#solid 9/10 for the era

[dotthings]

Some spn Cas history (because yay facts!! Facts are fun!!)

Misha was a guest star in S4. Castiel was originally planned to be a 3 episode and done character, but Misha was so electrifying as Cas, had great chemistry with Jensen, and Cas turned out to be such a compelling character, the show kept him around.

Misha was promoted to regular in S5 and continued in S6.

He was dropped from the show for S7 because Gamble and Singer decided to write out Cas. The network did a lot of fans a solid for once, called up the EP's, and went "hahahaha you aren't really planning to get rid of that fan favorite pretty angel are you???? hahaha ok no really bring him back" and literally refused to let spn get rid of him.

There was for sure a listlessness factor in S7 once Cas was removed. J2 were the anchors in the early seasons. In later seasons, J2M really became the show's center supports, more than just J2. (No, this is not arguable. This is reflected in canon story, and Cas's growth as a character and plot role and emotional role and in promotion for many years. No, I don't care who is offended that I said it. It's not a point of argument).

Jeremy Carver took over as showrunner in S8 and brought Misha in for an 8 episode arc, so Misha was a guest star in S8. Carver wanted to rebuild the character and in S9 Misha was promoted back up to series regular, and he stayed at that status the rest of the series.

Originally, Misha's regular status was denoted by having him third in opening credits after Jared and Jensen, before the "guest starring" section. Eventually Misha was given an "and" credit.

The "and" credit is a contract status thing. It's for series regulars of particular note, usually for a particularly noteworthy performance. Tony Head was "and" status on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. When he stepped back to recurring, Alyson Hannigan became the "and" status.

Some have tried to paint Misha's "and" designator as a sign of his lesser importance, but it's the opposite. It's a promotion and a sign of respect.

A further note, zero fans have attempted to supplant Jared and Jensen as the "top leads" of the show, but it's abundantly fair to label Misha a 3rd lead, given the proportion of Cas's plot and emotion impact on story and Misha's longevity and status. It's semantics, really. If someone gets offended if you say he's a 3rd lead, they're aren't worth your time. Eh, okay, "main character" isn't wrong either, but I'm suspicious of people who break out in hives over calling him "3rd lead"--but main character is a descriptor for Cas's role. SPN at times had 3-4 series regulars, with J2 as the only two constants the entire run of the show, which is why we say J2 are the 2 top leads. But Cas and Misha's importance are also facts.

Misha was "guest star" in S4, 7, and 8. Eventually he got "special guest star" credit during his guest starring era on spn, another indicator of an actor/performance/character of note, but not a series regular. He was a series regular for S5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. (No this is not arguable. These are production facts. Some people still, after all this time, try to erase his regular/main character status on spn, and they aren't working in facts).

[eirianerisdar]

Top 20 Charlos Moments

Was talking to my twin @wafflesrisa about Charlos during Imola FP1 earlier and I decided to rank the most insane Charlos moments in order - ranked purely on moments that show just how much they're friends, not just teammates

This is just my own preference and it'll be different for everyone, but here a (non-exhaustive) list:

1. Bahrain 2024 crochet chili

"I want to gift this to you. From my fan to me, to you. So you will remember me for the rest of your life." "A chili!!" "For our post Teammate Era." "Ay we are only starting the season!" Carlos: "You will forget [the chili] there." Charles, softly: "No I won't." Also feat. nearly crying in the car afterwards

2. Miami 2024 Water flick

Carlos doesn't even look at the glass in the couple seconds before he flicks the water at Charles. He's looking at Charles and smiling. Charles gets a little overwhelmed with the affection and gets shy (bonus Ferrari team member being us looking at them)

3. Canada cotton ball lean

The cutest moment in this isn't Carlos telling Charles to admit that Carlos won. It's them both Zendaya laughing at each other when Charles gets caught cheating and Charles having this moment looking at the back of Carlos' head where he gets so overwhelmed with affection he collapses his whole weight into Carlos' side. Their caps bonk. It is cute.

4. Zandvoort 2022 headphone exchange -

Carlos, fixing Charles' headphones: "Put them properly eh? I know you very well." Lissie: "NO, YOU GUYS ARE VIBING TO DIFFERENT SONGS." Charles: "WE FOUND LOVE IN THE HOTTEST PLACE -" *C2 wheeze-laugh at each other and exchange headphones by placing them on each other's faces* Lissie: ...

5. Miami 2024 "I know you too well now"

Charles knowing he knew Carlos well enough to speak for him, and Carlos nodding silently in agreement. Then vice versa, Charles then having unshakable faith in Carlos' understanding of himself. Fist bumps. Fondness.

6. The kiss kiss saga: Charles' rayban kiss. 2023 Bracelet kiss kiss. 2023 music challenge kiss.

The first one especially gets me because it's a solid 5 seconds of Charles looking at Carlos, going FRIEND! MY FRIEND! and going *air kiss*

7. 2023 Abu Dhabi waist pinch and DTS Bahrain waist pinch

Waist pinches run in the Sainz family. Charles knows it's Carlos without needing to look by the time Abu Dhabi rolls around

8. 🎵Just the two of us🎵

Do I even need to say anything

9. Bahrain 2022 1-2 podium hug and butt pat

I can't find the video but Charles stepped up to the top step and instantly was like I HAVE TO HUG MY TEAMMATE I AM TOO HAPPY NOT TO HUG MY TEAMMATE AND SHARE THIS WITH HIM

10. Cookie decorating

So much happens in this video. The complete lack of personal space. The comfy sofa. The vocal stims. Twinning. Carlos sings "Dancing in the Moonlight," and Charles whistles it a bit later. Icing to the cheek. Teasing.

11. Zandvoort 2023 catch up

Charles forgetting they did spend the last bit of summer break further away from each other because they spent so much of the first part of summer break not far from each other. Also again. Carlos loves his personal space, Charles also loves Carlos' personal space

12. Carlos: "I'm not going to be here." Charles: *flinches*

13. TELL CHARLES TO COME CLOSE TO ME AND WE CELEBRATE THIS ONE TOGETHER/helmet pats/gentlest hug in parc ferme /podium champagne

I can't find the video of the hug but it's so gentle and Carlos leans his cheek into Charles' and I die

14. Love Honey Sweetie Baby Darling

They just pick up pet names and exchange them like lego

15. OG music challenge squishes/holding hands in OG quiz with wrenches

16. Abu Dhabi 2022 end of season message

Charles was plainly trying to smile for the camera but rightly upset with not having the championship year he wanted, but his smile turned genuine when Carlos hugged him and said Charles at least deserved P2 in Abu Dhabi for the great year he had driving incredibly well

17. Mexico separation anxiety Charles (Edit: posted initially with wrong link, updated now)

18. Zandvoort 2023 fond eye rolls

19. Carlos' 2022 birthday

They're insufferable. Charles' whinging is cute too

20. Carlos looking somft when imagining racing Le Mans with Charles

"With Charles," he says, while his press officer smirks

Feel free to add to this I just went down a wormhole of Charlos feels

[hyacinthleaves]

i'm desperate for more caldarus and ryis stuff, super excited to see you write for both! could i request maybe some general dating headcanons for those two!? (separate/not poly!) maybe how they would react to having a touch-starved/easily flustered/shy partner?

Caldarus:

Since I cannot predict the future, we're just gonna go with the statue version

He would feel SO BAD because he can't really physically touch you

I mean you could attempt to hug his statue but even that would receive a somewhat negative response from him

Not because he doesn't like it but because he can't do anything

I think the first time he flustered you was by accident but he thought it was really amusing so he kept doing it

Like the first time it happened was probably due to what seemed like a simple compliment to him but a deeper one to you and you took it to heart

Anyway back to the main topic, I feel like there isn't much you can do

You can't bring him anywhere, and how can you explain that you're talking to a statue?

So most of the time all the bonding you have is you gossiping to him about the town folk

I can see him initially being a quiet listener to the point of it seeming like he doesn't care

But you can tell he does when he brings up the topic days later in an attempt to start a conversation

You'd have to explain certain things to him because yk...era differences and such

But he really does appreciate the time you take out of your day to talk to him. I mean, depending on how you cleared the area around his statue, he sees how hard you work everyday, so the fact that you stop to talk to him means a lot

Please decorate the area around his statue. He'll be kinda nonchalant as usual because really what does that do for him, but he really does appreciate it, even if those exact words aren't said

Honestly he's genuinely so confused on why you haven't left him for one of the townsfolk

Not because he has a low self esteem, but due to his current state

Since he really doesn't understand it, it'll always be at the back of his mind

Honestly solid 9/10 bf despite his state (I'm so biased)

Ryis:

You guys are THE couple

Well obviously but you two are the type of people that old people look at and laugh under their breath to just say "young love ☺️" like this is almost movie-like

I feel like in terms of love languages, acts of service is gonna be a big thing, and words of affirmation as well

Both of you are busy but there is a noticeable change in how much time he takes out of his day to talk to you

Always remembers important dates. Like it's highly likely that you're the one forgetting important dates instead of him

He's an amazing communicator too. If you're struggling to tell him something that he did that bothered you, he's already apologized for it, boom.

I don't think it's often that you two get into arguments

Not because he's nonconfrontational, but because he's really easy to make compromises with, he's not stubborn at all when it comes to you

The "mama y papa" audio went into my head and that's probably what it feels like when anyone is stuck with you two. Literally the parent couple

It probably gets to a point where people forget that there was a time where you two weren't together

I feel like once you get flustered, he gets flustered because he thinks about what he said that made you react that way and he's like oh.

I can't see him being super touchy but I don't think he would mind you clinging onto him anyway

I don't even think he would notice until someone mentions it

Usually he has a hand on you anyway. Your waist, your shoulder, your hands, your back, your thigh (if he doesn't get too flustered in the moment) literally damn near anywhere

He's literally almost perfect I cannot think of a problem besides him being busy, 9/10

[aroacespacerock]

just watched space babies and the devils chord; here are my thoughts!

The baby mouth cgi had me giggling the whole first episode

ruby and 15 are the sweetest!

I need to study them under a microscope and keep them in a jar

they’re really giving the misbehaving school kids that rtd promised

15 was so so so sweet with the babies!! (“Nobody grows up wrong” ASAFGSHDJS)

though predictable, I liked space babies more than I thought I would, solid 7/10 ⭐️

as for the 2nd episode, I loved the maestro

the sass was amazing

my dog is my favorite Beatles song now

the devils chord was an episode that had me reeling, in a good way that I haven’t felt from dr who since 12s era (sorry chibs I just wasn’t a fan)

the doctor can casually hear the background music???

the devils chord changed my brain chemistry; 9/10 ⭐️

also bitch we’ve been over this: you are not the last timelord. Your (other) wife is in the gold tooth. You have another you.

im loving all of the ruby and The One Who Waits foreshadowing

the outfits SLAP

[starcrossed591]

KDrama Year in Review 2024

Only a few KDramas took up residence in my unconscious (looking at you, When the Phone Rings) this year, but looking back, there were a good number that I found pretty solid overall and looked forward to watching every week! I’ve been pretty flexible about genre this year, but since I was getting most of my angst from CDramaland (CDrama Year in Review forthcoming), I tended towards KDramas on the lighter and/or otherwise more restrained side. There’s some flotsam and jetsam to wade through first, but here we go:

Disclaimer: Rankings based on my personal preference, not objective quality

15) Romance in the House (dnf)—Did not even remember I watched this. The premise was meh, the deadbeat dad was unlikeable, and it seemed like they wanted me to root for him to win the mom back (no thank you). Some of the actors were doing their darndest to push through, but it did not work for me at all. Dropped.

14) Marriage Impossible (dnf)—I like the two lead actors, especially Moon Sang Min (I really liked him in Under the Queen’s Umbrella), and they had pretty good chemistry, but they were underserved by the weakness of the script. Dropped before they even got together (alas, the gifs of their first kiss looked like great fun).

13) Cinderella at 2am (dnf)—Interesting first two episodes in which the FL takes the money of chaebol boyfriend’s rich mother in order to break up with him, but then lost all momentum from there. Another miss from Moon Sang Min. Pick better scripts, buddy! Dropped.

12) Love Your Enemy—This rom com is fine I guess? I dropped after about six episodes because there’s too much else on my watch list. The actors playing the two leads in the high school flashbacks were unfortunately much more compelling than the ML and FL as adults, which leaves the whole thing feeling unbalanced. I don’t know if it’s the actors or the script, but this one just did not land for me. Dropped.

11) Serendipity’s Embrace—Finished this mostly inoffensive rom com mostly out of fondness for Kim So Hyun and because nothing else was airing that I wanted to watch. Did not actually like that much, do not recommend unless you don’t have much else to do.

10) Captivating the King—Was very obsessed with this sageuk for the first half. Cross dressing FL out for revenge? Vengeful, unhinged (bisexual) king? Yes please! However, they lost me when the FL who was supposed to be Very Smart kept acting Very Dumb, so I got distracted and never came back to it. I do still adore Cho Jung Seok and it was fun seeing him play a darker role after most recently seeing him in Hospital Playlist, but come on! If you want me to believe your FL is a strategic genius, she has to act like one or have a very good reason why she’s not! Dropped.

9) Love Next Door—Hyped up way too much; totally understand why so many people dropped. Mostly finished out of goodwill for Jung Hae In and Jung So Min, both of whom I adore, and a much more magnetic secondary couple. Was ultimately a mid-tier rom com/family drama, though I probably would have liked it better if my expectations hadn’t been so high. Would still recommend if you have fondness for any of the actors, though.  

OKAY now time for dramas I actually (mostly) liked!

8) Marry My Husband—Very much enjoyed Park Min Young, the rom com queen, in her transmigration revenge era. I liked it more when the SFL and SML were a sort of everyday awful that still managed to be soul sucking before it all took a hard turn into makjang territory, but still really enjoyable overall. I'm also still struck by the scene in which the FL breaks down after her (fake) bestie betrays her for a second time by sleeping with her husband. The feeling of betrayal she felt, even when she basically knew it was coming, was not actually lessened by that foreknowledge, perhaps because of the forlorn hope that maybe her friend *wouldn't* betray her this time around.

7) Queen of Tears—Kim Ji-won and Kim So Hyun were both fantastic in this much anticipated drama, and watching their relationship develop from married couple fully at odds with each other to ride or die partners was excellent. The ensemble cast also featured many of my favorite secondary characters of the year, including himbo brother and devoted daddy played to perfection by Kwak Dong Yeon and unhinged, excon, serial divorcee aunt played by Kim Jung Nan! Unfortunately, there was a little too much plot bloat and some unearned plot twists (amnesia, anyone?) and the episodes were all just too long (Writer Park Ji Eun really, really needs an editor, but I expect no one could tell her No after the success of CLOY). Still a fun ride overall, though!  

6) Tell Me that You Love Me—(Started airing in 2023 but ended in 2024 and wasn’t available to stream in my area until 2024, so I’m counting it!) This quiet, slice of life romance was a very comforting watch for me. I found Mo Eun (Shin Hyun Been) a restful character to watch as she tried to figure out her life while trying to make it as a working actress while also falling in love with Cha Jin Woo, an artist who is also deaf. YMMV re: the ending (and I hear the JDrama it’s based on may be a bit better), but if you want a drama that’s soothing while still grounded, I recommend this one.     

5) My Sweet Mobster—Had no expectations for this drama—in fact, I saw the descriptions and promo material and thought it would be a hard pass for me—but then ended up completely charmed by this goofy rom com that nonetheless took recidivism and the real challenges faced by excons to integrate into society after serving their time very seriously. Honestly, worth checking out just for Uhm Tae Goo as swoon worthy, deep-voiced, former mob boss Seo Ji Hwan—easily my favorite new-to-me actor of the year.   

4) No Gain No Love—Again, I had no expectations for this rom com, but then ended up totally sucked in by Shin Min-A’s performance as Son Hae-Young, a successful career woman who has reached her ceiling promotion-wise at work solely because she is unmarried. Her insistence on not suffering losses even in relationships and her resulting conviction that that insistence made her unlikely to find a partner also struck a chord. My mileage varies with Kim Young Dae, but his turn as the convenience store clerk she convinces to fake-marry her was charming. Rom com tropes follow, some with more success than other, but the pointed critique of the gendered double standard many of the characters face made this one really land for me. Bonus points for Hae-young’s relationship with her two foster sisters, the only two of the many children her mom fostered to stick around.

3) The Midnight Romance at Hagwon—I know a lot of people had high expectations for this one and then dropped it when it wasn’t what they expected, but it ended up being a highlight of the year for me. I came for Wi Ha Joon in a romance, and stayed for the unexpectedly earnest commentary on what education is actually for, especially when it has turned into teaching children how best to win at taking a test. When the first big fight between the FL and ML was a yelling match about a pedagogical disagreement on the best way to teach literature, I was a goner. The thought of a former student showing back up in my life to seduce me at my place of work irl gives me hives, but I honestly loved this drama so much. Highly, highly recommend.

2) When the Phone Rings—I know I’m being premature by putting this drama so high on my list when it hasn’t yet concluded, but I CAN’T HELP IT, SUE ME. I’m so obsessed with this drama, it has taken over my dreams. Hong Hee Joo and Baek Sa-eon’s messy relationship is so, so fun, and I’m rooting for them so much. I do sometimes see the twists coming in this makjang thriller romance, but am still surprised often enough to keep me on my toes. Also, more red flag heroes please, Baek Sa-eon is so so fun when he’s being little extra unhinged.

1) Lovely Runner—Im Sol and Ryu Sun Jae had my whole heart for the entirety of this drama’s run. This is another one where the premise did not originally appeal to me—Im Sol going back in time to save her idol from dying is not at all sexy to me—but it’s another one where it took so many twists and turns that a non-spoiler description just can’t do it justice. Sol and Sun Jae had such good chemistry and were so ride or die for each other. I honestly loved that (spoiler) you go in thinking that Im Sol’s love for Sun Jae, just to learn that Sun Jae fell for her both first and much, much harder. Im Sol’s time travel shenanigans were never totally explained, but I’m just fine leaving it all a little timey wimey because I loved the journey so much.

Favorite Female Character: Look, I love a KDrama Lost Girl (tm), so it’s gotta be Hong Hee Joo (Chae Soo Bin) from When the Phone Rings for me. I love the balance between (spoilers) how adrift she feels in her personal life with how unhinged she can get when making calls with the mask of 406. I also love her artful use of sign language, especially when she deploys it specifically because she knows the person she’s talking to won’t understand her.

Favorite Male Character: If I was in my green flag era it would be Sun Jae, but since I’m in my red flag era, it’s absolutely Baek Sa-eon (Yoo Yeon Seok) from When the Phone Rings. He’s been unhealthily obsessed with Hee Joo for 20 years, and I love that for him. Also, I adored YYS in both Mr. Sunshine and Hospital Playlist, so seeing him play a character here somehow halfway between his polar opposite roles in those dramas is a real treat.

Favorite Secondary Female Character: I adored Nam Cheong Mi (So Joo Yeon) as the SFL in Midnight Romance in Hagwon. She started out *totally* out there in her quest to be hired as a lecturer at the elite hagwon for which the drama is named, and I empathized her total dedication to being a fantastic teacher that became more and more apparent as the drama went on. I also appreciated her growing friendship with FL Hye Jin. She refused to let herself be used by others as Hye Jin’s rival, even when it would have been really easy to do so for her own gain.

Favorite Secondary Male Character: A tie here for Baek In Hyuk (Lee Seung Hyub) as Sun Jae’s bestie and eternal wingman and SML Kim Tae Seong (Song Geon Hee), both from Lovely Runner. The delightful ensemble cast is part of what made this drama so strong, and the scene where these two were on screen with Sun Jae were some of the funniest. I also really, really liked Tae Seong’s unexpected friendship/relationship with Im Sol in each variation of the timeline, especially since he was the first person to consistently recognize future Sol as distinct from past Sol.

Favorite Ship (runner up): Look, I know I should just choose one couple, but it’s my list so I make the rules, and I’m so obsessed with Hee Joo and Sa-eon right now that I have to give them their own slot.

Favorite Ship: Sun Jae and Im Sol’s (in Lovely Runner) determination to protect the other even at the cost of their own lives takes the cake here for me. I also loved seeing Sun Jae recognize Im Sol’s feelings for him multiple times across different possible timelines, and always, always choose her. I was rooting for them so hard and they made my heart flutter so many times across so many timelines that it has to be them.

Favorite Secondary Ship: I ended up really loving the romance between spicy romance  web novelist Nam Ja Yeon (Han Ji Hyun) and chaebol/her internet troll Bok Gyu-heon (Lee Sang Yi) in No Gain No Love. Seeing how these two went from true enemies to lovers was such a treat. I do some research on Webtoons in my professional life, so seeing this drama take seriously the toll that internet hate can take on creatives felt really profound (and pointed) to me, and seeing Gyu Heon realize how much harm he caused in trolling her so hard and figure out how to legitimately make restitution really resonated for me. Plus, the bonus episodes in their spin off, Spice Up Our Love, were a nice treat! These two are totally ready to carry their own dramas as leads, if they want to.

Favorite Platonic Relationship: I’m a sucker for friendships between women, especially for some reason when there are three of them, so the friendship/sisterhood between Son Hae Young, Nam Ja Yeon, and Cha Hui Seong  in No Gain No Love was catnip for me. The way they always showed up for each other even if they didn’t agree with the other’s choices really, really worked for me. Ja Yeon and Hui Seong’s roles as Hae Young’s only foster siblings to stick around long term was really touching, though also bittersweet.  

Dramas I Missed: I meant to watch A Virtuous Business, because who doesn’t love middle aged women selling sex toys? I still might, but that one will likely stay on the back burner for a while. I might also pick up Atypical Familyat some point, since enough people liked that one well enough for me to be at least a little intrigued. Anything else I ought to check out?

Non-2024 Drama Spotlight: I watched Link: Eat, Love, Kill at the end of last winter break, and it was such a fun little drama! It had that unexpected mixing of genres-- the perfect balance of romance, thriller, murder mystery, and magical realism—that made me love KDramas in the first place. I adored Moon Ga Yong as the ne’er-do-well FL forced to move back in with her mother and grandmother by her lackluster career, and her romance with the chef starting a restaurant across the street (played hilariously by Yeo Jin Goo) who, for reasons unknown, shares a psychic connection and can sometimes feel her emotions! Throw in a murder (maybe?) that the mom and grandmother help the FL cover up; a cold case; a fridge that somehow keeps ending up with a body in it; and unexpectedly sharp commentary on domestic violence, and you have yourself a winner, at least in my book. I highly, highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t yet!

Dramas I'm looking forward to: Idk I live under a rock and am happily surprised when fun dramas show up on my dash. I do like the Webtoon for The Remarried Empress, so hopefully the drama for that will be good? Not over all the articles describing this story as a "historical" when the plot depends on the ML being able to *turn into a bird*, so we'll see I guess

[the-goya-jerker]

love what youre doing here, this is an inspired axis upon which to critique art

i Must know your thoughts on francis' bacon's 1953 "study after velázquez's portrait of pope innocent x." ive always found it a fascinating piece, and im pretty sure it draws a lot of inspiration from goya's black-painting-era work.

So, for a quick reference, this is the painting this is a study of:

Bacon had a period where he liked to do studies like this of classic works.

This one depicts Pope Innocent X as a rotting figure in a a chair that almost seems to glow. Is this rotting figure screaming or has it simply rotted so much that it's mouth has fallen open?

To me this painting very much feels like an inversion of the original. The delicate lace and warm colors present in the first are replaced with the loosely painted details and cool colors of the second. Instead of being a painting of a calm man who speaks for God, it is the painting of a corpse assailed by holy light, seemingly in agony from it.

Personally, I like to read some divine agony into the painting. There is something divine occurring to Innocent, or maybe even around him with no regard for him, and it is agonizing, if it has not killed him already.

I think the hatred the Christian God can impose on his creations is something I find kind of erotic. There's this immense power from above that you can never understand, only hope that it loves you as you're told it does. It does not speak to you, it is detached and cold. And yet you know it's wrath is absolute, that it could kill you all in a moment. There's something, in my outsider view, that enjoys that in a way. Total helplessness and complete power, with no chance to break out of the system.

Generally, I also think my view of the Christian God skews very Eldritch, which is sexy, so...

Also, I'll be up front, holy vestments get me going.

Rot is also really sexy. The degradation of the familiar as it returns to what it came from to feed the earth around it, that's hot.

Overall, for me, this one is a 9/10. Another pretty solid one from Francis Bacon! Also, feel free to share your interpretations in the replies, I do love to hear people's thoughts, even just on the painting itself, devoid of eroticism.

[dystini]

So, Nathan Brown's article this morning (find it here) has got me all riled up.

Let's start with this:

An aging driver who has peaked. Really? Let's look at his two teams. Andretti, which has been struggling and is still struggling (though perhaps improving) and McLaren, still building itself from the ground up. One can only consistently drive as well as the equipment and team provided to them. Many of Rossi's poor finishes can be attributed to failures in one or both of those, not for anything he did or didn't do.

And aging? The current top level drivers:

Alex Palou – currently 27 – first championship at 24 Scott Dixon – currently 43 – first championship at 23 Will Power – currently 43 - first championship at 33 Josef Newgarden – currently 33 – first championship at 27

If we discard Palou as an outlier and it could be said that Dixon's first championship was in a different era of racing, then Rossi is not really that old in the scheme of things.

Moving on to this:

Andretti Green “Dream Team” (Andretti Green began operations in 2003)

Bryan Herta – 9 years in CART, 4 years at Andretti Green, joined age 33 – 2 wins, best championship finish of 8th Tony Kanaan – 5 years in CART, 7 years at Andretti Green, joined age 29 – 13 wins, 1 championship (2004, age 30) Dario Franchitti – 6 years in CART, 5 years at Andretti Green, joined age 30 – 8 wins, 1 championship (2007, age 33) Dan Wheldon – 2002 Indycar rookie, 3 years at Andretti Green, joined age 25 – 9 wins, 1 championship (2005, age 27)

The outlier here is Wheldon, like Palou above, and can be discarded. What do the other three have in common? Age and experience.

Herta wasn't flashy but he did rack up consistent finishes in the top 10 with plenty in the top 5 in his 4 years at Andretti Green. Maybe it's just coincidence that the team slowly started falling apart after he retired.

McLaren let a solid, mature driver that could have been the stable backbone of their team go in favor of the shiny "potential" of young drivers. Yet they have a history of not letting said potential develop.

One last thing, O'Ward's contract goes through 2027, when he will be 28 years old. Will they let him go then, no matter the results he achieves in the coming years, calling him too old and then move on to a shiny new young driver?

[mountmultimuses]

My Top 10 Favorite Godzilla Designs

I used to say that Millennium Godzilla was my favorite design for the character, but that might not be the case anymore. I still love it, but after thinking about for a good long time, I have found that there are designs that I like better. And I finally narrowed down my top 10 favorites. So here it is. My Top 10 Favorite Godzilla Designs

#10. Earth Goji

By far the most unique design on this list. With his tree-bark-like skin and leaf-like dorsal plates, I wasn't sure to add this design on my list as I felt Goji looked best when he looked reptilian. However, the more I look at it, the more this design begins to grab me. Something else that works in this Goji's favor is that he is ABSOLUTELY GIGANTIC!!! Seriously! This big guy got up to 318 meters tall! THAT'S 1043 FEET! I never got the chance to see this series, but I can at least say that its design for Godzilla is one of the best.

#9. Shin Goji

This design for Godzilla is ABSOLUTELY HIDEOUS in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY! It looks like the charred remains of a creature that got caught in an explosion that is somehow still alive. The crazy jagged teeth, the tiny, beady eyes, the purple atomic power, even the splitting jaw is great, in my opinion. The only things going against this design is tail seems a little too long sometimes and the arms are super scrawny. It's a bit distracting, I won't lie. Still, Shin Goji is TERRIFYING, and that alone got him on this list.

#8. Singular Point Goji

I didn't like this design at first. I felt it was a little too odd looking. However, I eventually saw the pictures of the S.H. Monsterarts figure of Singular Point Goji, and found that it did have a certain charm. My only real gripes are the placement of the fangs and that the way the mouth looks from certain angles seems a bit inorganic, if that makes sense. I have not heard a lot of good things about the series, but at the very least the design for Goji is solid, and definitely good looking enough for this list.

#7. MireGoji

Godzilla had a few different designs during the Millennium Era. This design is called MireGoji, and it comes from Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla vs Megaguirus (though it varied slightly in both films.) There's plenty to love about MireGoji. One is the colors. This is one of the few Godzillas that is green instead of gray. Not only that, but the pinkish purple dorsal plates are striking. It's very eye catching. Another great thing is all the jagged elements. The jagged teeth, jagged scales, and jagged plates gives this Godzilla an edgy look. The only real downside is the size. MireGoji is one the smallest Gojis on this list at only 50 meters tall. Sure, you can argue that 50 meters is the original Godzilla's authentic height, but personally, I like Godzilla in the height neighborhood of 100 to 120 meters. Still the MireGoji design has its charms, and a special place in my heart.

#6. KiryuGoji

KiryuGoji, featured in Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and Godzilla Tokyo SOS, is a lot like MireGoji, but with a few differences. The jagged elements are a bit more streamlined, he's back to being dark gray with silver plates, and he has a wolf-like face. In my opinion, it has pretty much everything going for it. Again, the one thing it's got going against it is the size at only 50 meters. But aside from that, KiryuGoji is fantastic.

#5. IDW Goji

The only Godzilla design on this list that isn't from a movie or show. Illustrated by the remarkably talented Matt Frank, IDW Goji has everything KiryuGoji has going for it, only this time, he's a whomping 100 meters tall. Something about this streamline design and grayish green color really works. It certainly helps that this Godzilla is one of the more powerful versions of the character. IDW Goji is like the perfect blend of the two Millennium Gojis on this list, and definitely my favorite illustrated version of the character.

#4. Monsterverse Goji

More specifically, his design in 2019 and 2021. It's big, it's menacing, and it looks like it could be an actual animal. I also love the skin and the addition of visible gills, making this Goji stand out that much more. There are only two major problems I have with this design For one thing, the head's a bit too small. I know Godzilla has never had a particularly large noggin, but it's hard not to point out. The other is that I wish he had more teeth, and that those teeth were bigger and more noticeable. Still, this design works, warts and all. Monsterverse Goji is a force to be reckoned with, and I look forward to seeing more of him in future movies.

#3. Gemstone Goji

This design is brilliant, in my opinion. It's like a perfect blend of Heisei Goji and Monsterverse Goji. Sometimes the skin looks less like scales and more like lumpy, gray warts. It's not bad, but it is hard to ignore sometimes. Most of the time, however, it's not a problem, and this Goji definitely fits with the narrative Gemstone is creating. If they make more media with this design, I'm game.

#2. Heisei Goji

You can't go wrong with what is, arguably, the most recognizable design Godzilla has ever had. Some even consider this the definitive design for Godzilla, and I can't say I disagree. Most days, you hear the word "Godzilla," and Hesei Goji comes to mind, especially his look in Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla, AKA "MogeGoji," with his enormous size, expressive eyes, two rows of teeth, and bulging muscles. My only two drawbacks is that sometimes the shoulders are a bit too slim, and sometimes the legs seem a little too massive. It's not a deal breaker, mind you, but it can be distracting from time to time. Still, the Heisei era does have, arguably, the most consistent and recognizable design, and it's definitely makes the top 2.

#1. Final Goji

I have thought about this for a good, long time, and I think I can safely say that Godzilla's design in Godzilla: Final Wars is my personal favorite. The red eyes, the teeth, the longer ears, the slim yet powerful build, it all works. Sometimes the tail length seems a little inconsistent, no doubt due to the fact that they used three different suits for the movie, but other than that, it's perfect. Is he as powerful-looking as Heisei Goji? Not really. Is he as imposing as Monsterverse Goji? No. But something about this design strikes a near-perfect balance for me. Not only that, but Godzilla's personality in this film is great. Godzilla feels like a battle-hardened rōnin warrior with a chip on his shoulder. And now that I think about it, this Goji might be the most powerful aside from Earth Goji. He goes through the whole movie beating the other kaiju left and right without even breaking a sweat. He's unstoppable. If they made a whole film series with Final Goji and all the other monsters in Final Wars, I would absolutely LOVE it. So yeah, after a lot of thinking, Final Wars Godzilla is my favorite Godzilla.

[matttgirlies]

Matt & Me🎀

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

a story heavily based on Priscilla Presley’s Book “Elvis & Me” based in the 1950’s - 1970’s.

fem! reader x singer! matt

disclaimer!! - in no way am i saying matt would ever support or do these kind of things, for the sake of the book certain unethical things do happen at times.

y/nn = your nickname for any confusion🩷

Chapter 10

It was the era of the Polaroid and the beginning of videotape. He was the director and I his star acting out fantasies. We dressed up and undressed, played and wrestled, told stories, acted out our fantasies, and invented scenes. Whether it was dressing up in my school uniform and playing at being a sweet, innocent schoolgirl, or a secretary coming home from work and relaxing in the privacy of her own bedroom, or a teacher seducing her student, we were always inventing new stories, and eventually, I learned what stimulated Matt the most.

Almost every night I made quick trips to the local drugstore to buy considerable amounts of Polaroid film. Some of the cashiers knew me, and I wondered if they suspected what we were doing.

I put on dark glasses to “disguise” myself, but ended up looking even more conspicuous as I’d sweetly request twelve packs of Polaroid film while making excuses like, “Gee, the others must have been defective. I just can’t seem to get them to come out right,” or “You’re not going to believe this, but someone stole my film.”

Making it in and out of Graceland was no easy feat, either. I’d pass Mr. Stall at the gate at odd hours of the night, smiling and waving hello, returning shortly with the same smile and the same wave. I was sure he harbored some suspicious thoughts about what I was doing.

Matt laughed when I told him. “It’s all in your mind. He’s no more thinking anything than a dog sleeping.”

“Well, what if he starts spreading rumors, like I go out at night?”

“It might create some excitement around here. This town’s dead. Boston needs a little gossip!”

Matt and I both loved creating these sexual fantasies and it seemed to bring us closer together. I had no previous sexual experience to compare with his inventive sexuality and I was ready to indulge him any way I could. Being in the fast lane, he was exposed to every pleasure available in life. Ordinary thrills sometimes were not enough, especially when he was under the influence of powerful drugs.

At first I was totally open to Matt and many of his ideas. I lived for those moments we were alone. I was careful to say little that might jeopardize my bond with him. I fulfilled his needs, and his beliefs became mine. Under no circumstances were his ideas or playfulness perverted or in any way harmful.

A few days after he came home, he led me to his long black limousine and we sped off to one of Boston’s most exclusive boutiques on Union Street for some after-hours shopping, just as we’d done in Las Vegas. While the boys milled around the shop and the store’s sales staff tried to look nonchalant, Matt got a big kick out of having me model dozens of stunning dresses and suits and coats that were so stylish I was doubtful I could wear them. I was still an insecure teenager.

“Matt,” I said, wearing a sexy gold lamé gown that clung to my every curve, “these clothes are too sophisticated for me.”

“Sophisticated?” he said, regarding me admiringly. “What’s sophisticated? You could go around wearing a feather and that would be sophisticated.”

“Well, bring me a feather then.”

We spent four hours at that shop and during that time, I had a personalized lesson in the Matt Sturniolo Fashion Course.

As I tried on dress after dress, Matt delivered a running commentary on color. He liked me in red, blue, turquoise, emerald green, and black and white—the same colors he himself wore. He liked solids only, declaring that large prints took away from my looks. “Too distracting,” he said. He hated browns and dark green, colors inextricably associated in his mind with the Army.

Exhausted and a little confused about my new look, I walked out of the shop dressed in a sleek black linen suit with four-inch highheeled shoes to match. With Matt sitting proudly beside me, the guys loaded the trunk of the limo with armfuls of packages, and I felt very special.

Back at Graceland he had me model all my new clothes again for Grandma, who patiently sat through a long two hours of changes. I was Matt’s doll, his own living doll, to fashion as he pleased.

It was the early sixties, when clothes and makeup veered to extremes. Women’s eyeliner was heavier, their hair more teased, and their skirts shorter than ever before. All the rules I’d learned about dressing and applying makeup (less is more, the simpler the better) were being broken, and men seemed to love it. Matt certainly did. If I went a little light with the mascara or black eyeliner, he’d send me back upstairs to apply it more heavily.

Matt liked long hair. When I’d cut mine without asking his permission, he was shocked.

“How could you cut your goddamn hair? You know I like long hair. Men love long hair.”

He wanted it long and jet black, dyed to match his because, as he said, “You have pretty eyes, baby. Black hair will make your eyes stand out more.” He made a lot of sense to me and soon my hair was dyed jet black, like his.

The more we were together the more I came to resemble him in every way. His tastes, his insecurities, his hang-ups—all became mine.

For instance, high collars were his trademark, not because he especially liked them, but because he felt his neck looked too long. He never felt comfortable unless he was in a customized high-collared shirt, though in a pinch he’d turn the collar up on a regular shirt as he had when he was in school.

When he told me that the collar I was wearing on a particular blouse was too small for my “long, skinny neck,” I too began wearing high-collared shirts. Why not? My sole ambition was to please him, to be rewarded with his approval and affection. When he criticized me, I fell to pieces.

The Pygmalion nature of our relationship was a mixed blessing. The most fundamental thing at this stage in our life together was that Matt was my mentor, someone who studied my every gesture, listened critically to my every utterance, and was generous, to a fault, with advice.

When I did something that wasn’t to his liking, I was corrected. It is extremely difficult to relax under such scrutiny. Little escaped him. Little except the most salient fact of allthat I was a volcano about to erupt.

There were evenings when he’d send me back upstairs to change clothes because my choice was “dull,” “unflattering,” or “not dressy enough” for him. Even the way I walked came under review; he told me to move more slowly, and for a short while, he had me walking around the house with a book on my head.

I appreciated his interest, but I hated having to hear him remind me of my shortcomings so many times, and each time having to promise him that he’d never have to tell me again.

Would I ever be able to live up to his vision of how his ideal woman should behave and appear? She had to be sensitive, loving, and extremely understanding, meeting unusual demands any average woman might reject. This included being left behind when he made spur-of-the-moment, questionable “business” trips.

She had to be pretty and she had to possess an offbeat sense of humor to survive all the joking at Graceland. Often I’d walk into Sunday afternoon football gatherings and hear inside jokes about the cute all-American cheerleaders. Eventually I found myself thinking like one of the guys. “Nice tits and ass,” I’d say to myself. “A little heavy in the thighs, but the face makes up for it.”

Matt had a strong aversion to wearing jeans. As a poor boy, he had no choice but to wear them and he never wanted to lay eyes on another pair. That applied to everyone in the group.

His firm ideas on my wardrobe didn’t make it easy for me to go out and buy clothes for myself. One day I came home proud of a dress I’d just bought and couldn’t wait to put on. I knew he didn’t like prints, but this was a blackand-white flowered silk that I thought very special.

The first words out of his mouth when he saw me were: “That dress doesn’t suit you. Does nothing for you. Takes away from your face, your eyes. All you see’s the dress.”

As he tore me apart I started to cry. “Are you quite finished?” I inquired. I didn’t give him a chance to answer, bolting for my bathroom and slamming the door.

A few minutes later I heard his voice from the other side of the door: “You gotta keep away from those large prints. You’re a small girl, Sattnin.”

I opened the bathroom door and snapped, “Okay, I’ll return the fuckin’ dress.”

Matt fell to the floor laughing; eventually I joined in, unable to stop myself. Once again I’d compromised my own taste.

He ignored no aspect of my appearance, including my teeth. He took me to his dentist, told him to clean my teeth and give me a thorough examination. He was to look for probable cavities only and should I need any fillings, they were to be made of white porcelain. To him a mouth loaded with gold or silver was an eyesore.

He was equally fanatical about posture. If I slumped, he’d straighten my back. When I’d look up at him and wrinkle my forehead, he’d smooth it out—or tap it—telling me not to get in that habit. I didn’t like him rapping me, so I learned that one fast.

When we came home from the movies one night, I was getting ready for bed and he was in his office playing the piano. I came in to listen, propping my foot on the bench where he was sitting. He looked down at a small chip in my nail polish and I immediately withdrew my foot from the bench and started making up excuses about why it wasn’t fixed. “I’m going to have my pedicure tomorrow,” I promised.

“Good,” he said, “cause that doesn’t look like my Little Girl’s. You should always keep them looking nice.”

I was leading a double life—a schoolgirl by day, a femme fatale by night. Our evening appearance downstairs usually resembled a grand entrance. Even when our only intention was to have dinner, we always dressed for the occasion. Matt might wear a three-piece suit with a brocade vest and a Stetson hat. Under his coat he always carried a gun. He’d given me a small pearl-handled derringer and I carried it in my bra or tucked it into a holster around my waist. We were a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde.

Matt loved films, and we went to the Memphian almost every night. He was still renting the whole house after regular hours since he couldn’t attend a movie without being mobbed. One of the guys always lined up several films in case Matt didn’t like one of them or decided to see as many as three or four in a row. We usually arrived around midnight, our limousine pulling around to the back of the Memphian. From there we’d proceed into the side door like a royal couple leading their court.

Already seated in the theater were the usual crowd of thirty to fifty local friends and fans. Matt always sat in the same seat—with Nate Doe to his right, me to his left.

Before calling “Roll ’em!” he looked around the theater to make sure everyone was seated. He was an acutely aware person and could immediately spot any unwanted or unfamiliar faces. If any new faces were sitting too close to him, Matt suggested they move elsewhere. He was more lenient with the girls. He might not demand they move but he certainly wanted to know who they were, and should they object to being asked for this information or smart off in any way, he would not hesitate to have one of the boys escort them out, telling them never to come back.

There were times Matt rented the entire Boston Fairgrounds after closing and we all  spent hours on our favorite rides. We tried such daredevil feats on the roller-coaster as seeing who could stand the longest with both arms outstretched as it whipped and twisted around the track again and again.

Matt loved the bumper cars and would team up with the entourage against some locals. They’d spend the night seemingly trying to kill each other, laughing and bruising themselves like tough little boys while we girls watched and cheered them on. After several hours my own enthusiasm waned.

Excerpt from: "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. Scribd.

This material may be protected by copyright.

a/n - hope u enjoyed this chapter!!🎀

[forfoxessake]

Stomachaches. Live (2014-2015) [BOOTLEG]

To celebrate the ten years of this special album I have compiled a bootleg live version featuring 28 songs, all the original fiatc songs, plus all the covers, demos, and other solo songs from that era. It's a very special project for me, it was the first one I started and the hardest one by far. Unfortunately, most of the audio and video from that time were either low quality or incomplete, so I did my best trying to find the best possible versions.

download it HERE

Tracklist:

0. "Spoken Intro" 1. "All I Want is Nothing" 2. "Weighted" 3. "Blood Infections" 4. "She's The Prettiest Girl At The Party, And She Can Prove It With A Solid Right Hook" 5. "Stitches" 6. "Joyriding" 7. "Stage 4 Fear of Trying" 8. "Tragician" 9. "Neverenders" 10. "Smoke Rings" 11. "Guilttripping" 12. "Where Do We Belong Anywhere But Here"

non-album songs:

13. "This Song is A Curse" 14. "Sunsets Are For Muggings" 15. "Give Me Liberty but Give Me Depth" 16. "Old Intro" 17. "2.5mg Just Ain't Enough for Me" 18. "Boxcar" 19. "B.F.F." 20. "You Are My Sunshine" 21. "I Wanna Be Adored" 22. "Xmas Sux" 23. "Remedy [demo]" 24. "Rockaway Beach [cover]" 25. "Hey Jealousy" 26. "She's The Prettiest Girl… + True Love Will Find You In the End" 27. "Boxcar (Derek Zanetti)" 28. "I'm Trying as Hard as I Can… But All I Really Wanna Do Is Fuck Off and Get High"

link for previous projects

bonus: acoustic

[acnh-villager-a-day]

Day 9 of reviewing every Animal Crossing New Horizons villager

Todays villager is AMELIA

Nintendo has fucking NAILED this design. I know this woman. I don't need to read her information at all because I know her. The sleepy eye look with the sharp winged eyeliner, the grandeur of the suggested feathers at the bottom of her neck... I know her. At first I thought I didn't like the black sweater but then I realised the subversively formal aura it gives her. Amelia is proper, without immediately coming across as proper. My only slight gripe with Amelia's look is the lower half but that's less an independent problem and just an issue I have with the design of the eagle villagers; their legs look like Victorian era undergarments.

As hilariously suggested by her eyeliner, Amelia is a snooty villager which I think is very clever and thought out; there is a conversation between her personality and vanity that transcends language and can be heard from a mile away. Her personality is filled to the brim with smarts and demure. Take her special skill being the indulgence in poker, matching the red sections on her face. Take her aspiration to become a lawyer, as evidenced in her attire. I hate to base so much of Amelia on the way she looks but it seems to have become this beacon for who she is as a person. I am blown away by her look and how it isn't just a look, rather an extension of her identity.

Ok now I'll get into what I think about her skill and goal. It's just so well-rounded. There is nothing about Amelia that isn't sophisticated. A skill in poker? Wanting to become a lawyer? These two things are married only by sheer sophistication. Amelia also expresses an interest in the arts by permission of her hobby being music, I would take a bullet for this villager. What completes the celebratory case of her persona to me is her favourite song being K.K. Condor. It's such a delicate but frantic track, plucked straight from the score of a ballet's great climax in which the lead takes back her independence from an oppressive force. Which is something I feel like Amelia, as the eldest of 5 siblings could relate to, seeing that she packed up her life and left for your island. Bravo to Nintendo for this character, bravo.

Amelia's history in the Animal Crossing franchise is somewhat of an allegory too. Named after Amelia Earhart, she is the first female eagle of the franchise up until New Leaf when Celia was introduced. Amelia Earhart herself was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic and the first person to fly solo and continuously over the United States. The further commonality between these two is flight. Poetic really.

Amelia is a free spirited, sophisticated and elegant trailblazer of the Animal Crossing franchise who has touched down at last, in full form, in New Horizons. All in all, I must give Amelia a solid 9/10.

[willfrominternet]

Been a while since I posted here but I got a ping about this post where I talked about what I expected from Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and their adventures with Ruby Sunday. After watching the season, I think I was right in saying the Doctor should be fun and their adventures should be fun.

This was, by all measures, a season which hearkened back to the first years of the Modern Era. It felt like watching Chris Eccleston and Billie Piper all over again. Both Chris and Ncuti played Doctors coming from great trauma and wanting to escape it, even if they did it in different ways (with Nine having to learn to rediscover love and Fifteen openly embracing it.) Both of them also had to face trauma at the end of their first season (in Chris's case, his only season): Nine dealt with the return of the Daleks, nearly losing Rose, and having to sacrifice himself just as he was starting to recover, while Fifteen had to cope with how death followed them everywhere, regardless of their longing for peace, positivity, and fun.

Ruby was very much just a normal girl like Rose, and I think her unexplained magic abilities don't take away from that. Rose also underwent a transformation in her second (and final) season, where she got locked in an alternate timeline and (sort of) became the Bad Wolf. I believe we'll therefore learn more about Ruby's abilities and see her character transform in her second season, as well as learn about Mrs. Flood and how she plays into the Doctor's timeline. (Early thoughts: River, another child of Amy and Rory, the Rani, another pre-Hartnell Doctor, a future Doctor, etc. etc. etc.)

Anyway: This season was definitely fun, but brought back the philosophical and historical bits which originally made Doctor Who at least somewhat educational and thought-provoking. I think this was what was missing from Moffatt's and Chibnall's runs on the show: It became more centered around the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey lore and less around tying the history/sci-fi to current issues. (The Capaldi era actually did this somewhat well, but I'm biased because I love Capaldi.) Here's the ranking of episodes from best to okay:

Rogue

Dot and Bubble

73 Yards

Boom

The Devil's Chord

Space Babies

The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death

This first season did, in my opinion, feel too much like a taste of Doctor Who, or a "Season 1A." Series 7 was like this too, where we had so much left unresolved and underdeveloped after those first five episodes. (Not that the rest of Series 7 was much better, IMHO.) At least this first season for Ncuti felt a little more full, but now I'm even more excited to see what happens to the Doctor, Ruby, and whoever Varada Sethu will play in the next season. Perhaps that was the twist all along. Damn you, Russell! Damn you, Disney Plus!

Was this the finest season of the new incarnation of the show? No, but I would certainly give it a solid B. The writing was quite good, the acting was phenomenal, and the general vibe of the show definitely gave the impression that Doctor Who was back, baby. But the development did feel a bit rushed, and there were certain parts of the Doctor's character left over from previous incarnations which I thought they would have processed differently. Plus, I view other seasons of the show (Series 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10) more favorably. Call it bias, call it favoritism, call it nostalgia.

Whatever. Point is that Ncuti and Millie had a lot to prove in this semi-reboot of the show, and RTD had to show he still had his stuff, and by golly, they did it. I - as well as plenty of other long-time fans - haven't been this excited about the show in a while, despite how the season ended. And you're telling us we've gotta wait now for Christmas and then some time in the middle of 2025 for more? It's like I'm a high school fanatic raving mad in the middle of my bedroom again. What a wild feeling.

[natequarter]

my assessment of the series of classic who i've just watched, because i'm bored:

season 7: probably my favourite, actually! favourite serial was inferno. i genuinely don't have a least favourite serial. my only serious complaints are that 1) all of the seven-parters could've done with being maybe one episode shorter, 2) liz doesn't have an exit, and 3) liz is a fairly strong-minded character, but when she does bring up feminism or otherwise try to go out and do stuff, every single man around her patronises her immensely. but those first two are relatively superficial. three, liz and the brigadier work together wonderfully as a team, and all of the storylines are engaging - malcolm hulke and his handling of non-human sapient species, notably the silurians, are always a delight. 9/10

season 8: ah, the master. how could you not enjoy season 8? favourite serial was the daemons. least favourite serial was the claws of axos. the horrendously racist subplot in terror of the autons is weirdly mismatched with the subplot concerning the chinese ambassadors in the mind of evil. the series has a handful of dodgy or outright racist plot elements - constructs of savagery and terra nullius, to name just a few - but it also introduces three very engaging characters (the master, jo, and yates), continues season 7's effective character work with the doctor and the brigadier, and features some very good villains. jo is simply an angel, and she shines no matter the serial. perhaps fittingly, 8/10

season 9: enjoyable, but nowhere near the peak of pertwee's era. favourite serial was the time monster. least favourite serial was the mutants. jo is an exceptional character by classic who standards in that i can't think of any serial which seriously mangles her characterisation. the mutants was still a waste of three hours of my life, though. as with the last two series, it's beautifully political - this is one of the highlights of the pertwee era, how overtly political (and depressingly relevant) it is. it rarely feels forced (forced, unsubtle, and blatant are three different things), and even the worst of its serials at least manages to get some sort of overt and unsubtle leftist message in there. it even managed the best dalek story of the pertwee era, not that that's saying much. 7/10

season 10: very solid all round. favourite serial was the green death. least favourite serial was planet of the daleks. it's hard to pick a favourite here! jo continues to shine, malcolm hulke continues his fascination with fascism, the cold war, and reptiles, the writing is still ridiculously blatant in its political messaging. even planet of the daleks manages some fun worldbuilding, though the actual plot is crap, and the three doctors is just plain fun, from benton just accepting the tardis and the doctor's science-defying weirdness to the brigadier being unable to conceive of anything more distant and strange than norfolk. we get a late appearance from patrick troughton, an early appearance from ian marter, and sadly the last appearance from roger delgado. the green death may be my favourite companion exit in all of classic who; certainly it's one of the highlights, even if jo's environmentalist passion does come out of nowhere. the very last scenes are well-known, but the opening of the green death beautifully establishes jo's exit long before the doctor's sulking arrives. 8/10

season 11: i liked this a lot more than i thought i would, given that it, like season 7, is a bit out of place amongst three's series. favourite serial was invasion of the dinosaurs. least favourite serial was death to the daleks. we see the return (well, the continuation, really) of classic who's uncomfortable unquestioned racism, as well as yates' odd sort of character arc. in this series we return to peladon; we return, regrettably, to the daleks; we even return to metebelis three to see off the third doctor. the time warrior is a great introduction to one of the most average companions the show has ever come up with, sarah jane smith. i'll be honest, i missed jo. if you ask me, of the pertwee era's three recurring women, sarah gets the short end of the stick - all three of them get their opportunity to scream and provide stage directions, but death to the daleks is less character assassination and more taking character out back and shooting it in the head. it's the embarrassing culmination of all of classic who's worst tendencies when it comes to female characters. it's a fucking terrible end to a trio of not especially good in the first place dalek serials. this and sarah's post-season 11 characterisation as a whole are just embarrassing, because the rest of season 11 does a great job of selling sarah as a distinct and interesting character. invasion of the dinosaurs is one of my all-time favourite serials, and planet of the spiders is a touching albeit racist and messy sendoff for the third doctor. i miss my velvety boyfriend already. 8/10

season 12: it's a great series, but it's just not me. favourite serial was robot. least favourite serial was the sontaran experiment. sorry, were you expecting me to pick genesis of the daleks as my favourite? i nearly did! it's a good serial! but robot is just so good as an opening story. season 12 is a fantastic debut for the fourth doctor, and i love the doctor, sarah, and harry as a team. most of the serials are engaging, the sontaran experiment notwithstanding, even if revenge of the cybermen did give me earthshock flashbacks (premonitions?). as a fourth doctor era companion (not to be confused with the third doctor era), sarah works best with someone to bounce off - in this case, harry. a complete clown of a character, but a great foil for sarah and the doctor and an amusing breakaway from three's generally intelligent albeit not genius soldiers. harry is clever, but he's tragically blinded by genre and not, in fact, a soldier - he's a doctor. the only real downside to this series is that sarah's character begins to go permanently off the rails. this isn't always bad, she's just written differently to how she starts off, less of a confident and extremely fucking nosy character and more likely to, er, get hypnotised. on the bright side: four!!!!! my husband has returned from the war. 7/10

season 13: widely regarded as one of the best classic who series, but again, not really for me. favourite serial was the seeds of doom. least favourite serial was planet of evil. none of the serials were bad, seeds of doom was just so much fun. sarah doesn't really click as a solo companion, but elisabeth sladen really comes into her own in the role here, even if harry's exit fucking sucks. most of the serials are very engaging and well-plotted, and you can see why pyramids of mars has lived on, even if you cannot see why on earth anyone would bring back sutekh. sarah really loses her original characterisation in favour of a very different personality - much more childish, in a good way, and often a lot more in sync with the doctor. (just to save time: HE IS NOT DEAD.) i still miss harry. i still think he should have stayed on for the entire series. but hey, what can you do? 7/10

season 14: just a really weird experience all round. favourite serial was the robots of death. least favourite serial was the talons of weng-chiang. i want to strangle robot holmes. i hate the talons of weng-chiang. it has practically no redeeming factors. it's racist. it's boring. it's six parts. who came up with this? thank god the rest of the series, then, is a bit better. both of chris boucher's serials are really engaging scifi, albeit riddled with the same racism that all of leela's serials are - you know, the classic unquestioned racist biases of classic who. leela is a good character, though, when written well, and the face of evil is a great introduction. the deadly assassin, for all its oddity, is a really fun serial, and tom baker manages to pull off an entire serial without a companion. sarah's serials are... um. the masque of mandragora is a lovely serial in its own right, very atmospheric and beautifully costumed. on the other hand, its handling of faith and superstition vs science and rationality... uh, sucks, in a way last seen in the time warrior. must we make our 'early modern' scientific character enlightened and virtuous and our 'medieval' character superstitious and backwards? i guess we must. okay then. can we not? the hand of fear is a stunningly mediocre exit for sarah, and simply doesn't set up her leaving anyway near as well as it should have been. i like this version of sarah, but i still much prefer her introduction in season 11. honestly, i think sarah might have been better served by having the masque of mandragora as her last serial, with the hand of fear before it. 6/10

[qs63]

I've been thinking about this panel a lot and what kind of education Riza and Roy (and the other characters) received.

We only ever see the main trio going to school, and even that timeline is confusing as the brothers leave with Izumi when they're 10 and 9, and we see Winry working with her grandma from an equally young age.

So what does "a good education" mean in the world of FMA?

To answer this, I decided to look into what must have been Arakawa's influence for the FMA educational system: Meiji Era Japan.

Unsurprisingly the structure of the Meiji era education seems to fit Fullmetal Alchemist.

Meiji era Japan had a compulsory 4 years elementary school system (later expanded to 6 compulsory years) for kids aged 6-14. Only a small portion of elementary school graduates from the upper and middle class continued on to five-year academic secondary schools for boys or five-year secondary schools for girls; the majority entered the labor force or to two-year higher elementary schools. [1]

In FMA this would mean the brothers must have only completed the 4 years of compulsory elementary school, and then left to study alchemy with Izumi. Same for Winry, who seems to have started working with her grandma around the time the boys left.

When Riza says her dad made sure she received a good education, that would mean that at the very least he had her complete all 8 years of elementary school. But considering the timeline (Berthold dies when Riza is 16) and her emphasis on good education, it is likely he also had her complete the 2 years (from age 14-16) of higher elementary school.

Mind you, free compulsory education only became a thing in Japan after 1900, and the fees for education seem to have been high enough that people complained. For a poor family like the Hawkeyes a good chunk of their money must have gone to Riza's education.

In the case of Roy we have less information about his childhood, but it's very likely he also completed all 8 years of elementary school since there is no indication he started alchemy training as early as the brothers, and his aunt seems wealthy enough to afford paying the fees.

Whether Roy attended higher elementary school is a harder question to answer, but I'm leaning towards him not going beyond the initial 8 years of elementary school.

From what I read, science was mostly left to secondary school education in Meiji era Japan, and we know Roy didn't attend the 5 years secondary school as he was studying under Berthold in his late teens. Still, Roy would need a solid base of scientific knowledge to start his alchemy studies, which elementary school wouldn't provide. It's more likely that Roy studied science by himself after he completed elementary school until he had the basis to become Berthold's alchemy apprentice.

Let me know your thoughts and speculation about their education. 😄

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard

4/5. Releases 9/24/24.

vibes: 10 Things I Hate About You, weird crunchy heroines, Big virgin heroes, sex deals

Heat Index: 7/10

The rather slimy Lord Huntingdon wishes to court Viola--but Viola can't be courted until her rather odd and aloof sister, Evangeline (sometimes known as Effie) is courted as well. That's where Gage, the completely broke new Duke of Vale, comes in. Huntingdon offers him a deal: if Gage courts Evangeline, Huntingdon will settle the debts Gage's late brother left behind. It seems easy enough. What Gage didn't expect was Evangeline's prickly nature--or, that when she did warm up to him, she'd offer a deal of her own. Sexual exploration with no strings attached? It sounds great to her. But Gage might not be able to keep himself from falling...

Obviously, this is a 10 Things I Hate About You retelling. I actually don't like that movie; after a somewhat more recent rewatch, I realized that it super isn't for me. Fortunately, this book is a lot more fun, with a much more endearing heroine (who is a weirdo, yes, but not an asshole) and a hero who basically falls headlong.

This is very much a romcom--and probably the most antihistorical of this series thus far (more on that later) which isn't a bad thing. It fully embraces its roots while dialing the heat up a good bit and throwing in some rather zany hijinks that you can really only get in a historical romance.

Is it perfect? Not quite--the pacing is a bit off to me, which leads to a pretty rushed finale. There isn't ever any major reason why our hero and heroine can't be together (I mean, at least none that she's aware of). But the book is a solid romp, and it's QUITE sexy. In fact, I would say that the sex is the best part of the novel, which is a compliment. This is a refreshingly sex positive book, and while Gage and Evangeline obviously fall in love (and fall hard) there's never any sense that either of them should feel any type of way about having casual sex for the sake of it. And they're both virgins!

Quick Takes:

--To go back to that antihistorical thing... While I wouldn't say any books in this series have been accurate or cared to be, this one felt less so? That's not a critique. I sincerely don't care about historical accuracy, as long as the writing and story is good. This did push it a bit, to the point that I felt like it was trying a bit hard. But for the most part, I found it funny, and I look forward to the handwringing over everything.

--There's a rather fabulous author's note in which Howard details the history of sexual education and pleasure for women of bygone eras, especially those we typically see depicted as repressed sex haters in certain historical romance novels. I loved every bit of it, and I so appreciate the resources!

--Briar and Lushing have always been the couple I was most excited to see, and the set up we got here has me even more hyped.

--Evangeline is truly an odd girl, and Gage is absolutely about it. Her obsession with animals led to some super funny moments--Gage is covered with kittens and rescues lambs and plays with her dog, and she is so horny she could SCREAM.

--Gage claims to be English versus Scottish (because his dad is English; his mother is very much Scottish, and he loves Scotland) but from the moment we're told that he's Big as Fuck, it's clear that he's a classic Scottish historical romance hero. Evangeline is all too happy to have him in a kilt.

The Sex:

Like I said earlier--the sex scenes in this book, as well as the way sex is discussed, are really the standouts. Gage and Evangeline have great chemistry. There's a real playfulness to their dynamic fairly early on, and this doesn't let up in the bedroom. Both Gage and Evangeline are virgins, and there isn't much dithering or concern over why he's chosen to abstain (somewhat--I mean, he clearly did STUFF). It's just a thing, and it does lead to a first penetrative sex scene that's rather funny, and also rather tender.

You get some stuff we're only now started to see more of in historicals--sex toys! There's some semi-public sex. "I need you now" sex (OOOOOH I LOVED THAT SHIT). An untouched orgasm that made me read the scene twice to ensure I'd read it right. DELIGHTFUL!

If you're looking for a blithe, irreverent, and super sexy historical romcom, this is what you want. It does get a little caught up in the weeds at points, but it stays funny, and it stays hot. Which I'm certainly not mad at, personally!

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[the-mighty-het-speaks]

setlist prediction draft

HELLO WE ARE SO BACK

alrighty folks heres what weve got out of my brain. this is entirely a guess (as always) but i would hope that some of you may consider me somewhat educated. as mentioned last year, im sticking to the 4 x 4 format, where each of the 16 song sets are broken up into blocks of 4 !

lets go:

block 1: 72 has lived for more than a year, and it's title track and lead single are built as openers. 72 and lux to open. they're ready, like their hardwired counterpart. slots 2 and 3 are about the easy to digest hits, great with a crowd, get the momentum rolling. slot 4 is maintaining its "mystery" format. hoping to see some weird things here, like sleepz, and i disappear. maybe some other stuff from that era (waste, un2??)

block 2: slot 5 (if not here, somewhere else) is a KEA slot. calling it. 6&7 are the other 72 slots. hoping to see a revolving door, but shadows and tfg are my first casualties with hopes that they get to live in harmony with their peers (maybe see sleepwalk and suicide again). PLEASE GIVE ME ROOM OF MIRRORS. PLEASE. slot 8 is the halfway mark of the show and the old school epic, fade and sanitarium are solid.

block 3: opening with a TBA in slot 9, easy. could rotate with holier, but not thrilled about that. slot 10, keep the instrumental break, orion and ktulu not going anywhere. awesome. slot 11 is the "old/new" stuff. have to meet your hw/dm quota, day went well, halo is MIA. could very easily devolve into cyanide/moth or something more obscure like judas/revenge. slot 12 is then the Other ballad??? gotta get NEM in there but i am personally over unforgiven, and it was played at every european gig in 2019. maybe clover, maybe something else weird. not sure.

block 4: thrasher to open. will be the usual culprits (blackened, battery, fight, hardwired, maybe damage (???), maybe spit (????)). after is the "fun" song (i use this term loosely). whiskey, fuel, whatever. and the final four will not change. seek/puppetz and one/sandman.

things i added: 72S opener, kea slot

things i ditched: 72S "section"

things i want: more utility in the 4 slot and in the dm/hw slot.

things i need: ROOM OF MIRRORS.