#they hate drafts too (like. wind. i also don't like the military)

[sunshineram]

pictures do not accurately show just how red this guy is. so very pretty

[not-goldy]

Anon its a shame you are that much of a hater you are using forced military to try to drag Jikook and JK. All of you do it and it's sickening.

JK also seems to be having an equally hard time too anon. And I don't blame Jimin either. They are in the worst part of the military on the frontlines. A dangerous, cold, isolating, homophobic place with some of the hardest training in the military. They are kpop idols, not soldiers. If they are both having a hard time while being together, imagine how it would be if they were apart not seeing each other every day. You have to remember Jikook are there by choice. Not the military, but where they chose. They could have both done easier things if they went alone. Jimin could have done what Suga is doing, but he and Jk chose to go to hell together. Its sucks up one side and down the other. Its not easy and I imagine if they are a couple, its a hell of lost worse on them emotionally having to watch their loved one go through hell and can't properly be there in the way they want to be, what they are use too, because of the environment and place they are in. Cut them some slack. They are missing their family and friends and life. Just be glad they aren't alone. Then again if they were alone they would be in easier units. Maybe think about that for a while and what that means and the decision they made. JK said in private he's happy Jimin is with him and Jimin has told you twice he's got JK with him. They have each other and are happy for that, but it doesn't mean they can't be sad and hate what they are having to do. Get off your high horse cause I don't think, I know the brightest part of their days is seeing each other and getting that wind down time together at the end of the day. Piss off anon and stop trying to act like Jk isn't there for him and same goes for those saying JM isn't there for JK. Leave them alone.

My heart goes out to both of them

For Jimin I know he has a very strong poker face and will suck it up especially if he made up his mind to go.

I am anti drafting and compulsory military service.

Not every one wants to tap into their strengths to perpetuate violence, not everyone with a penis is A MAN. it is violating and traumatizing to wake up every morning and be forced to recieve lessons on how to shoot to kill another human life. To be thought to harness rage to be desensitized as to the use of force against others just because of your private parts. Doesn't matter whether you are a pacifist Doesn't matter what your values are on the use of aggression.

I'm sorry but I feel violated just thinking of it.

It's one thing to think it woukd be fun to shoot a gun, it's another if you're told the target is a human life.

Hang in there Jungkook. May the ancestors give you strength. It's okay to hate it. It's okay to struggle in there you are a pure soul and your values are being tested and pushed.

[bookshelf-in-progress]

Director's Cut of "Good Rich Earth" please?

"Good Rich Earth" is one of the easiest writing experiences I've ever hand. This one just flowed. No hesitation. No laboring over words. I don't know if I've ever had a story come this easily.

I had zero intentions of writing a retelling of "The Secret Garden". Then you mentioned the potential for a fantasy retelling, and I instantly started wondering how such a thing could be done.

You taught me that a proper Secret Garden retelling has to center around childhood emotional neglect, so it quickly turned to sci-fi, because the first line that came to me was, "Raised practically by robots, the poor thing!"

With that, I had my premise. Mary was raised on a military space station by parents who left her in the care of robot nannies. She'd never been on a planet. (I've long wanted to write a story involving space-raised children who have culture shock when they come to a planet, and this fit perfectly.) The story would involve her coming to appreciate the wonders of nature.

Then I just started writing. Instantly. (This was much more appealing than the Chesterton Challenge idea I had originally sat down to write).

When writing about the bleak landscape of Mary's new home, I decided that this would be a ruined post-apocalyptic Earth, to make the landscape seem bleaker and more hateful to the newly-arrived Mary, and the Secret Garden seem more wondrous by comparison. I sometimes wonder if that was the right choice, because I put zero thought into what kind of apocalypse it was, beyond giving it the appallingly generic label of "The Disasters", and this layer might interfere too much with the rest of the story. But it does tie in with the original's themes of recovering from neglect and learning to care for others--the entire planet has been neglected and needs care to come back to life.

I just love how that paragraph about Mary hating everything about Earth allowed me to provide so much worldbuilding and characterization so easily.

I share Ben's disdain for hydroponics.

(Once I finished the draft, I skimmed it in search of ideas for titles. I was surprised to find that Ben's rant contained the perfect one--he's talking about dirt and gardening, but it also works in reference to Mary coming to appreciate the goodness of the planet Earth.)

It's interesting how I was able to keep the story and exposition flowing by just bringing in character voices (like Martha's explanation about the garden) without giving them actual scenes. It's something I didn't even think about--it just happened, and I don't know how, since it's not my usual style. It probably only works because this is a fanfic one-shot where you're expected to know the characters already.

And then I just kind of dither along, stretching out a story with Mary doing nothing but walking outside. I probably leaned too much on the robin finding things. After describing the way the door appears, I have a tough time believing Mary didn't find it on her own--why does a robin's wing set it off and not Mary walking around the wall?

You can probably see me flailing to find ways to make this sci-fi, making up tech on the fly. I mostly justified it, I think--the hologram roof's a bit of a stretch. Maybe the door, too. But that seems like something that would be good to have if you could pull it off (though I really hope there are safety features that keep people from being locked inside without a key). I do love that Mary's space station experience gives her the knowledge to open the Secret Garden's door.

I do like that description of the Secret Garden. I tried not to draw too much from any previous description/depiction of it, and I was careful not to use plant names, because Mary wouldn't know any of them. I think it managed to show the garden without getting too long-winded/flowery.

Of course I had to end by describing the garden as magical.