#this skin was once mine

[ink-pocket]

Top 5 books of 2024

[myriad--starlings]

The worst thing a person can do to you after they’ve hurt you is let you live.

That’s how you truly and unmistakably destroy another human being.

I say this with some authority on the matter. ... People will always be drawn to the idea of someone succeeding and becoming something truly glorious after they’ve been ravaged, defiled, very nearly obliterated. But I can assure you there’s nothing magnificent or outstanding about it.

It is no rare, distinguished gift to survive tragedy, disaster, misfortune. ... There’s nothing glorious or wonderful about being a survivor. Those that like to hurt other people know this for a fact. ...

I've learned if you truly want to hurt someone, let them live.

— This Skin Was Once Mine, Eric LaRoca

[thefandomentals]

Cat takes a look at Eric LaRocca's newest short story collection, This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances, due to hit shelves April 2, 2024!

[goodwomanbadlady]

Just stopped by my local library and I am a sucker for short stories so I picked it up to check it out and lo and behold! Look at that cover! So I kinda smirked and then my eyes Fell on the book on the shelf directly below it and my dears, I took it as a sign. The brainrot is definitely real, but that's not a bad thing.

[lilibetbombshell]

[windybluebelles]

When I got my appendix taken out: I was nine years old, in a foreign country and had to leave the hospital early in order to get on a plane even though I really shouldn’t be flying yet. It’s was fine, cannon event, it was character development.

What I’m trying to say is that Billy Batson does not deserve an appendix and should have it ripped out immediately

I spent two weeks wasting away on a couch watching glee. I remember none of it.

I want him to experience the superhero equivalent of that. Like, yeah when he’s powered up he’s fine, but will he remember to power up? Like, he shows up to a meeting two days late because he’s been delirious all week and doesn’t remember waking up.

[pinkmoonmp3]

joseph gordon-levitt & gregg araki via mubibrasil

[randomfoggytiger]

I don't know if you have done this analysis yet, but the color combination of Scully's fair skin and contrast red hair is almost ethereal in some shots. Why does it work so beautifully? I have seen. Other redheaded actresses, but it doesn't look as beautiful. Take Debra Messing for example. Beautiful woman but the contact of hair and skin do not appeal in the same manner. She looked more magazine and too contrast-y as opposed to the classic and eye calming of Scully's appearance.

The same can be said about Mulder. He looked better with the dark contrast hair to his skin than the lighter shade od hair that he has now. He needs to contrast for his features to stand out, especially his eyes.

Just some thoughts that ran through my head as I viewed some of Scully stills from various episodes. I could possibly be seeing things that are just appealing to my eyes.

I shall call this:

GA, DD, and "CHANGING" ESSENCES

I think there's a couple reasons:

Firstly, Gillian has a primary Ethereal and secondary Romantic Kitchener Essence (post here)-- meaning, if she keeps her contrast level low, it highlights her otherworldly "ethereal" look; but if she pumps up her contrast levels, it highlights her "romantic" look. In effect, we get modern blonde (Ethereal) Gillian and X-Files red (Romantic) Gillian:

(Note: the Ethereal effect is even more pronounced without thick, dark eyeliner-- which is incredibly hard to find because GA hardly ever skips her black eyeliner and mascara.)

Secondly, Gillian's eyes-- bright blue-- are naturally contrasted with her skin, and are inescapable at a glance. And since her skin is also really cool and pale and really light and soft (in short, a Light Summer, posts here, here, and here), the combined effect is an intoxicatingly soft, gentle, Renaissance-painting wash. Pale, porcelain, delicate skin; bright, wide, blue eyes; and firey, contrasted, unnaturally cool red hair all blends harmoniously together with her chiseled yet delicate femininity (Kibbe Theatrical Romantic, post here.)

Thirdly, Gillian can slide between pale, almost translucent angelic beauty with blonde hair and fairy light features and striking blue eyes or she can pop from the screen with transformed, striking, real-as-blood allure. (Her blonde hair would suit her more if she dyed it an ash or cooler blonde instead of brassy blonde; but Gillian likes what she likes.) She's also able to pull off darker makeup in red hair, because it ups her contrast levels (unlike blonde):

And vice versa with lighter makeup (blonde great; red hair... not so great):

If I were GA's stylist, I would suggest she use cooler blonde dye and switch from black to brown, navy, dark greens, or darker purples for eyeliner. The effect would be more harmonious (like the dark eyeliner was with her 90s Romantic Essence red hair.)

Debra Messing, by contrast, looks to be a primary Natural Essence type: approachable, earthy, features either closer together or farther apart. Think Oprah Winfrey-- wholesome, warm, open energy. She also doesn't seem to have Romantic Essence very high up in her Kitchener stack-- meaning, overdone, overly glamorous, overtly sexual looks (dark lips, dark makeup, blowout curls, stylized glamour) doesn't rest as naturally on her as does a more "undone", effortless, touseled appearance.

She is more "at home" in the first picture because of her less sleek, more inviting style:

But she looks even more at home with Natural Essence hair (below left) compared to the meticulous Romantic Essence curls (below right):

Gillian, however, looks messy and windblown when wearing a style Debra pulls off natively:

In short, she doesn't have the mix of ethereal and bombshell je ne sais quoi that Gillian does-- and that's just fine. GA needs to be supported by sleek, well-groomed cuts and styles; Debra needs to be windblown and wild and free.

As for Soft Autumn David (post here), I agree that darker hair adds necessary contrast. But if he had a warmer blonde color-- not too warm, that's the tricky part about Soft Autumn-- he'd actually look pretty good, too. Cute, even. Why? His dominant Kitchener Essence is Ingenue, which makes him appear younger, more vulnerable, more "adorable".

The same is true for his gray hair. Gray adds a softening effect that, when combined with gradual pigmentation loss, shifts away some of the undertone's warmth-- a struggle for warmer skin tones (Spring and Autumn)-- and brightness-- a struggle for brighter types (Spring and Winter.) When David grays, we can see the effect of less contrast:

Again, a softer, gentler overall appearance. It brings out his primary Ingenue essence beautifully (if he lets his hair stay longer, that is.... Keep the lawnmower away from your scalp, DD, I beg you.)

The real issue arises with his eyebrows: if his hair is darker, he needs fullness and thickness and darkness to properly frame his hooded eyes. They provide necessary balance to his wider, broader features.

The rule, however, changes when he grays: with an overall gentler, toned-down appearance, DD's eyebrows don't have to be as dark, thick, or "filled in":

(You can see his Ingenue Essence and Gillian's Ethereal Essence "au naturale" much better in the above pic.)

Those are my thoughts! :DDDDD

[aboutl0ve]

[cyclogenesis]

I finished and posted the Ryan/Hugh fic yesterday and I feel so bereft now man...like I miss it. It was such a nice distraction from everything to be able to wake up and look forward to working on it and have this lovely little escapist world to go to where everything's beautiful and problems are solvable and love makes it all worth it. I hope it makes other people happy too now.

[simplyghosting]

Whip stitch, my beloved

[harmoniouseclipse]

For those wondering what happened after my Arlejean rant from like last year. Mental illness took over. I am cooking.

[myriad--starlings]

"I don’t think home exists when you grow up. It’s something you lose and forget about. Like an old pair of shoes or baby teeth. Home is—something you outgrow.”

— This Skin Was Once Mine, Eric LaRocca

[symbioticsimplicity]

That ace vibe of "I know this person is incredibly attractive, but they're also saying something interesting could you please stop screaming I want to hear what they're saying."

[lemememeringue]

I used to think I was squicked out by tv romances but I'm starting to wonder if it's just heterosexuality

[beatheprincess]

These random flare ups on my skin needs to stop tf