made it into the G1 like this, I'd expect him to lose every match. But Oleg is 265 pounds of solid muscle, and they've given him Brock Lesnar's finisher. They have big plans for this guy. Big enough to get past the chicanery Ren Narita brings to the table? Well, we'll see. I think this one could go either way.

[tsukiyadori]

Reading+Listening Log 2024.09 - September

Previous: Reading+(Watching)+Listening Log 2024.08 - August

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Reading languages: German, English, French, Japanese, not listing which was what. (There’s also been some feeble attempts at Chinese, but that was more music.)

Titles are as I’ve read them either first or most and thus remember it for that title mostly

Not going to bother putting in the original titles of translated reads unless there is something worthy of note to it

Cursive titles have been completed

If it says a volume number, it may mean it has been finished or is still in progress

Some notes’ content may be subject to repetition here and there, as I also copied some older notes from casual conversations over and didn’t go through any rounds of cutting things down.

——————————————————————————

SEPTEMBER

A new Jeweler Richard volume has come out. I have still not read the last one… And I do remember whining about messing up the date of that one's digital release in October 2023. Which means, It's been over a year now I started these logs, and I am somewhat amazed that they have kept on this long.

(classified) level one has now been vanquished. There are things I'd want to ramble about it, but it'll still have to wait. Here is hoping I still remember all of it…

Also, a non-weeb/otaku read since a long while. And I immediately regretted it...

Light Novels/Web Novels/Asian Novels:

Everyone Loves the Cannon Fodder Rosmei Preview Fushi no Kami v1 Sasaki & Peeps v1 The Apothecary Diaries v3 The Blessing of Liefe: Leave This Magical Letdown Alone! v1 The Eminence in Shadow v3 The Executioner and Her Way of Life v1 The Isolator LN v5 The Saint's Magic Power is Omipotent LN v1 Your Forma v5-6

Western Novels:

Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän // Max Frisch

Manga:

A Livid Lady's Guide to Getting Even: How I Crushed My Homeland with My Mighty Grimoires (Manga) v3 A Side Character's Love Story ch52-57.4 Ano Natsu ga Houwa suru. ch21.2 Are You Okay with a Slightly Older Girlfriend? ch23.3-29.1 Asahina Wakaba & Her Chubby-Chubby Boyfriend ch1-7.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3 (Manga) v3 BL Game no Shujinkou no Otouto de aru Koto ni Ki ga Tsukimashita ch20 Beast Tamer ch7-19 Buta no Liver wa Kanetsushiro v3 Closer Heartbeat ch8-29 Dahlia lässt den Kopf nicht hängen v3-6 Daijuukou to Unicornis no Otome ch16.2-17.2 Domestic na Kanojo v18-20 Duchess in the Attic (Manga) v3 Firefly Wedding ch11-23 Girl Crush ch66-67 Goodbye, Overtime! This Reincarnated Villainess Is Living for Her New Big Brother (Manga) v2 Haikyu v42-43 Hallo, ich bin eine Hexe und mein Schwarm wünscht sich einen Liebestrank von mir v4ch20 Harebare Biyori ch26 Hari to Hitsuji no Fune ch12.1 How I Attended an All-Guy's Mixer ch17-29 How a Single Gold Coin Can Change an Adventurer’s Life ch16-20 I Can Go Adventuring by Myself, Mom!: The Son Raised by the Strongest Overprotective Dragon-Mom ch1-2.1 I Parry Everything: What Do You Mean I’m the Strongest? I’m Not Even an Adventurer Yet! (Manga) ch1-3 I don't want to work anymore ch22-22.2 I'm Not Even an NPC In This Otome Game! ch1-4.5 I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic (Manga) ch7-11 Kemutai Hanashi Skimming up to ch31.1 Kijima-san & Yamada-san ch24.3-25 Kimi ni wa Todokanai ch42-43 Knitter's High ch30.2-3 Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata ch84-87 Kono Koi wo Hoshi ni wa Negawanai ch16.1 Living With My Brother's Wife ch75-89 Mr. Mallow Blue ch31 My Housemate Sano-kun Is Just My Editor! ch3.2-9.1 Okazari Ouhi ni Nattanode, Kossori Hataraki ni deru koto ni Shimashita ~Usagi ga Iru no de Hitorine mo Sabishiku Arimasen!~ ch29.1 Reincarnated as a 15-Year-Old Queen: I’m an Ex-office Worker, but the Young King Is Interested in Me?! ch1-2 Seraph of the End ch131-140 Shinde Miro to Iwareta no de Shinimashita. ch13-16 Shojo Null ch2-33 Shuumatsu Touring ch39.3-40.2 Sonna Kazoku nara Sutechaeba? ch78 Strawberry Love ch8.3-12.1 The 6th Loop: I'm Finally Free of Auto Mode in this Otome Game ch11.3-15 The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten ch14.1-215.3 The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World ch1-3 The Emperor's Caretaker ch1-6 The Eternal Fool's Words of Wisdom: A Pawsitively Fantastic Adventure (Manga) ch1, v2ch7-12 The Ex-Villainess’s Unsightly Daughter ch1-6.2 The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan - The Alternative - ch1-4.4 The Magic in this Other World is Too Far Behind! (Light Novel) v1p3 The Prince's Keeper: The Cursed Prince is Too Fluffy to Resist! ch3.2-6 The Royal Tutor v10-17 The Vexations of a Shut-in Vampire Princess ch4.3-9 Trying Out Alchemy After Being Fired as an Adventurer!: Frontier Settling? No Problem, Leave It to Me! ch3-8.1 Unnamed Memory ch39.1-2 Watashi wo Tabetai, Hitodenashi kaimaku3, 40.1-2 Yakuza Reincarnation v1-4ch16 Yomei Ichinen to Senkokusareta Boku ga, Yomei Hantoshi no Kimi to Deatta Hanashi ch11.3-13.2

Webtoons:

A Royal Princess with Black Hair ch66-97 Can the Grand Duke and the Marquis be Friends? ch44-58 Fair Wind Scroll ch1-29 For Stella ch34-61 Ice Lamp: The Chronicles of Kira ch57-67 Moriarty's Perfect Crime ch1-8 Taberare Usa ch119-122

Music/Music Videos:

RADWIMPS - Suzume (Suzume No Tojimari) [Dante Levo and Kindred Remix]

Zhou Shen - 铃芽之旅

Zhou Shen - Shenself - 02 - 蜃楼 Mirage

Zhou Shen - Shenself - 08 - 缝合

Zhou Shen - Shenself - 11 - 没关系

Zhou Shen - 我的答案

Zhou Shen - 人是_ (电影《流浪地球2》定义主题曲)

Zhou Shen, Terry Zhong - 春雪

Zhou Shen - Endless Sailing（电视剧《三体》主题曲）

Zhou Shen - 永恒孤独（《三体》电视剧主题曲）

G.E.M. - 面壁者 (《三体》动画片尾主题曲)

谭维维 - 歌者 《三体》广播剧最终季主题曲

咻咻满 - 《歌者 Singer》 Cover 【三体 Three Body Problem】 广播剧最终季主题曲

咻咻满 - 《奇点》 三体 同人印象曲

Zhou Shen - 浮光

谭维维 - 3811 - 09 - 小娟 (化名)

TommyMuzzic - Different Kind Of Beautiful

TommyMuzzic - Different Kind Of Beautiful (8D Audio)

Alec Benjamin - Different Kind Of Beautiful (Piano Version)

Alec Benjamin - Different Kind Of Beautiful

Notes:

Fushi no Kami v1: I FINISHED IT. Good heavens, that took since spring to finish it. The world setting really isn't uninteresting, but all that Maika cheese was starting to get me cheese nausea. MC fellow is going to town now it seems, so here is hoping less Maika, and it makes for a more smooth read for me.

Sasaki & Peeps v1: That equally took several months. I'm not sure what it is, but while I find the plot lines not even uninteresting, reading it is a complete slog. I can't really pinpoint the why. What I do know what made me go from considering to dropping it to probably actually doing it is the end note with that neighbor girl. That's such a misguided conclusion she comes to, and it's not like anyone made any such advances or taught her that toxic way that you could say she was brainwashed, especially not from the MC to whom she is directing it now. It's…. ouf. The magical girl is equally just a bit ????, and it's unfortunately not too much the sort of ? that made me intrigued. Other than that, it's refreshing to have an isekai with regular switching back to present reality, but somehow the addition of psychics was reminiscent of the setup of The Isolator sans aliens kinda lowered that contrast of real world vs. fantasy isekai. Granted, it still managed to make do having all of it without feeling exactly cramped. I do wonder what made it such a hard read for me…

The Blessing of Liefe: Leave This Magical Letdown Alone! v1: The third of it those perfectly light romance reads following the two last month, and ouf. I think I ran out of steam there. MC is nicely badass, but the romance thingy kinda came out of left nowhere. If the male lead was introduced before his illustrated dashing entrance to find MC kneeling down looking for a memento trinket, to then turn out, they were childhood friends, then I must have completely missed it. The thing with having no "5-elements magic? -> defective" seems to be getting to be another staple trope? Where did it even come from originally? (Have to say, Dahlia in Bloom employs it in a much more interesting way.)

The Eminence in Shadow v3: I'm entirely not sure anymore what this even about now. Except there's Shadow doing whatever somehow badass and all his fangirls are being fangirls.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life v1: I had read some of the manga adaption in terms of tempo that one definitely reigns above the novel and probably also made it a bit of a drag to read. (Miss annoying Twin Tails did not help.) I was just considering feeling stupid for already stockpiling so many volumes when the end of the volume did raise some more interest again. I am rather simple-minded. Alternative timelines and time loops kinda reliably bait me.

Your Forma v5-6: Uh oh. I should have checked if there were more vols to come soon, because v6 is not just latest English, but also the latest JP volume. And v6 ends on such a bad cliffhanger! I recommend stopping after v5 until more volumes are out. That being said, it continues with its patterns of having an overly crimson red herring that no none seems to outright suspect, only for that one to have a double layer behind it. But v5 played that up with such ramping up the stakes and v6 completely escalated all and everything while dividing the cast into fragmented parties each with their own interests and priorities. There are so many side plot lines now, and it's juggling it while interconnecting it all and reaping some more payoffs from earlier volumes. So. When's volume 7 coming?

Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän (Man in Holocene): Oh hell darn it. I should have immediately recognized Max Frisch as the same author of Homo Faber. (Whom after that one I really had never wanted to touch again.) His works do leave a lasting impressing and footprint - and it's one I'd love to shake off if I could, because I consider it existential poison to the mind. The plots of those two titles are quite diffrent, but there is a common theme behind it. The futilness of struggle. Powelessness against your circumstances. The world. Life itsef. It'll all end for you at some point and the world will just go on, even with you out of the picture. It's a peculiar sort of gloom that is very earthly and all the more chilling for it, because it's too just a bit too realistic. And just so, so gloom. In this particular one your don't even have the kinda asspully incest inducing coincidence of Homo Farber. It's just about an old man, a widow living alone and not having any much connection to the people in the village, stuck in some real bad rainfall back in the 1980-ish, unstable electricity. And he's there, plastering notes, snippets of knowledge on the wall and slowly and steadily deterioates. What first looked like a descend to insanity because of being a man that really, really should not have been left alone, with struggling with isolation, desolation and pure boredom (this could also be about corona isolation) turns out to not be simple insanity, or not just that, but also dementia. And ouch. From Pagodas build from Crispbread to stave off the hours on the clock and night, to Genesis, Pythagoras, dinosaurs, local Swiss geography, an attempt to escape the place, abadoning halfway, books cut apart and out, chestnut cancer, and…. kitty roasted over fire, because. No real reason really. Beyond probably subtle desparing. There's just this whole sense of helplessness and the ending is just the daughter coming and talking to him like a child full of sorrow and then the place just goes on. Just without him. And there's the whole escape episode where he tries a mountain hike in the rain to go from that village over to Basel. And it's just "what does Herr Geisar want in Basel!". The sheer pointlessness of all. Like humans are pointless. Very much. Somehow we're strangely still there tho.

(Classified) v1 finished: There is a scene where the male MC goes like "How could I, to this day, not know about this?" and my first sentiment on that line was: Right, how did I not about this series? Not that it didn't cross my radar before, but never in a way to really make me pick it up before. There is a sense sense of alienation to the world, while still being perfectly integrated to its social structure, but still maintaining optimism and just doing your best bit by bit to improve the world and the lives of the people in there one way or another, is a mood that probably is just healthy. Also the female MC is still giving me all the aroace vibes imaginable. And (well of course T_T) the other MC has gone cheese infected. Pretty badly, too. But is in full blown denial for the perfectly followable reasons. Which makes this a sort of my second worst personal nightmare, and I was wailing a lot when that descended. I'd have loved them to continue what they had decided on, but maybe, it'll actually find a middle ground of how to reconcile one with the other. Could ramble a whole lot more on this, but it'd have to come end of the year.

Wandering Earth, Three Body Problem Wikipedia Pages: Well, it got there from the fan MV to the Wandering Earth movies and Zhou Shen's Mirage song the month before. And as usual these days I just don't get myself really to actually watch the thing (beyond the trailers anyway). So I read the wikipedia pages instead. And then I clicked on the author of the short stories it was based on and then landed on Three Body Problem. Which I wound up reading all the summaries, too. Sounds rather very interesting, so onto the book queue it went, but then I missed the timing to actually start it because JNC expiry deadlines. Oh well… Maybe still this year.

Domestic na Kanojo v18-20: v18: This buning cheese dumpster suddenly got queer, accompanied by a suicide story, which was kinda not trash, only to then follow up with some very horny-porny show-offs doubling down. And then it ends on a really creepy note. I think this may be the most packed vol so far of having multiple plot strings strung along. (The gay part actually ended wholesome, but looks like Miss Doomed to Suffer MC is getting the creep card, I'm starting to wonder if she is going down a checklist of everything cheese bad.) v19 while reading: Creep. Creep. Also, why shove that that mundane cheese side quest in, can we get the creep arc over already? CREEEEP 🤢 Blegh. The author has it in for Hina, does she? Okay, that sure escalated…. v20: near death netherworld drama, but of course. Also that Elephant Trumpet Rising to the Sky…. well, I give it, the visual presentation was pompous and it does its job to lighten the mood. Also Hina has just signed her final death by cheese suffering-sentence after all. Everything in that world truly is in to torture her, including herself. Everything after…. is being back to to roots that is its dumpster ecchi antics trash form. Can't say it is all that interesting in terms what follows, I mean, this is Natsuo's harem member 4 or 5 or something, and she clearly stands no chance anyway…. And as for the main trio. Just really, bigami is your solution. Even if it's not lawfully allowed, just do it already. How come nobody's even contemplating the idea? (Especially when it actually already made that queer side quest trip.)

Haikyu v42-43: That last game in their school days was honestly…. kinda boring to me. That after time skip felt a bit more fresh. Not much to the ending anymore, but still some volumes. It's nice to see not just soem short epilogue, but a whole arc about folks being adults later on past the school setting.

Kemutai Hanashi Skimming up to ch31.1: I was following it on pivix, and while I had a vague idea that there were more chapters you could buy single I stuck to pixiv, because the slow release there kinda just sit well with how it has this contemplative nature. And I am buying the print books anyway. (Which are also ahead of pixiv as of v4.) Turns out, it's mainly released on some other plattform and over there's it's vastly more ahead. With yet too little time to read through it all, I skimmed through it and there's a whole bunch, like a real whole that can be said and then some more that can't be said yet, so just this one thing for now: I mentioned this in my rambling of ch12 (the final chapter of v2 btw) before. This series's use of black for a mood is spectacular.

Like spectacular.

Breathtakingly so. (I gulped somewhat hard at that scene.)

Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata ch84-87: Oh my gosh. I also did not have too much time to carefully read at first and I got a cheese arrow strinking me down, when skimming it (funnily the same happened for Hiura, but for diffrent reasons), but upon actually properly reading it, it goes on about some youthful existential crisis while also reminding you that it's still a RomCom, a compf fluff one at that. The Swooning arc is forthcoming! (Probably)

Seraph of the End ch131-140: I'm not entirely sure what I am reading here now. Beyond the two MCs kinda trolling everyone. Also Mahiru is having some more screentime and she's still cool and can her sister please stop trying to steal the show.

Shojo Null ch2-33 (finished): This showed quite some potential, but somehow it seems misplaces with Jump. It felt more like it would be more fitting at a place where series like Eden it's an Endless World would feel at home. There are some panels and pages that have quite striking artwork, but then it at many places tries to be an action manga and that's not something the author excels at, at least not yet. Felt rather stiff and more trying and succeeding there. Other than that the ending came fast, downright anticlimatic and while it still manages to have a somewhat round ending, it also feels more axed than not.

The Emperor's Caretaker ch1-6: MC who knows what she wants. art that isn't to shy to have a whole deal of a wardrobe and ornaments. You have my interest. Also looking like having upcoming amounts of cheese. … I will wail about that when it comes to it.

The Royal Tutor v10-17 (finished): Finally read down that pile. After it all: It was boring for me. It's trying to have some sort of compfy humor, but the humor just completely falls flat for me. If one liked the beginning mood tho they'd likely continue to like it. It doesn't really ever stray much from that specific mood.

Unnamed Memory ch39.1-2: Reaching the climax of volume 2's novel. Tinasha smirk towards Lanark after she grabbed the spell from him is just cool. Quite curious how badass the coronation will turn out~

Yakuza Reincarnation v1-4ch16 - Euh. Nope. Not for me. Lots of Beating them up and I kinda got vibes from Wind Breaker just more bloody and deadly and isekai and old geezer instead instead of yourthful puberty. Considering WB wasn't at all for me, I guess that one will remain dropped.

Yomei Ichinen to Senkokusareta Boku ga, Yomei Hantoshi no Kimi to Deatta Hanashi ch11.3-13.2: Darn it, some chapters expired on me again, so more gaps skipping it be… But color me surprised. This is the trope of terminal illness girl leaves guy behind whose world was turned upside down, but then looks like it's ALSO terminal illness guy leaves girl behind. (Who was the best friend of terminal illness girl, so her world gets toppled twice of sorts.) Curious where it goes now.

A Royal Princess with Black Hair ch66-107 (finished): The MC rocks. She so completely rocks. The plot itself is decently round and okay, nothing too outstanding, but Eucienne is just such a great character. Kinda trolling, kinda ridiculous, in her way just upbeat, has wits, is strong and steadfast and quick to act, has a heart full of steadfastness and kindness, while inbetween being a natural and a perfect actress she is pretty, elegant and just badass. I mean just look at this perfect smirk!

And paired with a guy who can keep up with and handle her. How nice that it even gets pointed out at the end as the one big firstmost thing why they are such a good match. It's also nice, that despite the obligatory cheese upcoming, while it may have used a bit of a timing asspull to seperate them, it also skipped over the awkward feelings have changed and by the time they meet again they are perfectly in synch as ever and more than anything they actually know it. No big awkward needs to figure an if out, rather just a short why. So the whole confession stuff at the end is more a thing of a matter of course (she did literally decided to not even try become empress and come back to him), no drama and then it's also seasoned with their usual snides and bantering. Most importantly it was kept crisp and short while adorned with some self-aware humor. Me likes. Somebody take those characters and put them together with some stellar plot, please? ._.

(The only thing that may have irked me, is that it had the need for the obligatory kisses and paint it as the grand curtain lowering climax. So much great build up and then it just has to find its goal in that? Tho the last chapter somewhat mitigates it, as Eucienne kinda goes and half crashes her own wedding. That's pretty cool.)

September's Music: Some more from last month continuing and 浮光 came back from earlier the year. 春雪 came in new and struck a pretty strong chord for several days on loop. Upon looking up the lyrics, it was of course another cheese song (something one sided, but anyway). After that I hit upon some songs of Three Body Problem, which, it turns out were in my to check out playlist already anyway. (It feels like Zhou Shen seems to pop it in and out of just about anything Chinese media by now.) The drama has some tracks of his and Endless Sailing is a terrific case of Enrish to behold. The Chinese version 永恒孤独 definitely sounds a tad better also I do wonder why love songs? Does the book have any? The summaries don't sound that way. Anyway even as such it's refrain line "Please don't answer" is kinda haunting while it also relevance to plot of Three body Problem. I have no idea wherefrom G.E.M.'s 面壁者 is – doesn't look like it's from the drama, but some animated thing? It has a nice melody to kinda just sink into. And then there's Tan Wei Wei/Sitar Tan's 歌者 and also that cover version from 咻咻满 (how bizarre that the cover video is the only place to find some english subs). What a terrific earworm. The first lines/refrain just keeps stiking in my head. "I glanced upon my love / I flew by her side / I presented her with a gift / which is a small piece of solidified time". Maybe it's because I had just learned "gift" from 春雪 and that made me understand the lines pretty much without having to do too much looking up, once I actually listened for the words? Not that I wanted to believe it, because, darn it. Another love song again? (Also why, does this series really have a lot about it?) Also yet again a song that isn't part of the drama series, but rather some radio drama's final season's opening theme? I did find some Chinese audio book reading on youtube, but doesn't look like it's this one. Anyhow tried some more Tan Wei Wei und then 小娟 (化名) struck out melodically, but upon looking up the lyrics it's. Uh. A song about domestic violence referencing some real murder cases. From whining over love songs that's a bit of a cold bucket of water… Then by the end of the month dropped Diffrent Kind of Beautiful by pure coincidence. Just another random play from youtube, but the moment I listened to it was basically when some certain other classified news dropped and it's also been around the same hour where I discovered that other plattform with all those up to date latest Kemutai Hanashi chapters. And while I was skimming those I wasn't perfectly listening to the song either, but the title line stuck and it's melody was a stragely fitting mood for this series, as were some fragments of its lyrics. "A diffrent kind of beautiful / …/ the kind that makes me turn around / … / The kind that takes my breath away and leaves me without air / maybe I'm delusional, it's just that kind of beautiful / … / I was hoping that I'd run into you here / but now I'm stumbling / and I can't seem to figure this out / … " Whiiiich, is a bit of a mishearing of it, and the gaps that I didn't pick up at first totally just make it another (one sided) cheese song, but what I selectively did pick up there in that moment kinda is felt exactly fitting to what Kemutai Hanashi is (specifically had to thing of the scene ch15).A whole series about stumbling and "I can't seem to figure this out", about a diffrent kind of beautiful. Breathtakingly so, a kind that makes me turn around.

[mswyrr]

We are currently getting a terrifying preview of what all this would look like in practice. Trump has never shied away from admitting – from promising – that his mass deportation “will be a bloody story.” And the leaders on the Right are currently doing their best to ensure that there will be blood long before the election.

On September 9, J.D. Vance used his social media to rail against “Haitian illegal immigrants draining social services and generally causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio.” He added: “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country. Where is our border czar?”

Vance was leaning into a long-established racist trope used to vilify immigrant communities since at least the late nineteenth century: They are eating our pets! He wasn’t the only one to focus on immigrants from Haiti in Springfield, Ohio: Neo-Nazi groups have been targeting them for quite some time – it is not surprising, although it remains shocking, that Vance, who is extremely in tune with those circles, thought it was a good idea to join them. And as soon as Vance gave them a target, leading Republicans echoed his baseless claims, and the rightwing activist sphere went all in.

Over the next few days, Vance kept doubling down. On September 10, he claimed a child had been murdered by “a Haitian immigrant who had no right to be here.” The senator from Ohio did not care that the child’s parents begged him to stop using their boy, who was killed in a car accident, to demonize immigrants.

Vance even admitted on television that his claims did not stand up to scrutiny. And yet, he felt completely justified in spreading vile lies. In a CNN interview, he said: “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people then that’s what I’m going to do.” Vance does not feel bound by facts – his allegiance is to a Higher Truth, one defined by the blood-and-soil project: The homeland is under siege, overrun with enemies who “poison the blood.” This tale of decline and peril overrides petty facts and superficial reality.

Donald Trump, never one to be burdened by truth and honesty, has joined Vance in trying to incite a pogrom. In a speech in Tuscon, Arizona on September 13, Trump declared: “We will do large deportations from Springfield, Ohio, large deportations. We’re going to get these people out, we’re bringing them back to Venezuela.” (Yes, Venezuela, for some reason.) According to Trump, “illegal Haitian migrants have descended upon a town of 58,000 people destroying their way of life.” The day before, also in Tuscon, Trump had raged: “I am angry about young American girls being raped and sodomized and murdered by savage alien criminals.”

This vile propaganda has had its desired effect. Already on September 12, City Hall, schools, and the DMV in Springfield had to be evacuated because of bomb threats from people raging against the Haitian immigrants. Acts of vandalism against the Haitian community followed. More threats against elementary and middle schools as well as against public officials on September 13. On September 14 and 15, hospitals had to be evacuated – so did universities, as someone threatened to shoot members of the Haitian community on campus. Ohio State Troopers now sweep every building in every school in Springfield Ohio, every morning before the start of classes, looking for explosives, because the bomb threats keep coming. Meanwhile, neo-Nazis are marching through town – the Proud Boys, and a group called Blood Tribe. Life in Springfield, Ohio upended. All based on a lie.

[hypnotisedfireflies]

Prompt Update

Hi everyone! Okay, to help get my head on straight and bring you all up to speed on what this is looking like, here's quick rundown of what's happening with these.

First I just have to say I still haven't picked myself up off the floor: thank you all so much for being so supportive and interested in Driftersverse. I never expected this and then comments, asks, prompts etc just mean so much. And I really do want to do them (and all the love) justice by getting to as many as I possibly can but I am quite behind and need a rich benefactor so I can quit my job to catch up, lol.

Some stats: so far I've had 46 recorded prompts, plus a few casual conversations that didn't make it to my spreadsheet. Of these, we've had six stories combining about 15 prompts from about 12 different people. Then there's been a handful addressed here on Tumblr as drabbles/thoughts.

I have a lot to go. O_O This is what's coming up, but that doesn't mean anything not mentioned here isn't happening/won't be addressed in an ask/won't suddenly appear. I don't do one shots well and prefer to work prompt ideas in with each other to create a larger story. So it sometimes happens that I don't have an idea for something, but then another prompt sails in and they feed off one another.

Details below the cut ...

THE AU

This will start on the morning of 28 September 2003 and is a Driftersverse AU of Tess and Joel meeting without the end of the world. It will probably be written a lot slower than usual stuff and hum along in the background while I continue to write canon-AU-Drifters stuff, so maybe like ... updated weekly or something. It has a 20-chapter outline so far and isn't done so ... yeah, there's that.

Bonus: There has already been a preview of this story buried in one of the others, if you can find it. ;)

THE SUPPLEMENTARY STUFF

In writing all the extra material it made me realise there were a couple of things I overlooked in Drifter's Dawn. I promise not to George Lucas my own shit but I really think it will strengthen the story to add this supplementary material in. It's already kind of there but it's not pronounced enough and I think it's important. It will occur early in the extant story.

Bonus: There may also be an additional later chapter just before Boston.

THE OC/SUPPORTING CHARACTER COLLECTION

So something I never expected was that my OCs would get so much love? That makes me just ... guys. O_O;;; There have been a few requests for stories that focus on these guys (still mostly with a Tessjoel bent) so I thought I would group these into one collection and it, like the AU, can hum along and be added to gradually. Characters featured here so far include Lachie and Rachel POVs, plus some supporting canons getting their own POV chapters like Maria and Ellie.

Bonus: Lachie-finds-out-what-Joel-did is probably the first one I'll write.

THE OTHER STUFF

Then there's the other prompts that don't fit into the above categories that I'm really excited about writing - I'm going to try and priortise ones taking place prior to TLOU as my prompts so far have leaned heavily in the post-TLOU arena and I want to address some of the earlier ones.

Bonus: I had a prompt for more top!Tess and that may be one of the few one shots I do write because YES.

[jgroffdaily]

A reminder that 'Merrily We Roll Along' pre-sale tickets open at 10am on 23 March before the public release of tickets on 24 March.

The opening date still hasn't been announced but this site claims it is 13 October, not 26 October as listed at Playbill.

Update: the presale code sent by email should now have been received/emails are starting to be received.

Merrily We Roll Along Summary (from nytix):

Genre: Play

Merrily We Roll Along is 1 hour 50 minutes long, including an intermission of 15 minutes

8 Shows per week

Previews Begin: September 19, 2023

Show Opens: October 13, 2023

Show Closes: January 21, 2024

REGULAR PRICE TICKETS

ORCH from $139

MEZZ from $99

[10point-must]

Spence - Crawford Preview: Errol Spence Jr Last 5

Errol Spence fights Terence Crawford in Las Vegas on July 29th --- a fight I’ve been hoping for for years. We’ll do an abridged last 5 for each of them, since they’ve been covered pretty extensively here over the years. Today we’ll look at Errol Spence Jr, a fighter I really like, but who’s gear has gone from good to good and terrible over the past few years. Weird amounts of fur, incongruous color combinations etc.

Things were less crazy back in June of 2018 when he beat Carlos Ocampo in Dallas:

A full Dallas Cowboys set with black adidas shoes and Everlast gloves. Referenced here in a previous Spence last 5, in case you want to look back all the way to 2016.

He beat Mikey Garcia in Dallas in March of 2019 wearing sort of a distressed white and gold look:

It was a terrible fight, so I covered it only very briefly here.

In September of 2019 Spence beat Shawn Porter by decision in Los Angeles wearing a nice black and snakeskin set:

Zero complaints with this look from Spence. Full review of this fight here.

Spence had his car accident shortly after this fight, and recovered for 15 months before fighting Danny Garcia in Dallas in December 2020:

This is when things started getting a little weird. Spence was consistent with his use of Everlast gloves and Adidas shoes -- but suddenly there was lots of neon, fur and clashing materials. Full review of this fight here, warning to those who are photosensitive.

 In April of 2022 Spence fought again after a lengthy layoff (largely due to a retina injury) -- brutally stopping Yordenis Ugas in 10 rounds in Dallas.

Obviously, Spence is slowly becoming Matthew Lesko. Or maybe The Joker? Anyway - full review of this fight here. 

July 29th is coming up fast.

Respect box.