#so i'm 99.9% sure that it'll still be there when i come back with more money to spend

[specialshinytrinkets]

So. Apparently the book store I have been going to for the past 10 years or so has a section with books that teach about writing and worldbuilding for different genres and language teaching that goes past the typical English-Chinese-German-Japanese circle

("Turkish grammar for beginners" by Ahmet Kaplan; "Tatar language. Basic training" by Dmitri Petrov; "Morphology of the Tale" and "Historical Roots of the Wonder Tale" by Vlamidir Propp)

Huh

[seddm]

Would you please do a little something about Amphibia. I’ve always loved the way you put things in perspective :)

HUGE SPOILERS FOR AMPHIBIA'S FINALE BELOW ALSO MESSY POST I DIDN'T REALLY PROOFREAD KINDA WROTE IT AS A STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

I'm still in the middle of FEELING and THINKING and THINKING ABOUT HOW I FEEL, so my ideas might change in the following days; also, while I certainly have a lot of opinions, I didn't dedicate to this show the amount of time I dedicated to SVTFOE, so I don't feel as comfortable analyzing its themes and ideas inside out.

Anyway: the finale hurt. A lot. It's your classic "change happens" finale, which is something completely in line with the themes the show always had. Could they have gone for something different, keeping the dimensions connected, maybe in a partial way but still connected? Probably. By the end of the series, all notions of escapism surrounding the characters and their time in Amphibia had been solved and replaced by more mature and positive feelings, so I don't think keeping the possibility of Anne and Sprig being in contact would have undermined anything. It's just, evidently, not what Matt Braly wanted. What's wrong with this, beyond a more subjective and personal preference for perfectly happy endings goddamnit I wanted to smile fuck? The possibility, the risk of giving the idea that Amphibia, as a place, doesn't deserve its "agency", and that its role was over the moment Anne, Sasha and Marcy went back home. That it was little more than a dream, a fantasy that stops existing the moment the coming of age journey of the characters is over, and they can leave behind their fantasies.

-which clearly doesn't apply to this show. Amphibia is the main setting of the series, it's a second world to the characters, Sprig and Anne are the main characters and their separation was THE climax of the episode. Still, a possible interpretation given the decision to throw the "leaving behind some things" in the larger hat of "CHANGE AS A POSITIVE" of the show.

Earth and Amphibia being separated, probably forever (sure there's Terri with her portals, fans can dream and speculate, but the girls are OLD now compared to the target age for Disney products, their story as far as Amphibia goes is probably over even in the super unlikely possibility of any kind of spinoff or continuation or comic), hurts a lot. I'm livid. But there was also closure in it, a wonderful goodbye that can never be tainted. It'll forever hurt and I'll forever wish they went in the opposite direction, but that won't haunt me. I accept it.

What about the girls? Somehow, that's the part that hurt me the most, and many other viewers like me. And, in my opinion, that's harder to analyze. And to rationalize.

We get this scene giving us some exposition about what happened during the timeskip, and most of the problems stem from this. Did Marcy not physically visit the girls for almost a decade, or it's a "can't believe it's been ten years since our adventure in Amphibia ended!" kind of deal?

Does this line mean Marcy knew so little about the girls' lives for all this time, or it's just a way to allow Sasha to give the viewer some exposition?

If it's the former, then why does she know what Anne is doing? A rekindled and recent interest through social media? Or they did talk during all these years, maybe occasionally, the way a lot of real life friends do even when they're not as long distance as they are? I have no answers, I pray for some kind of Word of God Clarification™ from Matt Braly, but I wouldn't count on it since showrunners rarely like explaining stuff like that. But I can, maybe, analyze some of the issues that are currently hurting me, and possible "solutions".

The show takes place over less than a year, the timeskip lasts ten years. To us viewers, 99.9% of the life of the characters happened during that one year, but to the characters, if you were to imagine them as living people with their own agency, the years of the timeskip - highschool and college and beginning of adult life - clearly represented the majority of their lives. And this is the first layer of the issue, something that can affect every work of fiction, the irreconcilable difference between the viewers' perception of the events, and how the character in the work might reasonably act.

Second layer, the show gave us some incredibly tender moments between the three girls, especially in the last episodes, when they had fixed or come to terms with most of their personal issues, forgiving themselves and each other. This probably made their friendship look stronger than it was.

I use friendship with a very specific meaning in this context, because that's feels like what the show / writing was going for. By the end of their adventure their bond is incredibly strong, more than it has ever been, but as far as friendship goes, the ""problems"" they had before might still exist. Marcy certainly learned to pay more attention to how other are feelings, but that won't magically make Anne and Sasha interested into playing Dungeons & Dragons, and so on.

In a way, this scene told us what we saw in the timeskip.

This applies to Sprig, obviously, but also to the three girls.

Life lead them in different places, maybe different interests -they already had different interests to being with, but they still care about each other more than anything else, even if they might not have (it's an odd sentence I know but it's the best way I can put it) participated in a long time in any of the common rituals of friendship. This much is clear, this scene speaks volume (and that's why I uploaded it as a video, the voice acting and body language is important).

And Matt Braly tweets this

and says in multiple interviews things like

It really allowed me to think about how we grew apart, we grew back together, we grew apart again, and we found each other again. There’s this beauty in life of these relationships that ebb and flow. That’s what I wanted to bottle up. It’s tricky, though!

And at this point I, poor little viewer who was hoping for the three girls to be best friends forever always together often bought in bulk do not separate for the rest of their lives, am forced to let the two wolves inside me fight.

The one who's fucking sad and who can't believe these girls might have fallen out enough to barely talk for multiple years after everything they went through, after all the work and self improvement and shared experiences that forever changed them and who thinks this is all bullshit and that a five seconds long scene that could have easily been dialogue-less soured a whole show and three wonderful characters for me; And the one who tries to understand the intentions of the show. That friendships come in all form and shapes, that we have the perfection of Spranne, ending at an all times high with external circumstances separating them, and the imperfection of the Calamity Trio, three girls who would (did?) die for each other and drop anything and everything to help, but who still took different paths for a part of their lives. And that's normal, happens to a lot of people, friends can not see each other for years and still act like not even a day passed the next time they meet. But it's also jarring, because in the simple world of a cartoon one would have expected more. But that's also not permanent, the show ends with a promise of change to come, Anne's narration talks of things returning in your life, the very last image of the series is one of pure happiness. It's easy to imagine any number of scenarios leading to their relationship bringing once again on the table "the standard rituals of friendship", because the love and affection never left them for a single moment.

Which wolf is going to win? I have no idea. Likely the latter, in time, but it's painful. As anyone who followed me during SVTFOE times knows all too well, understanding the themes and intentions of the writers does very little to change the perception of execution, and the way something subjectively resonated with one's preferences and experiences. Also, an open ending is still open, no matter how positive the outlook might be, and that's fertile ground for the demon that is lack of closure and doubt.

I asked a friend who doesn't watch the show for a somewhat unbiased opinion, and they said

Yeah, I can definitely see how it seems uncontroversially positive from a detached point of view

I guess I'll latch onto that adverb as strongly as I can, at least while I eagerly wait for Matt to benevolently bestow on us, through tweets and interviews and AMAs, any minuscule crumble of Word of God that might bring some manner of comfort to our troubled souls. I don't know, something like "whoops my bad didn't realize Marcy and Sasha's lines would have came across as that bad haha it's not like they became strangers soon after coming back from Amphibia it was gradual they still have a group chat Marcy shares memes every day it's just been a while the avalanche of events from highschool to college to starting to work took them by surprise but now things can change, something new can always begin, they still have decades to be together who knows maybe they'll be roommates for the next five years haha".

A man can dream delude himself...

[my-hearts-require-tea]

Brain has been feeling real ...mushy lately so just gonna write some stuff below..

Summer here in Vancouver has been weirdly cold/dreary this year. Ellen says this is more like the summers she knew as a kid, as opposed to the death by heat dome and fires we've been having in the years since I've moved here. I can only think it's not helping my mood - that and the fact that the sunny days we do have, i have to be super careful because the sun "allergy" i developed like 6 years ago makes me want to rip off my skin if i get any sun on my arms... so it's super fun...

My Japanese lessons are... ok. I really wish i could remember things. The things i do remember make me feel like "yeah maybe i can do this" and then there's 99.9% of everything else that makes me feel like an absolute idiot for even trying this. I know i'm better than where i started but still. I want to come up with a list of reasons (as my one app has been telling me to for months) to keep me motivated, but 'wanting to understand my tv dramas and video game husband' sound so false?

idk ...i just wish i'd been able to do this back when i was 12 and trying at the library, but i can't do anything about that now i guess.

Creatively...well i have the classic 'lots of writing ideas and then they disappear when you try to write' thing. My koi plushie - i finally found fabric for but it's finicky so i have to hand sew it and it'll be some time before i'm finished i'm afraid. I started another plushie - one of my fox character, i've done up in a build-a bear style to hopefully take on adventures, like i used to with Kid. I miss having a little buddy to take pics of. The fur i ordered for her should arrive sometime soon, so we'll cross our fingers i can do it right. (So expensive to ship it here it's worth more than gold XD)

Ellen's health is ok, no big issues. She's been feeling a little sniffly so has been staying away from people just in case. Working around the public just has me angry so often anymore as no one seems to care about protecting anyone anymore.

So i'm not sure how to help my brain mush, but i'm here at least.

Oh and the month is flying by and my 35th is next month which honestly is making me feel SO old/useless/worthless even though i KNOW it shouldn't?? *sigh*

[vitamindonuts]

Any tips on going to the gym for a teenager for the first time? I have been wanting to join a gym lately, (I've been running at home and really want to feel better about myself and feel as if the gym would give me more motivation) and I was wondering what should I do when I get there? I don't want to look stupid trying to work the machines. But I'm also too shy to ask for help, I feel as if it'll be really awkward. Any advice? Thanks, lovely 💜

I’m so happy you reached out! Going to the gym for the first time can be very intimidating. Congratulations on starting this journey and working out at home! That’s wonderful. The gym is an awesome sense of motivation. I couldn’t even walk from my car to my house in 2013 without feeling like I was going to die. Now, I look forward to going nearly every day now. It’s insane. I never would’ve imagined that about myself! You’re going to do great. Here are some tips I have for you! -

(1st)  DO NOT be self-conscious. I know that seems ridiculous to say because of course you’re going to be nervous, but I would make myself sick when I went. I was constantly worrying about people staring at me and judging me. The truth is that everyone is there for themselves! Everyone is fighting a battle you can’t see and 99.9% of those people in there are just there for some exercise therapy. Every single person has insecurities. No matter how fit they appear. Don’t be shy either. One of the biggest things that’s helped me is being brave enough to ask other women OR men why they’re doing a certain exercise and how you do it. If I see a girl who has gorgeous toned arms and she’s doing an arm exercise I’ve never seen. I’ll wait until she’s finished her set and ask her about her exercise regimen! It’s a compliment. Everyone wants to hear that they’re hard work is paying off. Be confident and be happy. You’re there for a great reason and I know you’re going to love it.

(2nd) If you’re planning on going to a new gym for the first time. I always suggest asking for a guest pass before buying a membership. It took me awhile to find my groove with a gym I liked so trying a few can be really beneficial so you can find out what makes YOU the most comfortable in a gym setting. I only use about 4-6 pieces of equipment every time I go but it’s so good to be creative and try new things even if you’re a beginner.

(3rd) You have to educate yourself not only on proper exercise technique but posture and etiquette. I know that seems intimidating, but it’s super simple. If you’re going to a gym with staff I highly suggest taking advantage of the FREE training sessions they have for new members. I would spend 1-3, 15 minute sessions with a trainer and he explained to me what exercises would help me meet my goals and how to use the equipment. If you’re not really down for that. (Which I completely understand) Then google away!! It’s important to do thorough research and use a couple different sites for comparison to make sure you’re getting the best information. Be skeptical and look for legitimate pages with credible sources. Injuries are so prevalent with people who are new to weightlifting. It is not worth hurting yourself because you don’t know proper technique. If you ever feel like you’re using your joint or bone vs the muscle. Stop - step away from the bench/machine and look up proper technique on your phone.(Or ask someone! They love helping. I promise!!)  It only takes a minute and it can save you some very painful injuries. This is so long. I know, I know. Lmao I’m sorry! I’m just so passionate about my time at the gym that I don’t want anyone to ever feel discouraged from trying it!

(4th) You have to rest. It’s important to not only let your muscles recover but your immune system as well. A lot of people get sick when they start using gyms because you’re touching a lot of stuff and getting exposed to a lot of germs. Wash your hands after and pay attention to see if they’re any wipe down stations for the machines/benches. It only takes a minute to wipe them down before/after you use them and it can keep you from getting a nasty cold and it’s good etiquette. If you’re feeling really sore take a day off from weightlifting. Do some nice long stretches (I’m personally a yoga fan). Drink lots of water, and eat lots of protein.

(5th) Here is my most important tip of all: If you’re walking down stairs after leg day. USE THE RAILING. Trust me. You’re gonna have jelly legs.

NOW for the stuff you probably wanted to hear. (; When I get to the gym the first thing you do is find a nice quiet spot and stretch. I usually do it on the wall, in a side room or just somewhere out of the way. Stretch your legs, arms, neck. Everything. It’s worth it. Sometimes I’ll do 15-25 minutes of cardio to warm myself up if I’m feeling sluggish. I use dumbbells for arm exercises (tricep and biceps) Then I use the cable machine for some push downs. It takes me about 15 minutes.  I would suggest following a really basic workout your first couple times. If it’s leg day all I ever do are lunges with weights, side lunges with resistance, dead lifts, and squats. Once again, I would google or use a trainer to show you proper technique. Weightlifting will not work for you if you’re not isolating muscles. Even when you’re dropping a weight you’re still controlling it. Inhale when you’re exerting yourself and exhale when you’re relaxing. Any weight lifting I do usually takes me about 15-35 minutes. After that I always do a minimum of 30 minutes cardio. Usually on an elliptical, stair stepper, or treadmill. If you’re starting out, the bike is a great option too!

Take lots of pictures, you’re going to want them! Celebrate those victories and record your progress! You’re going to love looking back at things and seeing how far you’ve come.

I would suggest following a really basic workout your first couple times. You have so much room to grow and you’re going to find what you love doing. Oh god. I’ve written a book. I’m sorry. Haha. Please, please, please message me if you have any more questions or want any more tips! Just have fun with it and enjoy the challenges. You’re going to love how you feel after a nice long workout. Your body will thank you and I know you’re gonna kill it. Keep me posted on your progress!!