#whether it be music or movies or tv shows or book series

[holding-out-for-hea]

Sighhhh…..

I can’t quit fandom, but I know exactly how it has ruined so much of what I used/try to enjoy.

Am I a masochist?

….. I’m a fucking masochist…..

[criminalmindsgonewrong]

how I percieve Hotchniss:

as requested by @em-prentiss

emily:

tropes: action girl, blue blood, lady in a powersuit, back from the dead, brainy brunette, dark and troubled past, honour before reason, sarcasm personified, reckless and sexy

she/her

libra sun, scorpio moon, leo rising

bisexual 

born 12th october 1970

chaotic neutral

ENFJ personality type

cat person

only child - and very much gives only child energy

red is her favourite colour

body count: "private, thank you very much!"

her favourite movie of all time is 'Carrie' - but she can't resist a good old mystery novel

has some secret skills she doesn't really talk about or use until she needs them; plays the piano, did ballet until she was 15, can horseback ride.

her favourite book of all time is 'Jane Eyre'

dog ears her books to save her pages - either that or uses literally anything as a bookmark. argues that it makes her books look 'loved'

her favourite meal is a good cheeseburger (although she'll tell you its some kind of fancy pasta)

chews her nails when she's stressed

grew up in multiple embassies across the world including: UK, Iraq, Russia, Italy, France, Greece, Spain, and Egypt.

mommy issues galore although she'd never admit it

daddy issues, too, while we're at it.

absentee father who was 'working' all the time - only 'working' meant having affairs and avoiding their home as much as possible

her parents only put on the show of a functional, happy marriage for elizabeth's career, a charade emily was also expected to play a part in. she did so until she went away to college

her dad died when she was 23

nomadic lifestyle all her life due to her mom's job - finds it hard to settle down as a result

has a little box of mementos from each of the places she's lived, trinkets that would be of no value to anyone else but mean a lot to her

has a few small, discreet tattoos

multi-lingual but not a show off about it - sometimes dreams in italian

is also multilingual in sarcasm and often uses it to diffuse tense situations.

had an abortion when she was 15 - doesn't regret it but has always wondered. marks the day each year, even if it's just with a prayer. it's the only time she prays

✨️ religious trauma ✨️ 

rebelled against her mother as a teenager and their relationship has never really recovered

spoilt, privileged lifestyle 

likes her luxuries as a result and doesn't shy away from them 

never had too many close friends growing up - due to the moving around a lot

bit of a wild girl at college, there's not really a sexual position or an illegal substance she hasn't tried at least once (except the ones you inject, she's not insane)

still sneaks the occasional cigarette

cannot abide by any rule she considers arbitrary

loves a good horror movie, the gorier the better but the supernatural ones freak her out

has a secret passion for classical music when she’s stressed - particularly beethoven and bach

emily has a love for fine wine and is something of an amateur connoisseur, able to tell the difference between a good vintage and a cheap bottle. she and rossi bond over this.

her passion for coffee, however, is much more lax and she can drink even the roughest of instant crap. 

can also whip up a mean martini

she’s a cat person but never had a pet growing up due to all the moving around.

emily’s guilty pleasure is reality TV—she finds it oddly comforting and a way to unwind from the seriousness of her day-to-day life.

often doodles when she's on the phone—her notebooks are full of random sketches.

loves an indoor plant but finds it incredibly difficult to keep them alive

fucking loves technology and is slightly addicted to TikTok. has to limit her own screen time.

speaking of TikTok, she's totally on BookTok and loved the ACOTAR series.

loves spicy foods - often challenges herself to try the hottest dish on the menu.

bit of an adrenaline junkie, whether in her home or professional life. overly impulsive sometimes as a result

what she wears:

aaron:

tropes: badass in a nice suit, stoic leader, chronic hero syndrome, highest kill count, death glare, grumpy to her sunshine, deadpan snarker

he/him

scorpio sun, taurus moon, virgo rising

heterosexual

born 2nd november 1965

lawful good

ISTJ personality type

dog person

bodycount: 2

favourite colour is navy blue

eldest son, his brother, sean, is 11 years younger than him

his favourite book is 'one hundred years of solitude'

prioritizes his fitness and likes to take on fitness challenges to keep himself healthy

lonely childhood even though he had a little brother

abusive, drunk for a father

emotionally absent mother who was trying to deal with her own trauma

his mom died when he was 25

his dad is still alive out there somewhere but they're not in contact, and aaron has no intention of being

had to be the strong one for his little brother

comes from a pretty poor background, has built himself up to be and have everything he is and has 

always felt like more of a father than a brother to Sean because of their age gap, and the fact that he practically raised him

loves to go camping and be in the wilderness

a morning person - likes to get up and out of the house as early as possible

a very neat person - you'd be forgiven for thinking he was in the military (he never was) by the way he makes his bed and stacks his clothes

collected coins as a kid, something he never grew out of. has a very well organised collection he values greatly

keeps his books neat and tidy - always uses a bookmark

loves an old western, likes an action movie, horrors make him uncomfy and he's a secret sucker for a rom-com

reluctant green thumb and often ends up taking care of the plants that emily brings home and gives up on or gets distracted from

has a soft spot for old-school jazz and sometimes listens to it when he needs to decompress.

he's a surprisingly good cook, which is a skill he honed while having to take care of his brother, although the recipes were a lot more basic back then

still has his parents wedding rings, a fact about himself that he wrestles with since he doubts they were ever in love

prefers handwritten notes to digital reminders, is a very tactile person. never really fell in love with his phone.

hums softly when he's concentrating, a habit he's more often than not completely unaware of, and emily finds it adorable

keeps a stash of chocolate in his drawer in the office - stocks it with emily's favourites

wears his grandfather's class ring. it's the only family heirloom he has, and sometimes he feels guilty for not giving it to sean

has a collection of old vinyls from the 70s

visits the same diner every saturday for breakfast. after getting together with emily, the visits become less frequent but they still go now and then. aaron says they have the best eggs. emily thinks they're just ok, but she likes to see him happy

aaron isn't a big drinker; he'll have a few beers on a night out, or a whiskey after work occasionally, but he very rarely engages in any binge drinking. emily's only seen him really drunk a handful of times throughout their relationship.

he is, however, partial to the occasional cigar and although emily sneaks her own cigarette now and then, she can't stand the smell of them.

what he wears:

Hotchniss:

the only time hotch is not a morning person is when emily is in his bed, then he never wants to leave the comfort of the covers and the warmth of her body

hotch will watch a horror movie with emily with a straight face, but hate it the whole way through. emily will pretend to be into his action movies, and doesn't let him know she's actually bored out of her mind. their middle ground is a good western or a rom-com.

their first big fight is over a clash between their idea of 'tidy' - emily is laid back, doesn't mind a bit of clutter. aaron is...borderline ocd. they fall out over her having left a towel on the floor...again.

they are very well matched at chess, and often their games can go on for weeks in between cases and life. currently emily is winning by two games.

aaron would rather to repairs around the house himself, where as emily is used to throwing money at a problem and making it go away. they try to compromise but they're away so often for work that more often than not, emily wins because aaron just doesn't have the time, but when he does take on a project he loves the manual labour, and emily loves to sit back and watch x

it was his dream to restore a classical care so emily bought him one for his 50th birthday and its his pride and joy. he painted it red just for her

emily reads before bed and aaron does the crossword, with his glasses perched on the end of his nose and emily thinks it's the cutest thing.

emily's love of spicy foods means that more often than not aaron has to resign himself to buying her two meals when the spiciest dish on the menu is just 'a little too spicy' - he doesn't mind, really

they're both incredibly competitive. emily gets sweary and loud when she's in competition, aaron gets smug and smirky and that drives emily up the wall. their second biggest fight, ever, was over a game of monopoly. it's been banned in their household ever since.

emily takes aaron to a ranch for one of his birthdays - to celebrate his love for an old western, and because she thinks he'll love it! turns out aaron hotchner is terrified of horses. emily spent the first day riding and trying to convince him to do the same, and after that they just enjoyed the views and each other's company, and the horses, but from afar.

emily often teases hotch about his love for organization and can’t resist occasionally hiding a few items just to see his reaction. he pretends to be frustrated but secretly finds her antics adorable.

surprisingly, when they go on vacation, it's emily who wants their days planned down to the moment so that they don't miss anything, and aaron who just - finally- wants to relax and 'go with the flow'. emily finds this version of her husband disconcerting.

emily loves to surprise hotch with impromptu weekend getaways. he pretends to grumble about the lack of planning and the expense of it all but secretly enjoys the surprises and the thought she puts into them.

financially, aaron and emily grew up in two very different places. aaron watched his mother scrimp and save every penny to try and provide for him and sean, when she was lucid. when she wasn't, he had to figure it out himself. he's worked since the age of 14. emily had everything in life given to her on a silver platter and, even now, occasionally spends out of her trust fund. aaron gets frustrated by spending that he sees as frivolous and emily has to remind him that they're well off - she still has her trust fund, even if neither of them were working. it's infrequently a source of contention between them, though.

they dated before emily's 'death', before paris. he visited her in paris, where their flame sparked again but when she came back to the team nothing happened. then beth happened. then emily left again.

they stayed in contact while she was in london and eventually realised they were miserable without each other. emily moves back to the states, returns to the BAU and they get back together.

they marry that same year. it's a really small ceremony, attended only by the team, jack and sean. neither of their surviving parents are invited.

they started a two-person book club where they choose a book to read each month and discuss it over dinner. they always donate one copy - whether to charity or a friend. sometimes both if they agree that the book sucked.

they create the 'hotchner cup' which is a trophy that they play for every family game night. it's an old, tarnished badge of hotch's with 'Hotchner' written across it super-glued to an old ballet trophy of emily's. it's currently in emily's possession...due to the chess situation.

emily's a cat person and hotch loves dogs. as a compromise, they have one of each.

when emily has their kids, they share the position of Unit Chief at the BAU and alternate shifts, so someone's always at home with the kids. it's their one rule; the kids never get left alone.

they have three kids together, ava, livvy and alex. jack is aaron's son from his previous marriage to haley, and emily loves him like her own.

they share a home office and walking into it is hysterical; there are two desks and it's immediately obvious whose is whose because aaron's is meticulously organised and emily's is a mess.

aaron always dreads his weeks 'on' at work, because he knows he's going into his desk being an absolute mess. emily is the same because she says whenever he cleans up, he puts her stuff away and she can't find anything. she prefers her 'organised chaos'.

even though emily is a luxury resort kind of girl, aaron forces the family to take an annual camping trip. every year, emily complains about it; alex and ava follow her suit. jack and livvy love the camping trip like their father. even though emily and the kids complain, they also secretly love it.

they take an annual family photo during every camping trip

every year they all celebrate haley's birthday together with a special meal; homemade lasagne followed by apple pie and ice cream, both favourites of haley.

when it comes to parenting, there's no doubt who's the strict parent. emily definitely takes a more relaxed approach than her husband.

however, when it comes to bullying or the kids being in danger, emily has to be kept in check. more than once she's threatened to pull her badge on a kid - or parent - at school. more than once, she's had to be talked down by her husband, and sometimes the kids.

when aaron eventually retires early, he takes up teaching at the academy. they still have lunch together most days.

after aaron retires, emily takes on the role of unit chief by herself and eventually progresses to section chief, which is more of a bureaucratic role than she ever imagined for herself, but it means she gets home to her family every night.

Hotchniss tropes:

grumpy x sunshine rich girl x poor boy he's her boss mutual pining will they/won't they jealousy trope friends to lovers 'touch her and you die'

Photos Aaron takes of Emily:

Photos Emily takes of Aaron:

Joint camera roll:

How Hotchniss text:

Hotchniss playlist:

[fumesandechoes]

The wheel of time is among my favorite book series' and it is unfair that my favorite series is now also one of IMO the best ways to create a respectful adaptation.

Adaptations of novels to television, movies, video games or basically any visual medium)l, improve the identity of their source text in many ways. We should judge them first and foremost NOT by their ability to bring the text to a different medium, but by whether they show parts of the world, characters, and themes we didn't get within the book. There is actually a LOT of room in this space and creators who do NOT use it are often doing their art and their source text a disservice.

TV adaptations are more like music videos than they are like fan art. Wheel of Time the TV show has so far done an incredible job doing that.

Here's a few examples of things we never got before the show.

1: The detailed emotional experience of a warder after the death of the Aes Sedai, until his own death.

2: Anyone talking about a warder after they have died like they're a human being (so fitting it was Lan too)

3: The direct consequences for many questionable actions for certain characters including Moraine, Rand, and Lanfear.

4: Mat unshackles himself from captivity.

5: Thom singing the laments of the past.

6: One of our own heroes becoming a hero of the horn.

7: A version of Perrin's arc with the white cloaks being formally established with some goddam stability.

8: Ishamael's philosophy seeping into the collective culture of the dark friends.

9: Lanfear and Ishamael having any amount of direct interaction.

10: Moraine reconnecting with any of the Damodreds.

11: Displays of material and hierarchical culture for tons of groups but especially the Aiel, The Tower, and The White Cloaks.

12: Rand works through his feelings about his own impending madness by getting to know some men going through mental trauma.

13: Nyneve gets to meet some of the people Lan considers family.

14: Complex takes on characters like Mat, Nyneave, and Moraine's family lives.

15: More involvement from secondary characters like Min, Verrin, Tomas, Allana, and Loial.

[klaus-littlestwolf]

Random Thought: Klaus Mikaelson

Gift Giving

Klaus is the best gift giver ever

Gift giving is one of the major ways he shows love. Klaus is an amazing gift giver and it doesn’t have as much to do with money as you would think.

One thing Klaus prides himself on is how well he listens to people. Listening to everything people say pays off for him very often, not forgetting how people feel and think, knowing what they do and say helps him in just about every aspect of his life but one thing that is a perk for him is always knowing what to get people when he needs a present.

Klaus listens every time you talk about what you love, whether it’s your favorite TV show, movies, food or music.

Feelings isn’t something that Klaus is the best at talking about, it’s difficult for him sometimes, especially once he’s sure that he’s really and truly in love with you. He’s much better at showing you how he feels for you and one of those ways is proving how much he listens to you.

Your favorite band is coming to the state? Not only do you have tickets but he’s taking you to the meet and greet before the show. The next book in your favorite series is coming out? Not only does he get it for you, but he gets it for you a month before it hits the shelves.

He even thrives at small random gifts, you should prepare for gifts regardless of anniversaries or holidays. You’re having a hard week at work? You’re going to walk into his room to see candles lit everywhere and find a bathtub filled with perfectly hot water and flower petals, a bath bomb and your favorite music playing for you along with your favorite bottle of wine. He will pamper the shit out of you just to see you relax.

You’ll walk into your room to find small things left for you just to make you smile. A bottle of your favorite perfume. Those boots you’ve been eyeing online. A stuffed animal wrapped in a new blanket.

All of that doesn’t even mention the art he makes for you. You would find a cute drawing being given to you nearly once a day, and he makes you more paintings than you know what to do with.

If you’re going to be in a relationship with Klaus Mikaelson, make sure you’re comfortable with his excessive gift giving and money spending because it is non negotiable.

Klaus Mikaelson Masterlist

Random Thoughts

[midgeo]

40+ Good Conversation Topics to Talk About With a Guy

40+ Deep Conversation Topics You Can Use to Talk to a Guy

Travel: Favorite destinations, dream trips, travel experiences.

Hobbies: What he enjoys doing in his free time.

Books: Favorite genres, recent reads, book recommendations.

Movies: Favorite films, actors, genres, recent releases.

Music: Favorite bands, genres, concerts attended.

Food: Favorite cuisines, restaurants, cooking experiences.

Sports: Favorite teams, memorable games, sports he plays.

Work/ Career: His job, aspirations, achievements, challenges.

Technology: Gadgets he likes, latest tech trends, favorite apps.

Family: Siblings, childhood memories, family traditions.

Pets: If he has any, favorite animals, funny pet stories.

Fitness/ Exercise: Workouts he enjoys, fitness goals, sports he plays.

TV Shows: Favorite series, binge-worthy recommendations.

Dreams/ Goals: Short-term and long-term aspirations.

Art: Favorite artists, art mediums, creative hobbies.

Current Events: News topics, recent developments.

Philosophy: Existential questions, life perspectives.

Funny Stories: Embarrassing or humorous experiences.

Gaming: Favorite games, gaming experiences, latest releases.

Cars/ Vehicles: Favorite models, dream cars, driving experiences.

Nature/ Outdoors: Camping experiences, favorite outdoor activities.

Fashion/ Style: Clothing preferences, fashion trends.

Languages: If he speaks multiple languages or wants to learn one.

DIY/ Home Improvement: Projects he's worked on or wants to do.

Relationships: Views on dating, friendships, or family dynamics.

Finance/ Money: Saving tips, investment interests, financial goals.

Health/ Wellness: Healthy habits, self-care routines.

Education: Favorite subjects, memorable school experiences.

Science: Fascinating scientific topics or discoveries.

Cultural Differences: Discussing diverse cultures and traditions.

Social Media: Favorite platforms, online interactions.

Volunteering/ Charity: Causes he cares about, volunteering experiences.

Conspiracy Theories: If he's into that sort of thing, it can spark some interesting conversations.

Spirituality/ Religion: Beliefs, experiences, or philosophies.

Home/ Living Situation: Decor preferences, dream homes.

Humor: Favorite comedians, types of humor.

Memorable Trips: Sharing travel stories and experiences.

Future Plans: Where he sees himself in the future.

Technology Trends: Emerging tech or gadgets he finds exciting.

Astrology/ Zodiac Signs: Whether he believes in it or not, it can be a fun topic.

Remember to gauge his interest and comfort level with each topic and keep the conversation flowing naturally!

[the-monarch-effect-official]

Hello, everyone, I have a some thoughts and questions for those who have been through RAMCOA, more towards Monarch-type experiences, but anyone who has gone through similar experiences will help me understand more.

Last week, I went to the mall with my family, it was a neat time, but I went into a store (Miss A, an ultra-cheap cosmetics store) with a checkerboard floor as our last stop. Now, if I wasn't developing a book around the subject, I wouldn't have paid any mind to it. But, as we were leaving, innocent things, like the playground being decorated with a fox and a rabbit had a dark hue (context: for my project specially, rabbits and wolves are prevalent in Samuel's life, both in system and events).

Watching movies is tricky now. All the time, you hear about celebrities and politicians being part of "The Illuminati" and such, with many of the conspiracy theorists having flat-earther levels of "out there." They speak some truth, but they are stereotypically way off. But, once you see the sings for the first time (like checks), it's impossible to not see it. As an artist, I only wonder, "We creatives have all this talent and drive, but to use it for this?"

I know not everyone in the industry knows all the signs and symbols, but I've learned that you can make anything mean anything under the right context. For example, some of Samuel's alters stay away from a Wolfsangle, while others are drawn to it, as they mean different things to different alters. (Wolves, keep away; humans, come fourth.)

I also had a dream a while back about a group of sisters who seemed to be well-off, with a mansion and outdoor garden. However, they didn't know that they were victims of "Monarch," to simply the terms. "I thought I was just normal," one said.

This situation is similar to that of the testimony of a woman who had gone through what you may know as Satanic Abuse, which, for those who are unaware, is not necessarily ritual abuse, but can be if it's done ritually (on a holiday like Halloween or Christmas, for example). She had gone to a sleepover (like a "normal" teen) and someone had microwaved some leftover pizza, which reminded her of the smell of death, which is a very distinct smell that I have had the fortune of not knowing. However, she did not know why it smelled in such a way until she recovered those memories.

So, my question sort of boils down to this: before realizing that you were a system, or recovered any significant memories of abuse, would you have considered your life "normal?" Do or did you have an alter/part that had a very different "normal?" I have heard that, with DID proper (with amnesia), some alters have very different lives. Though I have parts myself, I don’t black out on a regular basis and I suppose it wasn't necessary.

Another topic of curiosity that's been on my mind, probably since the start of this journey, was how one relates to art and entertainment (movies, music, TV, video games, ect) when such things are used as anchors to programs. For example, the Wizard of Oz movie is considered a household movie for its introduction to technicolor, but is also one of the hallmarks of Monarch Programming. I have been told that Pokémon Emerald had been used or tied to this, which saddens me as a fan of the series, especially of the Hoenn region where Emerald is set (one of my other blogs is an oc fan thing, it's very dear to me). I think, to keep it succinct, my question is: if someone were to watch The Wizard of Oz or a similar movie, could they possibly get to a point where they could watch it all the way through and form an opinion on it despite the trauma?

I ask this because I am an artist who likes movies, games, TV shows, etc. However, I also want to be mindful of what I create. My current storyline with The Monarch Effect isn't as overt with the common symbolism, but the concepts are still there (my current question is whether Samuel's family are actually Nazis or is Aryanism a better descriptor of their beliefs, and how that follows). I've even found a Nazi-era red riding hood film that employs a similar black & white to color and back technique before The Wizard of Oz did, though not as impressive. The Little Red Ridinghood story, as well as plenty of other German tales are stand-ins for the more commonplace stories used in programming scripts.

I'll end it here before I veer off topic, so I hope that

[humbledragon669]

S1E1 – In The Beginning Write Up P2

– Eleven Years Ago

Once the credits have finished rolling, the audience are catapulted in to a close-to-present-day time space.  Eleven years prior to “present day” to be exact – the helpful on-screen signpost tells us we are seeing events “eleven years ago”. I rather like it when TV shows and movies are so reluctant to set a specific time period as a backdrop – it helps future audiences feel like the content is still relevant if and when they discover it. This neutrality is maintained in a number of ways throughout both series of GO and despite the fact that we will see scenes that have incredibly specific dates that they take place in, all the “present day” material has a subtle avoidance of date specification. Whether considering Crowley’s timeless outfit against Aziraphale’s decidedly dated ensemble, Crowley’s use of a vintage car, the setting of an antiquarian book shop contrasted with a modern-day coffee shop complete with almond milk lattes, or the repeated used of the couple’s favourite place to eat (opened in 1906 and largely unchanged since then), an audience would be hard-pressed to say exactly when the show is set, other than it feels modern-day. The closest we come to being able to specify a year is in knowing how long Crowley has owned the Bentley (ninety years, from new) and the year it was made (1927, according to the book), but even those two pieces of information feel rather hazy.

If snippets of writing are a constant source of Easter eggs in this series, the music is the parallel supplier of subtextual plot enforcement. I do not believe it is a coincidence that the Bentley’s choice of music on the approach to the graveyard gives us an early indication that Crowley is about to get more than he bargained for out of the meeting – Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, a rock ballad about a condemned man awaiting his fate - and which line more appropriate than what is playing exactly as he pulls up and turns off the engine:

Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me

Side note: this is a graveyard attached to a church, which means the land would likely be consecrated, meaning the three demons should not be able to walk on its grounds, let alone emerge from it as Hastur and Ligur do. I think this is likely an oversight; after all, where is creepier for three dark figures to lurk than a graveyard at night?

What we see of Crowley in this first scene is that he has a thinly veiled nonchalance towards his employer that only seems to go amiss by his colleagues because none of them appear to be able to appreciate the subtle nuances of human characteristics that he delivers so well, even if they do think he’s “gone native”. He shrugs off the “Hail Satan” greeting expected of him and is clearly bored by such minor trivial “deeds” as tempting a priest, appearing to revel more in the pure mischief and ingenuity of his achievements rather than the actual results that Hell would be interested in (almost like he’d done something clever and needed to tell someone about it before he popped…) – just look at his smug little face:

Oh, and he clearly wants no part in the delivery of the Antichrist.

Like it or not (most definitely NOT), Crowley has no choice but to take the Antichrist. He receives his instructions from a delightfully camp sounding but unnamed character through his stereo which, according to the script, belongs to none other than Satan himself (and, according to the book, should sound exactly like Freddie Mercury). If this is indeed meant to be Satan, I feel it’s a shame we aren’t explicitly told this – the knowledge that Satan himself has issued the instructions for the delivery of his only son would really hammer home the message of how much shit is hitting the fan at this point in time.

The scenes that follow are mostly narrative in nature, but there are still nuggets of information to be had from them.  This is where we are introduced to Aziraphale’s love of food, and the notion that this is most certainly not expected behaviour for an angel.

We learn of Gabriel’s appreciation for the clothes available on Earth (which is not viewed with the same disdain as Aziraphale’s eating fixation). Most importantly we discover that Heaven appears to be completely unaware of the fact that Crowley and Aziraphale are not only aware of each other, but have been meeting on pretty friendly terms for quite some time.

The fast pacing of the baby switching scene at the nunnery is expertly put together – it conveys just enough of a sense of chaos whilst making sure that the audience are keeping up with the plot twists. It is interesting that the playing card used to represent the Antichrist (before it is magically converted into an image of the Beast) is the King of Hearts, which is perhaps a nod to what will become his true nature (all the more noticeable in the book). We can assume that Crowley is known to the nuns (they refer to him as “Master Crowley”) prior to his arrival, but we are not given any information about how this has come to be. Considering that Crowley’s involvement in the delivery of the Antichrist came as something as a surprise to Crowley himself, I find this interesting, though this may simply be a case of his reputation preceding him, as we see in later episodes. Baby B’s unfortunately undecided fate feels terribly dark, even for a series that has, in the first half of its first episode, introduced Satanic nuns and the Antichrist. Interestingly, the book offers a more optimistic outlook for this innocent babe, even if it is for him to grow up to become the village bully nicknamed “Greasy”. I suspect this may have been omitted from the finished script due to time and budget constraints (one less child actor and chaperone to pay…).

Back in the Bentley, we’re treated to what I believe is another subtextual Clue about Crowley’s true feelings – Queen’s “It’s a Hard Life” croons out of the stereo as he tries to call Aziraphale. Great song as this is, I cannot believe that these particular lyrics have not been chosen for a very specific purpose for this exact point in the story:

You win, you lose It's a chance you have to take with love Oh yeah, I fell in love

The song itself is actually the same as the one playing on Crowley’s earlier arrival at the hospital, but the lyrics are, interestingly, from a point in the song after all the instances of the lyrics we hear during the attempted call to Aziraphale, meaning the song must be on repeat during this period of time. Examining the lyrics of the song as a whole, it actually feels like a particularly appropriate song to use against the backdrop for establishing the present-day nature of Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship – it really strikes a chord with me. Is it dusty in here or is my hay fever playing up? (I don’t even get hay fever…)

An undescribed period of time passes (we’re suddenly in broad daylight, so it’s at least one night). The next conversation between the pair reveals quite a bit about the level of familiarity that Crowley has for Aziraphale. He clearly finds his optimism delightful – just look at this smitten kitten face:

And Crowley knows exactly what buttons to press to try to get Aziraphale on side, pointing out that he’s about to lose all his favourite things – classical music, food, and finally (just for full impact) his own book shop. Even when Aziraphale won’t bend to the demon’s temptations, it’s clear that (despite the fact that Armageddon has just been set on its slow and wandering way) Crowley just wants to spend more time with Aziraphale, offering to pay for lunch, which is clearly the best way to get the angel to engage fully. Interestingly, Crowley knows that he owes a lunch but can’t remember when for, whereas Aziraphale knows exactly when, where, and what they had – I would hazard a guess that he would probably be able to recite those facts for every instance of a meal they have ever eaten together.

Side note: I am not remiss of the fact that the year given by Aziraphale here ties up with the scene from episode 3, or that those events also coincide with an “I Was Wrong” dance performance. I have some ideas about those apology dances, which I will be covering in a (much) later post, with (I hope) a couple of fanfic chapters.

And so we are introduced to the Ritz, a place I’m sure everyone knows will come to be important to this pair, with this tableau:

I know there has been a LOT said about this tiny snippet of a scene. I am one of the people who find it pretty interesting that we never see Crowley eat (yes, I know we see him with food in front of him, but we never actually see him put anything in his mouth or chewing). I’m not saying that he doesn’t – the book and several script references make it clear that he does – but I do think he derives much more pleasure from watching Aziraphale eat than from eating himself (see the Lockdown episode for a good indicator of this). And let’s be really honest for a minute – that shot of him watching Aziraphale finish off whatever he’s eating in the Ritz is almost pornographic. Do we really think that the sound at the start of the scene of a champagne cork popping in the background as Crowley is staring at him is a coincidence? I certainly don’t. In my honest opinion, this is as close to the demon being actually aroused as we ever see him.

I also find Aziraphale’s choice of words to conclude their meal at the Ritz interesting:

So, what are you in the mood for now?

There’s something… knowing about this. Like Aziraphale knows exactly what Crowley has been thinking whilst he’s watched him eat. It’s almost flirty but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It does not escape my attention that, if Aziraphale is aware of Crowley’s thought process, he hasn’t exactly been demure whilst he’s eating – his expression as he finishes that final bite is positively post-coital. Not to mention the little teasing smirk and the once over he gives the demon after he’s offered Crowley carte blanche of activity choice. One wonders whether “alcohol” was really what he had in mind here…

Side note: we have no idea of what has happened during this meal. We could assume that the talk has been about the Antichrist and Armageddon but given that’s the topic of conversation when they get back to the book shop, and that Aziraphale put a very clear stop to that discussion when they left St James Park, I find that unlikely. I have my own idea of what took place, which you might already know if you’ve read Dangerous Liaisons. I’m not going to go into it much further here but am hoping to explore it further in another fanfic. Let’s just say I think there might have been some discussion around true feelings and potential plans to act on them at this point.

As we see the couple strolling down the Soho street up to Aziraphale’s shop, we are witness to, I think, two physical touches between them. They’re small – Aziraphale’s hand on Crowley’s leg and then an arm brush – and they could be accidental owing to the momentum of bodies and limbs caused by walking but I’m not so sure, especially not after the subtextual display we’re treated to at the Ritz. If I’m right about the topic of conversation at the Ritz, this would make a lot of sense too. It would also explain why Aziraphale offers the very nice wine he’s been saving for “special occasions” – who considers the dawning of Armageddon a special occasion?!

Let’s talk about the entry into the book shop for a moment. More specifically, Aziraphale’s comments preceding their entry into the book shop and Crowley’s reaction to them.

First off, we have the (futile) reminder that they’re supposed to be “hereditary enemies”. I feel like Aziraphale says this to attempt to remind Crowley of what they’re relationship is supposed to be, and I find Crowley’s reaction to it pretty delightful – we only get a glimpse of his expression before the camera switches back to Aziraphale’s face, but we can see the demon mocking him on the side of the screen. He’s clearly not interested in playing along with their cover story here – he reminds me of a child being told off for something minor and unimportant.

This charming little interaction is concluded with Aziraphale’s assertions that Crowley get behind him, only to invite him to lead the way. I’m sure there are some that would attribute this to comedic writing combined with the further establishment of Aziraphale having impeccable manners. However, I have a filthy mind and adore this couple, so I cannot help but see this as a hint towards the establishment of sexual positions. There we go, it’s out, I said it. I will not unsay it. Sue me. Besides, adding that bit of subtext to the scene makes it smuttier funnier. Not to mention that Crowley seems a bit taken aback by Aziraphale’s first suggestion (“get thee behind me”), but nods his agreement after the second (“after you”) – I interpret this as him being on the same page, at least at this point in time anyway.

As we enter into the book shop, we are shown one of the compass points marked on the mezzanine level. It won’t come to make much sense at this point, not until we’ve seen at least one more of them but it’s my understanding that this is deliberate, and that Aziraphale’s desk sits to the east, which is a nod towards his position of Angel of the Eastern Gate. The music played here is another stroke of genius – it’s highly uncomfortable but purveys perfectly just how wasted this pair are.

NEWS FLASH! Crowley takes his glasses off now that he’s suitably hammered and inside the book shop. We will come to see that when he removes those glasses, it’s a sign that he’s comfortable, feels that he’s in a safe space, and that he can speak freely. This is a really important aspect of Crowley for us to understand and we’ll see it used as a device throughout both series. What’s similarly important to observe is that Aziraphale doesn’t react to it at all – he’s clearly very accustomed to seeing Crowley without his glasses and takes the underlying meaning for granted. For some less subtle display of intimacy between them in this scene, let’s examine that slightly odd and awkward pouting that both of them engage in when discussing fish/marine mammals:

There is a look here, from Crowley, that I cannot decipher. Look? Stare, perhaps. Most certainly not a gaze. It’s paired with a little repositioning of his body. To me it looks like he’s steeling himself to do or say something that he might consider brave.

This is immediately followed by Aziraphale’s announcement that he’s about to sober up, which Crowley follows suit on. I can’t help but wonder what exactly was going through their minds here that makes them believe that being drunk is such a bad thing? We’re led to believe that the heavy nature of the Armageddon conversation is the trigger. I like to think there might be something more sexual at play here…

Side note: I particularly love the idea of being able to be suddenly not drunk at will, and that the alcohol goes nice and neatly back into its bottles when you do so. Imagine how much fun you could have without spending a fortune if you could do that!!

When considering the fate of the Satanic nuns, I find it rather interesting that Hastur has such fun burning the nunnery down to the ground. When we were introduced to his character in the cemetery it had appeared that his motivations were driven by Hell’s goal of acquiring souls for Satan, and that he was interested in little outside of that scope. Here we see him laughing maniacally at the destruction of an institution that has only served his master. It indicates that mischief is something he enjoys, which is something he shares with Crowley despite his disdain at our demon’s personality.

I’m finishing up this part of the write up with a brief look at the interaction between Crowley and Aziraphale around being godfathers to the Antichrist.

There’s no denying that the pair of them are really delighted with this idea – being able to work together to a common goal. Not to mention it’s likely to mean that they will be seeing more of each other, albeit in disguise. Again, if my suspicions about the conversation at the Ritz are correct, their joy here is easy to explain. We finish this scene with a cheeky little exchange between them about being damned and it not being so bad “once you get used to it”. It’s pretty easy to interpret this as a bit of friendly mischief on Crowley’s part. I choose to believe there’s more to it than that – if the two of them really had finally confronted their feelings and decided to act on them over lunch, it’s not unreasonable to suppose that Heaven would indeed consider Aziraphale damned. Crowley’s closing wink says that’s something he’s aware of, that he knows he would be the cause, that he doesn’t care, and that he wants the angel to know he’ll help him work through whatever that means. Even if my suppositions are incorrect, that wink still says all of those things, and ensures that we as an audience have been well established into the comfortable nature of the relationship between them both.

[vilevampz]

My Gothic Inspirations: A Peek into My Creative World

Hey, dark souls! 🌑

Today, I wanted to share a little glimpse into where I draw my inspiration from when crafting my gothic, horror, and fantasy tales. These sources help me dive deep into the shadows and bring my stories to life.

1. Classic Gothic Literature

I often revisit the eerie and atmospheric worlds of classic gothic novels. Here are some of my favorites:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: The themes of creation and monstrosity never fail to spark new ideas.

Dracula by Bram Stoker: The suspense and dark romance in this novel are incredibly inspiring.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: The exploration of duality and inner demons is a constant source of fascination.

2. Gothic Poetry

Poetry has a unique way of evoking intense emotions and vivid imagery. Some poets I frequently turn to include:

Edgar Allan Poe: His macabre and melancholic verses are a treasure trove of inspiration.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a haunting narrative that deeply influences my writing style. (I can talk about this a lot (lol) I read it for the first time in my British Lit. class at University and it left an impact on me.)

3. Music

Music is a powerful tool for setting the mood. I have a go-to playlist of gothic and atmospheric tracks that help me get into the writing zone. (I have the playlist posted on my blog) Some favorites include:

Bauhaus – Bela Lugosi’s Dead

Drown-Strange Boutique

When We Go Dark-Faith and the Muse

4. Art and Aesthetics

Dark, gothic art and photography are great sources of visual inspiration. I love browsing through gothic artwork on sites like Pinterest to find images that spark story ideas. I also love gaining inspiration from alternative subcultures and fashion aesthetics. Antyting that embodies a dark/moody persona or look helps me envision characters for stories or the atmosphere I want to create. 

5. Movies and TV Shows

Gothic and horror films provide endless inspiration. I do not watch horror movies but 3 or 4 total (haha) but I know people gain a lot of inspiration from that. For me, I do enjoy, horror anime, so I love to gain inspiration from those. Some all-time favorites are:

Supernatural (TV Series)

Ju-On: The Grudge 

The Lost Boys

Labyrinth 

Another (anime) 

What About You?

Where do you find your inspiration? Whether it's books, music, nature, or something entirely different, I’d love to hear about it! Share your sources of inspiration in the comments below.

Happy creating! 🖤

[letmelickyoureyeballs]

Beta Reader About Me

This is going to be a more in-depth post about me as a beta reader, which will be linked in my pinned post.

First off, hello call me Shark or Spruce! I'm 19 and go by he/they pronouns. I am open to beta reading for people, whether that's stuff on here or AO3.

What I'm willing to do:

Grammer/Capitalization/Punctuation

Cheer reading(pointing out what you did well and what I'm excited to see)

Identify plot inconstancies/where something needs to be clarified

Help with canon/characterization(if I know what/who it is)

American/Midwest information and more specifically Wisconsin information

Pretty much anything else you wish me to help with

*Depending on the fandom and length of fics, some of these will differ in doability*

I am generally ok with any kind of content that you write, but I do have some fic turn-offs. *Note that not everything on this list means I won't beta read for you, but I would like more info/details around them if they are in your fic to see if I'm still comfortable helping*

Mpreg/Anything pregnancy-related

Kid fics(when the main pairing has a kid, not kid-focused fics)

Really dark stories with no happy endings(depends on the story, but I'd prefer a happy/fulfilling ending)

Major Character death

Anything that is meant to hate a certain group/subgroup of people

Really long fics over 100k words

Some things that I am comfortable reading. *Not a comprehensive list*

Omegaverse

Reader Insert

G-E rated fics

Original characters

Canonverse

Alternate Universe

Gore and violence

Potentially triggering topics

I will again read pretty much any fandom you write for including original works, but here are some fandoms that I would be able to help more in-depth with:

The Witcher(Show, Third game, All the books), The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Halo(Game series), Marvel, Venom, Star Wars/The Mandalorian, Transformers, Call of Duty, How to Train Your Dragon(Iffy on third movie), Spider-Man/Deadpool(Spideypool), Percy Jackson/The Heroes of Olympus, The Hunger Games, The Divergent Series, Maze Runner, Narnia(Movies only, I don't know anything in the books), Pride and Prejudice/Emma, Disney/Pixar movies, The 100, NBC Hannibal, Rise of the Guardians, Good Omens, Our Flag Means Death, Beastars, Titanfall 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Baldurs Gate 3, Divinity Original Sin 2, Hazbin Hotel, Critical Role(I've only watched Campaign 1 and 3, and the TV show), Once Upon a Time, Anne with an E, Harry Potter, Six of Crows, Twilight, Star Trek, The Conjuring series, Descendants/High school Musical, Guardians of the Galaxy, Oceans Trilogy, Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man, Top Gun, Stranger Things, Fast and Furious, Moon Knight, Bridgerton(Show only)

I will read WIPs/completed works, multi/single chapter works, original works, and anything in between.

If you are interested or have any questions you may DM me. If you do, please provide whether I would be helping with a WIP or completed work, and whether there are any deadlines I need to be aware of. Please also include any warnings I should know about, and what you would want me to help with. I would also prefer to work on Google Docs if possible.

*Even if you are not interested, please reblog for others to see*

Edited July 18, 2024

[etaindelaserna]

Hello again....Do you mind if I ask your top 5 (or top 10) favorite moments from any media that you love (can books, anime/manga, tv series, movies, games, etc)? Thanks if you want to answer. Sorry if I ask too much or if I accidentally send this ask twice.....

Hello! Don't worry! I'm always appreciative when I see one of your asks pop up. So. Here. We. Go. As always in no particular order:

Gandalf talks to Frodo in Moria about Gollum (The Fellowship of the Ring)

There is something about that dialogue that always struck me as true, as something that touches our very essence. Not passing judgment too hastly, but also that our life is full of opportunities and each day we are confronted with the question what to do with this day. Nothing is lost. It just hasn't happened yet. We can choose whether we want to succeed or fail, whether we want to be good or bad.

Naruto confronts Zabuza about Haku (Naruto)

That moment never fails to make me tear up. Until that moment I didn't even consider Zabuza to be capable of having emotions but Naruto tore his armor away and revealed the deep connection he shared with Haku. I felt sad watching them die and yet it taught me and Naruto a lot about the shinobi lifestyle.

The truth about Itachi is revealed (Naruto)

Yeah, that one was a shock. I always wanted to believe that there was more to Itachi's story other than that he killed his whole clan because he "wanted to test his strength". Especially because he always tried to avoid a fight with Konoha shinobis and definitely didn't seem keen on killing them. But that Itachi sacrificed everything except Sasuke for the village -- that was a punch.

Luffy fights Arlong for Nami (One Piece)

Everything came together in that moment. I knew from the moment Nami couldn't let Zoro drown that something was up and when Arlong showed her that he will never ever let her or her village go, her desperation and fragility accumulated into pure epicness: asking Luffy to help her, Luffy trusting her with his hat and the boys just ready to beat the shit out of Arlong and his crew.

Theoden's speech at the Pelennor Fields (Return of the King)

Goosebumps. Every single time. The words. The music. Everything that leads up to it was pure desperation and then the riders arrive and god damn it. They came. They showed up to fight against the evils of Mordor. I was 13 when I saw this scene for the first time and I wanted to ride with them into battle.

Mufasa's ghost (The Lion King)

Mufasa's death must be something that has been ingrained into every millenials DNA. Just thinking about this scene, the music, Mufasa's desperation to save his son, his face when Scar betrays him, Simba's fear and sadness when he discovers that his father is dead ... it's a tragedy that speaks to one of our deepest fears: the loss of a parent or a loved one. And then ... he comes back to guide Simba, to remind him of his responsibility. It hits home.

Jon Snow's resurrection (Game of Thrones)

Jon was easily one of my favourite characters of the show. When he was killed I didn't want to accept it. It just wasn't possible that this was the end. This was all it amounted to: dead, because he did the right thing. Just like Ned and Robb. So when he was brought back to life I felt alive, too. It gave me hope that after all this something good would come out of it ... but yeah, then season 7 and 8 happened.

Vader saves Luke from the Emperor (The Return of the Jedi)

Another moment that just touched something within me. Luke's love for his father made him turn back to the light side. I've known Star Wars since I can remember but it still makes me cheer. It restores hope.

Morgain brings Arthur to Avalon (The Mists of Avalon)

I always felt that Arthur and Morgain were meant to be, but destiny made them half siblings. And when after all their hardships and years of separation, even after Morgain tried to dethrone Arthur and after he killed Mordred, she still seeked him out, only to find him mortally wounded from the battle -- and Arthur accepted her, was glad to see her one last time and asked her to bring him to Avalon. I felt the tragedy and sadness of their story. I also always felt that Arthur truly loved Morgain but knew that it could never be. So her kidness at the end, promising him, that she wasn't going to leave again, was at least some closure for me.

Harry learns the real truth about Sirius (The Prisoner of Azkaban)

This twist, that Sirius wasn't the one who betrayed Liliy and James, was such a surprise. But what sold the moment for me was the relief Harry felt when after years of abuse and neglect by the Dursleys, he would be able to live with Sirius. I loved that moment. It was so easy to imagine how happy Harry must have felt in that moment.

[telomeke]

get to know me ask game

Thanks for tagging me @colourme-feral!

RULES: bold the ones that are true & tag 10 people to do it.

APPEARANCE

blonde hair // I prefer loose clothing to tight clothing // I have one or more piercings // I have at least one tattoo // I have dyed or highlighted my hair // I have gotten plastic surgery // I have or had braces // I sunburn easily // I have freckles // I paint my nails // I typically wear makeup // I don’t often smile // I am pleased with how I look // I prefer Nike to Adidas // I wear baseball hats backwards

I started graying early (in my teens) so the hair dye is for when I want to change things up a bit. Braces are a rite of passage for so many, including me. I don't often smile, so people think I'm more serious than I actually am (also because of RBF). I'm satisfied with how I look because you've always got to love yourself first, and understand that nobody is perfect (so you shouldn't expect that of yourself either, whether in looks or any other department).

HOBBIES & TALENTS

I play a sport // I can play an instrument // I am artistic // I know more than one language // I have won a trophy in some sort of competition // I can cook or bake without a recipe // I know how to swim // I enjoy writing // I can do origami // I prefer movies to tv shows // I can execute a perfect somersault // I enjoy singing // I could survive in the wild on my own // I have read a new book series this year // I enjoy spending time with friends // I travel during work or school breaks // I can do a handstand

Can play piano but not well. I like art but don't indulge in it too much (except maybe writing). Grew up in a multilingual environment and that's made me love languages and linguistics. Trophies were mostly school stuff, nothing to write home about. I cook a lot, bake a bit less, but it's to get around food intolerances. Used to swim a lot. Writing is my first love. Origami and papercraft are fun. Prefer singing to piano (always have, and the background in music theory means I can appreciate some forms though I much prefer pop and R&B to classical). I used to travel a lot more, but do it less after the pandemic; traveling is less fun for me now and I prefer to voyage on the Internet instead.

RELATIONSHIP

I am in a relationship // I have been single for over a year // I have a crush // I have a best friend who I’ve known for ten years // my parents are together// I have dated my best friend // I am adopted // my crush has confessed to me // I have a long distance relationship // I am an only child // I give advice to my friends // I have made an online friend // I met up with someone I have met online

Spouse and I have been together a long, long time. Old friends are to be treasured. Crush confessions are so awkward when they're not reciprocal. I give advice (comes naturally as the eldest child) but it's not always welcome and I've had to learn to hold back. My online friends are those I've met through Tumblr, mostly around a shared love for Bad Buddy.

AESTHETICS

I have heard the ocean in a conch shell // I have watched the sun rise // I enjoy rainy days // I have slept under the stars // I meditate outside // the sound of chirping calms me // I enjoy the smell of the beach // I know what snow tastes like // I listen to music to fall asleep // I enjoy thunderstorms // I enjoy cloud watching // I have attended a bonfire // I pay close attention to colors // I find mystery in the ocean // I enjoy hiking on nature paths // autumn is my favorite season

Hasn't every child put a seashell to their ear? I did this so many times as a kid. Watched the sun rise at the seaside and in the mountains; most spectacular was at Gunung Bromo but marred by the sulfurous fumes biting the lungs. The quieter sounds of nature are generally calming so chirping counts. I love everything about the beach because we used to holiday there all the time in my childhood. Snow tastes of nothing; I remember sticking my tongue out to catch snowflakes in Iceland. A good thunderstorm is the perfect setting for a hot coffee, pastry and a good book by the window. There was always a bonfire at teen gatherings. I'm very visually-oriented and can't help noticing colors, but have learnt to focus the attention beam and not get distracted so sometimes I ignore them. Love everything about the sea and ocean, including their unknowns. Enjoy hikes and have done country/forest walks in different places but nothing too strenuous please, and I think the comfort meal after the walk is even better. What's not to love about autumn? The colors are gorgeous, lots of late summer fruit are amazing (mirabelle plums my favorite) and the whiff of smoke in the cooler evening air is so evocative of coziness.

MISCELLANEOUS

I can fall asleep in a moving vehicle // I am the mom friend // I live by a certain quote // I like the smell of sharpies // I am involved in extracurricular activities // I enjoy Mexican food // I can drive a stick shift // I believe in true love // I make up scenarios to fall asleep // I sing in the shower // I wish I lived in a video game // I have a canopy above my bed // I am multiracial // I am a redhead // I own at least 3 dogs

Memories of falling asleep on long bus rides to faraway destinations. Quote I live by: no regrets (it's pointless to stress out about a past you can't change; just learn from it and move forward). Mexican cuisine is not my all-time favorite but I like anything with chilli, so there are always dishes to enjoy, especially if there's cheese and avocado. I learnt to drive on a stick shift so that's not an issue but hardly drive nowadays (don't own a car and don't need one). I believe in true love, because I've found mine. I sing in the shower (and in the kitchen, in the living-room, everywhere I can at home).

Tagging (and I'm not gonna stop at 10):

@crzshaly437 @dimplesandfierceeyes @dudeyuri @ranchthoughts @teaofdesaster @miscellar @dribs-and-drabbles @recentadultburnout @bengiyo @waitmyturtles @twig-tea @airenyah @lurkingshan @22grt23 @faillen @pandasmagorica @anotherlovr @orchdxtea @badinthelatin @rythyme @lurkingteapot @vegasandhishedgehog

Also anyone and everyone who reads this (forgive me if I didn't tag you personally, didn't mean to forget anyone). Do play along and remember to tag me so I can get to know you better too! But no pressure if you don't wish to play either. 💖

[castielsbees]

For a personal introduction discussion board for my anthro class I decided to full send it for one of the prompts and straight up expose my love for all things fandom and fanfic on the first day of class oops

When I hear “community,” I am inclined to think of the idea of fandom, though it may seem like a trivial thing. Whether it be for a movie, TV show, or book series, various pieces of media become a source of connection and community for many people of all ages. One of the things I love about fandoms is that you get the chance to see a plethora of countless different opinions, concepts, and spins on the fictional places and characters that are loved by so many people. For example, I consider myself to be a part of many different fandoms, such as Harry Potter, Sherlock (BBC), Supernatural, Good Omens, and Hannibal (NBC), for instance, and I love finding fanart, fanfiction, analyses of the media, and more, relating to those shows and movies. There are countless incredible works out there, whether it be fanart, music, meta, writing, or more inspired by the different pieces of media that people love, and these bring people together and bring light to many talented and creative individuals out there. Anyone can be part of many different fandoms, and there are many roles people play in them, from authors to artists, and those who just like to consume and appreciate the work that others share within the community. I am an artist, for example, and as I’ve already said, love to make art of the characters that I have grown up with that I love and sharing them within various fandom spaces. I also love to read written fan works. I have read many fanfics I would actually consider to be even better written than some published works I have read, and the amount of time and work put into them is incredible. There are many stereotypes and preconceptions people have about fanfiction, but many of them are extremely lengthy, detailed, and impressively well-written works that deserve much appreciation for their plots, character development, and expression of events and characters that people already have grown to love. It could be seen as a challenge for people in the sense that creativity can be difficult to master, as well as originality, but the beautiful thing about fandom and creation is that most people don’t even care about redundancy and repetition in content, whether it be in tropes used in writing, relationships depicted, art produced, and more. In fact, fanfiction is largely consumed for the exact purpose of people looking for a certain trope or type of story that they love so much that they actively search out that type of story/art, and artists and authors in fandoms should not feel bad about or hesitant to sharing art and stories that they think are overdone because the truth is that their work will be appreciated by someone out there, and the best way to get better at writing, drawing, etc. is to keep writing, drawing, and creating.

[joyful-patient-faithful]

Little Women Ranked

One of my favorite books of all time is Little Women. Last fall I watched and read everything related to the series. Here's a simple ranking of all of that.

The Book (obviously)

Whether you consider the book just Little Women or with Good Wives, there is no deny this is the absolute best version of the story.

2. Little Women (1978)

This is, in my opinion, the best adaptation of the novel. The characters felt real and accurate and it was just a delight. It had so much heart. Also I am a Greer Garson as Aunt March stan. William Shatner did his absolute best at Fritz. I just adore this version. I will say that I am a sucker for tv movies though.

3. Little Women (2017)

I love this version. In accuracy, it's not always the best (especially character wise) and the third episode feels very rushed at times, but I still love it. I'm absolutely obsessed with Meg and John in this version. Meg and Beth are my profile picture lol. I just really enjoy this version.

4. Little Women (1994)

In terms of movies, this one is the best. This is the one I recommend to everyone and despite my (minimal) issues with it, I still watch it all the time. It's just so lovely. Also this one just has a more distinctly Christmas feel than any of the others.

5. Little Women (1933)

While not my favorite, I still enjoyed watching this version. Katherine Hepburn played a great Jo and I would love to watch this again sometime.

6. Little Women (1949)

This has the same script as the 1933 version, however, I am not a fan of a few small changes made, such as Beth being younger than Amy. June Allyson is not my favorite Jo, which also lowers this one slightly. Margaret O'Brien played an amazing Beth and was definitely the best thing about this version. I also just recently listened to the Lux Radio Theater adaptation of this movie and it just solidified my opinions of this being a mid adaptation.

7. Little Women (2019)

The Most controversial version on this list, I cannot say that I enjoy it. It makes so many changes from the novel, that it honestly makes me mad. However, this one places so high on the list do to it's watchability. Every other entry under this one I would never watch a second time. This one at least has the benefit of being high quality. Plus all my friends love this one (none of them have ever read the book and it makes me sad), so if I try hard enough I can separate this version from the book and at least watch a decent movie (although it is hard).

8. Little Women (1970)

I wanted to like this version, I really did, it was so extremely book accurate, but it was also really boring. This does have the most book accurate portrayal of Laurie in my opinion, though.

9. Little Women (2018)

This just overall was not that good. Jo was very mean and aggressive and Laurie was kind of creepy, in my opinion. I also disliked that this was made by a Christian company and did not include any of the Christian themes and statements made throughout the novel.

10. Little Women Meg's Story and Jo's Story

This two parter was hard to watch. It made it so love story heavy, and was also just not good quality or fun to watch. Everything was so rushed. I did like the focus on Meg and John in the first part though. I also enjoyed the random 1950 commercials throughout the version on youtube.

11. The March Sisters at Christmastime

This was just bad. Nothing really redeemable about it. It was a very hard watch.

Bonus:

These were some adaptations that I watched, but find hard to rank, due to them not being movies or tv shows.

Little Women (1958) Soundtrack

This is the soundtrack for the the 1958 CBS tv musical, which is not technically lost media, but is not available to the general public. The first half of the soundtrack is songs from the special, and the second half is covers of some other songs from musicals or were popular at the time. The songs are quite fun, but what I hear from reports of what happens in the special, it is not accurate to the novel at all.

Little Women (2005) musical

I am not really a fan of Sutton Foster, nor am I a fan of this musical. It is a classic case of not understanding Jo March, her writing, and her relationship with Professor Bhaer.

Little Women Ballet

This was fun to watch. I don't know much about ballet, so I cannot really judge it. If I remember correctly, this is just an adaptation of the first half of the novel.

Tales of Little Women

Little Women (1981)

These are both anime adaptations of the novel. I only watched the first episode of each, and from what I know they kind of make up plot lines. I enjoyed them for what they were, but I will probably not watch them again.

I unfortunately did not watch the Little Women Opera or the March Family Letters as Operas and vlog series are not really my thing, but maybe I will get around to them.

Anyway, this concludes my ranking of Little Women. If you see this please let me know your thoughts on any of these adaptations.

[wanderingmind867]

I've got a new idea that I'm very proud of! It's an idea for either a tv show or a series of TV Movies released every Christmas. It's about the goings on at a bar/restaurant/lounge every Christmas. I came up with this prompt all on my own after listening to a lot of Christmas music. I did use AI to bounce my ideas off of it, however. Whether it's a TV series or merely a series of TV Movies released every new Christmas season, one thing is clear: the show is only ever set during winter/christmas.

The Bar where the show is set is like a mix of a rustic old ski lodge and of an old cosmopolitan cocktail lounge from the 1940s. It's got a very old timey feel, at any rate.

This idea could be viewed as similar to shows like The Love Boat. An anthology series, but with a few characters connecting all the stories to each other. On the Love Boat, the crew of the ship were the characters who tied everything together. Here, it's the bar's staff who tie all the stories together. At least one staff member shows up during each of the 3-4 stories told in one episode.

Since I just brought them up, let's discuss the bar's staff:

First, there's the bar's owner (I don't have a name for him yet). He's an old man who always seems to know just what to do to boost his patrons spirits during the holiday season. He's also got a bit of an aura of mystery to him, mostly because it's implied he has some sort of history with Santa. Whether they be Best Friends, Distant Relatives or something in between, it's clear he's got some sort of connection to Santa and the North Pole.

I want him to be like Ricardo Montalban on Fantasy Island, this older man with an aura of mystery surrounding him. Personally, I like conclusive answers though. So I'll probably address the mystery at some point (after a season or two, or during the third or fourth special). I'm leaning towards the relatives ideas, personally. I think it's a clever idea for how they might know each other.

Also at the bar is a somewhat washed up old lounge singer (don't have a name for him yet either). 70-75 years old at the beginning of our series, he's been working for this bar since sometime in the late 90s (let's say he joined the staff around 1996 or so). He always wanted to make it big and be a successor to his idols Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, etc. But sadly, this never quite worked out as planned. He was sometimes able to book some small gigs, but he could never afford to play any big venues.

At some point in his 30s, he falls into a deep depression because of this. For almost 9 years, he wouldn't perform his music anymore. It's only because he happened to stop in at this bar for his 46th birthday that he's performing again. He fell in love with the atmosphere at the bar and with the feelings of love and camaraderie displayed there. He loved it so much he asked if he could perform at the bar, acting as a form of In-house entertainment. The bar's owner said he liked the idea a lot, and he's been working here ever since. In fact, his 30th anniversary of working for the bar is slowly approaching.

[abundancewithher]

19 de agusto de 2024

hi stars and hearts! mimi here and it’s been a few of days. i’ve need doing a lot of reflection and dealing with a bunch of emotions that’s been that was amplified by my period and the astrology but that’s not what i’m talking about today.

I had this download while watching none other than victorious. This has nothing to do with the show, but it is one of my comfort shows. And I feel I tend to have clear thoughts when I have background noise whether it’s a TV show of music.

And of course, here I am thinking I’ve always wanted to be an actress, i’ve always wanted to be a singer and a dancer. I’ve always known I wanted to perform in someway, but in all honesty I have no performance experience. I noticed that the talents that I do indulge in, there are more hands on in a literal way, but I feel my best when I am expressing myself and moving my body.

Recently, I feel now becoming the abundant young woman I’ve always wanted to be and have seen myself as. I started dancing recently, I am learning a K-pop dance I learned five years ago. And the dance itself it’s not hard but because I already have the muscle memory from the dance that makes it harder, but I am enjoying myself honestly!

The other day, I thought to myself when I was talking to my mom in her room, “I honestly went to start auditioning again.” and at the same time I had that thought I received an email from nine9 asking if I was available to book an orientation to start casting and auditioning. all of last year I was auditioning for movies and TV shows and I did book a couple of roles that I didn’t partake in due to timing and honestly because I talk too much. I will come back to this statement.

I don’t think my acting is the greatest, but I know it is something I can work on and I had a lot of fun auditioning and it is something that I want to consider again. I am at the point in my mindset where I want to do any and everything and just say I did it. I am an experience girly and I love having experiences and having fun. but also could be because I am a Sagittarius sun I grew up traveling with my family and trying new things so it’s been engraved in me since I was a child.

This has been a thought of mine for the past couple weeks and watching victorious just made me happy and made me want to consider doing that again because I feel I’m ready even though I don’t have the technical acting training. I’m gonna. make small goals for this. Of course the main goal is always to be the lead actress in a movie or TV series, but it’ll be cool to start off as a background actress!

I’m open-minded, I only want to have fun and try new things! so I’ll give you guys an update about this fairly soon. until then,

ttylxoxo mimi💋



[dryingpanzer]

Going ahead and doing this cuz I thought it’d be fun

DRYING PANZER’S 2024 MEDIA LOG!

I saw somebody do this and thought would be fun!

Rules are as follows!

- Every new media I watch/listen/play I will make a post for, giving my honest thoughts, and rating it out of 10

- Media includes movies, TV shows (at least one season, if I watch a series, think it’s ass, and stop watching 3 episodes in, it doesn’t count), music albums, video games, books, and more

- I can make logs for older media I have not seen in a while (at least a couple of years, like pre-2018/19)

- If I give a media that I logged a 10/10, then I will draw Darryl pertaining to that media (whether it’s Darryl dressed up as a character or Darryl on a music album)

Hopefully I have fun with this!