#thank you for sending an ask!

[babsvibes]

wait can i also request 8

“The holidays are coming up,” Tina said as she shuffled onto the couch and cozied up next to her husband.

“Mhmm,” Jimmy Jr. hummed noncommittally, flipping through channels to find that baking show they liked but not remembering the name.

“The kids want something big again this year.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mhm, huge. It’s a Bongo Jerry, the musical marsupial. The most expensive toy on the market.”

“Uh huh…” Jimmy Jr. said, clicking through channels slower now.

“So, we might need a little extra ca-“

“I am not going to ask for shifts at Pickles, Tina. I’m a father now.”

“But it could be so fun!” She argued. “You on stage and me in the crowd. We could pretend like we don’t know each other and-“

“And you’ll be the only one paying me for a private dance with what?” Jimmy Jr. paused for a beat then continued. “Exactly, with our money. Nothing earned, nothing gained, and the kids go hungry for Christmas.”

“I wouldn’t say nothing gained,” Tina grumbled, settling in deeper and resting her head on his chest. “It’s that one, Baking Alaska.”

Jimmy Jr. selected the program, kissed the top of her head, and promised he would dance for her later. After they were SURE the kids were asleep.

[spittinwatches]

artist ask 6 13 19!!

6. favorite thing to draw?

love to draw clothes and kisses and embraces and romance. theyre hard but its so worth

13. talk about a wip you like!

ive been working on the spear cuts through water phone wallpapers for myself because i need them

19. where do you find inspiration?

my bed. im serious, my best ideas are when im lying in bed in the dark dead tired and perhaps listening to music

[randomfoggytiger]

Inbox being weird again, had to repost (sorry, anon!)

What are your thoughts on IWTB? It’s now on hulu and I am like 15 minutes in to a rewatch (I’ve watched FtF a truly offensive number of times but have only seen this once, when it first came out) and am absolutely incensed already. I’m having trouble making sense of their characters, they seem so OOC to me — even with the understanding that they are (possibly both) depressed and life on the run has really jaded and hardened them. Also its so weird to me that Amanda Peet reaches out to touch Mulders cheek bc he cut himself shaving? Just bizarre behavior all around!

It is a truly bizarre movie. I've not seen it; but I have done extensive research on it, if that makes sense. I think it can be summed up by this one Tumblr post I saw (and lost, someone help me find it!) that noted Mulder requested a helicopter for himself and Scully to, essentially, walk a few street blocks to the next location. Because CC wanted a helicopter in his movie and he was going to get it, somehow, someway.

Below is a tragically long post filled with article links for more enjoyment~.

(**Note**: Will edit this post later, brb.)

TLDR: A movie/tv series worth its salt is well-written, end of story. It doesn't matter how excellent or in-character the themes or motifs or etc. are if the characters are badly written or act out-of-turn. You cannot have a god-tier theme about fighting back the Darkness and seeking for the Truth if at every opportunity the characters themselves reject the message continually in ways that make no sense, especially when they have a history of stellar characterization and well-thought-out opinions and actions. This movie is a prime example of that.

There are numerous blogs here that have already (rightfully) griped about IWTB, so I won't go into plot nonsense or whatnot. But I DO have interviews that show how roughshod the movie making process was before it even hit theatres, so....

I first heard about IWTB's flaws peripherally through this article (that trashes the Revival, highly recommend. Written by a CC fan, too, so it's not a bash-sesh against the Creator.) It spoke endearingly-ish about IWTB, believing it to be more in-character than the Revival (yup.... unfortunately.) Then I started perusing fan opinions... and everyone pretty much agreed it was awful in most parts and shippy in others.

TBH, shippy doesn't mean squat to me. Maybe it's how I'm wired, but I was drawn to The X-Files because the romance is so unspoken with very light kisses. I 100% get Chris Carter's restraint perspective; but I also get the fans' perspective, that it's gone too far to ignore or take back. An example: the movie sets up a "gasp, really??" mystery that Scully is a doctor with a life separate from Mulder, driving over to him to try to get him involved in the FBI manhunt. It's taken back almost immediately when Mulder later springs up beside her in bed, but it's those little touches that start to confuse the message. And then throw in Scully insisting Mulder join the chase while Gillian Anderson acted her completely opposite to what she was saying and you start to see the mess unravel. Then Mulder tosses aside his loyalty to Scully-- something that is KEY to his character, having formerly left his life's work for her and even left his newborn son when she told him to-- to chase the very monsters she begged him to chase but is now begging him not to. There is no reason given other than "It's who I am", which is NOT who Mulder is: he is a man willing to sacrifice who he is and what makes him tick over and over for Scully's sake. This not only breaks his character in-movie, it nullifies all his actions and choices in the original series, stripping them of their consequences and weight.

The movie, I believe, was supposed to be about Mulder and Scully scrabbling against the Darkness while also lost in confusion: they're together but Scully feels threatened by Agent Whitney, Mulder no's the case before getting wrapped up into it, Scully supports then withdraws her support (and LEAVES??), both rely on the word of a pedophile priest (a similar alliance to Luthor Lee Boggs but creepier and less redeemable... and even Boggs wasn't redeemed), and finally Scully casts aside her doubts to get back in the saddle and save Mulder. It seems a compelling story, no? ...No.

An example of the "confusion" theme of the plot: When Mulder meets up with the other agents to discuss terms (I suppose), the camera briefly pans to random people walking past him in the hallway-- one of them is the actress who played his little sister in the OG series; and the camera makes it a point for Mulder to notice that fact... but so briefly and quickly it never made an impression on him permanently, a.k.a. a seeming callback. BUT when Scully yells at him (before? after? I dunno) about always looking for his sister, this is the scene that was supposed to back her up? In which case: dude, we all saw the Samantha Agent. She did, indeed, look like Samantha; and she had NOTHING to do with this case. The only explanation Scully had for her tasteless remark was that she thought Mulder was full-on delusional or so stubborn he was projecting his own demons onto this case. Y'know... the case he didn't want and only got more involved in to SAVE LIVES. In which case, it doesn't fit with the themes of the movie at all: Mulder was right here, Scully was wrong; but the movie stated that SCULLY was right, or at least half-right, and Mulder was at least half-wrong. It's all nonsense.

The dialogue is atrocious. Absolutely appalling. Which makes sense to an extent: CC and Spotnitz had this movie written out right after the series ended as an attempt to gain back the studio's attention. No such luck; and when FOX was finally interested to make more money, the script notes were accidentally lost; so CC and Frank blitzkrieged up a final draft in just a few weeks (very not good.) This and this article breaks down how Spotnitz (in his own words) watched CC battle FOX from the sidelines for the movie, then scramble with him to complete a draft in time for filming; and it explains (but doesn't justify) the stilted dialogue, horrendous pacing issues, and disjointed theme. To summarize:

""Frank Spotnitz: ...The pressure in television is incredible because you’ve got to keep coming up with another script, another script, another script. The movie was completely different. We started work on the story in 2003, and then got derailed for four years by deal-making and the threat of a lawsuit. Then when we returned to it in 2007, we’d lost our notes.

Lost your notes?

Frank Spotnitz: We’d put them on note cards to pitch the studio, and we couldn’t locate them. At first, we were very unhappy, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. We remembered what the case was about, but the emotional beats, the personal beats between Mulder and Scully, we had to start from scratch, and we had changed."" 

Frank Spotnitz claims it was effortless to get back in their characters' heads; and, while that may be true, it was certainly not effortless to put them down on paper.

The messaging of the movie was so confusing that Mark Snow, the composer, didn't read all of it correctly (which is important for the person composing the score for each scene):

""Now the plot of I Want To Believe has characteristically remained a secret – I don’t suppose you can tell us anything about what we can expect from this film?

Well the interesting part was, when I read the script the first thing I got out of it was deep, dark complexity and I spoke to Chris Carter afterwards and he said ‘what do you think?’, I said ‘man, it’s so complex and dark and mysterious’, and he said ‘and it’s a love story with religious overtones…’ Okay! He said ‘just keep that in mind’ and you know I re-read it and I got what he meant, and then seeing the movie I certainly got what he meant. Besides the Mulder and Scully relationship there are some other very very emotional, intimate if you would, moments there that do add spiritual and religious weight to it...."" 

This article does well at picking apart the claims (some ludicrous) for and against the movie But, for time's sake, let's skip to the summary of the very sloppy (and downright goofy) climax of the movie:

""The biggest shortcoming may be that the case is solved by both Mulder and Scully independently and simultaneously, and thanks to coincidences on both their behalf. Mulder’s investigative skills lead him to the villain thanks to a simple visit to a local store; stem cell research for organ transplants and for curing Christian allow the two storylines to cross, but Scully having a revelation by finding the villain’s research on the internet through a non-related search draws the odds extremely. There is little actual investigation and the case is wrapped up too quickly. All those are little things — but they pile up to too much.""

Both the actors had "notes" and "questions" (read here) about their characters when they first got the script, with Gillian Anderson admitting how hard it was to find her character (post here)--

""Gillian Anderson: I had a similar experience. This feels so weird. Summertime. I didn’t have all the running around that David had to do, but I did have my own unfortunate beginning which was starting with one of the most difficult scenes for Scully in the film where it’s later on in the script and she goes through a range of emotions in confronting Billy Connolly’s  character. I just had a really time for those first couple of days that that scene was. I had a really hard time just finding her, finding her voice. I think I must’ve gone through ten other characters in the process of trying to get to her when I had assumed that I would be able to show up on the first day and it would just be there. It wasn’t until I think day three when we got to work together, not just necessarily in a familiar environment which it really wasn’t, but in the environment of each other and the relationship and that it kind of felt natural and familiar and I felt like I’d landed this time."" --

but it was David Duchovny who was surprisingly the most honest to the press about his (measured) thoughts, as he's usually the most reticent. He always wanted to do a movie series, liking the scope and freedom it would give him with acting and scheduling; but he mentioned, once or twice, that he wished IWTB had been a bigger action film in the vein of FTF. Further, he admits to an interviewer about his thoughts and his (slight) dissatisfaction with Mulder's out-of-character element here:

""Since The X-Files: I Want to Believe may not have been the huge blockbuster that everyone was hoping for, we’d like to know: What is your own measure of success for the movie?

Duchovny: I guess it’s always the first time I see the movie. What’s my feeling when I come out? I always felt like the subject matter of this particular movie was limiting. It was dark, and it wasn’t going....

I’ve only seen it one time, and I was sitting in Chris’ editing room. I watched it on a little screen. I guess I missed the chance to see it on the big screen, and that’s too bad, but when I left that initial screening at Chris’ house, the film was pretty much almost done except for some special effects. I just felt like it was really strong and kind of a strangely moving piece of work. Still dark, and still, I thought, limited, but the way that the movie performed did not surprise me so much, and I think that if we do get a chance to do another one … what I always really liked about the show was that it had a dark vision, but at the heart of it being driven by Mulder was this real optimism or wonder or sense of belief, and then it would kind of open out. Most of the best shows that we did would open out into real wonder at the end, if only because you didn’t have an answer, which was the mystery of it, but the wonder.

Mulder’s quest, to me, is a very positive one. If we get a chance to do another one, I think because in this movie Mulder kept getting reinvigorated, Mulder was in a down place for much of this film; he wasn’t driving the way he drives, the way he drove everything before that. In a way, the nature of how we had to get back into the show, which was to take the guy out of his job, also deprived the movie of some optimism and wonder and enlightenment that occurs when you’ve got this unhinged guy trying to prove wonderful crazy things.""

And while DD defended IWTB's box office failings as having to compete against Batman, one of the previous articles I linked had the savvy to tackle that reason and debunk it:

""The defenders of IWTB will endlessly complain about the budget (but look at what a feast Darren Aronofsky did with $35 million: “The Fountain” (2006)), the fact that it’s low-key ‘intellectual’ and not blockbuster-like (so is “There Will Be Blood” (2007), $25 million, and countless other generally agreed upon masterpieces), the lousy promotion (but look at what good word of mouth can do with a movie few believed in in the beginning: “The Matrix” (1999), $65 million), the unforseen success of “The Dark Knight” as competition (hardly an argument) or trends in selfish cinema critics (as if a bad reception is the sole result of a conspiracy).

However what will remain in history is not the whys and hows but the what: the final product itself. And the truth is that if IWTB featured characters other than Mulder and Scully, this would be a not very memorable movie.""

Needless to say: the entire movie's a mess, and it's down to the roots. While beautiful visually and musically-- all the reviews and cast and crew had nothing to say against that-- the characters and the script and the plot were a horrible mishmash that highlighted its weaknesses and smashed down its strengths.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to ramble; and sorry if this didn't do what you needed! But you did inspire me to find all the old angry IWTB discussions/posts on Tumblr (archive hopping, heheheh) and put them all in one place. So, look forward to that sometime in the future, I suppose~!

Disclaimers: I do not like canon after S8; and that's only because they get a happy ending and, even though it has garbage canon decisions, the characters were able to save most of it and forget the rest. But I will treat IWTB as its own thing devoid of my personal opinion.

[shenzi-hemlock]

(anon because I'm shy) About the cat litter, I think it depends on the quality of pine pellets? Hopefully, heat treated destroys the aromatic stuff that's bad for cats to breathe.

I've had the same issue with dusty/muddy clay litter. I've taken to ripping up those bulk rolls of cheap paper. I put inch wide strips on top of a couple litter-pan-sized sheets. The finely shredded stuff tracks too much. I sometimes use newspaper when the roll is out.

Well my first issue with pine pellets is that I’ve been mixing it with the traditional litter to get my cats used to its size and texture. I know that this particular kind of pellet we have is for horses and they say to wet/mist the pellets so they “bloom”. This is for horses though and I don’t know if that would work well for cats.

I’ve also found that the pellets don’t stick to their poop nearly as well as the clay litter does. And it definitely does nothing to help with smell. So idk, am I supposed to be misting the pellets so that it has a finer texture?? Would that fix the issues I have with it?? But then it also doesn’t clump the way clay does so it would be harder to remove the waste.

You shred cheap paper?? Would you be able to send a picture?? I’m sorry, my brain isn’t pulling up a useable picture.

The sheets you put down first, is it just the paper cut to fit the pan?? Have you found that the paper is a better and cheaper alternative?? Do you throw it all out after a day or two or do you sift it out like with clay litter??

Sorry if I have a ton of questions! I’m just trying to find a better and more economical alternative for both my cats and our wallet.

[bothzangetsus]

ask meme 16) you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

choose violence ask game

16. you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

😂 Already answered here technically and I honestly still don't have something concrete to say to this. I keep racking my brain and leafing through things I dislike, but... I get why others like them. Even if I think they're wrong for doing so 😤.

For another non-answer: AUs that do not at all reference canon beats. What is the point of an AU if not to explore an angle canon could never take due to the constraints or shortcomings of its setting/themes/plotline? But, I know many (most?) people turn to fandom & fanworks for escapist purposes and AUs divorced from not just the canon but its stakes end up being comforting.

[hawktims]

FT ask game

9, 10 + 11 😄

(from @feelingpure)

Thank you for sending an ask! ❤️

9. What is your favourite headcanon(s)?

Answered here but I'll add one more and say that after Tim dies Hawk starts wearing the tie Tim gave him for Christmas again (it was always his favorite) as a way to somehow keep Tim with him still (if you think about it the tie rests just over his heart 💔).

10. f the show had one more episode, what would it be about?

Answered here

11. What era did you like the most and why (50s, 60s, 70s, 80s)?

I HATE choosing because they all have something great about them. I think I have a soft spot for the 50s since it's where we see Hawk and Tim become smitten with each other for the first time. The 80s were also nice. It pained me seeing Tim getting sicker by the minute but I loved that he at least had something he was passionate about fighting for. Also grandpa Hawk's gotten much softer. I liked the small moments of them being cute (the cuddling in Tim's hospital bed, "it feels like we're on a date").

fellow travelers ask game

[crazypercheron]

WIP game: through

WIP from my Convex fic. (inspired by "Incandescence of a Dying Light" HermitcraftxFirewatch fanfic) Because the Sentence was too short, I'll post the entire paragraph instead lol

Suddenly, the identifying shrill of a rattling bell rang down the hallway and out through the screen of Cub’s front door. The homeowner turned and gave Scar a look, crossing his arms to express his disapproval at being lied to. However, the credibility of the threat was quickly lost when Cub saw how much Scar’s face suddenly lit up. And to his surprise, it was a genuine smile at that. “Ahh! Right on cue!” Scar grinned, limping past Cub at a quicken pace, the rubber tip of his trekking pole thudding rhythmically along the ground. “‘Xcuse me Cub, that phone call’s for me.”

[mywaywardcupcake]

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

OMFG. But to give you a real answer, according to Google, 700 pounds??? Dear God.

[97keanu]

Hi, can you do an headcanon about being Tommy Warnecki's girlfriend, please?🙏❤️

Of course!!

The main things I think being Tommy's gf would consist of are:

Tommy wanting to see you at school all the time, he'd probably try to get some classes with you and sit next to you in class trying to make you laugh all the time

Him asking to come over for "study" sessions but you know he's just coming over to goof off with you and maybe a make out sess while watching tv

this boy is PUPPY! He loves going for walks with you, he loves his head rubbed and he loves doing anything for a treat!

You two probably hang out at the local mall a lot on weekends, tommy seems like a "grab a slushie and people watch while joking about what they're doing/where they're going" type

I feel like tommy would be really into trying to get good grades for you, and you motivate him a lot in the end, and he's super grateful for the successful study sessions you do end up having every once in a while

Expect small pranks, never ones that hurt you, but I'm sure he would love to do little things just to confuse/make you laugh.

Expect long, drawn out make out sessions, tommy def loves getting his hands all over you and experimenting.

Overall, I think tommy is just super loving, a bit goofy, and a little dumb, but in a cute way. He would do anything to make you laugh or blush, and he loves teasing you playfully. Any outtings or gifts will be a bit childish but its just so fun! He really cares and tries to show it even if it doesn't come out right :)

[candyheartedchy]

🎤 and Bill!! 👀

This is when he stole Dipper’s body, but I just love how excited he sounds here and how much of a rush he’s getting!

[babsvibes]

15

“Come onnn,” Linda purred, tugging Bob closer and dancing her fingers across his chest. “It’ll be fun! You, me, the smell of corn dogs just above us. Kinda puts you in the mood, right?”

“I can’t think of anything less hot than the memory of me almost dying in this exact spot.”

“So we’ll make new memories!”

Despite his insistence that their walk along the beach remain to the sandy bits closer to home, Linda had dragged him over to the shaded area under the pier, feigning a sudden fear of burning. The sound of the waves had relaxed him just enough to agree, but it was all a lie. A lie from a wicked temptress trying to take his pants off.

“Lin, people will see.”

“What people?” Linda asked, swiveling her head to scan along the empty beach. “I don’t see any people.”

“THOSE people,” Bob said, pointing to the feet enjoying the wharf above.

“And when was the last time you were playing the water shooty game and looked down through the boardwalk to catch someone having sex under the pier? Hm? Mr. Smarty Pants? That’s right, never.”

Bob sighed, quickly losing the will to argue when his wife pushed herself against him like that—soft curves, smooth skin, and a face so full of love it swept away his inhibitions with a look.

“What if… what if we just made out a little bit? Then went home. To our bed. Where we can be horizontal.”

“Okay!”

Without another word, Linda rushed to meet her lips to his, excitedly smiling into the kiss as if it was their first. He returned it, adoration an undercurrent in every contented sigh. Compromise felt good.

[hong--zhi--zhu]

#28, #29, and #30 for the music ask game?

28: A song by an artist with a voice that you love

😏

Takehito Koyasu - Someday (character song from Weiß Kreuz)

Non Takehito Koyasu answer:

Bird Thongchai McIntyre - Miss You

29: A song that you remember from your childhood

Real McCoy - Run Away

For some reason I liked to imagine dramatic werewolf scenarios to this song whenever I heard it on the radio so I've personally linked it to werewolves ever since.

30: A song that reminds you of yourself

Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better

[theraedar]

Hi! 14 and 30 for the art ask game please~

14. Any favorite motifs

Answered here!

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

My collab with miu! I hope you can show it some love<3 also maybe this squad piece haha I was really excited to put them in matching varsity jackets and then the bday union jackets came out a year later and I was like YESSS

[abuadam86]

Emergency: Help save my children's lives

Dear humanity,

I am Habib from Gaza. I am married and have four children: Menna, 12 years old, Adam, 10 years old (suffering from quadriplegia), Maria, 6 years old, and Ezz, one year old. Although they are young, they have survived previous wars, but this current war is the most difficult of all. This is a war of genocide, and the difficulty of the war lies in the inability to meet the needs of my son Adam, who needs special care.

Over the past ten months, we have been caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Our once peaceful home in Khan Yunis has been reduced to rubble, and now we find ourselves displaced in Deir al-Balah, living in squalid conditions in a makeshift tent on the streets. The devastation not only deprived us of our physical shelter, but also destroyed my livelihood - the once thriving business that supported our family's well-being, is now in ruins. The daily struggle for survival is exacerbated by the scarcity of basic necessities such as clean water, adequate sanitation and basic medical supplies

Our home was the place where we found hope and safety, and where we made precious memories. Losing him was like losing years of our lives.

Not only that, they destroyed my source of livelihood, burned it, and demolished it with bulldozers, and today I am without a home and without a job. I was working in a store I owned that met the needs and expenses of my family

Living in tents is miserable. There is a lack of drinking water, hot sun rays, and strange insects that have terrified my children. What hurts me most is my young son Ezz, who I see growing up in an unclean environment and with no healthy food for him. I believe he has not received his right to life.

At this stage, my husband and I decided to go to you and create an account on the Go Fund Me website and ask you to help us in these difficult times until we get out of Gaza, from the land of war to the land of peace. All we need from you is to support us and help us to get out of the war, even if you cannot help. You should spread the word. This campaign is everywhere and among your friends. We thank you for your stance and support for us. Thank you, my friends

The amount that will be collected from this campaign :

We will spend it by paying the amount to coordinate entry through the Rafah land crossing, which connects Gaza to the State of Egypt, since, as I mentioned, they charge an adult $5,000, but depending on the pressures, crises, and waiting, the amount may reach $7,000 per person, and children $2,500 to $4,000.

We will also use it for the rest of the travel and safe transportation expenses to provide for all family members.

A picture of my children's life before the war

A video of my children's lives living the war

May God reward you with all the best and may God bless you

Best wishes with sincere gratitude,

Habib's family

My Instagram account link

My account vetted by:

@dlxxv-vetted-donations

(vetted)

@gazavetters , my number verified on the list is ( #187 )

[biromantic-nerd]

🧠 🫂 🌻 💿🕹🪻

♡

🧠- i love hearing you talk. you should ramble to me more often

Thank you! I love hearing YOU talk so, so much so this is so extra fun to hear

🫂 - i wanna hug you

Yeah!! Sending virtual hugs is the best I've got but I wish!! ❤️

🌻- im proud of you

Okay what thank you aaaa this is so surprising and nice 🥺 Thanks 🥺

💿- i wanna listen to music with you in a treehouse in a summer night

Seriously!! This would seriously be so fun!! Lamenting that we can't!! Next best thing is listening to you talk about your playlists but I wish we could treehouse hangout

🕹️- i wanna go to an arcade with you

I used to be so good at Frogger, man I haven't played an arcade game in years oh my gosh. I am Not good at Street Fighter but I love that game. Probably my favorite, next to those Bubble Shooter ones.

🪻- you are so so cool and awesome oh my god

❤️ Omg 🥰 Thank you ❤️ My phone cannot even show me the emoji so I hope whatever I copy/paste shows up as an emoji lol.

[crystallinestars]

No. 3 & 4 for the ask game!

3. how you feel about your current WIP

I feel all over the place, to be honest. Looking forward to exploring the ideas, yet dreading writing them. Uncertain if what I already have conveys my ideas the way I want. For a long while, I felt lost about what direction to take the comfort headcanons in, but I think I finally got it.

4. a story idea you haven’t written yet

I'm thinking of doing sleeping and waking headcanons for HSR in the future. Been fantasizing about falling asleep on my fave HSR men way too often the past few weeks 😞