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kasha-formerlydrabbletastic · 3 years

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Blowing Off Steam

Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: Things have always been tense between the reader and Bucky, but what happens when things come to a head?

Word count: 4,269

Warnings: Mature readers only 18+ - minors do not interact! Vaginal sex, oral sex (m receiving), fingering, Dom/sub themes (who doesn’t love a bratty sub), unprotected sex (always use contraception), swearing.

“You’re lucky I saved your ass!”

“Well, no one fucking asked you to, did they?”

“No, so it looks like I’m not such a fucking prick after all, eh, Y/N?”

“Nope. You’re still a fucking prick, Bucky. Nothing in this world will ever make me change my mind about it either.”

“Need I remind you that -”

“Oh, shut up, the both of you!”

Steve’s voice cuts through the argument, effectively rendering the pair of you mute. It's surprising how long it's taken someone to crack, given the fact that your argument with Bucky started about an hour ago when the team entered the quinjet.

"Every goddamn time you're around each other you gotta argue about something," he continues, holding the attention of most of the team. "I don't want to hear another fucking word out of either of you for the rest of the ride home."

"Good job, Dad," Tony quips.

"But Bucky -"

"But Y/N-"

The pair of you speak at the same time, but Steve cuts you off again.

"Not. Another. Word." He punctuates each word with a jab of his authoritative pointer finger into the air between you. "This is the end of it. Silence. Now."

It takes a moment as you wrestle with the impulse to protest, but you ultimately sit back into your seat, folding your arms tightly over your chest. Bucky seems to do the same, his expression grumpy as ever as the two of you lock eyes.

"Fuck you," you mouth, extending a middle finger toward him.

"Fuck you," he counters silently.

You roll your eyes, settling back once more.

There has never been any real explanation, but from the moment you met him, you and Bucky have locked horns. He's stubborn, pigheaded, so full of himself and the way he operates that you can't help but be annoyed by him.

Then again, a good number of the team are cursed with the same qualities but you seem to get along quite well with them.

What is it about Bucky?

***

Per Steve's demand, there wasn't a single word passed between you and Bucky the rest of the way home. You stripped yourself of your gear after Steve's Dad Moment before sitting back and allowing yourself to take a nap the rest of the way home in your t-shirt and tactical pants. It wasn't until you got into the compound and to your desk in the team's shared office that any of your frustration boiled over again.

"Fucking asshole," you muttered between gritted teeth as you glanced over at Bucky's empty desk; his paperwork sits on the surface, needing to be done, but the man himself is nowhere to be found. Granted you are the only one at your desk doing paperwork.

Or so you thought.

"Thinking about me again?" you hear him say behind you.

You swivel in your chair to face him, his face smug as ever as steam rises up from the two mugs of coffee he holds.

"Well, not everything is about you, Bucky," you say. "Believe it or not."

"I would believe it if it were true," he grins; you make to reply, but he carries on. "I was gonna give this to you as a peace offering," he says, gesturing with one of the mugs of coffee, "but I don’t think you’ve learned Steve's lesson yet. So I'm just gonna keep it for myself. I am so tired, anyway."

He strides toward his desk, swaggering with each step, and it's almost as if you can't help the knee-jerk reaction of sticking your foot out into his path. His feet get caught up with yours, tripping him up enough that he loses grip of the mugs and stumbles forward; the mugs smash on the floor, but Bucky's reflexes refuse to let him fall too. He straightens up quickly, turning on his heel and staring daggers at you.

"Enjoy your coffee, Sergeant Barnes," you chuckle.

"What the fuck?" Bucky shouts.

"Oh, I'm sorry," you begin, wanting to taunt him but you get no further.

"Y/N, Bucky."

The two of you turn to Steve, who has finally returned to the office dressed in a basic t-shirt and jeans. He is more stern than you've ever seen him, standing with his arms crossed and his expression disappointed. He is very much the captain with his stance, staring the two of you down as if you were naughty children.

"Clean this up and then meet me in the conference room," he directs, his voice low and tone ominous.

You watch as he leaves, then switch your gaze to Bucky; you don't know what's about to happen, but something tells you Steve has had enough of the bullshit. It's possible you're about to lose your spot on the team, you think, and panic fills your chest as you stand from your chair, ignoring Bucky to the fullest as you reach for a trash can.

"Fuck," you murmur, picking up shards of mug and tossing them into the bin.

Bucky appears shortly after with several towels in hand, wiping up the coffee and smaller pieces before just chucking them into the bin, too.

With the mess cleaned up, the two of you silently march to the conference room where Steve sits at the head of the table.

"Oh, good," he says sarcastically, "you two managed to work together and accomplish something in a timely fashion, how about that?"

You take your seat next to him, wanting to ask what this is about but knowing full well what he's about to say. Bucky sits opposite you, quiet and brooding, and you feel a lurch of annoyance in your belly. You roll your eyes again, looking to Steve, trying to convey in your eyes the question, "How long do I have to stay here with him?" Steve doesn't look at you, though, his eyes fixed on his folded hands in front of him before he speaks.

"I don't know what it is about the two of you being around each other, but whatever it is, you need to cut it out," he says. "It's detrimental to the team working as a whole, not to mention it is fucking irritating."

Something in you rises to be defensive, but another, more rational side begins to kick in, keeping your mouth shut for a moment.

"The number of complaints I get from everyone else is almost ridiculous, guys. And it's only a matter of time before the two of you are bickering like an old married couple and someone gets hurt because you're not giving your full attention."

You had been so caught up with how much you and Bucky annoyed each other that not much else in your mind spared the time to think about how it might affect the team and your missions. Steve is right - and you know it - that one of these days, you and Bucky will be going at it and one of you will slip. You won't necessarily be the one who suffers, but it's likely that if the two of you continue on with your childish back-and-forth, you might lose track of a target, lose a mission, or worse, lose a teammate. With that thought, shame floods you, and you sit back in your chair, crossing your arms over your chest and gritting your teeth to keep from saying anything stupid.

"With that being said," Steve continues, "you two need to figure this out as soon as possible. What really gets me is that you're both so valuable to the team, but you let your bullshit get in the way of your effectiveness." Steve glances at the door, his expression shifting ever so slightly. "Actually... I'm gonna leave you two here for a minute, something just came up."

The slightest surge of panic rears in your chest as Steve gets up from his chair. You watch him incredulously as he leaves you here with Bucky, closing the door behind him. If you're not mistaken, though, you hear the door lock and your panic peaks just a little more.

You rise from your seat, following Steve's footsteps to the door and trying the handle; it doesn't budge.

"Fuck," you mumble. "FRIDAY, unlock the door, please."

"I'm sorry, Y/N," FRIDAY replies, "the orders are to keep the door locked for the next thirty minutes, barring an emergency."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" you grumble, rubbing the palms of your hands into your eyes.

You almost don't register it, but you hear Bucky chuckle, a quiet laugh that brings your attention to him.

"What's funny about this?" you demand, just as quietly.

He sits back in his chair, strangely relaxed given that he's locked into the room with you. There's genuine amusement in his expression as he lounges, setting his hands on top of his head.

"Typical Steve," he says, looking at you with a sparkle in his eye. "Thinking he can save everyone."

You don't say anything, but shrug helplessly in agreement - probably agreeing with Bucky for the first time since you've known him.

"I guess he doesn't realize that he can't save everyone," you mutter, sitting back down.

Bucky shrugs this time. "That thought has never even occurred to him, I can promise you that."

Sparing a glance at Bucky, you fall into silence, unsure of what to say. He doesn't offer anything either, his smile slowly fading as the seconds tick on. The air thickens around you, the awkwardness growing more ungainly the longer neither of you speak. Though, it's possible that the whole thirty minutes have elapsed or that it's only been a few seconds before you figure out something to say.

"I'm sorry I tripped you earlier," you say quietly.

Bucky had been staring at the table, but he brings his gaze to you, studying you with a curiosity he has never once shown you before. He seems to take his time before he replies.

"I accept your apology," he says, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the table. "I'm sorry for... everything."

The moment hangs there, seconds ticking by as the two of you study each other; now that you look at him, finally confronting the reasons why you tease and antagonize him, you figure that maybe he's not always so grumpy-looking. There's a sparkle in his blue eyes, something witty and sweet that you've never allowed yourself to notice before. He's got a strong jaw, pretty pink lips, and a smile to die for. At once, it clicks why you've been so eager to step on every one of his nerves.

Something shifts in his expression, and he pushes his chair back, standing up. He doesn't take his eyes from you as he circles the table, but you push your chair back, too, taking after his lead. By the time he reaches you, you stand, facing him as the space between you shrinks.

Then, as if magnets pull you together, the pair of you collide; Bucky's flesh fingers curve around the back of your head, cradling it as he lowers his lips to yours. Despite how out of the blue this is, you melt into him, your hands finding his waist and pulling him close. His kiss is warm, his body taut under your touch as his other arm curls around your body, pressing your chests together. Your skin tingles in every place it meets his as the kiss deepens, each of you parting your lips for the other as your tongues explore new territory.

Then, as if your bodies can't get close enough, Bucky leans forward, his hands gripping your thighs as he lifts you onto the table. He doesn't once break the kiss, but as soon as you're settled, his hips knock your knees apart. Instinctively, your legs wrap around him, urging him closer to you. Your arms curl around his neck, too, making sure he doesn't get too far away from you. He responds, taking you in his arms in kind.

You don't know how long it lasts, and you don't care, especially when his lips stray, tracing your jaw and finding your pulse.

"Oh, Bucky," you sigh, your skin on fire from his touch.

"James," he says quietly against your neck.

For a moment, you pull back, staring into his eyes and smiling.

"James," you acknowledge, and he smiles too.

In the next second, though, a wickedness settles into his expression, a sly grin taking the sweet smile's place as his hands meet the button and fly of your pants. He pulls them open, his hand diving immediately into your panties.

"Fuck!" you gasp as his fingers slip between you lips, brushing over your clit to briefly dive into your heat.

"God damn," he groans. "Doll, you feel so good. You're so fucking wet for me."

You scoff, looking him dead in the eye. "Please. I'm sure if it were anyone else I'd still be just as wet."

"You sure about that?" he says, his eyes glittering with promise as he presses his fingertips to your clit, circling the singing nerves as if he's known how to all his life.

"Mmm," you hum, your fingers bunching into the front of his shirt as you pull him forward. "We'll just have to see, I guess."

"You're damn right," he says before crushing his lips to yours. He slips his fingers into you, his thumb working circles against your clit, and you moan into his mouth. "That's right, doll. I make you feel so fucking good, don't I?"

A sly smile of your own tugs at your lips as you pull your head back.

"Meh, I've had better."

He pauses for a moment, staring you in the face before he chuckles. He takes his hand from you as he uses his free hand to push you by the shoulder, urging you onto your back before he tugs your pants off, taking your panties with them.

"Spread those legs for me, Y/N," he orders softly, and you comply.

At once, his hand finds your heat again, his metal fingers diving in and curling against your g-spot as his flesh fingers work your clit. In no time at all, you writhe on the tabletop, the entirety of your energy focused on not coming, not giving in to his ego. It's no use, however, as he hits the right spots at the right time.

"Fuck!" you grunt, your toes curling as ecstasy explodes from your core; the orgasm rips through your body, rushing through your blood with a ferocity you've never known before as your heart pounds from your chest.

"I fucking told you, doll," Bucky teases, his hands slowing down before he removes them. "Look at you. All wrecked for me."

"You wish," you say, rising up onto your elbows to see Bucky's grin falter just slightly. "Why don't you really wreck me, James? Why don't you fuck the attitude out of me?"

Heat floods your body at the idea, but just then, Bucky smiles wider as the mischievous glint in his eyes seems to take him over completely.

"You want me," he begins slowly, his hands dropping to his belt, "to fuck," he undoes his belt, popping open the button on his pants, "the attitude," he pulls on the zipper, slipping his underwear down enough that his cock tumbles from its confines and into his hand, "out of you?"

Your eyes fix on his engorged, weighty flesh as he strokes himself, imagining what it would feel like to be split in half by it.

"You want it," he says; it's not a question at all, but an entirely accurate statement.

You meet his eyes once more to see the cockiest expression on his face.

"And what if I said yes?" you reply.

Bucky leans in, his lips close to yours.

"Beg me for it," he murmurs against your mouth.

"No," you say, pushing him away gently as you slip off the table; your hand just barely closes around his girth and strokes. "I won't beg for it." You get to your knees, coming face to face with his gorgeous cock. "But you will."

"You think so, Y/N?" he laughs, but moans the minute you take him into your mouth. "Fuuuuuuck."

You swirl your tongue around the head before taking him as far back into your mouth as you can. Bucky nearly whimpers the moment the tip enters the back of your throat and you swallow around him. It takes everything you've got to keep from laughing at him as he leans over, bracing himself on the table.

Bobbing your head along his shaft, you listen to him; he curses, making pleas to God as you work him up. He tries to hold it together, but the way you suck and lick and tease has him squirming. Before you know it, though, he yanks himself from you with a growl, picking you up off the floor and turning you around; his erection presses against your ass as he twines his fingers in your hair, pressing your hips against the table.

"Baby doll," he croons in your ear, his chest hard against your back. "You think you're so cute, eh? Just you wait, Y/N. Just you wait."

He presses you down onto the tabletop, his hand still gripping your hair. Almost instantly, you feel the tip of his cock brush your lips, sliding along your heat to press against your clit for just a moment. He does this a few times before he finally presses into your center.

The moment hangs in the air as your anticipation grows, your yearning to be filled finally being granted only Bucky doesn't continue. He stays, just the tip of his cock planted in you for a moment before it slips out again, and you let out the smallest whine.

"Oh, doll," he says, his tone mocking. "Did you want that? Did you want my big fat cock inside you?"

You collect your wits, unwilling to let him win.

"I bet you want to get inside me, James," you say, your hand finding his in your hair. "God, I bet you want to fuck me. I bet you've always wanted to fuck me, from the minute you met me."

He slips his cock along your heat again, and you bite your lip to keep from moaning as it meets your clit; he bounces his cock against it a few times before teasing it with gentle circles.

"I bet you've thought of nothing but this pussy since I joined the team," you continue, baiting him into giving in. "I bet that's why you're such a prick, because you could never have it. You wanna know what I think, James?"

"What do you think, Y/N?" he replies, replacing his tip back into your center as he leans over you, his face growing closer to yours.

"I think," you say, adjusting so you can see his face better, "that there have been so many times that you've imagined having me. Times when you found yourself imagining me in this exact position, with your dick buried inside me, and couldn't help but rub one out. You ever fucked yourself to the thought of me, James?"

Bucky chuckles. "Doll, you have no idea. But if we're placing bets, I bet you've done the same. You think I don't know? On all those missions we've been on, you think I didn't hear you fuck yourself in the next room? That I don't know that's how you blow off steam?"

You smile as he presses just a little further into your heat.

"Doll," he says, standing up and bringing you with him until your back arches against his chest, his lips brushing your ear as he continues, "you think I haven't heard you call my name?"

"Looks like we're at an impasse," you chuckle.

Bucky laughs too, dragging hot, wet kisses along your neck for a second.

"Nah," he says, letting go of your hair as he slowly curls his hand around your neck, pushing your head back onto his shoulder. "Because I've got the upper hand here."

"So you think," you quip as he presses just a little further into you; your body tenses, awaiting the full feeling of his cock.

"Oh, I know, Y/N," he says, retreating just a little. “I know for damn sure. Now, what do we say?”

“I don’t know, what do we say?”

He offers a dark chuckle as he pulls all the way out. “If you’re not gonna be a good girl, I won’t fuck you.”

“I wish I could believe you, Barnes,” you reply. “But seeing as how I haven’t complied with you yet and you’re still here with your hard-on poking me in the ass cheek, I just can’t take you all that seriously.”

“That’s fair,” he says before suddenly letting go of you.

You turn around, fairly surprised as you watch him hitch his pants back up, putting his cock away.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” you say with an incredulous laugh.

“Well, I’m sitting back down until Steve gets back,” he says, checking the time. "There's still about fifteen minutes before he gets back."

Once more collecting your wits, you smile. With an idea coalescing in your brain, you stride to his side of the table, hopping up onto the tabletop right next to him to ensure that he sees everything you're about to work with.

"Well, then," you say, spreading your legs as your fingers meet your aching clit. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm a little worked up right now and I need to, as you said, blow off steam."

Bucky's smile falters as his eyes drop from yours to between your legs, watching you work. The very fact that he's watching sends another flood of arousal to your already dripping cunt, your need for release growing stronger by the second.

"Mmm," you hum, slipping your fingers into yourself.

Bucky doesn't look away once. On the contrary, he rises from his seat, looking pained as he witnesses your pleasure. You put on a show, your moans and whimpers growing more frequent; the move has the desired effect as Bucky's hand drops to the erection in his pants, palming it through the fabric.

"Fuck," he murmurs, yanking his pants down once more. He moves forward, hand around his cock to position himself inside you, but you were waiting for this; you lean forward, pressing your hand against his chest to stop his progress toward you.

"I'm sorry," you say, "but what are you doing?"

"I'm fucking you," he says, stepping forward once more, but you hold your ground.

"Says who?"

"Says me."

He moves forward again, but you still keep him at bay.

"And what do we say, James?" you purr.

"What?" he replies.

You lean closer to him, your lips almost brushing his as you say, "Beg me for it."

"Are you serious?" he says, getting impatient.

"Damn right I am," you reply.

Bucky struggles with it for a moment, but seems to decide to fold.

"Y/N," he says, stroking his cock, a drop of precum beading on the tip. "Please."

"Please what?" you reply, relishing in the frustration showing through his features.

"Please, please, let me fuck you."

You grin, satisfied that you won, as you let your hand slide around the back of his neck from his chest, pulling his mouth against yours as he immediately buries himself inside you.

"Ah!" you moan against his lips as he fills you to the hilt.

"God fucking dammit," he groans. "You feel so fucking good, Y/N."

At once, he begins thrusting, his hands holding tight onto your hips as he moves. You lean back onto one arm, your other hand finding your clit once again, pressing circles against yourself.

"Fuck, Y/N," he says, his thrusts growing quicker.

His cock drags along your g-spot, the perfect sensation to accompany your clitoral stimulation. In next to no time, you snap, your body bombarded by your next orgasm.

"Oh, fuck," Bucky says through gritted teeth as you pulse around him.

His grip tightens on you as his hips press quicker, harder than ever, before they stutter; he pulls out, his hand grasping his cock and stroking it until he comes. Spurts of cum land on your thigh, thick and warm, as Bucky tries to get his breathing under control, his forehead landing on your shoulder for support.

He takes a moment, straightening up once he’s gotten control of himself. As he backs away, his eyes fix on yours, a soft grin pulling at his lips. He puts himself back together, zipping and buttoning his pants deliberately.

“You win,” he says, holding his hands up in surrender.

“I know,” you laugh, watching as he moves around the table to grab your pants and underwear from where he pulled them off of you. He walks them back to you, handing them over. “Clean it.”

Once more, his mischief is written all over his face as he bends down, using his tongue to mop up his mess. The sensation tingles along your thigh to your core, and you wish you had longer than just the thirty minutes allotted to the two of you. Your fingers tangle in his hair, staying put as he stands back up.

“Good boy,” you say, pulling his face to yours for a kiss.

“Looks like I’m your bitch now,” he says with a chuckle.

“Oh, doll,” you say, taking delight in the look on his face as you use his word. “It was bound to happen.”

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes smut #sebastian stan smut #sebastian stan #bucky barnes fanfiction #sebastian stan fanfiction #reader insert

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tomeandflickcorner · 4 years

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Episode Review- The Real Ghostbusters: Aint NASA-sarily So

Okay. This episode? It nearly broke me.

The episode starts out in space, aboard Experimental Space Platform Galileo. The crew of the Galileo consists of Captain Ivan Kirov, Lieutenant Irahqua, Lieutenant Commander McTavish, Lieutenant Dostoyevsky Sato and Yeoman Whitney. Right away, it’s painfully obvious that we’re looking at an unapologetic Star Trek parody, as the whole crew of the Galileo are unmistakable spoofs of the original crew of the Enterprise. Captain Kirov is a combination of Kirk and Chekov (well, that’s a weird combo), Irahqua is Uhura, McTavish is Montgomery Scott, Sato is clearly Sulu and Whitney is Janice Rand.

Anyway, it’s the Galileo Crew’s second day of their current mission, and it appears everything is smooth sailing. Until alarm bells begin going off. It appears something has collided with the space platform. Moments later, both McTavish and Whitney enter the bridge to inform Kirov that they think they’ve just seen a ghost. Obviously, there’s only one solution to this- spend millions of dollars in government money to send the Ghostbusters up to the space platform via space shuttle. And it’s here, dear readers, that my brain crashed. And not just because we’re seeing the Ghostbusters piloting a space shuttle (because who needs astronaut training, amiright?) According to this episode, the Ghostbusters coexist in the same reality as a Star Trek-esque crew. But we saw in the episode Station Identification that there’s also a Star Trek parody TV show in The Real Ghostbuster’s universe. So, in other words, this episode is telling us that, not only do they have a Star Trek-like television program in this show’s universe, but there’s also an actual Star Trek-like crew roaming about space at the same time. Yeah, Star Trek’s a great show. I like it as much as the next person. But COME ON! It is possible to have an overkill of Star Trek parodies.

Upon arriving at Space Platform Galileo, the Ghostbusters are greeted by Kirov. And yes, this scene is overflowing with Star Trek jokes, with Winston commenting on how the crew looks familiar and Peter saying that they’re space explorers busy with ‘exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations.’ (Don’t bother keeping a count of how many Star Trek jokes they squeeze out in this episode. I guarantee your Star Trek Joke Meter will overheat and explode relatively quickly.)

Egon, upon checking his PKE Meter, determines that he does have a reading on an ectoplasmic entity, but that it consists of ‘empty ectoplasm.’ Meaning it doesn’t give off any psychokinetic energy and therefore isn’t a real ghost. Almost instantly after he says this, the lights on the space platform go off. Sato announces that the Creature has attached itself to the solar energy converter and is draining the space platform’s energy. So McTavish brings the Ghostbusters down to engineering, where they find the Creature, which is a large tentacle monster with multiple eyes and mouths. For some reason, Peter makes a comment about never wanting to put marshmallows in his hot chocolate again, which seems like a strange thing to say, as the Creature looks nothing like a marshmallow. And we also get McTavish making yet another Star Trek joke by saying that the way Egon talks reminds him of ‘an old shipmate.’ Basically comparing Egon to Mr. Spock.

The Ghostbusters then prepare to fire their Proton Packs at the Creature, but this only results in the Creature growing even larger, as it’s able to feed off the energy of the Ion Streams. To make it worse, the Creature then begins to feed on the energy in the ship’s anti-gravity unit, so the Ghostbusters begin to float in midair for a bit. Until the Creature decides that it liked the taste of the Ghostbuster’s Ion Streams a bit more and ends up going after the Proton Packs instead. The Creature proceeds to chase after the Ghostbusters and soon manages to catch Winston. And, for some reason, the others don’t seem to notice Winston’s cries, so they don’t realize they lost Winston until Peter happens to look back. (Not very observant of the three team members with actual Ph.Ds.) Fortunately, Winston is able to slip out of his Proton Pack, allowing him to get away unharmed.

The Ghostbusters then return to the bridge to fill in Kirov on what happened. And Kirov is not happy that they haven’t been able to stop the Creature. Especially when the lights once again go off, with Sato announcing the Creature has begun feeding off the ship’s life support systems. Thankfully, McTavish is able to tap into the space platform’s emergency reserves for power, but this only has bought them a bit more time, and they only have four hours to deal with the Creature before the emergency reserves run out. But the Ghostbusters are not quite sure what to do, especially since the Creature has grown to be too big for the Ghost Traps they have on hand. Winston comes up with the idea of trying to communicate with the Creature, as it could be intelligent enough to be reasoned with. But this doesn’t really go anywhere.

Thankfully, Ray seems to have an idea of his own. This idea involves McTavish switching off the power for the space platform for a bit. With the power switched off, the Ghostbusters can lure the Creature to the center of the platform with the energy of their Ion Streams. Rather like a carrot on a stick. Ray initially tries to rope Winston into being the bait, but Egon manages to come to Winston’s defense by pointing out that, considering this is Ray’s plan, he should be the one to act as bait, to ensure it all goes well. Ray’s plan ultimately works, and the Creature is successfully lured into the center of the space platform. And, even though it didn’t seem to work before, their Proton Packs are now able to work on the Creature, holding it in place and allowing the Ghostbusters to capture it within four separate Ghost Traps. Not exactly clear why the Proton Packs were effective now when they only seemed to be feeding the Creature before, but whatever. It’s the final few minutes of the episode, so they have to wrap it up somehow.

But of course, they can’t have the episode end without churning out a few more Star Trek jokes, with Kirov stating that they’re on a five year mission and Irahqua saying that Egon really does remind her of a certain pointy-eared science officer. (Yes, okay. Egon is like Spock. We get it.)

Oh, this episode. It just made me cringe. Look, I have no problem with spoofs. I love movies like Spaceballs, Men in Tights and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But there’s a certain point where a joke stops being funny and it feels more like they’re bashing you over the head with it. And that was what happened with this episode. Even when it first began, I couldn’t believe it was actually happening within the actual episode. I was sure the stuff with the Galileo was going to end up being revealed as just a show or movie someone was watching. But when I realized that it was actually happening, I’m pretty sure I groaned internally. Combine that with the fact that we’d previously established in the episode Station Identification that there already was an in-universe show that parodied Star Trek, and my brain short-circuited.

In fact, I think the only good part of the episode was the Creture itself. During the episode, Egon determines that it had the same basic ectoplasmic makeup of a Class 4 Free Floating Spirit, but the PKE Meter couldn’t detect any psychokinetic energy emanating from the creature. So, does that mean we were dealing with the ghost of an Alien lifeform? For a basis of comparison, let’s look at the 2001 movie, Evolution. Yes, I know some people might not consider Evolution to be a good movie, but I say it was an entertaining popcorn flick. (Also, it was directed by Ivan Reitman, who also directed the original two Ghostbusters movies. So that alone makes it relevant.) Anyway, in that movie, it was determined that the Alien monsters were nitrogen-based organisms rather than carbon-based like all organic life on Earth. So maybe that’s what was going on here. Maybe the reason why this particular creature didn’t seem to give off psychokinetic energy despite being an ectoplasmic entity was because the Ghostbusters’ equipment was designed around Earth-bound ghosts. But this was the ghost of something from off-planet. Can you imagine how awesome the episode could have gotten if they actually built on that? Think about it. The Ghostbusters have already essentially proven the possibility of life after death simply by proving the existence of ghosts. They could have also proven the existence of intelligent life on other planets, too! But alas, the writers were too busy throwing the endless Star Trek jokes at us to realize the potential. Talk about a missed opportunity!

(Click her for more Ghostbusters reviews)

#the real ghostbusters #rgb episode review #ghostbusters franchise

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ridiasfangirlings · 5 years

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I don't have a logical reason but can I please have any reason (Yata saying too much, Niki is actually breathing, Strain that can let you see your darkest moments or whatever) to make Fushimi ask Munakata "Why did you choose someone like me?" Reisaru! I know Fushimi likes privacy so can we have that scene where it is only the two of them? Please?

Ooh yes, I like this. I could see this happening maybe some time fairly early after Fushimi joins Scepter 4, that he finds himself having doubts at some point and manages to bring himself to vocalize it out loud, wondering why Munakata chose him. Like maybe it is some kind of Strain situation, where the Strain has kind of a dementor-style power where it can cause you to relive your worst moments and Fushimi gets to see Niki burning his anthill all over again. In the end he's actually saved by Homra of all people, Mikoto showing up and taking care of the Strain while Fushimi's collapsed and shaking in the corner, scratching at his scar with his teeth clenched in humiliation and anger that not only could he not handle this himself but once again he had to be saved by Mikoto of all people. Mikoto offers him a hand up and Fushimi refuses, clicking his tongue as he tries to walk past, but then his legs momentarily give out and he falls to his knees. That's when Munakata appears, politely informing Mikoto that the situation is now under Scepter 4's jurisdiction and they will take it from here. Mikoto just snorts and is like 'always making others do the dirty work for you, huh, Munakata' and Munakata just gives him a calm knowing smile. Mikoto lights a cigarette and turns away without another word, leaving Munakata and Fushimi there behind him. Munakata walks over to Fushimi and offers him a hand, Fushimi's fists clench tighter as he forces himself up and says that he's fine.

Later the two of them are back at Scepter 4, Fushimi trying to deliver his report but he's clearly somewhat shaken by the run in with the Strain. He's also bitter over the failure and his report shows it, this brittle self loathing in his voice as he notes that the Red King ultimately took down the Strain. Munakata thanks him for the report and suggests he get some rest, noting that Fushimi's been pushing himself since he returned to headquarters and that it isn't good for his health. Fushimi clicks his tongue and says there's still work to finish and that he's fine, he can do this on his own. Munakata nods in reply and says even so there are times when rest is the most important duty of all. Fushimi rolls his eyes and mutters about how that's stupid advice from someone who says that Kings never sleep, Munakata chuckles and concedes the point. Fushimi turns to leave and then pauses in the doorway like 'Captain...' Munakata asks if something is wrong and Fushimi shakes his head saying never mind, Munakata assures him that he is free to speak his mind. Fushimi pauses again and then quietly asks 'Why did you choose someone like me?'

As soon as he says it Fushimi tries to take it back but Munakata listens to his question seriously, saying that he had need for Fushimi's talents. Fushimi scoffs at that, he knows Munakata said it that first time they met, that he needed a hidden weapon user, but surely there was an easier way to find that kind of person rather than taking him away from Homra. Munakata says that perhaps, however he knew from the moment he saw Fushimi that Fushimi would fit well into his organization. Imagine him adding too that the first time they met was not the first time Munakata had seen Fushimi, in fact he had been keeping an eye on Fushimi for quite some time and had been hoping that the chance would present itself for them to meet. Fushimi doesn't even understand this, like he isn't a genius, he isn't someone who could be irreplaceable. Munakata disagrees, saying that perhaps he could have had any hidden weapon user but he wanted Fushimi, wanted Fushimi's abilities and talents, wanted Fushimi's potential, that he could see Fushimi was being wasted in Homra and that he wished to be the one to help mold Fushimi with his own hands. Fushimi quietly mumbles 'even if it's something damaged, you still wanted me' and Munakata says that is correct, that every member in his Scepter 4 was handpicked because only they could do the duty Munakata had in mind for them and Fushimi is the same, a piece to place inside the puzzle where no other piece would do.

#reisaru #Talking K #and then imagine Fushimi just nodding and leaving #and as he's standing outside the door again he whispers 'my King is...'#like he can't understand why he's so wanted #and hearing Munakata praise him like that while looking directly at him made Fushimi's chest tighten somehow #like he doesn't understand these emotions or why something started shaking inside him #the feeling of being chosen by a King

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zenosanalytic · 6 years

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Discovery: What’s Past is Prologue

That was GREAT! This is Long :| :| :|

Ok, so this episode managed to be both a mile-a-minute, actioned-packed THRILLAGANZA and a This-is-why-we-love-Trek Federation Lovefest, which is Quite A Feat owo

For any new Dear, Dear Readers thinking about venturing below the Cut: Over time I’ve found that writing conventional reviews for fan-media usually leads to me producing 10k word dissertations on them, so I do bullet-point reviews instead, sticking to core-reactions. This is STILL almost 3k words though, so, just be aware: when I say something is Long I ain’t kidding :| :| Also my reaction to stuff like Trek tends to be much more Ecstatic that my TSoW review, so expect... Informality o_o o__o o___o

Ok, so Discovery’s Landry was Fed!Landry afterall.

Looks like the Terrans have some sort of Holographic camouflage? Maybe it’s just something Stamets worked out on his own, tho, given how the Terran Empire works.

So Lorca got to the Fediverse the same way Kirk originally arrived in the Mirrorverse! I wonder if that means Fed!Lorca was transported to the Mirrorverse and died? Lorca’s ultimate Mirrorverse-fate was never explained so it’s difficult to say.

This ep’s mutiny/innership fight easily ranks up there with the best from DS9 and Voyager(the only two series with genuinely interesting/exciting examples). The battle over this city-sized planet-killing spacewarpalace is well-paced, tense, and both tactically and emotionally satisfying ouo

It also makes good use of the Terrans. We get to see some examples of their more aggression-oriented tech(like interior defense turrets and the like), examples of how powerful individuals hoard tech to themselves ala Mirror!Kirk’s Tantalus Field(Georgiou’s secret emergency transport, her bracelet, and the Stamets-designed fungal-tech integrated into the ship. Though I kept hoping she’d deploy that murderdisk from last ep again; no joy :T), and some examples of major philosophies within their society(a warrior-ethic in Georgiou’s appreciation for Burnham’s plan and fighting-ability, and her willingness to die fighting to buy Burnham time and display the ideals of her social station near the end, and Lorca’s “Man of Destiny” nonsense throughout).

“...he preyed on my Sentiment, my Weakness for your Face; It will NOT happen again.” Mirror!Georgiou is just so deliciously campy uwu uwu I like how the showrunners chose to make melodrama one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Mirrorverse :> :> :>

...Was that a The Fountain pan when Stamets walked into the Mycelial garden? It LOOKED like a The Fountain pan.

Saru is such a good captain u_u

“...The Terrans are egotistical enough to believe they can replenish this resource before it collapses.” HMMMMM WHERE COULD THESE MIRRORVERSIAN HUMANS POSSIBLY HAVE GOTTEN THAT TRAIT FROM???? Tho, as far as they go, this is probably one of the subtler Global Warming/Carbon Economy analogies to ever pop up in SFF media.

“Make the Empire Glorious Again!” We all, of course, See What You Did There :| :| Though again: much less hamfisted that the usual “Make America Great Again” references media’s filled up with over the last year.

Anyone else notice the gigantic gold frieze of Georgiou over the Imperial Throne??

Saru: “I will Not Consider leaving you Behind.” SARU IS SUCH A GOOD CAPTAIN }:| }:|

It’s a small thing, but Lorca’s continued and varied use of psychology as a weapon and tool of manipulation, something which goes back to the beginning of the series and his use of that distress signal to “motivate” Discovery’s crew, continues to impress me with the showrunners concern for consistent characterization, and their understanding of how complex characters and stories can be built from reiterating simple concepts and character notes in different situations.

Destiny’s not a thing, of course, it’s a fallacy of ego to believe that 1)occurrences involving you are about you and 2)that, because they involve you, they were meant to happen and play out as they did. Fundamentally, it’s self-narration; a recontextualization that, simultaneously, places oneself as the author of one’s life(since you are deciding what it means) and apotheosizes one’s life(and thus oneself) by declaring that narrative the product of divine will. That Lorca’s primary dislike for Stamets seems to arise not from his betrayal but from his rationalist rejection of Fatalism tells you a lot about his narcissism, and how central it is to his worldview.

There’s an interesting metacommentary about how “grittiness” is treated as serious, masculine, and realistic while optimism is treated as frivolous, feminine, and fantastical begged by Lorca’s conversation with Burnham here, and his assertions that the Mirrorverse is “the real world” and the Fed a “failed social experiment”. It’s also a good reminder of his nature as a scientist, and says much of how he thinks and justifies his behavior, that he would choose scientific metaphor for denying the reality of the Fediverse(though obvsl he’d need SOME way to do it to keep himself motivated to return, given that he’s way too egotistical, and too chauvinistically Terran, to just accept that both are equally real).

It also reveals that he REALLY doesn’t understand Burnham at all. She’s a culturally Vulcan Human, for Pete’s Sake; how deluded do you have to be to think that this sort of essentialist argument about biological “Superiority” and sociogenetic Eugenical(“Social Darwinism” in common parlance but, given this thinking predated Darwin and his theory, and other things, I don’t like the term) rhapsodizing would appeal to her, when her whole existence disproves it?

“...that’s why we have duty to lead”? That seems like a bit of a non-sequitur, but I couldn’t get captions to work on this ep so I can’t say for sure that this is what he said. If it is, that’s a really twisted conception of “Duty”, to cast it as the driving concept behind species-segregation and Eugenic Hierarchy. Also, he really doesn’t understand why she did what she did at the battle of the binary stars, or what that fight was about. He seems to think 1)she caused the fight, and 2)it was a conflict about preserving Federation “cultural purity” from some kind of Klingon “corruption”.

Lorca’s comment about Burnham’s “gifts”… taken in hand with the last ep’s “someone better came along, you know how it is” comment, suggest Lorca is incapable of conceiving of people in non-instrumental terms, especially in a romantic context.

Burnham’s explication of the existentialism and affirmation at the heart of the Federation is Pure and Good u_u

Stamets: “We’ll have to use all our Spores. We won’t be able to jump back home” Ensign Rhys: “We’ll need to be close to make that shot |:T” The Federation! ^u^

Ensign Detmer: “I don’t think we can avoid the blast”, Cadet Tilly: “our shields can’t repel the blast and we’ll all die” Saru: shakes head and clicks: *Inspiring Motherfucking Shakespearean Goddamn Speech*[1] THE FEDERATION! THE FEDERAAATION!!!! PEOPLE LOOK IT IS THE FEH-EH-EHDERAH-AH-AH-TIONNN!!!!!!!! :’D :’‘D :’‘‘D

But Seriously, THIS is probably one of, if not The, best Star Trek Captain’s speech ever.

The speech, the action, the at-turns practical, sappy, and optimistic Fed dialogue, the explication of Federation ideals in the face of true danger, challenge, and Doubt: THIS ep is just such a summation of everything that makes people Love Star Trek.

That their writing staff is aware enough to give Burnham the line, “But know this: I’m offering you my Mind; nothing more.” when making her faux-offer to sacrifice herself for her crew is one of the many reason I love this series uwu uwu

As always, Science and Tilly saves the days! I like how simple the solution is, though it’d have been more believably Physicist of Stamets to say not “but not just an explosion” but rather, “but an explosion is a Shockwave!” Also: Trek ships do Quite a Bit of cosmic surfing, don’t they? This sort of thing’s been the solution to dire situations rather frequently o.o

The warp bubble technobabble is equally simple(as opposed to TNG’s frequent reliance on nonsensical verbiage), but I don’t like the solution they went with. A Warp Bubble Warps space. The Mycelial shockwave produces an energetic wave(an explosion) in space, but it also ripples through levels of subspace(including the mycelial network). So theoretically, the Warp Bubble could be attuned in such a way as to interact with these subspace waves in a fashion which would allow Discovery to “ride” them into and through the Network. That’s how I’d have written it, at least.

I’d also like to reiterate, yet again, how well Discovery has integrated respect for Tilly, a mere Cadet, into the Federation ethos. They’ve handled this way better than TNG did with Wesley.

Lorca: “I truly admire you all. You proved such Excellent Clay for my genius leadership” Like I said “Instrumental” >:T Such good, consistent characterization!

Also: Lorca: *Melodramatic Villain Speech* Saru: “Whatever, Napoleon, show me my crewman!” SUCH A GOOD CAPTAIN.

Also Also: Federation pragmatic optimism vs the gothic egotism of Terra

Saru yelling “FIRE!” was SOOOOOO Satisfying owo

Shit Fuck-Uping Commences

Trek-talk will inevitably focus on things other than combat because, philosophically, that’s not really what the show’s about or what draws most fans to it(see above), but Discovery really does have, hands down, the Best fight choreography I’ve ever seen in a Trek series, and most of the movies too. It probably helps that they have Actresses and Actors, like Michelle Yeoh and Jason Issacs, with substantive experience in stage-fighting, but everyone’s performance in these melees is just so excellent, and the flow of them is so fluid and sure, that it HAS to be their fight crew. Also: have I ever seen a mace and its use portrayed with reasonable accuracy in a screen fight before? No; but here’s Burnham, just absolutely TRASHING people with that scepter like a Goddamn Boss :> :> :>

Though there’s an obvs level of unreality to this: you clock someone anywhere around the head, neck, or shoulders with a steel mace and they ain’t keeping fighting you. They’re going Down; they’re DONE

Georgiou’s fighting here is just so brutal and clean. The way she just turns around and slashes that guy’s throat. Her meaty-stabs to that other guy’s gut. Her throw into Lorca’s shoulder. Her KICKING HER OWN KNIFE OUT OF THE AIR WHEN LORCA THROWS IT BACK!!! Magnificent u_u Beautiful u_u u_u Majestic u_u u_u u_u

Lorca Egotism Watch: Unceremoniously Cuts down Landry for having the gall to fight Burnham. Yup |:T |:T She just can’t catch a break, but that’s what you get for loyalty to a person who only sees other people as means to an end.

One particular thing I like about the choreography is how they allow Yeoh to use her smaller size and stabler center of gravity to her advantage. Having her roll, dodge, duck under Lorca’s slashes, use throws and grab, attack Lorca’s feet; such excellent choices, especially given industry standard which is to ignore physical differences and have everyone fight like they’re a 6ft+ muscular man.

The mutual face-punch was a nice injection of comedy into this fight sequence(always a good idea, I think, to give the audience a bit of release from tension). Looks like Lorca gets in one of the trophic Star Trek double-fist hammer strikes in at the end. An utterly useless attack irl, but it’s Star Trek and the Forms must be Honored u_u

Lorca: “Don’t make me have to kill you!” Burnham: “You Won’t.” Bad. ASS. Badass. It is a natural byproduct of Vulcan Logic that their dialogue be the Tightest Shit at all times u_u u_u

Burnham’s fight with Lorca is Astounding, but I don’t know enough about fight choreography to really talk about it. Wow it’s cool to watch, though.

“We would have helped you get home, if you had asked” THE FEDERATION!!!!!!!! And more than that; hell, without the war, they’d have probably helped you kick the crap out of the Terran Empire.

Georgiou running Lorca through was Extreme Satisfying owo owo

Looks like my theory of TylerVoq undermining Lorca’s plans is nixed. I’m not upset though, as there’s something satisfying in allowing plots to be separate, rather than tying them all together in one big resolution.

Burnham running out of cover to telesnatch Mirror!Georgiou out of the fight as she energizes THE FEDERATION! THE FEDERATI- Ok, you know my reaction to this stuf. THE IDEALS! THE IDEALS!! This raw concentration of Ideals and Sentiment will Physically Killing me isttg u_u u_u u_u

They tied the science part of the escape to the action of the shipboard fight so seamlessly, and continue the tension of those scenes into the escape so excellently!

Another Little Thing that’s actually a Big Thing which I’m only now just noticing, probably because Oladejo(Ensign Owosekun) gets so much more screentime in this ep, is how good a job Discovery does at lighting and filming non-white skin and particularly dark skin, even when not a main character. I’m thinking of it particular in comparison to Agents of SHIELD which is absolutely atrocious on this point. At no point, even when they are in a dark area, or in red light, do Martin or Oladejo or any of the Black cast look washed out or obscured, as Henry Simmons almost always does as Mac even in some well-lit scenes. Just really excellent.

I REALLY HOPE that “Thanks Hugh” and aria isn’t the last of Culber. I continue to wish they’ll rez him, somehow. That was an objectively Romantic scene, though u_u

The ending revelation that they’re 9 months in the future and the Klingons have won the war is certainly surprising, but none of that’s official Fed history, so I’m pretty confident we’ll be seeing some time travel in the final eps. I’m a bit trepidation as to what Mirror!Discovery’s been up to since they’ve been gone <:[

[1]My Fast&Furious rendition of said speech: “Look I’m a coward from a species of cowards and I’m gonna tell you right now: I Ain’t Afraid. I might not know shit about shit, but I know this: you guys are Ride or Die. You’re the Best Motherfucking Crew of Motherfuckers a Motherfucker could ever Fuck Beside, and that’s For Real. That’s from the Heart. Lorca’s a POS, and he used the Power of our Shining Youthful Hearts to do some messed up bs, but we’re Family Y’all and this Ship: she’s OUR big metal space mama -Not his!- and today we’re gonna fly her like we just popped straight out her glowy anti-matter womb with a brace of .45s, a pack of Seagrams, and a surly temper. We got Shit to get Done, and we just ain’t goin down to his Triflin’-Ass Nonsense! So let’s fuck shit up! You have your Orders u_u”

#Star Trek #ST: Discovery #ST: Disc s1 e13 #What's Past is Prologue(Episode)#Discovery Spoilers #Gr8 Art #zA's Outside Viewing #TV Reviews #Reaction Posts #The Fast and the Furious

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littlethingwithfeathers · 7 years

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Commenting on Fanfic: A how-to guide for not being an asshole. Even unintentionally.

You’ve just read a fanfic that has left an indelible impression, and the siren song of the comment box is calling your name. It begs for you to send your opinion to the author... but should you? Are your thoughts really helpful or encouraging or even all that important?

Well... lets break it down! What do you want to say, and should you say it? And if you should, what should you say?

***

I want to flail at them because their writing is amazing! My comment would be nothing but effuse praise and adulation.

Full speed ahead, captain! By all means! You post that comment! Write for days! There is not enough positive feedback in all the world if you’re a fanfic author. We drink that shit up like it’s the blood of the innocent.

And if you feel awkward about commenting on explicit fic, don’t fret. We’ve all been there. Don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, but if you want to say something positive about an explicit work, go for it! We wrote explicit fic. We know why you’re here.

Something to consider: While, “THIS IS AMAZING! FLAILING FOREVER! THANK YOU!” is an awesome compliment to receive, it isn’t the same as positive feedback. If you’d like to have a bigger impact on an author that you really enjoy, comment with something specific about their writing and how it moved you.

- “I liked the way you decribed <specific thing here>. It made me feel like I was part of the story.”

- “Your word choice here was amazing!”

- “ *cut and paste a small section of dialogue or action* This was my favorite part.”

This is not necessary by any means. Flail-comments are still the greatest thing ever, and are the best part of any writer’s day. It’s not a matter of one being better than the other. It’s about what sort of impact you want to have on the writer. Praise and flailing are ego and mood boosters and are sure to help us keep writing, and writing more of what you like. Specific positive feedback is a great way to help a writer find and improve their voice when writing.

And “thank you” is always nice. It’s good to acknowledge that fic writers do this on their free time, and let them know that you appreciate it.

***

This fic is amazing and I want to encourage updates or ask when it will be updated!

Tread carefully here. While on one hand, you could simply be meaning to encourage a writer to keep writing, but I know a lot of writers (particularly who start publishing before they are finished) that get anxious over requests for updates. Be mindful of your wording, and be sure you tell the author that you’re enjoying the work. Keep it positive and encouraging.

Remember that fanfic authors have lives outside of writing fic. There may be some real world obstacles in the way of their fic writing, and guilting them about updates will not help. And in fact, it may hinder their ability to write. Not everyone responds well under pressure when it comes to creative outlets.

Something to consider: Pair your request with compliments! And avoid outright demands for updates.

Do: “This story is so amazing. I really love your pacing throughout the chapters. The suspense is amazing. I can’t wait for more! Thank you so much for writing!”

Don’t: “When are you updating? I’m dying here!” or “Update soon !!!”

***

Eeek! This fic I really love has a typo/grammatical error! Can I tell the author in a comment?

Pause for a moment! We are now treading into the dangerous land of uninvited criticism. While your intentions are no doubt good, this could very very easily be taken the wrong way. Or just flat unwanted for whatever reason. This is criticism that is coming quite possibly from a total stranger. There are a few things to consider.

First, check the author’s notes on the fic itself. Do they state that it’s unbetaed and invite corrections? Some do! Myself included when I publish something that has been edited by no one but myself. I know I miss things. When this is the case, I always put an invitation for corrections in my author’s notes, and many other fic writers do the same. Or they put it in their author bio on their main page.

If you see no explicit invitation for corrections, do not do it. It’s as simple as that. I don’t care how egregious the errors are. It is quite simply not your place.

If you do see an invitation for corrections, a few steps are advised. First, go leave a comment on the fic. Make no mention of the corrections there. Just let them know you enjoyed it and thank them for their work. Then, send them a private message, not anonymously, with a gentle wording of the correction. Don’t do this in a comment that everyone can see. There’s no need to be exhaustive if you’ve caught a lot of errors. Sometimes just one or two corrections are enough to make an author go back through with a fine-toothed comb themselves. Then, thank them again in the private message and lay on a compliment or two there as well. Again... this is not their day job, nor are you their writing professor.

Do: In a private message, “Hi AmazingAuthorPerson! I absolutely loved your fic “Fic from the Pairing X.” You invited spelling corrections in your author notes, and I wanted to let you know that this word was mispelled here.” *copy/paste line where mispelling takes place* “Your work is incredible. Thank you so much for taking the time to write and share with us! Sincerely, PoliteReaderPerson.”

Don’t: In a public comment, “I found errors X, Y, Z, AA, BB, and CC.”

Something to do instead: If you’ve got a good eye for editing, and you’re really interested in helping out fanfiction writers, consider becoming a beta reader. I see requests for beta readers all the time, particularly from people writing in their second/third/fiftyseventh language, and some of the more established fandoms have lists of beta readers. Just know that this can sometimes mean forming a relationship with a writer that goes beyond just comments on their work. Part of what makes unsolicited corrections icky is that they’re coming from total strangers.

***

The author did not appropriately tag something! Can I tell them?

This is a similar situation to the above scenario with corrections. Even though you may not feel like it be careful, especially with your wording.

First, consider if there’s something seriously misleading going on? Is the maturity rating wrong? Did they fail to tag triggering material that would have been important to you to know about for safety reasons?

If it truly is something serious, especially regarding triggering material, very gently tell them using the same method as for corrections. And remember that even though you might be upset, aiming that negativity at the author for what might be an honest mistake or just flat ignorance about tagging is not helpful in the long run.

Do: “Hi AmazingAuthorPerson! I really appreciate that you take the time to write fanfiction for our fandom. In your fic, “Character Has a Bad Day” there is a scene that contains XYZ triggering material, but the fic is not tagged as containing XYZ material. Would you please update your tags so that your readers can be aware if they need to be? Thank you again for your work! Sincerely, PoliteReaderPerson.”

Don’t: Flame or even shame them in a public comment. Or be rude or angry in the private message.

Regardless of what the author’s response is, move on with your life. You’re not the fandom police.

***

Oh no! I just read a fic and I didn’t like the pairing/ending/a plot twist! I with they had done something else! I need to tell the author!

No, you don’t.

It’s as simple as that so let me repeat it.

No, you don’t.

Here is where we get into the most valuable tool in a fic-reader’s commenting arsenal.

Not Commenting.

Yes, it’s true! The option exists to just not comment. You can read something, not like it, and then move on with your life!

Odds are good the author chose to write what they did for a reason that is personal to them. The idea of changing canon, keeping to canon, shipping a pair, not shipping a pair, or whatever it was spoke to them and they wanted to explore it. Or it was a request from a friend! Regardless, let them do so in peace.

Or go write your take on the same pairing and write it how you think it should be done. I’ll be honest, I’ve read some fanfic where I’ve gone... “Yeah, I don’t know that I like that. I think I would like this better.” And then I go write it! Or at least bat the idea around awhile until it’s out of my system. Hell... isn’t that what fix-it-fics and non-canon-compliant actually is?

Do: Click the little “x” window. Go read a favorite fic you do like. Leave another positive comment for that author.

Don’t: Leave negative comments.

***

That’s the ultimate takeaway here folks. Negative comments are not helpful to fic writers. Full stop. If you feel the author needs to know you didn’t like something, particularly if it has to do with what they chose to write about, or how they chose to portray a character/pairing, I would ask you this:

Why does the author need to know?

Why does the author need to know about your personal tastes in fandom/fanfiction? Especially if it doesn’t include what they are writing. They aren’t here to cater to you and your personal tastes. That is what fic commissioning is for. That’s what tagging is for. So we all can find what we want to enjoy.

So enjoy things. And let other people enjoy things. And most importantly, let authors enjoy writing the things they feel moved to write about.

This has been a public service announcement.

*vanishes in a puff of feathers and caffeine.*

#fanfic #fanfiction #commenting #PSA #AO3 #beta reading #fic #writing #fanfiction writing

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thedegenerateasexual · 7 years

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spot the reference: anchor edition

i’m doing this for my own pleasure and no one else's but you'll probably enjoy it anyway because man the callouts i give myself in this post you don’t have to read the rabid dog section it got Long

anyway this is just a list of references either to the show or to other stuff that i put in this fic, because i've been in the UT fandom too long not to enjoy hiding stuff in my work. it doesn't even go into the GIANT list i COULD make of all the neat research tidbits or foreshadowing to That Last Part. one thing at a time. if you haven’t read anchor this post spoils the absolute best part so maybe don’t click the readmore!

PART I

"I can do what's necessary," Argent repeats, voice hushed. They pass under an outcropping of rock, throwing them both into shadow. "I can. I will."

this is a throwback to a line chris says in 4.05 IED, when he and derek are down in the hale vault, discussing what to do about kate. [gifs]

"We'll catch up to her," Chris assures him. "My family has been hunting things faster than us for hundreds of years. It's a marathon, not sprint. She uses up this much energy now, she'll be a little slower later."

Somehow, Derek doesn't find that very comforting.

this is something derek says to chris in 2.12 Master Plan, upon being told of their temporary truce. he knows he fucked up [gifs]

"It's rough terrain. We'll have to take it on foot."

"Not exactly." Chris sucks the last bit of salsa off one thumb and stands. He jerks his head over at a dusty-looking red motorcycle parked just a few feet away. "That's ours. Until we catch Kate, anyway. A little rickety—but it's all-terrain."

so this was partially because research told me a lot of people prefer bikes to travel around mexico, but also because three other protagonists i’m fond of use bikes to great effect. did not know this before deciding on the bike, but apparently JR Bourne is also a bike guy. (you’re welcome!)

PART II

Life is so strange. It's Derek's very first bike ride, and he spends most of it half-asleep, snuggled up next to an Argent.

“life is so strange” is my very favoritest line...from a fanfic i like about some dumbass horndog named barnes

Tonight Argent dreams of Kate, sitting on the bed next to him in Allison's old bedroom. "I want to honor the code," she tells him sadly, "but I can't do this myself." She has the knife positioned over her heart, gripping it with white knuckles. "Chris," she pleads. "Help me." The full moon is coming. "I don't want to die alone."

"i can’t do this myself - chris, help me” is something victoria says to chris in 2.09 Party Guessed. [gifs] the rest of it came from, uh, someone else. (:

One night Derek tells Chris about the auto repair shop he and Laura both worked in while they lived in New York and discovers Chris has a love of classic cars.

"Laura, too," Derek says. "I mean, I like cars all right, I picked up some stuff from her, enough to do most of my own repairs, but she was really the car person. She had this...1960s, I don't remember what year, it was Mustang she was restoring, bit by bit. Champagne gold."

Chris lets out a low whistle. "Now that's a machine. What happened to it?"

"Told the owner she could keep it when I left town," Derek says. "It really was more Laura's thing. She was picky, wouldn't drive anything that she could outrun. That was Laura," he sighs, "drove 25 over every speed limit, smoked like a chimney, and always looking for an excuse to pick a fight. She was almost a worse alpha than I was."

"But great taste in cars," Chris says. "I used to have this black 1967 Impala I liked to work with in my spare time. I've always wanted to restore one from scratch, but after I got married and we started moving around, it was too much trouble to lug around the extra vehicle with us—black cars are so hard to keep clean. I had to take up whittling instead."

the 1967 impala is, of course, from supernatural, and it’s all @marcusanthotius emily’s fault, as evidenced here, and i’m never taking that post down so she has to live with it forever. the mustang is a car my own dad used to love (and if you’re curious, it was a 66). “black cars are hard to keep clean” is something chris said during the infamous windshield-washing scene in 1.03 Pack Mentality. [gifs - none of that particular line, but this is the scene]

PART III

"It triggers the shift," Chris says, rubbing his neck, "by means of raising your pulse." Derek listens to Chris's again—sure enough, his heart is already pounding. "It taps into the rage, the bloodlust. Makes you rabid. It's a kind of endless loop of feedback—the more your pulse raises, the worse the rage, and the more powerful the rage, the more it raises your pulse. Eventually even a werewolf's heart will just give out. The only reason to use it at all is that most werewolves aren't capable of burning it out of themselves when they're in that state of mind. So it's a sure death for the werewolf—but a sure death for anyone else nearby, first."

Whatever Chris learned about the wolfsbane is wrong. Maybe because no one who's been hit with it has ever survived it; they had to make guesses from the outside. And from the outside, Derek knows he looks furious. But he's spent most of his life wrestling with rage, and this isn't just rage.

It's also terror.

so i’ve talked about this before, but i actually didn’t realize i did this until much later that i accidentally ripped off supernatural AGAIN for this: in 4.06 Yellow Fever, which is a BAD EPISODE, fight me, people get infected with a “ghost sickness” that causes you to feel more and more fear until your heart beats so fast it eventually just gives out.

Argent swallows, hard. "The year of the fire," he says unsteadily, struggling with the math, because he can't quite remember when that was. What year was Derek born? How old is he—in his twenties, right? "Two-thousand—five? Six?"

"Fifteen," Derek replies, very very quietly, "is the number you're after. I was fifteen. The fire happened on my sixteenth birthday."

i did this as a shoutout to jesse turner of @cambionverse, who is a lot like derek in general, and also had a very devastating fire happen on an important birthday of his, in part because he too got tricked by a hunter with a pretty face. (chris isn’t a great guesser, by the way - canon keeps changing the date of the fire + derek’s age when it happened, but in this fic, the fire was in 2004.)

Chris exits the bathroom and leans against the doorframe, watching Derek with his arms folded. "Pourquoi est ce que je devrais apprendre l'espagnol," he asks, looking almost fond, "quand tu est là?"

His French isn't bad, actually—Derek would give him a B+ for the effort.

this is a real thing that happened to me in real life when i was watching 1.12 Code Breaker with @machidielontheway coralie, who is a native french speaker and helped me do the french translations for anchor. when chris spoke the original code in its original french, she had to rewind it to listen again, and ultimately said JR’s accent was all right but not great and gave him "a B+ for the effort." chris was originally supposed to be a native speaker of both english and french for this fic, but that was so funny i just had to change it. (coralie and i have a lot of fun when it comes to french.)

Derek dips a little lower and finds a barely-noticeable scar on Argent's hip, a dark spot that's just a little indented. "Hmm." He strokes a thumb over it thoughtfully, presses it into Argent's skin. His other fingers then naturally come to rest on four identical marks further back on Argent's side. "Something with claws."

the second @cambionverse shoutout of the fic, a much tinier one, this is also a line from the first chapter of cambion: "What happened to [Bobby]?" "Something with claws." Ben stays still for a moment, then lifts a hand to the deep gouges on his shoulder.

"You listen to my heartbeat when I say it, Derek. It wasn't about you. New anchor or not, I know you won't hurt me, and I meant it when I said I wasn't afraid of you. But Riley—" Chris looks away, swallowing hard. "Riley terrified me."

riley was named for sam wilson’s tragically fridged-for-character-angst wingman in captain america 2: the winter soldier. yes, really. his last name, roux (which never appears in the fic), sorta-kinda means red, which sorta-kinda works as a reference to his alpha eye color at the time of his death. “riley” and “rabid” also both have five letters, begin with R, and have the same number of syllables, vowels, and consonants. (this is the first time riley’s name appears in this fic despite him being important from the very first scene; only took 35 thousand words...repression, much?)

PART IV

Riley lets out an earth-shaking roar, and lunges. Chris ducks, and Riley's claws leave deep gouges in the concrete wall behind him where his head was only moments before.

"Riley, listen to me—"

in pacific rim, yancy says a near-identical line to his brother right before he dies: “raleigh listen to me—” (hi, cally!)

There's growling from closeby, and glowing red eyes flash in the dark—Chris rolls. There's a table here where they keep weapons, and—yes, his hands close around a shotgun, he stands and whirls—

"Riley, stop! I don't want to hurt you—don't make me hurt you, please—"

this one is a reference to 3.22 De-Void, when chris says to derek “i don’t want to kill you, derek, don’t make me kill you, please” while he’s under the nogitsune’s spell. [gifs, kinda, they’re part of a set]

Chris isn't as upset anymore—not hyperventilating or flashing back—but his tears seem endless, starting anew every time they seem ready to slow. "I'm sorry," he says several times. "I'm sorry, this isn't me, I don't know what's wrong with me—"

in 1.11 Formality, after kate tells allison about werewolves and the sheriff catches her speeding and crying, “this is not me” is what she repeats to herself very harshly to get it under control. repression is kind of a family trait i guess :(

Derek starts towards the cabin, but Chris catches him by the shoulder. "Hang on," he hisses, "what are you gonna do, just run in there with no plan?"

"She is," Derek says, with as much feeling as possible when you're also trying to be totally silent, "right there." He jabs a finger in the cabin's direction. "I'm going to go and kill her. That's been the plan from the beginning."

"Exactly," Chris says, "she's just there. In that nice big dark house full of who-knows-what. I don't know, don't you think that's a little—"

"Don't say 'too easy'," Derek warns. "People say 'too easy,' bad things happen. Trust me, I'd know." Lightning flashes closeby, briefly illuminating the trees. "None of this has been easy."

"So, what," Chris says, "we just take her by surprise, and that's it? You don't think it's dangerous to underestimate her like that?"

"Two on one—" Derek eyes Chris critically. "—well, one and a half—we can't lose. She thinks we're dead, remember? She'll never see us coming."

"I don't like it," Chris says, folding his arms. "It's too easy."

There's a rustle from the undergrowth nearby.

in 1.12 Code Breaker, scott and derek have this same conversation, reversed, after scott frees him from where he was being held prisoner by kate. (that’s how he knows.) it’s worth noting that as soon as derek agrees scott is right, he gets shot twice by allison, accompanied by kate, and he and scott BOTH get blinded by allison’s flashbulb arrow. in 6.10 Riders On The Storm, scott and stiles have a similar conversation when they find the switch to divert the ghost riders’ train, this time with stiles insisting they let it be easy; they decide to go for it and promptly get their asses handed to them by the nazi alpha werewolf. [gifs] (thank you cathy <3)

"Like I said: the more they kill, the crazier they get. The crazier they get, the more they kill. Even if he means well, he won't be able to stop himself from attacking you eventually; it's just his nature. I know it's a hard time for you right now, but you've gotta be prepared, huh? He's helping you right now, but we hunt those—"

"—who hunt us, yes," Argent finishes, trying to keep his annoyance in check.

"You don't know the things about him I do," she hisses, her breath hot on his ear, "you don't know how cold-hearted he can be. Sooner or later he's gonna see you for the animal you are, just like he's seeing it in me. That's his nature. And I guarantee you, Derek—" His hands grab at her wrist, tugging uselessly. "The next thing he'll slip between those pretty pink lips of yours will be his .45."

this warning is given once to chris and once to derek, and it's a reference to a story deaton tells deucalion in 3.08 Visionary, when warning him that he cannot trust gerard:

When the scorpion asked the frog to carry him across the river, the frog said, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion replied, "Why would I do that? Then we'd both drown!" So the frog agreed. Halfway across the river, the scorpion stung the frog. When the frog asked him why he did it, since now they would both die, the scorpion replied, "It's my nature."

fun fact: this story was also originally the prologue of the fic before i changed it to the first version of the rabid dog story (which wouldn't quite fit anywhere else).

THE RABID DOG STORY

this is technically in part iv, but since it’s too big to quote in its entirety, i’ll just give it its own section, because of course i wound up going on way longer than i meant to (i get excited and explain this to a lot of people, so it's handy to have it typed down in case i wanna explain it again). the story/plot device in general is a sort of "reference" to two things: a 1970s TV show about the korean war called M*A*S*H, and 2.10 Fury.

so the original inspiration for this plot point came from M*A*S*H. the show follows a "mobile army surgical hospital" which is a fancy way of saying it's the medics who treat the wounded. in the finale (spoilers...you've been warned lol), the main character hawkeye has been committed to a mental institution after a nervous breakdown. he tells a story about a party that happened on a bus: how everyone was screaming and yelling and having a great time, how one person "couldn't wait" for the bottle of whiskey. but the more often he tells the story, the more details that change: the person was actually a soldier, and the soldier was actually wounded, because the whole bus was full of wounded (thus the screaming), and the bottle was full of life-saving plasma, not whiskey, and the soldier in question LITERALLY couldn't wait.

hawkeye tells a story about a refugee woman that had a chicken that wouldn't stop clucking, and when they were forced to pull over to hide from the approaching enemy, he told her to make it be quiet so they wouldn't all die. and she did: she smothered it. what he eventually is forced to remember is that it wasn't a chicken, but her baby. (the chicken's feathers are even patterned like a blanket in the flashback!) you can watch a clip of the final version of hawkeye's story here (but be careful, it's a rough one).

the way chris tells his rabid dog story twice in canon, and changes the details once he's around stiles, who knows the truth about werewolves, reminded me a lot of that episode of M*A*S*H. (yes, it COULD be that they're two different stories, but they're so similar! work with me here.) he doesn't bat an eyelash when victoria says gerard shot the dog, yet later insists he but a pullet through his friend's head (after which his friend was still somehow able to crawl towards him...?). it also, of course, changes from a dog to a werewolf. the way he tells one version of the story in each "chapter" of the fic, each time getting a little closer to the truth, was absolutely 100000% inspired by M*A*S*H.

"Riley, stop! I don't want to hurt you—please don't make me hurt you—"

"So you shot him?" Derek asks quietly.

Chris's hands tremble around the shotgun. What if Riley bites him? What if he gets turned too? He has to defend himself, doesn't he? Riley's coming at him again, he has only a second to decide—

"I..." Something dark and terrible shakes loose in Argent's memory. His mouth drops open in horror and his vision blurs. "I didn't!" he cries, eyes wide. "Oh, God—" He drags in a shuddering gasp, covering his mouth with both hands, the truth a vice clenched around his chest. "Oh my God—I didn't shoot him!"

and this realization was definitely influenced by that clip up there. ^ (the idea to rip off M*A*S*H was the only reason this thing got written at all; it was too good a plot twist not to put into real words.)

the WAY chris tells the final version of the story, in part iv, was inspired by 2.10 Fury. sadly i don't have a clip or any gifs handy (i looked...), but the way matt weaves in and out of his story about drowning—the way he begins speaking in present tense, the way he repeats coach lahey's dialogue word-for-word as coach lahey says it in the flashback...

"We—we thought there was a cure," Chris tries to explain, but he's crying and it sounds so foolish and naive to him now. He sounds like a child. "He hasn't hurt anyone, I just thought—"

"You thought?" Gerard roars. "He hasn't hurt anyone? Look at yourself! This is—"

"—why we have a code!" Argent chokes. "This is what it's for!"

Gerard waves his gun at the body on the ground. "Look at him! If he'd honored the code, do you think he would have ended up like this?" Gerard grabs Chris by the chin and forces his head to turn. Chris squeezes his eyes shut, but Gerard backhands him across the face with his other hand. "I said—"

"I said look at him!" Argent drags in a sob.

He's not dead.

"Oh, God," Argent whispers. "He's not dead. Even after all that, he's—"

"—still trying to claw his way towards you, do you see that, Christopher?"

...is what inspired the way i chose to tell it.

AAAAND that’s all, i’m pretty sure i got everything, i’ll end this post on that happy note bc i’ve been working on it for like 3 hours now and that was way longer than i intended for it to be.

#anchor #dargent #dergent #teen wolf #my stuff #kinda #it wound up being so long...i'm sorry i didn't meant to do that #i was only trying to laugh at how much captain america and supernatural were in it #chris argent #derek hale #TW*#misc*#meta*#i can't decide which it is so it can be both. sorry.

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thedaybrings-blog · 7 years

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Nearly Purged Of Your Poison

Twelve months' time and I am now nearly purged of your poison. I was so scared going on a date with you because I knew I would eventually be hurt, but I never would have foreseen the level of pain you would inflict on me and the affects of all your reprehensible deeds I would have to endure until now.

Writing journal entries helped work through all the bullshit you subjected me to, it helped me make sense of what happened to me, what you had done. It was cathartic, words sometimes flowed out of me faster than I could keep up. I almost feel obligated to write this today, which in and of itself is really quite a nice feeling. Writing this now feels like a chore; you will always have a place in my heart despite what you did to me, but you mean so little to me now I have to search for something I feel needs to be expressed.

I wrote my way out of your bullshit.

I told you once that I thought I would be lucky to have you in my life in any capacity, but I realize now that you never deserved to have me in your life, you never deserved my friendship, you never deserved my love, you never deserved my embraces or kisses, you never deserved my trust.

I rarely think of you now, but still I wonder... Don't you miss anything about me? Don't you regret having lied so much? Don't you feel the least bit of remorse for how you went about things? Don't you wish you had just been honest with me early on? Do you ever wish you had really tried to be a decent person to someone who loved you? Do you ever worry that taking such pleasure in having unnecessarily damaged me might someday destroy you? Do you wish you had just allowed me to break things off early when I was afraid continuing would be too much for me to suffer when it ended, instead of crying and begging me not to dump you? Do you ever wish you weren't such a horrible person that you could have at least have given me a hug after I told you I loved you? Don't you ever wonder how much you've lost by not trying to keep my friendship? Did you ever actually consider me a real friend?

I planned to remove three items from my wallet today that I have carried with me for much of this last year, the first for the past twelve months exactly.

First, the movie ticket from when we saw Deadpool together, and we confessed our mutual crushes and hugged for the first time.

Next, a note I wrote to myself with a list of personal goals:

Make [You] smile more - FAIL

Get [You] to talk to me on the phone - CHECK - Ultimately a FAIL

Get a bday hug and smile from [You] without makeup - FAIL

Last is the note I wrote myself quoting what you sent me on the anniversary of my father's death when I was expecting you to finally act like an adult and tell me how you felt about me. Of course you chose to "break up" with me through email because I dared say that I was sick of you constantly mentioning your "best friend" whenever I tried to talk about us...the "best friend" you now call your boyfriend and who you were probably already with at the time:

"You know what I'm done. I don't want to be your friend. I don't want anything to do with you. I'm done. Have a fantastic life."

I am not sure I am ready to remove those reminders just yet. They help keep me centered. I suppose making it through to the other side of a traumatic event will do that. For now, I will simply commemorate today and having moved forward, if not completely having moved on yet, by highlighting bits of your emails I skimmed today:

4/28/16 Miss you like you :)

4/30/16 I do like you a lot. And of course I think we click, I've said it several times. I miss you a whole lot & I like you & you're adorable.

4/30/16 I think the weird monster burger I made for you was my favorite thing I have ever drawn.

4/30/16 I wouldn't of told you about the super hero museum if I didn't want to go with you. :)

5/1/16 I want to take you to my favorite thrift shop in Evansville, and I have this weird picture of us going on a date to a 50s style diner.

5/1/16 We could cuddle and makeout.

5/1/16 Be okay with me sometimes needing room to breathe. It's terrifying to let someone get to know me and I freak out its nothing about you and I'll always let you back in but I'm going to shut you out sometimes. The moments will grow farther apart but they will happen.

5/1/16 We have a very easy and natural nature and I feel really comfortable around you and that is amazing and you mean the world to me and I'm awkward so I'm using 'and' too many times and my English teachers are horrified

5/1/16 I think about how I'm an asshole for needing to go about things incredibly slowly.

5/1/16 I love the hand on my knee or back that's adorable and makes me smile.

5/1/16 *internet hug and kiss*

5/2/16 If it's not enough I'm sorry but I'm trying and it is what it is. I don't show my feelings well. I'm fine with dialing things down to get to know each other. I'm sorry. I'm trying. I really am.

5/2/16 I want to be your friend. You thinking I'll never be ready for more is your opinion but whatever. I've never wanted to sacrifice the friendship. I think you're an amazing person. Always have. Always will.

5/2/16 All the things I have to say will perpetuate an ongoing argument. And I don't want to argue with you. At this point we are both upset and I don't see a point to keep arguing. I think you're an amazing person and we do click and I feel like continuing this back and forth puts the friendship in jeopardy.

5/3/16 I think you're amazing. Always will.

5/3/16 I'll never hate you. I would like to take another day to process what I would like to say. Me being upset is not conducive to productive conversations.

5/4/16 I really didn't mean to snap at you. I'm so sorry. I let myself get way to upset. I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore. I'm so sorry

5/7/16 I'm still sorry I snapped at you. I would like to leave the situation behind us because I am still a little bit irrationally angry about it.

5/7/16 I was so mad Ashley brought Eric to tell you he won prom king. I wanted to do it so you could see my dress lol. But I'm glad you liked my dress. I was disappointed you weren't at the prom.

5/7/16 I'm sad you're across the street I miss you a lot. I will tell you when my next night off is so I can see you and we can talk about things.

5/7/16 You are the only person I want to get to know. Everyone else needs to not. I don't want more people lol.

5/7/16 I forgot there was a new captain America movie! Fuck yeah I wanna go with you.

5/7/16 I hope you're having a good time at your moms I miss you

5/8/16 I know you're a way better person

6/9/16 I always want to talk to you. I miss you so much. I'll write a longer response but I'm kind of hoping you'll get this before work since we work together to today and in going to try to be on the same side as you

6/9/16 I always want to talk to you. I miss you so much.

6/13/16 I do care about you and it really does hurt me that I've hurt you. It wasn't ever my goal. I know I did a lot of things wrong. I understand why it's better for you to get away from me. I'm sorry that I'm not in a place of my life that I can love you back. I can't love anyone but if I could pick someone I would pick you. I'm sorry.

6/13/16 I don't tell people how I feel I bring them monsters, draw them weird things, bring them cookies, tone down my makeup because you didn't like it, canceled my tattoo appointment, have their back when someone is talking about them when they aren't around.

6/13/16 Don't hate you. Will never hate you.

6/14/16 Me trying to balance everything with my dad and moving and everything else is obviously not working. And it's not fair to you. But you are someone I want around. It was easier and quicker for me to click with you than with most people. Which is something significant so I don't want to lose that completely.

6/14/16 I loved the name thing I put it on my bulletin board.

6/15/16 I drew you a monster last night and planned on putting it on your car. Well. My night vision is garbage. I couldn't see your car where you usually park and I was paranoid and I walked around aimlessly and was really embarrassed and then I tripped and felt really defeated. So I left.

6/21/16 This is why I just want to be friends. I obviously have too much going on to be able to treat you how you deserve. I figured being friends would be easier. I have 3 best friends. You've met Daniel and the only reason I talk to him regularly is because we work together. If I'm not at work he doesn't hear from me.

6/22/16 You know what I'm done. I don't want to be your friend. I don't want anything to do with you. I'm done. Have a fantastic life.

6/23/16 You see me as an inconsiderate, lying bullshitter. That's fine. It doesn't matter anymore. I don't have anything else to say. You don't like who I am fundamentally as a person. That's what happened. That's why there is no more purpose to trying to be your friend.

7/7/16 Yup that's the person I am. I'm horrible. If that's what you think of me that's fine.

#LT #i wonder #hurt #pain #she will never care how much she hurt me #twelve months ago #one year #her lies #your lies

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willidleaway · 4 years

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Doctor Who, series 12, mid-series thoughts

In short: series 12 right now is looking like a real mess, but I’m honestly not sure if in a good way or a bad way. Chibnall has been bringing back a big chunk of RTD-era elements (and seemingly destroying a few Moffat-era ones), after the decidedly continuity-nod-averse series 11. It was fun at first but is now starting to look like Chibnall could end up amplifying the worst excesses of RTD and Moffat’s tenures.

In the span of a single episode, we have gone from ‘god I hope Chibnall doesn’t mess up the space rhino police’ to ‘god I hope Chibnall doesn’t mess up the entire show forever and ever’, because the arcs that he’s set up ... well ...

Moffat may have implicitly threatened to reveal the name of the Doctor in The Name of the Doctor, but to his credit he knew not to actually show that card. Chibnall, I suspect, feels too clever to show such restraint. What he’s getting up to may well permanently ruin the character of the Doctor for me, and I don’t think I’d be alone.

Spoiler-filled further thoughts behind the Read More break.

Overall thoughts on where series 12 is going: Boy do I not know where it’s going, but I know where it needs to not go.

OK, so thinking about where series 12 is going basically requires thinking about Fugitive of the Judoon. We get two major mystery points set up:

Captain Jack (who I am not entirely sure I’m glad to see back) has this warning about the Lone Cyberman.

Jo Martin plays an incarnation of the Doctor that cannot possibly exist.

I say I’m not entirely sure I’m glad to see Captain Jack back not because I don’t think his character is delightful or because John Barrowman is older, but because of the way he seems to solely exist to pull the companions out of the interesting story and set up this mystery point.

One of my problems with Moffat-era Who was all of the Doctor worship—and perhaps in retrospect it’s really unfair when it was RTD with his series 3 finale (a key example of RTD’s mixed legacy in terms of the direction RTD took new!Who in his later years, and the ways in which I genuinely think it encouraged a lot of trait that Moffat gets so much flack for in the fandom) and all the Oncoming Storm-type stuff that really started the show on that train. But in my defence, Moffat treated Clara as a living MacGuffin for much of her tenure—with a central plot point being innumerable split existences that revolve entirely around the Doctor—in a way that RTD never treated any of his era’s companions.

With Chibnall at the helm, I had hope that perhaps we’d return to compelling, active companions—especially after Moffat gave us series 10 with Bill and Nardole—and the series 11 premiere looked quite promising in this respect. But series 11 ultimately had at best mixed success on this front, partly because Bradley Walsh is in such a different class from the other two that it doesn’t even make sense. And series 12 so far has simply reverted to a group dynamic where the Doctor has all the answers, Graham has all the quips, Ryan has none of the dyspraxia, and Yas (Yaz? never sure about that one) has nothing.

And when it feels like the companions are doing nothing or even getting in the way of the narrative rather than actively driving it—to the point where you have Captain Jack literally scooping them away from the main thrust of the story—then something’s not right with this show. Why even have a companion, then, let alone three?

All that aside, let’s talk about Ruth!Doctor, who I’m going to assume is actually an incarnation of the Doctor, rather than the Master or the Rani or the Meddling Monk or some other Time Lord simply disguised as the Doctor. Having ‘Introducing Jo Martin as the Doctor’ in the closing credits sure seems to dispel that alternate notion—but certain past show runners have definitely taken part in circulating falsities!

First off, no matter what happens: Ruth!Doctor needs her own EU material. Books. Radio plays. Overpriced cheaply-made replica props. Yes. All of it. We’ve only gotten a couple dozen minutes of this Doctor so far and yet I am already utterly convinced.

Second: has post-RTD Who just completely forgotten about parallel universes? I mean, pocket universes, sure—Gallifrey was in one for a good while. But the Turn Left-style parallel worlds? The kind of parallel world seen in Rise of the Cybermen? Sure, the latter ep sets up the fact that the Time War fallout made it impossible to travel freely between parallel worlds, but with Gallifrey returned (well, before Chibnall burned it all down again), you’d think that would have changed. It doesn’t even seem to occur to 13 that Ruth!Doctor might be a parallel existence, which strikes me as astonishingly odd.

Third: if Ruth!Doctor is an actual incarnation of the Doctor in the prime timeline, then where does she fit? Pre-1 is the actual worst idea, because the TARDIS is already shaped like a police box and only like a police box, and Moffat already showed the TARDIS being stolen by 1 in capsule form. Granted, maybe the Doctor was captured by the Time Lords at some point, regenerated into 1, and stole another TARDIS that also had its chameleon circuit fried, but it seems needlessly complex.

I like the Season 6B idea a little better—the 2/3 interregnum—and maybe Ruth!Doctor is an extra regeneration granted by the Time Lords as reward for 2′s services to the CIA or whatever. One other possibility is simply that Ruth!Doctor had her memory altered—but this is possibly the least interesting idea and thus the least likely, because Chibnall clearly wants to provoke rather than catch a breath and be actually thoughtful with all of his twists this series.

Whether Ruth!Doctor fits in before Hartnell or after Troughton, it will represent a major shift in lore. Moffat was competent enough to make 8.5 work, arguably making better use of RTD’s Time War than even RTD ever did. But we are on shakier territory where Chibnall isn’t really building on anything. And if Ruth!Doctor is the Zeroth Doctor, and Chibnall really wants to provoke, well ...

Part of the fun of the Doctor, at least for me, is that at the end of the day, the Doctor really is a mad man in a box, an idiot that wants to be kind and help out along the way. They’re a Time Lord, sure, but amongst Time Lords they don’t have some overriding power that does not arise from their own initiative. For all of Moffat’s faults, I think he knew this to be at the core of the character. If he didn’t always show it, he at least always tried to tell it, even alongside all of the most egregious Doctor-worship.

And the Doctor’s origins are vague, even mysterious, but only because the Time Lords as a whole are rather mysterious. Their social psychology is eccentric, to be sure. Their control of time and space is unparalleled. But we’re not sure whence they arose and that’s fine. It’s not necessary, because the show was never about the Doctor, but about how the Doctor affects those around him. Much of Moffat-era Who had maybe a more Doctor-centric tilt to this, but nonetheless it was never quite all about the Doctor!

Meanwhile, in the Chibnall era, now we’ve got the Master talking about the Timeless Child and lies about the history of the Time Lords, and Captain Jack scooping the companions out of the way so that we can get all this new Doctor lore set up. And, well ... forget RTD’s Oncoming Storm. Forget Moffat’s literal origin of the word ‘doctor’. I think we’re about to see Chibnall elevate the Doctor to being literally the Genesis of the Time Lords, and it makes me very, very uncomfortable.

Hmm, I do wonder if we will get an episode actually titled Genesis of the Time Lords, only I want it to be about Gallifreyan prog pop-rock.

Additional thoughts, episode by episode:

OK, so I already said my bit on Spyfall and the latest ep. So that leaves two.

—Orphan 55: I think everyone’s had their curb-stomp on this one. I’d just like to say that it was particularly disappointing because Ed Hime’s previous contribution to Doctor Who was ‘It Takes You Away’, by far one of the most brilliant episodes of Series 11. It was ambitious and witty, and the characters were interesting and compelling, and basically it succeeded so well at everything that Orphan 55 fails at so badly.

Orphan 55 is like Midnight except the villain all along was man. It just feels like Ed Hime was playing a bunch of Metro games and then Chibnall told him to write a Very Special Episode about climate change, and everything suddenly clicked together. At least someone thought it did.

Was it really that bad? I’d say it was no less messier than Fugitive of the Judoon, honestly. I think with time, people will either look more kindly on it or completely forget about it, because frankly its reputation can’t get worse. The fact that Orphan 55 did not have the blockbuster Who-lore reveals and twists of Fugitive of the Judoon will be either the reason it becomes forgotten or the reason it becomes more favourably looked upon.

—Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror: My main qualm with this story is the over-romanticisation of Tesla. The show acts as if Wardenclyffe was this amazing proto-Wi-Fi apparatus that would have worked if only JP Morgan hadn’t pulled his funding, when in fact it was the epitome of this big wireless tech bubble and a folly in the most literal sense of that word. They mention the Gilded Age right near the start of the episode and somehow view Tesla as this pure-minded inventor and almost a human Doctor for the 20th century, rather than someone who basically lived off of Gilded Age capitalist money, and a shrewd man knew how to game the press and public opinion in his time.

Don’t get me wrong. Tesla was legitimately wronged very badly, both by Edison and by Marconi, and he seems to have had a real intuition for electrical engineering in ways that few in his time did. But intuition is not the same as scientific enquiry, and that seems to me to be no small part of why Tesla after Wardenclyffe never enjoyed the success and admiration that he did before, and why he was rather badly forgotten for so long.

And then Edison seemed a bit too softened??? Caring for his workers at some level, sure, but surely he would absolutely never be the sort of person to offer Tesla a job with him ... ?

That said, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better actor to cast in the role of Tesla, and generally I found the episode pretty good. I believe others have sufficiently pointed out the mild hypocrisy of the Doctor’s criticising the scorpion!Racnoss for stealing technology (still can’t be bothered to remember what they actually were, sorry), but I generally found it more amusing than problematic.

#(Doctor Who series 12 spoilers!)

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kristinejrosario · 7 years

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Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

If you’re one of the millions of people thinking about starting a blog this year, well you’ve come to the right place!

People start blogs for so many different reasons (and often continue them for others entirely!). We each get a little something different out of blogging, on top of the benefits that are communal to us all. Our motivations and rewards are often more than the sum of our blog parts on paper – it can lead to so many brilliant new opportunities, friends, and fulfilment.

Open your mind to the possibilities, and think about where you want to go that blogging can help take you. Let’s not get to the end of 2017 and wish you’d finally taken the plunge. Don’t be Regretful McRegretson come December 31!

Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

If you’re on the fence about whether you should start a blog at all, or wondering if this is the year for you: you should. It is.

To make connections

You’ll make friends you could never even have imagined. Real friends, who can help you and inspire you and support you in not just blogging but other aspects of your life.

Not only friends, but people who are interested in the same things you are, people that can broaden your knowledge and your horizons. People who are interesting, people who add insight in your life.

You may even meet your next employer, your next romantic interest, or the right person that will pop up at just the right time to help you with a project or goal.

To Read: Tips for building Community

To share your hobby

Philatelists, unite! Got a key collection you just can’t wait to share? A love of vintage enamelware? An enviable stack of vinyl? This is your place to really let loose, show us what you’ve got and hook up with people who will love your hobby as much as you do.

To inspire others

Blogging can be such a two-way street with you and your readers, but ultimately they come to you for a reason. What kind of change are you hoping to effect in your fellow humans? Are you passionate about sustainability? Exercise? Humanitarianism? Motherhood solidarity? Whatever you’re into and want to help other people learn more about, now is your chance. There’s never been a better time (or a better reason) to blog!

To Read: How to Build a Blog that Has Lasting Impact Upon Its Readers

To document your life

This was such a drawcard from the early days of blogging – those of us with Diaryland or Livejournal accounts documenting our day-to-day, moving into Blogger or WordPress or Tumblr users sharing insights and keeping record of the things that make us tick.

Sure, you could keep a real journal or a diary but then you’d lose the connections you make with others. There’s something to be said for snippets of our days, including photos, tucked up on the www. for us to find at the click of a mouse whenever we want in the future.

Some of the best parts of blogging for me are the bits where I go back and re-read things I had forgotten, things about the early days of being a mum, the small incidents that I kept tucked away forever. What a great timeline of my life!

To Read: Having a Personal Blog: Is it Worth It?

To upskill

Y’all, blogging can be as simple or as complicated as you make it, but I can guarantee you: it doesn’t come without some kind of lesson!

You can learn the fine arts of basic code or spend time and energy learning more in-depth techniques for writing, photography, social media strategy, designing, html – the list is almost endless. You will learn something at the very least!

Blogging can help you be a better writer, a better marketer, or feel more confident on camera. You can learn video editing skills, podcast production, e-course creation… whatever you want to do, you can learn to be better, all on your blog.

To use it as a platform for good

Want to highlight ethical clothing manufacturers or shine a spotlight on those working tirelessly on behalf of refugees? Now’s your chance to share with your audience the things you wish got more attention in the media. You have a voice and now you’ll have a platform to ensure it reaches the right people.

To Read: Blogging for the Greater Good

To show your expertise

I find this happens quite a bit with blogs – people with skills and talents in a particular area start blogs and help spread that awareness to the people who are hungry for that information. Everyone from podiatrists to classical cellists have blogs about their specialist topic, and what fascinating reads they are too!

Honestly, there’s something out there for everyone, and there are people out there who want your particular viewpoint about your specialty. Don’t keep them waiting.

To build an audience

Want a book deal? Speaking gigs? Freelance writing jobs? This is your time to create your tribe. Anything you want to do, you can self-promote until that huge contract you’ve been waiting for lands in your lap. The battle is half won if you’ve got a ready-made audience just dying for your next big thing.

To Read: How to Build Your Blog’s Audience with Long Form Evergreen Content

To boost your business

This is particularly useful if you have an online business and the usual advertising options just do not work for you. Personalising your business and providing value for money with your blog posts alongside your products ensure you’re that retailer that goes the extra mile. How else are you expected to stand out in the oversaturated crowd?

To Read: 20 Tips for Better Business Blogging: How to Use Blogging to Generate Leads

To make money

Yes, it’s true – you can make money blogging. Whether you want to break even for hosting and publishing costs or you want a six-figure salary, there are ways of making that dream come true. It’s not easy work, but it’s rewarding, and can really return some return on investment (both time and money) when you put the hard yards in.

To Read: Make Money Blogging for Real: 3 Must-Know Factors and Can You REALLY Make Money Blogging? [7 Things I Know About Making Money from Blogging]

To sell your own products

You’ve written a fantastic ebook or have designed an amazing online course and now you need people to buy them – what better way than to build your own audience based on similar interests and then give them what they want? It’s never been easier to be the captain of your own creative ship and price and sell however you want to.

To Read: Create Products Week: 7 Days of Tips

To have a creative outlet

Always wanted to write a book? Love taking photos? Cinematography your thing but day-to-day you work a checkout? This is where you get to let your inner creative fly with no limits and everything to gain.

To be inspired

Every day I’m inspired by people online doing things. Humble things, grand things, it doesn’t matter – bloggers are blogging what they’re passionate about and it’s hard not to be inspired by that. I find fantastic recipes, life hacks, budget tips, health information, my next read, and just about anything I could possibly ever want to know (or didn’t know I needed to know, thanks classical cellist!) from people sharing it on their blogs.

To have an online hub

You may be getting traction on Instagram, or you’re a famous Facebooker, but as we know, we don’t own those platforms. Algorithms change almost before we’ve gotten used to the last change, and it can all be taken away from us at any minute. Having an online home you can direct people to is going to be the most useful thing you can do with your already popular platform.

To have fun

At the end of the day, we blog because we love it. Because it makes us happy to connect, share, inspire, and be inspired. Parts of it are work, parts of it are less-than-thrilling, but the good outweighs the bad. We’re in control of our own online destiny and we’re having a blast doing it. Come join us!

The post Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year appeared first on ProBlogger.

from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProbloggerHelpingBloggersEarnMoney/~3/u80G6MFRa7w/

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richardrobertsimsuccessblog · 7 years

Text

Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

If you’re one of the millions of people thinking about starting a blog this year, well you’ve come to the right place!

Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

If you’re on the fence about whether you should start a blog at all, or wondering if this is the year for you: you should. It is.

To make connections

You’ll make friends you could never even have imagined. Real friends, who can help you and inspire you and support you in not just blogging but other aspects of your life.

Not only friends, but people who are interested in the same things you are, people that can broaden your knowledge and your horizons. People who are interesting, people who add insight in your life.

You may even meet your next employer, your next romantic interest, or the right person that will pop up at just the right time to help you with a project or goal.

To Read: Tips for building Community

To share your hobby

To inspire others

To Read: How to Build a Blog that Has Lasting Impact Upon Its Readers

To document your life

To Read: Having a Personal Blog: Is it Worth It?

To upskill

Y’all, blogging can be as simple or as complicated as you make it, but I can guarantee you: it doesn’t come without some kind of lesson!

To use it as a platform for good

To Read: Blogging for the Greater Good

To show your expertise

Honestly, there’s something out there for everyone, and there are people out there who want your particular viewpoint about your specialty. Don’t keep them waiting.

To build an audience

To Read: How to Build Your Blog’s Audience with Long Form Evergreen Content

To boost your business

To Read: 20 Tips for Better Business Blogging: How to Use Blogging to Generate Leads

To make money

To Read: Make Money Blogging for Real: 3 Must-Know Factors and Can You REALLY Make Money Blogging? [7 Things I Know About Making Money from Blogging]

To sell your own products

To Read: Create Products Week: 7 Days of Tips

To have a creative outlet

To be inspired

To have an online hub

To have fun

The post Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year appeared first on ProBlogger.

Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

#Richard Roberts IM Success Mix #Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

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silvino32mills · 7 years

Text

Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

If you’re one of the millions of people thinking about starting a blog this year, well you’ve come to the right place!

Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year

If you’re on the fence about whether you should start a blog at all, or wondering if this is the year for you: you should. It is.

To make connections

You’ll make friends you could never even have imagined. Real friends, who can help you and inspire you and support you in not just blogging but other aspects of your life.

Not only friends, but people who are interested in the same things you are, people that can broaden your knowledge and your horizons. People who are interesting, people who add insight in your life.

You may even meet your next employer, your next romantic interest, or the right person that will pop up at just the right time to help you with a project or goal.

To Read: Tips for building Community

To share your hobby

To inspire others

To Read: How to Build a Blog that Has Lasting Impact Upon Its Readers

To document your life

To Read: Having a Personal Blog: Is it Worth It?

To upskill

Y’all, blogging can be as simple or as complicated as you make it, but I can guarantee you: it doesn’t come without some kind of lesson!

To use it as a platform for good

To Read: Blogging for the Greater Good

To show your expertise

Honestly, there’s something out there for everyone, and there are people out there who want your particular viewpoint about your specialty. Don’t keep them waiting.

To build an audience

To Read: How to Build Your Blog’s Audience with Long Form Evergreen Content

To boost your business

To Read: 20 Tips for Better Business Blogging: How to Use Blogging to Generate Leads

To make money

To Read: Make Money Blogging for Real: 3 Must-Know Factors and Can You REALLY Make Money Blogging? [7 Things I Know About Making Money from Blogging]

To sell your own products

To Read: Create Products Week: 7 Days of Tips

To have a creative outlet

To be inspired

To have an online hub

To have fun

The post Why You Should Start a Blog in the New Year appeared first on ProBlogger.

from ProBlogger http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProbloggerHelpingBloggersEarnMoney/~3/u80G6MFRa7w/

0 notes