#healthy emotional understanding skills!! yay | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

readerinsertfanfiction · 3 years

Note

Hiii! 💫💖 First of all, I want to tell you that your stories are awesome, I read few and now I was looking for somebody to make requests to and I found out your asks are open, so yay! 💫💖

Soo, can I please have Ieyasu, Ranmaru, Kennyo, Shingen, Kenshin, Mitsuhide, Mitsunari and Yuki (or just choose from them, I don't know how many is your limit 🥺💖) with chubby MC who is really insecure about it and somebody (maybe some maid or something?) tells her that she's fat and that she's not good enough for the warlords? 👉👈🥺💫💖 Thank chuu :3💖💫 (I would prefer drabble, but do whatever you're comfortable with! 💖💫)

~ Leiia 💖💫

Heya Leiia! Welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoy your time here and come back in the future for more! I also hope you have a happy New Years Eve / Sylvester day and a healthy and good start to the New Year! 🥰🥰🥰

Fandom: Ikemen Sengoku

Characters: Ieyasu Tokugawa, Ranmaru Mori, Kennyo, Shingen Takeda, Kenshin Uesugi, Mitsuhide Akechi, Mitsunari Ishida & Yukimura Sanada

The world was unforgiving and the tongue cruel. You had known that even in the modern era where disgusted stares frequently followed you and harsh whispers were meant to be heard. 1582 was no different but you tried to be optimistic, believing that as long as you worked hard no one would dare to criticise you. How wrong you were.

The space was narrow as it was already and you felt a little clumsy while trying to move around alone. Add in another person and you had no idea what to do with your body, other than let yourself be poked and jabbed as the two of you tried to work around each other.

“Could stand to lose a little weight around that waist,” the maid had mildly commented in the end. Not really making clear to whom it was targeted, but seeing how slender she was compared to you, you were certain that it was aimed at you. A hot flash passed behind your eyes as you tried not to cry right here and then. Biting your lower lip you were quick to fake a smile before excusing yourself, rushing yourself away from the scene into privacy. It was there that he had found you...

Ieyasu

“Hey you,” the blond had gruffed, a little annoyed that he had to walk all over the castle to find you, only to find you idle in some dark corner. That annoyance was quickly dispersed when he saw your despondent form, the irritation of earlier replaced with worry as he squatted down next to you.

“What has you sulking this time?” he questions, but you give no response as you throw your arms over your knees, crawling even more into yourself both physically and mentally. A sight that the warlord couldn’t stand as he tugs at your arm.

“What happened?” Ieyasu’s stern voice sounds and you finally relent, allowing your arms to peel away from you as you face the man and repeat what had happened. By the end of the story his expression is placid, but you can see a fire burning behind his eyes as he brushes your hair.

“Silly, you are fine as you are. Who cares about the words of a dumb maid?” he scoffs, but you can hear the resentment he carries for the maid in question. It soon fades away as he softens at you, fingers trailing over your cheek.

“I think you look fine,” Ieyasu says and you know that coming from this man it meant ‘perfect’.

Ranmaru

“There you are!” Ranmaru’s boundless energy came to a skidding halt as he stopped next to you, expression faltering for a moment when he noted how upset you looked. Immediately the male sat down next to you as he leans over to peer at your face, his bubbly expression for once replaced with one of contemplation.

“What’s wrong?” he questions and you shift your face away, trying to morph away the sadness still lingering on your face as you suck in a breath. It was too late, however. The page had seen you upset and was not about to leave you alone until he got an answer. Thus you told him what the maid had said, trailing off a bit in the end as you wring your hands together.

“I know it is silly,” you breathe, but the male stops you as he places a hand over yours.

“Not at all!” Ranmaru exclaims, “but that maid sure is dumb for saying so. That is super shallow, but shows how she is all the more not worth your time!”

His eyes brighten up as he speaks, just as his voice pitches and you look up, facing a page from whom you could swear that he was emitting sparkles.

“Besides, I think you are the prettiest in the whoooooole world!” came his simple encouragement.

Kennyo

“You’re upset,” Kennyo spoke rather matter-of-factly when he found you in your little corner, but there was a tenderness in his voice as he knelt down next to you, a hand running over your back as he tried to comfort you in the way he knew. “Do you wish to speak of it?” he questions when he feels you shift and lean against him. You didn’t need much more encouragement to let it all out, explaining what the maid had said as the monk held you.

“We often hurt each other unconsciously, most often because there is something ugly within ourselves,” the man told you, a grim expression on his face as they contorted into something contemplative. “That doesn’t make what she said any more alright, but know that she spoke in spite, for you are more loved and more beautiful in heart than she ever shall be.”

The words are spoken hushed and in careful deliberation as he pulls you closer against you, stroking the back of your head with a gentle touch.

Shingen

With an information network like Shingen’s, and all around skill in conversation there was little that escapes Shingen’s attention, including the vile words directed at you from the maid.

“My goddess?” he approached you with those words, though you felt far from a goddess at the moment. Not that the warlord minded, he was determined to make you feel like one as he sat down behind you, only needing one arm to pull you into his chest.

“Hmm, who is this beauty in my arms?” he whispers, as he reaches for your face and lifts up your chin to look at him, “whose eyes sparkle so like the brightest stars in the sky?” he continues as fingers run across your cheek, “what fair divinity have I caught into my arms, treasured in my heart?”

His words earned a flush from you as you squirmed in Shingen’s hold, but the male was not about to let you go as he continued his ministrations.

“How I treasure the one sitting in my lap, the dearest one that I wish to keep warm.”

Kenshin

“Why are you hiding?” Kenshin’s smile had entered first before his words and his words before his realisation of your mood. He had come to seek you out, wanting to see your smile, but now that he saw you so desolate worry gripped his heart.

“Did something happen?” he frowns, hand already on his sword as he was ready to cut down whoever it was that put you in this state. You shake your head as you motion for him to sit down with you, your body turning towards him as you eye the man cautiously.

“You are so beautiful, so fair that I feel you might be unreal and I’m…”

You trail off and Kenshin’s expression falls further as he realises what it is that had upset you. Without hesitation he pulls you in, a pout on his lips as he forces you to look up and then he smiles at you. A little sad, but also in tenderness and in love as you can see yourself reflected in his mismatched eyes and how they behold you.

“Don’t say such silly things when I’m afraid that you’re the one whisked away by the wind.” It was rare for Kenshin to speak so poetically, but you knew that they were sincere and only meant for you. Blinking back at him Kenshin pulls you closer, arm wrapped firmly around your waist as he holds you.

”when I’m the one waking up in the morning fearing that you were just a dream.”

Mitsuhide

There was little that escaped Mitsuhide’s attention and that he made double-sure about all who dared to insult you. After that you had left the fox stepped out of the shadows, quick to corner that little maid in as he gave her an apt warning. He knew that you didn’t like him to step in for you, but Mitsuhide gladly abused his reputation if that meant shutting up unnecessary tongues wagging.

“Little mouse?” he smiled once he was done, finding you exactly where he had expected to find you sulking. How heartachingly adorable you were right then, but he hated to see you upset for any reason other than to his teases and as such the man was quick to go for your sides, tickling the spots you were most sensitive at in several ways of understanding.

“My dearest little one,” Mitsuhide speaks as you wriggle against him, giggles hiccuping up from you as you succumb to his teasing fingers. “That smile suits you much better,” he shares, as he has you lay your head on his lap.

“Don’t believe jealous tongues, or I will have to remind you again how beautiful you are to me,” the elusive warlord tells you, though the two of you know that even without the criticism Mitsuhide was more than willing to remind you every day how out-of-the-world you are to him.

Mitsunari

“Ah, here you are! I have been looking all over for you!” Sunny as ever Mitsunari had found you sulking in a corner, his smile quickly fading when he realised that there was something wrong with you. Mitsunari didn’t often grace emotions with his attention, but with you he wanted to make sure that there was only ever a smile on your face.

You blinked away the last of your tears as you shook your head, not wanting to saddle the man up with your insecurities. They were your own after all. But Mitsunari saw it differently as he knelt down next to you, his smile soft as he holds your hands.

“Don’t hide from me, that makes me sad,” he speaks to you, putting his feelings into words directly as he eyes you carefully, “will you tell me what took away that lovely smile of yours?” Natural as ever Mitsunari managed to be both innocent as well as seductive as he coaxed the truth out of you, his expression only falling for a split second before he pulled you in.

“They’re just jealous of your beautiful smile and character,” he informs you and when he says it you believe it.

Yukimura

“Geez, I have been looking all over for you!” Yukimura sounded annoyed when he finally found you, hand already on your shoulder as he was trying to catch your attention, “were you napping--”

He didn’t finish his sentence as he saw your face, eyes widening and mouth falling open as he immediately sat himself down next to you.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did something happen?” he questions you, a light panic in his voice as he wonders if it was something inconsiderate he had said, or whether you were falling ill. Yukimura wasn’t the best at comforting people, he knew that, but he wanted to be there for you at least. Whatever it was that had upset you.

You let go of a deep sigh as you eye the male, your heart wanting to pour out, but your mind telling you that the young warlord wouldn’t understand. Whatever the case, when Yukimura’s hand brushed against your forehead to check for your temperature you turned away, spilling the words you had carefully kept inside as you told the story.

“Geez,” was his first response, a pout on his lips as he looks away in contemplation. “It is too bad that it was a maid, now I can’t punch her for you,” he says and you scoff at the thought of Yukimura hitting anyone for your sake.

“But,” he says and a hand reaches out to you as he ruffles your hair, a handsome smile spreading across his features as he pinches your cheek, “it is silly of you to worry. Not when you are so…”

And the blush that spread across Yukimura’s features when he realised what he was about to say is all you really need to feel better, a laugh rumbling from your chest as you lightly punch him on the arm.

“That’s more like it,” he tells you, glad to see you doing better.

#ikesen #ikemen sengoku #ikesen ieyasu #ikesen yukimura #ikesen mistuhide #ikesen mitsunari #ikesen shingen #ikesen ranmaru #ikesen kenshin #ikesen kennyo

115 notes · View notes

amerasdreams · 3 years

Text

I have been listening to True Spies podcast on Spotify. It’s apparently connected to a thing called Spyscape, which has a museum/experience thing in New York. They also have an online test for your personality and intelligence.... well those intelligence tests all of course have to do with math. and they are TIMED. somehow I got thru guessing most of them.... didn’t score 0 but didn’t score great.

so guess what I scored on intelligence! and personality scores mean I’m more prone to health problems and being unhappy.... :(

(here I woke up thinking I can be uniquely me, I don’t want to be like anyone else anyway, I can embrace that... but how can I when what I am is this pathetic)

I shouldn’t have done this, I know what these tests do, make me discouraged and hate myself more. they even said I’m not imaginative and creative-- things I value most besides intelligence (and intuition/empathy...)

they did say the “spy role” I was most suited for, which is what I’m most interested in, intelligence analyst. But in the more “practical” side, for jobs, it mentioned medical things, technical things, which I wouldn’t be good at and don’t like, business marketing-- working for a business I don’t care about, a job with no meaning.... it even had mathematician! when I’m obviously not good at math. the only jobs I might be interested in are psychologist/criminologist... idk.... to late for me to get any career anyway, let alone somehow what I really want

they did a risk assessment, where you blow up the balloon before it pops to get “money” - yesterday I started it and panicked when the balloon popped the first time and closed the window. then when I was walking the dogs it occured to me it was a test lol and I would just have to keep risking popping the balloon... so today I saw it as more of a game and not the ‘scary balloon popping oh no I lost money!” -not even real money. idk about fun.... all these things were stressful esp the intelligence test.

today I started the test, thinking it might help me, get insight into what I can do, instead, it discouraged me, I’m what I thought, mediocre and not suited for much, they only gave a “role” to me because they had to give me something. It said the intelligence analyst is inquisitive--when it just said I wasn’t - idk how this even fits with the test bc analytical? that wasn’t one of the dimensions and doesn’t seem like I scored high on implied analytical powers, same with determined--

how can i live with myself being like this, having no role and no future according to any dimension that really counts. don’t want to be plodding away at menial tasks when I want to do something Imaginative, Creative, Intellectual-- ha can’t even do that

oh I’m proving them right, easily stressed and sensitive and reactive --

I’m not including the risk assessment bc I don’t think it’s accurate-- I’m really very risk averse in all cases... oh we know that already so.

results (bold/parentheses is mine)

MENTAL HORSEPOWER

Unlike Alan Turing would, you scored moderately low {yay!:(} on this attribute. The result, driven by your performance in the personality tests, suggests that, on the whole, you struggle with complex mathematical and analytical problems. {so how can I be an analyst?} That said, you can usually spot patterns and find links in data – as long as the information you have been given isn’t too abstract. (I like big picture things.... abstract things... apparently I’m not good at it)

IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Like other people with a moderately low Mental Horsepower score, you are more likely to ‘go with your gut’ when making decisions rather than to apply logic and reason (that’s true.... logic is mystifying. fits with being INFP-- logic is my weakest point). It is unlikely that you will sit down and win a game of chess, and you probably rely on your satnav rather than read a map yourself. (yep.... chess is too much strategy... I can’t see ahead like that .. hm how could I be an analyst)

IN YOUR WORK

Because you are not a very conceptual thinker, you are better in roles where you can do things ‘automatically’ rather than applying any abstract reasoning skills. You are not bad at visual-spatial or mathematical tests though, and with training and practice, your skills will definitely improve.

THE SCIENCE

Mental Horsepower relates to our general cognitive ability and our capacity to think about, reason with, and understand abstract concepts. It particularly links to analytical and mathematical skills, but also covers memory, comprehension, language, learning capacity and judgement. These are hugely significant skills for success at work and in everyday life.

Psychologists have developed all kinds of tests to measure cognitive ability. Some of these involve predicting outcomes from patterns in data (also known as inductive reasoning), while others focus on mentally flipping and rotating images. We use both of these approaches in our Mental Horsepower tests at SPYSCAPE.

Recent neuroimaging research shows that intelligence is linked to brain patterns, and that these patterns are unique to each of us (meaning you can’t change them :( )– much like our fingerprints. In one study, these brain ‘fingerprints’ were used to successfully predict people’s scores in IQ tests.

While IQ tests are probably the most common method for determining cognitive ability, there is some debate over whether they provide a complete picture. For example, theories suggest that there are many different types of intelligence which are not accounted for in these tests. Still, it is generally accepted that people who score highly on tests of cognitive ability are on the whole better at completing intelligence-related (so that career’s out... if it was ever in lol) tasks in the real world.

COMPOSURE

Unlike Jason Bourne, you scored extremely low (low on everything! what a wonderful person!) on this attribute. The result, driven by your performance in the personality tests, suggests that you are far more vulnerable to stressors than most people (I knew that). You are likely to have a very strong emotional reaction to negative events and your brain becomes highly active when you see something you perceive as unpleasant (like this test!). Although this means you find it hard to relax, it also means you are really tuned in to your surroundings ( and what’s the upside of that? nice consolation prize....)

IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Like other people with extremely low levels of composure, you are highly likely to experience anxiety and burnout. (with things that aren’t really stressful to anyone else. just stepping outside. just being inside-- doing thigns like this.. doing most things actually-- help how can i live) You can be far too critical of yourself (well how do i stop? if this is how I am like), especially when you are stressed (which is almost all the time), and this can make it tricky for you to overcome problems (which is never, which is why I’m still living w my parents). You also dwell on the past far more than people with high composure.

On the positive side, you are responsive to your environment, which means you are more likely to anticipate negative outcomes and find ways to avoid them (like almost everything). You are also sensitive and caring, and your observant nature means you look out for yourself and the people close to you. (what’s the point of that when you can’t do anything, or get to know new people)

IN YOUR WORK

It is unlikely your colleagues will turn to you when there is an emergency or crisis at work. This is because you struggle to keep your emotions in check, and challenging situations can get the better of you. When this happens, you are not great at maintaining focus or making tough decisions.

THE SCIENCE

Composure relates to how our brains respond to stress. In tense situations, your brain activates an area called the hypothalamus, which releases adrenalin and cortisol – also known as stress hormones.

A bit of stress now and then is important for survival, because it alerts us to the dangers around us. Small amounts can be useful, but too much over a long period of time is bad for our health (oh goody). Studies show that the adrenal cortex, the part of the brain that releases stress hormones, is also linked to the healthy function of our immune system – and people who are more prone to stress are also more likely to get sick.

There is also a connection between composure and working (short-term) memory. Composed people perform better on tasks where they need to recall and use relevant information while they’re doing something else – for example remembering the steps of a recipe when cooking a meal.

PEOPLE SCORING HIGH IN COMPOSURE ARE

LAID-BACK

RELAXED

COOL

FOCUSED

POISED

PEOPLE SCORING LOW IN COMPOSURE ARE

EMOTIONAL

SENSITIVE

PERCEPTIVE

RESPONSIVE

VIGILANT

Contentiousness

Unlike diligent Mission: Impossible hero Isla Faust, you scored moderately low on this attribute. The result, driven by your performance in the personality tests, suggests that unlike Isla, you find it difficult to keep focused on long-term goals {Idk about this. goals are all i focus on.... well. I think about them often but Idk how to create the steps to get there and so things fizzle out and I get-- discouraged what else is new). You get distracted or bored quite quickly and are often drawn to new ideas and projects instead of finishing what you are currently doing (well.... hm. I finish novels...). You understand what is important in life, but you sometimes skip the details. (I’m not a detail person... I can be but they often seem irrelevant)

IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Because you prefer not to a follow a schedule, hobbies that require regular training are not for you. In fact, your interests change quite regularly, and you find long-term commitment a challenge whatever the activity. Friends and family know that if they want you to do something, they need to encourage you to get organized. When they press you, however, you do things pretty well.

IN YOUR WORK

You take a relatively flexible approach to work. As such, you get distracted easily and do not always complete the task in hand. Because of your tendency to do this, you are likely to change jobs – and perhaps even career – fairly regularly (I want variety... Idk, this sort of fits, sort of doesn’t).

THE SCIENCE

Conscientiousness shapes how likely you are to follow rules, regulate your own behavior and get yourself organized. The more conscientious you are, the more motivated by goals and tasks you are likely to be.

According to what psychologists call the ‘Big-5’ model, conscientiousness is a core dimension of personality – and one of the five key traits that drive human behavior. Whether you are high or low in conscientiousness can help predict your success in social, academic and professional situations.

If you have high levels of conscientiousness, you are probably more productive and better at adapting to new situations (that’s true, I’m not) that come your way. However, this does not mean that being conscientious is always a good thing, because research also shows that being too conscientious can lead to overthinking. (I do that too...)

Some studies suggest that people who are more conscientious are healthier – and they might even live longer. This might be because conscientious people are more likely to exercise regularly, eat healthily, and avoid smoking or drinking too much alcohol.

It’s hard to say where conscientiousness comes from. One study found a link with areas of the brain relating to attention and cognitive control. There is also evidence to suggest that genes play their part. It’s likely that social factors such as your upbringing influence how conscientious you are, too.

PEOPLE SCORING HIGH IN CONSCIENTIOUSNESS ARE

HIGH-ACHIEVING

ACCOUNTABLE

THOROUGH

DRIVEN

SELF-DISCIPLINED

PEOPLE SCORING LOW IN CONSCIENTIOUSNESS ARE

IMPULSIVE

FLEXIBLE

EASY-GOING

SPONTANEOUS

ADAPTABLE

(I think I’m sort of this, sort of not because I’m borderline INFP -- P is flexible, impulsive while J is more structured-- I’m slightly more Perceiving. goes to show Myers-Briggs is pretty good at describing personality accurately....)

INQUISITIVENESS

Unlike Carrie Mathison in Homeland, you scored moderately low on this attribute. Your score was driven by your performance in the personality tests, and it suggests that you are pretty cautious about new ideas, beliefs, cultures and theories.

IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Like other people who scored moderately low on this attribute, you are not so willing to take on board other people’s views (that’s true). You will consider what people have to say, but you are likely to stick with your own opinion. You feel more comfortable in familiar situations and surroundings (well, yes...), and you do not really feel the need to explore new places (I kind of do, though... I want to but I often... don’t. because it’s too hard).

IN YOUR WORK

Because you aren’t motivated to learn or acquire new skills (Idk about this... depends on if it’s something I’m interested in. I’m learning like 15 languages on Duolingo...), you are less likely to seek out new opportunities at work. And the longer you stay in a job, the worse your motivation is likely to get. In general, you tend to perform better when you start a new position, although you will carry this out using the same approach you always have, rather than approach it in a new way. You like real-world, practical work that has straightforward solutions.

THE SCIENCE

Inquisitiveness is an important trait for discovering new things and building a better understanding of people and of the world around us. Psychologists have developed tools for assessing and measuring how inquisitive a person is.

These are based on extensive research into personality and are designed to evaluate five facets related to inquisitiveness: (i) intellectual curiosity; (ii) aesthetic sensitivity; (iii) active imagination; (iv) attentiveness to inner feelings and; (v) preference for variety.

Furthermore, personality researchers have identified two types of inquisitiveness; ‘epistemic’, which refers to information seeking ( I think I’m more information seeking?) behaviour and ‘perceptual’, which refers to experience seeking.

PEOPLE SCORING HIGH IN INQUISITIVENESS ARE

CURIOUS

OPEN-MINDED

IMAGINATIVE AND INVENTIVE

CREATIVE

ADAPTIVE

PEOPLE SCORING LOW IN INQUISITIVENESS ARE

PRACTICAL

CONSISTENT

TRADITIONAL

HABITUAL

PRAGMATIC

SOCIABILITY

A bit like Alec Leamas in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, you scored extremely low (yay. well I knew this... and from answering the questions... )on this attribute, which suggests that you prefer to spend time alone and keep yourself to yourself. You avoid parties, meet-ups and other noisy gatherings because you find them overwhelming (wayyyy). If you really have to socialize, you need plenty of quiet time afterwards to help you rest and recharge.

IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Like others with an extremely low sociability score, you don’t like being the center of attention and often struggle to start conversations. You think a lot before speaking and regularly find it hard to express your thoughts and ideas. Because of this, you often let others do the talking, and you don’t take part in small talk either. This behavior means you might come across as socially reactive, and people may think you only talk to them when you feel you really have to (as in, extremely negative, and I shouldn’t exist. although... i do talk to them if I have to.... haha I do take part in small talk because I think I have to. or people will think I’m rude. but I don’t like it. I’m sensitive to how I’m perceived and don’t want to be seen as too antisocial, but I talk to others out of fear not of want... yikes. no wonder no one wants to be around me. well I don't want to be around them. well - I want to be around people I know well. for limited amounts of time... need less to recharge from people I know than strangers. I want to be with them, I don’t want to be with strangers-- it’s only stress and not fun at all. but how do i get past the stranger part to the friend part if I don’t like being with strangers and it’s all stressful adn overwhelming? How do i participate in society, have people to talk to, have any sort of success??? - shouldn't exist.).

IN YOUR WORK

Because you are more comfortable working independently (please. HOW???? besides working for myself... haha can’t work for anyone else bc can’t get past the interview, these ^ traits are obvious and not something any employer in their right mind wants), you will be more productive – and much happier – managing your own workload, tackling problems alone, and avoiding company brainstorms and powwows.

THE SCIENCE

How sociable you are can be linked to your levels of happiness, positivity, and wellbeing. In fact, sociability relates to a variety of positive outcomes in life, including how successful you are at work, how well you cope with challenging situations, and even how physically and mentally healthy you are. (yay. I’m doomed. I might as well kill myself now)

People who are highly sociable are more positive emotionally (case in point!) than those who are less sociable. In one brain imaging study, people with a high sociability score had higher levels of brain activity when they saw images of happy faces and other positive emotions.

The same part of the brain that processes emotions also helps interpret information from social contexts, which means we can judge a social situation and then respond appropriately (social situations, like math problems and logic, are mystifying to me. yay the things that are highest linked to success--).

There is some evidence to suggest that highly sociable people might be better at detecting and decoding the meaning of social cues – including how they analyze and read people’s faces (oh, I know that. I have a hard time judging people’s faces, in fact I often think they are mad at me or judging me by their faces when they probably aren’t. I even have trouble finding out what emotions go with what emoji! besides the basics. i mean why, how are there so many emojis....). This means they are likely to find social interaction easier to deal with than others (lol yes. it’s . not easy. why. do i have to be born like this. always been. hell..).

There is also research to suggest that highly sociable people have more connections between regions of the brain that involve visual stimulus and regions that process social and emotional stimuli. (brains are better, we get it)

Sociability might also be associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is linked to reward-seeking behavior. It is thought that people who are highly sociable may have an enhanced response to dopamine in the brain, which makes them pursue rewards such as attention, status, power or pleasure. This would explain why, when they get these things, they feel happier or more satisfied.

PEOPLE SCORING HIGH IN SOCIABILITY ARE

TALKATIVE

FRIENDLY

ENTHUSIASTIC

ENERGETIC

EXCITABLE

PEOPLE SCORING LOW IN SOCIABILITY ARE

QUIET

RESERVED

INTROSPECTIVE

PRIVATE

SHY

^ ALLL negative attributes, I need to just kill myself now, no future.

#spies #personality test #spychology #help #job #life #negative #discouraged #again #pretty much everything discourages me #except when i'm distracted #insurmountable life #why #how can i possible live

1 note · View note

wellshewrites-blr-blog · 4 years

Text

Come Well

My name is Abbey and I am the founder of this lovely little project! WELCOME! Or … Come well.

First and foremost, here’s a portrait of me below. It’s important you know what I look like so that you can decide now whether you trust me or not based on my choice of shoes (I know, I wouldn’t either).

I grew up on the Sunshine Coast, Australia and am currently living in Chamonix, France. You’ve probably heard of Mont-Blanc? Yeah. That’s my pin drop.

I am a qualified Nutrition and Naturopathy Consultant, and in my third year of studying my degree in Sociology of Health and Wellness. I love what i’m learning (I witness people’s disbelief when I tell them that in person so you aren’t the first. But, truly!).

It’s taken me 25 years of trial and error and error and error to begin realising what I want out of life. Cliche perhaps, but I want to do my best to help others. Sitting in an office waiting for people with troublesome digestion to reluctantly come and visit me doesn’t seem to ignite a fire of ecstasy within me. I would never neglect those who seek my advice or help, no.

But what I really want is to hunt unknowing victims down and manipulate them into an improved understanding of their own bodies, their minds and their motivation for self-care. What a predator.

Growing up I was always (hyper)active - ask anyone! I thrived best when practicing a healthy amount of physical exercise which varied depending on my mood that season, of which there were many.

It was a cross-pollination of water sports, non-contact team games like Netball and full contact therapy like Rugby League, Water polo and also, conveniently, Netball.

My mum (who you can see below) alongside my hometown really influenced my lifestyle choices, and I dare say they inspired my intrigue of Health and Wellness. Growing up on the warm Coastal beaches I was always grateful to have influence of the ocean in my life. Now, living in the mountains I can’t believe how lucky I am.

Anyway, that’s enough about me.

I know you’re thinking Yay, another self-invested blogger. *Insert eye roll emoji.*

But actually - aside from writing in first person - this is really the most you’ll hear about me. I’m really here to talk about us - society - since I consider it the most important thing.

Okay, i’ll still find some opportunities to talk about me as well.

Why a blog?

Because why not?

Blog’s are free (for you), accessible to the larger majority, and my favourite - interactive.

I have been a professional writer for the past 5 years. And egotistic perhaps, but I believe I have a lovely ability to convey my point quite nicely. If I can use this “skill” to share what I have learned along my travels to a better understanding of predominant health and wellness. Why wouldn’t I share it?

Wholeness: a genre I may very well have created. I’m not sure. But it’s basically the same as Health and Wellness, I just want to be different where I can.

You’re thinking, how the fruit are you – a blog - going to do that?

To which I say, thank you for asking, and not swearing. There is no use for those obscenities around here.

We’re on the search for sustainable improvements of inclusive health created by accessibility to non-biased, well rounded, wholesome information.

And the more communal, the better.

Solutions?

Oh we don’t have those!

But goals? Yes sir!

These goals, are actually totally obtainable - Well She Writes hopes to inspire people to begin with the basics:

Understanding THE fundamentals of Health

Learning simple ways to improve your nutrition

Inspiring ways to make exercise fun

Finding mindfulness wellness practices

Having the accessibility to information

All of which I believe come together to collectively create a rather appetising understanding of WHOLENESS.

Just like everything else, Health and Wellness are subjective too.

So discovering what applies to you comes from understanding your own health first, and knowing what demographics you fall into.

What is included in Wholeness :

Physical Emotional Intellectual Social Environmental Financial Occupational Spiritual

Including the ways growing introspective wellness also grows extrospectively… wait, did I just make up a word?

But, consistency with wellbeing and the overall desire to be nice to yourself can have a much more sustainable influence than we realise. The domino effect allows our own beneficial choices to also benefit those around us.

I want to believe the reason we choose the more popular, less healthy choices for ourselves is simply because we aren’t given all of the equitable options.

But we can start looking for them, no time is greater than the now. Just like an easter hunt, but instead of eggs we’re looking for the truth.

Thank you

Thank you for coming to my page, I’ll be posting all sorts of content here until I get a concise understanding of what people like to hear. So please subscribe below! And always let me know.

I will leave my thread open to comments, questions and rebuttal at all times. We all have room to learn – if you disagree with any of my studies, views, opinions or posts please let me know.

Here to help, not hinder.

1 note · View note

cometomecosette · 5 years

Text

MBTI and “Les Mis”: Hugo’s Éponine is an ENTP, musical Éponine is an ENFP

(In honor of the anniversary of Éponine’s death, I decided I may as well post this analysis I’ve been writing just for fun. Warning: long.)

Éponine is a hard character to label with a Myers-Briggs personality type. Various online sources have typed her as an ENTP, ENFP, ESFP, ESFJ, ISFP, INFP and INFJ. That’s not even considering the differences between her characterization in the novel and her characterization in the beloved musical adaptation. The musical’s Éponine is a romanticized figure compared to Hugo’s Éponine, and not only is her personality different, her presentation is too – where Hugo keeps Éponine’s inner world enigmatic, describing her almost entirely from other people’s points of view, the musical’s Éponine constantly pours out her romantic anguish over Marius in private soliloquies. Still, I’ve closely examined all her chapters in the novel and her scenes in the musical, compared and contrasted them with each other, and come to my own conclusions about her MBTI type. Personally, I see the novel’s Éponine as an ENTP and the musical’s Éponine as an ENFP.

Both Éponines are lively, outgoing girls who focus chiefly on the world and the people around them, not on inward contemplation (although the musical’s Éponine is more prone to the latter than Hugo’s). Both seem to favor concepts and possibilities rather than literal facts alone – although the possibilities Hugo’s Éponine fixates on tend to be goals she wants to achieve, while musical Éponine favors the possibility of romantic love and out-of-reach happiness. Both also seem to take a fluid approach to life, observing new stimuli and opportunities and responding to them rather than living by decisive plans of action. But in my view, Hugo’s Éponine, mentally unstable though she is, takes an inherently more pragmatic approach to life. One that’s focused on the usefulness of both things and people. Meanwhile, the musical’s Éponine focuses much more on emotion and emotional meaning.

It’s easy to see both Éponines as using Extraverted Intuition (Ne) as their dominant cognitive function: envisioning external patterns and possibilities outside of themselves, associated with exploration, imagination, and “what could be.” It’s also easy to view Introverted Sensing (Si) as their inferior function – internal knowledge of literal facts, associated with memory, tradition, and “what is.” Both Éponines have “what is” and “what could be” at war in their psyches, always reaching for “what could be,” but tragically dragged down by “what is.” (Although as we’ll see, their exact definitions of “what could be” and “what is” are different.) But it seems to me that Hugo’s Éponine has Introverted Feeling (Ti) and Extraverted Feeling (Fe) as her middle functions, while musical Éponine has Introverted Feeling (Fi) and Extraverted Thinking (Te). Hugo’s Éponine uses her Thinking function first, and uses it in an inward, analytical way to find the usefulness in external data, while her Feeling function comes second and is used chiefly to respond to emotional cues from the outside, not to examine her own emotions. Meanwhile, musical Éponine favors her Feeling function and uses it to deeply understand her own emotions and process external data through them, while her less-favored Thinking function is used for decisive, goal-achieving actions.

Hugo: We don’t know exactly when she falls in love with Marius (she speaks of having noticed him and watched him long before their first real meeting) but at least part of her love for him is based in his acts of practical kindness toward her. Long before they first speak, he saves her family from eviction by paying their rent. Later, her father sends her to Marius’s room to beg for more charity – and, implicitly, to offer him sexual favors in exchange. Marius treats her with unexpected respect, and despite his own poverty, he gives her five francs without demanding anything in return. This is what drives her to approach him later as a would-be friend. She’s moved by his useful actions.

Musical: When we first see the musical’s Marius and Éponine interact, they’ve already been friends for some time. But there’s no evidence that Marius has ever given her money or done anything to help her in a pragmatic way. Yet he’s warm and friendly to her, more so than Hugo’s Marius ever is, and much more so than an average person of bourgeois birth would have been in that era. The film version also shows her admiring his revolutionary fervor and his choice of integrity over wealth and status by cutting ties with his grandfather. His values and his kindly manner, as opposed to any pragmatically helpful actions, seem to be the basis for her love for him.

Hugo: In their first meeting, she lightly flirts with Marius, calls him a “pretty boy” and compliments his hair. While this might show her feelings for him, there’s also a pragmatic aspect to it: every implication is that she’s trying to sell herself to him for food money. She doesn’t flirt this way in any later scenes with him. She also leaves her shawl outside the door before she goes in to make herself look colder and more pitiful.

Musical: In their first scene together, she teases Marius and compliments his hair (or, in the film, compliments his idealistic talk), in dialogue inspired by their first meeting in the novel. But here they’re longtime friends and there’s no hint that she’s trying to sell herself to him. This is evidently her normal way of interacting with him (“I like the way you always tease” he says), driven entirely by her romantic feelings.

Hugo: When she interacts with Marius as a friend, she shows her feelings for him by offering to help him in pragmatic ways. When he seems unhappy, she wants to know how she can put her skills to good use and take action to solve the problem. She literally tells him “I can be of use” and “Make use of me.” Making herself useful is her love language.

Musical: When it comes to love languages, musical Éponine seems to favor “quality time” more than “acts of service.” As described above, she teases Marius, amuses him, listens to him and enjoys his friendliness. While of course she does useful deeds for him too, their connection is chiefly an emotional one on both sides.

Hugo: She has a dry, sarcastic sense of “gallows humor”: see, for example, her quip that today’s breakfast will be four meals all in one, or her refusal to wear her father’s shoes again “for the sake of my health and for the sake of cleanliness.” This kind of humor is often associated with ENTPs.

Musical: Her humor in the stage version is exuberant and physical, as is more typical of ENFPs: e.g. snatching Marius’s book, making him chase her for it, then smacking it out of his hand after he snatches it back. Though admittedly, the film version leans back toward the novel, giving her more dry verbal wit (“You still pretending to be poor?”) and removing the physical teasing.

Hugo: Hugo’s Éponine never gives much voice to her tender feelings for Marius and might not even fully realize them. Granted, Hugo describes her mostly from others’ point of view – for all we know, she could be pining just as effusively on the inside as the musical’s Éponine. But we shouldn’t automatically assume so. Even when we glimpse her alone, the most we get is the sad military sweetheart’s song she sings in front of the mirror, and later, her dryly gloomy “None of that, Lisette” when she stops herself from following Marius into Cosette’s garden. Mostly it’s her expressions and her actions that show her love. Her dying words, “You know, Monsieur Marius, I think I was a little in love with you,” can be read in two ways: we can view them as intentional understatement because she still doesn’t dare fully express her feelings, or we can assume that until the end, she honestly doesn’t realize that her fondness for Marius is romantic. This arguably implies both that she favors Thinking over Feeling and that her Feeling function is Fe, not Fi.

Musical: This version of Éponine is very much aware of her feelings for Marius. Writing that very sentence is like writing, “water is wet.” She knows she’s in love with him and nearly all her private moments revolve around her pining for him, dreaming of him, and reflecting both on her feelings for him and on his failure to return them. Her outpourings of the pain of unrequited love become the cornerstone of her character. The street-tough role she plays is more blatantly a façade than in the novel, the tenderness she hides beneath it is more obviously her “true self,” and when she finally lies dying, she pours out her passion to Marius in blissful poetic phrases. No “I think I was a little in love with you” here! While of course a healthy Thinker and a healthy Fe user can understand and embrace their inner emotions too, musical Éponine’s world revolves so much around her inner feelings, and reflecting thereon, that she definitely seems like a Feeler who uses Fi.

Hugo: Another indication that she uses Fe, not Fi: she’s always attuned to Marius’s feelings, even when he doesn’t openly express them. She can tell when he’s unhappy, try though he might to pretend nothing’s wrong, and though he only asks her to find the address of “the gentleman and his daughter” without saying why, she infers without being told that his motive is love for Cosette. While of course a healthy Fi user can effectively read other people’s feelings too, Éponine’s instinctive skill at it, combined with her apparent unawareness of her own feelings, implies Fe.

Musical: At the same time, she pays little attention to Marius’s feelings apart from “He doesn’t love me” or “Yay, he’s reacting to me!” Now I don’t mean to promote the cliché that Fi-users are self-absorbed: musical Éponine’s actions still show immense selflessness and caring. Nor does she need to infer much about her Marius’s feelings, because he’s more effusive about his feelings than Hugo’s Marius and proclaims his love for Cosette for all to hear. Still, she processes his emotions through the inner filter of her own, which is classic Fi.

Hugo: Yet another sign of her Fe: despite how strange and overly forward she can be when she’s alone with Marius, she’s all too aware of social convention and quietly ashamed of what she is. This shows most clearly when she leads Marius to Cosette; she instructs him to follow far behind her, because it would be unseemly for people to see him with a woman of her status.

Musical: Another sign of her Fi: she freely disregards social convention. In the usual staging she grabs Marius’s arm to get his attention, then snatches his book and makes him chase her for it in a public street, and while she doesn’t do this in the film, she still consorts with Marius in front of all his friends. It’s far removed from “You mustn’t be seen with a woman of my status”!

Hugo: Nor does she show any sign of believing that Marius could ever love her. The logic of her Thinking preference and the social awareness of her Fe both seem to prevent any such delusion.

Musical: This Éponine genuinely believes that Marius might love her someday. She clings to her fantasy despite all logical evidence to the contrary and dreams that he’ll disregard social convention as much as she does.

Hugo: When she stops her father and Patron Minette from robbing Valjean and Cosette’s house, she does it in a calm, self-controlled way that uses Ti methodology. First she stalls them with an elaborate, affected display of fond greetings. Then, with the same friendly manner even when threatened with a knife, she tells a series of lies to direct them away from the house. When this fails, she finally, openly stands up to them, but even then she taunts them and laughs at them rather than getting angry. Though she threatens to kick them, scream, pound on the door and get them all arrested, she doesn’t actually do it. She just makes it clear that she will if they try to go in, then casually sits down in front of the gate and sings a little song until they withdraw in exasperation.

Musical: When she stops her father and the gang from robbing Valjean and Cosette’s house, she does it with blatant anger, desperation and aggressive Te action. She openly stands up to them from the moment she reveals her presence, singing in loud, frantic, spiky tones that there’s nothing for them in the house. When this fails, she doesn’t just threaten to scream, but actually screams, forcing the men to flee before they’re caught. In most stage productions she physically tussles with the men too, sometimes kicking Montparnasse and/or leaping onto Thénardier’s back to keep him from reaching the gate. It’s a clear contrast with Hugo’s Éponine, who might be mentally unstable, but always favors her intellect over aggression.

Hugo: After this incident, she proceeds to use Ne/Ti calculation to achieve the twin goals of protecting Valjean and Cosette from Thénardier and separating Cosette from Marius. First she disguises herself as a boy so as not to be recognized, then slips Valjean a note warning him to leave his house. Then she agrees to deliver Cosette’s letter informing Marius of her new address, but instead she keeps it. After she learns about the upcoming insurrection from Courfeyrac, she goes back to the Rue Plumet house in order to be there when Marius discovers Cosette’s departure, rightly predicting (Ti/Fe) that he’ll think Cosette left him without a word and that his despair will make him willing to face the danger of the barricade. So she suggests he join his friends there, then secretly follows him.

Musical: The musical’s idealizing of Éponine’s character means that all her Ti scheming from the novel is cut. She doesn’t slip a note to Valjean – her warning scream in “Attack on Rue Plumet” just scares him into deciding to leave. Marius also decides by himself to go to the barricade. Even in productions that show Éponine dragging him by the hand toward his friends during “One Day More,” the context is different, as it becomes an impulsive response to hearing him debate with himself about whether to go or not. There’s no manipulation in it. Nor, in the stage version, does she keep Cosette’s letter from Marius, and even in the film version where she does, it’s different: she impulsively steals the letter after Cosette leaves it for Marius to find, which seems more Te and less Ti than letting Cosette pay her to deliver it only to keep it.

Hugo: She sends Marius to the barricade to die and follows him there to die with him. Of course this is a tragically desperate, emotional act of madness, but there’s a pragmatic element to it too. In one fell swoop it will end her own misery and ensure that Marius never leaves her. The calculated way she tries to achieve it is very Ti-driven too, as outlined above. She knows the result she wants and she takes the logical steps to achieve it.

Musical: She goes to the barricade just to “be with Marius,” apparently not considering the prospect of death. It’s framed as an entirely emotional decision. Especially in the stage version, where she dies by making the foolhardy choice to climb over a surrounded barricade to reach Marius. Of course she might be knowingly and calculatedly choosing death as in the novel, but the libretto never says so. As written, her choices feel very Fi/Te.

Hugo: According to the website A Little Bit of Personality (which technically isn’t MBTI, but which in some ways I prefer to mainstream MBTI), the worst fear, or “Type Angst,” of an ENTP is what the site calls “Megamind Complex”: the fear that they’re a bad person. That their Fe and Si are too weak, making them out of touch with the world’s “rules” of morality and appropriate behavior, and therefore they can only harm others. Unhealthy ENTPs who give into this fear often resign themselves to being “bad.” This definitely sounds like Hugo’s Éponine, and the fact that she’s a street urchin with repulsive criminal parents, who needs to do “bad” things to survive and is deemed “bad” by society, only makes it much worse. “I’m the devil, but it’s all the same to me” she says. The question of whether she’s a “good” person or a “bad” person hangs heavily over her entire storyline and is disagreed on by readers to this day. The tension between the selfish, amoral life her parents and misery have taught her to lead and her inner capacity for love, caring and selflessness arguably form the heart of her character.

Musical: According to A Little Bit of Personality, the worst fear, or “Type Angst,” of an ENFP is what the site calls “The McFly Conviction”: the fear of not being liked, respected or valued. That their Te and Si are too weak, making them too emotional and bad at choosing correct logical actions, and that this makes them worthless and their feelings irrelevant. It’s easy to imagine that this would be much worse in an ENFP who was both an abused child and a street urchin scorned by society and unloved by the person she loves most. Musical Éponine definitely shows more of this angst than Hugo’s Éponine does. She never sees herself as a bad person, nor does anyone else. Even in the film, which gives her back the selfish act of keeping Cosette’s letter from Marius, she’s framed as a fundamentally good person. Her main tragedy in the musical, much to the chagrin of some Hugo readers, is the fact that Marius doesn’t love her and that she’s emotionally alone in the world. The title of her solo, “On My Own,” says it all. Her feelings of aloneness and not mattering are what cause her the most pain.

Of course this is all my personal opinion. Anyone who views either Hugo’s Éponine or the musical’s as an ESFP, ISFP, INFP or INFJ is free to make that argument: characters are open to interpretation. But in my view, Hugo’s Éponine is a remarkably consistent portrait of an ENTP, albeit an immature and very damaged one, while the musical’s Éponine is a remarkably consistent ENFP. The possible reasons for the change I’ll save for another discussion, one that also involves the other characters whose personalities were altered from page to stage. But comparing and contrasting the two characterizations is a fascinating thing.

#les mis #les miserables #eponine #mbti #myers-briggs #entp #enfp

17 notes · View notes

surveys-at-your-service · 5 years

Text

Survey #200

tw for abuse.

If you’re pale, do you get made fun of for it? No. Are you white/black/asian/mexican/etc? White. Ever been to Washington D.C.? Did you get to meet the president of the time? I've driven very close to it, but no. Ever been to NYC Or LA? If so, how were your experiences there? No. Were you adopted? If so, have you met your biological parents? How about biological siblings or grandparents? N/A Ever had an abusive parent or other family member? If so, what’s the worst they did? No, thank Christ. Are either of your parents engaged but not married yet? No. Do you like older or younger siblings better? I have both, but. Hypothetically, if I had to choose one in general (not picking between my real sisters), probably younger. Ever had to take care of a baby sibling? If do, did you feel responsible, or were you just annoyed? No. We're 2-3 years apart, so there's never been a situation like that. Have you ever had a close friend get knocked up early? Can we not say "knocked up." No. Do you prefer baby boys or baby girls? I mean it depends on the kid, but I believe boys have less of an attitude. Are you one of those losers that buys things with the letter of your name? Well they're not "losers?" But whatever, no. I don't see the appeal at all. Have you done any form of martial arts? If so, what? If not and you want to, which one(s)? No, but I'd like to learn some form of self-defense. Would you be willing to let someone you know die if it means you can save an entire village? Lol this is such a Life Is Strange question, don't do this to my emotions. It depends on the person. If you were to write a letter to your future self, what would you say? Something about absolutely never giving up, regardless of the struggle. What are your thoughts on cults? Do you know anyone who has joined one? To my understanding, not all cults are bad... I think. If there are harmless ones, go for it, dude. Whatever you wanna believe. I knew a guy back in school who created one. What is a character trope that you really dislike? (For example, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl) The bitchy, germaphobe priss. Are you a fan of steampunk? If you don’t know what it is, would it be something you’d be interested in looking into? Hell yeah. What was the first job that you ever held? Do you remember how much you were paid (if you’re comfortable sharing)? Sales associate at GameStop. Idr. Would you say that you’re good at understanding people with accents (especially those who don’t have standard Anglo ones)? Most, save for severely southern. And I live where that accent is commonplace. How do you feel about anarchy? Let's not. Society would crumble in days. If you have any, who’s your favorite music artist from the 1970s? Probably Van Halen, but ugh, I love SO MANY metal/rock bands from that era. Do you think travelling is something that every young person should do to gain life experience? I'd say so. See that the world is more complex and varied than you'd think. When was the last time you listened to new music? I've been listening to new In This Moment songs periodically. Listened to "Blood" a few days ago. What word spelled out looks weird to you? Oh, I'm sure there's plenty. Do you require “closure” after things like break-ups or do you move on easily? I've only had one serious break-up, and I didn't even begin recovery until we had our final conversation over a year later that helped me reach closure. Is there a genre of movie that you just can’t watch? Musicals. Do they count as a genre? What was the last song to give you nostalgia? Hm... I"m blanking. But I know something did pretty recently. Have you ever had a conversation with a cab driver? Never been in a cab. Do you have any shirts from vacation/tourist locations? From beaches, which I never wear. I've only received them as gifts. What is one place you would like to go back and revisit? Chicago. Which would you prefer: a homemade gift, or a store-bought one? Homemade mean more to me usually, but as a gift, it obviously depends on what it is. When was the last time you were “under the influence?” I last drank uhhhh. I think at Sara's when her dad almost made me an alcoholic because holy FUCK bartending skills Jesus fucking Christ. How regular of an occurrence is this? Very rare. Have you ever had a relationship last for a year or longer? Twice now. What ended it, or are you still involved? We know the Jason story; Sara and I are still together. What’s the best time you’ve had at a high school sports game? Ugh, I never had a good time. I was just forced to go because Ashley was a cheerleader. If you’re out late, where are you likely to be? I couldn't even try to tell you the last time I was out late. Do you ever visit your mall’s arcade (if it has one)? Ours doesn't have one. Shirts with sarcastic sayings: yay, or boo? Yay. If “yay,” do you have a favorite? Bring Happy Bunny BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF SOCIETY. If you lost the use of your limbs, would you still want to live? Eh, if it was just one leg, sure. What’s your absolute favorite topic to discuss? Weeps Markimoo. What is your least favorite topic to discuss? Politics and economics. When was the last time you played hide-and-go-seek? I played with my niece and nephew a few months back. They always hid in the same spots, lmao, but of course you gotta go along with kids, so I could "never find them." Where was your favorite place to hide? As a kid, I aaalways climbed into the toy box. Do you have a library card? Do you use it? No. Do you cuddle with your pet (if you have one)? Yup. What college did you want to attend as a kid? NC State. Was that still your choice when you grew up? Well, it didn't have the major I chose back then, but now that it does, that's probably where I'm transferring too after I get my pre-requisites. What sports star or athlete did you aspire to be like as a kid? None. How many colleges did you attend? Two so far. Going to a new one when I get my goddamn transcript from my cesspit that is my last school. Why did you choose the shirt you have on now? It's just a plain, gray tank. I wear tank tops to bed. Is marriage overrated? No? At this point in your life would you want to start a new career? I haven't even begun a career yet. Growing up what were your favorite cartoon characters? OKAY SO EMBARRASSING SECRET I'VE LITERALLY NEVER REVEALED. I was crazy for Ash Ketchum, and when I was young, I added daily to a story I wrote about being a Pokemon trainer; I didn't have Pokemon games because I was too embarrassed to ask back then, so I resorted to making it up. I filled up literally 3+ journals. Back to the main topic, far into that story, Ash became my boyfriend lmfao. Oh man, just answering this brings back such cute memories. Charmander-Charizard was my best friend and look it was just cute okay. What do you think has changed about you since you were a teenager? I'm way shyer. Looking back at high school were they the best years of your life? No. Were you the type of kid you’d want your children to hang out with? Yeah sure, I was genuinely a good kid. Do you look like your mom? Some say. When was the last time you overslept? I can't oversleep when I never have shit to do. What would you do if you could do anything without failing? Skydive, maybe? Do you use your phone as an alarm? If I need an alarm for whatever reason. What country do you live in? The United States. What is your native language? English. If you could meet any famous person (dead or alive) who would you meet? Take a guess. Do you have any piercings? Eight. Do you judge people that have multiple piercings? Fuck off. Do you dress up on Halloween? I WISH I could. I can't afford to buy shit to throw together as an outfit, nor do I do anything special that day, so. It's just a waste of time, save for taking a picture. Do you watch the Olympics? No. Do you like orange juice? So long there's not pulp in it. Have you read the Bible? Very little of it. Do you have a pet gecko? No. Are you scared of reptiles? Not at all. Have you ever seen the show 16 and Pregnant? Take that shit off television. No. Do you like cinnamon on your apple pie? I hate pie. Do you clap or cheer when at a concert? Well duh. Do you use a comb or brush? A comb. Do you eat the crust of your sandwiches? That's what I eat first since with food, I'm always the type that saves the best for last, and while I don't mind it at all, crust is the "worst" part. When you were younger, did you ever do that exclamation point that looked like an upside down triangle and had a really big dot? No. What are you listening to right now? "Whore" by In This Moment. Honestly, have you ever eaten raw cookie dough? Hell yeah I have, don't even @ me, salmonella. Name a city that starts with A in your state/province etc. Asheville. Name a landmark that starts with M in your state/province etc. Idk. When was the last time you gave a horse a carrot? Boy, I have no clue. Have you ever had to shovel snow? No. What mountain ranges have you seen? Appalachian. Where would you most like to go in your state, etc that you haven’t been? THE ABANDONED WIZARD OF OZ-THEMED PARK. Deadass might get married there, jc. Has a wild animal ever been loose in your house? Mice. What do you like the songs you listen to to be about? I'm big on things dark-themed, especially in like some fantasy or hypothetical situation, or covering sensitive topics in a beautiful way. When was the last time you said ‘yay’? Yesterday when Sara updated me on her weight ahhhHHHHHHH she's getting closer and closer to a healthy one. Would you be a newscaster and speak to everyone in a hurricane? Hell no. Have you ever seen or touched an iceberg? No. Do you use a toaster or toaster oven? Oven. Who was the last member of the opposite sex you laid in a bed with? I think Girt when we were watching TV one day in Nicole's room. Would you rather have a poodle or a rottweiler? Rottweiler! Have you ever had a best friend who was of the opposite sex? Yeah. Where was the last place you stayed over? Sara's. Do you know anyone that owns horses? Not well. Think back to the last time (or a time) when you were in a fight with someone and just blurted out exactly what was on your mind. Did you somewhat regret saying what you said? What happened? When Mom hit me for a completely uncalled-for reason (I can't actually remember what it was, other than it was stupid as hell) last year, I said, "Oh, I can't wait to tell Alyssa (therapist) about this one," and she didn't reply or say another word to me for like hours, maybe not even that night. No, honestly, I don't regret it. You don't slap your fucking kid. Towards the end of your last relationship, how did you know it was over? How did you and your significant other change towards each other? (ex. not calling each other babe, baby, etc.) I wasn't opening up to him any further after four months, and I just didn't feel a romantic connection. I wasn't comfortable. We didn't change much, really, just that we no longer hold hands and he doesn't kiss me obviously. We went back to exactly how we were before, thankfully. Have you ever had a significant other NOT believe you when you said “i love you” to them? Why was that? How did you react? No. Do opposites really attract? Have you ever experienced this? Explain. Sure, for some people. I've never been too attracted to someone too different from me. Has anyone close to you ever drifted away because they started hanging out with a new crowd? Did you try talking to them about it? What eventually happened? Story. Of my goddamn. Life. And only one, my former best friend. Just last year I finally reached out to her, and I guess we're "friends," buuut she only talks to me on her watch. I won't get into that. Have you ever found yourself heading on the wrong path? What happened? Probably, but idr. When did you last not feel accepted? Why did you feel that way? Ha, I'm sure recently. I just about always feel like that. Has anyone had to take your drink from you because you were drinking too much? How did you react? No. What’s your opinion on the world relying on technology too much and not paying enough attention to natural resources? Eek, there're positives and negatives. I totally believe it's possible someday for the singularity to happen, yet at the same time, technology is an almost perfect approach to many tasks, menial or complicated. Have you ever felt like it was just pointless to cry? Did you hold yourself back from crying or did you let it out? Sure, probably. I usually hold it back, typically far more frequently than I should, although on most occasions, crying just doesn't come. I just get a tight jaw and everything. Have you ever had a love/hate relationship with someone? Tell me about it. Meh, Colleen many times. I'm not delving into that story again. Has your pride ever gotten in the way of admitting that you felt weak or were in pain? How so? No. Whose lies have affected you the most? Jason's, although I'll give him enough credit that at the time of making them, he probably meant most/all of them. But they were still lies and broken promises. Have you ever dreamt in another language? No. Who was the last person you met and instantly liked? What about the last person you met who you immediately disliked or got bad vibes from? Hm. Oh, the girl who was in VR class with me. She loved my tattoo, so that sparked a brief convo, and she had awesome ones too. In class, she was funny and relatable and just in general had a very approachable personality. I wanted to talk more to her, but. Shyness and anxiety. ;_; For the other half of the question, I'm uncertain. I'm sure it was some man with my paranoia and distrust. What’s the most interesting news you read or received recently? What about the most depressing? I don't pay much attention to the news unless I just scroll past something on Facebook... and nothing's really coming to me. Ah, checked my FB real quick and I recently shared something about this crow couple that have been together for 12 years; the female has a broken beak, and her mate always feeds her. The most depressing was certainly a dog that was left out in the snow up north, and he was found dead and pretty much frozen in his doghouse. Pretty sure the owner was arrested. Thank fuck for the new law regarding pets being out in the cold. Would you let politics get in the way of a relationship? It would have to be a SERIOUS difference on a major matter that revealed deep, core beliefs. What is one thing someone could say that would automatically make you distrustful of them? I wouldn't mention you have a criminal record around me. I don't care what for unless it was seriously bullshit. What is one way in which you need to learn to control yourself? I need to STOP jumping to conclusions and becoming super defensive when I feel I'm in serious danger of being hurt emotionally. Do you have any friends who are on and off with bfs/gfs all the time? No. When was the last time you almost cried out of exhaustion? It was that and embarrassment. When I was at the airport to go home after visiting Sara, I fucked up in understanding the gate shit, carried my heavy bag ALL the way to the end, ALL the way back to the beginning, and then ALL THE FUCKING WAY BACK when I found the screen that told me my gate. At this same time, my knees were in awful condition and of course the sweating situation was goddamn humiliating. I'm very, very surprised no one asked if I was okay; I can only imagine how contorted and pained my face was, aaaand yay excessive sweating, I was literally soaked. I was very close to crying that day. What's a TV show you hate missing? None. The only situation where I'd be like that is if Meerkat Manor returned. What's a movie/book/TV show/band/whatever you highly recommend? Movie: Forrest Gump; book: Johnny Got His Gun; TV show: The Good Doctor; band: Otep is too underrated. Who taught you to tie your shoelaces? Dad first taught me the "wrong" way, then Mom corrected me in how you should properly do it. What's your favorite picture of yourself as a child? *shrugs* What is something people are surprised to hear about you? I've been told by many people that they're surprised to learn I have just about debilitating social anxiety. I always think I cover it awfully, but apparently I've adapted well enough to it that I can fake comfort decently, I suppose. What was the last bug you saw? Probably a fly, idk. Are there any people you know in real life that you only talk to online? Not off the top of my head... Is it cruel to keep a dog in a cage or tied up most of the time? No shit. About what things are you most selfish? Alone time. I need it. Are you camera shy? Why/why not? Yes, because odds are I will look like a blobfish out of water trying to smile but only succeeding in looking seriously high. What is the worst thing a former boyfriend/girlfriend has done to you? Dropped me like a boulder into a canyon and dashed off with zero intent of breaking up even nearly appropriately. Was anyone rude to you today (or yesterday, if you’re taking this early)? No. What was your favorite sleepover game? *shrugs* Have you ever swore in church? Possibly? Do you have memories from preschool? Some, yeah. Particularly of Christopher and some boy whose name I can't remember being pretty much obsessed with me and always chasing me in recess to hug the fuck out of me and apparently the other boy got in trouble all the time for trying to kiss me. Kinda recently in therapy we dug into my extreme fear of men, people being behind me, and rape (it's too a seriously unrealistic degree), and we think this mighta just been what sparked those fears so early. I also remember I was talkative at nap time, I brought the movie Antz for us to watch and everyone hated it, and I once brought my Snorlax plushy for show-and-tell. I remember making a gingerbread man tree ornament, too. Do you celebrate Earth Day? No, I never really know what to do. :/ I'd love to do even little things like pick up litter, but walking here is pretty dangerous, and we're also in a spot where you' seldom see anything. What is your least favorite thing about your full name? I hate my last name. What’s your favorite kind of Poptart? The chocolate sundae one or whatever it's called? What was the last thing you used sliced bread to make? A sandwich. What does your room look like when you sleep? Still kinda bright with Venus' and Kaiju's lights, Roman is usually in here with me, and Teddy is sometimes. Are your fingers long, or short? Mom always tells me I have Grammy's "long piano fingers." *shrug Do you like your grandparents? She reeeaaally gets under my skin a lot of times, but yeah. Do you like to fly on planes? If I'm at the window seat. What brand name do you think is just way over the top expensive? I'unno, lots. PLENTY of designer clothes shit, though. Like the fuck, most of those things I see are hideous. Do you find it hard to concentrate in really loud places? Yup. Do you tend to get more sleep on the weekends the during the week? They're the same for me. Are you comfortable talking to strangers? No. What’s the most boring game to exist? Why do you dislike it so much? I mean idk. Do you mean board games, card games, video games? I can tell you right off the bat I'm not a card game fan, almost ever. Do you lie about not having extra pens, so you don’t have to lend them? I don't believe I ever did. What’s your favorite YouTube video? What’s it about? Oh boy, I couldn't tell you. Do you get nervous when you’re about to get a haircut? No. What do you do to pass the time when you’re waiting for something? Mess around on my phone. Whenever you take pictures, do they always end up posted on Facebook? No. Can you name something that makes you feel nostalgic from each of the following: a scent, a sight, a sound, a taste, and a feeling? Breakfast cooking (scent), tobacco fields (sight), whippoorwills (sound), those smiley face french fries (taste), excitement (feeling). What is one small thing your significant other does that makes you happy? If you are single, what is one small thing a friend does to make you happy? I love seeing her spaz over something cute lmao. If you could have a dollar for every time something happened, what would it be? Someone pointing out how many meds I'm on. What is something that you wish more people in your life were interested in (a topic, a hobby, etc.)? Ummm idk? What is a feel-good song that you’ve been listening to lately? Well, Epica's "Sacred & Wild" cover always pumps me up a bit. What are some things you enjoy seeing pictures of? m a r k, meerkats, Pyramid Head, Mom legitimately smiling/laughing, Sara with her babies... lots more. Who is somebody from your past that had a big positive impact on you? What would you say if you could speak to them right now? Two of my previous teachers. They always had life lessons to teach and not just English. Have you ever bought something recommended by an ad before? What was it, and were you happy with your purchase? I'm not sure. What is a website that you visit frequently that isn’t a form of social media? Wikis I help edit. Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? I don't watch TV, but if it's on, yeah, I enjoy it. Do you ever listen to country music? No. From inside of your house, how many doors lead outside? Two. Who is the most complicated person in your life right now? Me. Do you still wear armbands or rubber rings in the pool? No. Are you one of those people who talks to everyone when you’re out? Definitely not. What would be your ideal pet? Something very affectionate, calm, and in tuned with my emotions. Are there any websites you just don’t see the point in? I'm sure there's something. Have you got anything you’ve had since you were a baby? Stuffed animals. Mom maybe has my pacifier somewhere. Is there anyone you’re really jealous of? Envious, rather. Do you hit electronics when they don’t work? No. Do you dislike any certain group of people? Well yeah, like rapists and pedophiles. But "hate" is far more suiting. Have you ever bought anything you really wanted, only to never use it? Maybe? I never really have my own money to buy things myself. Are you scared of fireworks? No. What was the last flyer someone gave you for? No clue. Do movies/books inspire you to change your life in any way? Johnny Got His Gun furthered my will to be a pacifist. Do you read movie quotes even when you haven’t seen the movie? No? What does your favorite bag look like? It has a macabre owl/spider design. Do you customize your possessions? Not usually. What’s a smell that makes you feel ill? (besides the obvious) Gasoline will usually give me a headache if I'm dealing with it long enough. Do you get lonely easily? Yeah. Is your car older than a 2000? I don't have my own car. Where was the last place you wrote a check to/used your debit card? I don't have a debit card. Nor have I written a check. What was your favorite board game as a child? I loved Mall Madness believe that shit or not, there was a Cranium fair thing I adored, I loved Clue a lot when I was old enough to understand it, and I was crazy about this The Crocodile Hunter game too, which I've kept for nostalgia purposes, even though it's been broken for a long time. Who was the last person to give you flowers? I think Tyler. If a stranger asked you to take a picture with them what would you do? That's a big 'ole spooky nope. What do you think would be the hardest thing for you to give up? Absolutely Internet. .-. How many times have you been to a museum? A handful, I guess. Would you rather be a panda or grizzly bear? A panda. Do you like BBQ sauce? Omg NO. Have you had sex in the past 3 weeks? Well, lesbian intimacy. Do you regularly experience pain in any part of your body? My knees. Did the last person you kissed ever give you a hickey? No. Do you have to see something to really believe it? No. Do you believe everyone is gifted with something? Eh, I dunno. Have you ever been busted for under age drinking? No. Tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. What is it called? What does it look like? I have a stuffed moose on my dresser named Brownie. He's all brown and lying down. What’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? Who knows. What’s your favorite myth? The one of the Jersey Devil. Have you ever used a Ouija board? I am. SO curious. But too afraid to fuck with them lmao. Are you planning on getting tattoos? Which ones? Oh, hunny. I can at least say my next one is most likely to be the Shadow of the Colossus sigil designed as if it's stamped into the ground on my left hand. Do you read comics? What are your faves? No. Do you have any apple devices? If so what have you got? An ancient iPod nano and my old iPhone. Have you ever said something that you instantly regretted? Very likely. Do you get upset when a pet fish dies? I haven't had a fish in forever, but I never really bonded with any I did have as a little kid. Are you a soprano, alto, tenor or bass? A tenor probably, or alto? Do you bruise easily? Extremely. One reason I got tested for anemia (which came back negative). Do you know anybody who is afraid of clowns? Lots of people. Have you ever seen a zebra? At a zoo. Have you ever had a rolling backpack? Yup. Then we couldn't have them in high school for whatever reason. If you could do magic, what is the first spell you would learn? Healing. Do you hang toilet paper over or under? Whichever way it just happens to be positioned in my hands when I pick it up. When do you feel the most confident? If a situation arises where my meerkat knowledge needs to be spilled lol. What makes you laugh? Unexpected but funny things destroy me the most. Then of course there're actually good jokes and/or sarcasm. What movie quotes do you use of a regular bases? None. What’s the craziest conversation you have ever eaves-dropped on? No clue. What’s the coolest animal you’ve seen in the wild? I saw a perched owl in the woods while fishing years ago; don't remember what kind, though. It was so cool though, it stared right at us while we rowed past. Also quite sure I got a quick glimpse of a mink along the distant bank while also fishing. What do you wish you knew more about? Politics, so I could actually play a knowledgeable role in it by voting in confidence and such. Do you carry hand sanitizer every where you go? Yes. Do you use your fingers to do simple math problems? Yuuuup. Do you wear foundation? Literally only if I'm trying to look my absolute best. Otherwise, god no, I hate how it feels. Do you get self conscious when wearing a bathing suit? Don't even get me started. What makes you distracted? Music, TV, talking... basically dynamic sound. Do you wear really dark eye liner? I only ever wear black. Are you a fan of Justin Bieber? No. Does your hometown have bad memories attached to it? Yeah, some. How many subscribers do you have on your YouTube channel? Idk. Does snow and ice ever got on the inside of you window panes? I don't think so? What do you do for pain? Soldier through it, take meds, use a heating pad or cold washcloth/bag of ice depending on the type of pain, try to sleep to let it hopefully pass or alleviate. What type of lotion do you use? One for dry skin. What were your favorite clothing stores in high school? Hot Topic and rue 21. Name a YouTuber whom you think acts shallow and superficial. I'm sure there's plenty, like say, the Paul brothers. Do you know anyone who has twin babies or toddlers? A woman I vaguely know through dance has twins. If so, what are their names? Idr. Would you ever want to have twins? JESUS FUCKING CHRIST NO If you could have a car in any color you wanted, which color? Burnt orange. What is your favorite Avril Lavigne song? "Nobody's Home" is still incredible. Have you ever done something and been afraid of getting caught? Yeah. Have you ever had a bedroom that had wallpaper on the walls? I think the house I grew up in had it... Would you ever hitchhike? Why or why not? No, because I don't trust strangers for shit. What color is your stapler? Black. Do you have a desk that you sit at in your room? No. Have you ever completed a weight loss program? No. What was the last thing you were mad at a doctor about? OHHHHH, THAT STORY AGAIN?????????????? Where you live, is it possible to get sunburned&frostbitten in same week? Pretty much. Is your mother a lesbian? No. Are you part Swedish? No. Are you planning to travel outside of your country in the next 6 months? I doubt in six months. Do your parents live in the same city as you? Dad doesn't, but I live with Mom. What genre of books interest you the most? Fantasy. Do any of your close friends NOT have a Facebook account? Yeah, I think. German type foods: delicious or disgusting? I don't really know their cuisine. If you had your way, what color(s) would you dye your hair? I've seen a gorgeous pastel rainbow design on short hair before, and I my GOD I want. Do you like seafood? If so, what is your favorite? If not, what is your favorite type of food? UGH no. I do, however, like shrimp. But that's it. Have you ever eaten a veggie burger? Yeah, it wasn't that bad. I had Burger King's during my vegetarian juncture. If you could master any sport, which one would you choose? Dance. If you could meet any major political figure, who would it be? What would you say to him/her? Meh. Do you play any unique instruments? No. In school, did you take any classes to learn how to play any instruments? Flute, yes. Then after I got my lip pierced, I was moved to the percussion section to learn shit in like two days. Basically, I was useless 'til I realized I could position my lip on the mouthpiece where the ring didn't affect the flow of air much. I later got to a point of taking it out for every band class, though. Idr why; instructor probably wanted me to. Did you actually pay attention in Spanish class? I didn't take Spanish. If you drink Monster, what is your favorite flavor? If you don’t drink Monster, why not? None, because it tastes like literal poison. If you had/have a Club Penguin account, how old were you when you got it? No clue. What religion/spiritual path intrigues you the most, if any? Wiccan. What ancient culture intrigues you the most, if any? I don't remember any well enough to answer here. Are/were your parents hippies? I don't believe so? Would you ever consider getting dreadlocks? Oh lort no. If you had a baby boy right now, what would his middle name(s) be? Victor or Vincent, probably. What heritage does your last name imply? Scottish. How about your middle name? French. And first? English. What is your heritage, anyway? That I know of, Irish, German, and Polish. Were your parents born in the United States? Most importantly, were you? If not, what country? Yes to both. “Happy Holidays,” “Merry Christmas,” or “Merry X-Mas?" I couldn't care less.

#survey #quiz #questions #random

2 notes · View notes

onceuponamirror · 7 years

Text

riverdale 201 meta

no one asked me but i’ve got Thoughts so i’m making the post anyway, because it’s been a long time since i’ve done a chunky meta and this is what i’m really here for, SO

all the world’s a stage

first of all, acting was fairly strong all around, strong chemistry, and bughead was particularly excellent in terms of continuing their pattern of healthy communication, even when that leads to uncomfortable truths.

diving into it, i could see the effect of the step they took in their relationship and the change that admitting love had, particularly on jug, all grins and teasing and breathing some much needed light of love into the character

[x]

not just because it was such a spot of happiness amongst the heaviness of jug’s earlier arcs and this episode’s drama

but also because the bigger they are the harder they fall---

it made the hammer heavy when he realized his seemingly simple request for information was taken as a direct order essentially from his father, and the intense ramifications of such.

he admitted to betty that he was drawn to the motorcycle, the jacket, to stay closer to his father, a person he still idolizes despite having such a thick sense of disenfranchisement about him that he lived in a drive in for who knows how many months---and the gang delivering the “proof” of completing a job, and more so, realizing that his father would want to see that the job was done, sets the stage.

the civil war isn’t just a story of class warfare and suburban disillusionment. it isn’t just about bughead’s romeo and juliet™ storyline. it’s jughead.

jughead is the civil war, all happening within himself.

he’s still just a young boy craving a hero, and his father falling on his sword at the end of the first season earned him a lot of respect in his son’s eyes---his father’s biker iconography suddenly became a symbol of the under trod, proletariat revolutionary a jaded kid like jughead would be desperate for.

and the americana open road biker imagery has been heavily rose-colored over the years, particularly in pop culture, and i think that’s what jughead bought into---the idea of rebels, not the gang behind it.

and here he realizes that it’s not just symbolism. it’s not a game.

[x]

i mean, jughead was playing amateur p.i. all episode, clearly relishing in the role---and so when he came home to a bloodied message, it was def a successful emphasis of the fact that he was almost treating it like a game, which did establish him as a capable detective once more, but also highlighted how naive he can be.

in an episode that was really all about fathers, an absentee FP managed to not just have a presence---but an impact.

it was an especially interesting parallel between the other fathers---fred was also heavily exploring symbolism within his fever death dream scape, witnessing passages of time, whereas hiram was introduced almost as the opposite anvil to FP, his entire presence ominously manifesting in a bottle of cristal.

his absence was conspicuous, where FP’s was not initially, and by the end of the episode, their identities as major players within a larger scheme put them on opposite ends of the same road.

and unlike jughead, who realized throughout the course of the episode that this wasn’t a game, that there are rules and they’re being applied to himself---veronica is hyperaware of this game, hyperaware of the manipulations at play, and is certainly adept at it.

but like jughead, she doesn’t seem to really have the scope of it yet.

veronica is a character who only shows her age around the adults with whom she’s always had intense power imbalances. in a world of elite new york society and manipulative, abusive parents, she was forced to appear grown up, so much so that she tricked herself.

[x]

through the poking and proding of her mother, leveraging timed accusations, and brattily doing the things she knows she’s not supposed to, veronica reveals herself as probably the most immature character on the show---but that’s a good thing, hear me out.

because she’s also the character who appeared the most put together. the most honest with herself, the most willing to look within and self-analyze. in the first season, she seemed unflappable, but it was also---well, there was no real tension in her character beyond a building fear that her parents were not who she thought they were.

i thought veronica could’ve been more compelling than what we got in season one, so this opening with setting the stage of her as a child playing a game she doesn’t understand the stakes of sets her up for really excellent character growth and development---

and some fun structural parallels between jughead too, which will hopefully galvanize the layers of classism to be explored throughout the season.

veronica and her father vs jughead and his, in the ways they navigate the societal games that feel so disparate from one another but will ultimately, i’m sure, meet in the mobs v. gangs mouth of cultural ouroboros.

so i’m excited!! ok, now moving on to betty.

[x]

the acting was also very strong here. i think i read lili describe this season as “tortured” for her character, and that already came across. she too had the afterglow of i love you, but obviously haunted by what happened after that; her anxiety about the serpents was felt and perfectly sold.

but her ability to understand that from jughead’s perspective while maintaining her skepticism (rightly so, considering) showed maturity while also set the stage for the upcoming tension.

i wish i had more to talk about with her in this ep, but i think i will again soon.

also, that chemistry!!! again!!!

[x]

anyway.

cheryl was also crazy good tonight; she gave me chills!! madelaine petsch’s greatest skill is her intonation---she has an ability to keep a blank face that puts her entire delivery into her voice.

she did this last season too, when speaking to her parents (and particularly her father), where she’d keep a doll-like composure that was manipulated by tone, and she did it again, with that soft voice and eyes that manage to be dull and blank and calculating and winking all at once.

i don’t know how she does it but i’m friggin impressed!!!

[x]

however, the weight of this episode rode on archie overall, and there were some things i felt fall a little flat.

i know what they were going for was a slow build of impact, as they did with jughead, realizing the depth of what was going on, but the the whole first third of the episode just was slow and, at times, felt a bit insensitive to the topic of a man being shot.

(minus the scene where they all get the call---particularly sold by the perfect 80s synth-noir music of the chromatics [x])

when archie (and veronica too) did finally break down (though for him it was again) i think it was a strong moment, and very well acted---KJ does terror and latent anguish very well, two spectrum ends of the same emotion that is hard to balance. he was shaky with the gunman, and then when he really gave in to the trauma of that, it was well done.

and right before he did give in was, i think, the best part of his performance. it’s easy to sell crying. it’s not easy to sell all the emotions that you cling to in order to keep yourself from doing that.

[x]

but. i wish there was a different tone set between the time he left the hospital and when it all hit him again. this is an issue with the episode direction, though.

still, a good episode for him, it was nice that archie had more to do than be the chess board plot plays out on top of, and moreover i think it really established the tone of the next arc, and the obsessive vigilance that’s taking over him.

so as a whole, a good development/establishment episode for these 5 main characters.

lights, camera---

into the overall, the cinematography was excellent!!

[x]

however, i think this was an episode that particularly highlighted the difference between cinematography and direction---as in, the former was strong, the latter felt off.

perhaps it’s the chronic effect of heavy promotion and hype, but i honestly felt like the episode was confusingly paced in terms of it’s timeline, and surprisingly goofy with the special effects (shaky zoom? really?).

and as i said above with archie’s point, the structure of the episode was rough and just wasn’t the best directed episode of television i’ve seen. i think there needed to be a lot more momentum coming out of the gate.

however, again, the cinematography, and the framing within those shots, was very strong. there was one shot that was just the word “hospital” but the H was a parking sign number and it was so simple but i am obsessed with it.

[x]

extra thoughts

hopefully the show actually consciously tackle the topic of abuse beyond the bare bones of an origin story (cheryl, calling it as it is), especially of it’s many forms that it’s already portrayed and frankly fumbled (i.e. grundy, even in the curtain of the premiere), but also with the upcoming lodge arc.

i mean, many of us were calling for grundy’s death, and i wasn’t one of those people because i wanted her to fucking go on TRIAL for her aggressive sexual predation of young boys and have an actual dialogue about male rape, so my main concern with her back for a ~twist that ended in her murder is that we’ll never get to have that conversation? and the impact that her abusive behavior had on archie, too? i mean???? ugh

and i don’t really have much to say about cheryl and veronica’s abusive relationships with their parents as of now, because it’s late and i’m tired and i think i just wrote like 5k words, but just that i want them to handle this right, and i’m nervous but trying to be optimistic that with a longer season and more time, heavy topics will be handled with sensitivity and the respect they require.

so cheers to a new season, i think this episode set the stage for a lot of meaty character growth, neon delirium aesthetics, and a plot that explores classism and family under a microscope.

yay!

also---who else thinks the “green-eyed shooter” was chic cooper? i mean, come on

#bughead #jughead jones #betty cooper #riverdale #riverdale meta #veronica lodge #cheryl blossom #archie andrews #episode analysis #character analysis #riverdale spoilers #2.01 #i haven't done one of these in so long!!!!!!!#i'm exhausted so hopefully it's coherent

312 notes · View notes