#the to do list is... incredibly ambitious

[shewantsitall]

Hyping myself up to have the MOST productive afternoon possible ✨

[borgialucrezia]

i don't think I'll ever be as fascinated by a character as i am by this extremely gorgeous and morally ambiguous femme fatale with nerves of steel. she's incredibly intelligent and cunning even from a very young age (she's a borgia through and through after all lol). in one of her very first scenes she effortlessly deduces that the pigeon letters are being used to bribe cardinals into voting for her father to become the next pope. she demonstrates her manipulative prowess by seducing a stable boy and leading him to tamper with her abusive husband's saddle and causing him to fall and break his leg. she singlehandedly outplays the french king by charming him and saves her brother from a massacre. she orchestrates the public shaming of her husband to annul their marriage, she even goes so far as to manipulate two brothers for her own pleasure (and to spite her father, who always forces unwanted marriages on her) before disposing of both of them. she attempted fratricide more than once to avenge her doomed lover, she commits incest (and would gladly do it again), supports regicide to get her baby back, blackmails cardinals, and poisons an entire castle to make her escape, and successfully poisons her second husband to release him from his suffering, and the list goes on!! i could really go on explaining why i admire her character who's naturally supposed to take a dark and ambitious path like the rest of her family but chooses to control her own destiny and seek to reclaim her innocence back... honestly i can't even put into words how much i love her.

[somneasims]

"EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER" Legacy Challenge

Welcome to the Emotional Rollercoaster Legacy Challenge! This is a 10-generation challenge based around a handful of emotions your sims can experience in-game! This challenge is inspired by the Not So Berry Challenge created by @lilsimsie and @alwaysimming, but I tried to make each generation a new unique challenge! 

Basic Rules:

You may play on whichever lifespan you’d like! The shorter the lifespan, the harder the challenge, but it’s totally up to you!

The heirs do not necessarily need to match the color of their generation (hair, makeup, clothes, etc) but it can definitely be fun to add that touch if you so desire!

The heir can be any gender, any birth order, and can be biological or adopted, unless specified by the generation rules

Money cheats may be used at your discretion (you want it to be fun for you!) however I recommend not using money cheats for gen 1 as it will cheat your aspiration.

Mods are allowed (again, it’s all about being fun for YOU!)

You may live wherever you’d like unless otherwise specified in the generations rules

You must complete both the aspiration and career of the heir unless stated otherwise, you must also complete all the tasks listed for each generation

(If you don’t own all the packs required for the challenge, feel free to change up the requirements to fit the packs you DO have)

If you give this challenge a try and want to share, tag your posts with #erclegacy, and be sure to tag me on Instagram and/or Twitter/X (@/somneasims)! I’d love to see your progress!

______________________________________________________________

Generation One: Angry

You've got big goals. You've always dreamed of making a name for yourself in the corporate world, and you're not afraid to step on anyone who tries to get in your way. There's no time for relationships or a family, not that you like kids anyway. Everyone else just gets in the way. Too bad you're incredibly fertile and not the greatest at birth control. You're prone to casual hookups that often lead to undesired consequences. But that's just a minor bump in the road! Let's be honest, you're not going to let a few accidental offspring stand in the way of your success.

Traits: Hates Children, Hot Headed, Ambitious Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy Career: Business

Rules:

Have a child with at least 3 different sims

Reach the top of the business career and complete the Fabulously Wealthy Aspiration

Max the logic and charisma skills 

Hire a butler to care for the children (have little to no relationship with your kids)

Never get married 

______________________________________________________________

Generation Two: Focused

All you've ever wanted in life is approval from your parent(s). Success in life seems to be important to them, so from a young age, that's been your main focus. You throw yourself into school, determined to get the highest grades. You don't go out with friends on the weekends, in fact, you don’t really have any friends to hang out with even if you wanted to. The only real friends you have are your siblings and your servo. You graduate top of your class (duh!) and go on to get a Law degree in post secondary, but even being a lawyer isn't enough to earn the love you so desperately want from your parent(s). Eventually you come to accept that you’ll never gain your parents approval, and learn to find love in different places. You vow to never let your own children feel the same way you did.

Traits: Perfectionist, Genius, Overachiever Aspiration: Academic Career: Law

Rules:

Be your highschool valedictorian

Max the logic, research & debate, and robotics skills

Build a Servo to join your family and have max relationship with them

Have no close relationships growing up, other than your siblings and servo

Complete a university degree (distinguished preferred) 

______________________________________________________________

Generation Three: Happy

If there’s one thing in life that makes you happy, it’s your family. You’re literally obsessed with them (and why wouldn’t you be? They’re absolutely perfect!) You support your children in everything they do. You never miss a soccer game or ballet recital, you’re always the first to volunteer for fundraisers and bake sales, and you’re the go-to parent when your kids need help with their homework. From their first steps, to their high school graduation, you’re determined to document your children's every important milestone so that everyone else can see how perfect they are. There’s nothing more important to you than your family, and as long as they’re happy, you’re happy.

Traits: Cheerful, Good, Family-Oriented Aspiration: Big Happy Family Career: Education

Rules:

Max the parenting, photography, and baking skills

Marry a sim who already has at least 1 child

Have triplets (you may use cheats for this) (You may also have more children if you so desire)

Volunteer with your family every saturday

Collect photos of your children at all their life stages and important events, and display these in your home

______________________________________________________________

Generation Four: Confident

The world revolves around you, and anyone who doesn't see that is wrong. From the moment you could form a thought in your head, you knew you were meant to be a star. The spotlight has always loved you just as much as you've loved it. You strongly believe that any publicity is good publicity, as long as your name is in the headline. Everything you do is for fame, including your marriage to another celebrity superstar. Too bad they're not at all your type, but who cares, it's all for show, right? As long as the public loves you and they don't find out about your secret love affair, nothing could go wrong!

Traits: Self-Assured, Self-Absorbed, Cringe Aspiration: World-Famous Celebrity Career: Actor

Rules:

Max the acting, dancing, singing and Charisma skills. Reach level 8 in at least 1 instrument skill

Reach Celebrity Level 5 (Global Superstar)

Marry another famous sim (for the publicity) but get caught cheating with your real lover

Have only 1 child

Win a Starlight Accolade

______________________________________________________________

Generation Five: Embarrassed

You've always hated being the center of attention. Growing up, your whole life was documented in the media, thanks to your celebrity parents. You've had your every move scrutinized by the public, every personal and embarrassing moment shared online for the world to see. It's no wonder you now avoid any form of media that might have something to say about you. When you finally come of age, you choose to disappear from the public eye. You move into a tiny home in the middle of nowhere and vow that you'll never subject your children to the dangers of modern media. You earn your money only by selling whatever you can grow, harvest, or make on your farm, and enjoy spending much of your time outdoors. Who needs all that technology anyways? You're completely self-sufficient off-the-grid.

Traits: Loves the Outdoors, Socially Awkward, Unflirty Aspiration: Country Caretaker Career: Self-Employed

Rules:

Must live in an "off the grid" tiny home (can be tier 1, 2 or 3) from young adulthood on

Max the Gardening, Fabrication, Herbalism, and flower arranging skills

Have 10 Children 

Adopt at least 1 llama, cow, goat or sheep

Have no electronics in your home (other than your cell phone since we can't seem to get rid of that) - no TV’s, no radios, no computers etc. 

______________________________________________________________

Generation Six: Flirty

As one of 10 kids, you've always felt like a little bit of an afterthought in your home. With so many siblings, it's hard to get a word in at the best of times. Nobody really notices when you skip your garden chores in favor of a good romance novel. You just really love love, and you can’t help but dream of your own fairytale ending. When you aren’t reading (or daydreaming), you enjoy cooking for your friends and family. As a young adult, you turn your passion for cooking into a career and open your own restaurant. But just when it seems like you might be close to achieving your fairytale life, a failed engagement leaves you questioning everything you’ve ever known about love. Maybe you’ve wasted all this time searching for your perfect match, when your true happy ending was right in front of you all along.

Traits: Romantic, Foodie, Bookworm Aspiration: Soulmate Career: Culinary

Rules:

Max the cooking, gourmet cooking, and mixology skills

Own a 5 star restaurant 

Have a failed engagement

Marry your childhood best friend

Adopt at least one child

______________________________________________________________

Generation Seven: Energized

Your whole life, you've been a ball of energy. Sitting still is just simply not an option for you. From the sports field to the ski slopes, you're always on the go. Adventure calls your name around every corner. Some might even call you a bit of a daredevil. There's very little that you fear, which honestly proves to be quite handy in your career field (but shhh, that's a secret). Few people can keep up with your spunk, but those who do hold a special place in your heart. You've got goals as high as the tallest mountain, and nothing is going to stop you from reaching your peak.

Traits: Active, Adventurous, Bro Aspiration: Extreme Sports Enthusiast Career: Secret Agent

Rules:

Join the football or cheerleading team in high school and reach the max level (if you have HSY)

When you become a young adult, move to Mt. Komorebi (to be close to the slopes)

Max the fitness and rock climbing skills

Max at least one of either the Skiing or Snowboarding skills (or both if you want)

Reach the peak of Mt. Komorebi

______________________________________________________________

Generation Eight: Sad

You're nothing like your parents. Where they're energetic and optimistic, you're tired and gloomy. You can’t quite figure out how others can be so happy while you’re so sad. As you grow up, the things you used to enjoy no longer hold your interest, and you realize that you don’t have much in common with your childhood friends. You try to find new interests and goals, and take a crack at going to university, but still, nothing feels right. The same goes for your romantic relationships, that just never quite seem to work out for you. You’ve always had a passion for writing, and you enjoy playing video games, so eventually you decide to try to lean into those hobbies. This decision leads you down a brand new path, with new friends and new opportunities, and the belief that maybe, just maybe, your life may not end up as sad as you once thought it would be.

Traits: Gloomy, Loner, Geek Aspiration: Bestselling Author Career: Tech guru

Rules:

Have multiple close friends as a child, but lose touch with all but 1 as a teen. Make 3 new close friends as a young adult who all live in different cities (worlds)

Enroll in University but drop out after 1 semester. Do this 2x, changing your major each time (never complete a degree)

Must live in your parent(s) basement until you are an adult (or until they pass away)

Have a partner cheat on you

Max the video gaming, programming and writing skills

______________________________________________________________

Generation Nine: Playful

Life's a party, and your only goal is to live it to the fullest. If you're not having a good time, then what's the point? Why waste your time with boring things like school or chores when you could be out partying with your friends? You're determined to have as many friends as possible, and that includes everyone on the internet. You thrive on likes and follows and adore making fun content for your fans online. Like, share, and subscribe!

Traits: Goofball, Party Animal, Dance Machine Aspiration: Friend of the World Career: Social Media

Rules:

Get Expelled from High School (you may choose to re-enroll or not, that's up to you!)

Max the charisma, mischief, and media production skills

Max either the DJ Mixing or Dancing skill (or both if you want)

Have 25 million followers

Host a social event every weekend and achieve gold in at least 5 different event types

______________________________________________________________

Generation Ten: Inspired

Everything in life has beauty, and you just can’t help but feel inspired by it all. Creativity flows through you like the blood in your veins and you can’t wait to show the world what you can create. As a teen, you graduate school early and move to the big city. You get a small apartment in the Arts District and make extra cash selling your paintings at street fairs, or by busking around town. As a young adult you decide to follow your dreams of becoming a musician, while still continuing to sell your artwork on the side. Whether it’s a paintbrush or a guitar pick in your hand, your fingers spew talent like magic. You’re proud of everything you create (as you should be), so you open a gallery to display your work and inspire future generations for years to come. 

Traits: Creative, Art Lover, Music Lover Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire Career: Entertainer

Rules:

If given the option, you must graduate high school early

Must move out as a teen and get an apartment in the Art District of San Myshuno

Max the painting, piano, guitar and violin skills

Keep every “masterpiece” you create

Open an art gallery to display your work (build a gallery in Build/Buy mode, or purchase a retail business to transform into a gallery)

______________________________________________________________

I've been working on this challenge for a while and am so excited to finally share it with you! I hope you all enjoy! xoxo @somneasims

[gffa]

Hiiii :D I was just wondering, do you have any good Marvel fic reccomendations? Your massive list of star wars fics is like the no.1 thing I go to when im in a star wars mood, and all of them have been amazing, so thanks so much for that!! I'm just curious if you have any good Marvel fic recs?? If not that's fine lol, thank you for your service 🙏

Hi! Lol, I had to sit with this post for a few days because "Marvel fic" is such a wide range of possibilities, like are we talking the comics or the live action shows? The Avengers movies? The X-Men movies? Which section of those fandoms? Avengers as a team? Captain America? Thor? Iron Man? Daredevil? X-Men: First Class? Just... anything? I don't actually have a lot of comics fic recommendations (mostly because it's too hard to wade through all the movie stuff because so many people cross-tag into the comics tags despite it not being comic fic that those tags are now useless), but my go-to for Marvel comics are always: ✦ Betrayal + Paradox Law + The Game of Empires by Valerie J It's hard to describe this series, other than that about ~15 years ago, it was an ambitious attempt at taking various elements of the X-Men comics and weaving them into a coherent whole, focusing on giving Remy an epic backstory to explain his origins and his powers. It probably wouldn't really fit with more recent comics, but if you're a fan of late '90s/early '00s X-Men comics, this was a hell of a ride with cool powers, surprising family twists, time travel, fun relationships, and incredible ramp ups to tense situations that explode in the best way. ✦ The Gestalt Arc by Lori McDonald Another old school fic centered around the Remy/Rogue relationship and taking them on an epic journey, in an alternate version of what happened after their kiss in X-Men #41. The ups and downs of how they work out their issues, the lives they try to lead with each other, finding their path forward together, it's still one of my favorites for the era. ✦ Anything by Traincat for the Young Avengers My favorite is grab a blanket, brother, but they're an author that I'd write a blanket rec for, if any of the summaries sound relevant to your interests! They also write Peter Parker/Johnny Storm, which isn't my area of comics, but I'd trust them with it! But primarily I'd route you to them for their super fun Young Avengers stories, the Teddy/Billy and Eli/Kate ones especially. ✦ Anything by silverspidertm2, X-parrot, takadainmate, or Mythtaken Identity for Journey into Mystery and Loki: Agent of Asgard-era fic. This is when I was in my prime era of reading Thor comic-centric fic, around Journey into Mystery and Loki: Agent of Asgard, when he was Kid Loki and then Teen Loki. There was a lot really fun worldbuilding or road trips or just feelings explosions fic from this era. Beyond that, my bookmarks are a bit of a mess, but you can scroll through them to see what you're looking for. My primary fandoms were: ✦ Daredevil TV, where I went in hard on Matt/Foggy (and some Matt/Foggy/Karen and Frank/Karen and a little Matt/Elektra), where I read voraciously for about a year before MCU burnout hit. Some faves are Double Blind by smilebackwards and Something Dumb to Do by poisonivory and jump, check parachute augustbird.

✦ Thor (MCU), which is actually the heart of who I was as an MCU fan, I spent a long time there reading a lot of fic and this will take you to my bookmarks with the pairings filtered out. I was a big fan of Thor & Loki's relationship so that's most of what's in there, and I always suggest starting with these three fics: ✦ Bargaining by proantagonist, thor & loki & odin & frigga & cast, time travel, 108.9k Faced with an eternity without his brother, Loki strikes a bargain to change the past. Post TDW. ✦ No Such Liberty by Xparrot, thor & loki & cast, 147.3k The first thing Loki said, after he had swiped his tongue over his lips to wet them, was, "You shouldn't trust me." ~ Following the attack on New York, Thor takes Loki back to Asgard in chains; but this does not mean that the god of mischief's schemes are ended, or that Thor has or ever will give up on his brother. But when Thanos threatens the realm to claim his lost prizes, on which side will Loki fall? [post-Avengers fix it] ✦ The Lullaby Singer by TheOtherOdinson, thor & loki & odin & frigga, 85k wip Odin hasn't left Asgard in over a thousand years. When he finds out Loki is still alive and preparing to launch an attack on Midgard, he could send Thor to stop him. Or Odin could go himself. As a bonus, I have a few more Thor genfic recs here.

✦ Captain America (MCU), where sure I liked some gen fic but lbr I was there for the Stucky. I mostly read during the height of the post-TWS fervor and then tapered off a lot after that (given how hard they swerved away from their relationship) and I haven't read almost anything in the fandom since Endgame, but if you want some fun TWS-era fic, I put together this list recently. (To be fair, I also liked a lot of Steve &/ Natasha, Bucky &/ Natasha and Sam/Natasha, so you can find that in there, too.)

✦ Iron Man (MCU), where I liked a mix of some fun gen pieces and some Tony/Pepper which put me in the minority, but I don't care because there were some banger authors for both. If you're interested in them, I always liked pretty much anything I read by roboticonography. icarus_chained wrote a wider variety of stuff, but I've always liked anything I've read from them as well.

✦ Avengers (MCU), where I read a lot of fic, but it's kind of all mixed in together, even some sprinkled in Black Panther fic, some Spideypool that was super fun for a hot minute, some Guardians of the Galaxy characters showing up, etc. Step carefully if you're not interested in pairings (I read a fair amount of Tony/Loki and Steve/Loki in amongst the other stuff), but honestly by the end I was probably reading more gen than anything.

✦ X-Men: First Class-verse, which is my exception to not reading much for the live action versions of the X-Men, because I am a long time Pietro Maximoff fan and while Peter wasn't my Pietro, I did love him and there was some absolute banger fic for the Dadneto trope, which was where my heart was at. Come Together by blarfkey is absolutely the first place to start!

Hopefully this is what you were looking for, but if you have further refinements on what you're interested in, let me know and I'll try to give some pointers! I've been out of reading Marvel for awhile, but I have a huge backlog from when I was in it, at least. 😂

[jgnico]

The fact that Geto's motivation as a sorcerer was never something that personally mattered to him really did spell out his downfall. I know that it's been talked about before, but Yaga's decision to make sure that students enroll for selfish reasons rather than broad ideologies was such a good change for how the schools operate, not just in terms of ensuring that another Geto situation never happens, but also for students growth as sorcerers.

Being a sorcerer is always going to be a dangerous job, but having the will and desire to overcome for the sake of yourself will always prevail over the mentality of doing the right thing for the greater good. Sorcerers need to be selfish and ambitious to survive. That's what sets the current students aside from characters like Haibara and Geto and even Nanami.

Geto wanted to protect the weak. Haibara wanted to feel like he was helping. Nanami wanted to keep the students safe. And while, yes, these are objectively good motivations, they're all centered around the happiness and safety of other people and not themselves. Mentalities like that can only bring you so far, both for growth as a sorcerer and a will to live within the demands that jujutsu society places upon you. If the foundation that you build upon can't support you when you need it most, then you'll fall through the cracks; which is something that we see time and time again no matter what era the sorcerer comes from or how strong they are.

I think that the clearest we ever see this concept talked about is in chapter 58, when Gojo is talking to Megumi about what's holding him back. Megumi asked to be trained because he wanted to keep up with Yuuji, who's grown exponentially as a sorcerer in an incredibly short amount of time. But as Gojo points out, training won't help him because Megumi's ability and potential aren't his issues. His mentality is. Instead of being selfish and putting his all toward what he wants, Megumi thinks too much about what would help the people around him or how he measures up against them. Which is exactly the same kind of thinking that Geto had when Gojo surpassed him.

Even on the opposite end of the conflict between Sorcerers and Curses, this sentiment still holds strong. Comparing yourself to others stunts your growth. Lacking true ambition gets you killed. Not being selfish enough to fulfill your desires makes those desires ultimately pointless.

There's so much emphasis placed on motivation throughout jjk, whether that's Maki asking Yuuta why he enrolled, Geto asking Haibara why he's okay with being a sorcerer, Yaga testing Yuuji during his entrance exam, Yuuji asking Nobara why she wants to be a sorcerer, Maki wanting to build a world for Mai vs Mai only enrolling to follow Maki, etc etc, the list goes on.

Strength in terms of the power that you're born with (or aquire in Yuuji and Yuuta's case) will only get you so far. It doesn't matter how strong or weak or complex or simple your technique is if you don't have the will to unlock your full potential.

Gojo becomes stronger in Hidden Inventory because he wants to. Geto stagnates because he's accepted that he can't. Yuuta wins against Geto because losing isn't something that he can accept when it sacrifices the happiness of his friends. Geto loses because he knows that his family will continue to survive even if he doesn't.

Geto's problem when it comes to surviving as a sorcerer was never weakness. It wasn't conviction or morality or ideas. It was that he never learned to be selfish. He held onto the mentality of sacrificing himself for the greater good while changing the definition of what that meant, and it killed him just as surely as faulty foundation will lead to a house collapsing if it isn't fixed.

[wanderingswampbeast]

Long Post: Why I Don’t Like The Drow

I’ve been ranting about this to a friend on discord (a lot of points I make will come from him) but I’ve finally figured out what my issue with the drow is outside of inherently evil groups being dumb.

The drow are boring. Drow lore is less of a dive into a unique culture and more of a list of fucked up things they do. Like, I cannot name a single interesting aspect of typical drow society that does not directly involve murder, sexism, or slavery, or Lolth. And even then, most of those things are written about in an incredibly bland fashion with them.

The Drow don’t really have much depth to them, and are just kind of evil for evil’s sake (or “because Lolth said so”). They do slavery, but the only real purpose of doing slavery for them is “because Lolth said so”. It isn’t for cheap labor, it’s to be more evil. They betray each other purely because that’s what evil people do. They’re misandrist, not for any real societal reason, but because Lolth hates men. There’s none of what would make slavery an interesting topic or story element, no justification for why they should be allowed to commit one of the worst injustices possible, no real economic reason for it. They just do it because Lolth says they should, and from a writing perspective it hammers home the fact that they’re evil. They aren’t evil because they enslave and murder, they enslave and murder because they’re evil, if that makes any sense.

Them being written as comically evil as they are also hurts them from a worldbuilding perspective. They’re so reliant on slaves for menial labor that the lower class of their society struggle to get jobs. Drow culture so obsessed with betrayal and dumbass house wars that even when actively under attack from the outside they sabotage each other. They’re so decadent that their buildings are held up with magic and semi regularly collapse when a spell fails. To put it bluntly, drow society feels like one that should have collapsed in a few centuries, which, funnily enough, is way longer than D&D elves live.

Their culture being so monolithic also makes writing anything about them difficult. Every drow antagonist is going to have near identical motivations, methods, and ideologies as every other drow antagonist. Every drow protagonist is going to ultimately feel very similar to Drizzt, because leaving their fucked up society to become a do-gooder is such a common backstory element that they added a whole extra god just for doing that. In fact, you can divide 90% of drow characters from any official materials into these categories:

Manservant

Ambitious male, usually a wizard (5 bucks says he has long hair and a widow’s peak)

Dommy Mommy Warcrime Woman

Drizzt Do’Urden or one of his many duplicates

Self-loathing and/or resentful Drider

And finally, their existence almost purely to be humanoid enemies you can fight at nearly any levels is just kind of lazy. This is a problem that I have with the “evil races” of a lot of fantasy but having a group that’s evil by birth just feels like an excuse to not have to write actual motivations for your antagonists. It’s the difference between “go attack this camp of soldiers because they’re part of the SkullMurder army and their general wants to use our land to build a dread fortress” vs “go attack this camp of soldiers specifically because they’re drow/goblins/orcs/the dreaded peepee-poopoo folk”. Using stuff like this just feels like an excuse to not have to write an actual antagonist since it comes pre-written in the group’s lore. This has the side effect of whenever such a group is the antagonist of the plot, the players or audience know near exactly what to expect. The orc is here to conquer, the goblin is here to steal, and the drow is here to enslave or do some dark ritual.

I’ve legitimately heard people say “well if XYZ can’t be inherently evil anymore, who will we use as bad guys?��� It’s very simple: whoever the fuck we want. Write an evil queen, or a scheming wizard, or an underground slave trade network. For God’s sake, anyone can be evil, you don’t need to tie that to a specific ethnic group and write it as “they’re just like that”. Write an actual character for your antagonist.

[lady-of-endless]

haii ! Can i request hc with Giorno reuniting with childhood friend S/O after like two years of him becoming Don of Passione? You can imagine it however you want :3

(they lost contact after he joined the mafia btw)

Author's Note: FINALLY a Giorno request! And with a reunion trope, are you kidding me? This request was sent from heaven, thank you so much. Hope you'll enjoy it!

Don of Passione!Giorno x childhood friend! reader headcanons

- His life as Don of Passione is somber, black and white, because of all that happened and all that he has lost. That's until you step into the room, a pair of eyes from his past, someone that he hasn't lost it seems. You're both shocked to see each other, heart racing. Giorno gets up from his armchair immediately and steps closer not even knowing with what intention. He stopped himself before he would be too close cleared his throat and greeted you. He was still serious but his tone was softer than usual, because of his disbelief.

- After the initial shock, he still can't let himself be happy to see you again. If you visited him, without knowing it's him the Don, it means that you got involved with the mafia as well. And that concerns him. You don't get to join the mafia without something bad happening.

- Giorno knows it's not graceful to stare but he can't take his eyes off your face, as he wants to make a mental list of things that changed about you while you talk to him. Yes, you've changed a lot, but you look at him with the same sparkle in your eyes.

- Giorno thinks it's slightly amusing but incredible nonetheless how even if you looked so different now, he still felt the same as when you two were younger and you were his childhood crush. But is there still a connection there or are his lingering feelings tricking him?

- He finds himself wanting to embrace you after all those years but he refrains himself from doing that. Though, as he guides you around to show you the place, he takes your hand gracefully as a sign of good manners. You might not notice but he tends to hold your hand a little longer before letting it go.

- Giorno would minimize the story of how he joined the mafia and how he became Don of Passione when you ask him about it. Mainly because he wants to hear more about you but also because he is insecure about how you might see him after he tells you about everything. He doesn't want to change your view of him even if he knows it's inevitable as you both are different from the past versions.

- His wish is for you not to treat him differently now. Yes, after so many years and changes, you two are just a little bit more than strangers. But he wants to keep the warmth and joy he felt in the past when you two would meet and relish it as much as it's possible.

- Giorno never enjoyed thinking about the past but as you start recalling memories you both shared, he feels giving in to the sweetness of nostalgia.

- If you tell him that you're not surprised that he is a Don, he doesn't know how to take it. You add that he was always ambitious and that you always admired that in him and he might have to clear his throat in order not to blush.

- Giorno won't say it, worrying that it might scare you but he promises himself that you'll have the utmost protection from him and his men. Everyone will know your face and you'll be not just protected but respected as well.

- You two spend hours talking and catching up and with each glance and smile, the distance that set you two apart for years diminishes. Mista noticed it was getting late but as he approached the room, he saw through the cracked opened door how Giorno was smiling at you and how his eyes were finally shining again. He decided to leave you two without saying a word.

[hamliet]

I was talking to a friend about how in recent years it has become so common to have anti-heroes and villains as protagonists. I think this trend started with Tony Soprano back in 2000 and it was definitely something that changed series and movies in a good way, gave us alot of great and interesting characters to explore (Tony Soprano himself was an incredible and complex character that captivated the audience, even though he sometimes did things that we found horrible and hated him for it. But seeing the success and popularity, it's no wonder that after the Sopranos show people started to explore the idea of ​​anti-hero/villain protagonists way more). I can't say when this trend started in anime, if it was before or after The Sopranos, but it also became something quite common (Light Yagami, Eren Yeager, Lelouch Lamperouge and the list goes on). I confess that sometimes I miss seeing a character with a good alignment as the protagonist, I wanted to know your opinion on these things.

So... I think there are a few layers here.

I don't actually agree that morally gray protagonists are very common at all, sorry Anon!, but--

I do think there is a general lack of well-written protagonists of all moralities, and--

All writing is a product of its time to an extent, and in a world where people at least pay lipservice to the idea that we are all culpable for the horrid state of the world, stories are at least going to pay lipservice to that.

On the line of lipservice.... Antihero protagonists do exist, but I think if anything protagonists have become very, very sanitized. Even the ones who are considered antiheroes aren't really doing anything bad. They're just vessels for the authors to preach... which, to be fair to authors, is also partially because I do think there's a lack of critical thinking among the populace and no one wants to be accused of supporting something truly terrible especially in an age where cyberbullying is an expected part of the job. But writing about it isn't inherently an endorsement.

Even in stories like House of the Dragon, which literally is based on a book that is all about gray morality, has sanitized the characters (especially the Blacks and even more so the women) so much that they are barely characters anymore. They're not the ambitious, human people who love and lust and hurt and do the unforgivable yet are still so human. Again, I think the reasoning is pretty clearly to appeal to the audience by not doing the misogyny GoT Season 8 was... except they ironically actually are but bending over so far backwards they're making the characters caricatures instead of people.

I mean, I don't know which movies nowadays besides nugu artsy ones don't have a "good" protagonist. It's far more common. Look at Pixar, at Marvel, at Disney's stranglehold on the industry. Look at BNHA. Part of this is genre-dependent too, but. Good guy wins. Bad guy loses.

In fact, it's so common for people to assume that protagonist status is an endorsement of everything the protagonist does that a sizable portion of AoT fans refuse to accept that Eren Jaeger wasn't intended to be a hero and created ANR, and other fans wrote for big-name publications directly calling Isayama a fascist for portraying a hero who sank into fascism. Overall, I do think the majority got the message, but I also think that while there are certainly some things that could have been done better, the main issue isn't the messaging of the story. I don't think AoT is muddy thematically. I do think the majority of people can't think critically if their life depended on it these days.

That said, I do think what you're onto is that a lot of characters and protagonists just are not well-written. Heroic or not, they're not well done. They're vessels to be used to prop up the author's moral views, rather than explore the difficult questions about what it means to navigate that morality in a bleak world. And I can't even blame them, because the way audiences respond gives them no choice.

Yet, antihero characters are often the more popular characters over MCs. Why? Because they're usually the ones who have a touch of humanity left, and also because tragic stories have appeal when the world is, well, tragic. Until the Mouse beats that humanity out of them anyways. However--

A good "good" protagonist is Luffy from One Piece, honestly. He's complex and interesting while maintaining his fundamental desire for kindness and compassion in the world. Or Tenma from Monster. Jim and Aja from Tales of Arcadia and Adora from She-Ra, too! And Xie Lian from TGCF (okay he considered genocide but--). And, of course, Ruby from RWBY!

[cerastes]

*My main interest here is to show people the utter insanity of OG2, but for that game to make sense, you have to see OG1, which is the opposite of a problem, because it fits right home in my list of vaunted "Very Interesting Games" alongside the likes of Def Jam: Fight For NY, Soulcalibur III or Trails from Zero+Trails to Azure.

Just like Def Jam FFNY is incredibly interesting in that it's a fighting game designed with a single player focus first and foremost, Soulcalibur III, despite being a competitive focus arcade fighter, went out of its way to have incredibly robust single player features and replayability, and how ZeroAzure utilize the limited size of the PSP, their original console, intelligently in making a game with iconic, revisitable environments and an incredibly good, small cast of characters to keep the game fresh even though you are never really going out on an adventure and yet it feels like you went on three of them by the end, OG1 is a well designed, perhaps too ambitious (affectionate) SRPG that really drives home the importance of managing limited resources in both a micro (stage by stage) and macro (the entirety of the game) stage, as there is a finite amount of every resource, experience included. Additionally, it's a game that spins off from a franchise mainly known to do crossover titles, but now it's fully original, in-house characters, letting them tell stories with a lot more freedom and being able to go balls to the walls with it. Had it been only of these factors, it'd already be an interesting game, but it's both simultaneously, which is why I call this a Really Good SRPG and not a Really Good Mecha SRPG; I recommend this game not because it's got cool mechs (and it does) but because it's a phenomenal SRPG first and foremost, that just so happens to have mechs.

All that is to say: Having to show OG1 before OG2 is the opposite of a problem, but ultimately one cannot ignore the concrete fact that I want to show OG2 more because that one has Lamia Loveless and Axel Almer who completely rewired my brain chemistry back then and are characters I consider Formative to who I am Today.

[blues-valentine]

let’s talk about how gina compliments ricky’s love language so much and he was able to be himself in this relationship as opposed to nini

You know, I appreciate how much this season made emphasis on how both Nini and Gina react differently to Ricky's love gestures. Nini felt suffocated by him. Gina wanted him to fight for her and do those big gestures. And both reactions are valid. I made a post last season about how Ricky and Gina’s love languages complement each other and I love how the show proves me correct on how I interpret this characters. This is going to be a lengthy post.

Ricky is pretty much a huge gestures type of guy. He is unabashedly romantic when he wants to be. He is also incredible clingy and someone that needs reassurance and affirmations. He gives love by big gestures and likes to receive love by words of affirmation.

His relationship with Nini ever since the start of the series showed how incompatible they’ve become for each other. To start off, I think Nini was unable to understand Ricky’s family situation because hers is very different so it might have been because of this that she didn’t understand his reaction towards a public declaration of love (his parents probably didn’t do that anymore). She was unable to identify what he needed from her and he failed to communicate why he felt that way. It goes both ways. He needed to say the words when he felt he was ready to say it. And that's very imporant.

But also, the first thing we learn about their relationship is that Nini feels like she was able to shine over the summer and it’s hoping for new opportunities that she feels Ricky holds her back from. Ricky is resistant to this and tries out for the musical to get her back, an idea Nini is not happy about because she feels he is invading her space. During his audition, he performs a song for Nini to try and tell her he loves her. He thinks is a declaration of love but for Nini is not. But Gina is actually impressed by this. And so, even with the first episode, the show lists many reasons why they don’t seem to be compatible anymore. Nini doesn’t like Ricky’s easy going approach to things. And is absolutely fair. I think she needs someone that pushes her to be more ambitious and that shares the same desire for challenges.

Ricky confessing his love for Nini in an outburst at the end of Season 1 felt like he forced it out because he knew that’s what she needed to hear from him to get back together. He was afraid to lose that sense of familiarity. It’s what makes his love confession to Gina so different because it was intentional. He was so sure and so confident and he wanted to tell her that despite not knowing what the future holds.

Early on Season 2, it's made clear they have completely different ideas on what the other is willing to do for each other. Ricky relied too much on her to have some sense of stability because everything at his home keeps falling apart. Nini just wants to spread her wings and it’s willing to go far to pursue her dreams (“I resolve to follow my dreams however far away they take me”) which is why she felt so trapped and suffocated by him. Ricky’s abandonment issues made him clingier than usual. I also think she was a bit rude at times and had a hard time trying to understand him. Like, when he said he was told he had not profitable qualities on the aptitude test and she brush it off and told him she didn’t come back for him. It was pretty harsh. I don't think neither of them knew what the other needed emotionally anymore. It was a bit of a mess and Ricky didn’t even know what he was supposed to do. Ricky’s love language for her was quality time and gestures but I don’t think that was Nini’s vibe. It got to a point she wasn’t receptive of his attempts at fixing their relationship. And as I said, Ricky needs to feel that his attempts are at least appreciated. And Nini never really did a good job at lifting him up.

A lot of Ricky's issues with how it went down with Nini is that he was dealing with his mom abandonment issues and Nini wasn't putting the same efforts into staying with Ricky (long distance or otherwise) and she's valid for this. But seeing it from Ricky's perspective too is like another person is also choosing to leave him.

Now, Gina is someone that wants to feel wanted. She wants people to fight for her. This is probably due to her family and how they didn’t put her as a priority growing up. How her mom barely even validates what’s important for her. This is why she liked EJ at first, because he gave her the attention she needed at that time. And it’s fair to say Gina gives love by words of affirmation and gifts. And likes to receive love by gestures and quality time. Same as Ricky.

She was impressed by Ricky singing to Nini at auditions on the pilot. She told Ricky to sing the song to Nini by the phone on Valentine’s Day because “every girl [her] likes a sweet gesture”. She threw a big surprise party for Carlos when they weren't even that close yet. She likes huge gestures. And I don’t think it was a coincidence when Ricky asked her back in Season 2 *if they were dating* and he went behind her back but for a good reason (and the whole thing about asking Miss Jenn if she can add Nini to the show last minute) if she’d like it. Gina answers that she would be flattered. Ricky took Gina's words without considering that this is not something Nini would want. For Ricky, it’s so they can spent more time together (and Gina sees it that way too) but Nini does not. She sees it as an added pressure. And you see how much Ricky's midset has been altered by his relationship with Nini that on Season 4 he thinks Gina would be relieved by Dani taking her place as Gabriella because she's been too busy with the movie despite him wanting them to spend time together. And Gina isn’t happy. For her, the the show is also a thing for them.

The season actually makes a lot of parallels to this. It also parallels this especifit moment from Season 2 when Ricky wants to send a *dumb* text to Nini that says something about "he is happy she's following her dreams but also he wishes he was her dream. And wants her to turn aroud and come back here. I believe the word he used was forever." And we know Nini would've felt pressured by that text. And that’s understandable. But the writers are so funny because on 408 during Gina's confessional she says she hasn't made a decision about the movie yet and wishes Ricky would fight for her a little more. And in Ricky's confessional he says he once told a girl (Nini) to stay home and it didn’t end too well so he doesn't want to make the same mistake. But Gina wants for Ricky to be Ricky and go all and beyond. But he has grown too much to be selfish. But he does end up doing what Gina wants by singing to her about forever fully expecting her to follow her dreams away from him without even knowing Gina had already decided to follow her dreams and be with him too. We truly love a full circle.

Moving to Season 3, it’s clear Gina likes the feeling of sharing things with a partner, and she saw how EJ was unable to give her that or even make space for her to be a priority but I do think there’s a lot of growth on Gina about understating the needs of her partner too. For example, Gina was able to give Ricky space after the whole Halloween situation. Ricky called her asking her for space and she allowed. It wasn't a break up, just mutual understanding that everyone needs a minute to take it all in and it's not because they don’t want to face it.

On Season 4, right off the bat, it shows us Gina embraces Ricky’s dorky and clingy side a lot. She likes his unexpected visits and ideas. She likes when Ricky plans stuffs and sneaks into her trailer. She likes when Ricky texts her a lot. Gina wants to feel that love because she lacked a lot of that growing up. Unlike Nini, who wanted to be free and get new experiences. Gina likes the stability Ricky provides her. And another thing Sofia said on a interview is that Gina likes how Ricky is very easy going because Gina is already too perfectionist. But mostly, I think you can appreciate how Gina encourages Ricky to be a little more ambitious while Ricky encourages Gina to be more relaxed. To be more giddy and bring down her walls. Nini felt like she coulnd't be truly herself around Ricky while Gina is the total opposite, she feels seen and understood with him because he is able to give her that with the way he is. And Gina does it to Ricky in return by making him feel wanted and appreciated for who he is. I do hope Nini finds someone (preferentially a girl) that makes her feel that way too. Seen and understood.

And also, let's point out how both Ricky and Gina's love language is also physical touch because they are unable to stop touching each other even if by friendly little shoulder touches. They’re unable to stop kissing each other. Gina can’t stop cupping Ricky’s cheeks. Or holding hands. In conclusion, Ricky and Gina are perfect and love each other so much. And their love story is so well written and for the books.

[sloanewashingtonappreciationweek]

(this beautiful poster is the handiwork of our wonderful host @sazanes!)

Welcome to our third edition of Sloane Washington Appreciation Week!! This gorgeous, adorable, kick-ass, incredibly relatable woman with her love for science, her admiration for ambitious, knowledgeable women and her endless capacity for bravery - she's been such an integral part of the Perfect Match story 💜

Every year, we try to celebrate her around Feb 11th, which is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This year's themes are a mix of some of the previous years, along with some exciting new ones! We hope you're inspired by them.

This event will be held from February 11th to 15th. Any content is welcome, as long as it is Sloane-focused and shows a positive depiction! Fanfic, fanart, meta, edits, moodboards, playlists, headcanons, interactive media - even simple appreciation posts and screenshots of fave scenes will be great!

Here's a list of the themes we have for SWAW 2024:

Day 1 (Feb 11th) - Women in STEM/Girl Power

Day 2 (Feb 12th) - Written in the Stars

Day 3 (Feb 13th) - Throwback/Character Appreciation/Friendships

Day 4 (Feb 14th) - Happy Valentines Day!

Day 5 (Feb 15th) - Hobbies/Pets

It isn't absolutely necessary to post content only on the day of the theme! We often accept pieces even when sent on a later date, and also keep a bonus week in case you couldn't finish your pieces during the week. We also don't mind WIPs, so if you have one that is Sloane-centric... we'd LOVE to see it!! We also love throwback pieces, so if you have any that you made previously, do reblog them and tag us!

We also will be accepting pieces after the event is over, and all year round until the next SWAW! So even if you have your post ready much later, please don't hesitate to tag us! 🤗

Blogs to Tag: @sloanewashingtonappreciationweek, and hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes

Tags to Use: #SWAW, #sloanewashigtonappreciation, #SWAW 2024.

There are some incredible fan-community blogs that work tirelessly both to promote creative fandom works and make the experience fun for their writers! Do check them out!!

@choicesficwriterscreations, @choicesmonthlychallenge, @choicesflashfics, @choicesprompts, @choicesholidays, @choicespride, @wordwarriors, @wip-wipeout-weekend, @moodmusicmonday

If you know any others who would like to be tagged, please let me know! Here are the amazing works sent in for 2023 and '22 if you'd like to get more inspired!

SWAW 2022 | SWAW 2023

See you all next month, and we hope to see some amazing Sloane content from all of you!! 🤗🤗

✅✅ Signal Boosts will be highly appreciated! ✅✅

[pharawee]

I think it's no secret that I'm not all that much into gmmtv BLs. I used to think that it's because I'm just not that into the romance/slice-of-life/ensemble cast genre and it's pretty much all gmmtv focusses on in their BLs. Or maybe I'm really that shallow and I just don't like anything mainstream.

I can't really talk myself out of the mainstream thing because it's unfortunately kind of true, but also I like plenty of romance/slice-of-life/ensemble cast shows by smaller companies, like Gen Y or Future or Our Days (the list goes on and on and on).

There's just something about gmmtv BLs these days that loses me every single time. A series starts out strong with an interesting concept and characters and then it just gets... boring to me:

The things and characters and issues I find interesting are never delved into, and (probably because of that) everything just feels so shallow and formulaic and palatable. Shows like Never Let Me Go and Be My Favorite and My School President completely underwhelmed me towards the end, to the point where I was relieved when they ended and I no longer had to gif them (which is an entirely different thing that I'm trying to work on 🙏).

And now the same thing is happening with Wandee Goodday and it makes me really sad because I really like Great and Inn and the rest of the cast.

Mind you, I'm not blaming gmmtv for this. They're mainstream for a reason and good for them! I'm also not saying that their approach to making series or marketing their actors is bad because clearly their success and their many fans prove them right.

But there's just something about how smaller or indie companies work that appeals to me so much more. I like shoestring budgets, I like it messy and rough around the edges. I like it when they're so passionate and ambitious about their projects that they try to make it happen no matter what. I like it when they take risks with genres and stories that bigger companies wouldn't touch because they're not as marketable. I like when they say "fuck it, let's do wonky sound and rookie actors because if we don't we won't have the budget to make it happen at all."

I suppose it's similar to gaming for me, where I appreciate indie games and ambitious AA titles much, much more than AAA games that tend to appeal to the biggest possible audience.

Ultimately, I'm glad there's a market for both, but it's sad to know that many smaller productions will never be as commercially well-received as mainstream titles (while ironically being held to the same standards). And it's also bittersweet to know that whenever gmmtv contracts one of my favourite actors (which is fine of course - it's one of the best things that can happen to an upcoming actor in Thailand), I know that I won't get to see them again in the kind of series that I prefer.*

*Sometimes they contract them out to non-gmmtv productions. That's how I became a fan of Marc Natarit. But as soon as they're in a fixed acting pair it's basically over.

I guess the easiest solution is to just stop watching BLs from gmmtv (I'm explicitly only mentioning BLs here because I like most of their gen shows a lot more - The Gifted is still one of my favourites and just recently Enigma and Midnight Museum and Mama Gogo were absolutely amazing) but the problem is... their pilot trailers actually get me excited. Right now I'm really looking forward to Kidnap and ThamePo. Plus, once in a while gmmtv DOES take a risk and then you get incredible shows like Not Me (which apparently didn't do very well numbers-wise, so from a business pov it makes sense not to invest in them too heavily).

In the end, I think I need to get a lot more selective with the Thai BLs I want to watch. After all, there's now so many of them that we can finally afford to be picky (and that has to be a good thing, right?).

[communistkenobi]

if you don't feel like taking the time to explain this to a random person I totally understand lol I will continue to look elsewhere to form an opinion. but I'm torn on not voting for biden, because I do understand the motive. he's terrible, teaching the democratic party a hard lesson is overdue. they need to be taught once and for all that they need to actually fucking deliver on their lofty virtuous promises or they will lose all support. on the other hand if you're following closely the shit trump's people are spewing right now he just keeps getting worse and worse and overtly fascist and ambitious, it's incredibly frightening atp, it's obvious that he will only make everything that's bad now in the usa and in palestine and everywhere else 10000x worse for a long time to come, I just don't know if the damage from another trump presidency is a worthy price to pay to stick it to joe

I’m going to be blunt, but I genuinely do not mean this in a rude or condescending way, I invite you to think about this deeply: do you legitimately think that if the democrats get re-elected they’re going to stop any of the horrific shit the republicans want to implement, either domestically or overseas? Has their track record given you any hope that that will happen? If you vote for them as they gleefully, openly carry out a genocide, literally what incentive do they have to stop Republicans at all? If their voter base is that secure, that loyal, what incentive do they have to protect their constituents or address their needs when in power? Protecting Roe v Wade was what made voting for Biden an existential necessity in 2020 and that still got trashed! People are still in cages at the US-Mexico border! Cop city is being built in Atlanta! Police brutality against Black people continues unabated! Pipelines are still being built on indigenous land (DAPL happened under Obama)! The threat against minority populations, the truly disadvantaged and oppressed people inside the US, are already living with this violence on a daily basis and have lived with it regardless of who is in office. To assume the threat of fascist violence has not yet arrived, has not yet been developing for decades, is to ignore these things.

I do not think the democrats need to be ‘taught a lesson’ or that you need to ‘stick it to Joe.’ The Democrats are not failing to deliver on their promises - these are their promises. Even on a purely self-interested level, ignoring the genocide currently happening, you are not going to be protected from fascists domestically by voting blue no matter who. Certainly there are local elections and movements were there is genuine progressive potential (Ohio just voted to legalise weed and support abortion, a legit good thing that was absolutely worth going out and voting for), but that is not the reality of the national party. The primary language available to voters as voters is to stop voting for them.

The fascist right in the US (both ‘populist’ groups like qanon and the proud boys, as well as institutional groups like the federalist society, the heritage foundation, etc, the list is endless, not to mention evangelical churches) is organised and developed enough that they will continue to hold power and influence regardless of who is in office. The genocide happening in Palestine right now, carried out by a democrat, is not a neatly contained far-away thing that can be separated from domestic politics (I am not claiming you’re making that argument, only trying to articulate my own point) - it is already having a profound and measurable impact on the US population in the form of increased racist, islamophobic and antisemitic violence, mass police brutality, institutional silencing and firing of anyone who even says the word genocide, etc. I think it’s productive to view those actions as developing fascist actions, actions which are being stoked by a democrat. And if they are not outright fascist, they are certainly a precursor to it. In the last couple years there have been a lot of stupid, incompetent demonstrations by the far right in the US - Unite the Right rally, the storming of the capitol, Qanon-motivated assaults and murders like the attempted plot to kidnap the Michigan governor, that one mob guy who was murdered by a Qanon follower in New York I think, Alex Jones being a national figurehead for the conspiratorial and openly fascist right (although he’s probably not going to continue to be that now that he lost a billion dollars in his court cases lol), the “stop the steal” legal attempt to contest the results of the 2020 election - these are ridiculous and on-the-surface ineffective attempts to express a fascistic will onto USAmerican institutions (“inchoate fascism,” a fascism not yet fully formed, a fascism in an experimental phase). But I think the genocide in Palestine is allowing for the effective version of those things to be done in the US. The hysteria, the rage, the violence that this genocide is producing “at home” is not going to dissipate if a democrat continues to hold office, and the Palestinian genocide is both an organising force for the current fascist right and an inciting force for it to further develop and grow. This larger debate about voting or not voting seems to be operating on the (correct) assumption that foreign policy is not a meaningful realm of difference between democrats and republicans, that the only space to battle over is domestic affairs. But absent from this debate is that these two things can’t be neatly partitioned, they are not separate, not just because you should view all human life as equally worth preserving but because we are seeing the mass domestic response within the US about Palestine - the popular resistance to it on the one hand and the institutional support for it on the other. The early 2000s US culture (“post-9/11”) is widely regarded as incredibly right-wing, and that was because of the war in Iraq! Foreign policy produces and shapes US culture, and the genocide in Palestine a colonial and fascist project.

This is not an argument for despair, or to do nothing. Fascism is not defeated by voting regardless of who you’re voting for, and so we can dispense with that idea. If you want to exercise your civic responsibilities, there are many other avenues - labour unions, community work, protests, boycott organising, and yes even voting in local elections when there is a strategic advantage to do so - things that are meaningful and do legitimately help people. But I do not see any strategic calculus in voting for democrats. Biden already told everyone this - “nothing will fundamentally change.” There should be no surprise, no expectation that they will do anything except what they’re already doing, which is business as usual

[vivmaek]

SATURN IN THE 10th HOUSE; Observations

Those with this placement set standards that are almost impossible to meet, yet somehow they manage to achieve them every single time. Their ambitious nature is at the forefront of their personality and they are incredibly self-disciplined. Relaxing doesn’t come easy to these types, they are always mapping out the next move. They need to feel productive and they wake up everyday with a to-do list running through their mind. Their life is all work and no play, it would be good for them to learn how to ease up a bit. Taking a break feels like the end of the world to these control freaks, but everyone needs a vacation every now and again. Their laser-like focus is hard to break and they are the ultimate workaholics. Their follow through is excellent and it is rare to see them walking away from an unfinished project. Throughout their life, they will take on a large amount of responsibility. At a young age, adults expected the native to act much older than they actually were. Unfair expectations were placed upon them and this is how they developed their own sense of strict standards. They were always told what to do rather than encouraged, leaving them with a low sense of self-confidence. This is why they overcompensate through achievements. There is nothing about them that is average, they set the bar. They produce high quality work and are well renowned within their career. However, it will take awhile before the results of their hard work come into fruition. They may go many years struggling without ever saying a word or complaining, they know there's no point to that and would rather prove themselves through effort and action. By the time they reach the age of retirement they might not be ready to walk away because all they can see is what else needs to be done, and they know they’re the best person for the job. It is not uncommon to see these types working well into their eighties. People with this placement are dignified and their authority over others is respected. They carry the weight of the world on their shoulders with pride.

[fipindustries]

What makes Worm a better story than its' sequels?

oh boy, time to shit on ward, my favourite thing to do!

in many ways i feel worm is simpler. This might sound weird coming from such a famously big and ambitious story but when you get down to it its incredibly simple. Is the basic underdog anti hero story set in a fairly standard superhero world. A bullied girl tries to be a hero but the world is dark and complicated and heroes are flawed and corrupt so she gets pushed into being a supervillain and yet she is sort of a robin hood type where she does "villanous things" in order to help people.

She gets more and more powerful and eventually she saves the world by beating god who was actually evil all along.

Like this is all standard classic underdog subvertion where dark is not necesarily evil and light is not necesarily good. Megamind does this, despicable me does this. Taylor is an incredibly compelling, hyper pragmatical, utilitarian genius strategist and she is also a nerdy shy socially anxious girl who gets bullied. She meets and befriends a bunch of cool, rebellious edgy teenage friends. It explores classic superheroe tropes by grounding them in reality and showing the dark logical implications of the classic innocent superhero world of comics. Like watchmen did, like the boys did, like top ten did, like astro city did. The list goes on. It has a shitton of fascinating, cool, complex characters, all who slot very easily into some comic book archetype. It has some of the most intricate and well thought out worldbuilding, and a series of really clear and compelling mysteries to solve.

Ward by contrast is... messy. The world was broken and pushed forward into a post apocaliptic setting so it cant be classic superhero fare anymore. But also it never fully commits to really explore the post apocaliptic side of it either so is just kind of a muddled mess. The powers get esoteric and harder to really grasp. The tone and the narration becomes incredibly dour and morose and depressing to wade through. The characters are generally less likeable. It focuses a lot on trauma and recovery and the boring, no fun, tedious work of improving your mental health. The fight scenes get boring and confusing. The pacibg gets really slow, the plot feels aimless at times. Suddenly the tone gets a lot more judgy, when in the past the story seemed to be a lot more interested in exploring and empathizing with its villains in here the bad guys tend to just be evil assholes and that is kind of it. The protagonist is a boring angry humorless self righteous depressed stick in the mud who cant help but think of the world in terms of simple good and evil. Its a trudging tedious plodding crawl to a messy ending that is honestly a retread of the ending of the first book where the guy tries to escalate the stakes to upstage the ending of worm but makes everything feel meaningless and pointless.

Is just not fun to read, it feels like homework. It feels like doing taxes. It feels like its trying to be so adult and mature and dramatic and serious that it lost all entertainment value or joy of experiencing fiction.

[7grandmel]

Bonus Rip! [07/10/2024]

Another Stickerbrush

Season 4 Episode 1 Featured on: Now That's What I Call Quality! 2

Ripped by pedipanol

Surprise!

I was feeling a bit bad over how long Week 4 ~ Wanting to Funk the Truth was taking to come out, but wasn't quite sure what I could do to make up for it: I've been a bit bad at planning my posts ahead of time, so I couldn't really throw out a Character's Archives post or something along those lines out just yet. But I figured its best to return back to basics and do things the way I did back on the blog's first year: Put out a shorter, more concise post out of schedule! Can you believe I used to do this stuff DAILY?!

Another Stickerbrush is a rip with a very simple appeal, a rip you can pretty much already know is S tier through just looking at its name, thumbnail, and ripper. To some, that may not be immediately obvious, but back on Viva la Robocop and Thwâmpröck Desert, I wrote about how there are certain very bizarre games held in incredibly high regard by the chiptune community for the ambitious soundscapes they contain contrary to what you'd expect on the surface. Be it Robocop, Solstice, Plok!, Pictionary or indeed The Smurfs, true gems can come in the most bizarre packages possible, all thanks to the work of the incredible composers and sound engineers working on these projects. And sitting right alongside treasured names like Tim Follin, David Wise, Naoki Kodaka and more, is one Alberto José González.

The composer of games such as The Smurfs on Game Boy and... The Smurfs on NES - which was featured on here way back with The SiIvaGunner Smurfs Collab! While perhaps not as well known to the mainstream eye as Follin or Wise, González's work is revered in chiptune spaces for reasons that I hope Another Stickerbrush alone make obvious: There's a spaciness, a perfect implementation of a dreamy reverb, found in so much of his work for The Smurfs games in particular, that sticks with you unlike anything else you can find on the Game Boy. And sure enough, ripper pedipanol is one of those chiptune artists well aware of Gonzáles' work, and one who's deeply talented in the art of chiptune herself! I've covered her on here before with Beautiful! ~ Curveball of Sean Kingston, which was another rip utilizing the sound of a rather obscure and out-there game, but pedipanol - aka Saria Lemes - is absolutely the real deal, having done substantial work on indie games such as Yokai Inn and Evertried, in the years since her time on SiIvaGunner. From Season 1 to Season 6, she was contributing bangers just like Another Stickerbrush left and right and showing just how many sides there are to the world of chiptune.

So I said at the post's beginning, and with all of that additional knowledge in mind, this is the kind of rip that you're able to just SENSE is going to be a banger - with the cherry on top being the choice to rearrange Stickerbrush Symphony in particular. Its one of the most classic, revered pieces of old-school VGM out there, one I've covered many times on here before, be it with toonlink's Stickerbrush Queen, or eva "hawk tuah" twin's Sable's Stickerbrush, or l4ureleye's Sidelined Symphony, or eg_9371' Satinpanties Symphony, or wheel able's Stickerbrush State of Mind...like with The Smurfs games, or Robocop, or all the other silly examples I listed above, there are certain core pieces of the chiptune community that feel ever-present, ever-enduring, forever to be cherished by members old and new - some of the rips listed above are pushing 8 years old, Another Stickerbrush is sitting at 5 years old, and we're still getting rips of the tune made today. It's like a recurring ritual, a historic anthem for all the atmosphere that video game music can instill without a single live instrument employed: the magic of video gaming's bleeps and bloops, distilled into its purest form.

Another Stickerbrush is one in the line of many, yet done with the finesse of an amazing chiptune artist in the sound of one of the medium's forgotten greats. There's very little I can say about it that the tune itself doesn't already convey: So I suggest just hitting play and letting the sounds wash over you.