#seriously I cannot overstate how amazing this is

[ionlycareaboutyou]

please take a listen!! this episode was really fun to record because we could talk about our own personal experiences with the film in depth and talk about why we think it’s endured for so long.

Hey! Episode 2 of our podcast is now live! Thanks again to everyone who listened to our first one and of course thanks to @ionlycareaboutyou for being a great cohost!

[seaofreverie]

Sparkstember Day 19: Lil' Beethoven (Ride 'Em Cowboy)

First of all, let this very important fact be known: the love I have for all three albums in the Lil' Beethoven trilogy cannot be overstated. I think I can safely call them my favourite pieces of art ever made. You know, when you look forward to something and it not only lives up to all your expectations but it's also just SO SO much more? Something about this neoclassical / dada / deconstruction of pop music / whatever-you-should-even-call-it approach is absolutely PERFECTLY suited for my tastes, and I didn't even know I was looking for something EXACTLY like this until I found it.

I think the circumstances of my first hearing of this album are pretty funny and something I got pretty lucky with actually (I often think about this with Sparks in general, as much as I wish I've known about them sooner I also do feel like they appeared in my life when I needed that the most. But anyway.) I was very eagerly looking forward to hearing it and finally seeing for myself what the genius of this album is all about. But I insisted that I can only do it through a physical format because yesss, let's make it even more *special*! The moment I've been waiting for! So yeah let's gooo, I need to wait until my CD arrives in the mail (that was one of the longest weeks of my life). And then I started to wonder, well, maybe I actually won't like it that much. To hype myself up to this extent and then be severly dissapointed - would have sucked!

Well, I was NOT dissapointed. Instead I was perplexed, confused, but also very intrigued and quite, ok not just quite, *completely* amazed already. That was the initial reaction and I think it's a rare but very beautiful moment when this happens - no need to *fully* grasp it right away, but enough to be all like "oh that was SOMETHING. I need more." As I said after that first listen (and I actually have my whole LIVE reaction to hearing LB written down lmao, that's how much of a big deal this was for me), I felt like it actually has to grow on me a bit still, gradually but surely with each next listen, rather than the 1st listen being THE prime listening experience. And that was very true! But it wasn't even gradual, it was very fast, seriously. And something very important that stood out to me right away too were the melodies - something about them, and that continues into HYL and ECOTD too. It's this classic feeling of: this always existed, or at least it feels like I've known it for years already. And as I listen more and become more familiar with them the magic still grows.

It's of course no coincidence to me that an album that relies so much on extreme levels of repetition is so addicting, even hypnotising. And once upon a time I thought that I couldn't like something that's too repetitive and therefore could be considered monotonous or "predictable". But nothing is predictable about LB actually. (Besides... ok, I'll get to that one bit later). But yeah, it's good for the brain. And it's been said before by others but this music definitely has this certain neurodivergent appeal thanks to all this, and, well, I love that aspect of it so much and I definitely relate to it on some level that goes even deeper than just song topics and instrumentation choices. It's in the structure and the fundaments of it all too.

I legally can't finish this without a dedicated paragraph to the 2004 Live In Stockholm performance because HOLY SHIT. Feeling so lucky again that all three of these albums got this treatment and we have recordings of these half-concert-half-performance-art pieces that we can now marvel at. I will say that like, a pretty big part of the sum of the appeal that LB has as an album is stored in this show and its visual and narrative elaboration on its themes. And also it's just so fun to watch! Sometimes I thought about how this might be an even better introduction to LB / this era of Sparks / Sparks in general than the actual album but well, never had a chance to test that and you know. Maybe shouldn't recommend Sparks with one of the most leftfield things there is to be found from them. Either way, very good, very important, felt like experiencing the power of LB for the first time all over again.

So now, please hear my exact reasonings for why I so deeply love (almost) every single one of these songs......

The Rhythm Thief

NO song made such a big impression on me the first time I heard it as this. I might have gotten more used to it after all this time but man, The Rhythm Thief, you will always be the realest one to me. This is what made me look forward to the whole album so much and convinced me that it would be like nothing else I've heard before. And that turned out to be so very beautifully true!

How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?

I could listen to this one a hundred times in a row over and over and not get sick of it one bit. That's it, idk what else to add, beautiful and ethereal in every way

What Are All These Bands So Angry About?

Mostly I just want to direct everyone's attention to the bridge section, at the 2:26-2:52 time mark, which as far as I can say is the most heavenly piece of music ever made. Feeling like that Winnie The Pooh soul leaving his body gif each time I hear this

I Married Myself

Aromantic anthem, to me. Not that much to say actually but it's just, a very sweet and pretty song even when it might be taken as just this sort of ironic piece, I think it's this situation where a song can be taken more or less literally and it doesn't lose anything, rather the sincerity takes on a new sort of meaning? Because yes, maybe this hyperbolic situation (marrying yourself) COULD be the solution to the heartbreak of failed relationships. Ever thought about that??? Ok, stopping right here and leaving my I Married Myself analysis for another day

Ride 'Em Cowboy

My mind is blank on this one suddenly. But it's so good believe me. I love it a lot. It just has this LB spirit that makes it very addicting to listen to

My Baby's Taking Me Home

This was sort of the first Sparks song I've ever heard, or maybe that I quote-unquote purposefully listened to, and I think that's pretty important considering that it was the moment that ultimately lead to... all this. This song has always been incredibly beautiful and powerful to me, but lately it just makes me emotional to an extent that makes it hard to listen to most of the time. I WOULD sell all my material possessions for even one chance to experience this song live by the way

Your Call Is Very Important To Us. Please Hold

Earns soooo much as a live version, but even without that I think it's genius in the same way as The Rhythm Thief, and maybe the most disquieting piece here overall... If we ignore the next one maybe

Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls

Sitting there hearing the intro of this song all like "huh, this is so chill and calm... too calm..." and then being hit with, well, everything that's going on in this song afterwards was truly THE MOMENT back in the day (and re: the predictability thing. idk though, it's not like, really an issue). Later on I decided that this sort of narrative nature of the song makes it have less replayability value than the rest (???) but I abandoned that opinion soon enough, thank god. I love it how long it took me to realize that this song and the ending of MBTMH are the only times when drums appear on this entire album (I mean no, I'm not very proud of that fact actually, as the self-proclaimed biggest LB fan in my area. And The Rhythm Thief literally saying "say goodbye to the beat"... come on man). So yes, sometimes less is more! I adore this song now it's such a treat I would gladly terrorize my neighbours with it

Suburban Homeboy

Ok, I'm sorry Suburban Homeboy fans but this is the only song here that I'm not a HUGE fan of. I still think it's brilliant and an incredibly fitting ending for the whole thing - the mood whiplash is amazing as this is the only "vaguely happy sounding" song on here, per my words from months back. And what's better than yelling WE ARE THE SUBURBAN HOMEBOYS! (I'm actually awaiting today's Sparks karaoke rating reveal very impatiently lol the reveal happened before I posted this and I'm very happy about it)

One more actually, a quick word on Wunderbar because it gave us two things that we might have not been able to do without: 1) this whole album actually (the fact that LB exists because of Wunderbar giving the Maels the idea to continue meddling with this style. Up there as one of my fav pieces of Sparks trivia) 2) anddddd the 21×21 performance of it of course

[ronqueesha]

@lordcaptains

I was thinking of making a post exactly like this soon! So thanks for the push.

Here are my favorites ASIDE from Rogue Trader:

Dawn of War is an RTS game that came out in 2004. So if you decide to pick it up, be prepared to look for mods or tinker with files in the directory in order for it to play at a nice resolution on a modern pc.

This game was my introduction to Warhammer 40k. It has an EXCELLENT story for an RTS, and its expansions have great stories as well. The expansions are also standalone, so you don't really need to buy the base dawn of war to enjoy them.

Also Dawn of War's impact on the 40k fandom CANNOT be overstated. Many of the incidental voice lines you hear in Rogue Trader from random NPCS ("for the glory of the Imperium!") are taken directly from Dawn of War, just recorded with new voice actors. But the lines and inflections are identical. I use the bold female voice for my rogue trader, and she says many of the lines word for word that the commissar unit in Dawn of War says.

And since it came out so long ago, it actually uses lore and mechanics from much older versions of Warhammer 40k. So there will be some rather large story discrepancies if you've only played Rogue Trader and jump into this game.

I've seen a lot of posts from people complimenting the music from Rogue Trader. It's got NOTHING on Mechanicus. The main theme was recorded in a cathedral, and uses actual engine parts in the instrumentation.

The game itself is a tactical combat game, pretty much focusing only on combat that's very similar to Rogue Trader's combat. You play as a group of Adeptus Mechanicus plundering a Necron tomb world. The highlight for me is that the Necrons are the ones with the most human story and voice acting, while the mechanicus characters are super varied in how inhuman they are.

I picked up this game and its sequel after watching a review from MandaloreGaming on youtube. (it's also why I bought the pathfinder games)

But I really only got into it after being immersed in Rogue Trader's ship combat. This game is literally nothing but Warhammer 40k ship combat, with a really good story to boot. The prologue/tutorial for the sequel is actually the destruction of Cadia, which is a huge moment in the lore and also really spectacular.

On the other hand, it's LITERALLY Warhammer 40k ship combat. So even though it's got a really good story, the gameplay can be slow as you watch these beautifully rendered ships slowly maneuver into position to fire equally beautiful weapons at each other. It's in real time unlike Rogue Trader's ship combat, though.

This is a game I've played the least out of all the major worth-buying 40k games. But it's pretty much just Diablo in the Warhammer setting. You play as an Inquisitor (or a sister of battle if you buy the dlc, which I did of course) single-handedly doing what they do best against the enemies of humanity.

The space marine series is AMAZING. And the best part is that the original Space Marine game is about 14 years old. So you don't need to buy an expensive new console or pc to play it like you might need for Space Marine 2.

Seriously, play Space Marine and have a blast in one of the best action games ever made.

[thehollywoodnecromancer]

STOP WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING EVERYBODY AND GO LISTEN TO PICTURE PARLOUR

Seriously they’re some of the best new music around and it’s a TRAGEDY they only have six songs out on Spotify

Their stuff is rich, sharp, soulful, with a sweeping cinematic grandeur and DAMN BANGER electric guitars

Same vibe as the English seaside in winter; pebble beaches, loud ocean, freezing cold and terrifying but also desperately nostalgic

Also amazing fashion, 70s glam rock meets the Big Bad Wolf

Any fans of Florence + the Machine, Nick Cave, the Last Dinner Party, Patti Smith, Stevie Nicks, PJ Harvey, the Arctic Monkeys, the Doors, Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Pixies, LP, Bowie — they’re definitely for you

Genuinely I cannot overstate how much they have become my new musical obsession

So yeah PICTURE PARLOUR !!!!! THEY’RE SO GOOD I PROMISE AHHH

[merryposting]

So for those who don’t know I was at IndyFurCon this weekend! And I just wanted to share real quick all of the amazing art I commissioned of Merry and shout out the even more amazing artists who made all of these pieces!

In order we have:

Left - CloveAppleSys on Twitter

Top Middle - @shaydestuck (https://shaydestuck.carrd.co)

Bottom Middle - PandaParfait (https://pandaparfait.co)

Right - Droseattack (https://droseattack.carrd.co)

Seriously cannot overstate how much I love and cannot stop looking at all of these pieces please go check out these artists they are all amazing!

I will also be posting fursuit pics and such on my main @crussofang for any who are interested in that!

[disneyparksattractionstournament]

Extinct Disney Parks and Attractions tournament round 3: Bracket CD

Reminder, you don't have had to experience any of the attractions/experiences to vote! Just read in the info and/or watch the vid,then vote for which you wish you would have experienced more/which sounds cooler!

Videos and propaganda/info dumping under cut

Paint the Night Parade: DCA(2018), Disneyland(2015-2017), Hong Kong Disneyland (2014-2020)

Spectromagic: Magic Kingdom (1991-1999, 2001-2010)

Propaganda:

"It was the best parade of all time, I will literally never get over them getting rid of it."

THE ACTUAL GOAT HERE FOLKS! TRULY THE BEST AND MOST MAGICAL PARADE DISNEY HAS EVER DONE AND PROBABLY WILL EVER DO! I cry about it everyday tbh. Video doesn't capture just how freaking magical this parade was. The soundtrack is just pure magic and wonder. The lighting effects were absolutely amazing. They even had a Fantasia section with freaking Chernabog! Then the finale part, YALL, it was gorgeous, and would change from black and white to color!!!! I seriously cannot overstate the magic of this parade. It is SUCH a core memory. This is when the parks were at peak magic in my opinion. Don't even get me started on why it ultimately retired, it was literally CAUSE THEY DIDN'T STORE THE FLOATS PROPERLY! LIKE WHAT THE HELL DISNEY! YOU KNOW FLORIDA WEATHER. Makes me burst at the seams that the greatest parade of all time is lost and 99% sure not ever coming back (cause they are waaaay to cheap to produce this parade nowadays) and nkehewnc2jbvif2. Gosh, Id give anything for the parks to go back to this type of entertainment. But just please, PLEASE bring back night parades! There is nothing as magical as a disney night parade !

[cyvonix]

Cyv Reads Homestuck - The Final Wrapup

This is my last post for the main comic, covering all of Act 6 Act 6 as well as Act 7.

God I feel like I have so much to say but no way to properly put it into a neat little bow so it might be a little more like me just rambling passionately. Hey that's like the perfect allegory for Homestuck.

Anyway if you just want the TL;DR for how I'm feeling overall, I feel it should almost go without saying I fucking loved this story. I can say with complete certainty that it has been a landmark in media I've consumed and will assuredly alter the way I consume things moving forward. In the several months it's taken me to finish, I've grown so attached to this story and these characters, and despite any qualms I may have with it (and trust me, there are plenty) I think it is a wonderfully creative and excellent piece of art that I'm going to continue loving for a long time. It does so many things I've never seen a work like this do before, and it takes advantage of its format in so many masterful ways that it ends up a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of so many styles and mediums that makes it truly stand on its own as something special. As I prepare to read the continuation of the official content and assuredly follow various fan adventures, fan projects, art, music and all of these amazing things that have spawned from this, I just want to make it as clear as possible: I cannot overstate the positive impact this weird little webcomic has had on me.

So that's that. I think now I probably wanna get a bit more into the nitty gritty stuff and delve into some of my more specific opinions. Here's the problem: I have a fuck ton. Seriously, if I were to properly articulate all the thoughts I have on this work, we would be here all god damn day and I would get tired of typing and you would get tired of scrolling. So I'm just gonna kind of go with the flow and go where my brain wants to go with this post. I figure I should probably get some complaints out of the way first, because I don't wanna end this on a sour note, but I do wanna mention them, because Homestuck does certainly have its problems:

Pretty obviously, the early comic was entrenched in a 2000s edgy forum culture that made it a little cringe to read sometimes. The ableist language that was liberally used as well as pretty distasteful jokes pertaining to race and sexuality make some of these early sections age a bit like milk. Fortunately, this takes a massive dip after around Act 4, but it still lingers a while after, and it obviously didn't ruin anything for me and isn't like, EGREGIOUS, but it still makes me think like man I wish this stuff wasn't here because it adds nothing and feels so out of place in the current day.

Speaking of race, and specifically racial representation, oops! There's none! I know, I know, I know. "Aracial". And that's all well and good in theory, but it's pretty obvious that Hussie wrote these characters from a decidedly white perspective and as a result that's just naturally how they read, despite any excuse he used to try making for it. And that in itself isn't some massive problem, just a note on the authorial bias at play. But then the only ones who don't read as white? The violent one who uses broken, obviously uninformed AAVE, and the japanese schoolgirl who speaks in bad japanese and wears cute little stereotypical outfits and is constantly sexualized. All I'm saying is, come on man, we can do better.

Hey look we reached the part where I rant about the dancestors. I mean what do I even have to say. Why did they even exist ??? Meenah is the only one who ended up being interesting in any meaningful way, and I guess Aranea even though I didn't feel particularly positive about her and her place in the story even after everything had happened. The rest were less interesting than the original 12, less funny than the original 12, and way more annoying and surface-level than the original 12. Seemingly on purpose. So I thought oh ok, this story hasn't let me down with this kinda stuff yet, so let's give it the benefit of the doubt. Maybe this is for some bigger reason, maybe it's essential that they're in the story for later, maybe we'll get some actual development and I'll turn around on them. I was wrong to do so. They're nothing. They are nothing characters. Even what seemed like it should've been something - Kurloz working with Gamzee - just kinda never got elaborated on and faded into the background. So then. Why. Why are they here? Why do they exist? Why did you make me spend hours meeting them? Genuinely felt like a total waste of time and you could take out that entire section from the story and lose effectively nothing. Worst part of the comic by far.

The pacing of this story can be rough. And I'm not gonna spend a lot of time on this point, because reading this archivally and knowing it was updated serially in small bursts over time, it makes total sense and I honestly excuse it for the most part. Buuuut that doesn't mean it's not noticeable sometimes that the comic will go through dry spells that can sorta be slogs to get through, and then follow with most breakneck pace you could imagine immediately after, and is always undulating between these two modes. Eh.

Those are really the only big negative things I have to say. Well, sorta. I think the rest will mostly be positive, but I... hm. I think that... ok let's talk about the ending.

First of all, Act 7. Wow. just holy shit. I've jokingly been calling Homestuck a shonen anime since like Act 4 but ???? god DAMN dude that was fucking incredible. Never would I expect actual, traditional animation from a Homestuck flash, and it was so satisfying as a final animation. That being said, I feel a bit... conflicted about the context surrounding the ending? For the record, the actual ending itself, like the last moments of the comic, I think are lovely and thematically feel super appropriate. Seeing Caliborn basically transform into Lord English is that one final time loop after a series of hundreds of time loops, finally finishing itself off. And all the while, the kids break the cycle. No more loops of destruction and rebirth and destrucion again. They won, not in the sense that they beat the big bad guy and saved the day, but in a much more poignant way; they stopped this whole fucking thing from ever happening again. I genuinely do love it. It feels appropriately existential for Homestuck, but not quite cynical. It's an ending of death and rebirth. Hopeful at its core.

I think there are a few reasons I feel a little odd about it. First is that, just tbh, I think we were introducing way too many characters way too fucking late. I mean we basically just met Davepetasprite, who is a fucking joy btw, and then BAM ending. This means that most of these later additions to the cast don't get to have much impact on the ensuing events, and even if they do, it's not as emotionally resonant as these other characters we've had plenty of time to learn about and grow to love. I would never insinuate Homestuck should be EVEN LONGER, but it does feel a bit like just throwing the fandom a few last bones to be like here! Write some fics about these peeps! But I would've wanted more actual in-universe development and narrative relevance, otherwise I just don't get a whole lot from it.

The other thing that just feels a little... idk, odd? is that I just still have no fucking clue what Vriska did to LE with the weapon, or even like, what happened to LE or Vriska. I guess maybe they're both going to die anyway because of alt-Calliope basically ripping apart this entire continuity with the black hole, but I don't know that for sure. And since Act 7 was only the single flash, I don't feel like I have much to even go on in terms of theorizing about it. The credits did like, a liiiittle more in that department I guess?? (btw those were adorable and I loved them a lot) But even then it feels like even THOSE are opening new questions as much as answering old ones. Is Vriska who Terezi is looking for? Otherwise why is Terezi the one venturing out there? Can they just come and go as they please despite the black hole? There are so many things that are completely unanswered.

I guess my main point is that the ending just felt really abrupt, cutting off a lot of plotlines that I thought were actually gonna go somewhere, and inconclusive. And maybe it's meant to be. In fact I'm almost certain it's meant to be. But the problem lies in that it does not feel inconclusive in a "up to your interpretation" way, but more in a "literally not concluded" way. Like it wasn't actually finished telling its story. I'll put it this way: the ending feels like a big awesome season finale, but not a series finale. And I know that the post-canon sequel content exists, but it seems like the fans and those works themselves distance themselves so much from the original comic that it makes it seem like that feeling wasn't the intention, so it's just really strange.

So much for not having any more negative things to say lol. Sorry. But all in all I do still largely enjoy what I got from this ending, I just hate that it feels like it was cut short or something.

Let's balance all that out by talking about some cool shit!!! I'm just gonna spitball some of my favorite things about this comic, whether in this reading section or just overall:

The art is so good!! All of Act 6 Act 6, especially the last several updates, is so immaculately rendered. I can see why this basically became *the* Homestuck style moving forward, because it's just so pleasing to look at and captures the characters in a great way. Speaking outside of specifically this section and more generally, I adore how loose Homestuck is with its art. Hussie seemed to just pick and choose whatever style would properly represent the events at hand, and it ends up being so awesome in a way that's unbound by things like staying on-model or being consistent because it's just pure expression. Plus, the constant guest art is fuckin amazing, not only because most of it is genuinely incredible in its own right, but also because Homestuck is such a wildly community-driven experience that it only feels natural to let other talented artists make their own mark on the story. It started early on and continued being a thing all the way until the end and I love love love that.

The metatextual elements of this story are so fascinating to me. Unfortunately this is one of those things I thought was gonna be expanded on a bit more by the end, but what's there is still great. I like that it goes so far beyond "fourth wall" jokes and nods to the audience. The way the characters directly interact with the narrator, the story structure, and even the website itself, is so much more interesting. Beyond being simply fun, it manages to raise so many interesting questions about the very art of fiction. What authorship means, the responsibilities of it, the follies of poor authorship, the interaction between an audience and fictional characters, the way character voice can be used to convey tone, all this and so many more things are tackled as actual in-universe concepts that can be materially tinkered with to varying results. I could genuinely write other entire posts about the way this story discusses a lot of meta concepts.

The way this comic uses its medium to its advantage is unparalleled. I just always appreciate when a story is so thoroughly connected to its medium that it would become something else if adapted, and this is certainly one of those stories. The way that the style of narrative prompt itself can convey something about what you're reading, the banners and menus being shifted, changed, obscured, and otherwise altered to add an entire new element to the experience of reading the story, the colors of the website, the way characters and items aren't necessarily bound to the frame of the panel, the way the very act of clicking on a link to go to the next page is made to be a central part of the experience, ALL OF IT... I can't call it anything other than masterful. (Ok I'm sorry to throw yet another complaint in here but I was fully expected A6A6A6 to continue this trend and basically be a huge amalgam of all these website-bending tricks we'd come to know so I was a liiiiittle disappointed when it was just a youtube video).

The character writing, often times, is phenomenal. Even from the beginning, the way character voice was so strong was impressive and fun, but as I got later into Act 6, and especially A6A6, some of the long-running character traits, flaws, and storylines finally came to a cathartic close in mostly really great ways. Some obvious highlights: Dave, in too many ways to count tbh, whether it's him grappling with destiny/heroism/things of that nature, realizing he's not straight, coming to terms with his bro's treatment of him, reconnecting to his authentic interests, so many things about Dave are so insanely amazingly done. Of course Dirk is an interesting character as well, with many questions brought up concerning mortality, control, self-loathing, and other pretty heavy stuff. Hooray for alt-Vriska getting some justice lmao. Her and alt-Terezi finally finding peace in themselves and comfort in each other in the afterlife is like almost too beautiful to not make me wanna cry. Again, like with the meta stuff, I could write entire posts about various characters and the awesome ways they're written, but I'll leave it here for now.

I think... maybe that's all I have for now. Maybe. I have a multitude of thoughts, big and small, and there was absolutely 0 chance I was gonna fit them all in here or even remember all of them. But there you have it.

Hey would you look at that. Homestuck's good!

Not perfect, as I feel I've made perfectly obvious. But good. Full of passion. Full of care. An exceptional work of art and a unique phenomenon that will likely never be replicated. I'm so, so happy to have finally experienced it. So that's me signing off on my very last liveblog post for the original comic... Damn. Thanks to the people who've been so interested in seeing me take this journey and those of you who have contributed to the discussion, it definitely made it more special for me and I appreciate it.

Thanks For Playing <3

.........

For those of you wondering, no, this liveblog as a whole isn't necessarily over. I know the post-canon content (still don't understand why it's even called that) is contentious for many, and I feel like I've seen opinions ranging from people saying it's some of the best stuff released for Homestuck, all the way to saying it literally ruined the whole thing for them because of how bad it is. So clearly, this is some controversial shit I'm about to get into. But yes, I am indeed, getting into it. I'm going to keep this liveblog going, and at the very least, I'm going to get through the Epilogues, and what is currently released of Beyond Canon. If I really find it as atrocious as some people seem to, I guess no promises that I will continue reading and posting about it after that. But I gotta know. I need to see for myself and come to my own conclusions. And I'm taking you all with me.

Cyv Reads The Homestuck Epilogues coming to a theatre near you some time soon.

[batkingsalem]

OMG I'M. I LOVE THEM THEY LOOK SO GOOD IN YOUR STYLE SERIOUSLY CHFGDGSFDVDC I eagerly await more of your Charlie art I seriously cannot overstate how much I adore the way you draw her and Vaggie I hope this isn't weird or anything I just. I adore them so much seriously they're so cute and your artstyle is just super amazing and I just fbdhdgdgdfdvdcvhf I can't wait to see more chaggie art from you seriously it looks just so amazing I literally can't even it looks so good cdgdgdgsgsfsfs (seriously no pressure I just. I would seriously adore more Charlie and Chaggie art from you your art is just. Absolutely amazing.)

Ahhh, seriously thank you so much!! I really do need to draw them more, seeing them together in the show melts my heart every time, especially the way Vaggie looks at her sometimes like oh my GOD it’s love love 😍😍

[mareenavee]

14, 20,22 for the positivity asks! <3

Hi Orfeo!! Thank you for these!!!

Fandom Positivity asks from this meme here.

14. A ship or character that you started liking because of someone else (give them/their works a shout out!)

Oh well immediately give me a hard question to answer why don't you? I've been really inspired by a lot of fics lately, but I have to toss this first one to @thana-topsy for Breathing Water -- Neloth/Teldryn. I didn't see it before, as I write them as friends BUT oh man. I see it now and am fully on board of this ship.

Here's a favorite moment and it's just...I love it for so many reasons. But what leads up to this, and the choices made before hand, and all the FEELS before this and after? Augh. I cannot. So I share from chapter 9:

“Neloth!”  His head shot up, eyes wide. Teldryn stood there, still in full armor, the buggy eyes of his chitin helmet looking down at him. Disbelief. Followed by an emotion Neloth couldn’t quite put a name to. He began to shudder, unable to stop the laughter that bubbled up and out of him. His vision went blurry as he stared at Teldyn’s boots.  “What on Nirn is wrong with you?”  “I did it,” Neloth wheezed. “I actually did it.” He laughed a little louder. “Take that , Divayth Fyr, you bastard!”

Thank you for the gift that is this fic, Topsy, seriously. The ship just works.

20. Give kudos to someone who is a devoted fan (either of your own works or others’)

Ohhh man. Let's give a huge round of applause for @archangelsunited for not only being a phenomenal writer but also a phenomenal reader and friend. And for leaving a fuck ton of comments on my ultra long fic as well as markedly more long fics than I have finished so far in my time. Like. Hats off to you, my friend. Here's one of my favorite comments on World (chapter 8) that I'm still cackling over:

I am sorry, how dare? How dare you. My soul, it is crushed. You have lured me into despair with your words and I demand recompense. I demand a duel.

We did, in fact, duel. Twice now. (: Fandom hero, this one. Thank you, AU, always, for all the effort.

22. Give kudos to someone who deserves recognition for their contributions to the fandom (event mod, server mod, creator of rec lists, etc.)

I'm going to shout out my fellow Librarians and Assistant Librarians for helping run our little writer's cohort.

@paraparadigm, @changelingsandothernonsense, @elfinismsarts and @thequeenofthewinter. You are all amazing and do fantastic work. The positivity and the mutuality and the encouragement here on tumblr, on AO3 and in our server is inspiring. Your writing, your comments, your enthusiasm and most of all your cheerleading helps make all of this not only possible but very fulfilling and worth it to participate in. More positivity in the fandom spaces we're a part is always a good thing, and the work ya'll do <3 AUGH. I cannot overstate how much I appreciate you guys.

[szyszkasosnowa]

Netflix, cinema and pirated stuff wrapped

Tumblr not giving me year in review got me yearning for summaries. So have a list of the movies and shows I've seen this year.

Again, if any follower would like to make it into a kind of a tag game, please do 🥺.

Batman, 2022. Loved Robert Pattinson in a smudged makeup. Loved Paul Dano. Loved the music and the climate of Gotham. Another shameful example of the main female character being worked in the story quite sloppily, as the movie wouldn't really suffer without the Catwoman.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1975. Actually good.

Guardians of the Galaxy vol.3, 2023. This is what they mean by 'marvelisation' tho I'm not sure if we can use it for the Marvel movie. I mean the fear of being genuine and serious oversaturation of jokes to the point of tastelessness. Rocket's backstory was less moving than that of Dr. Doofenshmirtz. But I absolutely fell for Cosmo the dog and have to add one star for her. Right into my Laika fells.

Blade Runner, 1982. Actually not that good. But Rutger Hauer was kinda hot.

Barbie, 2023. Oh boy. Really hilarious and fun in the first two thirds. Then the Kens' plot was so botched and filled with the shallowest ideas of womanhood and feminism, I felt as if I was watching something written by an 16-y.o. who just got on tumblr.

Oppenheimer, 2023. Wooooo the physicists, woooo the physics, wooooooo the Manhattan project!!!!! Woooo Cillian Murphy's beautiful eyes!!!! It was like seeing Blorbos from my papers come to life.

Brother Bear, 2003. Fucking amazing.

A Bug's Life, 1998. Good. But I'm afraid I will forever associate it with that one yaoi alice cooper poison comic. You know the one.

Schindler's List, 1993. Actually good.

Deadpool, 2016. Eh. Probably would like it better if I saw it when it came out.

Niebezpiecznie dżentelmeni, 2022. I appreciate the concept, but it could be better. Marcin Dorociński as Witkacy was the most memorable I think.

Chłopi, 2023. Crazy good.

The Lobster, 2015. I like a weird film, it has to be said.

Aguirre, Wrath of God, 1972. Fine.

Fitzcarraldo, 1982. I'm in love.

Emigracja xD, 2023. A good, Polish show?? A good, Polish comedy show??? More likely than you think!!! Seriously, where are all the fans?

1670, 2023. Another good Polish comedy show????? I love that it has a small tumblr fandom already.

2nd season and a half of 3rd of The Witcher Netflix. I cannot overstate how shit it was. Do not watch.

[heloflor]

Finally saw the Mario movie last Thursday (I like to wait a week so that the theatre is emptier) and here are my 2 cents on it (very long post + spoilers ahead) :

- First of all note that I’ve seen many spoilers before going in because I didn’t know what to expect so I wanted to know what people thought of it, but it’s one of those movies where knowing things in advance doesn’t ruin the enjoyment for me. Hell I intended to go with no expectations whatsoever and reading spoilers actually got me a bit more excited about it.

- Overall, it was fun. Like many people here already said, the movie really could’ve used more time in order to be more character-focused, and I’ll admit I got a bit bored by the time the third act rolled in. But if you just want to have a good time, it’s a good movie for that. Nothing groundbreaking, but fun enough.

- As an adaptation as in “bringing the world into the big screen regardless of the story”, I do think that it does a fantastic job at it ! Absolutely everything feels like it comes straight out of the games. And while some references are a bit in your face, most of them flow very naturally with the world they created. It’s especially impressive how they managed to make a small Toad Town work while mixing it with platforming elements.

- The story is simple like you’d expect but sometimes simple is effective, and I do think this is one of those times. Only issue is that simple stories are meant to be carried by the characters, and there was a heavy lack of character-focused moments. On top of this you have the weird pacing, in particular the promise of a great adventure only to have a 15 seconds montage and boom, Kong Kingdom.

- The action was honestly very good all around ! They knew how to idolize both the power-ups and the environments, and it looked really cool !

- At first I thought people were exaggerating when saying there was too much slow-mo but after the 6th time or so…yeah, there was too much of it.

- Loved when the music used were remixes from the games or songs like the Mario Cartoon theme/DK rap ! Not so much when it was random pop music…

- Usually when I see people gush over characters I tend to view it as exaggeration but OH MY GOD I CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW MUCH I LOVE BOWSER IN THIS !!! As someone who grew up with Super Paper Mario I can assure you he is 100% in character and he is literally the best thing about the movie ! They managed to bounce off of both his menacing and goofy sides in an amazing way and I cannot get enough of him ! Kinda wish we saw his kids tho : /

- As someone who doesn’t ship it, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the sexual tension scene between Bowser and Luigi as much as I did but damn that scene is gay ! Love it !

- The humor was something I was really afraid going in and I was honestly surprised by how medium-good it was actually ! Can’t say I laughed every time but the bros shenanigans definitely was fun.

- On that note I could’ve watched an hour long movie of just the two bros doing Brooklyn stuff. This whole sequence was adorable.

- Speaking of Brooklyn, the ending was…weird on that front. First of all I’m surprised Mario didn’t expect the Bullet Bill to arrive in Brooklyn and literally kill everyone (like dude, do you realize how dangerous that thing is ???) and second of all those people are surprisingly calm to see the invasion of a whole other species. Seriously, why are these people so chill about it ?

- I guess I could also mention the fact that there’s no dialogue related to Mario and Luigi deciding to settle into the Mushroom Kingdom but considering the lack of development in everything else, I’m not surprised they went so fast on that.

- I’d also add that the ending of the Rainbow Road scene felt a bit jarring in how dramatic it was, though I don’t know how to explain it other than saying it felt like the movie didn’t “deserve” to have such a dramatic moment ? Really not sure how to explain it better… And on that note, the whole “fake death/everyone think they’re dead” moment with Mario and DK felt very unnecessary, but at least they didn’t drag it out.

- Last negative comment on the story itself because it is so true : I saw the review of a French youtuber (Mayo-Lek) and he pointed out how the whole story is about Mario and Peach going to the Kong Kingdom for help, only for the Kongs to get kidnapped a few minutes later. So…what was the point in asking for their help if they ultimately don’t do anything ?

- Going back to the characters, Luigi was great ! And like everyone else here, I do wish he would’ve had more screen time. But other than that, love his character for what we saw of him.

- The Luma that is apparently divisive amongst people was very funny in my opinion. Also at some point they literally get out of their cell for a second there ! Tells you all you need to know about their character (low-key surprised they didn’t jump into the lava by themselves but then again it’s a kids movie).

- That blue-shelled koopa dude clearly loves his job. Good for him. Weirdly enough, his enthusiasm in trying to kill Mario makes him very fun and a pretty compelling character for the small screen time he had.

- Toad was…there. At least he was entertaining instead of annoying. So that’s a plus.

- Btw the fact that they didn’t have Toadsworth was already a bit sad but THEY HAD ANOTHER TOAD WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME ROLE AS HE DID WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL NINTENDO ??!!! WHY DO YOU HATE ORIGINAL DESIGNS SO MUCH ???

- Kinda random but I don’t know the reference for that Kong who drove Mario and co to Cranky Kong, so my only thought was “it should’ve been Funky Kong”. I mean he had the glasses ! And yes I know Funky is in the movie in the background.

- I cannot fucking stand Donkey Kong. Not exactly sure what kind of personality I expected them to give him since he doesn’t really have one in the games, but I absolutely hate what they did with him. “Boastful douchebag with nothing in their brain who tries to be the center of attention constantly and annoy the hell of everyone around him” is a type of character, and on that note a type of person, that I can’t fucking stand. That being said giving him a power up for a minute was really cool and made for a great action scene ! Same for his fight with Mario in the arena, but again the action in general was really good.

- Peach. Oh Peach. Peaches. Peachounette as he calls her in French. Look how they massacred my girl !

- More seriously, my biggest issue by far with Peach is just how much she was willing to throw hands all the goddam time. I’m sorry but to me that’s just not Peach ! While she can absolutely spring into action, her constantly wishing to fight as a first solution is just not something she does. Hell why do you think her people are so weak and pacifist in the games ! Peach is a diplomat who only fights herself if there’s no other option.

- On that note, I have no issues with her knowing how to parkour, how to use power-ups or how to drive. It makes sense she would given she was raised in this world. Her being athletic isn’t an issue, she’s always been athletic (just look at any sports game). Plus in the games where she’s playable she’s capable of keeping up with the others.

- My second biggest issue with her is her body language. Again, most of it didn’t feel like Peach. She had none of the delicateness and elegance of the games. Literally the only moment her body language felt like her was during the fight between Mario and Dk, and even then it was only when the movie wasn’t focusing on her (aka when she wasn’t talking to Mario but just reacting). Her face was also unsettling to look at sometimes, I think it has to do with her eyes. Idk, sometimes some of her facial expressions made her look old and I can’t explain why. 🤷‍♂️

- (Also it’s incredibly funny how some youtube thumbnails have edits of Peach moments but as Daisy and that body language fits Daisy perfectly. That being said, I wouldn’t call Movie Peach a clone of Daisy, as Daisy is a very spunky tomboyish character who gives a “I don’t care all that much about ruling my kingdom” vibe. So while movie Peach has a body language that fits Daisy, their personalities are still completely different.)

- A good example of my issues with her behavior and body language has to be the way she addresses Cranky and the rest of the Kongs. Peach in the games would have a completely different behavior when asking for their help, regardless of how dire the situation is.

- And on that, the only scene where she felt in character personality-wise was when she confronted Bowser and he threatened to hurt her people if she doesn’t marry him. This scene was absolutely *chief kiss* for both of them (then again every scene with Bowser is amazing; I can’t get enough of this guy !). But then she started becoming a martial-artist and suddenly we were back to her being OOC (you can have her use the power-up and manage to stall the cages + trap Bowser without having her look like a professional fighter, Smash Bros apparently already does it).

- I guess I could also mention how overly sassy she is, which again doesn’t feel like Peach as, while she does have some sassiness in the games, it’s not to this extent. The fact that the Toads made her their princess doesn’t make much sense either, like why electing some random person who comes from another world ? What about the government before her ? (note that I’m a big fan of the “she’s a toad wearing a super crown, in this case her blue gem” headcanon so I might be biased) But yeah those two issues are kinda minor for me compared to her behavior and body language.

- All this to say if they wanted Peach to have a more action-oriented role, they should’ve taken inspiration from Super Paper Mario in which she’s incredibly sweet to pretty much everyone but can still easily get angry and has no issues throwing hands when needed (thinking of her confrontation with Mimi in 8-2, and even then, like I’ve seen people point out, the first thing she does after the fight is trying to save/befriend Mimi).

- I guess there’s also that one comic people keep bringing up but the fun thing about Peach in it is that she’s all bark and no bite. She keeps getting angry like she can actually do anything but then gets captured very easily, spends most of the fight scenes running around, only gets away from Wendy’s tower by sheer luck (finding the cape) and does nothing when Wendy calls her bluff with the bombs. The most she does in this comic to defend herself, outside of when she outsmarts the Koopalings (which I’ll admit was pretty badass) is throw furniture around. In a way, it’s pretty reminiscent of the 1986 anime/movie in which she gets angry on several occasions, defends herself by throwing shit around and manages to outsmart Bowser at some point, but ultimately doesn’t stand a chance against him.

- (Btw if you haven’t read this comic you need to ! Everyone is an absolute dumbass in it but in a funny way and it’s great ! Can’t say I know much about them but reading it low-key feels like watching an absurd play. Nothing and nobody take itself seriously in this comic and I love it !)

- On an unrelated note since I mentioned the wedding, I really liked the pink tones on her wedding dress ! The ice dress did look a bit weird tho in the sense that it makes me think too much of Frozen, though I’m not sure what they could have done about it since ice = blue and white colors so I can’t blame the movie for this one 🤔 (also fireflower Peach didn’t have her ponytail, 0/10 /j)

- And since I’m talking about clothes, not much to say for the most part as it’s all stuff the characters wear in the games but still I really liked the look of DK using the fire flower, plus the Koopas wearing helmets was a nice touch.

- Last thing about Peach and then we move on to the others, apparently Miyamoto said this version of Peach is what he’s always imagined the character to be and honestly, I’m having a hard time believing him. Like, I can definitely see it when it comes to the old comic and the 86 anime, since in both Peach is very temperamental (the comic especially). Paper Peach is also not one to sit idly and tends to have a lot more agency, at least in the first trilogy. But if you look at more modern depictions of her…Luigi Mansion 3 ? Mario Odyssey ? The online ads and shit ? Mario and Luigi ? The second Paper Mario trilogy ? The Rabbids games ? Hell in the first Rabbids game she had a gun but in the second they went back to her parasol.

- What I’m trying to say is that if Miyamoto had always wanted Peach to be written this way, why didn’t he write her this way ? Isn’t he one of the most higher-ups at Nintendo, at least when it comes to Mario games ? How come her older depictions are closer to her movie self in terms of temper than her modern depictions, to the point where people need to dig up some old comic to “prove” that Peach had always been this way instead of using modern material ?

- And for those who might say it’s because the goal of the games is almost always to save her, it’s not like she can’t both get angry easily and be the damsel in distress. In the first two Paper Mario games and the comic/86 anime, she was the one in need of saving but still had some agency. The two aren’t mutually exclusive (and like I said the humor with her in the comic is the difference between how much she wants to throw hands and how weak she actually is). Hell, on the opposite end Super Paper Mario had her as an active hero but portrayed her as sweet and kind + a diplomat. So yeah, I’m having trouble believing that this whole “this is how I always imagined her” is anything other than a publicity stunt.

- And on the other end of the body language, Mario was absolutely fantastic as a character, especially when it comes to his reactions to things ! Best example I can give because it amused me a lot was when Luigi mic-dropped his phone and Mario hid his face behind his hat in embarrassment, made even cuter due to him jumping to Luigi’s defense a second later. But yeah, overall, I really liked Mario’s character, not just his body language but his personality as a whole.

- They kinda tried to give a few hints that Peach and Mario like each other but honestly I found it to be very clumsy. Basically you could tell they were planting the seeds for a possible romance but were using moments that you’re used to see in a movie where the characters end up together. And since they never truly commit to them ending up together, while it does make perfect sense as they just met, it still makes the whole thing feel weird. Also the scene with DK teasing Mario about it and Toad jumping in was cringe af.

- Not really any opinions about Mario’s family. They were there. It’s nice to acknowledge them being Italian-americans and how they feel about the bros’ new job in regard to their upbringing, but other than that, I don’t really have anything to say about them.

- I watched the movie in French and the voices were pretty good ! Different from the game voices, but fitting enough for the characters. Only issues were Peach sounding too deep but then again that’s not my biggest issue with her character, and the second issue is the song “Peaches” where the French voice just…doesn’t sound all that good in some parts ? Though I think it might have been on purpose to accentuate the comedy of that scene ? Idk, I need to listen to the English version. Maybe the fact that people kept hyping up this song led me to believe it sounded genuinely good instead of people liking it for the comedy and how out of left field it was (on that note, I was surprised by how short this scene was due to how much people talked about it; this song is actually the one thing I regret being spoiled about).

- (also you have no idea how much I hope someone will make an edit/animation of Bowser playing the piano but with “You’re the Greatest” from Wander Over Yonder)

- And since we’re talking about voice actors, obviously Charles Martinet was 100% robbed and the only valid reason that I can accept is “Martinet himself said he didn’t think he had it in him to voice Mario and possibly Luigi as well for over an hour, given he’s getting rather old; especially if he does it in several languages”. If that’s not why he wasn’t casted, then he was robbed ! He’s literally the main reason why Mario and Luigi have the personalities that they have in modern games ! (at least I think that’s the case ?)

- Overall, favorite character has to be Bowser, with Mario and Luigi not too far away. Least favorite character is DK. It could’ve been Peach but my issues with her stem from how different she is from her games counterpart. If you take her movie character as a brand-new character rather than a game adaptation, she’s actually pretty great as a guide and strong mentor. But DK, regardless of whether or not he’s faithful to his game counterpart, is just a character I can’t stand.

- Favorite scene is either the beginning at Brooklyn with the bros being bros because it’s adorable (granted the whole dog thing wasn’t very funny. I have no issue with them doing slapsticks but the fact that they used some random dog just doesn’t do it for me), or the scene where Bowser proposes to/blackmails Peach because finally Peach is in character and that whole interaction is really great ! Least favorite scene is by far the insides of the eel with Mario and DK. I just don’t give enough of a shit about DK to feel invested in an emotional moment focused on him.

- And lastly because I realized I forgot : the movie was really pretty, with the decors and animation being absolutely fantastic. Only issue is that it’s not the type of stuff that sways me into liking a movie. I’m the type of person who finds retro games to look great so yeah… Same for the references btw. Like if you ask me about a detail in the movie I liked, instead of mentioning a reference, I will mention something like that confrontation/confession between Bowser and Peach and how, when Peach threatens Bowser with her weapon, the koopas around her immediately raise their spears, ready to protect their king. Like I said, this has literally nothing to do with references, it’s just a random detail I really like. I still really enjoyed all the references but it’s just not the type of stuff that makes me like a movie. I’m here for the story, the characters and the emotions first and foremost.

Final verdict : either 5.5/10 or 6.5/10 The simple plot makes it seem like a character driven story but outside of the bros’ adorable relationship and Bowser being Bowser, there wasn’t much character here. Also Peach and DK were pretty bad, the former due to being OOC most of the time and the latter because he’s just annoying as all hell.

I’d also add that, in my opinion, the biggest mistake Nintendo made with this movie was trusting Illumination with it. While I’m very much aware that Nintendo likely had a very strong grip on the team working on it and that Nintendo also isn’t known for liking deep Mario stories (*cough* modern Paper Mario *cough*), I still think that the lack of character development and interesting dialogue interactions (+ pacing issues) are due to Illuminations, given their track record.

Weirdly enough since I’ve only seen a few of their movies, I feel like Dreamworks would have been the best at handling this property. Like we’re all quick to jump on the Disney/Pixar bandwagon (and tbf Disney does know how to write female characters that are considered princesses) but in that case I can’t help but think that Dreamworks would have been the better choice. Maybe it’s due to Disney and Pixar being not so great recently. 🤷‍♂️

In any case, I do think that making it an animated movie was 100% the right call. Mario is a bright and colorful world filled with imaginary creatures, something animation excels at. Also Nintendo already tried Live-action once and failed miserably so maybe that’s why they took the animation direction.

[bisexual-horror-fan]

Ms Bex, I come humbly asking for fic help 😭

Your fics are all so diverse and amazing! Like you don’t do the same things over and over again even though you have so many fics! How do you do it? Especially with smut I feel like I’m doing the same stuff over and over again 😭Like how do you keep your fics diverse but still well written? And how do you have the motivation, strength, and stamina to write so much??

~sincerely, a desperate writer (I’m not sure if you’ve given advice abt this before so I’m so sorry if I’m bothering you-)

I can tell you exactly what it is Anon.

One. Horny.

Two. Consumed so much smut and porn of so many kinds over many years, with wide and varied tastes and content.

Three. I have so many different things I want to write and explore that I have witnessed FROM said smut and porn and do my own take on it. I also have a desperate want to keep things diverse and I am a big into if you see a need fill a need. If you see a hole in the space, something you want to see, then there is nothing stopping you from being the one to write it and I do just that. I write what I want to see in fandom, and lucky for you all, I have a LOT I want to see more of!

Four. Autism. Seriously though I cannot overstate how much this influences my daily life and my creative drive and process. It is my favorite hobby, combines many loves and hyperfixations and the act of writing itself is a hyperfixation on it's own as well. This is important to keep in mind for how I am able to output as much as I am as well as my level of obsession.

You are not a bother at all Anon and I understand the frustration. Creativity and I are good atm but she and I have had fights and big bouts where I have not been creative much at all in terms of art. I have shared previously but I used to draw and had a deviantart account with over 700 pictures I drew over the course of high school, then I took a 7 year break from art of any kind before I picked up writing on here. There is ebs and flows, peaks and valley's.

Be gentle with yourself! Take your time and read, read, read! Look at what others have done and find what you like, examine why you like what you do and how to put that into your own work. The process should be exciting and above all else, to me, fun!

Thank you for all the kind words and seriously, good luck!

[grayintogreen]

Just finished reading OUADYA a few days ago (after spending ~2 weeks of my commute bingeing it) and,,,,I think you changed my brain chemistry. I seriously cannot overstate how amazing it is. Superb from beginning to end and the best Critical Role fic I've read. I've just started YCDHN and already loving it just as much. Thank you so much for all the hard work you've put into the series!! It absolutely shows and it's been such a pleasure to discover. Endless kudos upon you 💕💕💕

AHHH!! Thank you soso much. Things like this are always such a pleasure to hear. It’s a big honkin’ labor of love and it makes me deliriously happy when it has such an effect on my audience!! Thank you for reading!!

[adamnoblesblog]

Your Guide to determining value of a business Exit Strategy

Here comes the time when you are considering what to do after working hard to establish the groundwork of your company over many years. Be it a long run and successful retirement you want to enjoy or new adventures and business undertakings, your smart Business exit strategy is an essential part of that. This process involves making strategic decisions that will (hopefully) result in easy step-downs with the highest possible gain your business has generated.

 

During the first three decades, we've guided several business owners to jumpstart their journey. Amazing Mergers & Acquisition’s advisory team is formed by former entrepreneurs who know your feelings. Everyone is aware of all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into running a startup.

How do I buy out my Partner?

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 Here, there is no willingness to believe. The answer is subjective. Goals matter. The financial position also determines how you can allocate money. Age plays a role and health. Based on that view of reward, it is good to consider your attitude to the risk versus reward of the money. An experienced M&A advisor with you through this complex thinking process can help you set an existing strategy timeframe.

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In addition to the timing of your exit and exit goals, identifying accurate, supported assessments of your business value will be the next step in getting the money out of your company. The purpose of this evaluation cannot be overstated, as it is influential to the price you will leave the negotiation table with and the amount you will extract.

 You should contract experienced business value firms to appraise your business from the industry and perspective of the specific situation. Their work will be based on applying proven techniques to secure financial models, comparable companies' analyses, asset valuations, etc. At the end of this process, your judgment will be based on reliable information, and you can confidently confirm that your company has a rightful place in the market.

Finding and Vetting Ideal Buyers

With your company valuation and marketing package complete, the real work begins - finding the ideal buyers and running a disciplined sale process. This is where having the right M&A advisor is paramount. It would help if you had guidance from experienced professionals with extensive transaction experience.

It leverages the global databases and industry networks to identify and vet prospective buyers, including proactively

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The exhaustively qualify each buyer's background and financial capabilities to ensure credibility and seriousness. To protect their sensitive information, everyone must sign robust non-disclosure agreements. 

Negotiations & Deal Structuring

Getting the right pricing is paramount, but there are many other financial and legal nuances to hash out, including:

Asset vs. equity treatment

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Our advisors will help you carefully evaluate every aspect of proposed deals, stress-test assumptions, and negotiate the best terms. No stone will be left unturned - this transaction is too important to leave anything to chance.

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Even once a deal is officially closed and signed, more work is still involved to ensure your business transfers seamlessly to the new owner. Most acquisitive buyers want the seller to remain involved temporarily to facilitate a smooth management handoff.

Our support also extends into the post-close phase, where you can connect you with legal experts, financial advisors, and other professional services to ensure you handle items like:

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If you're considering an exit in the next few years, there's no better time than the present to start thinking about your plans. Because when it's time to leave your entrepreneurial legacy behind, you deserve to do so on your terms while capturing maximum value.

[dragonofthedepths]

OH MY GOD!

Look at this gloriousness!

I have no idea how you managed this so fast but this is incredible!!!

And you included worldbuilding! And Good Vlad! This is so many amazing things all put together in one place and it’s wonderful! (Seriously, I cannot overstate how happy I am to see Good Vlad!)

(If you write more, please tag? Again; incredible!)

Danny gets mistaken for Superman 24.2.23

DP x DC. Danny Phantom, Superman, Batman.

A group of villains attack an event they know the JL is going to be investigating undercover. They're looking for secret Identities amongst the crowd, and Danny, long since a full-fledged adult, happens to be attending as well.

Danny, unlike Clark, does not dress to conceal his physique, or hide behind glasses, or hold himself to seem smaller or bumbling.

He gets wrongly picked out as Superman within moments.

And Danny, who can fly, who has mild superstrength, who can tell where kryptonite is because it radiates like all food-quality ectoplasam, who's not as concerned about being discovered since the meta rights act overturned the anti-ecto acts, and who's only become more of a gremlin as full fledged adult, figures 'Sure, why not, I can be Superman :)'

Batman is not the only person who is blindsided when "Superman" leans over and eats the kryptonite right out of the man's hand.

"That was rock candy." Not-Superman gave the man a cheshire cat grin. "You might want to double-check your supplier."

"That was definitely kryptonite," Superman informed him over the com, his voice flat with the kind of flabbergasted disbelief Batman had thought they both left behind a couple of world-ending-disasters ago.

Day (634/100) in my #∞daysofwriting @the-wip-project 24th of Feb

[samspence]

A bright, healthy smile is not just a confidence booster; it's a sign of good oral health and well-being. To maintain your pearly whites, regular dental check-ups and treatments are essential. But finding the right dentist who understands your needs and delivers exceptional care can be a daunting task. In Abilene, Texas, you're in luck because we've gathered testimonials from satisfied patients of some of the best dentists in the area. These testimonials will provide you with insights into their experiences, helping you make an informed decision for your dental care needs.

Dr. Sam Spence: A Dentist Who Truly Cares About Your Smile

A Gentle Touch and a Friendly Team

One of the most common fears people have about visiting the dentist is the discomfort and pain often associated with dental procedures. However, Dr. Sam's patients repeatedly mention his gentle touch and the caring nature of his dental team in their testimonials. Mrs. Johnson, a long-time patient, states, "I used to be terrified of going to the dentist, but Dr. Sam and his team changed that for me. They make you feel at ease, and you hardly feel any pain during procedures." Such testimonials highlight the importance of a dentist who takes their patients' comfort seriously, ensuring a pain-free experience.

Cutting-Edge Technology for Superior Care

Dentistry is a dynamic field with constant advancements in technology and techniques. A dentist who stays up-to-date with these innovations can provide superior care. Dr. Sam's office is equipped with the latest dental technology, as praised by John, another patient. He mentions, Dr. Sam's clinic is like a dental wonderland! They have all the modern tools and gadgets that make every visit quick and effective. It's amazing how far dentistry has come, and Dr. Sam is definitely at the forefront of it." The use of advanced equipment not only ensures more accurate diagnoses and treatments but also minimizes discomfort and speeds up recovery.

Personalized Treatment Plans

Every patient has unique dental needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't cut it when it comes to dentistry. The best dentists, like Dr. Sam Spence, understand this and provide personalized treatment plans to address individual concerns. Sarah, a patient who has had various dental issues, shares, Dr. Sam takes the time to understand my specific problems and tailors my treatment accordingly. I never feel like just another patient; I feel cared for and valued." This level of attention to detail is crucial for long-term dental health and patient satisfaction.

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, and maintaining it requires the right dentist. The testimonials from Dr. Sam Spence's patients paint a clear picture of a dentist who prioritizes patient comfort, utilizes cutting-edge technology, and offers personalized treatment plans. These qualities make Dr. Sam Spence a sought-after dentist in Abilene, with countless happy smiles to his name. When it comes to your dental care, don't settle for anything less than excellence.

The Bottom Line

If you're in search of a dentist who truly cares about your smile and oral health, consider Dr. Sam. His dedication to providing top-notch dental care and the numerous satisfied patients who attest to his expertise are a testament to his commitment to excellence. So, whether you need a routine check-up, a cosmetic procedure, or a more extensive treatment, Dr. Sam Spence and his team are here to help you achieve the happy, healthy smile you deserve.

In conclusion, the importance of dental health cannot be overstated, and finding a dentist who puts your well-being first is crucial. Dr. Sam Spence's patients have spoken, and their testimonials are a glowing testament to the exceptional care he provides. Don't let fear or uncertainty hold you back from achieving the smile you've always wanted. With Dr. Sam and his team, you can look forward to happy smiles and a lifetime of oral health.