#v; Beloved by the People {Season 3}

[kindestofkings]

tis the damn season

robert keating x reader (she/her)

heres the requested bobby fic! reader is bobbys neighbour in dublin and they've had a situationship thats always off again on again, which ryan is v fed up with lol <3

masterlist

enjoy and also happy new year ! forgot how much I love making these so please come with some more requests, I always love getting them xxx

yourusername posted to their story!

year FIVE of working as a waitress during silly season, people need to be KINDER

yourbestfriend not all heros wear capes yourneighbour1 god bless you ↳ its been TOUGH but neighbours christmas party next week !! ↳ yourneighbour1 UGH best part of the season alsooo did I see a certain curly haired bass player make his return to the road...? ↳ feck he's home earlier than usual 😀 ↳ yourneighbour1 time to rekindle the infamous situationship??

yourusername posted to their story!

the return of the loudest next door neighbour known to man, yay 👍👍

yourneighbour1 😏😏 bobbyskeetz get rid of that sarcastic yay ryanmcmahon_15 yay my fav idiots have been reunited ! ↳ idiots? plural? why am I an idiot ryan?? ↳ ryanmcmahon_15 hmmhmm when will yee learn

bobbyskeetz

liked by yourusername and others

bobbyskeetz home.

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joshjenkinson_ lookin so mysterious and interesting xx

inhalerfan1 he is one of us

inhalerfan2 missed the intense staring since tour has ended, thanks mr skeetz !

inhalerfan3 christmas came early

yourusername smoking kills

bobbyskeetz excuse me?? I have NEVER and WOULD never yourusername big fat liar yourbestfriend y'all are the worst, every fecking christmas ryanmcmahon_15 what she said !

yourusername

liked by yourneighbour1 and others

yourusername the kids table at the neighbours christmas party is always the place to be <3

also slayed so hard with my kris kindle present he literally cried for hours 💅

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bobbyskeetz I cried cause you threw it at me

yourneighbour1 weakling bobbyskeetz ugh thanks tho.... I guess

ryanmcmahon_15 bobby and yn being adults when

yourbestfriend but then what would happen to their beloved situationship? yourusername guys you know this is MY comment section right?

joshjenkson_ hahah the perfect gift for him

yourneighbour2 ugh BEST PARTY EVAAAA

yourusername

liked by ryanmcmahon_15 and others

yourusername and it always leads to you and my hometown

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yourbestfriend ah ryanmcmahon_15 shes quoting tis the damn season by THE taylor swift, what does this mean?

ryanmcmahon_1 gasp not the sad tones..

bobbyskeetz confused we're from the same hometown...?

yourusername you uncultured swine its a lyric 😭

bobbyskeetzswife

liked by inhalerfan1 and others

bobbyskeetzswife OH MY GOD I JUST MET BOBBY, IM FREAKING OUT

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inhalerfan1 no way what the hell !! where?

bobbyskeetzswife literally in Dingle, Kerry 😭😭 he said hes with the lads but they ran out of drink so he was forced to go to the shops 😭 😭 inhalerfan1 omg hahahah I can't believe they just played the 3Arena

inhalerfan2 no way wonder why they're in dingle, such a random Irish town...

inhalerfan3 that girl that they all follow is in Kerry aswell with grace (eli's girlfriend) bobbyskeetzswife is that yourusername? I wonder who she is, bobby is always interacting with her inhalerfan2 huh wonder has he got a girlfriend

graciebrns

liked by elijahhewson and others

graciebrns wholesome few days before what I've been told, will be the best party I'll ever attend

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elijahhewson promise its not an oversell

joshjenkinson_ agreed yourusername throws a phenomenal party yourusername ah flattered lads thank you

bobbyskeetz the million hikes will be worth it

yourusername you said you loved going on hikes bobbyskeetz course I do love 😔 inhalerfan2 love ?? gathering evidence

inhalerfan1 wholesome band trip bless

yourneighbour1 woohoo almost time to partyyyy

ryanmcmahon_15 how did one row of houses produce so many party animals?

yourusername party animals okay old man bobbyskeetz just cause you can't ever keep up ryan yourneighbour1 its how we were raised 😤

yourusername

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yourusername hot people have birthdays on nye 💅

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bobbyskeetz so feckin hot

yourusername baby stapppppp that

yourbestfriend was the BEST time ever

elijahhewson class night it was, graciebrns whats the verdict?

graciebrns best. night. ever. yourusername I love you thanks for having me <33 yourusername you kidding me? thank you for coming !!

inhalerfan1 oh hello inhaler spotted ..

inhalerfan2 not bobby on the decks

bobbyskeetz

liked by yourusername and others

bobbyskeetz happy birthday gorgeous, love cleaning up bottles with you on new years day x

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yourusername ahhhh the taylor reference 😭

yourusername my favourite nosey neighbour <3

ryanmcmahon_15 I have never been so invested in two idiots getting together properly

yourbestfriend so insufferable its taken like 13 years for them not to be idiots yourusername and what about you two being idiots.. bobbyskeetz whats your favourite book trope again love? yourusername FRIENDS TO LOVERS BABY, take notes ryanmcmahon_15 yourbestfriend

inhalerfan1 sad sad day for the bobby girlies 💔

bobbyskeetzswife noooooooooo

finished xx

#bobby skeetz #robert keating #robert keating x reader #robert keating imagine #inhaler dublin #inhaler band #inhaler fanfic #inhaler imagine #smau

[agendabymooner]

mastermind ! max v. x ofc (hearth sister!ofc) - tltl series

"i laid the groundwork, and then saw a wide smirk on your face."

summary: it was either sylvie ford was oblivious, or she actually knew that the result of her blind date was his doing and hadn't had the heart to express her admiration towards his effort. nevertheless, their first australian gp was successful in a way. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)

content warning: use of explicit language, actions of people who are "just friends" mentioned, max verstappen is a scheming bastard and i love him your honour

note: i didn't do anything today so here's an update :) check out my previous works! i don't have much reblogs so you can literally just scroll down the blog and binge read hehe. enjoy xx

masterlist

THE FAST LANE DAILY

SYLVIE FORD AND MAX VERSTAPPEN SPARK DATING RUMORS AS FORMULA ONE SEASON BEGINS IN AUSTRALIA, INTRODUCING MARINARA FORD-VERSTAPPEN

The 2017 Formula One season kicked off in Australia with a thrilling display of speed and skill on the track. However, it was not just the racing action that captured attention. Supermodel Sylvie Ford, Red Bull Racing's communication coordinator, made a striking entrance, accompanied by her adorable miniature schnauzer puppy, Marinara. Little did she know that this furry companion would become a catalyst for dating rumors involving her and Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen.

As Sylvie graciously signed autographs for eager fans, all eyes turned to her and Verstappen. In a surprising twist, Verstappen called out for Marinara, prompting Sylvie to clarify that the pup was "ours," hinting at a shared ownership between the two. This revelation immediately sparked speculation about a romantic relationship, despite their insistence that they are just friends.

Adding fuel to the fire, Sylvie and Verstappen currently reside together in England and share the responsibility of raising Marinara. The fact that they live under the same roof and have a puppy together has led many to believe that their connection runs deeper than friendship.

Their close bond was further highlighted when Sylvie recently featured in Architectural Digest's Open House, offering a glimpse into their shared English abode. The magazine feature showcased a harmonious blend of their personal belongings, indicating joint ownership and decision-making.

In an unexpected twist, Marinara, the adorable pup, has taken on a hyphenated surname, becoming Marinara Ford-Verstappen. This development has only intensified speculation about the true nature of Sylvie and Verstappen's relationship. While they continue to deny any romantic involvement, the addition of a shared surname for their beloved pet suggests a deeper commitment between the Formula One duo.

As the 2017 Formula One season unfolds, fans and media alike will closely monitor Sylvie Ford and Max Verstappen, both on and off the track, eagerly awaiting any further hints about the nature of their relationship. Whether they are just friends or something more, the undeniable chemistry and shared experiences between Sylvie, Verstappen, and their adorable pup Marinara Ford-Verstappen continue to captivate the imagination of Formula One enthusiasts worldwide.

AUSTRALIAN GP 2017

Arriving at the Albert Park Circuit for the first round of the season wasn’t an easy feat for everyone. The same could be said for dogs. 

If Sylvie was being honest, she didn’t know how Lewis had done it with Roscoe. Sylvie was equally as busy and she didn’t want to waste any time away from Marinara. 

Max had expressed the same opinion about the miniature schnauzer, practically begging Sylvie to take the puppy along on their work trips and leave the dog to him whenever she would be out for fashion weeks and photoshoot gigs. 

As much as Sylvie wanted to bite back, “Fat chances, Max Emilian” she thought that it was only fair they would do that. Why have a caretaker when they could just spend money on supplies they’d need to get for Marinara’s traveling needs? So they never left Marinara at Buckinghamshire — nor have they left her at Tilly's house or under their Maman’s care — and brought the little puppy along.

Sylvie was one of the most prominent figures of Red Bull that would continue to make her presence known in the paddock and the tracks for the rest of the year, and because of her fame and image in public — many F1 fans came to embrace her presence as Red Bull’s feisty communications coordinator and would often ask for her signature. Who was she to say no? 

Her walk towards the Red Bull area came to last longer than five minutes, signing and taking photos with fans who wanted to brag about meeting the supermodel on the rise. Some of them had even asked her about her plans with her schedule this year. She was answering the questions and in the process was signing a kid’s cap, the puppy tried to drag her away as Marinara whined. The dog wasn’t happy with being restrained by a leash. Too bad, Sylvie told herself, she had her leash and harness made with a navy fabric full of Red Bull logos all over it. She even had the “Verstappen 33” imprinted on the side, indicating that she was Max’s best girl others from Sylvie herself.

Turning away from the kid for a moment, Sylvie found Marinara’s tail wagging as her little voice barked and cried for the person she was looking at. People stared and Sylvie found her cheeks burning in shame.

“Come, Mari!” The Dutchman grinned at the puppy, his arms outstretched as he crouched down at the puppy's level - few feet away from Sylvie and Marinara as the puppy whined.

Sylvie didn’t like it when Max was around— Marinara favoured Max at times that all she could do as of this point was let go of the leash, watching as Marinara’s little legs ran towards Max. Sylvie’s eyes narrowed as Max picked up the schnauzer and began to praise the puppy, “Good girl, Marinara. Gooood girl~”

“Is that your puppy?” Sylvie turned back to the fans as she smiled at the question, the burning on her cheeks long gone as she nodded.

“Ours,” Sylvie rolled her eyes playfully, “I feel like she’s gonna become more like Max’s if he continues to steal her from me.” 

She didn’t notice how the word ours rolled off her tongue so smoothly and how perfectly it sounded to everyone who had been rooting for Max and Sylvie. But everyone heard it perfectly well, and they were all certain that the media would have a field day running this story.

Max had picked her up from the entrance and they both made their way to the Red Bull area, Max still holding Marinara in one hand as he beamed and chatted with his best friend about this morning. 

“Did she actually wake up at two?” Max’s eyes widened at the news, peering down at the puppy. 

“You have a bad habit of waking up in the middle of the night to do some random shit— she really takes after you, Max,” Sylvie shook her head. 

“You just said she woke up to go potty,” Max gasped at the insinuation that Sylvie made as she smirked. The Dutchman scowled, “I do not.” 

“Charles says otherwise—“

“Leclerc needs to stop telling you shit that didn’t happen,” Sylvie tried to bite back her laughter as Max ranted, “you and him are bad together, you know that?” 

“We made good rivals in the track for a reason, lad,” Sylvie’s hand made its way to Max as she patted his cheek, Max’s face turning red at the contact as she cluelessly grinned, “It’s always the rivals that share the same energy. Also— do you mind watching Nara tonight?” 

“What- why?” Max returned to his conscious state after hearing her request. She doesn’t go out after work and none of her sisters were here.

Sylvie shrugged mindlessly, “Russell George has a friend he wants me to meet after the race. Said he’s here watching the race but… I do not know, truthfully. The bloke probably just wants me to go on a blind date.”

Max’s face turned red once more. But not because he was flustered, but rather he was annoyed and confused by her statement. Something told him he was jealous though but it wasn’t as if he’d admit that. 

“Oh,” he muttered quietly, “I’ll watch her.” 

“Thanks,” Sylvie grinned, “I haven’t been on a date for a while now so hopefully the poor bloke understands that.” 

“He’d be stupid if he didn’t,” Max rolled his eyes, this time his attitude was directed at the faceless fool. “He’s here today, you said?” 

“Yeah, George said he’s at the Mercedes hospitality,” Sylvie said, indifference showed how little she cared or knew about the man, “I’m making a quick trip there later to introduce Lewis and the others to Mari. I couldn’t seem to care much about finding the guy— since we are working and all.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Max murmured, a smile threatening to spread on his lips as he felt like he won all over again. 

Max: Who are you setting Sylvie up with???

George: Why 😕

Max: What, can’t a guy just ask?

George: It’s one of our acquaintances who did karting once. Remember Jack Madison?

Max: Gotcha.

George: Please don’t do something stupid.

Max: You know it ;)

Max: Sylvie’s going on a blind date with some Jack Madison tonight after the race. I don’t know who he is and I’m pretty sure none of us does. He’s a guest in Mercedes. Just giving you a heads up. 

Toto: Okay, thank you Max.

Max swung the door open, shushing Marinara as the puppy barked at whoever was at the front door at eleven in the evening. Turning back to the person, his eyes widened a little at the sight of an exasperated Sylvie, the straps of her heels on her hand as she gave him an annoyed look.

“The fool wanted to see me more often,” Sylvie didn’t look too happy at the news and Max clearly wasn’t any better. The woman continued, “He said he should come by to the races— he wasn’t even that subtle about free paddock passes, Max. Can you believe that idiot?” 

“Oh yikes,” Max cringed, feeling a furry body walk past him as he watched Marinara get picked up by Sylvie. “Do you want to stay in my room?” 

“My room’s next door,” Sylvie told him with a frown, as if she was asking if he just said that loudly. 

“But Mari’s bed and things are already in here,” Max told her with his own challenging brows before he grabbed the heels off her hand and said, “it takes a lot of time to put them back and forth and the heels on your hand tells me you’ve been walking too much. So?” 

Sylvie peered over his shoulder, looking at the barely creased sheets of his double bed. Then she looked down at the dog bowls next to the kitchenette and the leash and collar resting at the couch. Yeah, she really didn’t want to clean that up now.

“I guess,” Sylvie sighed, walking past Max after he stepped aside. Max swiftly grabbed onto the strap of her purse before hanging it on the rack. Hearing the door shut close behind Max, she placed Marinara down on the floor and asked, “Do you have some clothes to spare?” 

“Yeah, I even brought your makeup remover- it's in the bathroom,” Max said as he reached for his suitcase, pulling out a jumper and some plaid pajama pants before tossing them towards Sylvie’s direction. “I got some spare toothbrush, if you need it.”

“You are god sent, Max Emilian,” Sylvie sighed in relief, giving him a half hug before she entered and locked herself in the bathroom.

Max chuckled at the comment, not even feeling his face burn as he turned back and exclaimed, “Tell me something I don’t know, Sylv!”

“I hate you!” She yelled back.

“I said something I don’t know, not something that’s a lie!” 

He wanted to pat himself in the back, feeling proud about telling Toto about her date tonight. Lewis had approached Max after the race to let him know that Toto had spoken to Jack Madison and as if he was testing the waters, had told the boy that Sylvie could get him any paddock passes should he ask for it— he just needed to persuade the woman.

Jack was quite foolish for believing the man. It was even more foolish of him to negotiate with her by saying that she’d most likely see him more if she gave him some passes. 

Sylvie wasn’t that desperate to be in a relationship, after all. So with her turning him down, Max could only smile at himself as he made his way back to his side of the bed. 

Meanwhile, behind the bathroom door stood Sylvie, smirking lightly. She only chuckled to herself, feeling a little better knowing that Max was behind all of those troubles that managed to get her out of the blind date fast. 

She just wouldn’t tell him that she knew. It was more amusing that way

#formula one fanfiction #formula one fic #formula one imagine #formula one x oc #f1 imagine #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #red bull racing imagine #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen fic #max verstappen #max verstappen fanfic #mv33 imagine #max verstappen x oc #f1 fiction #f1 fluff #formula 1 x reader #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 fanfic #formula 1 fic #mv1 x reader #mv33 fic #formula one fluff #formula 1 fluff

[inchidentally]

I am new to the Landoscar fandom but I adore their chemistry and the fics. I saw your post about how you’re a part of the fandom that actively protects the girls in their rl which is awesome because I didn’t even know what the Carlando fans had done. I’m so happy to hear this fandom seems a bit more mature than that. How can I join? I’d like to make like minded friends 😊

yes!! we love and support Lily here and the line between shipping landoscar as a couple vs as their real life relationship is extremely clear. a similar ship is George and Alex where both Lily and Carmen are beloved by the people who ship galex. it's so easy to not hate women, adore the two guys' real life friendship, and then ship them romantically for fun in non-public spaces. so so easy.

the larrying of car|ando breaks my heart a little bc that was my first F1 rpf ship and I also love their real life friendship - genuinely the Singapore race meant way more to me emotionally for Carlos having always been big protective brother to Lando than needing to put on ship goggles. no one rly knows why car|ando is the one that people have decided is "legit" esp when Daniel and Lando straight up did the gay baiting stuff and Max V is the only driver that Lando actively has an off-season engagement with (as well as a longer driver relationship than Carlos or Daniel). but there's no reasoning w people who use vile rampant misogyny against real life girlfriends as if that will someone make two guy friends suddenly get married or whatever.

but I will say that a lot of us who still ship car|ando aren't in the larry crowd and can distinguish reality from fiction so don't be too spooked off them <3

honestly as a relatively new blog myself I can tell you that everyone in landoscar fandom is extremely kind and welcoming! my walls of text have got to get tedious at times but if anyone's annoyed then they don't say and just scroll on by!

but a heads up that tumblr is a very tricky place for keeping up with people and content by the tags and dash alone so I would make sure to tag your posts very well and also just start sending in some asks to blogs! personally I try to systematically check mutuals blogs bc tumblr sometimes shoves a person's posts wayyyy down.

and this is a personal preference and I'm not sure if you're a fic writer but it's such a huge help with fic posts if there's a banner or even just a pic bc for some reason those show up on my dash more than text post only fic.

#inchreplies #landoscar

[bensbennies]

MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOYS SEASON 3 EPISODE 4 HEAVY SPOILERS!!!!!

MOTHER’S MILK the duality of me being amused by Soldier Boy looking like a dummy in that clip with Solid Gold and MM totally losing his shit looking at him

Butcher’s powers are similar to Homelander’s, and Hughie’s are similar to A-Train’s. Coincidence? I think not. “You become the thing you seek to destroy” etc

I didn’t expect Supersonic to last long... in fact, I thought he’d die this episode. But I didn’t expect him to die offscreen.

However he’s trying to hide it, TempV *is* effecting Butcher’s personality... and he knows it. His caution against Hughie taking it and his view of it as a “punishment” is clear enough. The effects of TempV are also why he finally chose to push Ryan away. He’s pushing MM to be the leader because he knows he’s going to lose his mind completely to this (and believes it’s his cross to bear), and he’s worried for Hughie’s soul already. 

Hughie didn’t seem to have the capacity to care about Kimiko in the throes of his high... I worry this will quickly transform into an addiction for him... and I understand. They did a good job establishing Hughie’s feelings of powerlessness and not being able to protect the person he loves... in fact, he’s a weakness that Homelander is exploiting against Starlight.

The dildo fight was SO entertaining but then I felt instant sadness for Kimiko because she was so upset 😭

Kimiko and Frenchie laying upside down on the couches and looking at each other my beloved

Laz Alonso’s acting in this episode was off the chain!! MM’s look of dread and rage when Soldier Boy emerged from that tank... I predict that if anyone else does take it, MM will be the next member of the group to fall victim to Temp V. He’s already told Butcher at the end of the episode that there is no more team, so what is there for him to lead? At the same time, MM is very sensible, so we’ll see if he faces temptation and whether he decides against it or goes for it. 

THE HAMSTER

I think anyone who had been watching trailers knew that Soldier Boy was the weapon The Boys were going to find. That blast is new according to Butcher—not a power Soldier Boy had back in the day (Russian experimentation I gather?). It’s been described in a power card I saw somewhere as “power nullification”. Kimiko can’t heal because her powers are (at least temporarily) nullified by the blast. A power like that presents a real threat to Homelander and Soldier Boy undoubtably has the capacity to kill him. 

In separate interviews with Kripke, Starr, and Ackles, Butcher, Soldier Boy, and Homelander have been described as three apex predators. It will be interesting to see Homelander face a real threat to his power this season. Imagine your enemy who gets temporary powers from a test tube being on par with you? I bet it won’t sit will with Homelander. 

It’s been established this season that Kimiko hates her powers, but I wonder if them being taken away (even if temporarily) will actually make her happy or if it will feel like losing a limb and make her feel helpless, especially with the people she cares about on the line. Homelander is definitely going to make moves toward killing all of The Boys soon.

I absolutely thought Victoria Nueman’s daughter was going to die when she put that shit in her. 

Stan Edgar absolutely eviscerated Homelander, and Homelander didn’t kill him because it would be like letting Stan win... plus I think Homelander is shrewd enough to suspect that Edgar has something else up his sleeve and that that’s why he’s so calm and collected. Maybe it’s TempV that has Edgar this calm, and/or maybe it’s that he had a hand in the capture of Soldier Boy. Soldier Boy isn’t just a Captain America parody, but a Winter Soldier parody as well. He’s been kept heavily sedated, I imagine to keep him compliant, and Jensen Ackles has said in interviews that Soldier Boy has PTSD from being tortured. Perhaps Edgar passed Soldier Boy to the Russians in return for the development of a weapon that could kill Homelander. I think Vought is always looking for a new way to control their supes. They use threats and bribes, they find weaknesses... with Homelander, they tried raising him from birth but completely denied him all affection as a child. With Ryan, they tried to correct by raising him in a loving home. Maybe Soldier Boy represents a different avenue for control—attempts at mind control just like Winter Soldier. Or hey—maybe they just wanted his blood to create a super weapon (and that’s why our hamster) and the torture was just being poked and prodded and kept helpless and sedated for decades. 

I suspect Soldier Boy doesn’t know how to control these energy blasts... at least not yet. It’s also possible that’s why they’ve been keeping him sedated in that tank. 

A-Train (at least assumedly) betrayed Supersonic (unless Homelander simply overheard everything A-Train, Supersonic, and The Deep said). However, I do think A-Train might come around for his own purposes. We’ll see. 

#the boys #the boys tv #the boys spoilers #the boys s3e04 #kimiko #soldier boy #homelander #a-train #stan edgar #victoria neuman #mother’s milk #laz alonso #supersonic #hughie campbell #billie butcher

[leviiackrman]

OCs AS OBSCURE ASSOCIATIONS Pt. 2 + MUSIC MONTUESDAY;

I was tagged by @perpetuagf to answer these questions for a new oc, as well as being tagged by @simonxriley @corvosattano + @marivenah to post songs relating to my wips - so I merged them! Thank you my beloveds🤍

Tagging: @risingsh0t @sstewyhosseini @chuckhansen @roofgeese @unholymilf @florbelles @arklay @captmactavish @shellibisshe @simonxriley @queennymeria @nokstella @mrdekarios @thedeadthree @jacobseed @jackiesarch @heroofpenamstan @dameayliins @jillvalentinesday @shadowglens @fenharel @alexxmason @yurgir @malefiicarum + @baldurians

Chika x Kakashi Playlist || Obscure OC Associations Pt. 1 || Character Page

SONGS:

Sorry - Halsey

Sorry Mom x - Halflives

Big Girls Don’t Cry - Fergie

Lethal Woman - Dove Cameron

thenineteenseventyfive - Push Baby

Fly on the Wall - Miley Cyrus

ANIMAL: squirrels, dogs, pigs

COLORS: cream, black, forest green, sand

MONTH: april

NUMBER: 29, 3, 1

PLANTS: Japanese maple, flowering quince, any medicinal and/or poisonous plants

SMELLS: antiseptic solution, dust, soil

TIME OF DAY: twilight, early morning

GEMSTONE: emerald

SEASON: warm summers

PLACES: densely packed forest, sandstorms, around a campfire

FOOD: bocchan dango, mochi, onigiri, miso soup

DRINKS: black tea, small amounts of sake, milk, water

ELEMENT: earth, air

ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS: taurus

SEASONING: ponzu, katsuobushi, karashi, mild spices

WEATHER: light rain, soft breeze

SKY: clouded skies or half moon skies

MAGICAL POWER: medical nin, summoning, transforming, secret jutsu: poisoned blood

WEAPON: acupuncture needles, poisoned needles, kunai, paper bombs

SOCIAL MEDIA: 100% a Reddit gal. Would stalk the shit outta people and find EVERY piece of info about them lmao

MAKEUP PRODUCT: opaque eyeshadow, eyeliner, intense blush/face paint, dark lipstick

CANDY: dorayaki (red bean pancakes), higashi, castella

METHOD OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL: running lmao, summoning jutsu (in difficult situations), expandable cloth to fly/glide like a squirrel

ART STYLE: minimalism, baroque

FEAR: causing comrades/friends deaths, being a leader, failing at what she’s good at/known for (ie saving lives), confined spaces (yknow… being buried alive and all)

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: tailed beasts (muhahahahaha)

PIECE OF STATIONARY: pencil (can do sm but is v fragile), scrolls

THREE EMOJIS: 🐿️🍃🩻

CELESTIAL BODY: Neptune, Pluto, crescent moons

#tagged* #oc: chika hoki #perpetuagf #simonxriley #corvosattano #marivenah #brain rot going STRONG #been planning her secret jutsu for ages now #considering I related her to a clan that is from the universe but didn’t have a specified secret jutsu! #so I got free reign muhahahaha #so yes I’ve decided she has poisoned blood that she uses on her weapons #and another reason why her father/clan fears her sm #cus she doesn’t activate it until she’s older #cus no one in the clan would teach her how to use it #so she’s self taught/helped by Shizune and Tsunade to make it her own and draw it out #another reason why she’s so pail cus she uses her own blood when needed #god it all ties together now!!

[oswlld]

oswlld's monthly wrap up: april

note: i am trying something a bit different this year, so bear with me as i figure out how i want to format this. i wanted to spend more time sharing what i consume, beyond what i rb, and put my thoughts in one place. these posts are okay to rb

--

This Is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone [started 04/04, finished 04/09] *drags my hands down my face until the end of time* I want to meet you in every place I ever loved. I want to meet you in every place I ever loved. I want to meet you in every place I ever loved. I want to meet you in every place I ever loved. I want to meet you in every place I ever loved. I WANT TO MEET YOU!!!! IN EVERY PLACE I EVER LOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4.75⭐️ in storygraph. — Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell [started 04/12, in prog] I am about 100 pages in and still not sure if I want to keep going or DNF it. idk what isn’t sticking because the writing is beautiful and the pacing is great. And I do care about the characters, I really do. I love the way the author borrows from future grief, it’s what I am enjoying most about this read so far. Maybe I’ll give it 50 more pages and see if it finally sticks.

23.5 Degrees, GMMTV [started: 03/08, ongoing] As mentioned, I am caught up on eps 3-8. I’ll likely not be able to watch it live in may but I will be keeping up with the series til the end. It’s so lighthearted and charming! Not sure how they managed this, but I am constantly surprised by the character group dynamics. It’s def due to the great chemistry everyone has with literally everyone. I need NEED to discuss the score of this show because it’s IMMACULATE. The celestial themes, from the props all the way down to the music, is so rich. I’m so excited to see how this story unravels. — Devil’s Plan [started: 04/23, ongoing] This is a bestie pick, a show my best friend chose to have us watch on our facetime calls. We are 1.5 eps in and it’s a grower. The first game is hella complex and we’re slowly picking up on what’s happening. The people on this show are incredibly intelligent, so I feel like I have to work extra hard to keep up. It does feel rewarding, I’m hooked.

Oppenheimer, Peacock [watched on 04/05] I am a self-proclaimed Nolan girlie, I’ll admit it. I do enjoy his work and the many ways he translates time into film. When I wrote this, it had been a few days since I watched it and I still think abt the little moments that blew me away. Moments like the accentuated dust particles, how the coloring of the movie can be an unreliable narrator, and the utilization of a crowded hall stomping their feet to create tension. The last eight minutes still haunts me. I find more value in the technical side of film, but I will give credit when credit is due: every award Cillian Murphy got this season was so well earned. He carried all three hours of that film with such powerful quietude. And lastly, my heart now belongs to Jennifer Lame. Upon seeing her accept the award for Best Film Editing for Oppenheimer, I have come to learn that she also edited Tenet. HER MIND!!! She has such a bright future ahead of her, to be up there with the minds of Thelma Schoonmaker and Anne V Coates. — Yellow Door: ’90s Lo-Fi Film Club [watched on 04/14] This film needs to be studied in film school. It’s incredibly meta in some ways, having renown directors be the subjects, talking about their passion for film. The production being so stylized and the editing feels very reminiscent of Our Beloved Summer, with the way the found footage and the aspect ratios are intertwined with current day quality shots. This film will hit everyone right in the millennial. A true surprise for me is discovering that Bong Joon Ho and I are more alike that I had originally thought. The way he speaks in casual conversation and his story of setting strict rules for their film collection had me hollering because SAME. The most jessi thing he recounted was how all the VHS tapes were labelled. Yellow Door is somehow the opposite of the "doesn’t take itself too seriously" mentality; it’s actually so great that they made the film like that. By fully immersing us with gorgeous cinematography, cheeky editing sequences, and lush music to tug at your heartstrings, it bewitches you into loving film as much as they did. And still do.

Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé [relisten] I’ve given this several good cycles to confirm my first impressions: it’s def one of her most cohesive albums to date and still stands as a spectacular album. This passion project of hers takes such great care and attention to the voices she amplifies. I can feel the hunger, the innate need for her to make this album. If you haven’t heard how this album came to be, I insist you take the time to educate yourselves. It makes the listening experience so much more empowering. Good for her… GOOD. FOR. HER!! Current favs: Ameriican Requiem, 16 Carriages, Bodyguard, Jolene, Spaghettii, Ya Ya, Desert Eagle, II Hands II Heaven, and Sweet/Honey/Buckin’. — Older, Lizzy McAlpine [first time listening] Coming off the heels of my Five Seconds Flat hyperfixation last year, I haphazardly went into Older hoping its a natural progression in production value. I was shocked that it turned out to be a completely different sound. I soon learned that she actually didn’t really like Five Seconds Flat was produced because it didn’t feel true to her as an artist. Tbh I was feeling a little lost after the first listen but after digesting this new info, I went back into it and appreciated it a lot more. In fact, the third listen was when I realized that it gave off the same energy as Laufey. I’m excited to listen to it again soon. — Stick Season: Forever, Noah Kahan [first time listening] Having stumbled on all the collabs on Alexa earlier this year, Forever was the only new song for me from his latest release. I’m OBSESSED with this song!!!! The way his voice carries the entire weight of every hurt inside me and just takes it away. Something healed in me. I play it in the car every time I leave the house. I cry in the car every time I leave the house. — The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift [first time listening, standard vinyl ed.] I am going to get this out of the way and say that this album is great. Just great. I understand more than ever why she felt the need to make this album. Having only listened to the standard version a couple times and the anthology twice through, I sit here in this kind of… discomfort. And I’m kind of okay with that feeling. But… it pains me that I can’t share this album with some people in my life and it’s largely due to how she depicts her struggles with people with mental health/addiction. It’s one, if not the biggest, strike I have against this album and by extension, her. Songs cycling in my head: Down Bad, So Long London, Guilty as Sin?, Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?, loml, imgonnagetyouback, Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus, How Did It End?, I Look in People’s Windows, The Prophecy, Peter, and The Manuscript.

EXPO Chicago [attended 04/13] Yes, I am doxxing myself a bit if you didn’t already know. During college, I used to attend EXPO yearly and occasionally went back long after I finished school. I haven’t attended in a long time, so I made it my goal to attend this year. And I had a blast! My mother tagged along and she’s not one to attend shows like this or art museums in general. It was a beautiful day trip to the city and it was nice to have her company. She mostly trailed behind and took pics of me as I floated around the exhibition hall. I have 50+ artists I tracked on my phone to actively research in my spare time. I sat in on one of the panel talks (ON COLOR), discussing color theory in today’s bipoc landscape. I took so much away from that conversation, it was very charged. I'm kinda obsessed with Alteronce Gumby, I need to do an artist deepdive on his work. — Coachella [watched from 04/12 to 04/14] I work for a big tech company and one of the biggest events to be on standby for is Coachella. I had to be on call for Friday and was backup support for Sunday lineups. Thus, Saturday was the only day I could sit back and relax while watching. My first time lineups included: Hatsune Miku, Peso Pluma, Late Night Drive Home, Jon Batiste, Ateez, le Sserafim, Purple Disco Machine, Bleachers, No Doubt, 88rising Futures, and Latin Mafia. Of all of the performances, I want to take a full deep dive into Ateez and Peso Pluma’s discography in the near future.

#oswlld 2024 wrap up #mine: edits #long post #this is how you lose the time war #23.5 degrees #devil's plan #oppenheimer #bong joon ho #yellow door #cowboy carter #beyonce #lizzy mcalpine #noah kahan #taylor swift #alteronce gumby #ateez #peso pluma #ive been tackling ttpd as though it was folklore/evermore #it reads more like sister albums for me it gives length and structure like musical theatre cast recordings #i dissect the narrative in acts #and im enjoying the writing and narrative more in ttpd standard #but i LOVE the production and variety of topics in the anthology collection #this level of vulnerability and info dumping is not for everyone #and tbh it might not even be for me but it doesn’t make it a bad album #it’s like… i get why there’s criticism about how it needs to be edited down or polished or that it needed ‘more time’ #i do get it and a part of me buys into it #imo she’s prob too big to fail. she can get away with almost anything at this rate #im still enjoying it tho. she's a grower #i have the rest of time to have it grow on me. there will be songs that will hit harder in a week/month/year #sorry about the tangent see yall in june

[transmutationisms]

i couldn't get through season 3 of hannibal for some reason so i switched to binging killing Eve and now i'm done. should i go back?

s3 is definitely a bit sloppystyle and i get why it puts people off but 1) the show hits peak Style, for good and bad, in this last season 2) the red dragon arc in the back half is v watchable, even if overly compressed 3) there are multiple characters introduced in s3 who, though underused and questionably written, are beloved TO ME, and 4) the ultimate payoff for will/hannibal is worth it all imo

[russilton]

i am genuinely so curious about your opinion as to why you think merc likes george as much as williams. not to cause discourse but i would actually love to change my mind if george is going to be there for god knows how long.

my impression has always been that merc likes george, but williams loves george. that he is merc's guy but williams' BABY.

(like ngl they didn't make any effort to stop the cyber bullying during the season on his own team's page, which might be minor but it rubs a lot of people the wrong way)

I think it comes down to less weighing up social post vs social post, which is what people often do, and more remembering that both Williams and Mercs socials function fundamentally differently.

Also you can still like whatever teams you want- this post is not me arguing to not support Williams, I still support Williams, I’m just gonna talk about some ways Merc HAVE supported George, and Williams have been the less idealised version people sometimes remember.

We have for a while seen more jokey silly, vloggy content from Williams socials (at least from 2019 on), while we are still, STILL, teaching Merc to pull the stick out of their ass and stop holding themselves to such an aloof standard from 2020 on- compared to other teams. Merc were winning for a long time, they didn’t need to appeal to people they way they now have to as a team winning less and advertising a new driver.

Meanwhile Williams had NOTHING going on for a long time, they were fighting for 19th/20th, all they could do to sell their team to sponsors was provide content people talked about. Mercedes had the name power of Lewis Hamilton, Williams only had George and Nicky for two years- two junior drivers people didn’t know.

I also just… I personally don’t gauge love based on social content alone, since it’s usually run by 2-3 people who have to put out positive content, it’s designed to make you think they love them as much as they can.

Arguably Williams never HAD to defend George the way people want Merc to, vitriolic fan tweets scaled up massively in the 2021 season and Williams was a back of the field team, plenty of people barely knew George existed. George entered Merc at the most controversial time he could, when Max fans were filling their replies with slurs and Lewis fans demanded to know why the fuck we weren’t fighting for a reclassification at the championship- something we now know why they couldn’t but still hurt. When you watch an entire sport break the rules to fuck you, you start making unreasonable demands to do anything to get back at them and make it hurt less. Merc will never satisfy them, and if anything when Merc DID step up to defend George in Singapore and Qatar- people just got madder at George.

When you look down at the team behaviour as a whole… I would really counter your point about George being Williams baby- because he’s been Merc’s baby for double that time.

George was beloved by engineers, drivers, mechanics and upper staff alike, including Nicki Lauda who notoriously used to go to George’s junior series podiums when they supported F1, took him to a black eye peas concert, and called him the future of Merc. He was coached by Val and particularly Lewis on how to drive, George still mentions Lewis’ coaching as what secured his f2 championship and had him coming back from the summer break reborn. The likes of shov, Bono, James v and Mike Sansoni used to tease George lovingly when he did rookie tests for Merc, invited him to run club and team dinners, George even went to the Merc team bowling nights Lewis organised.

My point is, all of the ways Williams yes, does show public past support for George… Merc were doing that behind the scenes. It may seem like they don’t share stuff from George’s Williams past- they don’t have the licenses to show some of those photos, and given that socials are a brand promotion exercise that just serves to promote a team that’s not your own. But in a practical sense they were inviting George into their family and making sure he always felt at home.

You just have to listen to George himself- he said so often last year how he didn’t feel much like he had to settle into Merc because he’d always been with them, long before he was an F1 driver. They are his family, and this is always what HE wanted.

I also have to look at how they treated George trust wise. In 2020 Mercedes trusted George to drive the fastest car in the sports history, Lewis’ car, when he was sick. They skipped over their TWO reserve drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck De Vries, to give George a shot, and had to bargain with Williams to borrow him for Sakhir, when arguably Stoff and Nyck would have done more sim work than him.

At the same time, Jost Capito and Williams were trying to find a way to get out of their contract with George for 2021, because they were annoyed George was planning to leave them for Mercedes, and wanted to start working with someone “committed” to them, to the point they approached Kmag about the seat (in his book, Kmag says he called them idiots for it).

It’s theorised George only kept his seat by virtue of the incredibly strict contract Claire Williams tied him into, and Toto/James Vowles threatening Williams within an inch of it’s life. It wasn’t lost on me in the 20/21 season how Jost tended to not always blame their dog shit car for the poor performances, but George and Nicky for not doing more. Hell the way he portioned money in the team was so poor JV is appealing to the FIA for a special grant to upgrade their factory. In 2021 George DNF’d SIX times, mostly mechanical, you can see him disparing in dts about their borderline undrivable performance, but very little changed- but when a fuck up happened they looked right at the drivers.

Meanwhile, Mercedes saw exactly the kind of driver George was trying to be even through the worst car on the grid, and hired him anyway. I’ve seen teams outright throw drivers to the curb for performances they had very little fault in. You can feel how you want about Nicholas Latifi’s confidence in his driving in 22, Williams gave him a car even George struggled to place in for two fucking years, one year with a car Alex just about got by in, and then replaced him with Sargent, who placed lower in F2 than Nicky did.

Nicky has moved on, Williams ARE doing right by Logan now, but a lot of people are only seeing the Williams James Vowles has run. James Vowles who was at Mercedes… longer than Toto. If you want to base Williams current love of George on him, you’re basing it in a reflection of the James who worked with Gwen lagrue to support George for Merc.

You can still love how Williams love George! I do! I like current Williams and I miss James Vowles at Merc so much, but he’s flourishing leading Williams and it’s incredible. I like how silly Williams are sometimes, how they put themselves out on a limb more- but ultimately they have had to make less hard and controversial choices than Merc has, and the one time they did (Hungary 21) George took the choice from them and asked them to prioritise Nicky. Merc has had make choices nobody wants to make- and often panicked and straddled the line in a way nobody was happy with. But to call back to a post @ininininininstayoutstayout made once- when both sides come out of a choice complaining they got fucked over, ultimately you have to reevaluate what the team really could have done because nothing would have pleased everyone.

You can be upset with some of the choices Merc made with George on track over the last couple years, I have been mad at them myself. You can be angry at the mistakes they made with the sakhir pit stop and countless other strategic fuck ups- but none of those were intended results. Nobody at Merc has deliberately targeted George (OR Lewis) for poor treatment, nor did they WANT to make the boys a shitty car.

At the end of the day Merc as a brand poured hundred of thousands or maybe millions into supporting George as a Junior, Toto lead him the the Williams seat, the engineers and mechanics continued to develop him and train him and invite him into the factories and their travel team. He went out to dinner with them, tested their cars. They chose him over Valtteri, who was arguably the safe choice, trusted him, and now George is on their team they support him. Sometimes at a booming volume when George was adjusting, or then punishing himself for things like Singapore or possible controversies like Qatar.

Arguing Merc don’t adore George is like arguing that they don’t love Lewis- if you only look at specific circumstances you can build that idea- but if you look at the longer history it’s abundantly clear that Merc’s employees do fucking love them, they’re just an organisation not a monolith, and really stupid choices happen. And as much as I hate Jost capito, Toto is just as prone to bullshit, just with less “funny”stories about sexually assaulting his employees.

People who want George to go back to Williams are covering over just wanting him to face less backlash, and have less eyes on him, gatekeeping him almost for comfort. I get the impulse, but it’s not what George wants, what he’s fought for, for almost a decade.

Merc are giving him a chance at what he wants, and as bumpy as it’s been it’ll only pave his story as an underdog fight rather than a gifted ride, and they’re doing all that they can to put he and Lewis back up there.

#asks #anonymous #wank/rants #mark rambles #mark’s driver meta #I spent like 3 hours writing this and I am really not up to start DISCOURSE about this #just rambling my feelings about some stuff I’ve seen so I can dump it and move on #potentially #anti Williams #and #anti mercedes

[missyourflight]

some stuff i read and watched in december:

the buccanneers: never really hit the heights i wanted it to and most of the cast was not great! but kristine froseth is always watchable and kate winslet's daughter is darling, most importantly scotland doubling for cornwall was beaut. as ever god bless apple for spending money on nonsense

slow horses (s3): i don't know when river cartwright became my shit friend i'm unreasonably fond of but here we are! jack lowden v funny this season and i don't think it's just because i've decided he should be lymond in the billion dollar apple tv series that isn't happening and probably shouldn't bc who else is even blonde (harris dickinson?? i haven't seen the iron claw yet)

monarch: legacy of monsters: i started this and then due to my bad personality decided i had to watch all of the ~monsterverse for context, therefore godzilla december. strong threesome energy in the flashbacks, can't argue with wyatt and kurt russell playing the same character decades apart etc, love a disaster lesbian in crisis etc

~monsterverse interlude: most of these were silly, godzilla: king of the monsters was actively bad, godzilla vs. kong somehow my favourite due to the askars/rebecca hall (long beloved) combo plus all the neon. hollow earth let's go baby!

tokyo godfathers: loved this! love miracles in the city during the holiday season, love to listen to three different podcasts talking about the nuances of trans rep in subtitle translation etc

godzilla minus one: godzilla december! this one made me cryyy, the godzilla theme goes so unbelievably hard, cutest sweetest baby in the world, was incredibly happy to be emotionally manipulated by the endings etc

not going to get into all the christmas film rewatches but: coward's edit of the family stone (repeat the sounding joy!), crying at both little women 94 and little women 19 as per, moonstruck forever, bridget jones' diary colin firth the most sexually appealing colin firth 2 me etc

the wind rises: catching up with miyazaki before the boy and the heron and straight into my ghibli top 3, the love story stuff absolutely floored me

how to have sex: absolutely devastating god

the boy and the heron: very weird and beautiful and sad - saw the dub (robert pattinson you wonderful freak), seeing again with subs this week

jon krakauer, into thin air: a personal account of the everest disaster: i got about halfway through the first chapter and had to stop and ask my dad what the hell he was up to trekking to base camp on his own in the seventies. gripping, chilling, tragic

rose lerner, sailor's delight: rose lerner one of my favourite romance authors (true pretenses i love you forever etc), m/m age of sail romance set around the jewish high holidays with SO much longing and yearning my god

lizzie huxley-jones, make you mine this christmas: fun christmas romance - fake dating but she falls in love with the guy's sister! - that made me burst into tears like five pages in for reasons entirely unrelated to romance or christmas. a 2024 project for soph etc

barbra streisand, my name is barbra: did the audio version so even sped up i reckon i spent at least a full day and a half with barbra. as ever the parts about making things and artistic choices were the best parts, i respect her energy re: including every nice letter or compliment she ever received (my version of this would be reproducing nice ao3 comments etc). wild to me that she spent like 3 decades beefing with larry kramer trying to adapt the normal heart (with bradley cooper at one point lol) but i have to disagree with her impulse to tone down the gay sex to avoid alienating straight people!!

i am not here really but i was proud i managed to keep these little roundups going through the year so. happy new year friends

#monthly media #sophposting

[freshthoughts2020]

FEAR GOD OR HOMELANDER?

Fear God or Homelander?

November 27, 2023

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

So I just finished all three seasons of The Boys on Amazon Prime. I thought Invincible was crazy but no buddy this show is on a whole other time. When it started I knew something was about to go awry because the scene was too jolly but I still couldn’t see what was coming. Less than 10 mins they show a woman getting ran thru by a speedster (A Train). 

And in the moment he shows no remorse, just says he gotta keep going. 

I was like oh this show about to be one of them ones. Even that scene couldn’t prepare me for the series’ main antagonist, Homelander!

This dude is literally all of Batman’s fears about Superman personified by a 1000!

The thing I enjoy most about his presence on the show is literally that, his presence. I don’t know Anthony Starr does it, (the actor for Homelander) but he oozes a sense of unpredictability. Every time he’s around you literally don’t if he’s going to kill everyone in the room or not. What makes it better is the supporting cast show the same pressure as well. No one is ever feeling 100% comfortable around him. He’s an abosolute menace. 

Seeing this show made me realize why God didn’t give us superpowers lol. The super-powered people in this show are so damn egotistical, with Homelander far exceeding everyone else. The only humanity he displays is while interacting with his son. That’s almost an oxymoron based off how his son was conceived ( watch the show beloved).

If Anthony Starr isn’t nominated for an Emmy this year it’s an absolute crime. We know superhero shows aren’t that respected in mainstream awards media but nobody is acting like Starr is. Every time he shows up your heart pounds thinking man is he going to just laser someone out of their existence. Then when he actually do it you’re like man I knew he was going to snap, boy is just next level egregious!!

I knew I had to write this article after finishing the season 3 finale when he killed a protestor and was met with praise. Even his son, who was molded and nurtured in a more clark Kent way showed some enjoyment seeing his dad destroy someone’s soul. You can see Pandora’s Box not only open, the hinges were ripped off with the hulk hands lol!

Be sure to checkout The Boys on Amazon Prime and when you do let’s take some compound V and get this ham Homelander outta here!!! Lol

Follow me on twitter.com/onlyonejaevonn

Visit gettothecorner.com

#FEAR GOD OR HOMELANDER? #homelander #the boys #amazon prime #life logs #life lessons #jaevonn harris

[variousqueerthings]

This is what happens when you travel alone for too long

It's A Town Called Mercy, also known as "the one people say is super duper good in season 7" or "oh it's V for Vendetta but a Western"

and... yeah it's pretty good. I feel like it's one I cannot help comparing to other stories like it, and I'm not sure if it manages as much as they do, but I'm going to sit with it for a bit, and in the meantime! Ranking!

sexism rank objectification (female character is ogled/harassed/turned into a sex joke by the doctor and/or a lead we’re supposed to root for and/or the camera): 10/10

sexism rank plot-point (lead female character is only there to serve plot, not to have her emotional interiority explored): 3/10

interesting complex or pointlessly complex (does the complexity serve the narrative or does it just serve to be confusing as a stand-in for smart, this includes visually): 8/10

furthers character and/or lore and/or plot development (broader question that ties into the previous ones, at least two of these, ideally three should be fulfilled): 5/10

companion matters (the companion doesn’t always have to be there, but if the companion is there, can they function without the doctor– and overall per season how often is the companion the focus or POV of the story): 4/10

the doctor is more than just “godlike” (examines the doctor’s flaws and limitations, doesn’t solve a plot by having it revolve entirely around the doctor’s existence): 7/10

doesn’t look down on previous doctor who (by erasing or mocking its importance, by redoing and “bettering” previous beloved plotpoints or characters, etc.): 5/10

isn’t trying to insert hamfisted sexiness (m*ffat famously talked a lot about how dw should be sexier multiple times, he sucks at writing it): 10/10

internal world has consistency (characters have backgrounds, feel rooted in a place with other people, generally feel like they have Lives): 4/10

Politics (how conservative is the story): 3/10

FULL RATING: 59/100 (if I can count….)

it's the politics that got this one. that and... the Ponds are still just kinda there this season. and other stuff. ah well, it's not terrible, on the whole

OBJECTIFICATION: Listen, there is none. not an off-colour joke, not an ogle, not a strange costume choice

there's not a lot of women in this story generally, Amy is kind of the only one who matters, and this one little girl who's in two scenes and doesn't have any lines, but I think that's something we'll get to later on when discussing this

PLOT-POINT: Eh, Amy doesn't really matter so much in this, apart from the scenes where she calls out the Doctor, which isn't really her, so much as him. it's not even a complaint as such, but I do still wonder... if this is a sign that maybe her story should have ended in The God Complex, since we're three episodes into s7 and she's not got much to do for her own story

COMPLEXITY: it's a good setup, town in the Wild West, beset by a gunslinger from space, because they're harbouring an alien war criminal who has since been repenting by healing their sick and bettering their lives generally

it's there to open the doors to discussions on morality

CHARACTERS/LORE/PLOT: ah soooo, there's stuff here about the Doctor, subtextually, and I appreciate that it didn't do what God Complex did and spell it out so much (even though God Complex is still The episode of all time for this era)

the alien the Doctor has to choose to protect or throw to the gunslinger killed a lot of people in order to stop a war -- okay wait, before I go more into that as "see, like the Doctor," I have a question. has the show added the lore that it's the Doctor that killed the Timelords yet? because I don't think that comes up until later

we have last of the Timelords, we have the stuff at End Of Time where he sends Rassilon/Gallifrey back, but I think... that the Doctor pressed a big button and they all died is the 50th anniversary, no?

point being, one can begin to have a little wonder if this works for oneself or not, in terms of lore. 2005 nu!who established all the Timelords are dead, so far so good, End Of Time the Doctor sends the Timelords back to die, because allowing the Time War out would kill everyone, okay, the Doctor killed everyone... is an interesting thing I haven't thought much about until this moment. and then later on ofc (Chibnall era) we're getting the Doctor is in fact the most special Time Lord, the OG who through experiments gave the others time travel and was then force regenerated and had their memory wiped

it's an interesting thing, all this lore... it adds a lot of baggage to a story about a loser alien who's just out to experience the Universe (and who in the nu!who era is a war survivor with PTSD). in the classic!who series the Doctor is already an outsider, because the other Timelords think they're a fucking weirdo (simplification), and while I think -- biased because my era -- that nu!who made a good choice to have the Time War, so that it could strip away some lore and gradually re-introduce it to a new audience, perhaps we're getting... a teensy bit unwieldy here, in terms of who the Doctor is

that is more of a question to myself than an assertion. in any case, in this episode, war criminal, doing penance, nothing is too heavy-handed in playing into the Doctor that one cannot take it as one wants to, arguably the more obvious thing is the Doctor saying "today I honour the victims first, his, the Master's, the Daleks," which is fun, considering the last time we met the Master, the Doctor was desperately trying to get him to stay, because well... last of their species + the Master and the Doctor are Some Kinda Way about each other, so it's considering the fact that when the Doctor tries to hold an "everyone's lives have equal importance" morality constantly, this has had adverse effects on... victims of violence (especially with regards to the Master), and being the judge on this is no good, but also who is the Doctor to judge who deserves to die, etc.

there's also a question about the Doctor travelling alone (Amy says this) becoming more ruthless in exacting things like punishment

COMPANIONS MATTER: well sort oooof, Amy is mostly there to give another point of view to the Doctor's, especially with relation to "can i say that some people need to die," but I'm not convinced that couldn't have been done with someone else in the story, perhaps by refocusing the importance of the child, since there's that whole VO that's talking about her great-grandmother who was there... idk, they're not... really doing much in the story beyond that, especially Rory (who seems kind of fine with them sending this guy out for execution, and that is never explored)

“GODLIKE” DOCTOR: nah, I think this episode did relatively well on having this be quite a Doctor-focused episode, without making the Doctor solve everything (or indeed... anything)

there's this bit that Jex the war criminal say: Looking at you Doctor is like looking into a mirror. There’s rage there like me, guilt like me, solitude, everything but the nerve to do what needs to be done. Thank the gods my people weren’t relying on you to save them

and I can see that's meant to be a bit of an Anti-Doctor moment -- the Doctor is not the great saviour that so many previous episodes have set them up to be in this era, the Doctor is a hypocrite, a coward, etcetc.

IIIII am not sure if.... oof, this is subjective. the idea of this as a continuity of exploring the Doctor's inability to save everyone, and need to be in control of situations, and "honouring the victims" there's just something about this episode that doesn't quite emotionally land for me, and I will continue to try and figure out what. the point being, it's meant to be a strong character piece, but I'm not sure it manages it

I'm also highly dubious in an episode that's exploring the Doctor's morality and what he's all about, about why the Doctor never asks the victim's name or background or... just anything really. but we'll get to that in politics

PREVIOUS DOCTOR WHO: here's some of the "crux" of why I'm not sure it manages it, and it's more to do with "previous Doctor Who episodes of this era," than classic!who

in the sense of continuity of emotional journey. I think it's that seasons 1-specials had one long clear arc, one can pinpoint on the whole why the Doctor goes from s1ep1 to The End Of Time. and I'm not convinced that this episode works in this era, because I don't see that same arc in this era

maybe Twelve's era, from what I've heard of it, which deals with a lot of repercussions of having gone too far with things and not knowing if they're actually doing good on the whole, etc.

the main "big" arcs of this era have been 1. the relationship between the Doctor and Amy, a woman whose life he changed forever due to meeting her as a child and breaking a promise to her, which affected her entire upbringing and bent her towards the Doctor in an unhealthy way 2. the relationship between the Doctor and River Song, who is Amy's child and was kidnapped after being born and "brainwashed" into wanting to kill him, only to fall in love, but also if one takes this idea to its actual natural conclusion in conjunction with point the first, the Doctor's continued influence on Amy Pond continuing to be disruptive to the point that her child's entire life is even more (in fact solely one might say) in orbit around the Doctor, and never has the chance to break free from that destructive influence 3. some shit about a prophecy and a question and blabla, that has about zero emotional weight

there haven't really been stories about the Doctor's morality, so much as the Doctor's far more personal relationships, again The God Complex did this soooo well by introducing Rita as a possible companion and her rejecting the Doctor's whole schtick

so while technically this episode is fine as concept, I don't think it's grounded in an emotional continuity, which is a shame. give it to Twelve! watch Capaldi have these emotions!

“SEXINESS”: can you believe, a whole episode without a single sexy joke? wow, a rarity.

INTERNAL WORLD: so it's a Western town, it doesn't neeeed to be that fleshed out I guess, but I do feel like I wish the townsfolk were a bit more than just quaint set-dressing

we hear about Jex the war criminal's influence on this town, but we don't really see it

the Doctor even says to the gunslinger "this is their home, not the backdrop for your revenge," but it doesn't feel like anything but a stereotypical Western township, which is a shame

POLITICS: HA okay the other point where I am not 100% sure about this episode. it has good intentions, is my first point, it's not like it sets out to make conservative points or needlessly sexually harass Queen Nefertiti (sighs at prev episode)

buuuuuuut I just rewatched V for Vendetta a couple of weeks ago, as is the ritual on Guy Fawkes Night, and it's a very similar story, although ofc in V for Vendetta they're experimented on for far more nefarious purposes than "winning a war"... or are they. because that is my point, and maybe it's a pedantic one that a single 45min episode couldn't possibly have the time for, which is that a society/government that allows this sort of violence is "ends justify the means" and these types of governments are always at war in their heads

the idea of a neat divide between peace-time politics which are free to be nice, and war-time politics which necessitate the hard choices is simply not reality, and so the conceit that there was simply nothing else he could do but experiment on people and turn them into killing machines, it's... on shaky grounds

and it's kind of dependent on those grounds to work, because not only is this guy now repenting by doing good, the ends justified the means. they ended the war! millions were saved! (now where have I heard that before about an atom bomb?)

on top of that, the gunslinger isn't really as well-developed. who was he before he was experimented on? what did being forced to kill do to him? did he have friends on the experimenting tables die in front of him? who is he?

it's all well and good to say "but we don't do this Doctor, every life matters, including the war criminals" but why is the war criminal so well-developed, and the gunslinger -- the victim -- not at all?

those grounds are getting shakier by the Minute

why is this story not about the victim? why does the Doctor not go to hear the victim, not in terms of figuring out whether he should give over the war criminal, but just to be kind?

there is one scene in it where the gunslinger enters a church, sees a child and leaves again, because there's a neat thing in this that the gunslinger Will Not Kill Civilians, but that's such an interesting thing that's under-explored too. what if the gunslinger had to change his programming, because the original maybe didn't make a distinction between "enemy" and "civilian" (after all in these kinds of "wars" every person is an enemy, including the children)

what if the programming fights back when he's really upset and Jex the war criminal realises that this is his fault? what if a child died in this episode... that's getting a bit messed up, but let's entertain it for a second? or a parent died protecting their child and the gunslinger has to run from the town to stop the programming -- the programming that's been forced on him through mutilation and experimentation and that violence can never be undone? what if this story was about the victim, and not about a repenting war criminal?

gunslinger, after Jex self-destructs: "He behaved with honour at the end. Maybe more than me"

DID HE???? He just felt bad really, you're the most trauma-inflicted character we've had on this show in some fucking time

so yeah, it's grounds are. shaaaaky. shaky shaky shaky the more you think about it

another minor thing is that none of the main driving characters had to be men, but there's five extra characters in this episode with lines and big-to-small arcs (marshall, jex, gunslinger, young boy, mayor-type) and everyone else is backdrop, which is just kind of... in your cool scifi Western all the women were silent? why did the little girl not get to speak?

FULL RATING: 59/100 (if I can count….)

It's a good concept, executed at the wrong time in the story, and executed very clumsily

the good parts relate to the concept itself, and not spending valuable time being massively sexist

the problem is that it's just not smart enough to explore what it's trying to explore, and it's such a heavy topic, it better know what it's doing or it'll fall flat on its face. I wish it had come at another time with better writing, because I really wish it was better

I also wish that people were more adventurous about writing women. two historical Moments this season and neither have been kind to women for different reasons

is it time for the Ponds to leave? we'll find out next episode (I say, like I don't know their arcs)

#im watching nu!who #im watching eleven who #a town called mercy #the measurement

[ritzcrackee]

fuck it every dimension 20 season ranked

1. a starstruck odyssey

... we all saw this coming. i don't even have anything to say that i haven't already sleep deprivedly rambled about to my friends. glittery space bitches go brrrrrr

2. the ravening war

AUOERGHHHHH the drama the violence the edge the politics the tragedy THE SHIPS!!!! truly just my favorite people (and matthew mercer i guess) playing my favorite character tropes. it's like they scanned my brain and generated a season based solely on what i would be the most autistic about.

3. misfits and magic

yippeeeee best friends and they like each other and are friends yayyyy

4. the seven

women <333 (but fr tho i just like watching teenage girls be messy and multifaceted)

5. a court of fey and flowers

look i just really like fae shit. fairy rainbow magic boys RISE UP 💪💪💪💪

6. a crown of candy

the little candy people are sad??? what the hell.... (no but this season started off SO STRONG!! would easily be my #1, but i feel like the latter half of the season dragged on and also felt rushed? idk still one of the top tier seasons)

7. fantasy high

i mean what can i say. a solid classic, bad kids live in my head RENT free, fig is my irl girlfriend, uhhhhh kissing them all forever.

8. mice and murder

love a good murder mystery <33. lars vandenchomp my BELOVED!!!

9. fantasy high sophomore year

sophomore year!!!! i feel like this season had some of the highest highs, but also a lot of the lowest lows. which is why it's in the middle of the list lol. the live format made it hard to follow a lot of the time, however, consider, i'm the crab king.

10. the unsleeping city: season 2

CODYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! between him, iga, and the spooky capitalism moment, i really liked this season. i just,,, haven't really thought about it much. did not stay in my head.

11. neverafter

love the characters, love the vibe, less spooky than i had hoped? but still, as always, a slay

12. the unsleeping city

you may be saying "why is s1 lower than s2" CODY! it's literally just him i just really like cody.

14. coffin run

VAMPIRES!!! AND IZZY AT THE TABLE!!! v good season, a little bit loud for me? but otherwise good job guys 11111/10

13. mentopolis

not much to say abt this season tbh

15. escape from the bloodkeep

i have never read [insert fantasy book here] so i didn't really get a lot of the inside jokes? idk i think i was not the target audience.

16. pirates of levithan

look the zoom format just absolutely kills this season :( i love literally everything else about it but all of the players are so BIG in a way that the format struggles to capture. honestly it was a hard watch for me but i'd love to see it revisited in the dome.

17. shriek week

look i'm all for a vibes only no plot session but a vibes only no plot season? i truly could not tell you a single thing that happened in this show. also not enough hot monsters and too many hot people who are vaguely monster adjacent. absolutely HILARIOUS tho, watch it for sure but just turn your brain off. ally fermentation jokes my beloved.

18. dungeons and drag queens

i'm homophobic ❤ (this is a joke i'm gay i just didn't find it very compelling bdjfk. i don't think i was the target audience)

19. tiny heist

i'm sorry the mcelroy brothers just don't do it for me. certainly one of the dimension 20 seasons 👍

#CAN #U #TELL #IM #AUTISTIC #BCUS #I #CANN #anyways haha hiii #reminder that this is the opinion of a funky lil guy and should not be taken as fact #AND and this is not a recommendation of what u should watch first!!!! #anyways kiss kiss #d20 #erp

[paperandhis-paper]

Arc-V Month Day 8: The Regular- ah, Standard Show and Day 9:Light Across the Aether

Combining two prompts, as I'll be gushing about (among other parts) about the Standard arc. Hope that's fine, @arcvmonth

Anyway, Arc-V has a lot of positives (that tend to get washed by the hatejerk), but what I want all of us to appreciate is that this silly show...exists. Not only that, but the awesome way the staff managed to hype all of us up?

What do I mean by this? Let me put it this way. This is a show about a multidimensional war where each dimension is based on a previous Yugioh series, featuring Returning Characters, and every Summoning Type is used.

Now go back to the original trailer for Arc-V. Notice how there're some things missing. Namely? ALL OF THE ABOVE. We knew about Pendulum Summoning, we knew Yuya rode a hippo...and that's about it.

Marketing-wise maybe this wasn't the brightest move, but it's an example of something I love about early Arc-V. In the year of our lord, 2023, where crossovers are everywhere and meta-commentary is so overdone people do meta-commentary about meta-commentary, it's bewildering how Arc-V kept its cards close to its chest and drip-fed information about its plot to keep the audience interested.

All of Season 1 is like this. At first we only really see Pendulum Summoning. But as early as Episode 3, we get hints about the other Summoning Types, since LDS has courses on each one. But whatever, you may think. It's only an Easter Egg, right?

Then this little fella shows up.

Casually, this kid activates Polymerization like it's nothing. And it's not like Jack randomly Fusing in early 5D's, Sora's deck is clearly Fusion-focused. But if that's not enough, we then meet the LDS trio, who use Xyz, Fusion, and Synchro. AND THEN Reiji tops them all by using all three at once. And Pendulum.

It's easy to take it for granted now, but this was legit just such a "holy shit" moment back then. 5D's featured Fusion a few times, but it was mostly a Synchro Spam. And Zexal pretended Synchros didn't exist. So it was so exciting to know Arc-V would be different.

That would be cool enough, but then they went ahead and made it so that each Summoning Type was tied to a specific Dimension. And again, the war plot was dropped slowly but surely. We get introduced to Yuto, who not only looks like Yuya, but he mentions something about some "Academia". But hey, a GX reference, whatever. And then it keeps going. We learn about Shun, about Ruri. And it all culminates in Shun vs Sora, which... ok, everyone knows this duel is amazing, but it's not just about the duel itself being spectacular. It's about the confirmation that, yes, we really are doing this. That Action Field IS Heartland, Shun and Yuto are from there, and the Academia Sora belongs to is based on GX.

The most ambitious crossover in history is here. And all they told us at first is that Tomato-boy rides a hippo. What the fuck.

Speaking of hippo-ridah. Arc-V always gets the somewhat-backhanded compliment of being the most ambitious Yugioh series, a statement I agree with. However, this is generally just refers to the overall scope of the plot. Today, one aspect that can sometimes get neglected that I want to highlight is how daring their choice of protagonist is.

Yuya, my beloved. I don't wanna spend too much time about how much I love him, because I'm sure I'll do so in the future, but I want everyone to appreciate the writers' choice in creating him.

I'm gonna be blunt: Shonen fans can be dumb. They are not the kind to be receptive to protagonists who're not hyper-macho, badass types and who are prone to show weakness. Just look at the response characters like Shinji Ikari or Natsuki Subaru get. Now, I'm not saying Yuya is as well-written as those, but it shows that even if the writers had written him perfectly there was always going to be a crowd of people who were going to hate him.

So I gotta give a shout-out for creating what's easily the most complex Yugioh protag by a long shot. Other protags could be slotted into one of two categories: "Serious" (Yugi, Yusei), or "Upbeat" (Judai, Yuma). Meanwhile, from Episode 1, Yuya defies categorization. He plays the clown, making one think he'll fit right in with Judai and Yuma, before the show makes it clear that it's just a facade... but also it's not. He truly strives to be the fun-loving, charming Entertainer he projects, but his own struggles and feelings prevent him from succeeding. It's a fascinating struggle, and I'm impressed that a franchise like Yu-gi-oh would even attempt this. And then you throw in the demon inside of him, and the waters get even muddier.

Speaking of which...

Something Cool about the Zarc Duel

(Yeah, that's as good of a segue as you're getting. I just wanna talk about something cool I noticed.)

So. The Zarc-duel. It's a mixed bag. I'm of the opinion most of it is meh (not helped by it taking over a month to air), but that the first and final episodes of it are amazing. And I wanna talk about something cool about said last episode that doesn't get talked about enough.

So, as we know, Zarc, alongside Yuya, created Pendulum to get revenge. And yet he gets defeated the exact-same way, by Ray activating the En Cards...or does he? If you pay attention, you'll notice that the En Cards destroy monsters, negate their effects, and deal 600 damage for each Monster sent to the graveyard (very particular wording these uber-powerful cards). Zarc has 2800 LP, and five monsters affected. 600x5 means his Life Points naturally drop to... 1000?

Of course, that's because Odd Eyes and Zarc are Pendulum monsters, so they're sent to the Extra Deck. If they weren't, he'd have lost right there and then. And not only did Zarc's scheme prevent his defeat, it basically got him the duel: he still had Scales set, and Reira's field was empty, so nothing stops him from Pendulum Summoning Zarc and/or Odd Eyes, and attack for game. Thankfully, the Lancers' efforts managed to reach Yuya, and he regained control and basically Shining Drew Smile Universe. In a hint of irony, they even play Swing, Pendulum of Souls, a song usually reserved for Zarc possessing Yuya.

Speaking of which, Smile Universe's effect is really similar to that of the En Cards. I guess it's the Unofficial 5th one and Smiles are the 5th beauty of Nature.

On that note, one last thing.

The Title: Arc-V

Arc-V is a very peculiar name for a show. And what I love is that it has many meanings. Most straight-forwardly, it's the name of the machine Leo builds to fuse the Dimensions. And obviously, it refers to it being the fifth Yugioh series. But it also refers to both the arc of a Pendulum, as well as the shape of a smile (there's an ED literally called "ARC OF SMILE", in case you think I'm reading too deep into things). I love how well-crafted this show's symbolism and visual language is.

Anyway, this turned into a massive ramble. I'm just happy to talk about this silly show that's burned itself into my mind. Thanks for reading if you somehow made it this far.

#arc v #arcvmonth #arcvmonth2023 #yuya sakaki #zarc arc v

[darthnell]

for the ask game!

🔪, 🍄, 🏜️! :D

Ty for the ask friend !! :D

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

Well my favorite ship pairings are my OCs so everything I say about them /is/ canon so… c: For Maritrix (Venatrix and Mariposa)… since True Vengeance was told from Ven’s pov, I’ll talk a lil bit about Mari’s: her initial interest in Ven was definitely strategy-based, given the nature of the Games. It was probably fairly obvious to the Games-savvy public that Ven would be volunteering in her final year, so she was on the table of potential sub-alliances in the Career pack for Mari for a while. But Mari probably expected her to be arrogant and entitled in the same way that Viper was. And while Ven definitely does have her moments of arrogance and entitlement, I think what surprised Mari the most was that she was genuine. A genuine fighter, genuinely grieving, and for the most part honest/blunt. I could definitely say much more about this but i just have been thinking about them a lot lately (when am i ever not lol) and it sucks that in this story they had to be in the arena together and not like. Living together gayly in a cabin in the woods with charcoal where percy visits them every now and then ;-; ah well. In an au where both gals survive, mari and iago wreak havoc on the internet using ven’s jabber account JFJDKDKD. ((Ok actual headcanon: mari and iago would be besties full stop, it would drive ven up the walls KDKDKDK))

Might as well share some stuff for Oberon and Dagmara too (Ven’s parents for those unawares) bc I have a lot of unposted/unwritten lore for them and I like them too c: so they started off as mentor and mentee since Oberon is 5 years older than Dag and he was assigned to mentor her for the games. Which she was pissed about because ofc she gets the rookie guy instead of the seasoned mentor who brought home more than a few victors. It’s kinda rough; Oberon does his best but he’s also currently having toxic girlfriend issues (tell me he doesn’t look like he had a toxic gf in the past jdjdjd). Anyways, after Dag wins, she and Oberon become closer as friends; Dag is also dealing w the loss of her best friend/cousin/district partner which is Rough for her ;-; she and Oberon are v much friends to lovers vibe, and I think the experience of being victors and having to deal w the shit the Capitol throws at them is probably something that like trauma bonds them 💀 they both go thru a lot but it helps that they have each other, like they both Get it. But yeah, before they started dating, Oberon was lowkey a hoe and Dag Wasn’t* but the relationships/situationships she tried to have w other people were just. Not it LOL. also Highkey. ADHD bf +autism gf.. beloved bihets <3

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Did a lot of research about turkey hunting for that one True Vengeance chapter. Also about reconstructed Viking ships. For my 163rd games fic I spent some time researching the aerodynamics of those flying/gliding suits. For my 171st games fic i um. I googled what happens when you eat lava. For my 173rd games fic i googled. What does crucifixion feel like. Finger guns :D I also spent some time doing research on types of prosthetics for TrV..! Turned out so well… 💀

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

Well. Naturally I do love when ppl write me essays about their thoughts on my writing ;-; I don’t expect everyone to do that though LOL. Honestly just like when ppl are willing to share how my writing made them feel, it’s really neat ;-; There was also this one comment I got a while back that was a form of concrit but it was so interesting to me and I think about it a lot.. mainly bc it made me think of like an argument as to why the plot couldn’t be what the commenter was expecting (but maybe that’s bc I just love talking about my stuff LOL)

Writer’s truth or dare ask game !

#nell clownery here #ask game #writer truth or dare

[blysse-and-blunder]

in lieu of spring cleaning

11pm monday, april 3, 2023

family in town this week! i've been vacuuming! and cleaned the bathroom! funny how the title of these posts is starting to turn into a pattern, where the X in 'in lieu of x' is becoming an obligation more and more often...i guess as befits a fun little side project that i keep up instead of doing other things? even though it didn't start out with that sense in mind? curious. spoilers for some of the early episodes of dimension 20: neverafter, baru cormorant 3. and the first three episodes of ted lasso season 3!

reading having fun with baru 3 again. the masquerade ball (a masquerade ball! in a series about masks!) was v fun for me. the dialogue lately between barhu and heingyl and iscend and even aminata and shao lune has been great. seeing tau-indi back in action has changed everything. watching aminata fucking evolve and change her position and go against her earlier principles is so really excellently done. i hope to finish this up, since i have a backlog of things now on my phone and piling up next to my bed physically, nona (and rereading harrow) and jasmine throne and the golden enclaves and more, not to mention more victoria goddard and the rest of what we all long for and my various malingering libby loans which i keep asking to be delivered later....

watching caught up on the first new episodes of series 3 of ted lasso this weekend, and oh wow i've missed this show. i have inchoate emotional thoughts about roy + keeley, and about ted and his family shit, about rebecca and ted clashing over the need to 'fight back' as the season progresses, over the nate of it all, but i think none of that has surprised me? i'm here for it, but it's not unexpected (even the roy/keeley situation, that was flagged at the end of the last series). what has so far surprised me, in the sense that, i am pleased to see the show introducing new complications and layers and avenues of inquiry, has been shandy, keeley in management and how that's going, trent's book and watching him relate to roy (that scene with the review, aghhh) and watching them realize that they have the memory, the history of the sport, that beard and ted don't have, the roy and jamie scenes, the way jamie has been really great actually? especially seeing him react to zava? and finally, the chance to get to know colin. we've gotten to know isaac a bit, and sam a lot, and i am here for this deep dive into a new player. and it's not just because he's the welsh player, or the closeted player, i've always had a soft spot for colin and i'm excited to see more of him! and i'm worried for him now, but... not that worried because he is, after all, a strong and capable man. also, because this is apparently the final season, i have some...what's the opposite of trepidation. about how things will go. sure, there will be surprises and probably some heart-wrenching stuff but whatever will happen, will happen with a sense of finality, if that makes sense.

(this is a very silly picture, but it has trent and zava in it whereas most of the cast shots don't, so.)

listening an almost constant stream of dimension 20: neverafter, every time i'm outside the house. i'm still only just through episode 5, trouble in tuffeton, so it's a good thing i'm not waiting to watch these with the video-- having the dropout subscription has enabled me to stream just the audio, which is better for commuting and also is i think good for me this season-- as much as i'd like to see people's faces, the maps and whatnot, the minis are a little immersion-breaking. i may go back to watching alongside an hour or two of stardew, now that i have access to my games again, hooray. anyway i'm obsessed with lou, with zack, with noticing and really appreciating murph? all of a sudden? as a player and as someone playing a character who is flawed and still very funny. ally beardsley my beloved. the premise for this season was exciting to me, and then the multiverse / stories within stories flavor was...less so, it feels like well-trodden fairy-tale territory at this point to get so meta about storytelling, but the more i listen the more i am surprised and pleased by brennan's choices and how these reinterpretations are achieved. i love pitting the princesses against the fairies. i love the overlap between the characters' backstories (pinocchio's mother being the bad fairy!?) and everyone doing so fucking well at being both players who Know Things and unreliable narrators as their characters who Couldn't Know.

playing got to hang out with the lovely @floragraph and play a little stardew valley today! it's been so nice to dip back in, now that my laptop is fixed and functional again. also revisited pentiment with @dimir-charmer and we've absolutely run down the clock on this one bit without a satisfactory solution, and it's stressful! this is a good game!! and finally, d&d yesterday was a riotous delight, a run-in with the fantasy pinkerton detectives, and now a horse-chase. what a good game.

making fucked around in the kitchen yesterday while on the phone with an old friend, and together we concocted an interesting soup, using a quarter of a japanese pumpkin i had. roasted, pureed, mixed with sage and cream and ginger and a bit of roasted carrot...you get the picture. a solid B+ for totally improvised soup. totally improvising soup and adding little things to taste until it arrives at Pleasant, Actually always reminds me of my gran.

working on a bunch of things that aren't actually my work, which is starting to cause a bit of stress. applied for a funding award last week, while also sitting down with a couple of profs to talk about my rejected paper and where to send it next and how to amend it (which i have yet to do), though, so there's that. put several hours into paid work for my RAship though, that felt good. i also filed a bit of paperwork that ended up being easy but was frustrating in the moment, which i can consider a win. i need to finalize and book a bunch of summer travel things, start and finish my taxes, make these revisions and do so in a timely manner so that i can send the drafts to the people who need to read them.... but it all feels sort of far away and dreamy in comparison to the last few weeks of march, for better or for worse. instead, i have begun duolingo dutch and looking up travel phone plans in the netherlands...!

#in lieu of a commonplace book #ilcb #weekly roundup

[sycamoretrees]

rules: tag 9 people you want to get to know better. tagged by @cant-not

last song: Wouldn't Mama Be Proud by Elliott Smith, my absolute favourite artist in my teens (yes I was very depressed, how did you guess!!) that I don't listen to much any more BUT every now and then there is a craving and gosh his instrumentation is just so good

last show: tv isn't hitting for me much lately, v sad as a huge tv fan. I live in anticipation of the new season of the Great British Sewing Bee and in the meantime I'm enjoying the new season of taskmaster

currently watching: zelda let's plays on youtube, baseball (best beloved but also a true disaster for any kind of normal healthy sleep schedule I might have liked to have), wrestling. AM I a fourteen year old american boy? Some would say yes!*

currently reading: by huge coincidence I am actually reading A Book atm (I've averaged approx 1 book a year for the past few years) Grunt by Mary Roach, I enjoy her writing! I got it to be a middling-ly interesting read before falling asleep but then it starts off looking at fabric development in the military which is WAY TOO INTERESTING for me specifically

current obsession: aside from the aforementioned wrestling (jay white <3 eddie <3 kenny <3) and baseball (blue jays, dodgers, angels), have been entranced by bojagi (korean patchwork) and also I guess the pursuit of Big (figuratively) Strong Orange Cassidy-Style Muscles. Ask me how much I bench bro (not much). Also I badly want the new Zelda game!!! But I don't want to pay 60 bucks for it.

*for legal reasons i must clarify that I Am Not

tagging: the last however many people in my messages with no pressure at all @drunktuesdays @immoveableobject @cossont @birdcage @nothingbutchaff @vivathewilddog @amazonplanet @wrestleish

#ask meme #st.post