#how can we call it spooky SEASON if it doesn’t last 90 days ? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

elizabethrobertajones · 6 years

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14x04 watching notes

Happy Birthday, Davy!

Mittens just ominously warned me to warm up this notepad while I waited for the episode to finish downloading.

The nice guy from the phone provider has recently restored our internet after 4 days of radio silence from me, but it's only about 4'o clock on friday, so really some good timing!

Expectations: pre-mittens warning, Davy back on his nonsense with the scary episodes and expected nonsense of sinking back into MotW after mytharc but in capable hands because, you know, new writing team is aces and all.

post-mittens warning: idk but I should get a stuffed toy?

That's a suspicious amount of ghost lore.

Has Heaven started dumping the spirits out now and if it really IS a ghost it's not going to behave properly?

Oh my god it's a Hell Hazers poster.

There was something I would have talked about pre-episode but had no internet so didn't, but the focus on Dean and nerds and the expectation that this episode would be about a comic book store, did remind me of 9x07 and the action figure which was all "i clobber evil!" and was a strong Dean mirror, including that he needlessly burned it on the stove to try and get rid of the ghost of the mom but it turned out she needed to be talked into letting her son let her go in a scene which has all sorts of shades of Dean vs Mary in 12x22 now and also Dean's entire mark of cain arc was in the self-destruction of his self as an action figure that clobbered evil. A reminder that Dean is this figure seems fairly timely with him coming down from being possessed, as of course he has been used as an action figure. And his willingness to turn himself into one in 13x23 was very much turning himself into the Michael Sword, which in this cosmos is practically like the rarest collectible action figure of the universe. This harks back all the way to the first season and Dean's issues with John's control and the whole blunt little instrument arc, also something that fed directly into demon!Dean, and is being reflected this season in Nick, who murdered a guy with a hammer, after his family was murdered by a hammer, and said yes to Lucifer because of all that angst about hammer murder. Subtle.

Anyway, this is sort of the emotional background to me for action figures in the show.

A Hell Hazers poster also reminds us that Dean is a horror fan, his own connections to the genre, a CLASSIC episode, and a time when he was living his best life briefly.

You know, before he sold his soul for *waves at previous big paragraph* reasons

Fitting for how season 13 ended with Dean this close to happy world peace retirement living his best life :P

Awww the fake movie the MotW comes from is called All Saints Day. Davyyy :')

People I know who are born on like October SECOND consider themselves extra spooky halloween people. I can only imagine what it does, as a 23rd Oct. birthday person, to the psyche to actually be born ON it.

This episode's subtitle is just "Lol I have the best birthday, fuckers"

ACTUAL CLIP FROM 2x18!

And the fucking racist truck >.> Which in-universe was teased as another different movie using the footage in the trailer for Hell Hazers II.

My mum has that exact Wonder Woman figure

This guy is wearing a trenchcoat-featured jacket with a maroon t-shirt under it. I could not tell you what he represents but the trenchcoat part is amusing.

I can't *actually* start saying everything is party!Cas symbolism though so I'll just shush

Er this rando that people were saying was dressed like Sam from the promo images literally is called Sam, and she's wearing a very very loud checkered shirt, of course featuring a lot of orange. I'm guessing with that info it's next to impossible to say she ISN'T in some way a Sam parallel :P

Comic Book Guy is possibly caught in the middle of stealing an action figure, and I can't work out if he is just nervous about that or has a crush on Sam because his behaviour was so suspect, but from the promo scene where he looks a lil worse for the wear he talks about breaking up with his goth gf, and Sam is very clearly a nerd, not a goth.

(Goth nerds are things. The media will get there one day :P)

Oh okay after a few lines of the exchange, yeah this guy is a dick, I have NO clue why he's wearing that coat symbolism wise, and Sam really ought to fire him because wow, uncool and also he seems to be a stereotypical nerdbro gatekeeper who would literally rather scare off customers but be right than just enjoy what they all enjoy together.

Then he apologises for getting angry for saying he just gets spun out sometimes. Honestly, this seems to be crossing over into Dean territory considering the last thing from the recap was Dean being told he was like Michael by Bad Kaia and being really angry when he said he was nothing like him... He also used "spun out" about himself in 12x20 but in rather more tragic lost-Cas circumstances but obviously this parallel has a different lesson to tell than just making them equivalent. This guy is so awful and is using his anger in a petty way over things that don't really matter. He's getting spun out over made up battles rather than real angst, and whether he has his own underlying trauma that makes him behave that way or not, the straight white nerd is one of the secondary main villains of the century so far after the literal alt right, with some overlap of course. Think Kylo Ren as one of the dominant critiques of this behaviour :P Compared to the open of 8x11 for example, where the nerds were harmless weirdoes despite also being straight white and obsessive, the aggression and obsession are played not just as a harmless trait of people who like LARPing and collecting toys, but gatekeep, yell at kids over superman facts, and refuse to have their own dominance challenged.

Thinking he could fight superman might actually explain the Cas like jacket - it's too short to be a coat - that he idealises these heroes, is wearing Batman (who in pop culture most recently was around "v superman") and Cas of course has all his superman comparisons from both 6x20, and his rebirth in 12x01 where he came back to earth as a fiery comet and was immediately mistaken for a spaceman. There's some dark idolisation/mirroring here, that he's debating how to fight the guy (krytonite gloves = the BMoL knuckledusters) and at the same time mirroring the show's Superman in his dress. Only much, much lesser. More subtextual mockery about his weakness and how he doesn't really measure up.

I think in a lot of ways the discourse about nerds in pop culture is moving on now to make this difference clear, that the ones who will be mocked are the ones who deserve it for being too cruel to respect, while in many other ways the mainstreaming of nerd culture into pop culture, meaning a large amount of it is no longer mockable, that everyone had at least SOME nerdy indulgences, means that in general nerdom is more accepted and exalted than ever. SPN obviously having its own deep roots into nerd culture has some direct room for commentary here, and this is also a way of reminding its own fans to be cool and not to be this guy.

Oh, huh, he safely exited the shop. I did not see that coming.

LOL he has batman bedding on a fold out bed in either a shed, garage or basement where he lives.

(This detail was tragic in Attack the Block but it's quite clear in this case the guy is fully grown and is being used as a detail to show his forward progression in life)

Wow, you really have some rage issues here. Especially trying to wrangle free pizza i mean dude. Talk about a line that personifies him 100 different ways in one go :P Who shouts at their pizza delivery place?? They remember your number! This is how to get extra toppings.

Oh my god please get beaten to death by this lil guy

(I know I know he survives he's in the promo)

Is this like... haunted kidney episode... but better?

Actually, Fallen Idols plus Mannequin episode but better.

You know how we saw in the last new year? Watching Small Soldiers for the first time since like the 90s or whenever it came out

The show's animation is so much better

Than Small Soldiers and itself from past years

Oh DEAN

I mean he totally deserves a day off.

I can't believe he owns these socks. Who got them for him for Christmas?

Okay, well first we have to work out which was the last Christmas they had where they were not in prison or in an alternate dimension or dead or -

Cas. It was Cas.

He literally had no idea this wasn't just a cute commentary on how much Chinese take out Dean eats

Anyway as far as I can tell Dean is living out the bisexualdemondean header just to spite Michael for defiling his temple. He's filling it with noods and pizza (and I am sure he didn't yell at the delivery guy, but tipped him well instead for making drop offs at a shady street corner miles from where anyone lives)

Honestly it's been 12 years since Hell Hazers II... What took them so long

Dean's drunk a full thing of Margiekugle mom beer, which is a lil worrying just in terms of him using it instead of comfort from her like in 12x02, now that she's back.

God I want Dean to meet the asshole from the comic shop and for him to get into a dick measuring contest about Hell Hazers II and Dean to be like uh I WORKED on it you ass

Er, does that vending machine contain the nougat of choice of your consumptive son on the other side of the wall?

(who may be out with Cas concealing his consumption on a case so not bothered by all this TV noise)

God I love and have missed Dean, my trashy guy who is sitting hugging a pillow like a teen girl at a sleepover to watch his hatchetman slasher to celebrate being back to himself and get the much-needed R&R, since, you know, last time we saw him he threatened to "break" Kaia and was in a very very bad place (lol)

This guy about to get murdered for trying to snatch a nougat bar is dressed like the unfortunate bandmate (Tommy?) to Vincifer. Is this an oblique Ladyheart reference to set up a weird scenario where Hatchetman is punishing a Lucifer-adjacent asshole for trying to steal Nougat?

I can't believe there's a red exit sign behind him which means Wanek is Waneking in multiple dimensions at once

"Mint Condition" flashes up over Dean indulging in his pizza, saying, hey look it's our guy back in shape. Or, you know, ironically so. Either because Dean being Dean means eating junk food and wallowing because his husband has wandered off with the kid and isn't home to snuggle him while he does this mandatory bedrest, or because, of course, Dean is not Mint Condition at all. He's literally and emotionally scarred.

I am pretty sure this shirt that Sam has on is 12 years old.

Statistically, they're gonna get murdered in each and every one of their original Kripke era shirts until none of them are available to be murdered in later.

I say for no particular reason.

Leave Sam alone. He doesn't shave you mock him, he does shave, you... also mock him. He was doing really well while you were gone! No one got even slightly stabbed who didn't deserve it! This is an all-time record. A beard is a price to pay for that.

Honestly I think Dean is stoned but they're not going to say so but I am treating this scene like it is.

"I wanted to check up on you," Sam says, pulling over a chair. This is so like how he was in 14x01 when he was powering around the Bunker being the boss, and given Dean's been on bedrest, again, much-needed, Sam is treating him like another one of his charges, and once more is in a position of authority... But now, despite shaving to act like nothing has changed a bit more, he is the one in charge of Dean as one of his wards. Everything has changed. Your dynamic is actually wobbling in a weird way.

In season 10 when Dean was laid up with the Mark blues especially around 10x12, which this intro also reminds me of, re: Dean spending a week in his room and Sam popping in to check on him, Sam was still keeping a very wary eye on Dean more that he was a bomb that may explode, and that while he needed to be managed, the power dynamic was extremely, extremely horrifying in that if Sam messed up Dean would murder him. Not an ongoing implicit threat between them, but the knowledge that Dean could become a demon again and demon!Dean would attempt to kill Sam, and so Sam had better do his utmost to keep Dean in a good place. Even if it eventually meant a series of convoluted secrets to try and fix him against his wishes.

Obviously, things are different here. Sam has developed a LOT since then, with season 11 beginning a recovery of his character in tentative little steps which actually kicked off in season 12, and, specifically, in 12x04 under Davy Perez in American Nightmare heralding the new era of Sam focus and lovingly stroking his hair and lavishing him with Sam-sculpted episodes the like of which we hadn't seen all through Carver era.

Now when Sam comes into Dean's room and pulls up a chair and sits down to check up on him, he actually radiates a comfortable, competent authority to do so.

... however he is doing it in that pink shirt which I honestly love the concept of but just wish that I couldn't see Sam in 2x06 showing up in it for the first time, like, my brain is just screaming at him to go get a bunch more pink shirts and refresh his wardrobe

I'm so certain of it but now I have to check because 12 years is such a long time but

http://www.homeofthenutty.com/supernatural/screencaps/albums/SPN2x06/SPN_0060.jpg

Mittens yelled "OH MY GOD" when I sent her the link so I think I'm right

Like, conceptually in every way it's great because it's this long pink shirt that fits him well, fuck toxic masculinity, blah blah action heroes in pink shirts, love it love it love it, but also: it's another fucking plaid shirt Sam has owned since he was a gap-toothed child six years younger than Jack presents as

Dean is lacking his second bedside table, as he has been for seasons, but I'm just staring at him lying sideways on his bed, wondering about his set up, and if this is in any way similar to how he watched all those cowboy movies with Cas, since Davy, of course, was the one to suggest that they had been watching movies together.

"And... not that I'm complaining... House is full of strangers"

Yeah, we know you hate it, Dean. God, it's tragic. In a wonderful way. Sam's built this little empire for himself and it's on top of Dean's old nesting spot. Dean's been forced into his room not just to hide away because he's ashamed but because he doesn't want to be seen and there's too many strange eyes out there. However this resolves, it's going to force some growth. Honestly, as much as Dean loves this room and it means to us, it's also a bleak lonely spot and in the like 7 years they've had the Bunker, Dean's never hooked up in that bed, while it has come to be very much like, well... The bed of an angry nerd living in a basement still using Batman sheets. Again, dark parallels, but of Dean in a dark place.

I'd love if he moved out and got a house in the suburbs.

I mean.

Cas has a house in the suburbs.

(Re: long-running Lizzy watching notes in-jokes about where he stashes a bunch of stuff like demon tablets, first blades, metatron's grace, etc etc)

But yeah, no. I like the idea of Dean nesting, of course. But aside from the obvious conveniences, the Dean Cave, etc, there's no reason it HAS to be here except that this is their inheritance and it's safe. But as I constantly talk about with the library abutting the war room, the work/life balance is always in question and filling the Bunker with strangers is a great way to shove all the life balance out, and leave the only spot left of that to Dean in this room.

If the AU peeps don't all get sent home but remain at least in part a hunter community and maybe even network and grow as the Winchesters finally open up the Bunker's resources and share them and stop being all isolated like Carver era fiercely protected... Dean might have no choice but to move his nesting down the road to somewhere with a sofa where he can park his car out front, and choose to commute in to work.

Awww they have the "our lives are a scary movie" argument again, in a well-worn way. So well-worn this is repeating dialogue from somewhere or other... 2x18? 4x07? God I don't know, implicit in Sam's eyerolling at Halloween in 1x01? All of the above? I am not looking that up. But anyway their stances haven't moved, possibly because this is something that has never really been challenged before. If Sam didn't hate scary movies already, watching 18 hours of Hell Hazers II dailies probably did in any remaining sympathy he would have had towards them, while Dean thrived there.

I guess he may finally have had time to watch it?

And of course stay for the credits to see his name.

Anyway Dean has historically cited movies as research or job adjacent, or vicariously enjoyed watching monsters at work from the safe remove of a screen, while Sam throws it all in to that box where of course it goes to 1x01 where he's running away from ALL of it and has his oddly specific choices to avoid halloween in his day to day as Lawboy. He's struggled to indulge in the weird as a hobby, likes serial killers as, as far as we can diagnose, an outlet of darkness but purely human, and keeps the work/life balance in a rather unhealthy way of denial and boxing things away, because so much of his early seasons arcs were about resisting the life and refusing the call. This harks back to their literal first episode characterisations of Dean being all in and Sam being all out and it's interesting to have us back here in season 14, in a period of such deep reflection, when Sam has finally sort of accepted the life, found a niche in the work that suits him as the boss, and Dean is struggling now with retirement questions, and taking a week off, not liking his home full of strangers, etc etc.

"More Michael Monsters?" Dean asks immediately quick fire when Sam says he has a case.

He may have taken a week off to indulge in pizza but that obsession lurks under his skin. He's in no way done, though I think perhaps better prepared to enter this case than he had been, though of course he's billed as still struggling.

Dean also instantly recognises the Thundercats name, and I'm afraid it's something I'm just not familiar with, that I clearly missed some wave of it when I was younger and it hasn't come back around as an adult... I can't wait to read stuff by people who know more about it and say tragic things about Dean's connection to it. But the important thing here is the dark mirror to the guy who got beat up by the toy, because Dean is being shown as also an enthusiastic nerd who knows the franchise and is excited by this concept and is leaping into a case about it with a "strippers, Sammy. Finally!" level of enthusiasm.

Healthy nerds and unhealthy nerds. But at the same time, Dean might be a better nerd, but his anger last episode is still being examined through this guy.

I love that for Sam and Dean, dressing up for Halloween is dressing up like total nerds in a totally different pop culture way - the old appearance of geeks which is wildly outdated but damned if they aren't putting on pocket protectors anyway. It's a caricature but it's one that is at total odds with who they are as people... More of a traditional halloween thing where normally Sam and Dean are really scary people with weapons, so when you make them dress all topsy turvy, they dress like this instead. They ARE halloween costumes, in their day to day.

Dean continues watching in the shop, Sam eyes up the Red Hood.

I watched that a million years ago with no idea that Jensen was in it, though I had watched the first couple of seasons at that point. I think it was during my "aww the show was cancelled" phase where it was completely off my radar. It's hilarious to me now, because I don't think I COULD watch it, now I know Jensen's voice so disproportionately well. It would be so off-putting.

"She's like your twin."

Sam and Sam both tuck their hair behind their ears at the same moment.

"What are you talking about?"

So. This is going to be extremely subtle.

I hope New Sam survives the episode D:

Sam points out the other guy who people were saying based off the promo pics would be the Dean to this girl's Sam with no idea what was to come. He and Dean in this case are both eating lollipops purloined from the halloween candy.

I guess this guy in the All Saints Day t-shirt shares Dean's love of the same franchise, and seems to represent the bizarre venn diagram with Dean on one side and Andrew Dabb on the other. Their nerdy overlap.

I feel like Sam is just pointing out this character mirror to be an annoying sibling and wow do I love seeing them like this.

I also feel like there is no way Davy would do this if he wasn't about to troll the fuck out of us with these parallels in some terrifying meta way and pointing out that character parallels are a thing this blatantly is about to be Awful somehow.

The Red Hood is staring disapprovingly at them through all of this

Anyway of course Dean Parallel immediately recognises Dean's enthusiasm for Hatchetman and encourages him to press the button, which Dean does with glee. I CLOBBER EVIL. Wait no.

Sometimes we do bad things.

Oh dear.

Oh deeeeeeeeeeear.

Yeah, Hatchetman is like... idk, michael!Dean or something. Or some dark part of Dean where all his violence is and this twisted version is almost like the burned result of the I Clobber Evil hero being melted by Dean and - too meta, I am in pain.

"Vintage hot wheels!"

I know what you want because I have a smol 67 impala on my shelf. Nyoom.

He has an eeny weenie mystery machiney so he can make them race.

Okay guy who got beat up by a toy is called Stuart (I am so bad at names, honestly.)

Of course he got kicked out by his roomie for being insufferable about something as pointless as subs vs dubs, and Sam is already apologising for him before they even go meet him.

Considering there's 3 people working at the shop and Stuart had a trenchcoat, but is also being mirrored to Dean, darkly, I feel like there might be some serious shuffling going on here that surface level, Stuart had that Cas marker, but... yeah

Heeee Dean stealing the Flash mug and making Sam have the one with the cats all over it. One mug representing Stuart, one representing his mum.

I mean it is Sam's turn to have a relationship with THEIR mom this season. Idk if the mugs are actually symbolic over anything other than Dean living his best geek life right now.

I mean he's added the glasses to his ensemble, he's really living it up.

I hope he's still wearing Send Noods under this

Awww it's hot apple cider. What a good mom. This is a perfect halloween drink.

*Stuart Rage Sounds from below*

Wow this is subtle that he has some rage issues.

"Campbell and sons insurance" Hey remember when I said that this whole season's emotional set up with Sam's ownership of the AU peeps reminded me of season 6 and the Campbells? They also literally are the sons of Mary Campbell, so.

No lies, at least, with some serious stretching of the truth.

God, the detail that Dean has played Zelda.

He's being nerdy out loud constantly, and without much fear of judgement. It's wonderful. I guess he's been jostled up enough by Michael that he doesn't really care to hide this random pointless thing that in the grand scheme why should he be ashamed, and also he feels so much worse about other things that this is just an escape to have fun. It also reminds me of last season when he was mourning Cas except that this indulgence Sam is allowing him is co-sponsored by Dean and he's throwing himself into enjoying the smaller things and being more openly Dean-ish than he has in a while. Like, I don't think character comparisons to 8x11 for the nerds is the only way the episodes link :P

In 8x11 Dean's initial reaction to LARPing is that it looks awesome, then he corrects at a look from Sam to being more judgy. In 9x04 as scripted, Sam is surprised that Dean want to read Game of Thrones. So idk if that's just Robbie character interpretations since my 2 surface level examples are from his episodes or if that's just been where open nerdery has lived in past years, but anyway. Sam isn't stopping Dean from indulging in the same way - it seems he also recognises Dean's nerdiness and is less threatened by it than before, in the sense that he doesn't feel like Dean isn't acting himself, but now accepts the nerdiness is a part of Dean.

"Who needs goth girl drama" dude you are the most awful over-dramatic asshole on the show now Lucifer is dead

LOL he's trying to lie about being attacked by a toy now, and Dean points out that he got whooped so thoroughly he was beaten on the back and genitals - so yeah we look at his face and wiiiiince

"Lady you wasn't kidding."

"Big Bang in there..."

Goodness are we calling out the Big Bang theory for its toxic nerdery? Love it.

Sam and Dean halloween costumed as total nerds, still driving around in the Impala. The reverse of someone rolling up in a boring old modern car and, like, a bunch of Draculas get out.

Sam can shave off the beard but it can't stop him Bobby-ing

Dean side-eyes this

"Yeah, it was Riley, he'll be fine."

"I don't know who Riley is, but cool."

God, I am so into this whole dynamic.

Tell me more, Davy.

"So seriously, what is your deal with halloween?"

"I don't like it"

Dean, I am watching this episode on November 2nd, just so you know.

Anyway. This is literally. 1x01's opening adult Sam moment. But Dean's going back to poke Sam about it since he's someone Sam won't lie to in the same way that Sam was concealing his entire being from Jess. I mean this isn't subtle - in 1x01 Dean calls Sam out for doing this. But then, Sam doesn't exactly develop beyond it - in season 8 he does this with Amelia.

Because obviously if Sam is going to move forward and develop there's still things which are not addressed. And if Dean is having his idea of home and work challenged, and his nest disrupted until perhaps he will fly it... Sam has never ever actually addressed his work/life balance in the meaningful way where... like... this was how his difference was introduced when we first ever meet lil babby Sam smiling innocently at us on screen as a kid who has the whole future ahead of him and no idea what torment he's gonna go through. 14 years later, if he's ever going to be a grown up who can handle himself in a relationship and know what is work and what is life and how he can watch halloween movies and not feel personally offended by them but enjoy them as a fantasy and a way of boxing off their world into a safe place they don't have personal responsibility for...

Maybe he might just get a girlfriend who he can tell he is a hunter. Like. Dude. Dean was past that step before the show ever STARTED thanks to his time with Cassie.

Sam, also, metaphorically is an angry guy living in his mom's basement, but perhaps in a more metaphorical way where it's to do with living his whole life under the shadow of his mom horrifically dying as a result of the supernatural and being brought up feeling like a freak and just wanting to be normal and all

wheeee

Anyway Dean is probing for actual answers so I assume Davy will give us a solution to this this episode, but this is my take on it before we get into it properly.

Alternative hypothesis: Davy is personally offended that Sam doesn't like halloween despite it being the best holiday, is determined to fix that and fuck canon, characters can change even 14 years later.

"Don't give me this 'every day is halloween' crap because one it aint, we don't eat that much candy"

I have missed Dean and I love him with every fibre of my being, brb I need to vibrate out of existence at the sheer joy of knowing him

That was the worst "we aren't here staking out your house" move I have ever seen.

You are professionals who have been doing this together for 14 years

why was that so laughably bad?

The youtube comments are so cutting and a bunch of them are unfortunately true. It's self-awareness of using the loser nerd trope but also, cutting in a way because of course Stuart is coming across so much as someone who deserves it - and we're starting to see his mom is sweet and doesn't seem to have caused any trauma in a surface read, and that he was the one who dumped his online gf, and he starts other fights at work or with roomies, so this is getting more and more into territory where he seems fully to blame for his own situation, and therefore you CAN mock him for living in mom's basement, because he PUT himself there, and is single because he chose to be, and so on. The pervading sense that if he was a nicer person, none of this would be happening to him, right down to him stealing the toy in the first place.

Oh boy, the bloody handprint on the wall... We are back in handprint territory, and, you know, maybe because SOMEONE walking past it has been scarred on the wrong shoulder by the actions of an angel or something

There's a chinese take out carton on the shelf in this basement. I doubt it's a collectible.

Send noods.

Okay, that's sort of weird.

If the mom is in costume I don't get the reference. I hope someone else has handled that.

We're going to get her POV on her loser son now, I guess.

"Everything's fine :)" *leaves the room* "everything is not fine!"

Are we calling them out for using "fine" so loosely again too huh?

(Side note: Jack saying he's fine while consumptive, and yeah I am still upset about that. What are you doing to the boy????)

Dean and Sam split up and as Sam walks off a nurse eyes him up and smiles. No idea how intentional that was but I mean, can you blame her? :P

You know, I don't know anything about this franchise, but Sam just jumped to see a toy of a guy who looks weirdly similar to the vampires that ATE HIM a few weeks ago.

He checks over his shoulder in case Dean manifested at his side just in time to see that

Awww Dean and New Dean meet. "he must have awesome insurance"

He calls Stuart's mom "Babs" which is hilarious. They seem close.

New Dean has issues with his dad and Stuart lets him crash with him no questions asked. I suppose Dean isn't going to think too hard about how Sam's choice for his parallel has issues with his dad.

This forgiveness for Stuart's behaviour because he's kind to his own people is a very TFW trait, which makes New Dean more like Sam or Cas forgiving Dean his outbursts, as he's by far the ragiest of them, with Cas trailing in second and Sam the zen fucking master.

Lol Dean and New Dean are both dragged into the room to watch All Saints Day 3 like they're being pulled in on a line

Oh dear, they're bonding.

Davy isn't usually on top of these things but he's channeling a lot of Edlund today and Edlund always had these sort of guys like Andy or Aaron who are so Dean's type in a harmless shared interests and getting stoned together way. This is a bit extreme with the guy's tininess and scruffiness but you know, we'll see how this develops, if it's an accidental twins or a missed connections soulmate dealio.

... You're taking to someone who's still bitter that Andy and Dean would have been perfect together, so.

Also this New Dean guy is demonstrating how to be a Good Fan - he may be as intensely nerdy as Stuart, but he and Dean can compare movies and even though they don't share a favourite, agree that the whole series is great and can see the merits both in each other's favourites, and in another movie that isn't either of their favourites but could be if they happened to be inclined that way.

So healthy :')

"It was always nice to check out. I like watching movies where I KNOW the bad guy's going to lose"

Ow ow ow. But yeah, there's Dean's pro-Halloween rationale, that the tropeyness of the genre has its comforts that every ridiculous horror thing is entirely safe and no one is ACTUALLY going to get eaten by any of these things. Which is also how normal people enjoy horror but at the metaphorical remove of being scared by things we may not literally meet but still represent anxieties we might have in our real lives.

Catharsis, yo

Sam barges in on New Sam to ask her the usual series of increasingly weird questions which get the "are you really insurance?" eyebrows.

"Downtown Salem" - are they in Salem as in the witch hunt one?

I kinda love how New Sam is talking with a speech bubble beside her. So meta.

I think New Dean is called Dirk.

Oops Stuart wasn't one of the co-owners because he kept getting fired for stealing D: Stuart, dude.

"And you hired Stuart back?" "he's my friend"

I think there is commentary appearing here about not just Stuart's unhealthy explosive rage, but that the people around him enable it - even Jordan fired him TWICE rather than banish him forever. The cycle of coddling him without encouraging him to change... Again, this speaks rather more of season 10 and a critique of Sam n Cas from there rather than much currently ongoing with Dean. Sam was complicit in originally abducting Kaia and he and Jody didn't move to stop Dean with Bad Kaia, so though it's in the focus as a critique on Dean's reactions, I feel like the real bad cycles were in Carver era. Though the behaviour still somewhat exists in Dabb era, the overall unhealthiness has declined so much, there isn't a constant oppresive blanket of it as there is here in this shop with Stuart being so awful to everyone and self-destructive.

(It's probably also not a coincidence that this thing has latched onto Dean as well, a la 4x06 I'd guess... Sam got no ghost vibes in the basement, Dean did, and was attacked... To me this is seeming to suggest that his current state has picked up the ghost's ire in the same way in 4x06 he was vulnerable. Loops and loops of things going on so I'll unpick that later if it does turn out to be the case clearly.)

Anyway. This seems to be more about destructive cycles and abusive dynamics, and I would hope a nudge for Dean, though his exile at the start of this episode also suggests to me he knew full well after threatening Kaia that he'd overreacted and needed to take 5, even if there was also a layer of sulking until news of Michael. Her call out was clear enough to make him self-reflect. So I would hope that this episode is here to try and steer Dean's reaction through various pathways, ideally to keep him from falling into anything too awful, as a reminder of where this may lead?

Sam sees the glass case freeze over, and pulls out the EMF, playing it off and being like "nothing... carbon monoxide detector" even as New Sam is understandably a little freaked.

Is this messing with Sam's refusal to tell Jess about monsters by having him keep the truth from New Sam until she's physically endangered?

I mean, carbon monoxide in enough quantities to make the blatantly homemade gadget go "WHEEE" and light up every single LED is a good enough reason to flee the room

"I think you're in danger -" Sam is smacked around the head by Hatchetman because he delayed too long and now he has been knocked out

"Samantha?" Sam determined not to let New Sam out-Sam him

I mean if she is you then she has been knocked out

How does this keep happening to you

how much head trauma has Cas healed over the years?

This is why they have to keep him an angel...

"Is this expensive?" "Wha - no don't!" *BOING* *silence* "yeeeah it's shatterproof glass"

If Jordan really just wants to kill Stuart for getting them a 1 star Yelp review then this also has a weird shade of 11x07 where the ghost was getting revenge and took a few attempts to kill that one guy, eventually succeeding as the clown.

Except the clown was tuned to freak Sam out

and Dean's probably gonna be thrilled to fight Hatchetman

Dean having movie night with new Dean (probably stoned but we can't see it) with comatose Stuart in the middle

incredible

2 dudes watching horror movies 5 feet apart with a comatose guy in the middle because they aren't gay

Dean is thrilled to fight Hatchetman

I feel like this can't last

Davy throws in a gratuitous Halloween moment of Hatchetman walking through the park which is just bedecked in Halloween nonsense

no one cares about him wandering around because it's Halloween

It does make you wonder just HOW much nonsense happening on Halloween really is monsters and stuff out there enjoying themselves because it's expected, which, again, like Sam n Dean dressing up as nerds for this whole episode, having monsters mixing with regular folk and being treated as equals is literally the whole Halloween thing. There's less threat than in 4x07 because we're assuming at this point in the episode that the ghost does have a pretty one-track mind about killing Stuart because with all the characterising nonsense filling the episode the actual plot has been pretty sparse considering we're getting to the final 10 minute run now. So, yeah. This Hatchetman ghost is just out there being a part of the festivities, because that's what happens on Halloween, man

LOL And like Sam not telling his double until it was too late, Dean gets this call and is really open in answering in front of new Dean, and now he's filling in New Dean on everything instead of trying to get him to leave or protect him not just from the monster but from knowing about it at all.

Davy like, hey, remember when ghosts used to do loads of freaky stuff on this show just to be scary? And maybe it seemed like you all were getting bored of it or something, but hey this guy has no idea after 14 years that he shouldn't leave the salt line when everything starts thumping in the room despite having been warned the ghost is coming...

Hehehe Dean gets an axe... The moment of him going to smash it then not and checking if it's open... Whether that was improv or not, it's a good character thing in the sense that Dean is being encouraged not to smash first and ask questions later by the meta plot of the episode

Omg New Dean is as brave as our Dean in some ways... He sees Babs in trouble, and immediately is like "HEY" and starts confronting Jordon in Hatchetman

"He's MY friend. He's OUR friend." That's an interesting take on my/our, because that statement works on both levels - both that Dirk is protective of Stuart because he cares about him, but also that Jordan has his own investment in not killing Stuart that he should remember. In terms of emotional appeal, the first is confrontational while the second is the deep appeal to the ghost.

Filed in the deep deep deep deep deep flips of the crypt scenes, this moment demonstrates about 3 different kinds of flips, while still holding true to possessing thing out of its right mind confronting loved one

Omg the hospital security guards watching the Hatchetman chase a damsel through the hospital while New Dean is chased through THEIR hospital. Talk about dramatic irony and a whole commentary on the metaness of Dabb era in the story reversals and extractions to new levels and repurposing of scenes and narratives...

And despite it playing out scene by scene, the guards are laughing at the bad dialogue and pointing out how Hatchetman is so slow, so how can he even catch them, while the damsel slows herself down and badly fakes a trip so that he can catch up to her...

"We killed you! You're dead!" "We all do bad things sometimes"

And there we get the context for the cool quote the Hatchetman model can recite - just as how in fandom often things are quoted out of context as lines which seem emotional or special but are actually awful. Just for starters, all the Sam n Dean fans using "there aint no me if there aint no you" when Dean didn't even SAY that. Now we see the context of this line, we see that while Hatchetman really isn't deep, he's at least not just saying it to sound cool and talk about himself, he's judging the protagonist for her behaviour, as well as invoking relative morality. Which brings up some interesting ideas about what Hatchetman considers good and evil, in regards to seeming to have a concept of it but not including kill himself as a good thing to do. Obviously completely wild in context but in the philosophical language of the show, the nature of monsters and all is one huge question, along with if Sam and Dean are murderers themselves, and of course how they have done bad things for good reasons and vice versa.

Also I think Sam is about to blow up the door?

"I had a messed up childhood" he says, about to blow up a vintage SCOOBY DOO lunchbox to freedom.

SAMMY. Stop destroying symbols of childhood.

At least he's talking freely to New Sam about himself, which is probably already more than he ever let on to Jess. He really wanted to pretend to be well-adjusted to her, that he probably, like, would have rather waited for a locksmith with her than just pick the door to their apartment if they were locked out, you know?

RIP Scooby Doo.

"Cool" they both say, and share a smile.

It's probably weird to ship Sam and Sam just because the shipname is Sam

Dirk went to hide in the fucking Morgue

well done

Okay I need the security guards back to comment on how the fuck Hatchetman knew New Dean would come to the morgue with enough time to beat him there AND cover himself in a sheet and play dead.

Also before that happened Dean grabbed New Dean by the correct shoulder, and made him jump but aw don't worry it's just your new best friend.

Ghost Jordan is still a fucking nerd even in death because rather than talk to them, he presses the button to summon a catchphrase

It's good to know some things never change even when you are a murderous shell of your former self.

UGH SIGH DAVY ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO DO THIS TO ME?

(The director might also be to blame)

So now they are cobbling together a fake trailer for Hatchetman, using footage from the show

That is to say, Hatchetman is set on Oct. 31st, 1983, or, of course, 2 days before Azazel ruined everything.

I'm not sure if this shot is from the show because we have so few Halloween episodes that an exterior shot with Halloween elements would have to be faked up, but the house looks very much like the old Winchester house, but with a bigger porch and more dramatic features. It does, however, strongly feature the tree branch shadows over the appropriate wall to make it look exactly like the opening shot of their story, while this is the opening shot of the Hatchetman story.

"David Jaeger was an honest man making an honest living" *generic shot of something being worked on*

*shot of the back of John Winchester's head walking into his garage in 5x13 to discover his boss out cold because Anna is about to attempt to murder him, said boss hilariously visible in the shot if you know he's there*

So. That happened :P Hatchetman is John. That ain't subtle if you recognise the back of his head in a split second. Even if you don't they're casting him as a car mechanic which is of course directly connected to Dean and John.

"Until one night when a practical joke turned deadly"

*footage of the wife spectre-rage killing her husband in the cold open of 8x06 because she was still pissed he slept with someone else on prom night*

I think the burning vehicle was the car from 10x13 that Sam and Dean burned early in the episode, where it was violently reminiscent of them burning the memory of John for some meta reason I can't remember at the time, but definitely inspired a lot of frantic fandom typing.

Of course the ghost in that episode was the classic ragey vengeance ghost which was blatantly paralleled to the path Dean was on with the Mark of Cain, complete with being crypt scened out of it by a trenchcoat-wearing widow.

They're implying he was then burned alive and left for dead and I don't recognise the footage of the burned feet but I assume they're from some episode or another.

Anyway then they go to more new footage from the "actual" hatchetman movies. This one is set on Nov. 1st so it's not even a "Halloween" movie but ACTUALLY All Saint's Day (All Hallow's Eve being what Hallowe'en is a corruption of), Nov. 1 being of course a meta nod to the fact the episode is not even airing on Halloween but Davy just really really really really wanted his halloween episode so shut up and enjoy it :P

Oh, it's All Saints Day III The Reckoning. Because of course it's a reckoning. That's all that happens in Dabb era, reckonings.

I am so upset.... I made a joke about 5x05 waaay back, and now it's true because of the whole random thing about Dean's random Axe that was John's that Paris Hilton was going to use to Reckoning him but then Sam murderered her before she could. Now Dean's being reckoned.

Okay Dean is a lil dark right now but his come at me bro of "I was hoping you'd say that" and the preceding speech is incredible. I can't believe this show has Jensen except that I CAN believe that with Jensen we go 14 seasons because FUCK he's scary and intense when he wants to be.

But he delivered that chilling speech and then had the ghost use a red button to talk to him and then was badass at it

I mean

he can put the terror into ANY situation

I am a hysterical laugher, I could not have stood where Dean stood in that moment and taken Hatchetman seriously, even under threat of mortal peril. I once nearly got expelled for hysterical laughing over an untied shoelace that started a rapidly spiralling incident.

I love the new fight guy

I love how Dean is spoiling for a fight, and really enjoying how he can push back against this ghost, in a really, really scary way. But in a cold way, not the red hot Mark of Cain way he was dark last time. He's grinning and enjoying this nerdy ass fight, but it's got a vicious streak.

I especially love the choreography of Dean smashing Hatchetman around the head with clashes in time to the music followed by an elevator ding as Sam and New Sam emerge in the next scene.

Poetic cinema

New Sam guesses the key thing for ghost attachment and Old Sam is impressed.

Careful buddy, they're lining you up for replacement.

Dean seems not to have won this fight with the Hatchetman. I bet if Stuart was awake he'd have some useful advice for how anyone could beat him in a fight but especially Stuart, if they knew the correct thing to do.

New Dean saved Old Dean! Maybe we can teamwork distract the Hatchetman and win together. Possibly this is a metaphor for... working with yourself...

Is it foreshadowing for a fight later in the season of plot significance, just like in 11x07 Sam got beat up by a clown in a cage, as a not too subtle metaphor for Lucifer? I'd love an in Dean's head kinda nonsense with Mikey.

"Dean, key chain!"

TEAMWORK BROS ARE THE BEST BROS

New Sam chips in for her part with fuel for the fire.

Everyone high five the Sam or Dean/Dirk to your left

Oh, COOL effect of a ghostly spirit burning out of a model Hatchetman, who is unscatched by the ordeal

I mean, good, he's probably a really expensive collectible

He falls over with a thud, and goes out on a warbling "time to slice and diiiiiiiii" much like "I clobber evil" died on the fire with a last gutteral noise.

Hopefully bookending each other in terms of models with representations in their voices that haunt Dean and all.

Dean, unprompted, thanks Sam for getting him out of his funk and giving him an easy ghost hunt to win. I guess what 13x05 was supposed to be is what this actually turned out to be.

(Honestly, giving Davy episodes post-drama to let us all unwind is turning out to be an extremely good idea with 13x06 as well)

I am MAJORLY concerned about the time stamp on this episode. It better end in a few seconds and go to a full 3 minute trailer for Hell Hazers III or else.

"It was awesome!" "it wasn't really," says Sam, who burst into the room in time to see his brother pinned and choking

Sam moves on to confronting Dean with the concept of not just hiding in his room when they get back.

He gives Dean the "OI, CHEER UP" talk we've all been yelling at the screen. Good. Good Sammy.

Dean turns to the camera. "I'm never going to get over it. I'm just not."

Look, Sam, just because Dean stabbed Lucifer for you, and now you are sleeping without fear, doesn't mean everyone has that luxury :P

elizabethrobertajones Oh dear, there's still 4 minutes left er I guess I keep watching .... *grimaces nervously*

mittensmorgul :D just watch it in context with the rest of the episode

elizabethrobertajones um what I didn't get far enough into what happens next to know what you mean so that's super ominous Sam is still psychoanalysing Dean in car NOW yo uhave me REALLY worried.

Hey, remember how I started this episode with a vague warning from Mittens? Why am I now getting the feeling that I still haven't watched whatever that was about?

"I'm not doing any good cooped up in my room. So whatever you need, I'm there." ("Chief"?)

"Alright, Chief?"

Oh, man. I'm turning into Dean.

Also Dean appears to have, finally, ceded power over to Sam. Again, the reversals of season 10 - Sam was put in this position of power he just was not ready to cope with and not with the stakes that were laid against him. But here, Dean might be driving the car but he's putting all the real power into Sam's hands.

elizabethrobertajones Is it why Sam hates Halloween because Dean turns out to have set an alarm on his watch to remind him to bug Sam about it again the intrigue you have spun is starting to get to me more than actually watching the episode :P

mittensmorgul oh gosh, I should've just kept my mouth shut. It was seriously just an innocent comment for a nice BM scene :P

I am more horrified about the concept of Sam telling an embarrassing story than I am about any amount of slasher and gore. Look, I can Not handle social squickiness and I love Sam and that is going to make this extremely hard to hear.

Dean's gonna love it though, I can tell.

Please. Protect. Sammy.

"It was soooo bad" he says with a haunted look of a man who has been tortured by the devil

Andrea's party got there first

"Next year, we're doing halloween right"

Oh no, don't you dare start talking like you're going to be alive and ready for a party next year, Dean Winchester. I will perish in your place to make it happen.

BAHAHA Dean coming up with matching outfits and suggests Bert and Ernie, before rejecting that one as too weird.

Yeah, you might not remember but we do

We are never going to let you live it down, in fact.

Also, listen, his mouth runs miles ahead of his brain, that was not suggestive until he realised it was and backtracked

You also can't go as Shaggy and Scooby unless you go to a party WITH them and they go as you and Sam

Thelma and Louise... Dean, stop.

Okay it's hilarious that Davy managed to get both Bert and Ernie and Thelma and Louise into this like... somewhere riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight deep down Dean's consciousness is putting things together. It doesn't remember half the shit he says, but like. Hey. Why ARE those two sets of on screen pairs connected, huh, Dean?

Oh, whatever, he's just trying to annoy Sam now

Nyoooom

IT'S THE SECURITY GUARD

RUN, MAN, RUN

Ew, I left it playing to type that and it told me to watch Legacies

Well that was the one wrong note in this whole episode so I suppose something had to happen like that :P

#Davy fanclub #14x04 #season 14 spoilers #oh my god it's good to have the internet back #my stuff

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forestwater87 · 6 years

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Underrated Characters Appreciation Weeks I’m too lazy to set up....

...but I’m proud of myself for having created. So if y’all wanna adopt any of these, you can go wild (please tag me though! I wanna see them!). Otherwise, shower me with praise.

(They’re very writing-heavy and often just a list of questions, so if you borrow anything feel free to tweak as suits your inspiration; the questions/suggestions are really just to get people thinking!)

I’m gonna put them below the cut so it doesn’t get too long, but you have to look forward to:

Jasper Appreciation Week

Cameron Campbell Appreciation Week

Gwen Appreciation Week

Bonquisha Appreciation Week

Dirty Kevin Appreciation Week

QM Appreciation Week

Other Secondary Characters Appreciation Week

Elevated Extras Appreciation Week

Nerris Appreciation Week

Space Kid Appreciation Week

Ered Appreciation Week

Harrison Appreciation Week

Dolph Appreciation Week

Nikki Appreciation Week

Preston Appreciation Week

Nurf Appreciation Week

Flower Scouts Appreciation Week

Woodscouts Appreciation Week

Jasper Appreciation Week

Who doesn’t love this good good ghost boy?

Day 1: 90s Kid -- Depict Jasper doing something radical.

Day 2: Jasper’s Camp -- Show off Jasper’s time as Camp Campbell’s golden boy.

Day 3: David -- It’s the only character he has a real canon relationship with . . .

Day 4: Life After Death -- What does he do with himself on that there island all day?

Day 5: All Grown Up -- We’ve all thought about it.

Day 6: Best Friend to Campers -- Pick a non-David character and develop his relationship with them.

Day 7: Spookily Ever After -- How does Jasper’s story end? On Spooky Island forever? Leaving this realm? Becoming the camp’s new mascot? Or was he somehow alive the whole time? Let your imagination go wild!

Cameron Campbell Appreciation Week

He’s sleazy. He’s morally bankrupt. He’s everyone’s favorite non-blonde-twink villain!

Day 1: Shady Business Dealings -- What’s Campbell up to when he’s not at camp? What does he want with Camp Campbell? Was that Nazi gold in his vault? Something’s fishy here, and I’m curious what everyone thinks is going on.

Day 2: Mysterious Past -- How on earth does someone like Campbell happen, anyway? This could be stuff about his childhood, how he got into . . . whatever illegal nonsense he’s up to, how he met QM, even how he got away with not getting in trouble for what happened to Jasper.

Day 3: Spooky Island -- Seriously, what on earth was going on in that house? Focus on the coolest/creepiest thing in there and go nuts.

Day 4: Fears & Other Random Headcanons -- Basically your Free Space day.

Day 5: Boss Man -- Focusing specifically on his relationships with the counselors.

Day 6: (Relation)Ships -- Yeah, yeah, gotta have it somewhere. This one is pretty open to interpretation, and should be considered platonic or not. Just depict the most interesting/fun relationship you think Campbell has. Is that cold black heart even capable of affection, anyway? (If you think he’s a foxy grandpa, go wild today.)

Day 7: What Happens Next? -- Is he gonna ever leave that cave? Team up with Daniel? Gone for good? What’s up ahead for the most notorious criminal who’s ever run a summer camp?

Gwen Appreciation Week

I mean, come on. You knew I was gonna do it.

Day 1: Background -- There are a lot of interesting headcanons about Gwen’s backstory, cultural heritage, etc. City girl or country bumpkin, Latina or African-American or rich or poor or college dropout or whatever, pick what you think is the most interesting headcanon for Gwen (something that’s related to her time before the show, that is) and go nuts.

Day 2: Favorite Camper -- Pick one of the kiddos and have them bond with their grumpiest caregiver.

Day 3: All Dolled Up -- She’s always in that counselor uniform. What does she look like outside of camp?

Day 4: Ships -- Obviously.

Day 5: That Tragic Plot Twist -- If you have an idea what makes Gwen such a grumpy disaster of panic and unemployment -- or just want to have fun making things unnecessarily dark for such a lighthearted cartoon which I know you do; I’ve read the fanfiction -- it’s time to unleash the angst.

Day 6: Anywhere Else -- AUs! AUs in all directions! Gwen doesn’t want to be at camp, so let’s plop her into another world where she might be happier . . . or might not be.

Day 7: A Campbell Camper? Whether you think Gwen was one of the kids who grew up at Camp Campbell or not, I think we’d all agree it’d be fun to imagine.

Bonquisha Appreciation Week

Because she deserves it and will probably kill you if you don’t appreciate her enough.

Day 1: Those Wild Shirts -- Draw her in another fantastic outfit, or speculate where her amazing fashion sense (and vanity plates) came from. She has a filthy mouth and a whole lotta confidence, and the first day of this week is to celebrate that!

Day 2: Home Sweet Trailer -- Put her in her house on 69 Dirt Rd. and think about what kinds of things a girl like Bon would call home.

Day 3: Dog -- She has one. Tell us about it!

Day 4: Work/Hometown HCs -- What does someone even do in a town that small? Whether you think she’s a waitress alongside that cute pink-haired gal, or if she lives out of town and drove up to see David, ponder a little bit of what Bonquisha does in or around Sleepy Peak and show it to us.

Day 5: Bonvid -- How did that relationship with David crash and burn so hard, anyway? And what does it look like after that episode?

Day 6: Other Relationships -- Bonquisha vs. Tabii, or Gwenquisha, or bffs with Dirty Kevin, or any sort of connection you’d like to expand upon or forge between Bon-Bon and another character in the show. Hell, draw her and Jacob if you think that’s cute; it’s canon, after all.

Day 7: Muscles to Die For -- She’s big and beautiful and could absolutely murder everyone. Let’s just spend out last day appreciating how very much of a badass Bonquisha is.

Dirty Kevin Appreciation Week

The very goodest alternative Den Mother there ever was.

Day 1: Probably a Real Brat -- What was he like as a kid or teenager?

Day 2: Drugs & More Drugs -- Show us Kevin hard at work or tell us how he got into this crazy business.

Day 3: That Red Hoodie -- It’s kind of his trademark, and this is a day to appreciate it.

Day 4: From Sleepy Peak to Mexico -- Take your favorite part from Kevin’s debut appearance and do something fun with it.

Day 5: Den Mommy -- We’ve all thought about Dirty Kevin as a Flower Scout mother, and if you haven’t, you’re lying.

Day 6: Cleaned Up -- Get him a nice facial grooming and some good clothes, and you could have a handsome gentleman right there. What on earth would that look like?

Day 7: Not Such a Lone Wolf -- Whether you have an OTP or just love the idea of Kevin being friends with certain characters, show us who you think he has a soft spot for.

QM Appreciation Week

Listen, we’re all a little afraid of him, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve the spotlight for a bit. Even if we know he’ll probably do unspeakable things in and to that spotlight.

Day 1: God or Just Crazy? Whether it’s his apparent inability to age or how he can magically find little woodland paradises in the middle of the camp, there’s a lot of weird going on there. Celebrate the man who may or may not be a murderer and may or may not actually be a literal deity and all his strange, often supernatural weirdness.

Day 2: Hook -- Hey, how’d he lose that hand?

Day 3: Man vs. Squirrels -- He has a blood feud with many woodland creatures.

Day 4: QM Store -- There’s a lot of wacky stuff in there. What did you like best, or what do you think was hidden in the corners that we didn’t get to see?

Day 5: Bonding -- QM’s been there for a long (long long long) time, and he’s clearly known Campbell and David at least for years. Pick a character and explore what their relationship with the Quartermaster might be like.

Day 6: Tontine -- So what on earth was going on there?

Day 7: Camp Specter -- Regardless of how you approached Day 1, the fact remains that for whatever reason, the Quartermaster is at Camp Campbell for good. You can speculate why he’s there or just show us him hard at work doing . . . whatever he does, but today I just wanna see our beloved QM lurking around the camp!

Other Secondary Characters Appreciation Week

To all those characters who hang out in the background, making the campers’ shenanigans more fun.

Day 1: Daniel -- I don’t consider him in any way under-appreciated, but he’s a pretty spectacular way to kick off Season 2, and also this week.

Day 2: Platypus -- Mother of six five four three two one lunch and terror of the camp.

Day 3: Cute Waitress -- Y’all sure do love her. Show your love!

Day 4: Jermy Fartz -- Oh yeah. I went there.

Day 5: Darla & Gregg -- How can anyone who isn’t David be that excited about camping? Were they totally secretly dating? Where are they now, and how did they get there?

Day 6: The Denizens of Sleepy Peak -- Whether your heart belongs to Lester, Fred, the old geezers, or any of the others populating the nearby town, it’s time to show them some love.

Day 7: Parents -- How else would we end this week but with some family bonding?

Elevated Extras Appreciation Week

They’re not as memorable as the secondary characters. They don’t even have lines. But they’re ours and we love them.

Day 1: Former Campbell Campers -- we see in the picture on David’s bulletin board that there were a lot of kids who used to come to the camp. Show or tell us about your favorite!

Day 2: Camp Counselor of the Year Judges -- What was up with those guys? Were they even human?

Day 3: Other Camps -- Lake Lilac is home to Teen Church Camp, Pirate Camp, and who knows how many others? Let’s enjoy them!

Day 4: Larry -- Poor, poor undeserving Larry. RIP, my fuzzy man.

Day 5: Scotty -- Visual comedy camp? Seriously?

Day 6: Chucky -- What happened to him anyway?

Day 7: Your choice! Think I forgot the most important one? Time to correct that mistake! (Listen, if you’re mad I didn’t include Jen, consider this the Jen space.)

Nerris Appreciation Week

Devoted to the real(?) magic kid.

Day 1: The Cute -- Artists, draw how cute she is! Writers, maybe think about how the nickname came about! Or do something completely different! I don’t care!

Day 2: Magic War -- Explore her relationship with Harrison.

Day 3: Elf-kin -- What does that even look like? What does it mean?

Day 4: Bonding with Mere Mortals -- The camp is full of people and animals. Pick one and play with their relationship with Nerris.

Day 5: Dice -- What do they look like? How did she get them?

Day 6: Fandom -- A girl that excited about fantasy has to be quite the fan of a lot of things. Show us her interacting with her favorite stuff.

Day 7: Her Party -- Her relationship with her slightly-clueless mother and extremely-geeky dad.

Space Kid Appreciation Week

The most obvious appreciation week in the entire world.

Day 1: Astronaut -- Whether you want to show him all grown up or as a little kid, give us a glimpse of what Neil the real-life spaceman would be like.

Day 2: Aliens -- Another type of spaceman.

Day 3: Fishbowl -- A day to just appreciate his adorable, impractical costume.

Day 4: Punching Bag -- He’s been pushed around and disregarded by Max, Nurf, Max, the counselors, various animals, and Max. This is a day dedicated to his unfortunate luck and indomitable good spirit.

Day 5: Sick -- After that trip he took across the lake to the moon, and barely surviving the flu zombies, Space Kid could probably use some patching up.

Day 6: Science Guys -- The two Neils, bonding.

Day 7: SPACE!!! -- Give us Space Kid interacting with his favorite hobby ever.

Ered Appreciation Week

A very very cool week.

Day 1: Skater -- Even on the camp’s awful cardboard halfpipe, Ered’s still a budding Tony Hawk.

Day 2: Dye -- Dedicated to her awesome -- dare we say cool? -- hair.

Day 3: Camp Kool Kidz -- Celebrate her short-lived tenure as the head of Camp Campbell.

Day 4: Extreme -- What other extreme sports does she like to get up to?

Day 5: Queen Bee -- Her relationship with one or more of the other campers.

Day 6: Wipeout -- She gets injured a lot, doesn’t she?

Day 7: Cool Gay FBI Dads -- They’re the most wholesome family that regularly gets into gunfights.

Harrison Appreciation Week

Devoted to the . . . real(?) magic kid? (Didn’t we already do this?)

Day 1: Harry’s Son -- His outfit is pure Vegas showman, his VA and accent seem to suggest Israeli descent, and he may or may not be a literal wizard. His parents are terrified of him, but his mom says he’ll grow into his looks. Give some backstory to this lovable kid and his love of illusions.

Day 2: Actual, Real, Terrifying Magic -- This kid isn’t messing around. From summoning fireballs to making both objects and living things appear and disappear, he has some serious supernatural chops.

Day 3: Apprenticeship -- He and Nikki’s relationship consists of equal parts mutual admiration and mayhem. What do the two of them get up to behind the scenes?

Day 4: Brother -- Time for theories (and angst, of course angst) about how and why he “made his brother disappear.”

Day 5: Any Resemblance to Bill Cipher is Pure Coincidence -- . . . probably. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to imagine that crossover!

Day 6: Frenemies -- Harrison has a habit of getting on people’s nerves. Pick at least one character and develop their relationship with the magic kid.

Day 7: Hufflepuff Pride -- Jordan Cwierz confirmed it! This last day is about celebrating all things yellow and black and (mostly) well-intentioned.

Dolph Appreciation Week

I know, he’s controversial. But he’s a kid with a passion for art and no understanding of history, and he could use some love as well.

Day 1: Painting -- Exactly what it says on the tin. While he is clearly skilled at lots of different types of art, this is the one he seems to like the most.

Day 2: Where’s the Yellow? He is the only one who doesn’t wear anything camp-themed. Give us a glimpse of what might’ve happened to that signature yellow clothing.

Day 3: Stage Manager -- Multiple times throughout the series Dolph is shown as Preston’s right-hand man by helping him design sets and acting in his plays; Preston even returns the favor by posing for a painting. Today is dedicated to the strange relationship of the theatre and art kids.

Day 4: Camp Counselor of the Year! Incredibly, Dolph appears to be quite the competent leader for his age, and his one day of running the camp went smoothly for the most part. Maybe he has the makings of a great counselor after all.

Day 5: The Elephant in the Room -- We all knew it was coming. Whether you find the Hitler jokes hilarious or offensive, everyone has an opinion about this particular character choice. Now’s the time to speculate what happens when he gets older, or completely retcon this aspect of his personality, or do whatever you’d like to with his . . . peculiarities.

Day 6: Father Issues -- According to the show’s wiki, “his father is an American lieutenant, who raised him on a German army base where he supposedly gained a love of art and soccer like many Europeans, much to his father's dismay.” Oof, that’s a lot to unpack. Time for backstory!

Day 7: Not Such a Bad Kid -- Despite his . . . controversial elements, Dolph as a character seems fairly sweet and oblivious, and is loved by a significant portion of the fanbase for these qualities. A free day of sorts, this is about accentuating the positive and appreciating the awkward, artistic weirdo underneath the jokes.

Nikki Appreciation Week

I was really close to not including this, because I don’t consider her an underrated character exactly, but Neil has a week and, let’s be honest, it’d be fun.

Day 1: Rough n’ Tumble -- Nikki isn’t afraid of fighting, and she’s no stranger to getting dirty or even hurt. Show the wild child doing something fun, reckless, and probably not very smart.

Day 2: Raised by Wolves -- Imagine an AU where she actually was as much a literal daughter of the forest as she wants to be.

Day 3: Just a Tiny Bit Traditional -- Despite being such a tomboy, there’s a part of Nikki that is deeply romantic and even maternal. Whether through a version of her that’s a bit older or a quiet moment at the camp, show us a little bit more of her gentle side.

Day 4: BFFs, Potential Step Siblings, Sidekicks -- A day to appreciate Neil and Nikki’s relationship, whatever you see that as.

Day 5: Flower Scout Nikki -- What was her time across the lake like?

Day 6: Parent Troubles -- She and her mom have a difficult relationship, and her dad doesn’t seem to be around that much. Show us Nikki and one or more of her guardians, and what that relationship might be like.

Day 7: Holidays! Her first and greatest love is Christmas, but there’s probably not a holiday she wouldn’t throw herself into. Give her a chance to celebrate any holiday you want!

Preston Appreciation Week

Get ready for some high-octane theatrics!

Day 1: A Flair for the Dramatic -- I don’t care what you do with this one, just give it lots of DRAMA!

Day 2: Speak Up -- Preston and his grandmother are really close, but his parents seem to be AWOL. Every Appreciation Week needs a backstory- and/or family-centric day, and that’s what this is.

Day 3: Cosplay -- What’s Preston’s favorite play? Let’s have him dress up like a character in that show.

Day 4: Stage Presence -- Give the boy a spotlight and an audience!

Day 5: The Bard -- He seems to love writing and directing even more than performing. Show him creating the next Hamilton (or more likely, Hamilton’s weird sequel involving pirates and aliens).

Day 6: Theater Nerd -- Either as a high school AU or just some time in the future, image Preston fully engrossed in that drama club life.

Day 7: Tribe -- Every weirdo has their group of friends. Either through OCs or other characters in Camp Camp, give or describe the people that make up the group in which he belongs.

Nurf Appreciation Week

Gaylord Nurfington, much like Shrek, is like an onion: smelly, surprisingly layered, and will probably make you cry.

Day 1: Big N Tough -- He’s built like a brick shithouse and mean as a bear, and that’s part of why we love him. Celebrate the fact that this guy can (and probably will) kick anyone’s ass.

Day 2: Theater Kid? -- We’ve seen Nurf involved in Preston’s productions more than once. Have some fun with his apparent interest in the performing arts.

Day 3: His Mother’s Boy -- Mother and son time!

Day 4: Surprising Depths -- Show Nurf doing something no one would ever have thought he would enjoy and/or be good at.

Day 5: A Thoughtful Bully . . . -- As the self-proclaimed most self-actualized character in the show, Nurf has proven to be remarkably cognizant of his own issues and respectful of others’. Give him a positive-ish interaction with another character.

Day 6: . . . Is Still a Bully -- But let’s be real: Nurf can be a total jerk. Let the kid be mean today!

Day 7: Knives -- Where the hell is he getting all of those, anyway? Regardless, show Nurf with his favorite toys.

Flower Scouts Appreciation Week

They’ll kill you with a smile and fantastic hair, then they’ll use their drug contacts to bury the bodies.

Day 1: Grace & Class -- No one is prettier and daintier than these angels -- and nobody knows it better than them.

Day 2: Nicer than Disneyland -- Whether you’d like to focus on their shady cookie dealings, the washed-up Miss Priss, or even invent your own Scout, give yourself a chance to explore a part of the Flower Scouts that hasn’t been given much screentime yet.

Day 3: Sasha -- A day dedicated to the quintessential Queen Bee. Manipulative, clever, and pretty damn selfish, Sasha is undoubtedly the leader of the Scouts, and you better respect it.

Day 4: Erin -- If your heart hasn’t been captured by this heterochromatic science nerd, this day is not for you. But for the rest of us, grab your pumpkin spice and head off to Fraaaaance to celebrate her!

Day 5: Tabii -- What she lacks in common sense she makes up for with being absolutely terrifying. Tabii-with-two-eyes-with-one-eye is an emotional rollercoaster, and she deserves a little bit of love today.

Day 6: Not-So Delicate Girls -- From drug empires to vats of acid, the Flower Scouts have proven that they can kick a whole lot of ass. Show off how tough these girly-girls can really be!

Day 7: Garden Mother Kevin -- Come on. You knew it was coming.

Woodscouts Appreciation Week

They might be the cartoon answer to what would happen if Stormtroopers were body-swapped with Boy Scouts, but that’s part of their charm.

Day 1: A Shadowy Organization -- No girls are allowed, they don’t appear to have a troop leader, their camp is impenetrable, there seem to be maybe 5 Scouts at most . . . Pick something cool about this creepy camp and play around with it.

Day 2: Bitter Rivalries -- Between risky bets against Camp Campbell and popcorn/cookie sales against the Flower Scouts, it seems like the WS have a problem with basically everyone. Depict one or more interaction between them and their most bitter enemies.

Day 3: A New Recruit -- How on earth does Jermy fit into the Woodscouts’ routine? How has he not accidentally (or not-so accidentally) been incapacitated yet?

Day 4: Fearless Leader -- He’s slimy in more ways than one, but he keeps Troop #818 together and has even managed to snag a few recruits. That alone is worth a day of appreciation.

Day 5: Strong & Silent -- For someone who doesn’t talk much, Petrol has a lot of good advice and personality. Let’s celebrate his bromance with Snake, his willingness to be sacrificed for the WS, or even just his stubborn refusal to try leg day even once.

Day 6: Call him Snake -- Prince Zuko Billy might not be the most dignified character on the show, but he’s certainly the most honorable and is deadly with a candy cane.

Day 7: Like Family -- I just want to see some Woodscouts bonding, with each other or a character of your choice.

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lalka-laski · 3 years

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1. Have you ever used melatonin to help you sleep? I've tried it before and it gave me a whole lot more problems than solutions.

2. Are you as pumped as I am for Dexter’s 6th season to premiere? If not, what IS a show you’re excited for? I never got into Dexter, or many shows for that matter. I'm hoping for a new season of The Haunting of _______ this fall, though!

3. When was the last time you felt overworked? That's hard to say. I feel overwhelmed SO easily but even I can tell that they amount of work I'm doing doesn't justify the level of exhaustion I feel. Live Love Depression <333

4. ^ What about underappreciated? It's been awhile. If anything, I've felt extra appreciated and supported lately.

5. Do you enjoy memes? If so, what’s your favorite? Oh God yeah! I can't pick an actual favorite but I will say the more absurd, the better.

6. Have you ever had a sinus infection? I don't believe so

7. Ever have a day where you just felt like saying “I QUIT”? I wake up most days feeling that way

8. What kind of cigarettes does your best friend smoke? If they don’t smoke, name someone you know that does. None of them smoke. I barely know anyone who smokes cigs in this day and age.

9. I love autumn. What’s your favorite thing about it? Autumn scented candles, cider and donuts, Halloween candy, spooky movies, the list goes on!

10. When was the last time your pet bit you? If you don’t have a pet, have you ever been bitten by someone else’s? I don't have a pet 11. I have that damn Move Like Jagger song stuck in my head. Are there any overplayed songs on the radio that frequent your brain? Like what? I haven't listened to the radio in ages but I have "Good 4 U" stuck in my head because it's ALLLLL over the Internet. I think Olivia Rodrigo is good, but not THAT good.

12. Are you pro-life in any aspect? (in regards to abortion, the death penalty, etc) Yes and yes

13. What was the last magazine that you read? Cosmo a couple weeks ago. And it was a huge disappointment.

14. I know someone with a pet squirrel. Do you find this odd or would you love to have one? I guess it's not that odd considering what other kinds of animals we domesticate. But would I ever do that? Not a chance in HELL. 15. What’s the longest shift you have ever worked? If you don’t have a job, what’s the longest shift you think you could endure? I can't remember the exact duration but it was something like 13 or 14 hours. We had an after-work event that I had to attend after working a full day shift. At least they served ice cream...

16. Is there a song you’re surprised your significant other (or best friend) likes? What is it? I'm slowly getting him into The Killers and it delights me how much they're growing on him. Not that he ever disliked them- they're just so far from his typical style.

17. Would you rather watch Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune? Jeopardy is more interesting but I'm better at Wheel of Fortune

18. What do you think of Jo Calderone, Lady Gaga’s male alter-ego? It's cool. Being a huge Bowie fan I admire the whole concept of alter-egos and characters like that.

19. I’ve known my best friend since kindergarten. We’re now 21. :) What’s the longest you’ve known your best friend for? I beat ya. We've been best friends since we were just a few months old.

20. Remember Midget Mac from I Love New York? OH MY GOD YES

21. What’s the least amount of money you’ve ever spent on a car? If you don’t have one, you may refer to your parent’s car.

22. If you liked Britney Spears in the 90s, do you still like her now? I have an even DEEPER appreciation for her and her struggles. I've always loved her music just for nostalgic reasons but now I fully support her just as an individual.

23. I have no upper body strength. What part of your body is the weakest? It's weird because my upper body is bulky but weak (so I guess it's just fat?)

24. How long can you hold it if you really have to pee? It depends? Not long at all. My bladder is the size of a popcorn kernel and I have NO patience to wait when I have to go.

25. When’s the last time you called in, whether for work or school? If you can remember, what was the reason? Uhh I was puking

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ayeletinthemountains · 4 years

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2019 in Mountains

I’m hopping on the bandwagon and reflecting on a year in review. I don’t make time to write trip reports much these days (I fell off the bandwagon on our van trip, when we were constantly doing cool trips and I just couldn’t keep up [poor me]), so seeing my friend Nikhil write a post summing up his outdoor exploits for the year seemed like a great idea.

Skiing

Since learning to ski in the 2016-17 season, each year has gotten more fun. Typically in winter I focus on the Ogul peak list (a list of peaks in Tahoe, so pretty accessible since most of the roads are plowed; I’m at 35/63 currently), but I’ve learned that seeking summits often doesn’t make for the best skiing. One thing I love about lists though is that it takes me to new places I’d never go otherwise. Some highlights:

Mount Elwell: I wrote a full trip report on this here. This was one of my favorite new areas I got to see. It’s about an hour north of Tahoe, so sees far less visitors, which is always a treat. We saw no one else our whole day in the backcountry, and the views from the summit were spectacular. Plus, we learned about the Plumas Ski Club’s longboard races and checked em out! So much fun. Track

Mount Mildred: Also wrote a trip report on this one here. This peak is behind Alpine Meadows ski resort (where I had a pass this year). It was a pretty long day in terms of mileage for me on skis, so I love seeing the progress I’m making in that regard. Track.

Pyramid/Jacks Desolation Traverse: In late April, given that the big snow year still left good coverage, I did a traverse from Pyramid Peak to Jacks Peak in Desolation Wilderness with friends AJ, Jamie, and Chris. AJ wrote about it here. This was also a long and challenging day for me, being the weakest downhill skier in the group. I didn’t ski the tippy-top of Pyramid (too spooky), but I did manage to ski a bit further down. This day really showed me how great spring skiing can be (and it lends better to summits). Track.

Mount St Helens: Since my older sister Dafna had skied Mount St Helens in the past, I’d had it on my radar and been excited to ski it once I was ready, and this was the year. The skiing is really moderate, the crater is beyond cool, and we made it a family affair! My sisters Ephrat (at 3 months pregnant!) and Dafna joined, along with their partners, Luca and Gil (a first real summit for him! Hiking up on snowshoes, snowboarding down). Mount St Helens is an awesome summit for the hiker/mountaineer learning to ski. I’d happily repeat it someday. Track.

Resort skiing: In 2019 I had the Ikon Pass, which meant mainly skiing Squaw/Alpine. It was my first time skiing at either, and it was a lot of fun, but the traffic was a total nightmare. I had many days where I struggled, sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic not moving at all, feeling so trapped and frustrated that we live so far from the mountains. This year I’m back on Epic, and I’m hoping it will be less miserable. Leo and I also took advantage of some of the other resorts on the pass, making trips to Revelstoke, Lake Louise, Banff Sunshine (all in Canada), Alta, and Snowbird.

Rogers Pass: My first (and only) day backcountry skiing in Canada, at such an amazing location. I survived the cold! Track.

I was sick for a good month in winter, which really put my year off to a rocky start and felt like it brought down my fitness a lot. I thought I was getting better and pushed myself really hard for a few days in the backcountry (climbing Anderson Peak with my friend Brice, track), but then I found myself sick again for another two weeks (making me nervous I might not be healthy enough for our Canada trip). I relearned the importance of rest and taking care of yourself.

Ice Climbing

New skill for 2019! Well, technically it started in December 2018 with a trip to the Bozeman Ice Fest, which was an amazing way to learn the basics of the sport. Leo and I both liked it so much that we did three more days of it in Canmore, even hiring a guide to take us up Louise Falls (a 3 pitch climb). Originally I thought I should just know the utmost basics of the sport, but now I find I actually enjoy it and would love to do more of it. I think I could potentially even… lead someday? Which is something I feel pretty defeated about doing in rock climbing. It’s interesting to think about why this doesn’t scare me when rock climbing does. I think it is because in rock climbing I get nervous moving for holds I can barely reach, as opposed to in ice climbing, you can make a hold almost anywhere you like. Leading is still a long ways off for me, of course, but it’s cool to think this might be possible in the future.

Mountaineering/Alpine Climbing

Mount Rainier: After learning the aforementioned basics of ice climbing, we put them to the test on Rainier. Leo and I had attempted Rainier in 2017 with our friend Ryan, but turned back at 13k ft due to bad conditions. This time, Leo, Nikhil, and I climbed the Kautz Glacier route in mid-June. We did a one night trip, camping at 12k feet, right below the Kautz ice section, carrying our gear over the following day and descending the DC. A lot of thoughts on this trip: The most challenging thing for me probably were the stats combined with carrying a very heavy pack. Heavy packs are definitely my biggest weakness and something I’d like to train this year. Our group members and I still all have a lot to learn in terms of glacier navigation and travel. Rainier is a big mountain, and definitely a step above most California summits. I definitely wouldn’t be comfortable climbing it in adverse conditions (California fair-weather climber here!), and it shows the edges of where I can develop more skills to increase my safety margin. The mountain also really showed me why it is such a great training ground for future expeditions. It was a tough trip, but I’d like to back again for more routes. (Plus, we didn’t make it to the high point of the crater! Gotta go back). I felt pretty wrecked for over a week after this trip, really surprised at the recovery time I needed. Track 1, 2.

Arete des Cosmiques: Leo and I made our first trip to Chamonix this year, and it truly is a dream playground. We were lucky to overlap with our friend Chelsea and Michael by coincidence, so we all warmed up by climbing the world-famous Arete des Cosmiques together. We had great weather and it was just all around fun. Track.

Pyramide du Tacul: Also in Chamonix. This was just a good, fun climb in a spectacular setting. Alpine starts in Chamonix are beyond gorgeous. Track 1, 2.

Aiguille de la Republique: This is called the pointiest, most exposed summit in Chamonix! With a description like that, how could we not check it out? To tackle this, Leo and I spent two nights in the Refuge des Envers, which is a decent hike. We got to walk on our first dry glacier, which was beyond cool. The peak itself was pretty challenging, and we technically bailed about 50 feet below the summit, but I was proud of the effort. There was a little bit of everything: glacier approach, spicy scrambling, glorious hand jams, great exposure. It was a long and challenging day, but a good way to push myself. Track 1, 2.

Me touching the point of the Aiguille de la Republique in the first picture, the day before we hiked in.

Mont Blanc: Our last outing in Chamonix was Mont Blanc. After trying and failing many times to get spaces at the Gouter Hut, we had given up on climbing it. A record heat wave for our whole visit had made climbing Mont Blanc via the other main route, Trois Monts (three mountain route), too dangerous, due to a lot of steep snow and passing below seracs. However, at the end of our trip the heat wave passed and we had a great day for a summit. We climbed the Trois Monts route from the Cosmiques Hut (an amazing place to stay! At 11k ft on a glacier with warm food and excellent wifi). It was quite crowded (in my opinion), but the sunrise and views were spectacular. And a new elevation PR for both Leo and me! It was a really special way to close out the trip. Track.

Sierra

So many great adventures in the “backyard” this summer, despite my fitness limiting me. After losing a bunch of fitness at the start of the year, I had another setback by developing some pain in my left knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome). This meant I took nearly 6 months off from running, one of my main ways to keep in shape. I also limited my mountain excursions, usually only doing one day of long hiking/scrambling per weekend, to not push my knee too much. Some Sierra highlights:

Morgan N & Stanford linkup: This really is a lovely day in the Sierra. The mileage is a bit long, but it really doesn’t feel very sloggy at all. The terrain is quite solid 90% of the time, and you get to descend the “greatest sand slope in the Sierra”, coming down from Stanford. Did this peak with new friends Sarah, Peter (who are both also SPS-ers :D), Rob, and Alexandra, and it was a blast. Track.

Banner Peak: A fun one! Took advantage again of the good snow year to climb the snow route up the Ritter-Banner saddle. Got to do this with Leo, which was his first time in Ansel Adams Wilderness. Excited to finish off the pair, since I’d climbed Ritter a number of years ago. Now it won’t feel as incomplete when I look at the Mammoth skyline. Hoping to go back for Clyde Minaret this year with Leo via the climbing route. Track.

Williamson & Tyndall: An overnight with Emily and a new friend, Alex. We hiked in day 1, climbed both peaks day 2, and hiked out day 3 before having some BBQ at the US’s best restaurant in Big Pine. I found both peaks to be really fun (and incredibly popular! Was shocked by the number of people we saw). Aside from sleeping a bit cold at night in my bivy sack, this was mostly a Type 1 fun trip with fun humans, bring my CA 14er count to 13. Shepherds Pass was not as bad as I expected, I’m very happy to say (since, well, I’m going to have to hike it many more times). Track 1, 2, 3.

Labor Day peak extravaganza: Inspired by this Bob Burd trip report, Leo and I planned an excellent “compromise” trip, which was maybe my favorite trip of the summer. We planned to tackle some peaks in the high country of Sequoia/Kings Canyon (SEKI), but chose to enter from the East side, unlike Bob, due to fear of our inability to get permits for Labor Day Weekend (our East side TH had 20 or 30 walk up permits available — the West side had 6 [shared with the very popular Rae Lakes trailhead]). Leo and I hiked in Friday evening, hiking 9 miles to camp near Charlotte Lake. The next morning, we rose early to head over to Charlotte Dome. We climbed the 50 Classic Route on the dome, seeing only one other party (in perfect weather on a 3 day weekend??), climbing it quickly enough to unlock the rest of the trip. We had set a time for ourselves, that if we didn’t summit by a certain time, the rest of the trip wasn’t in the cards. Leo did a great job leading on probably too skinny of a rope and with too little gear… but you make gear tradeoffs when you’re carrying it 40+ miles in a weekend. From Charlotte Dome we hiked up a pretty awful slope to the Gardiner summit ridge. We dropped our packs and did the fun 4th class ridge to the true summit. We then reversed our steps back to our packs, and hurried down the other side of the peak, making camp in the dark. The next day was another hard one. We left camp as is, and hiked over to Clarence King, a peak with one of the more challenging summit blocks in the Sierra. We climbed another miserable loose slope, and found ourselves at the summit block. Leo, again, led it in good style. My height made it really hard for me to pull the very exposed move on to the summit block, and I nearly gave up. But, Leo found a way to safely belay me with the rope running over the summit block itself as an “anchor”, and I managed to summit! From there we hiked back over near camp, and I managed to pull together the energy to summit our fourth and final summit of the trip, Mount Cotter. This was a really fun class 2 scramble, that I was really thankful I found the energy for, since it’s ~30 mi round trip from the trailhead. We made it back to camp right before dark, and slept like rocks. The next day was a looong hike out ending in a downpour/thunder storm, before driving the long way back home. This trip felt like such an amazing way to really get out there in the Sierra and explore some epic spots, covering a lot of ground and carrying as little gear as possible. I’d love to do more overnights entering Friday evening after work this year. Track 1, 2, 3, 4.

Middle Palisade: A really fun day with Emily. This type of day is pretty much my favorite way to spend a day in the mountains – moving quickly over interesting terrain in a gorgeous setting. I’d been nervous that this would just be a total slog, but it was far from it. Very little of the terrain sucked, the scrambling was fun, and of course the views were great. I’m really excited to come back for the other peaks in the area now. Brought my CA 14er count to 14/15! Track.

Mount Hooper: Holy smokes the western Sierra is also awesome. I had only ever been to this area when I hiked through it on the JMT. I’d never driven the crazy Kaiser Pass road out into the west side. Leo and I had an excellent “compromise�� weekend hiking Mount Hooper, visiting Mono Hot Springs, and doing some climbing on Tollhouse Rock. Again, new places that my list took me that ended up being really special. Really excited to go back. Track.

East Buttress of Middle Cathedral: My fifty classic for the year! But really, at least once a year I need to go to Yosemite Valley and climb something fun with Leo. It’s a good way to make me appreciate rock climbing and spend time doing something Leo loves. Plus, well, Yosemite has some pretty good climbs I guess. 😜 This was a really fun one with excellent climbing on it, and with only 3 parties on it on a gorgeous weekend day! One of them including Hans Florine, who was very nice. 😄 Rock climbing isn’t so bad sometimes.

Desert

Not too much time in the desert this year, unfortunately, aside from a JTree trip over Memorial Day Weekend, and a week in Sedona over Thanksgiving (though it rained/snowed half the time). Sedona is another awesome playground that I’m surprised doesn’t see more climbers. The towers are endless and stunning. I love the crazy features that form there. Given the poor weather, we didn’t get to do too much, but our climbs of The Fin as a group of 5 (track), and of Queen Victoria with Daiyi (track) both stand out as really fun outings.

Personal mountain philosophy

To the outside, it probably seems like I go on endless trips effortlessly, but that’s definitely not the case. I have an amazing partner, but our outdoor interests don’t fully line up, and that caused me a lot of frustrations in 2018. I hadn’t done a great job of fostering outdoor friendships, so it put a lot of pressure on my relationship with Leo, feeling like he was my only partner and we had to spend every weekend together. In winter, it’s great, since we both love to ski (though Leo is a much stronger skier than me, so I sometimes hold him back), but in summer it was a problem. Leo’s favorite activity is climbing, and climbing hard. When we climb together, it really limits the grades and objectives he can go after. On top of that, I don’t have nearly as much of an interest in hard climbs, and am all about long scrambles. We also both have a lot of our own mountain goals, and we weren’t able to accomplish them by spending most weekends together.

This summer, I made a concerted effort instead to spend less time with Leo and develop friendships with others. It was scary to put myself out there, reaching out to folks on social media or asking other friends to introduce me, but it definitely paid off in the end. I added some people I really clicked with to my network, and got to have some really great days with them in the mountains. I still enjoy solo days in the mountains as well, but I see a lot of value in seeking out others to share those experiences with whenever possible. I think it’s still good for me to do at least one solo trip a summer, but, generally, spending all those hours driving and hiking alone is something I want to avoid when possible. On top of having more friends I’ve connected with, I also enjoy the weekends I do spend with Leo more now, not feeling the stress that “oh no, this weekend I’m not accomplishing my goal again”. It also made me appreciate when we reconnect at the end of the weekend, swapping stories of how our trips went and cheering each other on. I feel more balanced and fulfilled, and I want to keep chasing that.

Also one weekend we took an offer from a photographer to do a free “elopement” photo shoot, to help build her portfolio. Cue me having to explain to everyone that we are not engaged or married, we just did a fun, different thing in the mountains for once.

Things I am excited about in 2020:

Making more mountain friends, spending more time with my current ones.

I just left my job, and won’t be starting my new one till the end of March! I’m spending a few weeks in Ecuador starting in late January, aiming to climb some of the high volcanoes there. I see this as great training for future expeditions like Denali. Hoping for good weather!

For the aforementioned trip, I’ve been training quite hard for the first time in my life. I am nervous, since my knee really prevented me from keeping up my fitness in 2019, and I’m not fully back from that yet. I am doing one of the pre-made training plans from Uphill Athlete, and it’s been the first time I’ve had a focused training plan. I am impressed with just how much cardio I can squeeze into one week :-P I’m excited to keep it up this year, and hopefully have a very strong summer season.

Getting better at skiing. And a hut trip to ski in the Selkirk mountains in Canada in March at the Bill Putnam hut, before starting my new job.

Spending some days at the Sierra Challenge. I’ve never participated before, but it’s about time I make the time to check it out!

Clyde Minaret via the 5.8 50 Classic.

Lone Pine Peak via the North Ridge.

Split Mountain! Ideally via the St Jean Couloir, but if not, then via the summer route. This would be my last California 14er :)

Boundary Peak (the highest peak in Nevada, on the border between California and Nevada (you see what they did there?). I drove past it last week and am now enamored with it.

Reaching 100 peaks on the SPS list (currently at 85/100).

A potential Orizaba trip over the winter holidays!

….maybe a big wall with Leo.

Something else you want to climb together??

#2019

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snickerdoodl3 · 7 years

Note

yeah, do them all. You knew this was coming :P

LMAO fair enough hahaha

pumpkin spice: what’s your drink of choice?

iced caramel macchiato

wool socks: what’s something you look forward to in fall?

the weather, the leaves changing colors, the pumpkins, the smell of the air (yes it has a different smell in the fall), just the general feeling of fall ig.

falling leaves: you’re stranded on a desert island and here’s the twist; what three things do you NOT bring with you?

Is this implying that everything else I own is coming with me??? Idek how to answer this. Theres a lot I wouldn’t bring. I wouldn’t bring my math book, I wouldn’t bring my shower curtain, I wouldn’t bring the trash can in the kitchen... like ur literally not gonna bring anything thats not necessary for survival...

smelly candles: what’s your absolute favorite scent?

Japanese cherry blossom. This is what i always smell like

big sweaters: do you prefer the cold, warmth, or a perfect in-between?

Cold. I hate the sun, I hate the summer, I hate everything hot. I just want to be chilly.

halloween: if you could dress up as anyone/ anything and pull it off absolutely flawlessly, who/what would it be?

I’d dress up as Edgar Allan Poe.

cozy blankets: where do you feel the most safe and at home?

At home????? lol

hot tea: when was the last time you kissed someone (if you haven’t had your first kiss, who would you like that first someone to be?)

Last night I kissed my boyfriend goodnight. He kissed me on the forehead when he left for work this morning but I was half asleep so that doesn’t count

flannel: what’s your favorite day of the year? is there a reason it’s your favorite?

This will sound horribly conceited but my birthday. And not because it’s my birthday (I dont really celebrate anyways) but because it’s specific to the time of year I like. It’s right between halloween and thanksgiving and then christmas is next. So everything was just so spooky and now we’re getting ready for the holidays, everyone is happy, things are cheerful, and it’s just a good time of the year. Also it’s a satisfying date (11.10) I just used my bday because it wanted a specific day. I just like the fall time in general lol

chilly air: what’s your least favorite and favorite type of weather?

I hate summer with a burning passion (haha see what i did there) I love the fall and the winter. I have mixed feelings about spring. Spring where I live for school is nice. Spring at my hometown doesn’t exists and is just summer. Actually in my hometown, summer is the only season that exists. I fucking hate summer. (:

scarves: if you could only wear one outfit for the rest of your life what would it be?

Pajamas. For sure.

apple cider: if you could throw a party, and invite absolutely anyone, who would they be?

All my internet friends and my irl friends that have moved away. Also I’d invite my fav youtubers. :P

haunted houses: what’s your scariest memory? (if you don’t have one/ don’t want to talk about it, what’s your biggest fear?)

My biggest fear is mayflies. I have a legit phobia called tipulophobia. It’s bizarre and doesn’t make any sense considering I love love LOVE bugs and will pretty much pick up any bug, I’m not scared of spiders, I’m not really scared of any bugs. But this bug...this cranefly...nope. Can’t do it. It’s harmless, it only lives for 24 hours, it doesn’t even eat as an adult, and yet I’m so fucking terrified of it I get panic attacks and will even cry in public if one gets near me.

fuzzy boots: if you could live in any year/era, which would it be and why?

fuuuuuuucccccckkkkkk this is so hard because I wanna know what it would be like to be a teen/young adult in every decade from like the 50′s to the 90′s

thanksgiving: what is something/someone you’re the most thankful for? any particular reason?

My family. Because they’re loving and supportive and I can always count on them no matter what.

black friday: what is one thing, if anything, you would sell your soul to own?

I don’t think I’d sell my soul for anything lol

apple picking: if you could go anywhere, where would it be and why?

The moon. Because how fucking cool would that be

corn mazes: do you have any secret talents/abilities?

Secret? not really.

hay rides: if you could pick absolutely anything to be your form of transportation, what would it be?

Golf cart because I’m not scared to drive golf carts and maybe if I could drive a golf cart everywhere I wouldn’t hate driving lmao

the color orange: do you have a specific song that reminds you of autumn? what is it?

Hey Ya, Hey Baby, all those popular stand tunes because we play them in marching band at football games and those are in the fall.

windy nights:if you could go to any concert whose would it be?

E M I N E M for fucking sure no doubt god id fucking kill to see him alsfaowhropafjsd;lfkjas;ef’

holding hands: do you believe in soulmates?

Yeah of course I do. But I don’t think your soulmate has to be a romantic partner. I think your soul mate is just someone you connect with on every level and you can feel it deep down all the way to your soul. Idk maybe that doesn’t make sense lol

lolty

#thx #ask #personal.#a-dying-star

1 note · View note

dmndsave · 5 years

Text

why do I feel like the Dawn Valley churches are equally staffed by people who have lived there all their lives and know what kind of bullshit happens and people who have NO idea and got suckered into taking the position and now they can't leave

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:17

A town the size of Dawn Valley can only support a few small churches, which are most likely lead by ‘pastors who know’At least one of the Baptist’s who lead out of an old converted grocery store, swears up and down against demons but no one really minds himHe’s a good preacher though and is good with the youth, so his church is popular

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:18

https://undertaker-gifs.tumblr.com/post/188198876049

oh cute...

Tumblr

Undertaker gifs

yeah there are a couple small ones

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:19

There’s of course the old Methodist which has been here since everyone’s great-great grandma

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:19

there is at least one legit catholic exorcist living in town and you can't change my mind

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:19

there's one that's not too too far from the edge of town where the home is run by pastor reidand ironically his youngest daughter Sandy was friends with the spooks when they were little

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:19

You know all the pastors and priests would regularly deal with the Undertaker because of the funerals

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:20

YUP

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:20

And it’s a small town so probably with an aging populationBut everyone is kinda cool with the weird stuffIt’s background noise at this pointAt least one of the old ladies still pinches Taker’s cheeks if she sees him

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:21

there's actuallya couple generations backmaybeeeee 150-ish yearsone of the New Pastors decided to kick out the spooky family because they didn't like "witches" in their town(not witches, dear, but nobody listened)and the spooks at the time just went"alright. children, we're going to your aunt rabekkah"town lasted a weekthen it was "please come back there are coyotes in the school" "i'm not sure how we can help" "THEY'RE SPEAKING LATIN" "oh, alright, but only if you ask nicely"

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:23

one day a new priest from outside the area is gonna get suckered into taking over and the previous guy is going to have some STORIES for them

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:23

"HELL IS REAL""i know""NO LISTEN--"

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:25

No, no, priest is Catholic, this guy doesn’t care if they’re demonic so long as they participate in holy communion and confess ever Sunday—The minister can be a real nut job though and was very upset when Kane explained hell in detail to him

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:25

"The new guy quit again. He didn't even meet the Undertaker. Where are you GETTING these guys?"

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:26

the last time anyone asked the brothers when their last communion was they both jsut started laughingtaker managed a "you're new here" and kane struggled out a "welcome to the valley" and then they just left

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:27

Kane and Taker area little odd but most of the valley doesn’t mind ‘em

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:27

they usually keep to themselves

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:28

Also idk Texas’ hunting season but it must be Big Important

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:28

and when there are things the sheriff can't or won't deal withpeople go to them

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:29

And honestly since it’s such a small town, 90% of problems are resolved before the police are even calledEveryone knows everyone and that includes for grandma—

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:29

you cannot send young priests to death valley, they see one hairless cat that speaks in tongues and suddenly they're abandoning their vows to live in isolation somewhere in norway like that'd help anything

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:30

Oh right it’s close to the border isn’t it?

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:30

the entire town's just at a gateway to hell, Weird Things Happen There

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:30

Yeah the one Catholic Church in the area is supported by the local Hispanic population and they can take anything

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:30

most if not all of the really dangerous stuff is kept inside the yardbut weird shit's the norm

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:30

One of the demons is going to get hit with a sandal

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:31

all the catholic priests are either old guys who used to be exorcists in rome, local tex-mex lads with brujah aunties or kids who grew up close to the yard in general and have Seen Some Shit and aren't afraid of anything

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:31

"Abuelita, the statue out front is singing again!" "Tell it to shut up, my soap opera is on!" "Senior Statue, Abuelita says to be quiet. She got new shoes." (statue stops)

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:32

Yeah that’s itYou got itIt’s the Calvinists that you gotta worry about, every time there’s a new minister he can get uppity but usually he gets over it pretty quick

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:33

the fuckin' dudes from rome add an interesting flaire to the local culture and accenttaker's only demand is they keep their dove(s) away from his ravens

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:33

At least one of the priests is Taker’s drinking buddy and will come out to the yard for a beer or two

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:34

taker actually likes hanging out at one of the only local biker-aesthetic bars if he's looking for a drinking partnerit's called the Rattler and it's owned by his dad's best friendincidentally, the only local who went to baby adam's funeral aside from paul

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:34

one of the old romans has a dog that can recite the lord's prayer in the voice of a child if you give it a milk bone but he generally encourages people NOT to do that

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:35

Jesus said ‘drink wine’ and the Catholics said ‘if you insist’ and never looked back

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:35

the weirdest thing is he can't remember if it always did thator if it's a new thing since coming to the valleyOH and then there are the druids

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:38

the local stray cats can reliably tell you the time of day but they will be able to prowl around in your dreams for a week after

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:39

I wanna dream about kiddies :VMaybe they can help Xion sleep :/Also what is with all the talking animalsAlso I wanna submit that the town Librarian has seen it All and cannot be fazed at this pointIf you ask her for dark magic books she’ll point you to the back right corner

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:40

animals make convenient hosts for entities because they don't have higher thought and can be overwhelmed easily

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:40

It works great until the cat you possessed gets distracted by a laser pointer

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:41

cats are an exception because they can see and touch all planes and do harm to spirits

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:41

that's one of the reasons kane chose therapy catMAN NOW I WANNA WRITE UP A LIST OF WEIRD SHIT IN THE YARD AND TOWN BUT I HAVE DRAFTS

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:42

some dogs are bred from guardian stock and can perform similar actions but its hard to find one cause of diluted bloodlines

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:43

i also need you all to know that when taker came back to life fully after the ministryred hair and more relaxed and vocal than normalit took weeks for the locals to realize it was the same guy

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 15:43

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 15:43

And also for some reason he doesn’t sound like he gargles rocks

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 15:43

another week for them to debate about whether or not he as possessedand a day to decide "eh"

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:33

if you see this dog, DO NOT ask it to speak

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 17:35

OH A GOOD BOY

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:35

THE BEST BOY

Gina (´-ω-`)Last Saturday at 17:35

jay and i would not survivebut we would pet the dogso who wins?

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:36

i've been dead inside for years it's no dif

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:36

pet dog: finebut be careful what tricks you try and get it to do

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:38

whats his name

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:39

probably something like "angelico"

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:39

toddbot how gucci is angelico

ToddBotBOTLast Saturday at 17:39

Angelico is 26% gucci.

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:40

fuck you todd

ToddBotBOTLast Saturday at 17:40

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:40

no respectfallout76 sucks

ToddBotBOTLast Saturday at 17:40

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:40

hey todd

ToddBotBOTLast Saturday at 17:40

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:40

new vegas was the best game

ToddBotBOTLast Saturday at 17:40

https://i.imgur.com/fK7zKeq.jpg

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:40

i love angelicodoes he bork

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:41

very delicately

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:41

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:41

polite smol bork

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:42

if i ask him to speak what he do

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:43

tells you that hubris will be the downfall of man

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:45

he's not wrong

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:45

the church of st peter is an empty box! god's eye has turned from man!

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:45

taker: i'll drink to that (throws him jerky)

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:46

angelico has an amputated tail but he will do a full body wiggle for jerky

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:46

where him tail go :(

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:47

probably got cut off for medical reasonshe strikes me as a dog who got hit by a car once or twice

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:48

D:poor baby

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:54

he's probably happy and healthy otherwise

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:54

did one of those car hits happen in the valleyor did he just start talking with likeno cause

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:57

UNCLEARbut he is a happy goofy dog otherwiseand his owner adores him

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 17:58

AS HE SHOULD

84% CURSE BY VOLUMELast Saturday at 17:59

well loved by the whole neighbourhood but REAL weird to run into at times for obvious reasons

MilkshakeLast Saturday at 18:04

Hi i would die for angelico

Convicted BirdererLast Saturday at 18:04

taker does in fact give him a treat whenever he sees himhe lovs doggos....

0 notes

thedrowsydoormouse · 5 years

Text

As per tradition, @anangelamuse-castiel-spnfam answered all the asks and now I will, too.

1. Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora?

Spotify.

2. is your room messy or clean?

Organized chaos

3. what color are your eyes?

Blue

4. do you like your name? why?

I hate the name I was born with but love the name I go by now.

5. what is your relationship status?

Happily taken.

6. describe your personality in 3 words or less

Queer glitter goth

7. what color hair do you have?

Deep purple red

8. what kind of car do you drive? color?

None.

9. where do you shop?

Pretty much anywhere I can find cute black clothes.

10. how would you describe your style?

Goth time traveler who keeps forgetting what year it is.

11. favorite social media account

Tumblr.

12. what size bed do you have?

Queen

13. any siblings?

Two sisters and a brother.

14. if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why?

Ney York because it was the only place I’ve been that instantly felt like home.

15. favorite snapchat filter?

I don’t use snapchat.

16. favorite makeup brand(s)

Blackmoon, Urban Decay, Milk, Lime Crime.

17. how many times a week do you shower?

Every day

18. favorite tv show?

Doctor Who. (It was Supernatural but I broke up with it because of artistic differences. I saw Jack as alive, they saw him dead. And yes, that was a Chicago reference.)

19. shoe size?

US women’s 10.

20. how tall are you?

6′ 1/2″

21. sandals or sneakers?

Strap-y sandals with a decent sized wedge.

22. do you go to the gym?

Never.

23. describe your dream date

Disneyland during the Halloween season complete with a crap ton of special snacks and shopping for all the Haunted Mansion and Nightmare Before Christmas merch my little spooky heart can handle!

24. how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment?

$35 in cash plus some gift cards that I have no idea how much is on them. And a 20% coupon for Sephora.

25. what color socks are you wearing?

None.

26. how many pillows do you sleep with?

Five or more.

27. do you have a job? what do you do?

Nope.

28. how many friends do you have?

No clue. Mostly because almost none of them ever actually talk to me.

29. whats the worst thing you have ever done?

Been indirectly responsible for the deaths of at least 3 people and the end of countless other marriages. And possibly one other person needing open heart surgery but the jury is still out on that one.

30. whats your favorite candle scent?

It’s called White Barn #1 and it smells like Halloween but more mature and a little bit musty.

31. 3 favorite boy names

Jack, Bucky, Stu

32. 3 favorite girl names

Marilyn, Olivia, Wednesday

33. favorite actor?

Doug Jones

34. favorite actress?

Marilyn Monroe

35. who is your celebrity crush?

Right now it’s Sebastian Stan, Alex Calvert, Hale Appleman, and Taron Egerton.

36. favorite movie?

Princess Bride.

37. do you read a lot? whats your favorite book?

I used to but now I don’t have enough spoons.

38. money or brains?

Why not both?

39. do you have a nickname? what is it?

I have several but I can’t mention them because they’re “private”! ;)

40. how many times have you been to the hospital?

None.

41. top 10 favorite songs

I can’t pick just 10.

42. do you take any medications daily?

CBD oil.

43. what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc)

Combination.

44. what is your biggest fear?

A giant spider clown doll on Christmas. And the threat of being killed by a mass shooter during the impending nuclear apocalypse.

45. how many kids do you want?

None.

46. whats your go to hair style?

Half bun, half ponytail secured with a clip. or a side braid.

47. what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc)

Decent sized.

48. who is your role model?

Myself.

49. what was the last compliment you received?

My mom said I’m really good at cooking salmon. Which is random but true.

50. what was the last text you sent?

I had to text my address to my therapist.

51. how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real?

Third grade.

52. what is your dream car?

A motorcycle.

53. opinion on smoking?

Disgusting and an instant deal breaker.

54. do you go to college?

I dropped out the week before my 21st birthday.

55. what is your dream job?

Acting in a musical on Broadway that hopefully gets nominated for a Tony.

56. would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs?

The city.

57. do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels?

Always.

58. do you have freckles?

Tons of them (I’m like 66% Irish. We’re covered in the things.)

59. do you smile for pictures?

Depends on the picture but I look better when I don’t.

60. how many pictures do you have on your phone?

Fuck if I know. But I know it’s an even number. It’s always an even number.

61. have you ever peed in the woods?

Regrettably.

62. do you still watch cartoons?

Who doesn’t?

63. do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds?

Neither.

64. Favorite dipping sauce?

Ranch.

65. what do you wear to bed?

Sweat shorts and a tank top in the warm months, sweats and an over-sized sweater in the cold months.

66. have you ever won a spelling bee?

I’m not a nerd.

67. what are your hobbies?

Drinking, cooking, baking, being super judge-y, daydreaming about Halloween, the usual queer goth stuff.

68. can you draw?

Not according to some of my college art teachers but then again they couldn’t draw either so who knows.

69. do you play an instrument?

Nope.

70. what was the last concert you saw?

Sugar Ray. I got to hang out backstage and dance in the wings because I know the lead singer.

71. tea or coffee?

Tea.

72. Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts?

Neither.

73. do you want to get married?

I am.

74. what is your crush’s first and last initial?

75. are you going to change your last name when you get married?

I technically did but not to my husband’s name because we both picked a new name.

76. what color looks best on you?

Red, black, and green but only if they’re vibrant. Fuck pastels and muted colors.

77. do you miss anyone right now?

Everyone I would miss is in the same room as me.

78. do you sleep with your door open or closed?

Open just a crack.

79. do you believe in ghosts?

Considering I have a broken door jam and a messed up ankle after being attacked by one I’d say yes.

80. what is your biggest pet peeve?

Bigotry.

81. last person you called`

My mom to give her my food order for dinner.

82. favorite ice cream flavor?

It was called Dublin Mudslide and it was amazing but sadly it’s in the flavor graveyard now.

83. regular oreos or golden oreos?

Neither.

84. chocolate or rainbow sprinkles?

Chocolate.

85. what shirt are you wearing?

Super old black tank with a faded union jack and a bunch of holes in it.

86. what is your phone background?

Jack Kline laying on his back being a total cutie!

87.are you outgoing or shy?

Shy until I feel comfortable. Then I never shut up.

88. do you like it when people play with your hair?

Only certain people.

89. do you like your neighbors?

I just met the people who are moving in next door and they’re super nice but I hate everyone else in the neighborhood.

90. do you wash your face? at night? in the morning?

At night before bed.

91. have you ever been high?

I’m high right now.

92. have you ever been drunk?

Earlier today.

93. last thing you ate?

Half an impossible burger and some onion rings.

94. favorite lyrics right now

Don’t let me mean nothing or just pass away/ Just give me tomorrow, forever, today.

95. summer or winter?

Fall

96. day or night?

Night

97. dark, milk, or white chocolate?

Milk

98. favorite month?

October

99. what is your zodiac sign

Sagittarius

100. who was the last person you cried in front of?

My friend, James.

0 notes

rockandrollportlandor · 5 years

Text

DAZZLESHIPS RECORDS - “Raised by Women”

Note: normally, I don't even mention people's identity clusters in my reviews, because 90% of the time it's irrelevant to the music. However I wanted to preface this review with some of my thought about women in indie music, because this is a compilation which does stop and explicitly acknowlege the contributions of its musicians as women. By 2018, female musicians haven't just carved out a place for themselves in indie music--they're its driving force, and probably the only thing preventing the entire genre, which was for so many years dominated by white cishet collegiate and post-collegiate men, and which had never recovered from its brief heyday of dominance in the 1990's, from disintegrating into total irrelevance. This isn't to say that women in "the scene" are any less subject to the violence, offenses, and injustices that women have been subject to throughout human history. Going by the stats on assault, we have to assume that most male sexual assaulters continue to be protected in all social circles, even as many others are called out. Every manner of irritation still comes at women in indie circles. Seasoned musicians are given unsoliticed tips, male reviewers overtly or subtly focus on the artist's appearance over her music, and womanhood is frequently perceived as a genre unto itself, as the old maxim decries. The maginalization of women and, more broadly speaking, femme performativity in indie music isn't just bad for equity/equality, it's bad for music itself. And likewise, feminism is as important a practice in aesthetics as it is in politics. I don't want to miss out on a great experience of new music because I'm too busy staring at the ass of the person making it, or, on the other end of the spectrum, puffing up my ego because I fancy myself so enlightened to be enjoying this woman just for her music. I just want to hear the music, not myself. I hear myself all fucking day long. And I really hope I'm not rare in the world of indie rock, and the world generally. Women can shout until their voices give, but if men aren't going to finally let them into the spaces they're banned from, both physically and psychologically, and commit to cease a whole range of violent thought and behavior toward women, ranging from mere dismissal of their minds to actual murder, nothing's going to happen. Feminism is a task for everyone, and you don't have to march in a single protest or call out a creep online or whatever to do good work. The struggle in your own head, and how it plays out in small ways, might be your own greatest work. Or maybe, if you're Hunter Skowron of Dazzleships Records, you'll put out a compilation of some of Portland's choicest woman-fronted bands, and donate all the proceeds to Raphael House, a local non-profit providing a safe haven from domestic violence. Skowron has assembled a diverse collection of some of the choicest woman-fronted bands Portland's indie rock/pop scene has to offer. Though the excellent sequencing might make it less apparent, these artists have little to do with each other within the indie pop/rock spectrum and probably won't be together on the same compilation if it had a different theme, but this only makes it all the more interesting of a listen. It opens with the dark horses Skull Diver, who've generated signicant buzz since their arrival without--at least it appears to me--relying on the kind of neopotism we all know about... I know them best for their dirgey tragic numbers, but this tune, "Bad Star", feels more like Depeche Mode. Nonetheless, it still drenches you with the Skull Diver house mood of melancholic defiance, and it's a great way to open the record. Mini Blinds comes next, shrinking the paranoramic picture frame of Skull Diver to something more akin to an 18 inch cathode ray TV, a sound more like classic 80's and 90's indie pop. There's a bittersweet quality in singer Beth Ann Dear, and while song sounds kind of cute at first, the angst can be felt quietly rumbling beneath the surface. The title, "Happy" feels ironic, but I might be picking up the wrong vibes. Cat Hoch comes next, offering up a surprising pure pop tune rooted in very 80's-sounding synths, radically different from her early solo material, which was 60's-rooted, meandering, guitar-based psych pop well-suited to driving through the desert. This new track, "Say You Love Me", is bouncy and charming--you could almost imagine Jane Fonda using it as a background track for one of her aerobics videos. But what's most interesting is how Hoch's ethereal, almost completely breathy voice, a strength of her music from day one, has mostly remained the same in this new environment, where it's so different from what Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Debbie Gibson might do over such a backing track. It's a little lighter and freer than the old Hoch, but it retains a lot of that wide-eyed mystical aura, making for an oddly delightful confection. Natasha Kmeto comes next, one of the more high-profile artists in a city whose best acts are often content to never venture beyond the West Coast. "Your Girl" is a primo piece of contemporary electronic pop dreaminess that gives me the impression of a glacier slowly melting, becoming grander and grander as its heart shrinks more and more. It's the kind of song you listen to in your car when you're heartbroken, outside your ex's house to get the last of your stuff and you just can't go in because you're sobbing. Okay that was random, anyway... Rilla, a group I've been personally familiar for several years due to connections with the Toads, contributes "Side Sleeper", an excellent example of their unique sound, strongly focused on instrumental interactions between the two guitars and bass that remind me so much of the perky melodicism of 8-bit video games, but without the stiffness--actually, Rilla can be quite romantic, and this song is one of those. Voices, almost ghostly, drift in and out, abstract commentary on the web woven by the guitars. They're excellent at structuring songs, departing from verse-chorus-verse and often making it seem like the tunes have more parts than they really do. Call it sleight of time. Johanna Warren takes us on another 180 with a self-probing folk song, which feels to me, sonically at least, like a complement to the Natasha Kmeto song two tracks ago, but in an acoustic instead of electronic mode. Warren's voice lingers on each syllable of her lyrics, compelling as much with her phrasing as the pensive fingerpicked guitar and spooky piano notes do, and most of all the negative space that engulfs the song like mist. DANDAN returns us to the realm of synths with a mostly instrumental track that sounds like music in a groovy retro-futuristic lounge on the planet Saturn. I wonder if this band is familiar with Dick Hyman and his album "Moon Gas", because I'm getting hard vibes in that direction. Next is one of the best Blackwater Holylight, "Sunrise", which I've described in my recent review of their first album. Laura Palmer's Death Parade, whose frontwoman Laura Hopkins is also a member of Blackwater Holylight, brings of the rear of her other band's song, contributing "Scrollin". Driven by a harsh, spikey electric rhythm guitar, it's a tune of romantic frustration, building in tension as Hopkins increases the vulnerability and resentment in her voice before it trails down in abject defeat. Her lover is gone, leaving her to be "destroyed by the light of [her] phone", a thoroughly modern sort of misery. A quicky and satisfying piece of songwriting. Haste brings up the energy a bit with "Let's Play with Ourselves", pushed along by a modified "Be My Baby" or maybe "Maps" beat, bobbing up and down for the most part on two chords (save for a bridge), like a little boat at sea. Singer Jasmine Linee Wood delivers a sleepy but heartfelt performance playing off the bands's rhythm section provides the consistent pulse, conveying maybe the purest expression of melancholy on an album that seems suffused with that emotion. Sheers, on of the city's most mysterious and unique pop acts, closes the album with her harp-driven song "An Occasion", offering a fine example of her jazz-inflected curiosities. I've also written about her music at length recently, so I won't repeat here, except to say it's a major highlight of this album. It's really a perfect closer to this overcast hashish dream of a record, which should be a welcome companion to get you through the rest of this Northwest winter. As I said, melancholy is the predominant note mood-wise in this collection, but there are so many flavors and states of it that it doesn't really feel as monochomatic as you might think. How good of a represenation of women musicians in town is it? Fuck if I know. I do know every song is great, and every song was made by women, so take that for whatever, in the end, it really means. AN ADDITIONAL NOTE: This is a long meditative post because I've reached the end of a year in which I promised to center bands and artists who were not white, cishet, or male. I ended up, due perhaps to a lack of adventurousness on my part and Portland indie rock's already poor diversity, mostly writing about white cishet women, but regardless of who I was writing about I ended up appreciating all the more the contributions of non-white, non-cishet, non-male folks in our music community. Mostly, I wish i had written more of anything on the blog this year, but you know how shit goes. In 2019 I'm going to go back to writing about whoever moves me regardless of identity cluster. Restricting white cis men didn't didn't feel any different, mostly, but maybe it's not supposed to. It's probably true that I wrote about a bunch of people I would have put on the back burner, and that's pretty good.

#dazzleships records #portland music #music reviews

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celticnoise · 6 years

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Who knew my second article of the day would be another piece slagging an article in The Daily Record? Well, not so much slagging it as taking it apart one brick at a time.

Barry Ferguson, writing in that rag today – if you can call it writing that is – has made one of the stupidest arguments since a Toblerone spokesman tried to justify the bar shrinking by boasting that nobody ever eats a full one anyway. (I made that up because if The Record can do this stuff so can i! It’s easier than they make it look.)

The Ferguson piece is special, with even greater levels of nonsense than Gannon’s earlier effort.

It deserves special treatment. It deserves a forensic analysis. For Barry not to recognise Brendan’s talent is hardly surprising; he possesses not one iota of his own, as his “managerial career” thus far can certainly be used as testimony to.

Let’s take it from the top then. Barry’s writing will appear first, in black italics. My own comments will appear under them in Deep Sarcasm.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.”

And some chairmen will just settle for you being good, right Bazza?

Better, anyway, than your 13% win ratio at Blackpool or your 39% win ratio at Clyde. Quite why we should pay any further attention to your thoughts on Brendan’s management ability beyond those stats I don’t know. We’ll call it my amusement and that of the readers here. That’s why.

“Take last Sunday. A day when Celtic’s manager should have walked straight out of Ibrox along Paisley Road West and into the casino at Springfield Quay to stick a year’s wages on black.”

Yeah because if Brendan wants advice and how to spend a year’s salary Barry the Bankrupt, the tax dodger, will be the first person he asks. And anyway, the guy was manager of Liverpool; I think he’s more a “bet on the red” guy myself.

“Because absolutely everything was coming up for Brendan Rodgers.”

By that Ferguson means that Celtic won.

I assume he means “everything” except being a goal down twice, and then a man short.

Everything except that.

“So please, leave me out of this theory that Graeme Murty was being schooled by some sort of managerial mastermind as Rangers lost to 10 men.”

Ignore the grammatical car-crash. Barry is suggesting that Graeme Murty was not schooled. And to be fair, we can’t make that claim. He was only schooled if he actually paid attention in class, if he actually learned something. That’s unclear at this time.

“That has been the talk amongst a lot of fans who are using this latest derby defeat as proof that Murty is in way over his head his against Rodgers and not up to the job of taking my old club back to the top.”

First, it’s not a “fan theory.”

A lot of media people have said the same, and the idea extends past all of us to the only folk who actually matter in this; the Sevco board.

Some of them are most definitely convinced that Brendan owned him and that he can’t get the job full-time. I mean, it’s not really a stretch is it? Brendan has experience. Murty has none. Brendan has a record of turning games around with one substitution. Murty doesn’t. If you’re going to overhaul the kind of advantage Celtic has you need someone very good indeed. Is he really saying Murty ticks the boxes?

“Excuse me, but what have these people been watching? If they can’t see the strides Rangers have made in a very short space of time under Murty then they don’t have a clue what they are talking about.”

Let me see if I’ve got this right; as of that game, Sevco has dropped as many points under Murty, in just this campaign, as Celtic has the whole season. These strides amount to a lot of wins over teams in the bottom six and lower league sides in the cup. Throw in three wins against the hapless, conflicted, Derek McInnes.

In the “short space of time” he’s talking about, those “giant strides” have seen them drop 20 points. If Celtic weren’t having a relatively poor year we’d have a lead the length of Argyle Street and nobody would be taking like this.

“And to use last Sunday as a stick to hit him over the head with is just a massive over-reaction to another painful result. I sympathise because I’m hurting too. I’ve been a Rangers man long enough to know winning means everything, especially on derby day.”

The key word in there, which Ferguson has used without even fully being aware of it, is “another.” Another painful result. There have been a lot of them. That, I believe, is the point Murty’s critics are making. The point Ferguson is trying hard to ignore.

“But I’ve watched the game again and keep coming back to the same conclusion – the only real difference between Celtic and Rangers on the day was a massive slice of good fortune.”

Then I suggest you watch the game whilst you are sober and capable of rational analysis because if you believe that you watched a different one to the game I did.

“Yes, Rodgers has taken all the plaudits because of the decisions he made in the second half. And who am I to disagree?”

Wait … I thought that was the whole point of your article?

Are you not disagreeing then?

I could have sworn you said Brendan was just lucky?

“I take my hat off to the guy because, as a manager, he is different class.”

You ever watched one of those Hollywood movies which had like six different writers on the script?

It’s sometimes fun to try and guess when one left the room and the other took over.

Entire TV shows have taken markedly different tones between seasons because one writing team left and another took over; Millennium is a case in point, and probably the best one. Chris Carter, of X-Files fame, who started the show, took a hiatus for the second season and left two of his colleagues in charge.

They took the show in dazzling, often bizarre, new directions … to astounding effect.

Season 2 is almost universally magnificent.

But the change in tone is so stark it really is like watching a different program; for a start, nestled in amongst its gems are two comedy episodes … in a show about serial killers and the guy who hunts them. That’s what this line is like, like putting on Millennium and expecting to find an episode like The Beginning And The End and getting Somehow The Devil Got Behind Me instead.

Talk about the whiplash effect!

“When he made the call to take off James Forrest and replace him with a striker, with his side down to 10 men and the game balanced at 2-2, it was incredibly brave and bold management.”

You’re feeling it too, right? As if the article is turning out differently than you had initially thought it would.

It’s spooky, isn’t it? Not to worry though …

“But what happened next was also incredibly lucky and he’s fortunate it all went his way because had Rangers won 3-2 it would have been him and not Murty who has spent the last week under fire.”

A total contradiction of what he just got finished saying; he doesn’t disagree that Brendan deserved the plaudits, Brendan is different class, his decision was incredibly brave and bold … but actually it was, instead, just plain lucky. This guy is all over the place here. Who allowed this stuff to go to publication containing this many contradictions? And the central thrust of the entire piece appears to be a Great Big If. Not a good basis for an argument.

“Why did he start with Dedryck Boyata and a back three when this was always going to be the most vulnerable part of his team?”

Good question.

But since the tactical genius Murty entirely failed to take proper advantage of the decision by putting Boyata under pressure for the full 90 minutes – or more importantly, because one of Brendan’s early, unheralded, changes was a decision to have both Brown and Ntcham drop further back to cover him – the point is moot anyway.

“Why then change a midfielder for a striker with the game in the balance?”

Is he actually asking that? Is he really?

How about this for an answer; to win the game?

Which, of course, is exactly what it did. I’ve written a lengthy piece on exactly why Brendan made the decisions he did … although I described it as “sophomoric” it’s clearly a level higher than the so-called professional football boss is capable of.

Which is amazing.

No wonder he’s stuck behind a desk at The Record with scissors, Bostick and a colouring set.

“Rodgers would have had to find answers to some seriously difficult questions but he was spared from that because the gods were smiling on him. Had Sean Goss showed Odsonne Edouard down the outside – as he should have done – then the Celtic sub would have been unlikely to score the winning goal two minutes after coming on to the pitch.”

If sarcasm is the lowest form of wit then “woulda shoulda coulda” is the lowest form of debate. Utterly stone stupid and pointless beyond belief. There is zero merit in a single word Ferguson has just written. There is no underlying logic to any of it. Brendan’s tactics were judged superbly. They worked brilliantly. Celtic responded swiftly to them, Sevco did not … and the rest is history and all Ferguson is doing is making himself sound like a whiny bitter wee runt.

“That wasn’t down to Rodgers being a genius, that was down to sheer luck.”

“Yep. It was luck,” Mitch McDermott tells his sneering opponent, after cleaning Teddy KGB’s clock at poker in Rounders.

Or to put it another way, Gary Player’s famous quote – which he attributed to Jerry Barber – about whether that was an element in how many great shots he managed to hit out of bunkers. “Yeah, the harder I practice the luckier I get.”

“Long before that Rangers could have had the game wrapped up when they were by far the superior side.”

Desperate nonsense. Absurd. Wishful thinking to the Nth degree.

“Had they taken one of their chances to make it 3-1 in the first half then I’m pretty sure Celtic would not have come back from it.”

More “woulda shoulda coulda.”

And if Moussa had scored that penalty in Barcelona how different the Champions Cup might have looked with Celtic’s name on it twice. You see where that argument can take you? Anywhere you like. Which is why it’s garbage.

“They got another break early in the game when Goss was too inexperienced to realise he had to take one for the team when the ball broke to Tom Rogic seconds before the Australian curled home Celtic’s first goal. Goss should have cleaned him out before he had a chance to line up his shot.”

A lucky goal.

Which some will say is a candidate for goal of the season.

And it’s those people who will be right.

Goss is not as good a player as Rogic; who would have guessed that?

“Celtic got lucky again when David Bates had to be carried off right after the Rogic equaliser because the youngster has been Rangers best defender for some time now.”

Oh Jesus. What arrant nonsense that is. Sevco fans don’t refer to him as Master Bates for nothing.

And if he’s so good why did they both bringing in Russell Martin, who most of them regard as a colossal waste of money?

“I am absolutely certain Bates would not have got on the wrong side of Moussa Dembele seconds before half time the way his replacement Fabio Cardoso did – allowing Celtic to end the half on a huge high.”

What an eejit this guy is. Honestly.

He’s absolutely certain?

Because Dembele’s really not that good is he?

I mean honestly … and anyway … has he ever played snooker?

Does he know that if you hit the first shot into a cushion that the entire game will play out differently than if you’d slammed it straight down the middle and into the reds? I am absolutely certain that there would have been no one on one in the first place had Bates stayed on … but all this plays Ferguson’s game which I won’t do.

Imagine writing something as nonsensical as that and handing it in for publication.

Imagine a serious newspaper publishing it.

“There was another massive moment at the end of the second half when Alfredo Morelos missed an open goal from two yards out. On any other day he scores to level it up.”

And on another day the ball never makes it to him.

Or a Celtic defender gets in there first.

On another day a stray crisp packet might have blown into his eyes and stopped him even getting the shot off.

More “woulda coulda shoulda” and none of it with the remotest connection to the general point, that Brendan’s substitutions are not what changed the game.

“I would even go as far as to say Rodgers got lucky again when Jozo Simunovic was sent off because, for as long as the game was 11 v 11, Rangers were the better side.”

Read that again.

And again.

For openers, it’s nonsense.

We were on top at that point in the match; that’s why so many people assumed it was a “turning point.” But it is the first time I’ve ever heard of a manager “getting lucky” when his own player was sent off. In fact, managers who turn games around from that position generally get credit for it … but of course, Barry has remembered that the point of this piece is to give Brendan none. So he writes stuff like this. Absolutely stinking reeking guff like this.

“It was only after that moment Celtic really got to grips with the game and I know from experience how a match can change when one side goes down to 10 men. The decision gave Celtic a shot in the arm and created a siege mentality.”

A siege mentality is when you shut up shop. Not when you go on the offensive.

Yes, games do generally change when a team goes down to ten men. In favour of the team who still have eleven on the park.

Red cards do not give the sides that get them a “shot in the arm.” If they did there would be no need for managers to make changes after them, would there?

You complete clown.

“Rangers didn’t react well to it at all.”

Which presumably is his way of saying Murty didn’t react well to it. Which is true. And invalidates everything he said about the Sevco boss at the start of the piece.

“So Barry contradicts his own pish James? Tell us something we didn’t already know.”

“That was frustrating to watch because they should have been moving the ball quicker and using the whole of the pitch to tire their opponents and open Celtic up. That they failed to do that was another sign of inexperience and, yes, Murty has to take his share of the blame.”

Oh bravo for coming to the self-evident conclusion that loads of us had arrived at in front of you, oh wise one, oh person who somehow got management jobs at two clubs in spite of possessing not one iota of managerial talent and who ended up working for national newspaper without a scintilla of journalistic skill either.

“But he will learn from it and so will his players.”

They better learn fast, that’s all I can say.

Before Kilmarnock visit tomorrow, and certainly before the cup semi final which is only a few weeks away.

“I agreed with every word he said after the game and I’m a bit surprised that he has retracted some of it. He wasn’t too harsh at all.”

He retracted it because his bosses kicked his backside from one end of Ibrox to the other.

He did it because he is weak and indecisive.

Not great traits for an aspiring Mourinho.

“Yes, all three of Celtic’s goals could have been avoided. Yes, Rangers could and should have played better after Celtic went down to 10 men.”

All three of our goals could have been avoided in the way every goal ever scored could have been avoided.

The ultimate in “coulda shoulda woulda.”

And yes, Sevco might have played better.

Except we didn’t allow them to.

“And yes, these players might just have missed the best ever chance to get one over on their old rivals.”

Hyperbolic nonsense. But grounded in a little truth. If they can’t do it at home, on the back of a media campaign to put the pressure on us, in a game where they had the lead twice and we went down to ten men … it makes you wonder what optimal conditions they are counting on.

“Murty was right on all points but that doesn’t mean that Rangers won’t recover and become stronger for it.”

He was right on all points?

Before or after he retracted his comments?

And if he was right on all points then why do they need to recover and become stronger for it?

All they need, if you accept the Hypothesis of Pish presented here, is that Brendan runs out of luck.

“What I see is a work in progress both on the pitch and in the technical area. These are inexperienced players working for an inexperienced manager.”

A dire and dangerous combination as anyone who knows anything can attest. And this thing about experience is pish anyway. Odsonne Edouard was playing for PSG reserves this time last year, and he had the class and composure to score a sublime goal in this one.

“But where Rangers are now compared to where they were under Pedro Caixinha is night and day.”

Yeah definitely.

They were third in the league and being challenged for fourth spot.

Now they are second in the league, five points behind Aberdeen who have a game in hand, and seven points behind Hibs who also have a game in hand.

So still being challenged for fourth spot then, and nine points behind us … and we’ve got a game in hand.

Giant strides.

“The manager and his players now need to regroup and bounce back quickly. By the time they head to Hampden to face Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final on April 15 their tails should be up again.”

Provided, you mean, they actually win all their games between now and then … presumptuous, arrogant, so Sevco-like you just knew it was coming.

“They should look back on Sunday and learn their lessons.”

Yeah maybe like the one about keeping their collective gobs shut before massive games. Like the one about not broadcasting their arrogance and giving the other team all the additional incentive they required. Those would be a start, but there’s no sign of it.

“But most of all, they should realise how far they have come together and how far the gap has been closed.”

The gap is nine points and a game in hand.

Advantage Celtic.

It didn’t close. It widened by three.

“What I saw was a Rangers side which no longer lives in fear of Celtic. I described the fixture as a boxing match and Sunday showed me Rangers are now confident enough to go toe-to-toe with their old rivals for the first time in a long time.”

Confidence is great. It really is.

But the fight ended with Scott Brown dancing around the ring like Ali, and Alfredo Morelos lying on his back, out for the count, like a pretender who thought he was a contender and who got the whipping such hubris deserves.

“The fact they were so disappointed on Sunday tells me this is a group of players who will be bursting a gut to put it right at Hampden.”

Wait … disappointing?

I thought they were absolutely brilliant on the day and only beaten by freak luck?

That, after all, was the point of the whole piece … wasn’t it?

“Murty is no longer setting his players up just to survive against Celtic. He’s setting them up to beat them. Next time, with a bit of luck on his side, that’s exactly what might happen.”

In your dreams Bazza.

In your dreams.

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