#although i know OBJECTIVELY i am a creative person

[inkskinned]

i keep thinking about hobbies and how i often spill over myself to pick up new ones. i have adhd, i end up trying something for like a month and then just getting far enough in it that i move on, satisfied.

and that should be fine; but it's never fine.

i am a pretty decent artist; but i can't just make art for my dnd campaign, i should be selling dnd maps and character designs and scene setting pieces. i can't just make my friends matching earrings, i need to get an etsy and ship them internationally and take bulk orders. i make pretty good props and decorations and use them to throw my friends parties - but i should be running a party planning business and start taking paying clients and networking and putting my skills to actual use.

for some reason, i never figured out the specifics of pottery. it was a fun class and i enjoyed myself - and still, i'm embarrassed, years later, that i put in all that useless effort. everything i make has to be stunning. stellar. i should have applied myself more. maybe i'm too lazy. maybe i'm broken and selfish and needy. actually creative people would have kept going; they would be bettering themselves at every possible opportunity.

we find ourselves in this trap, even accidentally: we need to commodify our time, because it is a commodity. if we spend our efforts and our time not earning, isn't that the same thing as burning free money? and god forbid you ever take up a hobby that ends up being more expensive than you thought. you sit in your car and you look at the receipt and in your head you hear a conversation that isn't even happening - your mom or your friend or your partner all saying oh great. not this shit again. it's always something with you, and it never actually means anything.

i have realized this horrible thing, recently - i'll get excited to start a project, pick up a new hobby. and then i just... stop myself. i start thinking about the amount of time it will take, and how it'll look in my monthly budget. what if i can't even produce a good enough final product. sure, it's exciting to think about how i could make my friend her own custom dice. but i'm just polluting the earth if i don't get it right. better not bother. better not try.

restless, i get caught in the negative space. the feeling that oh god, i want to create. and that horrible sense - yeah, but i don't have the time to just put to waste.

#hobbies #writeblr #what stage of weirdness to write about hobbies on my hobby writing blog #although i know OBJECTIVELY i am a creative person #i often forget to label myself that bc i don't feel im an ARTISTIC person bc i don't do anything like that professionally #writing doesn't even feel like a hobby i think that surprises nobody for me to be like #it would be easier for me to stop . like. breathing. #which feels cheesy and trite but listen im running late for a meeting and all i really want to say is like #i couldn't even consider writing my hobby bc it makes my skin crawl bc it makes it sound like it's not important to me #bc we really devalue hobbies. like entirely. #it HAS to be a job. it must #also idk if this is clear but i personally get stuck in this space where i CANT create bc i am putting so much pressure on myself #to make it RIGHT #and im like ... idk i only have an hour #so probably shouldnt get involved in this thing

[chut-je-dors]

Hello! Do you happen to know any good resources for learning Finnish? As basic as possible, I literally started on Duolingo half an hour ago:) I know, I know, I'm a poser for learning Finnish *after* Käärijä, but the language sounds soooo interesting (although I've heard the grammar is quite difficult...). Thank you in advance and also love your blog:)))))

Hi!! So very very ecstatic that you've decided to learn Finnish! No reason to feel ashamed that you'd only start after Käärijä... believe me, in Finland people are just altogether very taken if a foreigner wants to learn Finnish, no matter the reason. (And all reasons for learning a language are good!) (And we're SO SO PROUD of Käärijä, he's done a monumental job of bringing our language to the public eye more than ANYONE ELSE BEFORE so, yup! He's a VERY good reason to start learning Finnish!!)

I'm not sure if I'm the right person to point you towards any resources... But I tried finding some for you! I've checked out the Duolingo course and it's a good place to begin! Here's also a drive folder that has some Finnish language books as PDFs.

Also here's a page for beginner's Finnish from our national news media Yle (it's like our version of BBC).

Here is a "picture book" kind of a page for learning names for objects, good to start with!

Here's an online course for beginners! This has grammar too, and links for further reading and studying.

Finnish is also notorious for having it's written language differ drastically from how people actually speak. We don't have accents per se, but dialects instead, which don't just affect the way we pronounce words (=accents, as in English) but the way we form them. So for example, the written Finnish "I am" is "minä olen", but in spoken Finnish it can become e.g. "mä oon", "mää oon", "mie oon", depending on where you live (and there might be some more variations as well but these are the most common ones.) Many foreigners find themselves in a spot where they can read and understand written Finnish pretty well, then the moment a Finnish person opens their mouth it's a bloodbath. But don't let it deter you! And Finnish people are more than happy to switch to written Finnish if you don't understand them. I found this website for learning the basics for spoken Finnish!

A good place is also good ole Youtube! Just type in "Finnish for beginners" and you're set to go!

Finnish is a difficult language to learn because of the grammar and lack of prepositions if your language has them... but look at it this way, I struggle with them in any language that uses them cos I haven't grown up using them. I still occasionally mess up with in/on or for/to (it's even worse with French and Swedish). Doesn't stop me from writing 100k fics in English apparently!

Welcome to learning Finnish! Remember that the most important thing is to learn the swear words, you'll go far with those. Just drop in a perkele and it's always the right thing to say haha.

Jokes aside, I'm very happy to hear this! Finnish is a very beautiful language and a very inventive one as well, which allows for more word play and creativity with the language than, say, English for example. And while Finnish is difficult, you'll find that once you've learnt the rules, there are no exceptions to them or the kind of hassle with the grammar as there is to English or French. I've known exchange students who've learnt near perfect Finnish in less than a year!

If anyone knows and wants to add more good resources here, go ahead!

#suomi #finland #finnish #eurovision #käärijä #i was so glad to receive this ask!! #i hope you have a good time learning finnish #welcome to the party it's crazy <3 #also check out spotify lists of finnish songs! you might find some artists you like #bless you nonnie!! #anonymous #answered

[very-feral-lesbian]

the season six finale has officially become the lowest rated episode of 911 ever. here's my thoughts as to why season six as a whole is bad. this is long. it is needed.

objectively, the show has become repetitive.

kirsten reidel has no creativity when it comes to the storylines of buck and eddie. i am going to be focusing a lot on buck and eddie during this talk due to the fact that they have been the most neglected characters when it comes to relationships, and because there has been some serious, queerbaiting throughout the season alongside the worst of the show's writing.

this is our third love interest that buck has had that was representing one singular aspect of himself that becomes suddenly prominent due to the plot at the time. ali made buck realize that he needed someone who was going to appreciate his line of work and that it was a non-negotiable part of himself. abby served as a tool for buck to realize he could be in a serious relationship involving something more than sex. and now with natalia, she just represents this part of his life where he gets himself into near death situations and how to deal with them. these are all important aspects to buck’s personality and life; however, they don’t represent him as a whole.

buck deserves someone who knows him for all parts of who he is, and this show refuses to do that, because if we go from a logical standpoint, if eddie was a woman, and they still had the kind of relationship that they have now, they would be together. their personalities match, they are fucking coparent, and their lives are parallel to one another. 75% of their storylines outside of the emergencies at work are intertwined and coexist with one another.

the only other people with such interconnected storylines are the other couples and the families.

yes, hypothetically if they introduced a character who is basically like a woman version of eddie, and genuinely had this chemistry with buck then i wouldn't be mad. yet they actively choose people who do not have chemistry with him. especially with natalia having chosen a woman who failed a chemistry read with him (oliver) for a fucking romance movie. how are we, as an audience, supposed to ignore their lack of chemistry?

and i will say there was also something that happened in an interview with oliver that made me mad. as we have seen throughout the show, chris has become one of, if not the most, important person to buck outside of his sister. he fathers chris like he wished his father did to him. and oliver has even discussed this in interviews before, stating that buck is coparenting with eddie. but in his most recent interview, he made it seem like the idea of parenting is completely new to buck.

i don’t wanna put the blame on oliver, but the way that he is speaking so differently within such a short amount of time about these relationships, indicates that there was a change at some point. because during the second interview, it was very obvious that they were treating Buck like a second parent to christopher. they said that he was giving him the parental love that he never had. and now they are acting like buck has never experienced what it’s like to be a parental figure, which we have seen (and been told in the past) is the furthest thing from the truth.

before i get into eddie’s relationships, i do want to point out a couple things that also did make me mad this season that are smaller, but still important.

there was a scene between hen, karen and hen's mom when denny was trying to have a relationship with his father. hen's motherly "said that a boy needs his father". this is homophobia. it’s not even subtle. saying to two fantastic mothers of a child that that a child needs a father figure to grow up correctly. this show prides itself on having diversity, although a negligent amount. having a black lesbian family can go so far and be great representation. but now they are just throwing all of their work away by having this character say the most homophobic shit.

in general, the show is very good at not including repercussions of actions or situations. we have not gotten discussion about athena‘s father since the episode about him. they completely abandoned hen's medical storyline, giving an unjust ending that felt incomplete. and bobby’s storyline about that sponsor of his was just dropped like nothing. yes this happens a lot in procedural dramas. however, that doesn’t mean it should happen. this show is nothing without these characters, they make the show. yet, they set up all these gigantic plot lines only to not follow through or provide any insight about how it’s impacting the character going forward, leaving so many things feeling incomplete. and this leads me to eddie.

last time that we saw eddie date, christopher literally ran away from home to bucks because he was upset. and now, with zero resolution about christopher‘s feelings, with little to no talks about it, eddie has allowed chris to have information regarding a woman that he might possibly date before even dating her. this makes no sense for who eddie is as a person. his number one priority is his son, and he has made that clear several times that his son comes before dating. why suddenly is he spreading this information to christopher like it’s nothing? yes, chris has grown up a lot since then, but it was still an unresolved plot line that heavily impacted two of our main characters, but it was dropped like nothing.

i want to talk about the couch theory. oliver had hinted that the couch theory was very important and was going to come to a head at the season finale. i find it extremely difficult to believe that the couch theory that has been set up since the beginning of this season was created to be finalized with a character that we have seen for less than 10 minutes of screen time and has been in less than three episodes. you cannot begin to tell me that all of this work towards this metaphor that has been beautifully written is now just finished with a random character, that we know little to nothing about except her job. hypothetically, if we go with the idea that this was what it was meant to be from the beginning, they did a terrible job doing it. that is really undeniable. but if the originally story involved buddie due to the heavy involvement of eddie and chris in this metaphor, why change it? there have been undeniable parallels throughout the season and an almost frame by frame shot of buck and christopher doing the exact same thing on eddie’s couch, only for the answer to buck's "couch problem" to be natalia? i dont buy it.

as for this season six finale, it was a fucking disaster. for a drama about fire fighters, for all they have been through, a bridge collapse is nothing. there was no moment where i thought one of our main characters were dead. there was no intensity and very little emotion about the scene, except from maddie.

it was only made worse by the jumpcut at the end where all the characters are just fine. eddie had several broken ribs? nope, he's all healed, let him cheer and jump in the air. chim had a rod through his abdomen (that he proceeded to pull out because despite him being a paramedic, he definitely wouldn't know proper procedure)? he's perfectly fine, no mention of any repercussions of that injury. and cap had no injuries after being crushed by a literal bridge? of course, makes perfect sense!

when comparing this season finale to other plot lines like the tsunami, the earthquakes, the texas fires, the lightning strike, the firetruck on bugs leg, and countless others, this felt so subtle. and it was only exasperated by the last 20 minutes of the episode feeling incredibly out of place, like someone wrote it without seeing the first half of the script.

-

in general, i think that if 911 continues to have the same show runners and writers from this point forward, it is going to be a repetitive nightmare of a mess of a procedural drama. it is no longer good, there is no creativity in the show anymore, they have created these backstories for all of their characters and refuse to follow through with them.

i have loved this show and the community of 911 since season two when I started watching it, and it is undeniable that there have been some masterpieces of storytelling in the show. nothing will ever beat the tsunami, or any of the "_____ begins" episodes. that is where they peak. they peak when they focus on their main characters and showing their history and how human they are. and yet with every new episode, they undo the work.

i don’t like to throw queerbaiting around for a plethora of reasons, but season six has changed my mind on that. if they truly created the couch theory just to have it end up with natalia, then why include buck being on eddie’s couch then parallels it to their son? why would you cast someone who failed a chemistry test with your main character to be that character's love interest? i legitimately want a reason. because at this point it is just homophobia. they don’t want to do the storyline because it would mean that two more of their characters are queer. and it seems like they want the minimum diversity possible. they already have one gay couple, so why have another? they already hit the gay diversity mark.

there’s a reason that this episode is the lowest rated episode of 911 of all time. If ABC does not listen to 911 fans, season eight will be the last season of the show.

#i could honestly go on but this is long enough as is #even if no one reads this #its nice to get all of my thoughts out #911 #911 fox #911 rant #911 on fox #911 on abc #evan buck buckley #eddie diaz #henren #henrietta wilson #chimney han #captain bobby nash #911 season 6 #911 season six finale #911 spoilers #911 show #buddie #lindz rants

[ingravinoveritas]

(**Warning: Spoilers for the OFMD 2 season finale follow. Read at your own risk.)

I've just watched the finale of season 2 of Our Flag Means Death, and it has stirred a lot of thoughts and feelings in me (as it has many of us, unquestionably). I had initially planned to include some of these thoughts in my review of GO 2 (which I still have not written), but the death of Izzy Hands (Con O'Neill) has brought back some of the feelings I had a few months ago, so I'd like to talk about the theme of ableism in GO 2 and OFMD.

Since the first season, Izzy Hands has seemingly been a polarizing figure, but there has been a clear emotional resonance on the part of fans toward him, and especially now in season 2. To have his arc and "redemption" come in such an ignominious fashion certainly feels like a slap in the face to those fans. I would characterize myself as "Izzy neutral" (that is, I did not hate him, but I didn't necessarily feel a deep connection to him, either), but what troubles me is how Izzy was ultimately treated as a disabled character.

Earlier in episode 8, the Revenge crew is jailed, and Prince Ricky pulls Izzy out of the cell to have a drink, and during this exchange Izzy says this line, which we had previously heard in one of the trailers:

It was Izzy who the writers/creative team specifically chose to have say this line, and because of that, I find it very difficult to swallow the idea that he was the one character who was later killed. That in the end, the character who speaks about belonging is the one who doesn't get to belong. As if he was there to further Ed's storyline, to be an object lesson for him, and was then disposable after that.

Further compounding the issue was the crew using Izzy's prosthetic leg as a grave marker (presumably under the assumption that he no longer needed it). But for many disabled people, prostheses and wheelchairs and other accommodations are what help us thrive in the world and are part of who we are, so to me, taking that away from him inadvertently diminished how complex and multifaceted Izzy had become as a character and seemingly reduced him to little more than a mascot.

As a person on the autism spectrum who works in the field of disability, Izzy's line about belonging resonated with me extremely deeply. For many of us who are neurodivergent or disabled, this is the stuff of our everyday lives--being told through childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood that we are nothing, and that our lives do not have value. I spent so many years searching for that sense of belonging, to know that I had a place in the world, and it was not something anyone could give to me, but something I had to fight for. To make that space, because no one else would.

As I've said before, while I have watched both shows, I am far more into and emotionally connected to GO than OFMD. This leads me to GO season 2, and the parallels to this that I saw there. In GO 2, we have the character of Saraqael (Liz Carr), who is an angel that uses a wheelchair (as does the actor who plays them). It's shown in one of the episodes that Saraqael's power is to miracle wheelchair ramps everywhere they go, and in nearly all of the reviews and articles I've read about the second season, this trait is met with widespread praise.

But to me it mirrored precisely what we see in real life--that is, that the burden of accessibility is often placed on disabled people ourselves. I would have loved to have seen one of the able-bodied angels have not only the power, but the desire to create those ramps. It was disheartening to me to think that even in a seemingly ideal place like Heaven (although we know it certainly isn't), it is the disabled character who has to create a place for themselves.

The character choices around Saraqael and Izzy are something I would describe as benevolent ableism, in that while no harm was likely intended, it still reinforces long-ingrained prejudices and ideas about disability. There is so much intersectionality between queerness and disability as well, and so it is disappointing to see an opportunity to have that idea of "belonging" encompass every character only encompass certain characters instead.

I truly think this will only change if and when we have disabled people behind the camera as well as in front of it. And I hope that day comes sooner rather than later so that all of the fans who see themselves in Izzy or Saraqael are not left feeling the way they do now...

#our flag means death #ofmd 2 #ofmd 2 spoilers #izzy hands #con o'neill #good omens #good omens 2 #saraqael #liz carr #ableism #disability #media and disability #i'm feeling a lot of feelings #so i hope this all makes sense #not trying to hate on either show but really wishing things had been done better #thoughts #discourse #gif by me

[tuliptiger]

If you LIKE TOTK that's fine I don't need to tell you that, you don't need me to tell you that. I don't care or mind if people like things I don't but I also know sometimes it's hard to see people giving criticism towards things you like. I digress.

As a fan of BOTW, having experienced it first, I will say it's obviously impacted how I view TOTK. If TOTK came out with no history of BOTW it might have been a different story I honestly don't know. There are a lot of things I like about TOTK but they're mostly flavor and don't actually like matter ie they could've not existed in favor of major changes to make TOTK and BOTW more cohesive.

Things I like about TOTK:

-More unique horses, upgrading horses, more horse colors

-More enemies and a variety of enemies.

-More outfits for Link. Super fun and super creative on these ones. Love em!

-The IDEA, and almost idea ALONE, the depths and the sky islands. Didn't love how they played out

-Monster raid battles, they are fun! Once again, don't love how they played out though. I feel mostly neutral about them if not somewhat positive about them. Wish they wouldn't have put one right in front of Fort Hateno.

-Intractable dragons! Love the elemental dragon upgrade.

-Idea of a customizable house and the variety of parts you can put into the house plot.

-The ability to grab almost everything although I truly did not mind that being limited to just metal objects. I liked the restriction and felt it appropriately challenging. It could've just been an upgrade later in the game of magnesis. Ultrahand is FINE like I said. Have the ability to move normal boulders is nice but ultimately unnecessary. They built a game when you can move a boulder through game mechanics and physics and it was FUN.

-Anyway, Ultrahand was fine. I liked being able to move the horse carts.

-THE HORSE CARRIAGES and towing stuff that was 💯🤌♥️ a beautiful addition

-The idea of repairing things in Hyrule but ultimately a lackluster use and follow through in this too. Repairing the bridge to the rito village was super fun to me.

-The flora and fauna additions that WERE THERE.

-Caves!

-Bulbul frogs

-How inventory items have use now but! Once again once again there is a common theme here, I don't love how they actually implemented it. Not EVERY item needed a use tbh. It didn't, we didn't need that ability. It is wild to go back to BOTW and notice you can't throw items but not having to navigate that item menu is a fucking blessing. Throwing items and attaching them to arrows etc is super fun though.

-Some of the new missions were super fun

-Monster hit list missions!!!! Personal taste maybe but I looooove most hunting missions.

-Zelda and Dragon Zelda ngl that shit was cool but like exclusively that fact and nothing else related to that. No story line stuff or the ending or anything else

-BOSSES AND BOSS FIGHTS! AND and and refightable boss fights because ngl they DID go off with the boss fights. Really cool use of how large the game is plus the physics of the game.

-Wellssssss loved the wells

Ok!!! Not a comprehensive list but! I DO like things about TOTK. Am I still a hater yes absolutely I fucking hate like 80% of that game and things surrounding it. I really really do but there were some really pleasant things about it too. Just not enough to appease me for the things that in my opinion sucked ass and were intentionally bad decisions.

#totk #botw #words

[cloudsourcing]

tiny (not so tiny) rant/vent incoming!!

just had an epiphany today for this thing I’ve felt all my life but had never been able to articulate until today. The thing was: I am a woman and I love being a woman so why does it feel so wrong and dehumanizing to be “seen” as a woman by the world? I hadn’t been able to articulate my answer but then it came to meeee

After class, my classmate stopped me and wanted to talk to me about a presentation I did today in class (on Marx’s “The German Ideology” hehe <3). My classmate is super charismatic, super smart, and easy to talk to. Our chat was fun and insightful to me because he was actually talking to me about our readings from class, something I could chime in on and hold a conversation about. That’s pretty rare for me and I genuinely cherish these types of interactions, the kind that are engaging and interesting. Anyway, he begins telling me about a screenplay he wrote. I was genuinely interested in his creative process. It was fun and interesting until it no longer felt like a conversation. That’s when I started to feel that heavy cloud of realization come over me. When I left our conversation, I felt so empty. I felt drained and frustrated - a feeling I’ve had many times before. But I didn’t know why I felt this way. He was actually engaging with me, why did it feel so hollow despite that? It finally clicked but it wouldn’t have clicked if I hadn’t had another interaction to compare it to that I’d had just a few days ago. I compared the way I felt after this interaction with the way I felt after a meeting I had with my professor (who teaches the course my classmate and I met in). The main difference between my interaction with this professor (and most of the other women in my life) is that it never feels like my identity as a woman, my being a woman, is their primary focus. When I talk to her, I feel seen and I feel heard. When I talk to my friends, both men and women but especially with women, I never have to think about the different aspects of my identity. I’m just a person and they’re just a person having a shared moment. But in my conversations with men, there’s a brief moment in which I am forced to acknowledge my identity precisely because of the way they’re interacting with me. My being a women is at the forefront of this interaction and that is exactly what/who they’re engaging with. My personhood is only secondary to that. Then I know that the reason I feel so horrible after this is because I feel like an object. I feel like a vessel for these men to espouse their ideas, a medium for them to be heard and understood. Their attraction to me (or whatever it is) precedes their interest in me as a person. Most interactions with men leave me feeling this way - more like an object or a vessel and less like a person. Whereas I think I’m having a pretty cool conversation with a classmate, to them it’s this performative action wherein they’re not just talking to someone, but specifically to a girl/woman/whatever and it’s driving their interest. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to have a relationship with a man, although I know I’m capable of it. I know what it feels like and what it looks like when someone just sees you as a person, as a friend and sees past the physical. I think I care about the essence of who I am too much, what my heart is made of and what my thoughts consist of to settle for someone who just sees the physical boundaries of my existence. Ahhhh I am so tired, and I didn’t think this would be so long but it feels soooo good to be able to articulate this.

#and no longer being too intimidated to critique the way men interact with me #no longer afraid of dying alone because of men seeing me as ‘undesirable’ and ridding myself of the desire to be desirable to men

[anamelessfool]

Fic asks: 4, 7, 13, 22, 24, 41

Thanks for the ask! <3

Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Music, art I saw, things happening in my life. Also I go back to the characters I have and the timeline I've organized and ask questions, notice patterns.

How do you choose which POV to write from? It' s usually the character that knows the least and I feel will learn the most from the experience of the story.

I very rarely switch up POVs within a work. It is tricky but I feel it pays off and makes you be more creative with storytelling. There's no convenient pair of eyes for you to drop your reader behind. Also If you do it too much it's hard to see the plot and readers start weighing one character over the other. For instance, I read The Devil In The White City and the architect was so fucking boring compared to the psychotic serial killer with a murder mansion I literally skipped over half the book.

What’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

"The Road to Hell is paved with adverbs."- Stephen King

I am very wary of how many abverbs I use. I strive where I can to eliminate them and replace them with a stronger verb, or an allusion.

Also from the beginning of a chapter to an end, a character must be changed, or a decision must be weighed.

22 Are there certain types of writing you won’t do? (style, pov, genre, tropes, etc)

I really don't like meek main characters. Like main characters that are too passive. Even my Copia, while cowardly, has a shred of desire that makes him stand his ground if he is really really pushed. I want my character to be an Icebreaker, the one that makes the decisions (or actively fails to and that's the consequence)

Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

Literally writing every thing that is in a space, or that could happen. Like, keep it quick. We know characters go to the bathroom, we know they go to the store to get stuff for their day to day. We know a bedroom is going to have a dresser with typical stuff in it. Readers automatically assume certain daily tasks and items happen and exist. They're not babies, they have object permanence. When you look at a place, you don't take it all in at once, your eyes move around and the snippets your brain collects makes the picture. I don't give a damn if the room has a dresser and a bed and a comb on the table unless they are shitty, or on fire, or have something to do with the plot or actual atmosphere that will affect the character and or plot. (lol I am so sore about this can you tell)

Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person?

I am more likely to reread scenes from fics again. And multiple times if they stick in my memory.

I'm surprised at the depth of these questions! Ask away (although I may not respond immediately these are dense!)

#ask answered #get to know your fic writer

[telomeke]

MY SCHOOL PRESIDENT – SOME (RANDOM) THOUGHTS

My School President has hit the one-third, four episode mark, and this light little rom-com has got me *thinking* (a bit like Bad Buddy did in its time).

It's not all fluffy clouds and rainbows this one; there's a keen intelligence percolating behind the scenes that knows just what it's doing (and every now and then it will drop in a little nugget of greater significance to offset all the romantic sweetness, to remind us of who's in control).

I'm hopeful for more as the rest of the story unfolds, but am also hoping that they keep the balance right, because this has been (above all, so far) an enjoyably light high school BL romance.

MSP winks at Bad Buddy quite a bit – its team of writers and directors is approximately the same, although Khun Noppharnach has taken a step back into the producer role to allow Au Kornprom Niyomsil to take up directing duties, and only two of BBS's writers are on MSP. But the signs are there it's taking up the mantle BBS so expertly wove and deployed.

But at this time my thoughts on MSP are still random and unfocused; I can't tell where it's taking us just yet. Nonetheless, I remember it took me until BBS Ep.5 and 6 to start focusing my thoughts, so I'm waiting things out before looking at MSP more closely.

In the meantime I can't resist jotting down some random unlinked observations though (more for my own future reference than anything else). Whether or not they'll come together as part of a bigger picture I don't know, but time will tell.

By switching up the POVs in consecutive episodes, they've wrung out the seme/uke trope (just as BBS did, but the MSP treatment is not as heavy-handed). At first it looked like the taller, serious Tinn was going to be an archetypal seme, but then they showed us he's really a lovesick dork whose schemes to get closer to Gun get thwarted by circumstances all the time (and that Tinn for whatever reason fails miserably to rise above). And Gun the shorter sunshine boy is anything but a delicate flower vase, more than just an object of affection. I think @absolutebl has already written about this here (and much more coherently too) so I'll leave it at that.

Win and Sound are going to end up together (this one's pretty obvious, I think). Their exchange in the music room (when Win says to Sound about the pieces of meat being grilled: "I'll get a new one for you. Here. Take this one") at Ep.4 [4/4] 11.14 (as well as Phat and Por's reactions) is MSP winking at the "food = love" trope, not just Sound's acceptance into the friendship group. But with the ditching of the seme/uke trope that Thai BL seems intent on pursuing, I think the two blustery personalities getting together is another wink in that direction, that they're moving away from stereotyped roles in Thai BL couples as well.

There are also two nods that MSP does to socio-political realities outside of itself, that directly or indirectly have an impact on the production of Thai entertainment.

The first is at Ep.1 [1I4] 11.04 when Gun turns up for the presidential debate like this:

This is actually a reference to the current governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt, who, while serving as a minister in 2013 was photographed in much the same (casual) outfit barefoot and bearing alms at a Buddhist temple, concretizing his down-to-earth and solidly dependable image among Thai people:

MSP's nod here is a witty flex, but I've not quite worked out yet what they're getting at, beyond that it's a cute, chuckleworthy moment.

The second socio-political nod they've done is at Ep.4 [3I4] 0.27, and it's particularly barbed:

This is a direct reference to government intervention in the creative process, that is being done with a view to increasing Thailand's visibility and clout in the global entertainment scene.

You can read more about it here:

It's clear that there is pressure being applied for productions to go in certain directions (possibly with the dangling of financial carrots, that the money guys at profit-driven studios may be insisting individual shows have to snag, thus entailing modifications to the plot or portrayals for compliance with funding guidelines – but really I'm just guessing here).

Any sort of outside influence will always be a dampener on the creative process and I'm sure this is what's being critiqued here.

I have my own ideas about which directions are being strongly pushed (to increase marketability) but will save the details of that for a different post – for now I will say that I think Thai creatives are being pressured to emphasize Thailand's cultural links and overlaps with East Asia (especially with an eye on the gigantic Chinese market).

So climbing back into MSP from outside the fourth wall (and keeping with the randomness of it all), @respectthepetty has pointed out that Tinn and Gun may be represented by the colors blue and red, in this write-up linked here.

I'm keeping an open mind about this, but if it is true – take a look again at this photo of Tinn and Gun on the stairs:

There are red and blue arrows on the steps, with the red pointing up and the blue pointing down. I know these are the school's directional arrows for the students to follow when using the staircase, but even though the arrows are worn (and thus may be pre-existing and not intentional on the part of the MSP production team), part of me can't help wondering if they may be signaling future developments for Tinn and Gun too. 🤔 Why keep the shot so wide, if not to keep these arrows in view?

All eyes on you, My School President! 😍

#my school president

[alpydk]

Cabinet of Oddities (Part 25)

Ah have the next part as well before the weekend break

Summary: We’re going to kill him, my sweet mask. And we’re going to enjoy ourselves doing it. You have no need of the ill-fated wizard, only of me. Your vampiric friend is competent though. He’d make a fine ally in our world.

Ao3 Link

There is always a way to kill someone. You just have to be creative enough . Astarion had been thinking over this line ever since Nana had uttered it. Creative enough… He’d gone through the normal plans of how to murder someone using poisons, stabbing, decapitation, hells, even drawing Cazador into the sun but he knew none of these ideas would work. Cazador wanted him and he sure wasn’t going to hand himself over. But what if I could though?

He waited until she was alone before he approached, skulking up behind her. 

Nana jumped out of her skin. “Gods, Astarion! Why do you insist on doing that? Walk like a normal person!” 

He gave a smirk. “Where is the fun in being normal, darling?”

She sighed. “Still. Don’t sneak up on people. Or at least not me. Sneak up on as many bad guys as you like.”

He took a seat next to her trying to judge where her mind was at right now. “Your little soirees with Gale seem to have made you your old irritating self again, I see.”

She blushed, his words still having their old effect on her. “Thank you, I think.” She curled a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’re here to talk to me about the painting, aren’t you?”

“In a way I am.”

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have taken your form. It’s a huge consent thing and I wasn’t thinking, I didn’t think you would find out and please don’t get angry with-”

He turned to her quickly. “Stop. I’m not angry with you. At least not at this moment. What you did was quite sweet, I suppose. But no, I actually wanted to ask-” He hesitated, a moment of weakness for this ? “I wanted to ask for your help.”

She looked over at him with curiosity, “And what might that be with?”

“Cazador.” He said, letting the name roll off his tongue distastefully. 

-------------------------------

Nana looked around, a creeping sensation rolling up her spine. Astarion had spoken to her for some time about what he wanted of her and although she had wanted to object, to tell him there was a better way, she had found herself nodding, recommending tips on the best ways to break into the Szarr Palace. You’re here again. A prickling in her fingertips as if they wanted to move of their own accord. She closed her eyes, the silence of the last few days now becoming a cacophony again.

We’re going to kill him, my sweet mask. And we’re going to enjoy ourselves doing it. You have no need of the ill-fated wizard, only of me. Your vampiric friend is competent though. He’d make a fine ally in our world.

She gazed over at Gale and watched as he softly smiled back at her. She could feel the guilt in her heart knowing what she was hiding. I could tell him about you…

And what would happen? He’d reject you for the killer you are. If he knew what you had just agreed with the pale one. Torture? So, is that what you like to do?  

Nana climbed into her tent to hide herself away from the world. They would be safe if she was alone.

Come, my sweet. Tonight will be good for you. Just like old times.

She grabbed the new journal that Gale had given her and began to write. Please forgive me.

-----------------------------------

Nana stood at the grand entrance to the Szarr Palace in Astarion’s form considering if she should just knock or waltz in confidently. Don’t think. Just do. She took a step forward and then another, the delicate shoes stepping lightly on the cobblestones. She pushed the door open and immediately felt the threatening eyes on her.

“Brother, you have returned to us.”

Nana scowled at the vampire spawn, giving herself time to remember Astarion’s run down. Leon, long hair, vampire. “You doubted my return?”

“No, of course not. Though you know how he will react. He believes you left out of spite. He’s going to punish you.” Leon’s voice seemed like he was trying to read her as he uttered the words. It was clear that in Astarion’s absence, the punishments and torment Cazador normally inflicted on him had simply been moved to his siblings, the traces of blood on his skin, the bruises on his neck.

Nana looked away trying to show how little she cared. “Worry not, darling. Take me to him.” Astarion, I hope you’re ready.

-------------------------------------

Astarion had crept through the sewers and found the ancient door to his master’s chambers. He’d never seen it before but often he’d heard rumours of its existence and he’d known during his year in solitude that it was close by, a room where Cazador would retreat to if needed. And he sure as hells would need to tonight. 

He’d found the hall and stood by the sarcophagus with his pack in hand. It’d been weighed down by bottle upon bottle of holy water as recommended by Nana. Initially, he’d asked her for something simply just to get him close to Cazador but as he’d explained his plan she’d come up with something much more elaborate but also much more satisfying. He started to empty the bottles into and onto the stone coffin making sure not to let any spill on himself. Soon Cazador would be here and then the fun would really begin. 

He had warned Nana of what Cazador was like. Of his strength and abilities, but she had responded by saying that those things would just make him arrogant and easier to get him alone. Astarion tried not to concern himself with what she was doing, he’d seen her in combat and although she could handle herself at range, up close she had been weak and easy to best. Maybe we should have done this differently. He considered going to her, but she had been adamant that once they had begun there would be no changes in the plan. She could always betray me as well. Shit.    

--------------------------------------

The blow to her head had been hard but it had not been enough to knock her out. Cazador had initially tried to control her as he originally used to with Astarion but when it didn’t work, he’d grown frustrated, lashing out. “Impudent lout!” he shouted as she fell to the ground, Astarion’s hands in front of her breaking her fall. I like this one, it will be a shame to kill him. Cazador kicked her again before turning to grab his adorned dagger.

This was the plan, and she knew it. She hated it but she was willing to do this, just this once to let Astarion be free. If she couldn’t then at least he could be. And then they would return back to camp. She’d see Gale’s smile, and everything would be okay again. She could feel the bruising already emerging under her ribs, the pain a small sacrifice for saving her friend. It’s time.

She closed her eyes, allowing the memories of Thomas to flood through her. It had been so long and yet she felt him twisting and turning in her mind like a large beast emerging from hibernation. She knew how this would go and she only hoped that she would regain enough control to afterwards be able to reclaim herself. Thomas had always been faster than her, stronger. He was experienced in so many ways of how to kill efficiently, disarming Cazador with ease before plunging the dagger into his neck without hesitation. She watched as the shock in his eyes emerged, seeing his slave turn on him with such hostility. The dagger pushed in deeper, the blood causing a rising gurgle in his throat. Deeper, a twist of the blade. A shame he does not breathe to give us that intoxicating melody. Cazador crumpled to his knees, his hands gripped on the blade before transforming into mist and making a hasty exit. 

She sighed and followed the red cloud from the room. Vampires… Such pitiful creatures.  The subtle creases of the suit Astarion had chosen were now wet with his master’s blood and she could feel her lips curling into a smile. She spotted the face of Leon watching her as she walked the corridor. He held out an arm to approach her but on seeing her cold murderous eyes he hesitated. Another lamb to the slaughter. No Thomas. Not him. Stick to the plan.   

Nana descended to the lower floors. Numerous spawn had seen what they believed to be Astarion coated in a thin layer of their master’s blood and although they knew they should’ve stopped him, none attempted to. She walked with purpose after the apparition and in the distance spotted the real Astarion waiting for her. You’re doing all this for him?

-------------------------------------

Nana poured a bottle of holy water onto the brow of Cazador’s head, slowly at first. A drip drip drip just to wake him before allowing it to run more steadily. He’d tried to leave the coffin repeatedly, but his weakened form forced him to return back instantly, the holy water inside hurting him further. An endless loop of self-inflicted pain. As she poured the water Astarion circled the sarcophagus. He had taken to inflicting random elements of harm on the body of his master. A small nick to the skin, a nail pulled slowly, comments of loathing towards his tormentor. This would be just the start.  

Their night together was one he relished. This was more than killing Cazador, this was retribution, and this was what he needed for true freedom again.

It wasn’t until they left the palace that Nana changed her form to her natural changeling one. He had been bothered seeing himself at first. She was almost an exact likeness but small things like how she carried herself had irritated him. She walked with too much pride; her eyes were too bright. Now though, now that he couldn’t see himself, he found himself missing it a little. But now would be different, maybe he could be more like her version, the way she saw him.

They walked in silence for some time, both covered in various degrees of blood, both trying to process what had happened. Astarion had gone ahead a little trying to get himself as far away from the palace as he could. He wanted to move on now, he wanted his life back.

The cool blade held around his throat however prevented that. He froze expecting to hear the wary voice of Leon or another of his vengeful siblings. What he did not expect was the emotionless tones. “Far too trusting, little ivaebhin .”

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 gale #gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #bg3 astarion #gale bg3 #galemance #bg3 fanfiction #ivaebhin #Elvish (“boy filled with brightness”

[mindthelspace]

Eurovision 2024 first impressions

Wasn't sure what to listen to at work, and then I remembered that all the Eurovision songs have now been released! So I thought I'd give 'em a listen.

Until today, I'd heard small clips of the songs in Youtube top 36 lists. That was it.

Caveat 1: I've paid zero attention to any of the national finals, so I'm blissfully ignorant of 90% of whatever drama happened in those.

Caveat 2: Everything below is the personal subjective opinion of me, a knobhead on Tumblr. You will probably disagree with a lot of it and that's fine.

Caveat 3: "Why are you not boycotting when Israel are-" Yes, I know. I do follow the news. I'm not going to go into why I'm not boycotting because that's not what this post is for, but I promise I have thought about it and can explain my reasons.

So, with that out of the way:

Croatia: Strong start! I really like this, and get why it's one of the favourites! I might be on Team Croatia this year- I'd love the winner to be someone who hasn't won before, or hasn't won for decades!

Netherlands: It's... alright, I guess? But I'm not sure it's as funny as it thinks it is, and might get a bit old fairly quickly.

Switzerland: This is interesting, and a nice break from their pattern of the past few years. I'll be happy if this does well :)

Italy: I like this better than I thought I would, based on the little clips I've seen. Still a bit confused about why it seems to be topping literally all the Youtube rankings, though.

Austria: Meh

Sweden: This is the ONE song I couldn't make it all the way through. I, yeah, sorry, I hate it. Sounds AI generated. Sweden, please, you have good music, I know you do, I've heard it, you don't need to send this kind of crap every other year, please!

Ukraine: Ukraine my beloved, always understanding the assignment <3

Greece: Way more interesting than the clip I'd heard previously made it sound!

Germany: This is exactly what I was afraid would happen if LotL didn't do well. I'm getting flashbacks to Michael Rice and his 2019 last place.

Belgium: Meh

Cyprus: Extremely Meh. This is like a composite of every bland, inoffensive, radio 1 song ever.

France: It's a nice ballad. 'For the Mum's, I think is the phrase. S'fine.

UK: Apparently 'obnoxious ear worms' is my country's new schtick. Although like Italy, I do like this a bit more than I thought I would. Also starting to notice a lot of the songs sounding a bit 80's-lite?

Georgia: S'fine, I guess. 50/50 as to whether it breaks their NQ streak.

Malta: Wow, there are a lot of trendy girl pop songs that I have absolutely no feelings about this year.

Armenia: This is enjoyable and I respect it.

Azerbaijan: Another Whelming-to-decent one, but I do like that they're singing in their own language for the first time!

Albania: Snore

Australia: I get what they were going for, but I find this a bit cheesy.

Ireland: Look at Ireland taking a risk! I so, so, hope this works out for them and breaks their NQ streak! I am slightly concerned, just because this is the kind of experimental that can be difficult to translate to a three minute stage performance, but if they give it the creativity it needs it could be their best entry in years!

Lithuania: A nice little catchy thing. Quite like it.

Denmark: Oof, Denmark really are in their wilderness years, aren't they? Look, this isn't bad, but there are a lot of songs that sound similar to this, and this has 'lost in the shuffle' written all over it.

Poland: There's nothing about this that makes it stand out from all the other trendy-girl-pop-songs objectively, but I do have a soft spot for this one.

Spain: This is really cute! I think I've found my favourite Big 5 :)

Czechia: Oh look, we have some pop-punk this year. Cool.

Serbia: I'm... not feeling much for this *now*, but I think it might grow on me once I've heard it a few times.

Finland: I am CACKLING

Portugal: I'm a bit undecided about this, tbh. Might have to see how it is live.

Norway: I knew I'd quite like this, and I do! I feel like the live performance is really going to make or break it though.

Luxembourg: So I've heard this song is *also* Israeli propaganda, and if that's true, a) that sucks, because Luxembourg, mate, this is your re-entry, you didn't want this, and b) it's disconcertingly cheerful.

Estonia: Whatever this is, it has no business going this hard.

San Marino: Another pop-punk. I'm a bit more intrigued by this one than the Czech one. I can't see it doing amazingly, but if the performance is good it could get San Marino a rare Q.

Slovenia: It's OK. Seemed like it was going somewhere and then... didn't.

Israel: Was debating whether to ignore this (and sit there wondering about it), or give in and listen to it once so I could stop caring. Went for the latter. You'll be relieved to know it's bland as shit. The inevitable background booing might even be an improvement.

Iceland: I didn't get Hera Bjork in 2010 and I don't get her now.

Latvia: I really want Latvia to break their NQ streak, especially with how they were basically robbed by the semi draw last year, but this just... needs to be more than it is. A really good live performance could save it, maybe? I don't know. I wanted to like this but I'm not hopeful.

Moldova: Slovenia Two. Another one that was sort of going somewhere for a minute, and then stopped.

In conclusion:

So much Eurodance

So much 80's

Loooads of really similar songs. More than usual. Some of them are inevitably going to cancel each other out.

The "everyone follows the runner ups of the previous year" trend seems to be holding, with lots of similar-vein-as-Noa-Kirels, and a few similar-vein-as-Kaarijas.

This is definitely a year that's less my cup of tea. That's OK. I was spoilt last year. And there are still some solid entries.

#Eurovision 2024

[silentsundown]

I was tagged by @igotsnothing, yeah I think the tumblr algorithm may be playing a role, but I haven't been too active recently, either. Thank you for tagging though, I always appreciate being tagged and interacting with mutuals <33

1. What’s your favourite sims death? Hmmm I would say, the rare meteorite death. It was my favourite death to trigger with cheats back in TS4 muahahahaha, and I just love the idea of being killed by a meteorite anyway, then comes the flies

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match? I definitely prefer Maxis Match. I like my aesthetic to be at least somewhat coherent, and I'd rather not mess with too high poly objects unless absolutely necessary

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight? Depends on how lazy I am to send them on a run lmao

4. Do you use move objects? Absolutely. I couldn't play without it.

5. Favorite mod? MCCC (duh), WickedWhims, and @chingyu1023vick's 100 CAS traits. I don't like the lack of diversity in personality traits that TS4 has, TS3 was muuuuuch better in this regard. Btw, I've got also a mod to add more traits.

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? I don't remember, honestly.

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing? aLIVE. I think it's the most logical way to pronounce it.

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? I love them all! Although I must say Saule is my favourite, closely followed by Beatrice.

9. Have you made a simself? I did, but I never play with her. I don't like doing so anyway, playing as yourself in the sims? Nah, not my thing. Just for avatar purposes.

10. What sim traits do you give yourself? If going by only three traits: creative, loyal, loner. If adding more: creative, loyal, loner, cat lover, perfectionist.

11. Which is your favorite EA hair color? Black (not the one with blue undertones, the other one)

12. Favorite EA hair? Hmmm, the one from Island Living that Paka'a Uha wears. The sort of half-waterfall braid thing. I love this one. Also the braid from Cottage Living.

13. Favorite life stage? Young adult, of course. I like playing as kids/teens also.

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? Both. Though more of a renovator than a builder, and more of a storyteller than a gamer.

15. Are you a CC creator? I'd kinda like to create some CC sometime, but I have no knowledge in 3D meshing or texturing. I think about drawing designs for graphic tees and uploading them though. Or recoloring things.

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? Not really, but I have nice mutuals that I love very much. <3 Though it's difficult for me to consider someone a friend unless we know each other more closely, and given that I have some opinions that I think the majority of simblr would dislike (spoiler: nothing hateful, criminal or extreme, just some skepticism on my end, but many people get fired up super easily especially on tumblr and it's difficult to have a healthy discussion or agree to disagree), I'm not sure I can truly make friends here. I mean time will tell, but I'm reserved about the idea that it could happen. Maybe I'm too much on my guard, but I'll just see what happens.

17. What’s your favorite game? TS2 and TS4. I loved TS3 as well but it's so dreadfully badly optimized that I can't play it.

18. Do you have any sims merch? Nay

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims? Might make a casual one someday? idk

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? I tend to make sims of a certain ethnicity depending on which period/culture I'm interested in. So I had a bunch of Japanese sims back in 2017/18, then Indian, then I stopped playing, now some Kazakhs, a few Russians and one Mongolian, and I'll see how this goes, but I feel like making more Americans especially given that I play Strangerville. Even if America in itself isn't much my cup of tea. I didn't use reshades until I created my simblr because I was afraid it was going to crash my laptop, but turns out nope, it doesn't. Especially since I can toggle it on and off, which I didn't know was possible. I did use skinblends back in the day, but I had kind of a different aesthetic than now. Now, I prefer simple things that are way more Maxis Match and fit perfectly into the game's aesthetic. I consider it's not made that way for nothing.

21. What’s your Origin ID? BaronessWest, though there isn't much to see there

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator? @aharris00britney for hair, @sciophobis and @simmireen for poses, @sixamcc for other stuff... and others I don't have off the top of my head right now

23. How long have you had a simblr? I'm new here, kinda. I started at the end of March. I think that's how I met the person who tagged me heh

24. How do you edit your pictures? Reshade, for some pics I use my drawing software Clip Studio Paint, which perfectly does the trick. Though it's a bit shitty for texting edits, because they don't support emojis like you'd see on a phone...

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? Strangerville. Duh. Cottage Living, Seasons, Cats and Dogs, and the Paranormal stuff.

26. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? Hmm, why not High School Years? It's gonna come in handy when I'll tell Christie's teen years and I could use some Y2K stuff too.

I'm gonna tag a few of you now, if you've already done this or don't feel like responsing it's all ok though! @alinelie @alltimefail-sims, @folkbreeze, @olya-occult-lover and @aries-sims

#simblr #tag game #thank you for tagging me <3

[scarycranegame]

a bit of a more serious post than usual so if you don't really wanna see that, i won't be upset at all if you keep scrolling.. the only reason why this is under a cut is because i myself don't really wanna look at it every time i scroll through my blog (is that a thing people do?? or am i just very self absorbed??? LMAO)

i'm a little concerned about urban himself and the direction he's taking his series.

like.. i'm all for creative expression, and i'm all for the idea of nobody policing anyone else's creative work for what can and can't be done in a certain narrative (let alone fiction in general), but i feel like the more interaction urban has had with his fanbase and the analog horror community in general, the more it's been affecting both him and his series.

i think that i should address his twitter presence and """controversy""" first, because that's the thing that's on everyone's mind when they hear "urbanspook" at this point.

i wanna preface this by saying that i fucking hate how people have been responding to all of this. what chezzkids and pastra are doing & have done is, indeed, harassment; they aren't criticizing urban's series, they're saying it shouldn't exist. both pastra and chezzkids can be quoted saying effectively the same thing: "urban should not have a platform, and by supporting him and his art, we're encouraging other people to make things similar to it, and that's bad." if you don't see the problem with that, let me spell it out for you: these are fascist, pro-censorship views that align with those of harmful far-right ideologies which call for the suppression of content made by and in support of marginalized people. if you're willing to overlook that because "icky shock horror bad!!!!", then i think you should log off of the internet and spend some time re-evaluating your perception of the world and those around you, especially those who are different than you. this man has been the victim of a targeted harassment campaign for, at most, a full year, and mocking him for lashing out as a result of said harassment is far more ableist than the phrase "autistic furry horror" will ever be.

with that being said, i greatly dislike the way urban conducts himself on twitter. yes, i know it's supposed to be ironic; yes, i know he's "trolling" and that everything he says on there is disingenuous..

...but this is the internet.

no one is going to genuinely believe it's all a big joke, no matter how many times urban says it and no matter how true it may be. they already don't see him from a very positive perspective, even if they don't have much of a justifiable reason to do so (although their reasoning is understandable to an extent), so playing up a purposefully "edgy, immature, rage-bait" persona might drive people away who may have otherwise been interested in the series. i've seen several testimonials from people who enjoy the series and have even created fan work, but are put off by urban's behavior on twitter, and some people have even gone so far as to claim that the series in of itself is objectively bad and devoid of any value solely because of the twitter situation despite not having watched a single video in the series. yeah, the whole point of the joke may be self-parody, the punchline might be that urban is playing up the analog horror community's wildly inaccurate perception of how he is as a person, but i feel like the joke's gone on a little bit too long to still be anything but harmful to urban and his presence on the internet. he's stated that after finishing his current series, he wants to step away from analog horror altogether and work on other things, but i fear that if the twitter antics continue the way they're going, that might not end up happening; either due to a lack of willingness on his part (after all, being around so much negativity for such a long time typically affects people very adversely), or due to a lack of remaining audience.

despite my concerns, however, it must be said that i don't know what any other communities he's active in are like, and if i had to guess, i would assume that his future work under the "urbanspook" name would be more in tune with his actual interests pertaining to the horror genre as opposed to anything in the orbit of the analog horror community. i could be completely wrong about the twitter business, and urban's effectiveness at creating things completely divorced from analog horror may not be compromised in the slightest. however, as a fan of his analog horror series, i still feel that it's important to suggest this possibility: even after it's finished, The Painter will still exist, and its association with this particular time in urban's online endeavors may make some people wary of giving it a chance when they otherwise may have enjoyed it.

speaking of urban's work, i think i should elaborate more on how urban's interactions with his fanbase are affecting the series itself as opposed to him and his online presence.

to put my view of where things are going in terms of urban's handling of the series, i remember reading a magazine interview with him at some point (i think it was either right before or right after PIGS was released) where he mentions that he got the idea of there being two killers from fan theories, which!! on paper it seems like a cool thing to do!! but recently with all of these new lore additions (ex., mask guy missing his face and acting like a dog, painter being female, revealing the killers' names at all, the episodes not being in chronological order, etc.), i'm starting to notice a sort of "matpat effect" (to coin a phrase) going on, where he's writing the story in such a way that canonizes fan theories just for the sake of canonizing those fan theories.. i don't find it very difficult to believe that all the people in his instagram/youtube comments asking the same exact questions over and over may have influenced his writing decisions a bit, and even though he himself has admitted he isn't the best writer, i think that the earlier episodes are the strongest of the series (sans PIGS and FAMILY, i love those two with all my heart and soul) and that urban's writing is best when it isn't influenced by the fanbase. (if anyone wants me to elaborate on this, let me know!! i might make a post at some point about what i think is different between the first few episodes and the newer episodes if anyone wants me to; i think legitimately analyzing this series is super fun and i have a lot of things to say about it!!)

all in all, i'm just really worried about urban. in the beginning, he seemed so adamant about being individual and unique with his series and his online presence; he defied so many expectations that people had regarding analog horror and those who create it and seemed so much happier to work on this series... but now it seems like he just wants to get it all over with so he can work on things he actually wants to work on, and all anyone sees him as is a caricature of someone who never even really existed in the first place outside of a moment of completely justified rage. his heart isn't in it anymore; at least, it doesn't seem like it to me, and i really hope that eventually all of this superficial, reactionary """controversy""" bullshit blows over and that maybe urban's remaining time in the analog horror community can be made at least a little bit more pleasant.

#let's get serious #urbanspook #the painter urbanspook #urbanspook analog horror #i can already hear the twitter pissbabies laughing at this post and calling me a ''MeAtRiDeR 🤓'' but honestly? i dont giv a fucky #i'd rather support a guy whose only crime was quite literally doing a little trolling #than people who unapologetically engage in targeted harassment against someone for creating something that they cant milk for content #or for.. [checks notes] not adhering to the word of the Almighty God of Analog Horror Alex Kister/sarcasm #(if it isnt obvious already i hate the mandela catalog fandom and alex kister LMAO) #no but seriously #i dont know urban and i probably never will (at least not personally) #but i care about him a lot and i support him 110% #even if he might be a little bit of an asshole on twitter sometimes #he made something that served as a gateway for me to meet incredible people and experience some incredible things #even the bad stuff that came from being in this fandom taught me valuable lessons and gave me new insight on life #this is the first fandom that i've ever really felt comfortable and welcome in; the first fandom that i might've actually had an impact on #and no amount of whiny puritans or washed-up fnaftubers or subpar ''horror'' creators can change that #yeah the series might not be the best but things dont have to be The Best™ or even objectively good at all in order to be enjoyed #and i enjoy this series. i enjoy the series' fanbase. i enjoy that despite it all this series EXISTS and nothing can make it not exist #it happened and no one can change that and people will inevitably make more things like it and i LOVE THAT #so in conclusion fuck pastra fuck chezzkids fuck minaxa ESPECIALLY urban stays winning and so does this fanbase kthxbye #scary crane rambles

[ay-chuu]

Hii congratulations on reaching 300 followers! I would love to participate in your event. Can i request one for BSD?

MBTI: INTJ

Zodiac sign (gonna add my moon and rising sign too bc why not 👀): Capricorn Sun, Aquarius Moon & Gemini Rising

Hobbies: reading, dancing, playing video games, listening to music, puzzles, finding interesting shows/movies to watch, daydreaming

Phobias: the ones i can think of is thalassophobia and fear of spiders

Likes: thunderstorms, surprises, gifts, music, having fun, helping others, history, delicious food, learning new things, making others laugh, traveling, excitement

Dislikes: nosy people, being told what to do, naggers, hot weather, being forced to be somewhere or with someone i don't like, feeling stuck, conflict, routine, limitations, close-minded people, lack of freedom

Ideal male type: definitely someone with a sense of humor. someone intelligent, creative and kind. someone that accepts me for who i truly am and i'd accept them just the way they are too.

Gender/pronouns: female & she/her

Aaaand lastly, for the topic i pick the most special moment!

I hope i followed all the rules and again congratulations! ❤️

Thank you so much love, have a perfect day! 🌼😼

I match you with... (っ＾▿＾)💨

SIGMA!

The biggest reason why I matched you is that you both want to live freely and happily together in your own little safe space, away from people. This bond that holds you together is like glue and always increases your respect for each other.

Sigma likes that you are both lively and introverted. You remind him that no matter how disgusting the world is, there can always be rare angels who are like a treasure. The biggest proofs of this are that you accept each other as you are and that you always hold on to each other no matter what happens. (In other words, the biggest proof is... you <3)

Sigma may not be a very funny person, but that doesn't mean you don't laugh all the time when you're with him. You know those people who has weird acts and reactions that are hilarious, even if they're not funny in personal? Sigma is one of them. Other than that, the things you don't like are mostly common. He also hates loud people, not feeling like he belongs somewhere and feeling used. That's why you are each other's comfort person <3

Although I cannot say anything in the horoscope sense, INTJ and INFJ are compatible and passionate couples in the intellectual and intuitive sense. They generally complement each other in all kinds of harmony, both in my business life and in love.

Some moments I dreamed of for you two;

A waltz dance in the forest before sunrise, baking cookies that look like your faces together, a kiss shared with a view on top of a mountain, and smothering him with words of love under the blanket while Sigma's tears cover your shoulder <3

A special moment:

Seeing Sigma's excitement , was a rare moment for you. The way he walked around you like a dog wagging his tail and brought the chocolate chips to you the moment you asked made you giggle involuntarily.

It made you very happy to have him walk around you while you were preparing the cookie dough together. Sigma was someone who could neither get too excited nor be too happy under the living conditions he lived in.

He was used as a machine. He's like an encyclopedia. An object that is valuable only when needed.

But when he was with you, Sigma felt like he was the most important alive thing in the world, the most important being... no, the most important human to ever live. He wasn't an object to you who was ostracized, used, or treated differently than he wanted to be. Next to you he was just Sigma and your lover. Maybe that's why even a simple act like making cookies was so peaceful, happy and exciting for him. He would be one with his favorite person and his favorite food. A peaceful night spent on the couch, with cookies and maybe... milk. What else could make him happier in this cruel world? (Maybe marrying and live a future with you.....)

"Okay, my love. The cookies should bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, I'll clean up the kitchen. Wait for me in the living room, okay?" You said as you wiped your hands on your apron and prepared the oven.

Sigma shook his head as no, he came behind you, hugged you and kissed your neck. Oh, how he loved it when you loved him even with your smallest actions. "I'll help you, dear."

The 45 minutes had passed quickly as the two of you cleaned up the kitchen and warmed milk for the cookies. Sigma was listening to your conversation as you went to the couch together, cuddled up and enjoyed your cookies. Just you, him and the cookies. And your sweet voice.

Humanity is a very new concept for Sigma. Being able to comprehend the existence of mind and soul, and being able to feel it despite being born from a book, are not only new for Sigma, they are concepts that he cannot understand. But the only thing he understands and is sure so far is that as long as your love is with him, he will always cease to be an object. He will always be a human being <3

#by.aychu #matching/shipping event! #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd sigma #sigma x reader #bsd sigma x reader #bungo stray dogs x reader #bungo stray dogs

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

Captain Fuegoleon, if you could switch attributes with another Magic Knight Captain, whose attribute would you want? And why?

Good evening Mrs. Faust,

I am happy to hear from you and trust that you are well.

In regards of your question, it most certainly is an interesting one, because as we all know, each person is bound to their affinity since birth. But if we suppose that such a spell or a curse would exist, that people would be able to switch their affinities with someone else, and I was forced to switch mine with someone else, one should consider many factors.

For one, I assume for the sake of this question that the person, with whom I switch attributes, would receive mine in turn. Fire magic is at worst highly volatile and thus should be trusted with someone who holds the utmost control of their mana to avoid injuries. Naturally, as we're discussing my fellow Captains, I trust that they'd all be more than capable of this.

As for myself, I suppose the most readily governable would be an affinity would be alike mine, but as I don't think any of them are quite comparable, I shall not consider it as a major factor. Each of them, I'm sure, would pose various challenges, on the grounds of them indeed being different from my own affinity.

But I regret to say that I bear no personal interest in plant based affinities, even if they are to be held in the highest regard as well. Lady Roselei for one has proven herself to hold exquisite talent and strength, but I can't claim to hold fondness for the affinity objectively. She herself, however, is worthy of reverence and praise.

On the other hand Captain Jack has showcased his affinity in a more straightforward light, which is why I can't say that I have it easy imagining his affinity to hold various nuances at first glance, which is why I, personally, cannot say his affinity to be of interest to me either.

However, Captain Unsworth's affinity is perhaps among the most complex, given how her magic is able to create a plane that is separate from ours. This, I'm sure would serve a lot of challenges and aspects to explore. Her affinity, I believe, would be most interesting.

Young Lord Boismortier's affinity is creative, but the manner in which it is creative is based on one's own sense of creativity, and thus, I cannot say that I'd be a prime candidate for his affinity either, for I would not consider myself as a free spirit.

Lord Silva's and Lord Granvorka's affinites would also require a great deal of concentration and precision, I'm certain, although they'd be different kinds most likely. This is due to Lord Granvorka's affinity being a vortex, the movement of which is rotational and Lord Silva's which holds both components of water's flow and steel's strength. They would give insight into various ways of controlling one's mana, or so I believe.

Captain Yami's affinity is very different from mine, and I can't say that I'd be certain as to how it operates. Fire produces light as a byproduct, which is perhaps why I feel Captain Yami's affinity to be among the most educational for myself. And I believe that he'd be more than capable of keeping Fire magic under control as previously stated.

Thus, perhaps I ought to list Captain Unsworth's and Captain Yami's affinities most educational and personally interesting for myself, but if I was forced to choose between the two, I feel inclined to choose Captain Yami's due to Dream Magic seemingly being something that crosses planes, at least to an extent, which surely would hold aspects that one ought to prepare for in advance. In addition, in case Dream Magic would cause me to sleep as much Captain Unsworth, I cannot claim to be able to work quite as efficiently as while awake, which would place a burden onto my entire squad.

In conclusion, if I had to switch affinities with someone, I would switch mine with Captain Yami's because it would be educational.

Thank you for the question Mrs. Faust. I hope you deem the answer satisfactory.

Best regards,

#fuegoleon speaks #fuegoleon answers

[mabeysomeclasspecting]

[💡✒] Hello, if you are still accepting classpecting requests, I would appreciate your insight.

1. What are your interests/hobbies?

I tend towards more introverted hobbies like reading and writing, which I leads me down many rabbit holes while researching. I suppose that I collect data as a hobby as well.

2. How do you see yourself?

Average? Perhaps too much of a general question for me without being able to be objective in answering. It's possible I hold too much bias.

Relatively intelligent, I like to think I have enough common sense opposite many I've been around. Utilitarian. Creative.

Although, I will also admit I do not necessary see myself in the best ways.

3. How do you think others see you?

I've been called analytical, intelligent, supportive, kind. I've also been called ruthless and judgemental, prideful and stubborn. Utilitarian. Hermit.

4. How do you interact with your friends?

I've few friends to care for. I believe one must be careful even with those close to you. I am perhaps wary of everyone. I prefer not having social interactions.

5. What's important to you?

It depends on the definition of importance.

I don't find myself important, I have a role that can be replaced, but my actions are what makes the role and those are important.

Basic needs are important, video games and other entertainment medias are not. Health is important, but overtly worrying about others and their perceptions of an individual are not.

Friends can be important, but in-group drama is not.

Knowing and being in control of a situation is important to me.

6. Describe the ideal you, what kind of person do you strive to be?

There is no ideal; however, I suppose I can say that my ideal is only the best. The best one could ever be, peak physical health, a high constitution and incredible will power, adaptable, capable of surviving anything. Only the best.

Hi!

I'd say you're p solidly a Mage of Light! But if that doesn't feel right, maybe consider Prince of Heart

Hope that helps :)

#classpecting #classpect #homestuck #asks #anon #mage #light #prince #heart #mage of light #prince of heart