#rhyming unintended

[milkybonya]

my twitter is a rollercoaster rn with happiness for eric's return and emotions going rampant for mashidam

it is bittersweet in deobiteume land tonight but i can only hope that we'll make it out alright :")

[good-beanswrites]

My lyrics for Double!! I really loved this song and became like a thousand times more impressed by Deco27 and Natsuki Hanae after working with it for so long 😅 I chickened out of recording this one in the apartment but if anyone wants to cover it... lmk.... 👀 I can definitely put something together to help hear how the rhythms work, because I got it all to line up very nicely! (Lyrics under the cut and my little commentary in the tags)

(I’ve got you, leave it to me!)

Welcome home, it's another day, keeping things at bay, you see no change

Not a smile in this mess, you're doing your best, you say (wake up)

"Don't need a break" as you proceed to start breaking, both sleeping and waking makes you bleed

And now, reborn anew -- I'll take in on for you

Not your plan? Who gives a damn, I'm here and here is where I'll stay

It's just the two of us, nothing left to run from. You're safe now, your hero's come.

All I did was dream, is that a crime? Is that enough to name me guilty by?

"He can't be trusted, he lied," you cried. Made me out as the bad guy. But why?

Ah, I'm the one that saved you, don't you see? So tell me why the hell you cry to me!

Let me hear you revel, grateful, cling to me with "savior," "adore" -- oh, sing to me.

Welcome home, it's another day, keeping things at bay, you see no change

Too late, your limits passed. Too late, yourself has cracked (goodnight)

If you persist I'll assist with releasing, keeping your peace is why I exist

And now reborn anew -- I'll take it on for you

(Oh, hello? Mom? It’s been a while. Yeah.. well, I mean, some days are hard but I’m doing alright, don’t worry. How’ve you been? I’ll go home next time I get some time off...)

The reason I'm alive, must be making sure that you survive

"He can't be trusted, he lied," you cried. Made me out as the bad guy. But why?

All I did was dream, did you forget? Go on and forgive me, I'm no threat.

Listen to me confess, honest. Eat your words and I bet, regret

Ah, I just tried to help, tried to be strong. So tell me why the hell it's all gone wrong

Let me hear you revel, grateful, cling to me with "savior," "adore" -- don't sing me this song

Lost my memory

I'm double, it was unavoidable

Living painfully

I'm trying, as hard as possible

Tell me, tell me.

If I wasn't born, maybe this trouble --

Tell me, tell me.

It's all my fault

[charlesreedscoolhat]

In honor of pride month I have to say I am 100% convinced graham carpenter is gay

[pop-roxs]

So I’m this situation where I am in school right now, wearing my full Grell cosplay except the makeup and wig. Nobody has even realised that I’m in semi cosplay.

also I’m going to be doing a heart dissection in cosplay woo

thoughts?

ok one slay tf i wish i could cosplay so bad

two PLEASE. BE CAREFUL. TRY NOT TO MESS UP YOUR COSPLAY.

[fantabulisticity]

"How dare you try to hide from me while you pee. Those stall doors won't stop me 😤" -- the cat

[funkycloewn]

I've once again come from the dead to post lmaooo

After having avoided the pilot for so long in fear of getting sucked into the world and fandom, I finally watched Lackadaisy! (My fears were right btw as it has a grip on me rn) I love it and subsequently read the comic so I knew everything and wouldn't get spoilered.

Anyway, a little time after I came across the amazing interactive fic called the Under The Devil's Moon made by @libras-interactives

I enjoyed a lot (and can't wait for the next chapter/update) and couldn't help but make ocs due to this fic being a sort of self insert thing

These characters shown are only two out the five I made :]

It's sorta rambly but I hope you enjoy it anyway!! (Especially you, Iibra 🥺)

Name: Margaret Quinn

Nickname: Daisy

Date of Birth: October 26, 1889 (31 Years Old)

Personality:

(Mostly the usual callgirl personality with some stuff added into the mix)

Years of being in the industry, has shaped this feline to be calm, gentle and soft spoken. She knows what her customers want and acts accordingly so. Though, she doesn't particularly show it — that would be bad for her image as a callgirl — she is quick to give a person a label, to categorize them. She doesn't mean to be judgy but this mindset has helped her out countless of times, so she continues on; getting to know that someone is the only way for her to lift off the verdict she holds. With the ones she loves, Margaret is very caring towards. Making sure they're well fed with both food and love is one of her top priorities. (Though, recently that has been a difficult task to maintain) This, unfortunately, can make her pushy and stubborn even when she means well.

Romantic Relationship:

Out of all the characters to choose from I chose our friendly local bartender, Viktor Vasko. At one time I was thinking of either Zib or Sable but after reading about how he would treat Chester, I was sold. I can't for that romance to unfold! :D (rhyming unintended)

Other:

• She was born and lived most of her life in the outskirts of New Orleans

• Her mother succumbed to a yellow fever outbreak, leaving her and a few other kids orphaned.

• This led to her forming a group with said children and the four of them residing in an abandoned shack.

• Margaret knows how to fix things at least temporarily because of this (e.g. pipes and infrastructure).

• (This one is a little violent so warning for that :'D) Both her front paws are missing their claws. This is due to a farmer who got sick of her constantly stealing his chickens.

• The pearl necklace she has, was given to her by Flynn. She doesn’t like anyone to know that and avoids the question when asked who she got it from.

• She likes fidgeting with the pearls. The way they softly clack when moved and the feeling of them soothes her.

• Due to her motherly nature, she will "adopt" (translation: care and look after) anyone under the age of 25 with who she is somewhat close to, especially when they are boys

• She sees Jack and Marius as older sons of hers

• Rocky could (will) be a contender for the spot of a fourth son

• She always carries a box containing a sewing kit, buttons and patches

• This has come in handy plentiful of times for Jack, mostly. On rare occasions Marius is in need of them, though I would think he's picky on what she uses; they have to match.

• Though, she says she doesn't know who Chester's father is, she knows. She just doesn't like to acknowledge it.

Voice Claim: Tiana from Princess and the Frog

Name: Chester Quinn

Date of Birth: January 6, 1917 (3 Years Old)

Personality:

This little troublemaker, has a great fondness for being one with the earth. By that I mean, he loves digging. Chester likes creating craters at playgrounds or parks, all the while letting himself be covered in freshly dug up soil. Almost all of his clothes have a grass stain and Larochka fears that he might have stained his chubby little hands for eternity. Speaking of fashion, he hates wearing shoes. A tantrum is bound to occur if you simply try to make him wear a pair. Even if you somehow achieve the impossible, he will just claw them off and chuck them. However despite all that, he's well meaning and can be gentle at times. He enjoys snuggling with him Mama or Larochka. Chester is very social and when out he's always looking for a way to make people smile.

Other:

• If he likes you, he'll make you a 'special mud pie' (a mud pie sprinkled with hand picked flowers; the more flowers, the more he likes you)

• He's handsy, mostly because he's an affectionate boy but also due to the fact he has poor eye sight.

• While he's chubby right now he grows to look more like his father, even somewhat in the face department.

• Fortunately for everyone and the tom himself, he grows out of his habit to refuse any kind of footwear. Don't tease older Chester about his phase, though, because he will get embarrassed and he will look like he just ate a sour lemon.

Voice Claim: Greg from Over the Garden Wall

Cleaned up and with his eye color when he gains his melanin

Wonder who the dad is lmaoo

Lastly a size comparison (not sure if it's accurate tho lol)

[moonfeatherblue]

*Blue, on realising she has not yet provided all the wonderful MacGuffins with the notes from our previous brainstorming stream*

...

...?

...???!!!

I'M SOOOOOOOO SORRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!

HERE'S THE VOD!!!

AND HERE ARE THE NOOOOOOOTESSSS!!!

Brainstorming - INCONVENIENT CURSES

What are the most creative, most irritating, yet ultimately harmless ways we could magically ruin somebody’s day? Who are we cursing and why? What about any unintended side effects? How do we break these curses? Is there anyone this curse just will not affect?

Hangnails

One nostril only

Small creature shows up random times of the day to make people question their decision; they have to answer and the creature only leaves when person annoyed; person left with feelings of annoyance and never knows why; the cursed ate the last pizza

Seasonal allergies

World procedurally regenerated each day; when you wake up need to refigure where all your common spots are; workplace across down, directly above you, etc

Sneezing before you lie; can’t fib without sneezing; break it by being honest for an entire day

Everything 2cm left of where your senses think it is

Fart whenever it’s quiet – library, buses, awkward silences; curse on someone who was extremely rude and made them feet embarrassed – now YOU shall be the one who is embarrassed

Every time you feed your pet you hear their thoughts about the food; too salty, too chewy, not enough meat; person cursed likely a vet, shelter worker, etc

CAN A CURSE BE PASSED LIKE A COLD, MUTATION, ETC

Curse where say your thoughts out loud without realising it

Inconvenient curses gravitate towards those who commit social faux pas – more you do, more curses you get

Speak in emojis

Sing everything you say

50% chance of getting something stuck in your eye in a particular area or time

Curse where constantly switch regional dialects

Mistake someone waving to someone behind you as waving to you – every time and obviously

Losing balance at odd moments

Random allergy to whatever and only cure is apple juice, apple pie, etc

Crave random food even if you don’t know it

Get good ideas to just forget it but know that it happened

Randomly hear someone calling your name but it’s in your head

Sometimes poetic justice; sometimes people are just petty (and easily offended)

Every time you touch something fingertips leave paint stains only you can see and they disappear when you look away/blink

Curse to see lights shine more intensely/every light source is a flashbang

Unable to say a specific word; only way to break the curse is to get someone else to say it and pass the curse on

Everything inanimate around you is alive – talk, think, laugh, etc – but only the cursed are aware

Touch renders medicine ineffective; only affects medicine you don’t take; could accidentally render much of the world’s medicine unusable

Have series/film/games/books, etc spoiled at random unexpected points

Every time someone prays for you downfall, get a random tiny annoying curse, etc, routine toe stubbing; celebrities, politicians, etc

Unable to distinguish dreams from real life

Forced to say dad jokes, only if you try to say it something physically stops you

Sneeze every time someone talks about you

Makes you believe you have children, but you don’t

Lose a dollar each time you lay a curse; magical curse jar

Unable to have your own emotions; only able to feel others’ emotions

Cursed so unable to swear

Cursed not to laugh

Curse corporation/billionaire so for 64 days they lose twice as much money as last time

Every time you use a microwave time slows by 10%

Every day a the same time play a movie in head or recite a long quote

Cursed to become Australian; only way to break the curse is to move somewhere else

Toenails are now delicious

Every time you’ve forgotten something you get an itch you can’t scratch

Cursed balloon – if it hits the ground SOMETHING INCONVENIENT HAPPENS

Only speak in rhymes, movie quotes, lyrics

Fluent in every language, only you can never speak the language of the person you’re trying to speak with at that time

Always see a silhouette in the corner of your eye, but it moves to another ‘corner’ whenever you try to get a better look

Magical games of rock, paper, scissors – loser is cursed INCONVENIENTLY

Every purchase made, at least one dollar must be made with physical currency

Believe people like your jokes, but people actually hate them; real curse is you keep alienating people without realising with your terrible jokes

Never have the exact amount of change

Every sink tap is too short and you rub your hands against the wall of the sink every time you wash

Curse that changes sexuality; only once or a daily occurrence or every time someone smiles at you; only use in very specific conditions; a not too difficult way to break the curse

Cursed word search – the last word always changes when you try to find it

Normal person, 9-5 job, nothing on criminal record, cursed that every hitman in the world knows their exact location; no one cares

Every time you do the laundry, one sock will teleport to a random location in your house

Cursed microphone with a constantly changing filter

All drinks not out of the tap undrinkable

Cursed toilet stall – instant intercontinental travel; no control; isekai toilet

Every video game you own turns into Shrek Cart – even if you buy a new game, it immediately turns into Shrek Cart; how do we break this – find a genuine copy and get gold trophies on every prix; beat the game in 7 days otherwise you’re stuck

Passport always expired

Random points in time, favourite and disliked fandom ships are flipped

Computer transformed into operatable reproduction of ENIAC

People always call you by the wrong, but close enough first name – Jon or Greg instead of George 0

Cursed object – insulting magic 8 ball

Cursed so that people think you look like a celebrity who looks nothing like you

Slowed metabolism to the point that fruit becomes like wine

RPG maker game must beat in seven days or else you turn into a living voxel version of your character sprite

OC turns out to be a niche character from an official media

Cursed necklace – shifts to compliment your outfit, but can’t take it off or make it longer, shorter, etc – whacks in face playing sport, etc; gets stuck in machines, etc

Cursed shoes – can change into any shoes you want, but every time, eg, you walk by the end of a curb you trip; are there ways to counter the tripping?

Curse unable to have your own opinions; makes you adopt any opinion you hear

Cursed necklace makes you say the opposite of what you intend

World around you lowers in polygon count and graphical detail as the real main character walks away and loads a different section of the map; break the curse if you find the real protagonist, but only get a few guesses; MC curses given to people who are overly narcissistic

Cursed spoon – can’t hold more than 50% capacity; if more, everything falls off

Curse where can rid people of their grudges, but you obtain the grudge of the person you took it from

Move like you have tank controls

Live through most viewed ao3 tags and tropes

Cursed grill randomly curses food

Know you’re part of the main cast of a show, but the least favourite

See relationships people share connecting them as strings of different colours

Whenever you wish misfortune upon someone, you get hit with a random inconvenient curse

Cursed to, when you are an adult, be hit with an unknown curse, spend childhood learning and preparing to deal with any curse and spend YA figuring out your curse

Cursed object – world’s most comfy bed/sofa, but gives you random status effects – sleepy, itchy, freezing, hot, sneezy, etc

First bite of meal is heavenly, but becomes worse and worse the more you eat; a food critic is cursed; all the people they critique would suffer as well; eventually figure out the critic is the problem, not the food; could be a cursed restaurant so all their food is like this

Need to use a new pair of utensils for every bite of a meal; or else the utensils dissolve into the food(?); what if use hands??? Very unpleasant…

Need to wash your hands every time you turn the page of a book, magazine, comic, etc; OCD implications; also applies to digital media; break by stopping obsessing over cleanliness – what if you can’t due to health reasons?

Cursed website – has all the answers you need but won’t stop buffering

Person you are talking to knows the last tab you opened

Unable to do what you should when on camera – instead of behaving like yourself, behave like a chaotic three year old

Cursed car – the car of your dreams, but e.g. runs on songs, reciting poem, etc, from memory, or need to do a captcha before driving and always fails a few times; would work well with a villain who is a singer – monologue-powered car

In social situations, every time you have a good joke or idea, someone else beats you to it; the cursed people are those who always interrupt or talk over others

Curse where everything you say happens and to stop it from happening you have to speak in rhyme

Sub-standard adrenaline, so slightly slower and groggier in high-pressure situations, but also means anxiety not as bad

Every time a Hollywood celebrity makes a film about a certain condition, they are they diagnosed with it

Everything in your agenda and calendar must happen even if you’re not ready, so you end up standing in a room doing nothing until allotted time is over

Blood is a dazzling unnatural color so when blush it’s obvious – turn bright purple, blue, etc – mortifying… but kind of cute

Cursed yoyo never goes back up but has infinite string

Captcha curses – click all the images with a bike, one image has a tiny bit of bike tyre in it, need to debate whether it counts

Cursed doll – wants to be your friend, but can only move for 10 seconds a day when you’re not in the room

Curse someone with certain subservient kinds and interests to be errand person of an attractive person they’re into – magically-bound servant

People who talk in theatres/cinemas – cursed to a respectful hush whenever the lights go down; makes it hard to speak up after sunset; break the curse by accepting your behaviour can affect others and making a conscious effort to be quiet in these situations; does not affect those with a diagnosable difficulty with volume control

If you drop litter, every piece of litter you pass follows you around, shuffling along after you in a trail, until you actively pick up every piece and put it in the appropriate bins; weaker effect if litter was dropped completely by accident

Every song you sing, you manifest the lyrics

Haunting figure eternally watching you through the window, but when you go out they’re gone

Every time you try to say a rhyme, you mispronounce the rhyming vowel – you have a very important poetry competition coming up

When you press backspace it deletes the entire – sentence? Paragraph? STORY????

Eraser that always smudges but does smudge on blank paper

Eternal light source dimmer – all others turn it back to normal

Every time you do/cross a source of bad luck it multiplies the effect; how to break this curse before it really hurts you

Guess everything correctly at the very last minute – STRESSFUL but potentially useful? The people you’re with wonder why you didn’t think of it earlier

In life need balanced good and bad luck – learn how to accumulate more ‘safe’ bad luck to manipulate good luck; casino – accumulate good or back luck? Balance out eventually to good luck

A bully cursed so their right hand always shoots straight up when the teacher asks a question, whether they know the answer or not; the bully becomes the bullied; how to break the curse – STOP BEING A BULLY

In a public space always run into a random person from work/school that you don’t really know or recognise, but they definitely know youuuuuuuu

Presentation curse – always make Freudian slips, a stutter that only comes out while making presentations, etc

Feel like you want dessert but actually too full and it makes you sick…

A cursed publishing house forces authors to take breaks or else their nails fall out and get stuck under the keys of their keyboard; only regrow when they sleep

Always confuse 100 with 0 by accident

Cursed to never run as fast as you think, lift as much as you think, climb as high as you think, etc; would make you second guess your abilities all the time; confidence-related; person who receives this curse has a big ego, overconfident, etc; metaphor for health problems

Can only speak in double/triple negatives and confuse everyone

Terrible jokes at inappropriate times; only jokes you can tell now

What are some potential plotlines that could include these inconvenient curses?

A small-time witch in financial straits because she can’t stop laying curses and is herself cursed to lose a dollar every time she lays a curse; magical mafia??

Follow a magical researcher trying to figure out the inconvenient curse problem like it’s cancer research; are all inconvenient curses based on the same magic

Cursed jewellery shop – sometimes buy to curse others; sometimes buy objects with some good side effects for yourself, learn to deal with the curse part; cursed to sell cursed jewellery until equal the price of the cursed crown the shop keeper stole

Criminal cursed so everyone they talk to knows the last tab they opened – suddenly getting in trouble a lot more

A world where inconvenient curses are commonplace – lots of shops, etc, buy curses – e.g. achieving enlightenment can grant immunity from all curses; many supposed remedies that don’t work well

Rounding up enough curses to create a ‘blessed one’

Group of witches competing with each other to see who’s the best at hexing, so they place inconvenient curses to measure their prowess – who do they curse? Round up people who deserve it? POV of someone randomly rounded up to be a victim in this game? Witches go looking for victims or, while they search, wind up getting cursed themselves; just round up people they don’t like? IS THIS A SPORT with sponsors, championships, etc; people cursed are petty criminals convicted to take part? Sponsors on witches hats; theme songs???

MC inherits all the curses in the world and carries them to cleanse the world

Cursed food truck selling cursed food to find the one who is immune to curses; what will they do once they find people who are immune?

Unlucky guy upsets a bunch of witches (by accident?) but only enough to be cursed inconveniently; has to make it up to them so they remove it; servant to a witch coven? But treated well; doesn’t want to actually break the curse because likes his life with them – better than unlucky life outside; actually wholesome, winds up not minding the silly curses; witches eventually remove curses because he’s become like family; cute ways for him to endear himself to the witches; witches everyday lives – some traditionally witchy aspects, but still going to work every day, etc; basically stay-at-home partner for entire witch coven

[aquaquadrant]

if you haven't seen it yet PLEASE check out tango's latest vod ("Hermitcraft - GREAT times with Scar!") timecode 00:17

there is an (unintended) htp reference im going crazy about rn

[transcript:

Tango: Impulse named his horse Bdubs Noodle? He thought I could name my horse Skidoodle? That does rhyme, Noodle and Skidoodle... I thought you're say he uhh... named his horse Dbubs. Which is my new nickname for him. Dbubs.]

HAH i did actually hear him do that on a stream last month, so it’s nice to see he’s keeping up the trend 😂 between that and joe suggesting “bx” as a name for an xb alter ego i’m like damn…. i shoulda chose more inventive names for my helsmits hagajdhahs

[sodorcentral]

This song is weird as hell, but the lyrics actually fit the theme of Thomas quite well. (Rhyme unintended)

[fiveironfanatic]

It's interesting. As someone who didn't come out as queer until adulthood, and who still isn't fully out in a lot of ways, the tactics that people used to make me feel bad about myself to get me to behave in line with their ideals... They're still present in the queer community, y'know? They manifest in different ways, but honestly, a lot of them are the same.

Example: "You're not going to form a Perfect Christian Marriage if you don't keep your heart pure!" vs. "Nobody's gonna want to fuck you unless you *insert queer in-group's specific criteria du jour*!" (Rhyme was unintended but I stand by it)

Even setting aside how gross it is that, in both cases, fuckability is implicitly tied to your worth as a human being (and that's a LOT to set aside), the fact that the overall tactics are similar in both cases to establish an in-group versus an out-group fascinates me.

Like, the guilt those tactics tap into is present in both my past and present, but it's been altered. It's almost like...

*rumbling sounds*

...Hang on, do you hear that?

*Rumbling Intensifies*

Is that...? No, it couldn't be...

*Sam Reich bursts through my door, dressed in his pinstripe suit and wielding his little microphone. He speaks:*

"Geeet Ready for a Shame Changer!"

[ask-dcf]

Long story tori. (Rhyme unintended ) anyhoo can you tell us more about this human mage?

(38/50)

[raw-law]

..if I died, would you mourn for me for two full seconds, or for three?..

...rhyme unintended. Excuse my momentary lapse into the realm of an infantile complainee, I'm riding on god knows how much medicine. Hell is here.

Wompwomp, as the saying goes. Guess I'm not as tough as I thought.

-- Anon 🍰

Light:

Are you okay? Well, whatever it is you're going through, I hope it gets better soon...

L:

i doubt that's true, the bit about you "not being as tough as you thought". for one, you're clearly intelligent. i think you already know that, and if you don't, well it's true. and that intelligence shows a lot more about you than you probably think it does. in fact i could rattle off a few things. like how your attentiveness and analyzation skills make you a great comforter. or how your ability to switch between light-hearted jokes to deeper conversations makes you both a great friend and a great educator. or how your genuine care for the world makes you a genuine person.

you are a person. people matter. i know that even when i say otherwise. light knows that even if he can't articulate it. and i know you know it too even if you think it doesn't apply to you.

so yes, i would mourn. i may not know your full identity, but i've at least seen a glimpse of who you are. now do me a favor and lean off of whatever medicine's causing this delusion, that way i won't have to mourn, yeah? keep safe.

[warningsine]

Marzieh Meshkini’s three-part film, “The Day I Became a Woman,” from 2000, is a masterwork of symbolic cinema; it depicts, with vast imagination, the ordeals faced by women in modern Iranian society. Meshkini reportedly made it as three separate short films, in order to elude the system of official censorship that governed features but not shorts. The result is a trio of tightly composed and lyrically filmed episodes, titled by the name of their protagonists, that offer images of enormous psychological power—images that ought to haunt both the memory and the subconscious of anyone who sees them.

The film set on Kish Island, in the Persian Gulf, and all three episodes take place largely by the sea, making use of both its photogenic and its metaphorical aspects. The first story, “Hava,” features a girl on the day of her ninth birthday—the day, according to her grandmother, that she becomes a woman, and, as a result, the day that she must cover her hair with a head scarf, and that she can no longer play with her best friend, a boy named Hassan. After Hassan is sadly turned away and Hava, bewildered, protests, Hava’s mother finds a rather ingenious loophole, allowing her one last brief outing with her friend—but, by the time Hava arrives at Hassan’s home, he’s virtually imprisoned there, forced to do homework for fear that his teacher will hit him. Instead, the two forlorn friends share a snack, through the jail-like bars of his window, that evokes both the submission to religious law and the power of yet another law—the one of unintended consequences—that gives rise to surprising behavior and knowledge and reverberates with scriptural overtones regarding forbidden fruit and the power of temptation. (It also delivers, in a subplot involving Hava’s head scarf, a notable metaphorical suggestion of whom society’s rules empower and whom they restrict.)

The second story, “Ahoo,” features a man on a galloping horse, loudly calling the name of the protagonist and scaring away the animals and birds on the scruffy plain. The creatures get the idea; striking fear is his intention. He aggressively gallops toward a large group of female cyclists who are pedalling urgently along a narrow seaside road and rides menacingly close to one biker, Ahoo, whom he orders off her bike and back home. (Looking straight ahead, without even wasting a glance at him, she whispers, “No,” in a cinematic moment of sublime defiance and freedom.) He leaves—and then returns with another horseman, a mullah who’s there to perform a divorce on the spot if she won’t give up her bike (which the clergyman calls “the devil’s mount”). She blankly intones, “Go ahead, divorce me.” As Ahoo speeds ahead through the pack of bikers and then slows down and falls behind, the number of horsemen showing up to coerce her off the bike and back to the family and the tribe successively increases. It’s a fablelike mechanism of poetic repetition that Meshkini’s direction emphasizes, in a series of simple, swift, majestic, and recurring (or rhyming) images that follow Ahoo, from the side in tracking shots, from the front in closeups, and from behind in her virtual point of view, as she makes her way among the crowd of other women cyclists and away from her oppressive male pursuers. What’s clear is that the black-clad group ride is actually a horde of women fleeing their husbands, families, and clans—it’s a ride of freedom with a funereal tone, a simple yet spectacular fusion of kinetic ecstasy and tragedy.

The third story, “Hoora,” features an elderly woman, stooped and limping, disembarking from an airplane at the Kish airport. There, a boy working as a porter pushes her, in a wheelchair-like cart, on her peculiar errands: he takes her to one shopping mall after another, where, pulling cash from her stocking, she spends enormous amounts of money buying a wide variety of household goods that she has always lacked, including a refrigerator (all her life, she says, she wanted cold water), an ironing board, a bathtub, a washing machine, a stereo, makeup, and a batch of pots and pans. As the boxes full of her treasures accumulate, she’s followed by a line of young porters towing them on their carts, until she orders the workers to spread her possessions on the beach. What results is an amazing precursor to Agnès Varda’s film “The Beaches of Agnès,” in which Hoora virtually moves onto the beach, with her most important new possession as the centerpiece of the display: a bedroom featuring a big bed and a wedding gown. No less than in Varda’s film, this scene stages the passions of a lifetime in terms of a first-person reckoning. Meshkini’s breathtaking tableaux suggest a double absence, rendering Hoora in the split guise of a merry widow and a Miss Havisham, even as she prepares for another, perhaps final, and similarly symbolized journey (one that nonetheless unites the three tales in a deft and bittersweet flourish).

Stream “The Day I Became a Woman” on Vimeo.

[blogofloathing]

Taking a look under the bridge by the Seaside Institute of Technology, we find Victoria Martinez

A muddy clothed, dusty haired sweetheart. Noisily digging in the lake for anything edible,

or useful, times are tough these days, as she likes to say to herself, and anyone who'll listen.

which isn't many, she found that most people were not too keen on hearing the ramblings of a dirty homeless girl, no matter how important she thought they were, even less so in this scenery.

The bridge she had called home for the better part of a month wasn't anything to sneeze at,

Cause if you did it would probably fall right over.

Rusty and dusty, and musty too, she found the unintended rhyming somewhat amusing,

Throw a crusty in there too to complete the picture

This was where she spent her days, scrounging for things thrown over the side, or attempting to catch falling debris when it came, either way once it touched the ground it was fair game to her.

Though reckoning with the city's new regulations on littering, had proved to be quite grueling.

At midday already, skin tanning almond even in the spotty shade, she tossed back her overgrown mat, frizzy and unmanageable at the best of times, it was more of a scarf than anything resembling hair.

After a final once-over of the trash heap they called a river, she conceded in having found no purchase, turning halfway to yell "sorry Walter! nothin today!"

He was seated quite a ways away, leaned against a support beam, idly checking his fishing rod every couple of beats, incase a fish had chosen to pop in

And not wanting to waste his breath yelling back, her, in her words only, "bridge buddy" Walter, shoots a thumbs up and shrugs. As usual seeming only half aware of what she was saying.

Victoria guessed he probably had it better than her, being zoned out left the fisherman unable to worry about problems even they both faced.

However, unfortunately ignorance is only bliss for the ignorant, with the other left to play caretaker.

She didn't hold it against the mumbling goon, after all his fishing skills were half the reason the pair had even survived so long, and Victoria would be dammed if she took it for granted now.

Clumsily righting herself, she wiped off any gunk that stuck to her fingers or her already filthy pants,

and considered her equally filthy options, there weren't a lot, they seemed to draw further with each given day, as usual she was on a clock..

Maybe the lady at Fission Chips could give her a free meal again, though her "winning smile" was hampered a bit by having not had access to a toothbrush, or running water, for.. some time. But she made do. One way or another she would eat.

It was mainly a question of if she could still work her charms on a girl who could practically see the stink lines radiating off of her pockmarked skin.

.. or she could always, go back out on the streets, even in this current state of unhygeine, meat was meat, moxious flair didn't exactly matter when your customers are desperate enough to seek you out.

Victoria shuddered the thought, skin prickling at the unsavory prospect, no, that was a last resort..

Tremulous meal plans, were abruptly cut short by a hard *THWAP!* to rustle her birds nest. "Ow! Hey! What gives-" Victoria started with a shout,

and a hand on the now growing bump, quickly quieting as she realized who was standing there.

Simone Chekhov of the S.I.T Robotechtronics Department, stood just before her, looking displeased, though that didn't say much.

"Oh-hi-Simone-what's-up?" Victoria says way too fast, her tone gaining an uncharacteristicly soft lilt upon seeing her less than enthused friend.

With dark hair that seemed to shine, in two lofty pigtails tucked behind her freckled ears,

Victoria thought this sometimes made her look like a disappointed rabbit, much to her chagrin

Simone's expression is—to Victoria at least—fully inscrutable, a mixture of what she felt was pity, which annoyed her. Though one of care too, which also annoyed her, but on Simone she didn't mind.

Infact Victoria found a lot of things that usually soured her mood, did the opposite when it was her.

"You know it's against campus policy to fish in the lake right?" Simone says, partially just to tease her,

though her lingering glance in Walter's direction told Victoria her comment wasn't entirely in jest.

She spoke in a way that evoked a school teacher the day after a sub had to fill in, like Victoria was singled out, specifically mentioned in the note.

"Hey us hobos gotta make do ay?" She gave back, a feigned look of nonchalance. Simone didn't give this the dignity of a reply, but wore that expression of mild disdain that always left Victoria grinning like moron. "Well I'm feeling generous-"

Simone began before being immediately cut off "for little ol me? How thoughtful" hands on her chest, fluttering her eyes exaggeratedly. This girl-

Simone sighed and shook her head, though the smirk growing on her face was unmistakable. She may be a nuisance, but Simone loves a gal that can push her buttons. "Let's get you cleaned up girl."

She looked her taller companion up and down, the rips and messy patches made up her stature,

Somewhat wooden, which contrasted pleasantly with Simone's more full figured appearance.

Victorias clothes seemed to hang off of her thin frame, moreso resembling a coat hanger.

Not to mention that curly beast, all a greasy mess, she would have to find a way to get that girl into a bath somehow, despite hydrophobic tendencies

"you look like shit" and smell about as much too, though she only said that last little bit in her head.

"Oh and you were sniffing me hm?" She teased, marking the rainfall of red splotches on the other girls face, "I- I don't need to! Its in the damn air!"

Glasses now acrooked, she sighed blearily before adjusting them back to normal, "frankly I'm kinda considering not letting you come back to my-"

"I get to come over?!" A comical expression of jubilation careening right into her with a crash.

Entirely missing Simone's attempt at a threat, "well, not with that attit-" she retried in vain.

But without allowing her to continue, Victoria had jumped up excitedly, almost too quick as to stumble over into a heap.

finding uneasy equilibrium, she clumsily put out an arm over her good shoulder.

Chanting "Simone's house! Simone's house! She has running water and food! Hurrah! Hurrah!" Simone giggled and sighed affectionately, this girl..

•••

"Soooooo" Victoria trailed, in a way that Simone had come to learn means "please feed me"

"Oh I dunnooo," she moseyed with a smirk, "maybe if a girl will agree to a baaath" her sly grin intimating how reluctant the intense girl usually is for the suggestion, mirroring Victorias grimace.

Telling tales of the many such ultimatums she'd faced, in an apparent never ending battle against proper bathing,

Like a puppy with a treat dangling above its nose she followed.

Simone would feed her anyway, she just loved to play this game, and clearly Victoria did too.

The gears turned and clicked noisily in her head, something in that coconut was lighting up.

She could almost make out a bushy tail wagging.

"Dahhhh.. okay! I'll do it!" She shouted, "but ya better take me out for some Fission Chips!"

This seemed a fair trade, the bespectacled girl nodded quietly, "and let's bring Walter too!"

The sudden expletion freezing Simone straight in her tracks, like running headlong smack into a brick wall, she was praying this wouldn't happen.

Absolutely not, no way, not even for a moment desperately fevered internally, but out loud she said "sounds funnnn" while looking opposite her.

Seemingly incapable of understanding hints, the muddy girl howled "woo woo! Cmon Walter get your ass over here!" Practically pulling him over to the duo with an invisible stage hook.

are you kidding me? Once again only spoken as thoughts, she wanted to like Walter really but, he was like if Victoria had been squared.

And even one was far too much Victoria for her.

The equally dirt splotched fisherman hobbled over to the group, "howdy pals! I'm excited to-"

Screeching to a slow halt at the dark look on her face, "join y'all for lunch.." nervously chuckling.

"And we're happy to have you Walt!" A genuine joy bleeding off in obvious globs of serenity, unlike Simone's begrudging glare through him.

Beating back at the fire emanating from her pale skinned companion, Victoria nabbed both in a shoulder to shoulder.

"Let's hang out at Simmy's house and then it's free food time!!" Shouting that last part in a mock announcers voice.

"Alright.." she shuddered in an icy tone, "but I better not see any shoes tracking shit inside"

Eyeing Walter's flip flops, which were more flip than flop, and Victoria's.. sneakers

Caked in so many miscellaneous memories that they hardly resembled footwear at all.

"Lookin to catch a peek? Oo Simone you freak-" "Ahg- Not like that!!" She shouted without even giving me a chance to describe Victorias dialogue

Holding both hands up in a mock gesture of disarming, though glancing a smirk at Walter.

Which was reciprocated, at the expense of another smack to Victoria's surely traumatized skull.

The trio walked arm in arm, laughing and smiling, this is good Simone shyly thought, this is nice.

And it's a dorm not a house, you dummy, momentarily souring her otherwise blissful mood.

[arcxnumvitae]

First Chia now Lea (rhyme unintended), Minglian's just gaining bunches of cool ladies to look up to huh.

[tothedarkdarkseas]

i know we dont want to think too long about the tiktoks here, but what are your thoughts on 2d and poetry. would "your ideal stu" write it and if yes, how/what?

You know, I've felt a bit torn on this. It actually doesn't offend me terribly for the canon Stu to try his hand at poetry (though I assume if any followup to that request was posted on Tiktok, it would be cloying and childish in nature) but I can't say it feels the most organic for my ideal Stu. I think the proper lad in him would find it poncy, he'd prefer simplistic school-age poems that rhyme or feature a crude punchline; he also doesn't see himself as a man of "lofty, erudite" hobbies like reading plays or poetry, and that is both a point of rough-and-tumble shallow pride, and a point of quite private, quite unspoken (even internally) insecurity regarding his head trauma and intelligence. This comes into contrast with the moodier artist's persona he inhabits more and more as he ages, his generally uncomedic and more loosely structured (freeform) approach to songwriting, and his penchant for compelling abstract journaling. There is undoubtedly a form of poetry in both of the latter activities. If I'm honest though, I think that is the most plausible application of it: something once-removed, an innately poetic expression of Stuart's mental, emotional, and creative state more than a recognized attempt to write poetry. A man who lives in two fractured halves is poetic whether he means to be or not, but without intent, is he a poet? I think Stuart and Murdoc communicate themselves through their music so much, and often in such damning and unkind ways, that Stu has adopted a strange relationship to his writing and a habit of sewing together thoughts only he can parse. Realistically, that is where I think his unintended poetry ends up. You could argue the songs that never make it to record, or out of a notebook at all, are a sort of poetry he's never called as much.

Having said that, I still wouldn't be shocked to see Stuart sell a book of poetry, though I'm less certain how earnest it would be. Is it whimsical, intoxicated stream of consciousness punctuated in doodles, spotted with jokes, trailing-off lines and foggy implications? Or is it-- not to mince words-- a play for pussy? Is it "a breaking out the acoustic guitar at the college party" play? I'm always tempted by the laddish option just for the pure chaos factor. That's really giving me pause on this answer, haha. I'm going to have to think about it and get back to you!