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sitp-recs · 4 months

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HP Rec Fest, Day 28

I’ve been reccing underrated fics since this blog was created and so I thought “there’s no easier @hprecfest prompt than this one” lol famous last words, this post took me ages to prepare 😂 I was initially overwhelmed by the amount of fics that came to mind, and going through my bookmarks and old recs only made it worse. How was I supposed to shortlist?? In the end I gave up and decided to rec 2 Drarry fics + 2 rare pairs. I could have included so many more but I really didn’t want this to become a tl;dr post and these rec blurbs are already going out of control, so here we go!

Day 28) an under-rated fic:

Drarry

In Dreams by @moonflower-rose (E, 38k)

Harry wasn't expecting to ever see Draco Malfoy again. He also wasn't expecting to walk into a political conspiracy that morning either, but apparently that's exactly what the day has in store for him.

I’ve screamed quite a few times about this fic (see my rec here) and every time I do it’s in the hopes that more folks will stop whatever they’re doing and go feast on this. not only a delicious and intriguing case fic with Rosie’s trademark epic dialogue and superb sense of humour, this also wins the award of best fic opening I have ever read. the way I gasped at chapter one and am forever haunted by its utterly devastating ending oh my god!!! my heart belongs to this gritty Harry, and the slow burn is masterfully crafted within the urgency of their teamwork to solve the mystery combining comfort, grief and hope in a thrilling, poignant and perfectly paced adventure. plus, the emotional payoff is chef’s kiss, honestly I cannot recommend this enough!

Survival of the Species by @romaine2424 (E, 47k)

Draco approaches Harry on the 9 ¾ platform, after their sons have boarded the Hogwarts Express, and invites him over for tea. The discussion they have leads them on an adventure that neither could have expected. There be dragons! HPDH compliant but before any other canon info had been released.

considering this masterpiece was published back in 2007 I think I’m allowed to say this is definitely a formative story when it comes to the creature genre, more specifically Veela fic. I first read this a couple years ago and my jaw legit dropped at the amount of world-building and carefully researched lore that went into this. so detailed and intricate and different from everything I’ve seen before or since, I was truly fascinated and couldn’t stop reading. kudos to the amazing slow burn covering years of their struggles stuck together in a dragon cave and having to rely on each other to survive. I loved seeing the hardships and how they genuinely came to care for each other, definitely one of the most moving and convincing Veela love stories I’ve read in the fandom.

Rare pair

With a Look by earlybloomingparentheses (Ginny + Deamus, E, 5k)

Now, twenty years old and done with boys and looking forward very much to putting her hand down some lucky girl’s shirt later this evening, Ginny looks at Dean Thomas’s gold-painted fingernails and feels heat pool between her legs.

I think about this fic every now and then - such a sensitive, thought-provoking and beautiful homage to the 🏳️‍🌈 community. the visceral and contemplative tone takes it beyond your regular PWP, and I’ve rarely seen gender and queerness explored quite like this. seeing Ginny figuring out and owning her identify is mesmerizing. her voice is powerful, sexy, earnest and articulates so many complex and layered feelings - I was particularly moved by the inner turmoil of not looking “queer enough”. I’m sure this fic will be eye-opening and comforting to so many people out there, and that’s why I never cease to rec it. an intimate character study, a sinfully hot and self-indulgent threesome but above anything, a poignant love letter to the queer community.

Passion, Patents, and Pen Pals at the Ministry by @violetclarity and @yrfrndfrnkly, art by @anaxandria-writes and @veelawings (Hermione/Pansy, T, 32k)

After an extremely ill-timed lovers'-tiff-turned-food-fight at the Ministry leaves her less one boyfriend and suspended without pay for six months, Hermione pleads for some position–anything–to fill her days until her suspension is up. The good news is, her temporary position in the Magical Games & Sports's Ludicrous Patents office is just down the corridor from Harry's office in General Inquiries. The bad news is Harry's officemate is Pansy Parkinson, the Ministry's operations are shockingly outdated, and every altercation between Hermione and Pansy winds up a headline in MoM's internal rogue gossip zine, Hot Goss.

rivals to secret pen pals to lovers yes please?? this hilarious Pansmione is a ship triumph and yet criminally underrated. I had a blast getting into the world of Ministry gossip & politics, and immediately fell in love with all the characters, l especially with this lovely meddling Harry. it’s SO MUCH FUN to watch poor him (and Blaise omg what a duo) in the middle of a ladies’ tug of war. I’m impressed by the amount of world-building especially around their workplace, not to mention all the side interactions and the fun, organic slow burn. I love this take on identity porn with tons of banter and Pansy and Mione connecting through their shared worldview and feminist principles, such a power couple ✊🏼 the mix of semi-epistolary, witty dialogue, dorky meddling friends and mild angst make for peak entertaining, I laughed non-stop and cheered so bad for them. femslash ftw!!!

#hprecfest2023 #day 28 #an underrated fic

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shukakumoodboard · 4 months

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*Pulls out my massive bag of money and jewels and blow* I’m your biggest fan so I must pick your brain now that you have a tumblr ask box. your finest gaalee romance hcs my good sir. Please

help.

I’m your biggest fan

did you know im crying ab this. kissing u on the face rn

ok gaalee romance headcanons. i've been thinking about this for days. grab ur mojito mix lets frockign gaur

ill be upfront in that i have very few i'll-die-on-this-hill opinions about the boys, but here's some i'm pretty stuck to <3

sfw headcanons

1. lee's better with words, gaara's better with actions, and they're both secretly envious of the other for it: my thoughts here are that gaara spent so much of his life not understanding love that he'd still struggle to articulate it in flowery ways that i think, as a born theatre kid, lee would be good at. but gaara would absolutely be that person who shows it in subtle ways -- like taking care of someone when sick, remembering food preferences, always ensuring lee takes care of himself when lee forgets or is busy having a self-flagellation moment. not that i think lee would be incompetent, but he strikes me as more of a scatterbrain, but would always be on top of verbal reassurances and affection (which i also think is what gaara would benefit from: clear straightforward declarations of feelings and intent)

2. they're both super cuddly in private look, you put together a touch-starved former monster vessel and a social outcast who mostly knows touch from violence (until gai) and you are going to get some clinginess imo. you can't convince me they're not the kind of people who would sit side by side at the dinner table so they can eat holding hands. bro (emotional)

3. they're probably actually really shit at "conventional" dating hear me out ok. they're like initially so far away and gaara is the whole president and lee kicked a meteor in half one time you think they can just wander around and go to restaurants? it's absolutely nonsense that shinobi don't suffer village celebrity paparazzi syndrome in nart tbh. not exactly the same but i have a whole wip in the bort-verse about them sneaking around. tldr i'd bet they sometimes get casual breakfast or dinner but i think more likely takeout and quiet time together as opposed to like fancy dates

4. language learning and hobbying as a form of devotion as a purveyor of my wares u may notice i have language headcanons. it is also my gaalee romance hc that they learn each others -- i've incorporated this into in the space between and a wip called multilingual, which is all about nejiten teasing lee about his crush on gaara in front of the man. i also think that lee would lean into gaara's gardening stuff with gusto because if it's something gaara loves, lee would want to love it too.

nsfw headcanons huehuehuhe

1. they're switches and i WILL die on this hill i think this is self explanatory but listen. listen i am SIQUE of the assigned top/bottom nonsense they both deserve to rail and also be railed. i may be the resident owner of the Rock Lee Fucks tag on AO3 but i also own the Gaara Fucks tag. ill kill a man over this

2. lee is absolutely a service anything this ties into the previous one. a big component of his canonical personality is that he's a disciple of gai -- he's a follower who bases a lot of himself around those he cares for. not the kind of person who is suddenly going to crop up with an intensely specific preference, imo? i think he would base his role on whatever his partner needs the most at the time.

3. rock lee's canonically huge dick ok lol listen. listen this one's canon jokes aside i think lee is hung as detailed in We Don't Talk About Fight Club and i will continue that joke. that being said i think normal hung. not arizona tea can hung which is a hilariously illustrated discord joke

4. tbh i think they're kinda vanilla in the bedroom i say this in a positive way i think they'd be far more into like, just being able to be with each other instead of getting into wild sexual mischief all over the villages although they definitely bone in weird places secretly. they Fuck, but like i don't see them as super kinksters or anything. however, i have seen many a kinkfic that im like nodding my head this is valid cakesitting bdsm what who said that

5. gaara's vaguely nebulous oral fixation i really have no justification for this one i just think some of those animal bijuu instincts might linger and turn into what that mouth do idk i keep going to write smut and whoops my whole body slipped and gaara's licking something. happened in fight club and fight club II, happened in hole time, happened in tgod, happens in at least two wips i have cookin' in the background... what is goin on actually

dkghkdf i hope you enjoyed this episode of kel's questionable headcanons. i really enjoyed answering, thank you so much for the ask <3

#fictalk #gaalee #leegaa #gaara #rock lee #writing gronp hours #nart #lol hole time #text #not sfw

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ohnoitstbskyen · 1 year

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I see you being a bit more active on Tumblr, and idk if you'll read this but when you came out as aromantic - publicly, on YouTube, talking about your experiences? It made me jump on my seat. I remember I was at my friend's house when you uploaded the video and I was just staring at the screen, hearing you speak and there was something within me that felt so much happiness and relief.

You made me feel happy and safe enough - seen enough? To admit to myself that I'm in the aromantic spectrum. I've always been on the fence about it due to inner arophobia, and seeing you, someone I (parasocially) admire being what I was afraid of? It made me realize that the world is okay with aromantic people in it. With me in it.

I still think back on that video so fondly. I listen to it sometimes before going to bed, it brings me so much joy. Even as I type this there are still leftover tears of relief in my eyes. I don't know if this means anything to you from a stranger, but I needed you to know that it meant everything to me, especially as a trans man. Thank you, Skyen.

Well, I'm glad the video was helpful. I know for me it was extremely important just to hear an experience like mine articulated, to learn that I don't sit alone with myself at the tip of history, and that I don't have to invent the category of "me" all by myself.

So if it could do that for you, then I am very happy.

Truth be told I still struggle with doubt and uncertainty about that part of my identity; it's that infuriating problem of proving a negative, finding evidence of absence. "What if I just haven't met the right person yet? What if my sexuality isn't what I thought it was? What if, what if, what if..."

But the fact that other people share that experience, that they share the doubt especially... that helps. If to be "aromantic" meant to be absolutely certain of exactly what being "aromantic" is, what it feels like, and how to articulate it to other people, then I don't know that I would ever have been able to see myself in it.

My experience of it has been a long walk of doubts and second guesses, and a lot of the time I am not so much certain that I am aromantic, as I am certain that I am not any of what "romantic" is supposed to be.

If you're out there and some of those aspec labels are resonating with you, but you're full of doubt about them... hey, just know, feeling that doubt is normal. If it calls to you enough that you have to wrestle with doubt about it, that means it's worth exploring.

#tb answers #aromantic #queer #lgbtq #aromanticism #aspec pride #aspec culture

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leggerefiore · 2 years

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weird request

what about emmet and ingo helping reader practice confessing to their twin?

▲Ingo▼

You caught the sleeve of the Subway Boss as he made his way through the station. Emmet froze and turned his head to see you. With big, pleading eyes, you greeted him. He returned the sentiment. “Help me,” you suddenly begged. The younger twin seemed extremely curious and worried at the same time. “How?” he asked. You suddenly found yourself at a loss for words. It was difficult to articulate just what you would like him to do.

See, you had developed this crush on his older brother. Ingo was a charming, sweet man who often had long conversations with you when you caught each other in the station or meet up on his days off. It was a close friendship where he clearly let his mask slip off around you. You didn't mind if he spent the entire time rattling off about trains and battles. Though, most typically you spoke about pokemon raising. A friend had gifted you a Litwick, and you struggled to deal with the mischievous nature of the little guy. Ingo, however, was filled with tips about how to handle them. From how he interacted with the ghost type, you fell in love. He was exceedingly difficult to confess to, though.

“Can you, uh, like pretend to be Ingo, so I can practise confessing to him?” you asked while gazing at the floor of the station. Emmet tilted his head. “Oh? Is that all?” he responded, “Sure! Obviously, I'm busy right now. Yep! Let's meet up later, okay? I'll call you and set a date.” You stared at him. He was so easy to convince. Gratefulness flooded your system, and you thanked him a few times. He giggled, but waved you off with a promise to talk later. It was happening, definitely.

You sat on the bench at on a nearby route outside of Nimbasa nervously. Emmet did a good Ingo impression. The younger twin sat beside you wearing a much too warm knitted top in this weather and held a frown almost perfectly. You felt the sun's warmth bathe your skin while you awkwardly shifted again. He hadn't said much outside a 'hi' before sitting down. Pidoves cooing and wing beating were the only sounds the accented the mostly empty route. A few stray Purrloins and Lillipups wandered around. “… Em, how do I go about this?” you broke the silence with a question, “He's so stiff and, while I know his eyes usually show his emotion, I don't want to just bore into them the entire time.”

“Just tell him,” Emmet replied simply, “He'll appreciate your honesty! When too many topics get thrown around, he gets a bit confused about what to focus on.” You nodded. That made sense. You didn't want to confuse him. “The words are difficult to find,” you explained furthered, “There's so much I want to say to him. I love listening to him ramble on, he's cute when he handles baby pokemon, and I'm happy to just be around him… Where do I start? Do I just tell him that I love him?” You interlocked your fingers and sighed. Emmet moved closer to you, pressing into your side reassuringly. “Maybe if I liked you, this would be easier,” you joked. Emmet seemed to take offence to that. “Nope!” he responded easily.

“I just like Ingo so much that it's hard to collect myself,” you whined. Suddenly, Emmet stiffened. For a moment, you swore his lips dipped down into a frown. He swallowed. “… Ingo,” a murmur came from him. You were confused. He knew you wanted to confess to his brother, right? You thought that had been clear. “Yes, Ingo. Emmet, you knew I was talking about Ingo, right? That's why you wore his clothes?” you replied to him. Emmet unexpectedly shifted away from you and buried his face into his hands. Had he not known? Oh, no, had you crossed a line with him? “Emmet…” he groaned. His head raised while a frown was heavy on his face. He looked exactly like Ingo with that expression on his face.

“I am ever so sorry,” a familiar tone and voice came from him, “It appears my brother decided it would be funny to trick you. I had no idea, truthfully! I would never wish to prey on your trust in such a manner.” You stared at him in horror. No, it couldn't be. He wouldn't! “Ingo…?” you asked nervously. The twin nodded. “Yes, I'm Ingo, not Emmet,” he admitted, “He told me you asked him to help practise confessing but didn't want to do it. He didn't want to be rude, so he asked if I could pretend to be him instead. I had grown fond of you and wanted to see who had caught your attention… Oh, I'm so deeply sorry!” He buried his face into his hands.

Ingo liked you, too? You could almost ignore Emmet's betrayal at the news. Hugging him, you cried happily. Ingo returned the affection timidly. “I'm not angry, Ingo! Y-you like me, too?” you stared deeply into his eyes. A certain softness was heavy in them. “Yes, dearest, I do,” he responded. You hugged him tighter. Maybe, since it worked out positively, you wouldn't kill Emmet.

▽Emmet△

“Ingo, I need your help,” you spoke over the phone to your friend. For the past few days, you had been back and forth on something that plagued your mind. When had you developed feelings for him? He was too goofy and forward for your usual choice in men, but his cute nature and sweet side was impossible to ignore. A smile was always on his lips while he waved you excitedly over to his side. Emmet may not have spoken a lot, but he made sure that you felt like his friend. It was as he hugged you tightly after an exciting battle. The affection made you feel differently than all of his previous shows.

“… How so?” Ingo replied tiredly, “Er, if I don't respond, I'm focusing on paperwork. You did call me while I was working.” You sighed. It was obvious that he was annoyed, but he was literally the perfect person for your situation. Being a genetic clone of Emmet and having his exact face, it was the obvious choice to call upon him to see if he would assist you in a practise confession. Surely, if you could look the silver-haired man in the eyes and tell him your feelings, you could do the same properly to his brother. “Is Emmet there with you?” you asked lowly, somehow afraid that he would hear. “No, he's out checking on the trains currently,” Ingo answered truthfully, but now his curiosity seemed piqued, “Why is that you ask such a question?” You bit your tongue, suddenly embarrassed by all of this even more.

“I like your brother, Ingo. A lot,” you gave him the entire situation unabridged. A loud thumping sound echoed over the phone line. “And you called to tell me this?” he questioned with a distressed tone, “I would highly recommend telling him yourself and not me.” You could almost laugh at the thought of Ingo delivering your feelings to Emmet, but that wasn't why you called him, no. “Ingo, help me practise confessing to Emmet,” you pleaded, “I have no idea how to go about it! He's so hard to read sometimes, you know.” Ingo sighed again. You suddenly were aware he could say no. Easily, even. Why would he agree to such an absurd concept? Ingo was a logical man. “Fine,” he agreed, “When do you wish to meet?” You could cry over this man.

Ingo sat uncomfortably across from you at the café. It was clear by his attire he tried to dress more like his brother did. A baggier t-shirt loosely on him with light denim jeans. It was in extreme contrast to his usual preferred style of black, knitted mock-necks. Your finger traced the rip of espresso cup. The warm porcelain heated your finger. Looking at him again, his smile was clearly forced for your benefit. The intense 'Ingo' stare was ever present, reassuring you that the twin hadn't tricked you, yet… The words were just difficult to speak. Ingo took a sip of his coffee and hummed. The cup clinked against the saucer as he sat it down. “Do you not know what to say?” Ingo asked. You nodded rapidly and buried your face in your hands.

“Trust me, Emmet will not care how you say it,” he explained, “He'll bluntly state his feelings no matter what.” You peeked out from your fingers to stare at him. Did he know something you did not? Well, naturally, he had been with Emmet since before they were born, but besides that. “Tell me how you feel about him,” he demanded, “I'll respond as I believe he will.” You took a sip of the espresso and then inhaled deeply. It was just Ingo. Ingo was a polite and kind man. Averting your eyes to the tiled floor of the patio connected to the café, you spoke, “Emmet… I want to date you – Ugh, no, hold on. Em, I love you! No, that's too bold… Er, I like you?”

Ingo's mock presentation of Emmet didn't falter. He tilted his head and hummed. Albeit with his stare remaining the same. “Okay. I like you, too,” he attempted a coo to the best of his ability. You burst out laughing. It was good, yet so bad. Clearly, only an impression that a twin could do. Ingo shook his head at your response. Well, he supposed, it wasn't his worst attempt at mimicking Emmet.

“Like, what are you two doing?” Elesa's voice called out. Both of you turned your heads to see her and Emmet walking out on to the patio. The younger twin seemed extremely confused by his brother's current look. “Ingo, are those my jeans?” he asked, but seemingly had a revelation about the current situation, “Hey! Verrrry mean! I called dibs!” He rushed over and tugged you from the seat. You were pressed into his chest. Ingo rolled his eyes. Confusion warped your mind. “Uh, Em?” you questioned. He huffed. “I like you!” he whined, “Ingo is boring! Date me.” You could almost laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Elesa tilted her head and squinted her eyes at the scene. “Okay?” you responded more in shock than properly. He beamed at you. “I win!” Emmet cooed and then blew a raspberry at Ingo, who was standing up.

Apparently, you didn't need to confess, with misunderstandings like these bound to happen.

#ingo x reader #emmet x reader #ingo/reader #emmet/reader #ingo.ima #emmet.ima

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joesalw · 6 months

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Reading your transition from fan to critic of Taylor is basically how I feel. I became a fan of her in 2017 right before reputation came out. I somehow missed how “hated” she was. I really didn’t pay much attention to her beforehand other than knowing her hits. Her earlier albums were not my music taste (I did listen to Red TV and loved it though, aside from a few songs I’m sure you can guess lol). And even reputation I didn’t love right away. It took me some time and then I heard All Too Well and really started appreciating her songwriting.

Since then I have really enjoyed her music, absolutely love folklore and evermore, and saw her in public but she never felt like a huge popstar with how she lived her everyday life which I really respected. Flash forward to now…I think a lot of us who became fans around 2016 are struggling the most to remain fans. The way she has acted publicly since the breakup has really turned me off. It’s giving mean, popular girl in high school. I thought if anyone would not get the ex treatment it would be Joe. While she hasn’t said much about it, other than You’re Losing Me which sounds like a very normal song to articulate problems in a long term relationship, her actions have spoken volumes. I can’t even talk about the Matty Healy thing lol I knew at that point I would look at her differently forever. Which is very dramatic but sounds fitting when we are discussing Taylor.

The way fans are treating Joe now is disgusting and spews immaturity. I really don’t know how he stays quiet. He must have a great support system. I would love to see some spiteful behavior with some PDA with someone but he’s better than I am haha While I don’t think Travis is a bad guy, I think a lot of us can see the writing on the wall that this scenario doesn’t seem to have a lot of foundation to be a long-lasting relationship. She has not healed and wants to avoid her feelings and keeps jumping into situations where she can distract herself because she thought Joe was the one. And now she’s embarrassed. So the only way she can sing these songs about her love for him on tour is if the public thinks she doesn’t care and is over it. Totally get that but come on girl we have all been there and see through it lol The sympathy for her gets older along with her. Anti Hero seemed to show that she got it but then she refuses to break that pattern. All I know is if I’ve ever seen anyone needing a therapist it is her lol

exactly!!! 👏👏👏

#anti taylor swift #anti swifties #swifties dni #joe alwyn

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bisexualrapline · 10 months

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I've seen your blog and you really do seem to love Yoongi a lot. Can I just ask, what are your favourite things about him? ☺️

i woke up to this ask so good morning friend. i’m stumped for words honestly i feel like i’ve tried many times (and failed many times) to articulate exactly how much yoongi means to me in words but choosing my favorite things about him seems like even more of an exercise that i am doomed to fail at 😭 let me just say what follows is an inconclusive list and leave it there before i spend my entire workday philosophizing about the love of my life fkskdkdk

i love how big his heart is. i could provide endless examples of him showing his big heart and i’m sure some of them will come up in points below but it should suffice to say that he thinks and cares so deeply for the people in his life, it genuinely inspires me to do the same for the people in my life

i love how much he loves bangtan. you can just tell with the way his eyes shine when he talks about/to them. the way his mouth quirks up in the slightest smile when he’s fond. the words he says about them too are always so well thought-out and almost like… savored. like he’s turned them over and over in his head and tested them on his tongue so many times. he loves those boys like i can’t imagine loving anyone

i love How he shows love. watch any bangtan content and you’ll see what i mean. in the soop when he made jihope tuna on crackers while they were playing just so he could lie next to them on the couch and be satisfied that they had a snack while they were playing games. the way that he’s been widely seen as this “cold” person has never made sense to me because from what i’ve seen of him, his door is always open to those he loves. and they know it.

i love how much he loves soft and cute things. he’s such a living conundrum of a person. i think sometimes people struggle to fit All of him inside their heads. like yes he can be big bad rapper man AND also love ballads and tangerines and puppies and fluffy cute things and to pout in selfies and wear makeup and skirts and look pretty. i just think the way he’s so comfortable walking the line and sharing different parts of himself with us is soooo like… we’re so privileged to get to see so much of him.

i love how we’ve gotten to see him grow and see his mindsets shift over time and how effusive he is about the members playing a part in that. i talk a lot about how seokjin must have influenced a lot of the ways that yoongi’s feelings about life and the world we live in have shifted over time and it genuinely does warm my heart to know how deeply he processes the things said to him by the people he loves. to affect a mindset change so much to be able to impart wisdom that could literally change someone’s life really requires that level of trust and love to believe so deeply in what someone else says to you about their feelings. idk was this a coherent point? i haven’t taken my meds yet this morning skdkskd

i love the ways in which he expresses himself. i think yoongi is one of the greatest living artists on this earth. no single other artist on earth has ever impacted me so deeply with their music and lyrics before him. leaving aside music and lyrics, even just his words are art to me. i cherish the things he shares with us because i’ve never felt so seen or understood by someone who i will likely never meet.

i will stop there because if i keep going i may start crying and never stop. hope this answered your question somewhat?? 💗

#ask #anon #yoongi #bts #sigh. good morning i need to go get ready for work #long post #ig

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plankaren · 2 months

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wellz i wanted to make this primarily a plankaren shipping blog but i'll talk about other sbsp stuffs too :)

this post here is a thought stream so im just rambling to myself. nothing too fancy. i need to write out my excitement!!

i just finished season 1 and since i have the dvd, there are a lot of bonus features. Theyre all so cute <3 unfortunately, although it was brand new, the case cracked on its own and the first disc had some sort of smudge i couldnt get off, and so a lot of data wouldnt load. i had to watch the latter episodes another way. and theres an audio commentary for plankton! on the disc which made me sad. I'll check that out soon through my other method. but i did get to watch the commentary for karate choppers.... man the cast are dirty xD I'm surprised clancy brown just went ahead and swore in mr. krabs voice on an official dvd. It delights me, but if i was my child self i would have been like "WHAT!!!!!!!! SPONGEBOB IS FOR KIDS!!!!!!!!!" bahahaha.

mmm well on the other end of the sponge history, i have been watching newer episodes with my friend, usually plankton and karen themed ones.

karen for spot is very cute episode. It aired exactly a month ago today! I have a soft spot (lol) for dog episodes because well, i have a hyperactive doggy who i love very much x) to me its very cute that plankton has a dog. and its interesting to see karen struggle with something! i realize now my icon is from this episode... i just download it from somewhere with no context xD

we also watched plankton gets the boot... to me this is a waaaaay better version of karen 2.0. i hate that episode. even since i was a child, it felt sexist to me in a way i couldnt articulate at the time. plankton is more of a plot device than a character there. actually just trying to explain this kinda ticks me off so imma leave it at that lol. The only part of karen 2.0 i did like was when spongebob and mr krabs took karen in, that was sweet. (also karen crying is cute... that feels evil to say but it is true. v.v) ANYWAYS PLANKTON GETS THE BOOT!!! Plankton is immediately punished for being an asshole! Thats already a good sign haha! And spunch helps him to better himself for karen. That part was sweet. I said this to my friend but i think since networks are more lax now they're letting the characters be gayer than before xD patrick kissing spongebob on the cheek is cute. I see it as friendship but waaaaaaa they love each other!!!! waaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! the part where plankton is trying to make karen jealous is where i saw the contrast from karen 2.0. she does not care. its funny!!! i can say the only part i dislike is fatphobic plankton. Dx and well this might be more a personal thing, but sometimes when plankton and karen argue it feels too realistic to be funny? at the end of karen for spot it felt fine because Dog, but not relly here.

also patnocchio... I dont have much to say on this but i love the duo of patrick and plankton !!! and i love fairy karen... the end of the episode where plankton just yells KAREN made me hoot and holler a lil. heeheehoo. i am very entertained :)

also hi friend i mentioned in this post!!!! i love you!!!!!!!!!!

#text

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fruit-of-infidelity · 4 months

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🎄 Mrs. Claus has arrived!

Sitting right next to the Christmas tree of Ryuuto’s household, Scarlett, or Mrs. Claus’ been reading, over and over, the list he was on... No matter how much she tried to balance things out, or how seriously she took that ‘job’, something didn’t add up... or did it? Regardless, a small box was poking out of the red bag at her feet. It wasn’t exactly what he asked for, she knew it, but...

“...you really... made it to the good list—!?”

She was astonished! Did he really behave better with her? Compared to the previous year, at least, no stealing, much less degrading words, more quality time, and, if anything, the culprit for what could be the worst of his deeds was, actually——

Scarlett abruptly stood up.

“Good… job,” she faced him… but not for long, “… you have improved, I can acknowledge that. Good, good!” She fixed her hair, suddenly the festive hat was very itchy, “...Now, this—… Uhm, you see? About what you, what we— ...hm.”

Oh, dear. Things were hard to articulate when words like crush and situationship still plagued her mind; even her judgment was being affected. How was she supposed to deliver gifts in these conditions!?

“…are you sure you didn’t misbehave even a little bit? Be honest...”

"Misbehave~? Well, you tell me."

With a slightly wandering gaze, Ryuuto took in the sight of Mrs Claus before him; She always caught his attention somehow with her flaming locks, and bright lips, but... There was something far more captivating when Scarlett was covered in red, this time of year.

He barely casted a glance in the direction of the present. As far as he was concerned, she was his reward for being so good.

"My, you really are struggling to find the words, aren't you? Although, I am a little surprised myself. Me, a good boy this year? Fufu...You did make sure to check that list twice, didn't you~?"

It was a good thing, he supposed, that he tended to think twice before he spoke... Aside from that little mishap with the truth serum, that is. If Scarlett caught wind of even half the words that flooded his mind when they crossed paths, his name would have been condemned to the naughty list for the next century.

A soft rosy blush soon rushed to his cheeks, however, as his emerald eyes skimmed over her neck, wrapped up most invitingly with mistletoe. My, my. Perhaps those very human traditions this time of year wouldn't be too bad to indulge in once, in a while...

That would have to wait, however... As he cleared his throat, and drew his thoughts back to the currently situation at hand.

"So, is this the part where I receive my present? Or, should I go and fetch yours first~?"

#(( >< finally answered-#(( but OMGG good list!?!?!#(( teehee hes been behaving a little more it seems-#kindan-no-kanojo #scarlett wakahisa #ryuuto sakamaki #sakamaki ryuuto #diabolik lovers #diabolik lovers oc #dialovers #haunted dark bridal

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kieselsteinn · 1 year

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rant about depression in will toledo’s writing and my personal experience

the reason I love will toledo’s writing so much is because even with how other people perceive it, to me he puts my personal thoughts and experiences into words. I find it really hard to articulate what I’m feeling or want a lot of the time, and the first time I listened to a lot of his music I was genuinely shocked at how well I connected to it.

since early elementary school I’ve struggled with what, as far as I know, is depression. it drags me behind in everything, and it’s embarrassing. I feel selfish for being so miserable all the time because I am alive. if there are people that love me and I have a bed to sleep in why should I have any reason to be sad? this, combined with how young I started struggling with it has prevented me from being open about it for years. songs like I wanna sweat and no passion made me cry as soon as I understood them because I knew EXACTLY what he was talking about. it was crazy hearing this music I really enjoyed and could relate to so much, because I had hardly ever heard anyone else say exactly what I had been feeling.

I’ve been so comfortable in my sadness that whenever I start to take care of myself I feel like I’m stepping a boundary. I’m reaching too far out of the boxed I’ve locked myself into. I’ll listen to nothing but sad music, stay up all night and sleep all day, stop talking to friends, and shower only every few days. It’s not pretty. it’s gross. I can feel the disgusting taste of my own breath in my mouth and it just gets worse every day until I get used to it. I self-destruct every time I start to get better because my sadness is my comfort, and I’m not ready to step out of it. it was weird listening to songs like high to death, drunk drivers, and oh starving. they remind me of myself, and I love them so much for that. even if what I think of it as isn’t what it actually means, I still hold it very close to my heart because it makes me feel like someone understands.

(some of my favorite lyrics)

1. high to death, 2. drunk drivers / killer whales

3. oh! starving, 4. no passion

#Spotify #car seat headrest #will toledo #childhood depression #high to death #no passion #drunk drivers / killer whales #oh! starving #public journal? idk

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scorbleeo · 6 months

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TV Series Discussion: Sex Education

Season 4 (2023)

Source: Google Images

Insecure Otis has all the answers when it comes to sex advice, thanks to his therapist mother. So rebel Maeve proposes a school sex-therapy clinic.

Source: Netflix (2019)

Absolutely Brilliant

I'll be honest here, I started watching this season with expectations of disappointment only because I knew the one couple I was rooting for was not endgame. That being said, I had no idea what I was going to get from Sex Education's final season.

In this last season, we got some really good stories which ultimately led to great character growth. Some were simply briefly touched on, like Jean's postnatal depression, Jackson finding out the truth behind his sperm donor, Ruby finally figuring out her true identity (kind of), and Viv's experience with an abusive man.

Whereas some took practically the entire show (not just this season) to get an ending. Like Aimee finally being able to recover from her assault, or Cal's struggle to become who they truly were. We also had Otis realising what issues he had and how deep they were rooted. This season also showed us Maeve and exactly how thick the wall she built around herself truly was.

Some of these stories, I particularly enjoyed watching the characters learn and grow from them. Some, really annoyed me. For example, I was never in love with the idea of Maeve and Otis being endgame. As time went on, I just preferred them as friends instead of a couple. As friends, they brought out the good in each other. As a couple, it always felt like Maeve's just holding onto Otis's leash. And I hated how Otis forsaked anybody and everybody once Maeve was around. If you'd watched this season, you could see how bad of a friend, a son and a campaign party he was once Maeve was back in his life. I still don't like the idea of them being a couple but seeing how deep-rooted their individual issues were, it made sense why I always thought them together romantically was problematic but I am not opposed to them coming back together in the far future. Probably why Sex Education's finale struck a chord in my heart, one I did not expect to be struck. Way to go, ambiguous endings.

Now, Adam has been one of my favourite people in this show since he showed his vulnerable side which automatically meant Michael's not exactly likeable. Michael was a toxic father and husband, nobody can object to that. And when Adam told Michael off and finally articulated his unhappiness with his father, I was so proud of my dear boy. However, it's the part where Michael said he doesn't hate Adam, he hates himself. That part made me so happy because not only was Michael fully acknowledging he was a bad parent and husband, he also finally gave Adam clarity. My boy has struggled too much and although I hate that he is no longer with Eric, I am absolutely elated Adam's in such a better place both physically and mentally.

Which brings me to my favourite character growth in this season. Eric freaking Effiong. I never thought this person needed more development, then this season came and I was utterly proven wrong. However, it's his story that warmed my heart. I don't think enough people talk about what Eric was going through in season 4. It's something everybody knows, regardless of which side we're on. Yet, we never talk about it or in some cases, act on it. The dilemma, the identity crisis, the forlornness that people like Eric suffer from... It opened my eyes bigger, I was aware before, I am just even more aware now.

Sex Education actually got better as the seasons went on. And season 4 was an excellent finale to it. I know it's not a show for everyone but I think it should be.

Before I say farewell to Sex Education once and for all, I went back to read my reviews for seasons 2 and 3. And wow, my thoughts each season really go back and forth. (Sarcastically) I love the fact that none of my wishes for season 4 happened, at all.

Rating: ★★★★☆

P.S.: I did not realise how much I liked the secondary school teachers until they had that small appearance.

More on Sex Education here: Season 2 | Season 3

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ajokeformur-ray · 1 year

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I've been meaning to write that gush post 2019!Erika style like I promised a few days ago but I keep watching the typing thingy blink at me on the screen and I just ???? How am I supposed to put into words how much Arthur Fleck means to me??? How can I do it? How am I supposed to articulate the fact that he's been my rock every day for the last (almost) four years?

How do I tell you about the sheer number of times I've been on my bathroom floor at 3am sobbing into my hands, trying so hard not to make a sound so I don't wake anyone up, and the only reason I've had it in me to brush off my tears, stand up and face the day is because of, smile, through your fear and sorrow, smile, and maybe tomorrow... or that's life, that's what all the people say... or step step step step step? How am I supposed to tell you that I have problems with food and it's easier for me to skip a meal but I have to actively coax myself into making something to eat, and most if not all of the time, I go and make myself food because eat, you need to eat (if food is pre-prepared, I have NO problem. It's just the effort and energy behind making the food which stumps me but I'm working on it)?

How do I tell you about all the times I get so frustrated with the work-study imbalance or not understanding something in my psych or counselling books that I end up banging my head on my desk and then I remember how horrified I feel every time Arthur does the same, and I stop because I'm sure he'd be horrified if he walked in on me doing it? How do I tell you about how, in my darkest moments, even when my cat can't get a smile out of me, Arthur can? How do I tell you that most mornings, on my way to work, I'm yawning, then chugging some coffee, wiping tears of frustration and/or exhaustion away, then yawning again, chugging coffee... for forty five minutes, this is my commute to work (and then from work), and sometimes I stop and do I have to do this again? I just did it yesterday and the day before and I'm tired but then I'll think about how soul-deep exhausted Arthur always was but he did it anyway and therefore, so can I? How do I tell you about all the times I've wanted to quit uni or I've been awake for 32 hours without a nap or any rest due to clashes between work and uni schedules or I've been awake until 3am working on assignments for uni only to then get up at 5am for work and I've been so tired I have cried every time I'm left alone, and I've wanted to quit uni and my job but ultimately I've picked myself up and got back in the race, that's life... and carried on because I started this for Arthur, because he and he alone inspired me so deeply that I took up a job which allows me to help vulnerable people, while doing a degree which will allow me to even further help people? And I've thought of quitting, baby, but my heart just ain't gonna buy it, and if I didn't think it was worth one single try...

How do I say any of this to you in a way which satisfies my heart that it's said everything correctly? How do I tell you any of these things in such a way that the sheer gravity of what he's done for me is properly articulated and put across?

I can't do it.

I just... I can't.

I don't even feel like I can say I love Arthur because it feels like such a silly statement when I compare it to the deep ache in my chest, the way I smile so hard it actually hurts my face, the way he makes the worst of days feel like they ultimately don't matter much because at least I can crawl into bed and watch him on a screen and feel like I'll be okay in the end, because how can I not be when he's up there on my screen, struggling but trying his hardest, and I'm doing exactly the same thing? If Arthur can handle it, so can I. Because no matter how bad my days get, I have some constants - my hair, coffee, music, my cat, my friends on here, fiction - but Arthur... he's the constant constant. He's seen me through grief, loss, tragedy, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, health scares, doctors appointments, operations, interviews, dentist appointments, fear, worry, stress, sorrow, sadness... through all of that, he's helped me to get back on my own feet and take another step, even if that step is right up on my tip-toes because I can't handle a proper step. But he's also seen me through happiness, joy, elation, pride, achievement, progress, he's seen me so happy I've cried, so excited I've squealed and jumped up and down and spun in circles while giggling, he's seen me through the last four years of my life and I'm sure he's gonna be with me for the rest of my life.

I don't know what our lives would look like together. I used to imagine it so vividly, but I'm not the same person I was four years ago - thankfully - but now I can barely see Arthur loving me. I mean, I know it, but I don't know it. Not like I used to. I feel like I've grown so much in this time that he would look at me and not be able to recognise me. My hair has grown out from when it used to be just like his in terms of length, and now it's just two or three inches away from my tailbone, I have glasses now, my room is always a mess because I don't have the time to clean it but if I do have the time, then I don't have the energy, I'm always a good few weeks behind on uni work, I'm always tired, and I just... even now, I look at Arthur and I look at me and I just can't... how??? And yet, at the same time, I have a firm belief that he and I would be a slow burn; we're both painfully shy but I always reach a point where it's like I get sick of my own shit and that's when I act, so maybe I'd be the reason we even talk to each other right in the very early days.

The way I envision our life together now is not at all how I used to envision it and I'm grateful for the change in perception but also I worry that as I am now, our 2019 Arthur wouldn't love me. But perhaps that's just my self-destructive streak making noise; it's much louder when I get stressed and unfortunately for me, I'm always stressed and tight-chested. Between a highly physically and emotionally demanding job which, even when I'm not on shift, I am still dealing with work commitments and group chats and stuff like that, and university, I am swamped, but then I get changed out of my work uniform and slide my Arthur hoodie back on or I come home and grab my Joker cushion and hold it tight or I get out of the shower and put my rings back on, and I feel like I can breathe again.

I would take every punch, every hit, every insult, every rude word, every glare, every 'joke' his co-workers make, I would take everything if it meant that Arthur would be healthy and safe and protected and cared for and loved. I want to take all of those violent marks and bruises across his body and replace them with love, make him feel like he can come home to me every night just like I get to come home to him every night, too. I feel most myself when I watch Joker because I see 2019 Erika, 2020 Erika, 2021 Erika, 2022 Erika, and now 2023 Erika is seeing all those Erikas, changed and new, and seeing an Arthur who is never changing and always the same, and I always find myself in this film. It's my true ultimate comfort and I wouldn't be here or be where I am without this film or without all the things Arthur has taught me. He's made me kinder, gentler, softer, he made me realise what I want to do in life, and I am forever grateful to the man who saved me. I've said it before, not in great detail, but the people who know, know; Arthur saved me. Oncoming traffic was too strong a temptation before I walked into the cinema on the 4th October 2019, and when I walked out, I found myself stepping out of the way of the road so I could go back the next day to see Joker again. And I did. Again and again and again and again until I looked at myself and realised I hadn't seriously thought about traffic or cliffs for months.

And since the day I realised that, I haven't once looked back. I only glance over my shoulder now and then to see how far I've come, and then I face my front again and step step step step step -

And I keep Arthur tightly in my heart all the while because I'm scared that if I let go of him for even a SECOND, 2019 will become my reality once again. It almost is happening again, I'm right on the edge, but I'm holding onto Arthur tightly. I'm keeping him right here with me to remind me that he is my reason. For my life, for my job, for my degree... I want to be someone he would be proud of, someone he could look at and love as deeply as I love him. He's a beautiful tragedy and I love absolutely everything about him. Everything. And we all know that Joker is the part of Arthur I always lean to the most, he's the one I think of for anything, he's the one I picture holding me when the world has me on my knees in my bedroom or in the bathroom, he's the one I picture brushing my hair and braiding it, he's the one I picture through it all, and I don't know if the start of Joker would bring about an end to what Arthur and I have or if he would only deepen it... I don't know if Joker would love me too but I do know that I only love him more because he's Joker. His lap is my crimson throne, his body is my weighted clown blanket, and I... I don't feel like I can say I love him, as I said, it seems silly in comparison, but it's the only phrase I have.

All I know is, if I thought I had even half a chance with Arthur, I would break down every carefully constructed wall around me, every promise to myself, and I'd let him in. I swore, almost six years ago, never again, but four years ago, I swore that I'd let one man in. Just one.

Arthur. Joker. Carnival. Whomever he is, he's my one and only, and I wish I could say even half of this stuff to him.💖

#tw; disordered eating #tw; negativity #tw; i get personal #self-shipping #erileck #tw; suicidal ideation

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crystalelemental · 7 months

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Unit Viability Speculation - October 2023

Is it Caitlin? No.

Is it Lusamine/Nihilego? No.

Is it Roxanne? YES, APPARENTLY, WHAT?

Akari Fuck yeah, Hisui! Love this region. A bit peeved that Akari got Samurott but I can flex with it. Akari is very, very good. Dark Damage Field is set on Ceaseless Edge, and her Buddy move is equivalent to a Tech Nuke, spammable, gains 20% more damage each use up to 60% but resets if any other action is taken, and is a Field pair with the coveted Strike role. If anything holds her back, it's 376 attack. Which I don't think is bad enough to really stop her.

Akari effectively has +90% move damage for free, extension on her damage field which already lasts halfway through forever, and 150% sync damage, on top of summoning Field. Akari is, in my personal opinion, the first true test of a Field pair. Variety Giovanni is there, but most skipped him with good reason. Akari is a lot more relevant to people, and we're going to actually finalize perspectives on this move type with her. I am anticipating positive response. As I had predicted, the measure of a good Field is going to be good DPS, and Akari actually lives up to this spectacularly. I would say her DPS is more significant than her sync, though sync is obviously fantastic as well. Her main issue is going to be competition. Dark is absolutely stacked. NC Marnie dominates, SC Zinnia dominates, Akari won't really upstage them. Both have comparable damage and high flinch rates. Akari is meant as supplement to, providing the Zone, but in exchange takes first sync. I think she'll work beautifully in the NC Calem/SC Zinnia comp, but Marnie may have less use for her. Personally, I'm well satisfied.

Rei Rei is bullshit. I'm sorry, this is nutty. 478 base attack, almost a full 100 over Akari. And you get a once-per-sync buddy move...that is as strong as a Strike sync...and has sure flinch AoE with no penalty. That also always crits and hits -2 defense. Am I reading that right? His trainer move even gives him +6 speed, there is no flaw here. As a Sprint pair, he's even got a pretty natural -2 sync cooldown on his base kit, any Head Start 1 from, say, Aura Cynthia's grid, is a fast-ramp to first sync, which he then gets a -3 off of the next, and an AoE sure flinch, while dishing out obscene damage. Do I have all that right? And there are four sync damage nodes. Only 50% sync multipliers, but like...god, does he need it? This is the first time I've seen an aggravation tile and thought it was unnecessary. But even without Buddy move, he can still have 60% flinch and a guaranteed -1 defense per hit. All of this, on a rare Fighting typing, with a Strike role. EX and Role'd, his attack stat is on par with SS Hilda.

I mean...I'll say it, I think if it weren't for Zone, he'd be better than NC Hop. I say this with absolute confidence. I know, his damage won't measure up to Hop's. But I greatly value the bullshit he provides. Two fast-ramps with sure flinch AoE is just magnificent. I will say his limitation is specializing a bit too much into sync. His damage output relies on defense drops, which are easy enough to supply, but he personally does not facilitate well. I'm personally on the fence with him. Mostly because I'm trying to be more judicious about my gems. I really like this kit, but I struggle to say SC Diantha wasn't getting a job done, and he's not exactly the ideal partner she's been waiting for. He does well with the Master Fairs, and his speed facilitates dual strike more reliably for a type that plays well to that approach. I actually couldn't articulate why I'm not more hyped by him. Is it just the male protagonist thing? It might just be the male protagonist thing.

Variety Noland I...I'm sorry, Noland and Ninjask? Is Noland a Bug guy? I thought he was a Frontier Brain with a more varied team? Anyway, Bug damage. The upside of Noland is that he's a -3 sync cooldown instantly on trainer move, and his buddy move is a 4-bar move's damage in a 1-bar move, that confuses, never misses, and debuffs accuracy. The bad news of Noland is that he feels like someone without a cause.

Usually, these Variety scouts are really good at Gauntlet, at the expense of 3v3 fights. He gives hints of that with the Overwhelm focus, the boosting of evasion, debuffing of accuracy, and slow pace to set up max speed for his buddy move. But, his buddy move also cuts his defenses by 3. Which is sure death when things connect. And Gauntlet has Sure Hit. Like, routinely. He has no means of fixing the debuffs, no Endurance effect, and his only means of healing is Sync Regen. Personally? I think he's damned. I think this is a bad set for Gauntlet with too little to excel like many others in the Variety pool, and with way too slow and awkward a kit for CS. Easy skip, get fucked Bug types.

Variety Thorton Finally, someone to challenge Marnie's Steel Zone monopoly. Thorton...is interesting. He functions by applying Restrain on a target, which is a damned nice effect, and then powering up the attacks of all allies when foe is restrained. He gets 100% guaranteed free moves next and SEUN whenever he attacks a restrained opponent, and has both Steel and Electric type moves, making him fairly useful across two kinds of stages as an easy slot-in third. Or, if you Support role him, as the tank. His Trainer move does provide +2 Atk/Sp Atk, +3 crit, and Endure to a target ally, so he can offload that to someone else if needed. And with Metal Sound, he's got a nice debuff as well. Add in 100% sync multipliers, Staggering 4 broadly (which means Discharge hits all foes for flinch at a set 50% rate), and Satisfied Snarl for potential survival, Thorton...actually looks competent.

I think what slightly bothers me about Thorton, stupid as it is, is his demands. Sync is Power Hold 5, which is easily set up, but Static Shock 5 is...rough. Even with HE2 on grid, which is hard to pick up, Thorton can't ensure paralysis on a target. He needs support. And his self-buffing of offsenses is similarly impacted, requiring at least special attack, and likely speed given his stats and propensity for dual strike. I think Thorton is competent. I actually like this kit more than I expected. I think he'll do well. I just also...don't entirely care? As a replacement to P!Marnie, he's okay, but not exactly doing as much, given he has to take sync and is special, which conflicts with the mostly physical type. He'll do well with Raihan and S!Tate, but Tate really didn't need the help, so it's kinda just Raihan. It's hard to justify a pull for a single sync pair.

Halloween Phoebe There's the required Ghost trainer. I'm kinda stunned it's all Hoenn again? Anyway, Phoebe comes in with Cofagrigus, which feels like it belongs to Shauntal so I'm at least a bit salty about this. More critically...she's kinda bad.

Vigilance is nice, Potion with double MPR is nice, and her base defenses work well. But every other aspect hurts her. Ignoring the opponent's boosts to offenses is nowhere near as valuable as debuffing them, because those boosted offenses are going to obliterate you and your friends on sync. Her trainer move may give +4 to both defenses, but that's just Evelyn, who is known to be underwhelming and is largely considered worse than BP Morty because it's 1MP. Phantom Force into evasion boosting and Group Gloat is cute, but impractical outside of Gauntlet. Boosting both offenses of the team by 1 each time she attacks is incredibly slow acting, especially since it denies any progress when she has to heal or use her trainer move, or on the first turn of Phantom Force. Tech is a bad role for someone who can't buff their own crit rate. She's slow as shit, so this does nothing for her own type, thus doing nothing for High Score. And her grid. Despite built-in Vigilance and Status Immunity and Endurance, her grid is spread in such a way that getting all three effects restricts what else she's able to pick up, with Potion being a major casualty. I...don't really love this one. I kinda don't respect it at all actually.

Halloween Roxanne This is the greatest sync pair all year. For me.

Ground Tech, who got the coveted Strike role. Roxanne is coming in swinging. And swing she did, for this is...actually pretty good. Sand Tomb applies immediate Trap on all foes when she hits once. She powers up team moves against trapped opponents by 20%, which is a universal benefit. She removes all stat bonuses, and turns them into debuffs, on sync. Every sync. And even has a grid node for No Stat Increases effect on foe. With 150% sync damage, 50% move damage, and a Buddy move that debuffs Def/Spd of foes by 1 each hit then boosts her team's Def/Spd the same amount? Roxanne is excellent.

But with problems. Buddy move is fairly weak, and suffers AoE penalty. Her buddy move is a nice +3 self crit and +2 team accuracy, but her ability to boost attack needs supplemented (you know what's coming). Her debuffing is very slow acting. Fortunately, Roxanne is competent. Slo-pponent Sync 5 and Sync Power Flux are godsends on a pair that could easily have been slapped with Cakewalk, allowing her to easily set it up in one rotation. Lack of any gauge on her Buddy move more than offsets the lower BP. And Halloween Caitlin exists, providing Roxanne with, quite literally, everything she needs. And given the atrociously slow type she's in, being able to actually boost team speed? This is a godsend for High Score. Roxanne is incredibly well poised across game modes. Her Tech nuke does what she needs, and Strike role obliterates 3v3. Her inversion of buffs and persistent debuffing makes her excellent in Gauntlet. She is, to be perfectly frank, my favorite of the month. I recognize the Hisui duo are better overall. But this is my girl.

Lenora Okay guys, hear me out. What if Cheren...but good? But also! What if Lucian...but terrible?

Lenora's trainer move is incredibly reminiscent of Cheren, trading gradual healing for a 20% HP recovery on all pairs, and otherwise charging gauge. With Special Damage Reduction on entry and X Sp Def All, she skews specially defensive. This is all she buffs. As a support. Not so good, girl. She does get +1 Atk or Sp Atk depending on grid, and has Team Sharp Entry, but...it's slow and generally insufficient, and notably does not work with Leer which is a major conflict of interest. Leer is her bigger draw, debuffing both defense and special defense thanks to her passive. This is incredibly useful, but would align better with a Tech than a Support, who otherwise wants to be doing like a million things at once.

Lenora feels like a response to Lucian, who was so well optimized he remains the greatest general pool pair by a mile. I think Lenora is the power scale they want to push Lucian back to. It's the only way to make sense of the difference between them. To be honest, lack of First Aid 4 and only having Safety Tether implies she's not doing well with staying power, given the low self-healing of her trainer move. She's just...not optimized for much success in the meta.

Lodge Giovanni This is the only thing I'm legitimately pissed about. Did you know Giovanni has 5 alts? Yeah. This fuck clown has more alts than Leaf now. You couldn't even give her a month to be a protagonist considered as popular as the antagonist? Just jumped straight to the Kanto men, huh? No, I get it, it's fine.

Poison Support with Nidorino. Should've been Nidorina, but Kanto (the Pokemon region) is sexist, so can't have him with a girl Pokemon. His trainer move boosts Defense +2 and crit +1. So shades of Lodge Blue. Unlike Blue, Giovanni does nothing of value. Potion is cute, but no Endurance on a Lodge unit that has heavily lopsided defenses never goes so well. Hostile Environment 4 does not make him a reliable Poison user; that's the same rate as Janine with the weaker Poison. Team Sharp Entry is cute, but unlike Janine, he's not getting anything from it since his TM already buffs crit.

This is a pretty bad support. I struggle to find any reason to use him, at all, over Lodge Blue. Even in situations where you need Poison, you have Lodge Janine, who, by all accounts, has comparable defensive merit with the evasion, but way more relevant buffing kit. I do not respect Giovanni, now more than ever. I feel like every time he shows up it's to demonstrate the depth of his failure, yet somehow people still think he's cool.

Clemont Grid expansion. It's uh...hmm. Grand Entry 2 is so not enough. Obscuring Power 3 is hilarious, his move damage is irrelevant. Speedster Sync 5 is cute, I guess, but does nothing to help with his bigger Cakewalk multiplier. Critical Eye would be amazing if it weren't 1 and only on trainer move. I can't complain about Caitlin getting Crit Eye 2 when no one else does, but I can say it's strange. I feel like Clemont isn't going very far. This does very, very little to help him. I guess the intent was slightly stronger sync, but adding more multipliers to move damage in hopes it matters this time? I don't think it does.

Steven Allegedly, he got another grid expansion. It's not up. I feel like a mistake has been made somewhere.

Shauntal I can't believe they gave Shauntal the EX, but in hindsight, this tracks with recent decisions. At the risk of making Aera depressed, Shauntal's EX is completely and totally irrelevant. Oh, I know, four sync nodes and a 50% multiplier, surely this is something. It's not. Her sync damage calculation is still bottom of the Ghost type, and unimpressive in general. Shauntal is a common that thrives off of frankly spectacular DPS. The sync was not her approach, so this feels...extraneous? Nice to have, but there were options that I think much more desperately needed it.

#unit viability speculation

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theevilmaninyourcomputer · 11 months

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There is something deeply unsettling about the Angel in Angels In America. I have discussed this at length with a friend, and we came to the consensus that the otherworldly (but not ‘ethereal’) nature of the Angel builds a wall between her and the rest of the characters in the play. She struggles to grasp human concepts, like that of the desire for “more life” in a bleak and utterly hopeless world. She is intentionally removed from humanity, because humanizing her would negate some of the most important aspects of her character. Portraying the Angel as a generic, beautiful woman strips her of her narrative purpose. I struggle to put my thoughts on this matter into words. I cannot articulate what exactly is so creepy, yet so inexplicably wonderful, about the stage version of the Angel. However, I can articulate what is wrong with the HBO adaption’s attempt, and I am certainly going to, because this has been weighing on my mind for almost a year.

Where to even start. In the revised Perestroika script from 1995, Kuschner writes a foreword, in which he details a few instructions for successfully putting on a convincing show. Among these instructions, he cautions against ‘cheapening’ the angel. “The (Angel’s cough) is a single, dry, barking cough, not wracking emphysemic spasms…sharp, simple, and effectively non-human. It was not funny so much as it was ominous, and always always dignified. It is my terror that the Angel be played for laughs.” He then goes on to say that, “The Angel is immensely august, serious, and dangerously powerful always, and Prior is running for his life, sick, scared, and alone…The play is cheapened irreparably when the actors playing the Angel, and especially Prior fail to convey the gravity of these situations.” “There is a danger,” writes Kuschner, “in easy sentiment. Eschew sentiment!” What does that mean? What is ‘easy sentiment?’ In what way does Angels In America avoid evoking ‘easy sentiment?’ I believe this direction is intended to warn against leaning into the melodrama of the story. In expressing ‘easy sentiment,’ Angels In America becomes soap-opera-ified. The stakes are lowered, the characters come across as disingenuous.

According to a definition by Studio Binder, the difference between drama and melodrama resides in the nature of the conflict. “In a drama, the conflict a character faces is realistic. The conflict arises through a logical and reasonable series of events. In a Melodrama, conflicts are exaggerated and intensified to elicit stronger emotional responses from the audience.” I understand where Kuschner is coming from in advising his actors not to do this, because melodrama, as a literary device, is kind of…cheating. A strong, emotional audience response can be achieved through good storytelling. Raising the stakes past the point of believability actually serves to lower the stakes. Constantly expressing ‘intensified’ emotion makes the moments of legitimate emotional turmoil less impactful. It’s the contrast between the quiet and ‘loud’ moments that makes the loud moments all the more exciting. If the characters are constantly miserable, there is a point at which the audience ceases to care. Misery becomes the status quo, the emotional resting state. The story becomes oversaturated with strong emotion, the narrative is not satisfying. To quote Bob Ross, “Gotta have opposites, light and dark and dark and light, in painting. It's like in life. Gotta have a little sadness once in awhile so you know when the good times come.” The reverse of this concept can be true as well, of course. There can very well be an undersaturation of emotion that makes the story feel empty; that causes it to fall flat. A balance must be struck between the two in order to, in Kuschner’s word’s, “convey the gravity of the situation.” In Angels In America, the dark themes are overlaid with humor. Comedy is, after all, tragedy plus timing. Kuschner certainly does not shy away from tragedy. Kuschner considers Perestroika to be “essentially a comedy,” but notes that, “Every moment must be played for its reality, the terms always life or death; only then will the comedy emerge.” Kuschner knew that the comedy of tragedy was to be realized through that tonal contrast, and it works. It works really well.

I swear, I am very slowly arriving at a point, so bear with me. HBO fucked up the angel They changed her wings from mottled brown to white, and generally adapted her character and manner of speaking to read as more pure and stereotypically angelic. The decision by national theater to cast an older, less orthodox woman as the angel made her affect on prior all the more interesting, because that's what she is-unorthodox. That's part of why, besides the genderlessness and being "hermaphroditically equipped," Prior, a gay man, feels sexual attraction towards her. She exists beyond the realm of human understanding, she is intentionally written to contrast the standard christian characterization of what an angel is. The angel is not a bastion of moral goodness, she is so removed from humanity that she does not understand it, hence the very important character design: her hair is frazzled and white, she is adorned in filthy rags, and she has an odd manner of speaking. The way the dancers move her wings give the impression of spider's leg's, and her whole demeanor is generally very off putting. Prior Walter is never comforted by the Angel, she is alien, everything about her is bizarre and unfamiliar.

#angels in america #aia #national theatre #tony kushner

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demonstars · 24 days

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hii im starting to get into poetry and i trust your taste so i was wondering who your favorite authors/poets are ? if you don’t mind :)

oh my god this is so sweet WISHING YOU WELL ON YOUR JOURNEY. i'll list you my top five (english) poets here, they're really excellent so you have something to start from but what i really recommend is that once you find one poet/poem and check out their other works AND if they've worked on anthologies/shared what their favorite poems are. ok ok So

hanif abdurraqib — he has beautiful essays on living and dying and how you make your place in the world and i genuinely think on summer crushing saved my life—and his ways of webbing words together just shows its prime in poetry. heavely recomment it's not like nikola tesla knew all of those people were going to die and, if you can, listen to him read it

ada limon — LOVE HER TO DEATH. one of the first poets I ever read in my life when starting to understand english and it changed my fucking life. it, being what i didn't know before which is just like one of those poems that just hit you like a trunk. one of the most beautiful gifts i've ever received is a copy of her bright dead things (book), so i must recommend state bird. it's not even her best poem (that goes to dead stars and no it's not because i'm obsessed with them) in my opinion it's just representative of everything I love about her writing. also she is currently working on an anthology that i am so excited to read and discover new poets through that!!

richard siken — well. y'know. Like y'know. I JUST NEED EVERYONE TO MOVE ON FROM CRUSH OR GET BETTER AT JUST LOOKING AT HIM FROM DISEMBOWELED QUOTES POSTED FOR CLOUT. read poetry it made me cry. I need more people to get excited with me when he posts a new one pleaseeeeeeeeeee @RICHARDSIKEN I KNOW YOU HAVE PROBLEMATIC THOUGHTS ON AI I STILL WANT YOU.

hera lindsay bird — one of Those poets that will just let you a bit confused and fascinated. I think I've reread the entire catalogue of poems on her blog at least thrice because I really liked them and couldn't articulate exactly why!!! I still struggle!!! Gotta link I AM SO IN LOVE WITH YOU I WANT TO LIE DOWN cause yeah yeah we've all seen major public intersection. i want her self titled collection so bad. also pamper me to hell and back. aka all her published work. speech time changed my life when i was 16. she has a dnf poem. GREAT POET.

June Gehringer — can't even express it with words how much i love her. i get genuine rsd over her work being misinterpreted and flattened specially with fucking twitter reposters Shoutout my priv mutuals last year who supported me annoying one of those 10k fake deep accounts to give her credit. anyway. THANK GOD FOR PEACH MAG. I DO GET SO JEALOUS OF EUTHANIZED GODS. recs is The universe collapses waoo.... she has a very good one on grief and transnesss that i KNOWWWW i posted here but i can't find it should i die. ugh so frustating

and here is Others that I couldn't include because I just realized i need to be my friend's house in two hours and I am not yet ready with my assignment but you should DEFINITELY check out: . Lisel Mueller. Mahmoud Darwish, Anne Sexton. frank o'hara. gabrielle calvocoressi. Matthew Olzmann. chen chen. OKAY HOPE THIS HELPED!!!!!!!

#star anons

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