diariodabarbeariaporto

[icewindandboringhorror]

Little bright colored outfit with a fun vest ~

(shoes from ebay like 10 years ago. everything else is thrifted)

[mahs-dumpster]

Midnight Waltz – Prologue.

a/n: I'm so excited for this!!! I won't be writing the whole event actually, I just wanted to write the prologue because I thought it could be a fun introduction to my fan event :> if I feel creative in the future I might write a few scenarios of scenes I already had in mind (mostly daiggie scenarios).

cw: none.

words: 1244.

dividers.

“Come in.” Professor Trein came inside as he was told after knocking on the door, his cat walking right behind him. The old man had a few sheets of paper in his hand, which he promptly laid in the headmage’s desk, who immediately stopped doing his paperwork to take a look at it. “And what is this exactly, professor Trein?”

“Invitations for the Midnight Waltz next week.”

“The Midnight Waltz?” Crowley got curious, inspecting the papers on his desk. “And what about it? Are you asking for permission to go, Trein?”

“More or less.” He said, a faint smile forming on his lips at the idea of going to such a ball after so long. He had been missing his hometown. “I wish to visit my own hometown and take part in the Midnight Waltz, yes… however, I would like to ask for permission to bring a few selected students with me.”

“Huh? Why?” The headmage tilted his head. He couldn't imagine something more irritating and frustrating than having to deal with the selfish and complicated students of NRC outside of work hours… “do you not wish to take this opportunity to relax, maybe spend some time with your daughters?”

“My daughters are unfortunately busy this time of the year…” he sighed. He would be lying if his first thought upon receiving the invitations for the waltz weren't his daughters, but what could he do? They had their own jobs, their own husbands… no matter how much they loved him there was only so much time they could spend with an old man like him. “I thought that it would be a great learning experience for the students of our school to broaden their horizons. Crystal City is full of life at this time of the year, they would be able to learn about more important historical figures and different cultures.”

“Still, knowing you, you'd wish to go a bit before the date, am I correct?”

“Yes. The Midnight Waltz itself will take place on a Friday, however I would like the students to attend at least a day before to grasp more of the culture of the place and learn about the local dances.”

“Well, the students would lose a few days of classes since you’d have to go on a Thursday.” Crowley’s headmage mode was activated, he crossed his arms and put his hand on his chin. “Are you aware of that, Professor?”

“Indeed. Although you must remember that the Midnight Waltz is not merely a ball, but also a local competition…” Crowley pretended to not be affected, but Trein noticed how his interest piqued the moment he said the word ‘competition��. “There might be no prize, but I am very sure the title of the winner would bring quite the attention of the media and the city folk to Night Raven, if our students happen to win, of course.”

“My, my, why didn't you say so! I can even let you and the students you pick go two days early to fully enjoy your stay at Crystal City!” The headmage smiled greedily, the idea of the amount of attention and flattery his school — and by extension, himself — would get already filling his mind. Trein looked at Lucius and sighed, and the cat seemed to move his head in disappointment. The professor wasn't too sure if he should feel happy for the permission or disappointed at how easy it was. “Well then, which students do you have in mind?”

“I still need to think it over, but—”

A knock was heard on the door, followed by it slowly being opened, revealing a girl with blonde hair and a beauty mark beneath her eye, as well as her cat-like friend sitting on her shoulder. The ramshackle prefect and Grim.

“Mister headmage, did you wish to see me?”

“Ah, yes! I need you regarding a specific issue.”

“As usual, being the headmage's puppet…” Grim complained on Daisy's shoulder and the girl sighed in defeat, already seeing the trouble she would have to deal with, but first…

“It's a pleasant surprise to see you, professor Trein. How are you doing?” Daisy smiled warmly at the man, she always saw him weekly during classes, but she was always happy to see him outside of the classroom. He gave her a sense of comfort that not even Daisy herself could comprehend.

“Quite well, my dear, thank you. But Crowley—” the older one glared at the fae, who flinched at the sight of the annoyed look on his face. “—didn’t I tell you to leave the prefect alone? I thought I told you she would be under my care and you shouldn't bother her any longer.”

“I-I wasn't intending to ask much of her, do you have no faith in me?”

“No.”

“It's ok, professor, really! I'm quite used to it.” Daisy tried to reassure him, her hand resting on his arm and the old man couldn't help but smile at her kind and patient nature.

Daisy was different from his daughters in both personality and appearance, but there was a certain familiarity she gave him with how she talked and looked at him, it was as if he was raising his children once again. Perhaps it's why he felt so protective over the young girl.

Wait.

“Crowley, whatever it is you want to demand of the prefect you must find someone else to do the job. She's my first selected student to visit Crystal City with me and attend the Midnight Waltz.”

“Wh— are you kidding?!” Crowley stared at him in irritation, but ultimately gave up on seeing the look on his face. That old man would not budge… tsk. So much for wanting help… “goodness… Alright, fine, I understand. Since I am ever so kind I will allow it.”

“Wait, hold on. Midnight Waltz? Crystal City?” Daisy questioned, a bit confused, her brown eyes looking at both adults searching for an explanation. “I don't quite understand. Where are we going? And why?”

“Wait a waltz? Sounds like fun! Will there be food?” Grim asked, nearly making Daisy lose balance, so he had to jump on the headmage's desk, making him complain, but the direbeast didn't listen.

“Yes. The Midnight Waltz is a ball held in my hometown, Crystal City, and like every dignified ball there will have a buffet free for all guests.”

“Yoo-hoo, count me in!”

“Grim, manners.” Daisy tried to shush her friend, grabbing him and making him quiet down in her arms. “I'm sorry, professor but… well, I can't leave Grim alone at Ramshackle… I'd be too worried.”

Trein chuckled. “He may come as well. You and Grim are two halves of one student after all… but—” he looked at the direbeast very seriously. “—you must behave and listen to my every order. And I clear?”

“Y-yes, professor…” Grim squirmed in Daisy's arms and the girl simply chuckled at their interaction.

“Splendid. Now come along. I'll choose the rest of the students as I explain to you the details.” Trein began to leave, Luscius following right behind him, both paid no mind to the annoying headmage standing there.

“Oh, uhm… sorry, headmage. Maybe next time.” With that, Daisy bowed respectfully and left, Grim in her hands who kept snickering the entire time for being able to escape one of Crowley's irritating tasks.

The man groaned and sat down. Oh well, he could only hope his students brought the fame and attention he wanted.

[darcytaylor]

You may be tired of this discourse and in that case, feel free to skip this lol, but I was thinking about some things today after rewatching S3 and seeing the new pap attack on N&JD and Tom H getting fed up with Zendaya being swarmed by fans, and I was thinking, what would I do if I was in their position or I was the normie partner of a celebrity? Like, I can't even imagine dealing with something like that, but if I had to, what would I do?

I was also thinking about why I was really put off by A's latest photo dump and I've come to some realizations. I was aware of her existence early on but I wasn't deep into the fandom until May, so I wasn't phased by the stuff with her and L that came out after. I didn't look into her much because frankly I wasn't interested and I was very vocal about people giving her grace or barring that, at least ignoring her. I felt like whatever she did, the fandom would find a way to hold it against her, so she might as well live her life. That is why when people spoke of her "playing SM games", I scoffed at it and interpreted her posts as typical GenZ SM activity. But that started to change for me when she posted those two stories where she literally bent over backwards to show us that L was her phone background, and resurfaced again with the latest summer dump, where she went out of her way to post parallel photos with L when he'd made every effort to make this paid-for promo as free of any hints to his private life as possible. And I started to think, why would she do that, especially if it was a sponsored post (which, mind you, is still up), which he would be expected to be professional about? If I was the partner of a celebrity and they clearly wanted us to be private, and made every effort to make it so, why, out of everything I could be posting, would I post things that would be sure to rile up a trigger-happy fandom and heap further hate onto my partner? Why, after everything that's happened, would someone do that? The only reason I can think of is - they care more about the attention they're getting from being with that person than the person's actual wellbeing.

Both him and his entire friend group changed their posting behavior post-Sorrento. Everyone... Except A. Now, I don't know what goes on in her comment sections, I don't go there nor do I wish to, so I don't know what she might be responding to with her posts. However, when everyone else in their circle has pulled back and learned lessons about fame and unhinged stalker behavior, why hasn't she? I used to make the argument of, well, she's a model and dancer, and therefore she has to maintain an SM presence to book jobs. Yet... These kinds of posts - the hints, the random limbs, the implied company, the specific timing and locations... These are things that contribute nothing to her professional aspirations. Most of them are empty landscapes and very generic photos without her in it. There's no purpose to them other than to maintain a back-and-forth with a small but captive audience that's build up around her. I now realize that I got this all wrong because to me, desiring and actively seeking out attention or fame is an alien concept - I don't understand why anyone would. But something about watching Portia say "my girl" to Pen after her speech and then remembering that that's exactly what A's mom commented on the papgate pics made me realize that I need to look at this from the POV of her having gone on a talent show and having a dad who's a DJ and how chasing fame (or in A's case, it's moreso notoriety) might not just be normalized, but perhaps even the "done thing" in her household. If my mom saw me plastered all over the tabloids with me and my partner looking freaked out and miserable, I'd really take issue with her if that was her reaction. What about that sordid incident was to be celebrated??? I understand now why so many people felt strongly it had been staged.

So now that my lens has shifted, I've been analyzing her actions from the POV of - what if they're calculated? And while L isn't entirely without fault here, he has course-corrected, so what's her endgame here? Both of their careers seem to have suffered. If I'm not mistaken, she used to be able to book better gigs, and while the Hollywood downturn is something that is happening, one has to wonder if all of this drama hasn't impacted L's ability to book roles, especially when compared to his costars' bookedness and busyness.

I was also thinking about all the WT-related events that she awkwardly tagged along to and what I would've done if I was in a situation like that, getting bombarded with hate from strangers over my very existence, but I liked the person and I wanted to stay with them. And honestly? I wouldn't have gone. Or at the very least, I would've been as discreet as possible. And while it's clear that it's L who had to invite her and he's the one who waffled on launching her until someone else did it for him, she could've conducted herself differently and at least flown under the radar more. Yet she elected to be photographed on red carpets, stepping out of cars with his family, knowing that people would pay attention to that group of people. What did she think would happen? That the public would swoon over her, someone with very little to her name? And it's like, at this point, she could stop. She should stop. L, R, S all have, to the best of my knowledge. But she can't seem to help herself. She had to make it known that she was in Spain with him, and for a second time, too. At this point I can no longer reasonably attribute these patterns of behavior to her age or inexperience. She's not changing her ways because she's feeding off of this. I mostly wasn't paying attention, but I was also naive, because I don't think like people who desire fame think. I just wonder where L is at with all of this and why he's going along with it still, is it rose-colored glasses? Does he feel guilty for everything that's transpired? Is he now stubborn and feeling petty, so he'll keep indulging her and trolling the fandom by proxy?

I was thinking about how there are so many celebrities whose partners I couldn't pick out of a lineup - I know they exist, but they aren't front and center. Some even have rabid female fanbases, yet they've managed to keep their private lives on the DL. I couldn't tell you what David Tennant's wife looks like, or Dan Stevens', or Jamie Dornan's, to name a few. There are actors who have been with their partners for a long time but almost never take them to events and they're still fine. So, I don't know if N&L landed in the spotlight too late in life so they still think of themselves as regular people and couldn't really anticipate this, but in A's case, given everything I know about her now, I'm honestly done giving her the benefit of the doubt. My biggest question now is - why does L continue to? And for how long? Is he complicit in these games or does it not even occur to him that's what they are, like in my case? I guess if we don't look too closely at things, we can't see them for what they are.

Anyway, I hope you're having a fun rewatch like I did and I hope our faves are safe and happy and DM burns to the ground, amen.

I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to respond to this ask because I was concerned it might add unnecessary drama to this whole situation. However, I thought about it and realised that you seem to be approaching this with a lot of empathy and depth, which I really appreciate. Your long, drawn-out paragraphs (which I definitely appreciate!) tell me you’ve put a lot of reflection into this.

You raise some interesting points about navigating a relationship with a public figure, especially when the partner isn’t someone in the public eye (and maybe they want to be and their family wants it for them as well). It’s understandable to wonder what someone would do in that position, especially when you see posts that seem to clash with the other's desire for privacy. Something about it feels like it's part of a social media game - or even a subtle taunting of the fans/fandom.

I do like that you questioned if it could be Antonia being Gen Z and that it might just be part of that always-online mentality, where sharing life moments (even indirectly) is natural, without considering public repercussions. But at the same time, if you’re dating a public figure who wants privacy, it would make sense to be more mindful. Part of being in the public eye is knowing that people will observe your every move, and when those closest to you don’t understand that reality, it will create issues.

I understand the shift in your perspective. When actions repeatedly go against someone’s implied boundaries, it raises questions about motivation and whether they’re prioritising attention (self-image or fame) over respecting the relationship they are in.

I noticed the change in the friend group after the Sorrento trip as well (I think I also mentioned it somewhere in a blog post), and while I will say Antonia did change her habits a bit (she deleted a number of Instagram posts of her trips with Luke), I agree that out of everyone, she’s still the one who continues to post and make it known that she may be with him (but then fan's also imply and spiral over the smallest things as well). It’s strange to continue doing that when you know these posts will only fuel ongoing speculation rather than help reduce it. And honestly, I think that, at this point, reducing speculation could only be beneficial for Luke. Antonia's posts seem more detrimental than supportive.

I’m sure fame would be hard to navigate, and I think it’s fair to say that, in certain situations, some people might see an opportunity to maintain or even leverage attention, regardless of how it might play out publicly.

In the end, I have no idea why any of the people in this situation continue to do what they’re doing, or why they keep posting things that only fuel more drama. I’ve mentioned before that maybe this is Luke’s way of not letting the fandom dictate his life - but, like you said, maybe he’s seeing things through rose-coloured glasses, or even feeling a sense of guilt or responsibility to make Antonia happy given the amount of hate she’s received. It could be any combination of loyalty, stubbornness, or simply him wanting to show support, even though the public perception won’t be positive. Luke could be trying to balance his desire to keep things private with Antonia’s approach, which may be different. But we won’t know for sure without knowing him personally (or being him!). It's all speculation and guesswork.

In the end, these kinds of things are complex, and I think reflecting on why people make the choices they do is absolutely valid and normal. But like I always say, there are so many possibilities for why things are taking place and unfolding the way they are. There are countless options and scenarios, both now and in the past, that could explain each action. Even if something seems clear, as fans, we don't know anything about motivations or anybody’s relationship status.

I really enjoyed reading your ask - it offers a lot to consider about how fame and notoriety affect both personal and professional lives, especially when someone’s actions seem intentional or at odds with their partner’s approach to privacy. So thank you!

I am having fun with my rewatch! I also wouldn't mind if DM burnt to the ground!

[mileycyprus-hill]

The Heart of Gondor

Boromir x female reader

Summary: Set after Boromir's conversation with Aragorn in Lothlorien following the fall of Gandalf. As the 10th walker of the Fellowship and longtime comrade of the Captain of Gondor, you rest with Boromir and share a moment of comfort with him, asking him questions about his childhood - specifically his mother as he rarely spoke of her. Boromir finally opens up about his mother for the first time.

Tags/Warnings: no warnings, just fluff and romance.

———————————

Tell me, what was she like...your mother?" Your question travels softly to Boromir's ears. Your voice is tender, like a breeze rustling through the leaves of Lothlórien. In the gentle glow of candlelight, your eyes shimmer like pools of earnest curiosity, reflecting the flickering white lights and the deep, ancient sorrow that dwelled within the heart of Boromir.

Boromir sits across from you, the light casting shadows that dance across his rugged features. The shadows seemed to come alive, whispering tales of valor and loss. His hand rests on the hilt of his sword, but his grip is loose, as if the weight of the weapon had become too much to bear, and his thoughts were far from the battlefield. For a moment, the world outside these woods - the ceaseless war, the burdens of leadership - all faded into the background. In this quiet, intimate space, he is merely a man speaking of his past and memories to a woman he secretly adores.

"She was…" Boromir began, his voice rough with the echoes of old grief, "a woman of grace and strength. Her name was Finduilas, and she was the heart of our home."

You sit upon a cushion on the forest floor before him and listen with your full attention, as if enraptured. Unbeknownst to you, your presence is soothing; a balm to his calloused soul. You have been his companion on this perilous journey, a steadfast friend who has given him comfort in his darkest moments. Boromir had rarely ever spoken about his mother to you, but your curiosity was both a gentle nudge and a silent invitation to finally open himself to you.

Boromir leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze distant as if he were peering into a mirror of memory. "She was a daughter of the house of Dol Amroth. Her beauty was renowned, but it was not just her appearance that captivated those around her. It was her spirit, her kindness, and her wisdom. She had a grace that went beyond mere physical beauty."

He paused, drawing a deep breath, as if to steady himself against the tide of memories that threatened to overwhelm him. He feels you watching him closely, as if you're sensing the deep well of emotion that lays beneath his stoic exterior.

"In those days," he continued, "our home was full of laughter and light. She would sing to us in the evening, her voice like a melody that lingered in the air long after the last note had faded. She had a way of making even the simplest moments feel like magic. I remember the way she would kneel beside me and Faramir, her hands gently brushing our hair as she told us stories of old."

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but it was bittersweet. "She would speak of the stars and the moon, of the ancient forests and the seas. She had a knowledge of things beyond the reach of our young minds, and she shared that with us as if it were the most precious gift."

Boromir pauses to look into your eyes. He sees them shine with empathy and understanding. Boromir is offering not just a recollection of his mother but a piece of his soul, a glimpse into a world that had been lost to him. You reach out, placing a comforting hand over his. Your touch is light and reassuring.

"Tell me more about her," you encourage him softly.

Boromir’s gaze drops to your joined hands, the warmth of your touch grounding him. "She was everything a young boy could ask for in a mother," he said, his voice carrying the weight of both his sorrow and his love. "She wished for us to find happiness and peace. She hoped that we would grow up to be honorable and just, and that we would live our lives filled with purpose."

His eyes grew distant once more, as if he could see his mother's face before him, illuminated by the pale light. "She believed in the goodness of people, even in the darkest of times. I remember her saying that the true measure of a man is not how he faced victory but how he endured adversity."

There was a long silence, filled only by the mournful song of the elves and the gentle rustling of leaves. Your eyes hold steady, your presence a steadying force in the storm of his emotions.

"And your father?" You ask gently, your voice breaking the silence with a note of curiosity and concern. "What is he like?"

Boromir’s expression grew solemn. "My father, Denethor, is a man of great strength and ambition. He is fiercely dedicated to Gondor, to protecting our people. But, true dedication often comes at a cost. He is a ruler, and the weight of his responsibility sometimes...pushes him away from those he loves."

He looks back at you once more, his eyes shadowed with pain. "The relationship between my mother and father was complicated. While they loved each other deeply, the pressures of leadership created a rift between them. My mother tried to bridge the gap, to bring warmth and light into our lives...despite the heavy shadow that loomed over our family."

There was a softness in his gaze as he continued. "Her memory is what keeps Faramir and myself together, though Faramir was much too young when she passed. She reminded us of the beauty in the world, even when my father's prophetic speeches seemed to overshadow everything. Her love was like a beacon in the dark, guiding us through the trials of our lives."

"It sounds like she was a remarkable woman," you say softly. "A true light in the darkness."

Boromir’s eyes meet yours, and for the first time in a long while, he feels a sense of relief, as if he had finally shared a burden that had been too heavy to carry alone. "She was," he agrees quietly. "And her memory continues to guide me, even in the darkest of times."

You continue to sit together in silence, while the lights of Lothlorien cast a cool glow around you. The shadows of the night seem less daunting now, the weight of Boromir's memories lightened by the act of sharing them.

A small, genuine smile touches Boromir's lips as he moves closer to you. "Thank you, my lady," he says.

You blink your eyes at him in confusion. Why should he thank you when you're the one who asked him?

As if answering your unspoken question, Boromir says, "It is a gift to have someone who listens. Given our task in this journey, it is easy to forget the simple comforts of companionship and understanding."

Your knees graze against his as you close the gap between the two of you, taking both of his hands into your own. "I am honored to be here with you, Captain Boromir," you reply. "And I hope to always be your steadfast companion."

Boromir's eyes widen with sudden realization. From this moment, he is confirmed that his romantic feelings of adoration for you is not unrequited, but mutual.

Gazing into your eyes, he feels a spiritual bond is forged—an established connection of shared understanding, empathy, and the quiet strength that comes from knowing and being known.

All that is left now is to seal the bond. Like a flower reaching for the warmth of the sun, Boromir leans into you and presses his lips against yours, his heart blooming in his chest from the feeling. A swarm of emotions swirl within him: joy, curiosity, fear, and excitement. The fear is quickly subdued and overcome with excitement and curiosity once he feels your lips reciprocate his kiss.

The night stretches on, filled with the promise of new beginnings and the echoes of old memories. As the two of you sit together in each other's embrace, the world outside seems a little less daunting, the burdens of your quest momentarily lightened by the simple, profound act of sharing a piece of each others hearts.

[idreamofthemeparks]

I went to both Tokyo Disney parks! Some thoughts/experiences:

People there wave at animatronics! I get laughed at for doing that in Florida!

Go during Halloween if you can. Tons of cosplayers go and the costumes you'll see are insane. And you can easily get a picture with a really good cosplayer instead of waiting in line for an official face character.

The Halloween night show at DisneySea was the worst. 7 minutes of very few fireworks, followed by an extremely weird heartfelt song that was like "🎵it's Halloween night... And we will go out... And get treats🎶". What the hell was that? Also, they run fireworks until 9PM exactly. I'm guessing they have to because there would be massive crowds of people waiting if there was just one show. People there have no qualms about sitting and waiting for 3+ hours for a parade or fireworks show.

Fantasy Springs was really great. The central area, design aesthetic and rockwork tied it all together really well and the transitions between the different areas were about as seamless as they could possibly be.

The Frozen animatronics, because they were like 4ft tall and so skinny and had such huge eyes, looked like weird dolls/aliens up close. That might creep some people out but I really genuinely loved it. Get in the back of the boat and you can see them freeze between scenes. I've said this before but it's very weird that it's a boat ride, since it relies on one specific scene happening at a time, and every other boat ride there had scenes running continuously!

The Magic Lamp Theater is really good! I skipped it on my last trip because there's no real indication anywhere that it's anything more than a 3D show with Genie, but it has a preshow with an animatronic and it has live actors! And it runs continuously all day!

THE GACHA MACHINE IN THE TOWER OF TERROR GIFT SHOP. FUCK THAT ONE MACHINE IN PARTICULAR. I shit you not, I rolled that thing 9 times and didn't get the Henry keychain I wanted.

I saw a really amazing Sinbad cosplayer but they wouldn't let me get a picture :(

At Disneysea, I did 20k 2x, Sinbad 3x, Indiana Jones 3x, Raging Spirits 1x, Nemo 1x, Peter Pan 1x and Frozen 1x, and the carousel 1x. I would've done Aquatopia, but last time it got me very wet and I had to go home on the subway with wet socks, so no thanks.

It's insane how good the single rider lines are especially at night. Wish they would bring those to Disneyland. Beauty could use one; they even had signs up for one but it wasn't in use.

Why is Sinbad always a walk on?? It's one of the best dark rides ever and it has a cute character in it!

Covid absolutely murdered DisneySea's live entertainment and it has NOT recovered. The afternoon lagoon show was a "Halloween greeting" that consisted entirely of some characters riding a barge out onto the water and dancing. Remember when they used to sail pirate ships in that lagoon? Multiple theaters are sitting empty, notably in Lost River Delta and Triton's Kingdom. Very sad.

If you don't know how to use the app or how passes work, you're screwed on lines and you can't even get into certain restaurants, at least at DisneySea! It's heartbreaking! I made friends with an American couple in the morning who had no idea how any of the passes worked, so I told them. It took multiple explanations, which I don't blame them for because it took me a few weeks to understand it myself. Then when we got into the park at rope drop, they tried to get Frozen passes... and couldn't, because their app glitched out at the crucial moment. I understand the Fantasy Springs thing because it's so new, but paid fastpasses being implemented here and everything being dependent on the app... It hurts to watch, man. Especially since last time I went, there were still paper Fastpasses, which are much easier and more accessible. Idk, I just think it should be possible to walk into a theme park and have at least a chance of doing stuff without memorizing the rules of a bunch of different reservation systems (same problem I've had with WDW for years).

When you're on Frozen it's easy to not notice how bad the ride design is, unless you're like me (thinking "wow look at that empty space", "do we need 3 rooms for one song" etc) because it really is a technical marvel. Also I got hit directly in the eye by a water jet right after the Let It Go scene. Rude.

Haunted Mansion is smack dab in the middle of Fantasyland there. I'm not sure what the alternative is but it doesn't fit in there at all.

I do not care for Haunted Mansion Holiday. I hadn't seen it in person before this but damn it's so cheap-looking. Also I'm salty that I didn't get to see the Tokyo bride.

What I like about Beauty and the Beast is that you get a nice long look at every animatronic since the scenes are so long. I felt satisfied after one go-around, which is rare for me.

Were there canoes in Rivers of America at WDW? Regardless, I'm glad that there are some in Tokyo. Rafts, canoes and a boat-- multiple forms of transportation, like Walt wanted!

Davy Jones on Pirates has one of the funniest line deliveries I've seen on a ride. "So says I..... DAVY JONES-UH!"

Monsters Inc was really good. It's basically just Men in Black: Alien Attack-- you enter through a company run by weird creatures, and then shoot at those creatures as you go through a city that looks a lot like New York. They seem to have seasonal changes to the dialogue-- Luz said "happy Halloween" at the end!

In a crowded bathroom, a CM said "hime-sama, dozo!" to indicate which stall I should use. That's honestly the first time I've been called "princess" in a bathroom. This was even in Frontierland, a place you would not expect to be called a princess.

Country Bears Vacation Hoedown was great. Nothing prepares you for a bear singing Achey Breaky Heart in Japanese. They opened with Great Outdoors, which I remember from that one Disneyland sing-along VHS that I watched as a kid!

The Snow White ride is the one where the witch just fucking kills you at the end! The amount of stuff this park keeps that American Disney parks think are super offensive is insane. Yeah, we'll keep Trader Sam. Sure, we'll play Dixie in Critter Country. I do understand why they made those changes in America-- especially on Pirates, I forgot how creepy the bride auction scene was.

Sucks to see Space Mountain gone. I bet something big is coming to Tomorrowland since they got rid of Buzz Lightyear and Space Mountain at the same time.

I'm pleasantly surprised that they kept Peter Pan's Flight, with Fantasy Springs and all. Though to be fair, it doesn't have a huge amount of space and barely any room for the queue, so there's probably not too much they could actually do with it.

I didn't get a picture but at the front of the Halloween parade was Dr Facilier doing the fruitiest little dance. And, WHERE IS THE HAUNTED MANSION BRIDE FACE CHARACTER? It's the Halloween parade!!! I did see like 4 women cosplaying as her though.

I got podracing and the Gungan city on Star Tours. Honestly, perfect. wouldn't change a thing.

I can't believe (in a good way) they included the FSU gopher on Splash-- nobody there knows what FSU is.

Someone was telling jokes and doing audience participation stuff over the intercom in the Jungle Cruise queue. Fun!

The Belle animatronics are life sized and not creepy up close. Probably not made by the same design team as Frozen.

Maybe I just haven't been to a Disney park in long enough but I'm pleasantly surprised at how close you get to the animatronics on these rides. Like, close enough to see the stray hairs on their heads. I wonder if someone has to re-style the animatronics' hair at night.

I really genuinely bow down to Japanese Disney fans. These mfs will spend 15-hour days in full cosplay, long sleeves and wigs and all. I saw a good number of people doing it.

People here are also so earnest! No sarcasm or irony, no "dad dragged to Disney" type shit (at least not that I saw). People clap at Country Bears, wave to you from the queue when you're on a ride, etc. For the most part, everyone really wants to be there. Plus Japanese people are so pleasant in general. I was at rope drop trying to get into an extremely popular land that opened 4 months ago. I haven't been in that situation in America but I don't think everyone involved would be quietly, politely filing into the gates. The only comparable situation I've been in was going to Hollywood Studios right after Rise of the Resistance opened, and it was kill or be killed there.

Don't try to do every single ride at Disneyland in one day, holy shit. I went on ALL the dark rides and it was a LOT of exertion. Prioritize the stuff you can't get at home. And you should probably do rope drop regardless of how many rides you do.

By the way, rope drop there consists of getting in line at 6:30 AM or earlier. I got to Disneyland at 6:30 on a Sunday and there were at LEAST a thousand people ahead of me. These people really do not fucking play around.

Million Dollar Bunny always works there! Is this one called 100 Million Yen Bunny?

Maybe I'm just spoiled by Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland, but the Tokyo one would really benefit from an Astro Orbiter or something. The place is largely just one level and that would make it a lot more dynamic.

Overall, yeah, I still think DisneySea is the best theme park in the world. Both parks are absolutely stacked in terms of attractions, the food is fantastic, and the staff, of course, is excellent in every way. It's just an incredibly pleasant experience overall. I can always find something to complain about at any park but my issues here were very minimal. In case you're going anytime soon, here are the rope drop plans that worked well for me (keep in mind that I got to both parks at 6:30AM):

DisneySea: first, grab a pass for Frozen if possible. It's crucial to get in super early for this one to get the standby pass; I've heard that international credit cards can take a little bit to process payments so you may have a hard time getting Premiere Access. If you get a standby pass, you can buy Premiere Access for another Fantasy Springs ride, or for Soaring if you're into that (it'll be 80 min minimum all day, but it's not worth that wait at all if you've been on either US version). Grab a 40th pass for Indiana Jones if you don't want to do single-rider for that one, or for Nemo if you do (Journey to the Center of the Earth was closed when I went, but prioritize that one too). Set an alarm to get another Fantasy Springs standby pass as soon as you can, because they run out fast. Run to Tower of Terror. Then do whatever you want for the rest of the day-- if you single-rider Indiana Jones and Raging Spirits, they are walk-ons all day. 20k Leagues will be a walk-on after 8PM.

Disneyland: grab Premiere Access for Beauty, then get a 40th pass for Monsters Inc. If you're in the park early enough, they should both give you really early return times. Set an alarm for the next time you can get 40th and Premiere passes (the app will tell you both) and when they go off, you can probably get a 40th pass for Big Thunder. You can buy Premiere for Baymax too, if you're into that. Then run to Pooh, and if you have enough time before your 40th/Premiere return times, go to Mansion. All the other dark rides in the park will have very reasonable wait times for the rest of the day, except for Splash, which will probably have Premiere Access available for pretty long into the day. Pooh and Monsters' wait times will go way down after 8PM too. If you want to see the afternoon parade, I recommend getting in the Peter Pan queue about 3PM; it's in a good spot to see the floats and you don't have to deal with the truly massive amount of people who by that point will have secured all the good parade viewing spots 3 hours earlier.

[carcarrot]

dream time

[sluckythewizard]

YOU JUST HƎARD IT FROM [HIS MOUTH] FOR SURƎ!!!

[obessivedork]

The thing that draws me to Digimon above Pokemon, I think, is the idea that a Digimon is uniquely your special little guy (genderless) who is your best friend forever. I undestand that Pokemon have to chose the trainer too, but with Digmon this friend exists JUST for you, absolutely NO one else could share your bond with them! Your special little guy (genderless) is a friend who can TALK with you! You can go on an adventure together to save both of your worlds and better yourselves together during the process!

Also: In the shows they go back to their cute and cuddly rookie forms after fights and that was definitely a factor when I was a kid- I've always liked how fluid digivolution is!

[skitskatdacat63]

2011 British gp Fernando is such a mood...

[genshin-projection]

wow wow wow ok ok ok ok

so im partway through the wardance event in HSR 2.5 and my mind is SPINNING

in particular finishing the most recent main quest with the Borisin, then hearing about Igor Haft of Belobog...

it's FASCINATING to me how the civilizations in HSR seem to not only follow a path that they value, but a path that they need and end up getting very little help from

belobog following the preservation because their small, impoverished planet is constantly under threat of death and destruction... such that very little is actually "preserved" with any success

the xianzhou alliance following the hunt to root out and eliminate their enemies without mercy... only for those same enemies to stir up trouble from within their own ranks, with the xianzhou luofu in particular failing to realize until two major disasters had already been set in motion. and even before then, considering everything implied with dan feng, i doubt this is the first time they've faced internal conflict like this

penacony following the harmony to ensure the happiness and unity of their people, only for what little harmony actually exists to simply cover up the turbulence and suffering belying every luxury... such that the order arose in the first place to deal with what the harmony couldn't, a thick undercurrent of inequality and divisiveness that plagued every worker, every poor soul that saw penacony as their safe haven, their last hope

that those desperate for preservation would come out with so little, with so many wounds. that those desperate to hunt down threats would be perpetually plagued by internal betrayals and setups. that those desperate for harmony, peace, and unity would allow its weak to suffer until the only option left is not prosperity but silence and preconceived "happiness"....

it's just fascinating to me how those following a path actually have the least of it. it's fascinating how the pathstriders of the preservation are on the brink of demise, the pathstriders of the hunt are under threat of ambush, the pathstriders of the harmony struggle to remain united and fair to their people.

[bumblingbabooshka]

Michael wordlessly gives T’Pring her jacket as they walk through a dense fog which sticks to their skin like frost. T’Pring asks if she’s cold once, planning on arguing the jacket back onto the other girl’s shoulders when she denies it but Michael merely says “It’s logical for you to have it, given the differences in our physiology,” her tone neutral though her voice trembles.  T’Pring never offers it back to her again and Michael doesn’t ask for its return.

[iamfitzwilliamdarcy]

I’m still kinda hungry but I don’t have good snacks and it’s 10pm so i don’t wanna make something :/

[anghraine]

Maybe it's just because I'm sleepy and my brain is tired and irritable, but I do wish fandom in general weren't so absolutely intent on casting all familial or quasi-familial relationships into some near approximation of US nuclear family idealization.

Acting as a caretaker for a child doesn't automatically make someone their "real parent" or "adopted parent" or "any parent at all" if the child doesn't see them that way. These caretaking relationships can be messy, begrudging, or essentially coercive (in both fiction and IRL, and in life, forcing children into situations where "they'll be taken care of" is often coercive and/or predatory).

And sometimes a caretaker adult, whether a natural parent, adoptive parent, some kind of guardian, or more amorphous caretaker, is ... bad, actually. It's understandable for the children they take care of (whether literal children or now-adult people who experienced it previously) to have had negative experiences they have complicated feelings about, to have complicated feelings about their caretakers that may not distill down to "real parents", to be capable of harsh criticism of their former caretakers, even if they love them.

Sometimes it is the simpler scenario where a child is adopted and it looks very much like a conventional "nuclear" relationship (though even then, the child can have more complex and inconvenient feelings than they're often supposed to have). But—okay, I may be biased from coming from a family that was licensed for foster care, which saw a lot of children essentially forced into foster care with varying complicated feelings about it that didn't always equate to "this person who looks after me is my mother"—even after a long time, sometimes.

And there's frequently a nasty pressure on children placed in "care" to either reach out to their birth or adoptive parents, or to wholly turn their backs on them and accept their current caretakers as the only parents who matter. But usually things are messier than that. You can care about a caretaker, you can respect and love them, and still not feel like you're their child. Or maybe you do! It just depends.

This can happen with siblings as well, especially when there's a big age difference—yeah, one of the siblings may be functionally filling the shoes of their parents as well as they can, but it doesn't necessarily make them actual parents in the eyes of their younger siblings (or themselves). It can, but doesn't have to. Or maybe it's something messier, like when the relationship is almost parental, but not quite, and the exact nature of the dynamic is hard to pin down.

There's also the case where the relationship may have been parental at one point, but one of the parties (usually the caretaker) burned bridges so badly that the child (often an adult at this point) cuts ties and doesn't deny that the caretaker filled a parental role back then, but wholly rejects it as any kind of current reality. This can happen with biological family, but also with looser caretaker relationships as well (esp the cultier ones).

I'm thinking of a lot of fandom examples of these kinds of indeterminate caretaker-child (or former child) relationships, where either we know or have good reason to believe the child doesn't regard a former caretaker as exactly the same as a parent, or we just don't know what the nature of the relationship is, and fandom will be absolutely insistent that the only possible way to read it is parent-child.

And also, sometimes there's nothing wrong with the caretaker relationship, but it's still not parent-child. It simply doesn't map onto this parental mold that fandom tries to box all adult-child caretaking relationships into, because family is more complicated than a single, very simplistic model allows.

[foolish-edworm]

i just remembered when i was like 14 i constantly referred to myself as "the definition of a hypocrite" or like,, "a human contradiction" i guess bc i had a lot of conflicting opinions??? maybe?? i honestly can't remember any examples, but it was literally just bc i didn't know what nuance was yet. i think it was like "oh i think this but i also think this!! that can't be possible i must be a hypocrite!!!" like,,, no?? what?? idk. being a teenager is a weird thing

[leonardalphachurch]

When I lost track of RVB in season 5, I somehow also managed to avoid any info about later seasons? Like, not on purpose, but somehow I just never came across any really BIG moments, even when I randomly saw little bits here or there... so when I got back into it, re-watched what I knew, and finally came to the big Alpha Reveal, it was very much a NEW experience. I was like- "What do you mean Cursey McDeadguy is the Most Specialest Computer Boy???"

there are two pieces of media i wish we could experience blind again. the first is undertale. the second is red vs blue season 6 episode 16

[thorntopieces]

trying to dispel the curse of (irrationally) feeling unloved and unwanted by reading my friends' messages to me vs my parents being inconvenienced by me asking for the bare minimum of help