#and I've found ways to bring my humor and my creativity and things I enjoy INTO Completeing Assignments

[thatfaerieprincess]

if one more well meaning relative asks me if i have done any drawing recently i will start screaming and flip a table 🤪🙃

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Hi and congrats on your milestone!! I've been following for a while and it's been awesome to read other matchups and your fics (I'm a little behind but that's what this weekend is for 🤩)

If it's possible to submit a matchup request here are my details:

I'm 32, 5'8, weight is being worked on - back in size 16 pants, Strawberry blonde shoulder length- slightly wavy hair, gold/brown eyes. Pronouns are she/her and I'd like to be matched with a man.

Personality: Overprotective, overthinker, worries about everything, caring, creative, introvert, likes to be competitive and silly sometimes. Aesthetic style: licenced logo shirts - bands, tv shows, movies, anything colourful and cotton based clothing. I dress for comfort rather than fashion and style. Favourite colours: ocean blue or rainbows. Hobbies: Swimming in the ocean, collecting shells and rocks on the beach, browsing new or second-hand bookshops, eating out at fun family or steak restaurants, reading fantasy or scifi books from 90s-2010s.

Favourite movies: What's Your Number? James Cameron's Avatar, Crazy Rich Asians, Sleeping Beauty. Favourite TV shows: Westworld, 1883, Gargoyles, Resident Alien. Favourite artists: Empire of the Sun, Nickelback, Human Nature, Coldplay. Favourite songs: How Bizarre by OMC, Rocketship by Llunr, Friday Night by McFly, I See You by Leona Lewis.

And the three fandoms are Lord of the Rings, Marvel or X-Men, and happy for both platonic and romantic matchups

Thanks and hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Hi!

:)

I am so glad that you like all my fanfics and matchups! Thank you for all of your support! <33333

I hope you like your matchups!

(I'm nervous, I had a lot of fun with this, and gosh, I felt like I rambled a bit)

<3333333

Enjoy!

<3333333333

Romantic and Platonic Matchups; Lord Of The Rings, Marvel, and X-Men

~~~

Romantic;

~~~

Lord Of The Rings;

Boromir -

You were personally asked by Elrond and Gandalf to join the Fellowship, knowing your unique skills and strength would be an asset to the quest.

While you were honored, you worried about the dangers ahead and overthought every possible worst-case scenario before agreeing.

Boromir wasn’t sure about you at first - not because he doubted your abilities, but because he worried about another person being burdened with this dangerous task.

He could tell you had a thoughtful mind and a caring heart, and in his experience, those were the ones who carried the heaviest grief when things went wrong.

The first time he really took notice of you was when you expertly navigated a difficult terrain, finding a path for the Fellowship that was much safer than the one Aragorn had suggested.

He respected your intelligence and attention to detail from then on.

Boromir quickly took on a protective role with you, always making sure you were safe in battle and watching your back.

While at first, you found it unnecessary (you were more than capable of handling yourself), you soon realized it was just his nature to care deeply for his comrades.

You two bonded over collecting little things from your travels - while you picked up interesting shells and rocks, Boromir would sometimes carve small wooden tokens or keep trinkets from places you passed through.

He once found a riverstone in Rohan and gave it to you, saying it reminded him of you.

You both had a competitive streak and often challenged each other to small competitions - who could walk the farthest without stepping on a crack in the path, who could catch the most fish, and once (to Aragorn’s horror), a wrestling match where you actually managed to take Boromir by surprise and pin him for half a second before he flipped you over.

He loved your humor, your sarcasm, and the way you could bring light to even the darkest days of the journey.

He often teased you, calling you "the Fellowship’s secret weapon", because you could outthink any situation and keep everyone in good spirits.

Boromir was the last person to realize his feelings.

Everyone else noticed the way he watched you, the way he automatically reached out to steady you whenever the ground was rough, and the way he seemed to listen to you more than anyone else.

He hated seeing you stressed or overthinking things.

He would always tell you, “Do not trouble yourself with worry. We will see this through. Together.”

The moment he realized how deeply he cared for you was when you got injured during a skirmish.

You brushed it off, but he refused to leave your side for the rest of the night, making sure you had water, food, and rest.

When Aragorn joked that you were in good hands, Boromir just nodded, not even arguing.

You started feeling the same way when you realized Boromir made you feel safe - not just physically, but emotionally.

He never dismissed your worries, but instead, reassured you that he would carry some of them for you.

It happened one quiet evening when the Fellowship was resting.

You were both sitting together, talking in hushed voices while everyone else was sleeping.

You mentioned that you feared what would happen after the quest, and he simply said, “Whatever happens, I will be at your side.” When you looked at him, confused, he sighed and finally admitted, “I would follow you anywhere. Not because of duty, but because I do not wish to part from you.”

He was nervous - Boromir was a strong man, a warrior, but when it came to emotions, he was unsure.

When you reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly, he finally let out the breath he’d been holding.

Boromir is the definition of protective.

He’s always looking out for you, always ready to put himself between you and danger.

He’s surprisingly affectionate - he’ll drape his cloak over you when you’re cold, sit close to you by the fire, and sometimes, when he thinks no one is looking, brush his fingers against yours just to feel you there.

He loves to hear you talk about the ocean.

He has never seen it, and he always asks you to describe it to him, picturing it in his mind.

He swears, “When this is over, I will take you to see it. I want to see it through your eyes.”

You love watching him train with his sword, and sometimes, he’ll offer to teach you a few moves.

The training sessions often end in laughter, especially when he exaggerates his movements to make you laugh.

He loves the way you take time to collect small, beautiful things.

After the journey and the defeat of the ring.

(Boromir isn't dead, but Denethor is-)

One day, he hands you a small, silver pendant in the shape of a wave.

“I had this made for you in Gondor,” He says gruffly, looking away as if embarrassed. “I thought you should have something to remind you of the sea.”

You take care of him in return, making sure he doesn’t carry too much weight on his shoulders.

You remind him that he is allowed to be vulnerable and that he doesn’t have to bear every burden alone.

When you finally do reach the sea together, he is speechless.

He stands there, watching the waves crash, before looking at you with a soft, awe-struck expression.

“It is as beautiful as you said. But I think it is even more so because you are here.”

Simple domestic moments would involve him helping you gather books to read at night, sitting beside you as you get lost in a fantasy tale, his fingers occasionally brushing against your hand.

He loves running his fingers through your hair absentmindedly, especially when you’re sitting together after a long day.

Boromir isn’t a poet, but he always finds simple ways to make you feel loved.

When you’re feeling anxious, he will press his forehead against yours and say, “You are not alone.”

He teaches you Gondorian songs, sometimes humming them softly as you drift off to sleep.

He will absolutely carry you if you’re tired.

You can protest all you want, but he’ll just smirk and say, “It’s either this, or you sleep on the road.”

If you ever cry, he will sit with you, hold you close, and let you have your moment.

~~~

Marvel;

Thor Odinson -

You were already part of the Avengers when you met Thor, your magical abilities catching the attention of the team.

Your powers resembled telekinesis, and it was clear you had a vast, untapped potential.

Thor was immediately intrigued by your strength and grace.

The first time you met, he was more than a little over-the-top in his greeting, which you found endearing, despite his boisterous nature.

He introduced himself with the charm only a god could possess.

“I am Thor, son of Odin, and this…” He gestured to you grandly, “Is a fine day to meet one so powerful!”

You were taken aback by his size and demeanor at first, but once you saw the warm smile behind that godly exterior, you couldn’t help but smile back.

Thor was genuine in his admiration for you from the start.

He liked that you were powerful and kind, two traits he deeply respected.

He instantly began to watch your powers in awe, asking you how you did what you did, always interested in learning more.

You two bonded over your shared experiences of having powers that were at times overwhelming and unpredictable.

Thor could relate to that - his own powers came with immense responsibility and control, which wasn’t always easy.

There was a bit of playful rivalry at first between you both.

He loved hearing about your interests, especially when you talked about your love for fantasy novels.

You’d spend time swapping stories about your adventures, and Thor would often tell you about his travels across realms, making you laugh with his overly dramatic retellings.

“And then, with the might of Mjolnir, I sent the beast flying through the air, and-”

You’d tease him, “You always leave out the part where you almost fell off the cliff after, though.”

He’d listen intently whenever you talked about your worries.

He might be a god, but that didn’t make him blind to human struggles.

He was there for you, always.

You realized your feelings for Thor the more time you spent together.

It was when you caught yourself smiling whenever he spoke, and how your heart skipped a beat whenever he would look at you with that unguarded softness.

Thor, on the other hand, took a bit longer.

Oblivious boi~

He wasn’t sure if you were simply being friendly or if there was something deeper there.

But when he started to notice how you would worry about him, especially after dangerous missions, he began to understand.

Your kindness, your attention, your way of caring - he realized that you made him feel truly alive in a way he hadn’t in centuries.

One evening, after a particularly grueling mission, you both sat together on the roof of the Avengers compound, watching the stars.

You didn’t speak at first, but when Thor reached over and brushed your hand lightly, it was like everything fell into place for him.

But his time to go back to Asgard was approaching fast.

“I do not wish to leave without you, my star,” He said softly, his voice unusually quiet.

Your heart clenched at his words.

You reached for his hand, holding it tightly. “I wish I could come with you.”

"Then come with me." He spoke, "To Asgard."

That moment sealed it for both of you.

The unspoken feelings were there, and you both couldn’t deny them anymore.

Thor didn’t know how to confess his feelings.

He wasn’t one for subtlety, but when he did try to speak about his emotions, he could barely find the words.

So, on one of the many balconies in the castle of Asgard, Thor finally spoke.

“I have seen many things in my time, but none have captivated me as you do,” He said, the words finally tumbling out.

You turned to him, heart racing. “Thor…”

He smiled, that same easy smile, but there was something more behind it now.

“I find that I cannot imagine my days without you in them. You make everything brighter, even on the darkest days.”

You both laughed, nervous and giddy at the same time.

Thor was a god, but at that moment, he was just a man who had fallen in love with you.

You spent your days together, training, laughing, and sometimes, just sitting together in quiet understanding.

Thor often pulled you aside when you were having a rough day, offering comfort and companionship without asking for anything in return.

Your relationship was simple yet profound - Thor would hold you after a tough mission, letting you rest your head on his broad shoulder while he stroked your hair gently.

He would surprise you with small gestures of affection: a bouquet of wildflowers, a warm cup of tea after a long day, or a handwritten note left by your bedside.

He loved spoiling you, but not in a flashy way - just little things that showed you how much he cared.

He was surprisingly shy when it came to expressing his deeper feelings, often tripping over words or becoming embarrassed.

In return, you would always reassure him that you loved his sincerity and that he didn’t need to be anything but himself.

You loved how he would make you laugh, even when the world seemed like it was falling apart.

Thor would often carry you on his shoulders after a long day, making you laugh as he pretended to be your personal “chariot of the gods.”

When you were both alone, he would rest his head on your lap, closing his eyes with a content sigh, while you gently stroked his hair.

He liked to surprise you with your favorite meals, especially when he learned about your love for certain foods from Earth.

He would try to cook them himself, often making a mess, but always with the best intentions.

Thor would also love to pick you up and spin you around when you weren’t expecting it, making you laugh uncontrollably.

~~~

X-Men;

Charles Xavier -

Charles found you one day, wandering through a second-hand bookstore in a quiet little town.

You were picking through a pile of dusty books when he noticed you, quietly flipping through a book of ancient lore.

He was immediately intrigued by you since he knew that you were a mutant.

You know, he can tell with those things.

He approached you gently, using his telepathy to read your curiosity, and asked you about the book you were holding.

When you looked up at him, there was a flash of recognition in your eyes - another mutant.

"You're like me." You had spoken.

Charles introduced himself as Professor Xavier and mentioned that he ran a school for gifted individuals, offering you a place there if you ever decided to join.

He sensed you were apprehensive but kind-hearted, and knew you’d fit in perfectly.

Charles respected your quiet nature, knowing that you liked to keep to yourself.

He admired how intelligent you were, especially with your love for books and deep interest in learning.

He started having you help with the school library, knowing you’d take care of the books with the same meticulous care that you gave to everything in your life.

You’d often find each other in the library late at night, quietly organizing the shelves or reading together.

He’d tell you stories about his own life, sharing his hopes and dreams for the future.

You would listen, offer support, and, on occasion, suggest a book he could read to relax.

Your friendship grew naturally, and soon, you were one of the most trusted people at the mansion.

Charles came to rely on your opinion, knowing that you were one of the few who would always tell him the truth, even when it was difficult.

As time went on, you began to notice the little things about Charles that set him apart from others - the way his smile would light up when he was genuinely happy, the way he’d listen intently when you spoke, and the quiet moments when he would show vulnerability, opening up about his past.

Charles, on the other hand, began to feel an intense pull towards you.

He’d catch himself staring at you during your late-night study sessions, or when you’d quietly read in the corner of the room.

You had a quiet strength about you that he found incredibly alluring.

It wasn’t just your mind - it was the way you saw the world, the way you always managed to stay calm and grounded even when things were chaotic.

You were the first person he could truly open up to without fear of judgment.

And in return, you began to admire him for more than just his intellect.

You saw the kindness and care that radiated from him, and it made your heart beat a little faster each time you saw him.

The confession came one evening when Charles was feeling particularly vulnerable.

He had just finished a meeting with the students, and he was exhausted from trying to juggle so many responsibilities.

You found him alone in the garden, staring up at the stars, lost in thought.

You sat beside him, offering him quiet company, which he appreciated more than words could say.

Without warning, Charles turned to you, “I cannot pretend any longer,” He said, his voice soft but firm. “I find that you are always on my mind, and I cannot imagine my days without you in them.”

You were taken aback, but when you looked into his eyes, you saw nothing but sincerity. “Charles, I…”

You couldn’t find the words, but your heart said it all.

He smiled gently, understanding the quiet way you expressed yourself.

“I would like to take care of you. You mean more to me than anyone ever has.”

As a couple, Charles would always encourage you to pursue your dreams and help you grow in any way he could.

He’d offer you support, whether it was telepathically guiding you through difficult decisions or just being there when you needed someone to lean on.

You often spent time together talking late into the night, discussing everything from philosophy to your childhood memories.

Charles had a way of making you feel safe, and you would find yourself seeking out his company after long, stressful days.

There was something deeply intimate about the way you both shared your lives.

Charles loved that you took the time to get to know him for who he truly was - beyond his powers and the weight of his responsibilities.

Charles would often surprise you with quiet moments, like sending you a book he thought you’d enjoy or asking you to meet him in the garden to stargaze together.

He loved listening to your thoughts without intruding, letting you talk freely about whatever was on your mind, and always validating your emotions.

He would leave little notes in your room, hidden in places only you would find, telling you how much he appreciated you and how happy he was to have you in his life.

Charles would often take you to a quiet spot, just the two of you, where he could hold you close and whisper how much you meant to him, knowing you could feel his sincerity even in his softest words.

~~~

Platonic;

~~~

Lord Of The Rings;

Aragorn -

Unlike most, you didn’t barrage him with questions or demand stories of adventure - you simply shared a companionable silence, which intrigued him.

You were the type of person who observed rather than spoke, and Aragorn found himself gravitating toward your presence, appreciating the peace you provided in contrast to the chaotic world he often navigated.

Your bond grew through quiet moments by the fire - him sharpening his sword, you browsing through an old book you found.

Occasionally, he would ask about what you were reading, and you’d end up in a deep discussion about fictional worlds, comparing them to the lands of Middle-earth.

Aragorn admired your creativity, often asking about the stories you wrote in your spare time, and he would even try to come up with tales of his own for fun (though he’d insist he wasn’t much of a storyteller).

He noticed how overprotective you were of your friends, and though he never said it outright, he deeply respected that trait.

In return, he made it clear he always had your back - whether it was keeping an eye out while you wandered alone or subtly stepping in if someone made you uncomfortable.

Long walks in nature.

Sometimes, no words are needed - just the sounds of the wind, birds, and footsteps.

Aragorn understood the comfort in quiet companionship.

Searching for unique rocks and shells while traveling.

You once found a particularly smooth stone that reminded you of the ocean, and Aragorn kept it as a good luck charm in his pouch.

Occasionally humming a tune or singing softly while tending a fire.

He found your voice calming and often encouraged you to share more.

~~~

Marvel;

Natasha Romanoff -

At first, she didn’t pay you much mind - she was always on guard, especially with new people.

But she couldn’t ignore your wit, sarcasm, and ability to make her laugh when she least expected it.

Despite your introversion, Natasha found it easy to talk to you.

You had a way of making people feel safe, and she valued that more than she could ever express.

She’d tease you about how much you overthink things, but at the same time, she’d help ground you when you started spiraling.

“You’re worrying about things that haven’t happened yet,” She’d say, pushing a plate of food toward you. “Eat first, panic later.”

Natasha loved how competitive you could get - it made things fun.

Whether it was a playful argument over who could run faster or who knew more random trivia, she enjoyed having a friend who didn’t back down.

Training sessions.

Natasha insisted on teaching you self-defense, even if you weren’t keen on fighting.

“You never know when you’ll need it,” She said, smirking.

Late-night drives.

Natasha wasn’t the type to sit still for long, and sometimes she just needed to escape for a while.

She’d bring you along, blasting music and letting you pick the playlist.

Bookstore browsing.

She wasn’t a huge reader, but she enjoyed watching you get excited about old fantasy and sci-fi books.

Occasionally, she’d pick one up just to have something to talk about with you later.

~~~

X-Men;

Ororo Munroe (Storm) -

You were the quiet guardian of the X-Mansion’s library, keeping the shelves organized and helping students find books.

Ororo had always loved literature, and naturally, she frequented the library often.

The first time she saw you carefully repairing an old, torn book, she smiled and struck up a conversation about your love for preserving stories.

Ororo admired your patience and your creativity.

She often sat with you in the library just to enjoy the peace, sometimes reading together in comfortable silence.

She found your love for ocean blue and rainbows beautiful - so much so that, one day, she brought you a tiny prism to hang in the window, letting the sun scatter colors across your desk.

She understood your overthinking tendencies and always knew how to calm you down, whether it was with soft-spoken reassurance or a gentle breeze carrying the scent of fresh rain through the open window.

Beach days.

If there was anyone who could ensure perfect weather for a day at the ocean, it was Ororo.

She loved watching how at peace you looked while swimming, and she’d collect unique shells to give you later.

Reading under the stars.

Some nights, she’d take you to the mansion’s rooftop, where you’d both read or talk about the things you wished to create.

Cooking together.

Ororo had a knack for making simple but delicious meals, and she loved having you in the kitchen with her, even if you were just taste-testing.

[maxwell-grant]

Glad to know you like suicide squad, did you ever finish reading JLI?

I have a lot of respect and love for the creative team but, sorry to dissappoint, I found JLI fucking unbearable and could not finish it. I gave it 25 issues and powered through after dropping it and didn't enjoy one single moment of it and I don't think this is magically going to become tolerable when it's time to bring in Despero and the Global Guardians and the character with a slur for a name. I guess I could say it was a good comic of it's time that I just didn't vibe with and leave it at that, or I'd say I think the humor drags down the good parts, but to be honest I'm just not seeing the good parts here either. The best things I can say about it is that it's well-drawn and that Max Lord is a decently compelling puzzle/central figure to pin this enterprise on, a twist on Ozymandias for a different context, I get why fans are upset on him being turned into a clear-cut villain, although Amanda Waller he ain't. And of what I've seen that's kinda it actually.

It is kind of weird that this exists in an opposite world situation to Suicide Squad, where Suicide Squad is the more traditionally-drawn book about rejects banding together under hardship to deal with troubled international quagmires and find their own bonds to humanity and each other amidst chaos, and Justice League is the slick colorful book about rejects being funnyman bastards doing violent pantomine routines 24/7. You'd think it was the other way around. You'd think Guy Gardner wouldn't be more unbearable than Captain Boomerang given he is technically a more moral person, but when Boomerang's being misogynistic, he eats shit for it, where as when Gardner pretends to fall atop Canary so he can grope her, it's played as a gag (and god you could not ask for a starker difference than the treatment of their female characters between these two books). But as is, I am not remotely impressed by characters acting like funnyman bastards for 90% of any given story, and then punctuating their moments of seriousness by constantly reafffirming that they aren't one-bit jokesters.

Did you catch that the first time? Can't you see how they are more than just funny jokesters, let's repeat that again for emphasis, don't you get the nuance on display here, don't you get there is more to Blue Beetle and Guy Gardner than being unbearable pieces of shit, in case you don't let's have Hawkman's every single goddamn line be about how he's a big old stuck-up meanie harping about the old days who is wrong for not accepting the new way of doing things (and please do not take this as me being upset about the sanctity of fucking Hawkman, it's just one more horribly grating thing in a comic full of them). I get why these characters have big followings, but I'm at a loss to understand why said followings would originate from this, it seems like all of them surely must have acquired whatever nuance or likeability they have later.

You know that thing people complain about regarding vapid cliche lines like Well that just happened / It's not what it looks like / That's gonna leave a mark / Uum he's right behind me isn't he, that kind of stuff? JLI feels like the birth of those, it feels like the real version of the thing that people who exaggerate MCU quips complain about, because oh my god every fucking page is littered with those, they can't get through anything without doing an insufferable bit. Every character is the suffering straight man or trying to be the funniest person in the room in an interminable Mad Magazine skit. They never shut up and never stop making jokes and they NEVER make a single one of them funny and everybody talks the same, everyone makes the same jokes, everybody has one trait and that's their joke, and my god you guys I gave this thing 25 damn issues of a chance and I hate even thinking about it, and if a single one of you tries to get me to read one more comic with G'nort in it I swear I'm going to -

So, yeah, wasn't for me. Credit where credit's due though, the one funny joke I've seen in this constitutes an all-timer Batman moment.

[happypot0001]

Hello everyone!!

So Art Fight has now ended...huh?? Gosh...I've only been posting stuff BECAUSE of Art Fight!! I'm really grateful I was able to find it. I wish that I could do more to support the team that's helping bring together thousands of artists but I can't really so i'm just going to talk about it reeeeallly quick!

To start off...I really wanted to make this post in order to thank the people who took the time and went through the trouble to draw my character!! I would like to thank these three people: @just-a-carrot 🥕, @sailingseals ⛵, and @boxxie-does-art 📦!!! All such amazing people that I find very admirable and take inspiration from almost everything they create!! 🥕 is the creator of a WONDERFUL game called "Our Wonderland"! Not only did they write and code the game...they also drew all the artwork for the game as well!!! And the game was PHENOMENAL!! You probably found this blog only because of the OW stuff...but I still like talking about it anyways!!!

The game includes such interesting and "real" characters that almost everyone could be able to relate to! The game has this special skill to make people so attached to these characters so that when they reach their demise...the players deep connection that resonated with them would quickly shatter. I'll try not to include spoilers in here in case anyone else feels that they want to try out the game as well!!!! (If you haven't played, then I highly recommend it!!!) Not to mention the community!! The people all affiliated with OW are sooooo accepting, never have I once heard a TRULY terrible thing come out of their mouths! I'm glad there's not a HUGE range of people here...it makes it much more easier to connect with other people who enjoy the game much like myself!! That's something that I truly don't regret from OW, all of the people it introduced me to!! Now...speaking of that...allow me to move to the next person...⛵!!!!!

Ohhh wooowww....⛵!!!! Gosh I really love the stuff they do!! They have such funny and creative ideas in their head and it’s very inspiring...especially because they seem close to my age!!! Their artstyle is very cute and pretty, I LOVE looking at anything they create! They don’t use anything fancy but they still have the ability to produce something FLAWLESS in literal minutes!! They’re also just very kind people, we’ve been talking with each other on discord and that’s where I can see how their humor expands to just simply talking with their friends! Whenever I’m around them I feel so open and can so easily talk to them about how I feel! I could never talk to them the ways that I have with my IRL friends! I’m so glad to have someone like that by my side! It’s been amazing having their company! Especially because we also make stories together as well! Oh we’ve made a good few stories together as friends and it’s been an awesome experience! Seeing a master creator with their mind at work! They come up with FANTASTIC ideas that make me sick…in a good way!! Ever since we’ve been friends…I’ve gotten to know a LOT MORE about their stories along with their characters! And HOW THEY HAVE CAPTIVATED ME AND STOLE MY HEART!!! I’m so serious when I say they’re the only things I want to draw now!!! ⛵️ has 5 main characters split into three separate stories…and EACH ONE OF THEM IS SOO CREATIVE AND UNIQUE!!!!! I don’t want to leak any spoilers about their stories, especially because I’m gonna guess they’re planning on posting anyways! IF THEY DO THEN BE PREPARED FOR GREATNESS HAHAH!! At this point it may sound like I’m a person who’s simply just easy to please but REALLY!! I ADORE THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR CHARACTERS SOOO MUCH! ⛵️ is so inspiring and the fact that I can call such an inspiring person that I look up to a companion of mine?? IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY!! I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE CONVERSATION WE HAVE AND I HOPE THEIR ARE MORE AWAITING IN THE FUTURE!!!! I WISH TO LEARN AND BE AS TALENTED AS YOU ARE SOMEDAY!!!! I CAN ONLY WISH!!!!! YOURE SO AMAZING I LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! SO SO SO GLAD WE’RE FRIENDS!!!!! Hehehe WOOOOOO now I MUST move on to the next person…📦!!!!

📦!!!! Another friend that I find so inspiring!!! Ooohhh the way the color is one thing that I LOVE about their style!!! I like that they know what colors mix with others to properly get what color they desire…that’s a very important trait in an artist!!!! It’s so unique and it’s something that could never be possible for me in a LIFETIME! Just their style itself!!!! It’s pleasing to the eye but it’s also something that I can find from a mile away!!!! It’s very unique and not very easy to copy!! Also, the amount of effort and determination they put into everything is very inspiring!! Recently, 📦 had asked 🥕 if I was okay for them to make a mod using their characters. They mentioned in that ask that they were working with two friends to make the mod…THATS ME AND ⛵️!!!!! WE’RE THE TWO FRIENDS!!!! (they said “amazing friends” in their ask thank you so much 📦!!!! 🥹🥹) Haha but it was 📦 themselves who proposed the idea!!! At first it would seem like a simple thought, one that would be too complicated to actually produce…but with 📦 presenting ideas to us and really getting us hyped up for the project…it can really make a person compelled to work harder!!!! Also they’re making a whole WEBTOON as well???? That’s a lot of effort and dedication for a person to have!!!! It’s nice seeing a person willing to work hard on these projects!!!! It really gets me to take the project seriously and do more work than I would’ve done if I hadn’t seen the effort that my friends want to put into this project!!!! It’s also just very easy to talk to them as well!!!! The both of my friends! I can say what I’m thinking and they’ll respond with only kindness!!! They will find a way to help me and make me feel better than I had before!!!! I’m so happy that I’m not ridiculed and afraid to share my thoughts to someone!!! It’s so refreshing, so freeing to have someone like that there for you!!! The both of them provide that comfort for me, so I thank that so much for that!!! OH!!! Also!!!! From what I hear…they use their phone to draw???? With everything they create, that is just amazing!!! That is the work of someone with a TALENT!!!! If anyone follows 📦, they had recently posted an animation about them and a tiny Genzou…THAT WAS WITH THE USE OF A PHONE!!!! 📱 THIS THING!!!! A PHONE!!!! Hehe, I may be over-exaggerating it but I just personally think that’s a feat to be known!!!! Anyone can make wonderful art no matter what you have!!!! You just have to have skill really!!!! But that’s what I’m saying haha!!! 📦 you have a talent which I’m sure you’re already aware of but let me mention it once again!!!! IM SO GLAD TO BE FRIENDS WITH YOU AND ⛵️!!! YOU GUYS ARE SOME OF THE NICEST PEOPLE I’VE MET AND I HOPE I CAN LEARN FROM THE BOTH OF YOU AND LEARN TO BE JUST AS TALENTED!!!! I HOPE FOR OUR FRIENDSHIP TO GROW FOR A LONG TIME!!!!!

Alright…this was a rollercoaster of emotions. If it looks like I wrote more for one person than the other…I apologize!!!! Especially for 📦 and ⛵️!!! I appreciate the both of you equally and I’m glad to have met you guys! Everything I’ve said so far about you is nothing less than the truth!! And to 🥕, if they are somehow seeing this, then I simply have to thank you for the amazing game that you have created!!! I will admire you for a very long time!!! You and your game help me in seeing from a whole new perspective!!! Thank you very much!!! Can never say it enough!! I hope that one day I can be as great as the three of you guys!!! Thank you guys for attacking me on Art Fight once again!! And thank you to Art Fight for giving me a chance to send art to these wonderful people!!! Gosh Art Fight was a blast while it lasted!!! I’m excited for next year…hopefully by then I’ll have more characters for people to draw!!! Also hope that I will have improved drawing myself!!! There was some more stuff I wanted to do in Art Fight but I don’t regret anything I DID do!!! I’m very happy with deciding on joining Art Fight!!! I have one more Art Fight attack for ⛵️ that I haven’t posted yet but I’ll be doing that later!!! Until next time!!!

Lots of love to 🥕, ⛵️, 📦, and anyone else who may be reading!! 💕💕💕

[mylifeincinema]

My Week(s) in Review: December 15, 2024

I've got more than I realized this time around. I'm gonna keep 'em short, as I just don't have a lot to say about many of them. Okay, let's get to it...

Wicked (Jon M. Chu, 2024)

This was kind of amazing, really. A technical feast and brings the wonder and stunning theatricality of the stage musical to life with so much overwhelming production value. Most of the musical numbers are shot with such perfect energy that it distracts from the fact that only like three of the songs are actually any good. And the cast brings these characters to life with such pitch perfect passion and humor. I find it very jarring to type this, but I think Ariana Grande might be my front-runner for Supporting Actress this Awards Season?? She's so damn good. Wow. I still hate that they insisted on dragging things out to the point this needed to be split into Parts I & II, though. - 8.5/10

Gladiator II (Ridley Scott, 2024)

Far too similar to the first film in both structure and storyline, just without any of the emotional richness or historical romance of the first film. The cast knocks it out of the park, though, even that Irish dude that everyone seems to be crazy about for no obvious reason. Yeah, sure, he mostly just broods his way through it all while everyone around him is stealing scene after scene from him, but he does solid work as their less interesting scene partner. Then there's Denzel, who's having a blast, and steals the whole damn film in the process. - 7/10

Blink Twice (Zoë Kravitz, 2024)

Pretty f*cked up and disorienting, and ultimately so damn satisfying. - 8/10

Oddity (Damian McCarthy, 2024)

A creepy-as-f*ck slow burn that utilizes it's setting and mood perfectly. The payoff isn't entirely as satisfying as it should've been, but it's still damn good. - 7/10

The Wild Robot (Chris Sanders, 2024)

Gorgeously animated and beautifully written. This is the type of creatively heartfelt family film I'll never get tired of. Bummed I passed on this in cinemas. - 9/10

Blitz (Steve McQueen, 2024)

Technically impressive, emotionally boring. Saoirse is great, as always, and the little dude is rock solid for a child performance, but so much of this movie just didn't land, for me. The pacing was off, I think, or something. I really don't know, but I found myself checking the time far too often for a film that barely breaks the two hour mark. Oh well... ::shrugs:: - 5.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[angrennufuin]

Hello, I have come for revenge. All the even ones for Rosenrot? I've really liked what I've read about her so far!

HEART EMOJI KNIFE EMOJI, ETC. Thank you for enjoying Rosenrot, she is a good girl (and a menace). Sorry this is so late but her game is this week!

2. How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

Very loosely! Sometimes not even particularly sincerely - I think she's been known to do the whole "Oh, you don't want to do that, my friend" thing to an enemy. She's quite friendly overall, but not interested in letting a lot of people closer than mild friendship.

4. What’s a hobby they used to have that they miss?

Her hobbies when she was little were mostly playing knights and meddling, and she still does those plenty (for a given value of 'playing' knights). I think she does miss the potential of artistic ability, though. She's tried nearly every creative endeavor and deemed herself bad at all of them.

6. What’s their favorite [insert anything] that they’ve never recommended to anyone before?

The nature of living in a small town is that she has recommended everything she loves to everyone she knows, many times. But there are some songs she first experienced In The Woods that she doesn't remember, and therefore can't recommend at all.

8. How loose is their use of the phrase ‘I love you’?

I'm not sure Rosen has ever actually said "I love you" to anyone out loud, except her parents when she was very small. But when I was writing bun, I half-jokingly noted that the whole thing is Rosen and Clem saying Do you love me?/Of course I love you. Do you love me? back and forth, over and over, without ever having the guts to actually say it. Rosen won't say she loves you but she'll bring you your favorite sweet and indulge your clownery and touch your hair and hold your hands very gently.

10. What fact do they excitedly tell everyone about at every opportunity?

Rosen is a repository of lore about her world's famous knights and heroes. She thinks they're super cool! Did you know Silgre Khorsblade groomed and fed her warhorse with her own hands, even after she became king?

12. What’s something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific!

Dad jokes! And the kind of humor that results in updog/bofa/matter baby jokes. And puns. She's not great at coming up with these, but she laughs hysterically whenever she encounters them.

14. How do they put out a candle?

Pinch it out. Fire resistant fingertips!

16. What kinds of people do they have arguments with in their head?

Mostly herself, actually. Hours of internal yapping about whether she's doing the right thing/interpreting a situation right/remembering the facts correctly.

18. Who do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)?

[DIDO WHITE FLAG DOT MP3]

Which is to say, it's Clem, still, even though they hadn't spoken for seven years before campaign start. They were once very close.

Also Benediction! He found her in the woods after she had been missing for the aforementioned seven years and decided she was sister-shaped. They're the only two tieflings in their very small town (there's another, but she's much older and a recluse) and though they weren't close before she disappeared, they're attached at the hip now.

20. Who do they like as a person but hate their work? Vice versa, whose work do they like but don’t like the person?

Even if celebrities existed in Rosenrot's world in the same way they do in ours, I don't think she'd be interested in them! She likes the songs and books she likes, and doesn't particularly think about the person behind them. Clem excepted.

22. What simple activity that most people do / can do scares your character?

Rosen is deeply afraid of forgetting things. She journals meticulously and frequently checks her memories back against the entries; the idea of just... expecting to remember an important event or a grocery list or a newly-learned fact is mind-boggling to her.

24. Did they take a cookie from the cookie jar? What kind of cookie was it?

NO, that's STEALING. She'd be sorely tempted if it was one of those Mexican wedding cookies, though.

26. How would they respond to being fired by a good boss?

Spiral into self-doubt and guilt. She's got a list of everything she's done wrong since day 1 on the job and she's poring over it to see what the final straw was.

28. What do they tell people they want? What do they actually want?

What she would say she wants: to be a great knight. What she actually wants: a hug, a nap, and seven years of missing memories back.

30. When they make a mistake and feel bad, does the guilt differ when it’s personal versus when it’s professional?

The nature of paladinhood is that the personal and the professional are pretty thoroughly intertwined imo! A failure of her job (as a paladin/adventurer) would be a failure of her identity (as a paladin/adventurer) and she would feel the same crushing amounts of guilt regardless.

32. If they committed one petty crime / misdemeanor, what would it be? Why?

Probably trespassing or criminal mischief! Rosenrot is less concerned about property lines than she is about wandering where her feet take her.

34. How do they greet someone they like / love?

Big beaming smile and a call of their name! She likes to clasp hands/forearms, or cradle the back of their head and touch foreheads if they're really close. She does gentle (or not-so-gentle) horn bonks with Bene. When she was little, she used to pick Clem up and swing them around - but got told off once by their parents for being "too rough" with them and never did it again.

36. Who do they keep in their life for professional gain? Is it for malicious intent?

Rosen only knows like seven or eight people! I don't think she's keeping any of them around for professional gain.

38. What hobby are they good at in private, but bad at in front of others? Why?

Rosen can sing pretty well in private but loses her voice if she tries to perform publicly. Probably more a mental block than anything!

40. How do they respond to a loose handshake? What goes through their head?

Faint distress and disapproval. Where's your backbone? Where's your FIRE? Don't dead-fish her like this! Externally, she'd probably wrap her other hand around yours and clasp tighter to make up for your deficiencies.

42. If invited to a TED Talk, what topic would they present on? What would the title of their presentation be?

She would rather swim with piranhas! So: in a hypothetical AU where public speaking doesn't make her want to die, and where I don't have an irrational hatred of all TED Talks, I think she would give a slightly woo talk about homing instinct. How I walked out of the woods. Something like that.

44. What language would be easiest for them to learn? Why?

As a tiefling, Rosen innately speaks Infernal, which is... semi-mutually-intelligible with other forms of Primordial. So probably those.

46. Are they a listener or a talker? If they’re a listener, what makes them talk? If they’re a talker, what makes them listen?

Listener right up until you ask about the legendary founders of her country, knighthood, or swords.

48. Who would they say ‘yes’ to if invited to do something they abhorred / strongly didn’t want to do?

The current adventuring party and most authority figures, if it's not something she has a moral objection to. She's very polite.

50. What belief / moral / personality trait do they stand by that you (mun) personally don’t agree with?

I haven't dug down into deciding the weird nitty-gritty of Rosen's morals yet, but she believes in a level of animism and self-sacrifice that I simply Do Not.

52. Do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting?

She is fairly confident in her own intuition and therefore presumes that her immediate emotions are correct and should be acted on, especially in a situation that needs a quick response.

54. What’s their instinct in a fight / flight / freeze / fawn situation?

Fight or freeze! Usually, fight in physical situations, and freeze in emotional ones -- but she'll flip to the other option if it looks like her first instinct isn't working. So this works out as, e.g.: someone gets in her face -> she squares up for a fight -> she can't hit them because they're weaker than her/someone she doesn't want to hurt -> freeze and panic. Or, the other way around: someone teases her or brings up an uncomfortable topic -> she goes silent and nonresponsive to try and get them away from it -> they persist -> she flares up and stomps her foot about it.

56. If they’re scared, who do they want comfort from? Does this answer change depending on the type of fear?

She wants not to have to rely on anyone's comfort at all, because she would like to be the one doing the comforting. But when she's panicked about memory issues, she instinctively seeks out Bene for comfort. She sibling-imprinted hard.

58. How many hobbies have they attempted to have over their lifetime? Is there a common theme?

Sooooo many! Rosen is always trying (usually somewhat secretively) to find a creative/artistic endeavor she'll be good at. She hasn't yet, partly because she's measuring herself by extremely talented people around her and partly because she believes she lacks some intrinsic artistic spark.

[aspectabundgaze]

It's Just Memes, Myself & I!

Do I like memes?? Heck yeah! Who doesn't like them? Ah, memes, my digital best friends in this oh so very vast online landscape. I gotta admit to you guys, got this soft spot for these pictures, short videos, gifs (geef or jeef, potato puhtatoe, same thing, okay?) that I often see on Tumblr, Twitter (I refuse to call it by its new name) and occasionally Instagram. Truly makes me laugh, giggle, and even chuckle. Now according to Merriam-Webster, a meme is an amusing or interesting item, often encapsulated in a captioned picture or video, that spreads like wildfire across social media. I enjoy in the feeling of silliness  they bring to my screen, offering that soft tiny bit of happiness it gives from the turmoil my daily life also gives. But I am here to talk about political memes. I find myself walking on this fine line. While I'm not the biggest politics fan out there, I understand the power these visual anecdotes hold behind my screen. These type of memes serves as picture-perfect companions to complex political narratives, like pictures or drawn illustrations you’d found in a book or descriptions next to artifacts in a museum. Even when politics gets a bit too serious or complex for my taste, these memes become a show how digestible snapshots, allowing someone like me to sort of decode the intricate storyline of the political realm with a touch of humour and feeling that media being relatable.

Personally, I grew up with memes, especially in the late 2000s and early to mid 2010s. But one thing I noticed from reading comic strips from newspapers like The Borneo Post is that it has made me realize that memes and politics go WAY back. Like I said in my previous statement, memes showed up to be this dynamic and engaging medium for conveying political information, creating a wedge between laughs and frowns without trying so hard. By making complex political issues into concise and relatable formats, let’s not lie to ourselves and say that memes aren’t making politics more accessible to a broader audience. Their effectiveness lies within engaging with younger people, taking advantage of the presence of social media platforms. The share this on my timeline quality and viral nature of memes contribute significantly to the rapid dissemination of political messages, creating dialogue and discussions among diverse groups of people. However, like what Spider-man’s Uncle Ben said “With great power comes great responsibility”. It is a reminder for consumers to approach political memes critically, verifying information for accuracy and being mindful of potential biases embedded in the humor. 

Mortensen, M., & Neumayer, C. (2021), states that using memes are considered to be playful appropriations are used to move and demarcate frontiers in various political, cultural, and platform-specific contexts. Memes, as a form of playful appropriation, challenge and regenerate populism, carving out spaces for new identity to be formed while creating a sense of togetherness when things seemed tense. Playful humour in politics involves the creative appropriation of contexts at the intersection of the political and the humorous, allowing for a critical approach to political issues through creative expression. Mortensen & Neumayer also talked about the downsides of memes being used in politics, as it can also be a took contributing to the normalization of racist, sexist, discriminatory jokes and in the wrong hands, could be used for extremism to flourish. The constant playful appropriation of contexts and the contrast of new frontiers allow memes to effortlessly travel between subcultures and wider media environment (Mortensen, M., & Neumayer, C., 2021).

Like I said again and again, memes are amazing, it can be used to contribute to discussions about political issues in a productive way but I've seen it gone down in a Oh. Ma. Gawd. WHAT? kind of way. It has this potential to oversimplify things, causing people to not really understand the bigger issue. And sometimes, I've seen people make memes related to politics and human rights and used it to make a mockery out of the struggles and hard work people put into solving or easing the problems. You might be wondering, why is everything so repetitive. It is repetitive for a reason. With the main purpose to explain how memes = good but also memes = bad. You can make a light joke with a meme about a movie, a fashion show, maybe history but politics? It also depends where you are too. So before I end this post, let’s just say that it’s good to find humour and relativity in memes when it comes to politics, but don’t depend onto it too much that it becomes your sole source on understanding political issues.

References

Mortensen, M. and Neumayer, C., 2021. The playful politics of memes. Information, Communication & Society, 24(16), pp.2367-2377, viewed 29 November 2023

Meme definition & meaning', Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, viewed 30 November, 2023, <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meme>

[sonorous-strings]

(Warning: LONG AS SHIZ)

"This is Maria Notte with a special, exclusive interview with the rising musical star of Shang Mu: Sonar." (Huh. That sounds almost anticlimactic without a last name, doesn't it? Isn't he married? He should have one, right? Oh, that wasn't picked up was it? We can edit that out, right?)

Sonar was finding it difficult to settle into his chair properly. He'd done interviews before, but not when he was... this big. It was usually just as a plus one, joining in on a joke here and there. And certainly not after having just gotten back from his honeymoon and practically dragged to an interview with the reporter that seemed to be on the screen whenever anything of import happened. He decided to try to just sit still, find a comfortable position naturally over the course of the interview.

And tried not to grimace at the side comment. She raised a couple of valid points, there. Was his name officially Sonar (or... ugh, Sonorous) Tea now, since he technically didn't have a last name prior? There was a flash of uncertainty there, as he found himself rolling the name around in his head, getting a feel for it. It wouldn't sound too awkward or anything, would it? He'd had so much fun with Carol, just him and her cavorting about who knows where that he'd never really thought to bring that up apart from the couple of quips they traded, Corazon included, in the weeks leading up to the honeymoon.

He didn't think they could get any closer, but somehow, during the course of the honeymoon, they did.

He'd probably never be as close as Lilac was to Carol (barring Lilac's lingering pain and regret over the road not taken), but that was okay. Theirs was a special kind of closeness exclusive to them, and Sonar had his own. He was okay with that. But that time together... if he could just disappear with her forever, he would in an absolute heartbeat.

She need only say the word at this point.

Oops. He was zoning out again. He blinked, caught himself as Maria finished her opening spiel, talking about Sonar and his accomplishments, yadda yadda... hm. Carol's rubbing off on him. He kept the smile to himself- it was amazing at how much one could go through in his head in just a few seconds. Maybe it was easy because of the subject material. He settled back in his chair and put on a slight, confident smile, a toned-down version of the one he'd put on while on stage.

"So, Sonar- can I call you Sonar?"

"Sure." He wasn't sure why she'd ask, but hey, he'd humor her.

"Sonar. Let's start with... well, how famous you are. You're practically on par with Tunder Lilin these days! How'd you do it?"

Oh, good, a somewhat easy question to answer. Well, one he had an idea with which to answer, anyway. "Well, Maria, to tell you the truth I'm not really sure exactly how I did it," he said with a shrug. "I think I just got lucky, truth be told. I started small, just working out of a little apartment all the way over in Shang Tu, just banging out songs here and there, doing covers, doing something of a portfolio while making it worthwhile for myself at the same time so that when I landed something big, I'd at least have something to show them."

"Oooh, so you just sorta built yourself up to everything? That's a real rags-to-riches story, right there!"

"I guess so, yeah. It was fun showing my friends the stuff I was coming up with, too. I like to think some of them enjoyed the whole creative process."

"Did you write any about Carol?"

"Of course! What kind of musician would I be otherwise? I've written a couple for her, one I actually played a few months ago for its debut. I think a lot of people liked it. Was a little different from my usual stuff, of course, but it's nice to shake things up a bit sometimes."

"'All We Need', right? That was a sweet song. Should've guessed that was for her. Speaking of Carol, how'd you two meet, anyway?"

Sonar couldn't help but laugh. "That's, uh... a hell of a story." He couldn't exactly tell Maria (and the rest of the world, for that matter) that he wasn't from Avalice, aliens being a sore spot with the Three Kingdoms and all. "We met in a park, and because I happened to look like someone else, she wanted to kick my butt," he said, as usual unable to keep the smile off his face as he recalled their rocky start. "She was able to deduce pretty quickly I wasn't who she thought I was, and the rest is history. What a hell of a way to meet your future wife, though." Every now and then, he thought, a moment of panic would set in. What if they hadn't cooled off when they did? What if Carol hadn't thought of trying to trick him with her scarf and its meaning?

"Before all that stardom hit, right?"

"Oh, way before. I was a nobody trying to figure out where to hit before taking off. Carol was the one that helped me to keep going on. Everything changed after we met, and I owe her pretty much everything. And besides, a boyfriend's gotta impress his girl somehow, right? I might have started out as 'That Guy with a Guitar', but she certainly didn't seem to mind, even before we got together."

"All the broken-hearted girls want to know- pardon the joke- is what is it about Carol?"

A little personal, but... meh, if he was writing songs for her and publicly showing them off, it wasn't too much of a stretch to ask. And Carol's infinite jealousy whenever any other girl was near him sans her friends and Corazon would make some funny ammunition later on down the road for when she would tell someone to back off. "She saved me, even if she didn't know it at the time. I don't think I did either, until I looked back months later. But that's only part of why she's such an amazing girl. Name me anyone else with that much confidence, that much energy, all wrapped up into this kind-hearted ball of green fur that can kick my ass if she wanted to." He held up a finger. "You can't. Probably. Even when we first met I could tell something was different about her-" besides the fact that being an actual alien on Mobius was difference enough "-and eventually I was ecstatic to know she kind of felt the same way I did!" He smiled wide. "She can do anything. Succeed anywhere she wants. And she's really fucking cute- oops, sorry."

"Don't worry, we'll edit that out."

"Sound effect censors are hilarious, so I hope you use one of those. But yeah. It's just... I don't even know if I'm making sense. I can talk about Carol for ages (though I haven't tried... yet), and sometimes I can't quite put into words well enough what it is about her. Especially when we fight- whoops, not that kind of fight," he quickly corrected after a pause following the word "fight" as it sunk in how weird that would sound. "I can fight, kinda, I've got this sweet guitar club thing one of my friends made that I can fight the robots here with alongside Carol. But I still can't hold a candle to her. Again, amazing."

"She's awfully lucky to have someone like you head over heels for her. Maybe we should interview her and ask her the same about you some day! But let's move on- we do unfortunately have a time limit, here. So before all that, before you met Carol... who was Sonar?"

Ah, jeez. He kinda figured an interview about The Man, the Myth, the Legend (okay, not really, but it was fun to joke) would turn to stuff he probably didn't want to talk about, but people were sure to find out anyway. "A nobody," he said, rather plainly, causing Maria to blink, as if she thought that's all he was going to say. But then he continued, "I was a guy that... well, wasn't going anywhere." His eyes fell and his earlier excitement seemed to dwindle as he recalled the now -seemingly distant pasts. "I'd been trying everything I knew just to make ends meet at that point. I didn't really have a family by the time I was on my own. Both of my parents were gone soon after I'd moved out. I had a sister but... well, she passed away a few years before that. So while I was trying to achieve my dream, I'd ended up mostly spinning my wheels, making bad decisions and kinda digging myself deeper into a hole." He sighed. "Aside from that, I was pretty much the same person you see sitting before you. Big into video games and those flavored triangle tortilla chips that are really bad for you." He forced a grin back into his expression, trying to escape the dourness threatening to overtake the atmosphere. It worked, thankfully. "A lot of it wasn't stuff I was aware of at the time. But, back to Carol, that was basically my turning point for everything. Even as friends, we were inseparable and all that." Maybe that was because she was his only friend on Mobius, but... details and all.

"I think a few others have had similar experiences... things that weren't going well before they hit that big break. It's kind of hard to imagine not seeing you being plastered all over the Battlesphere these days!"

"Yeah, that was a big surprise. I was actually approached by Mayor Zao- well, not Zao himself, but you know what I mean. He'd heard my playing somehow and wanted me to play for the Battlesphere. Doing live music for the events and battles and whatnot. Carol competing while I was there was fun. I may have been a little biased then. You could definitely hear that during her Spade fight. I couldn't help but troll her opponents a little every now and again. And I get to use the stage for shows! It's basically a dream come true for me all around."

"Before we wrap this up, what's next for Sonar? Or Sonar and Carol, for that matter?"

Sonar had to think on that one. And yet... he couldn't think of an answer. "Would you believe me if I said we kind of haven't thought that far ahead?" he said, almost sheepishly. "We pretty got back from our honeymoon pretty recently, and we're kind of settling down into this new routine of just... being married."

"Oh." The word was mischevious-sounding as Maria almost smirked teasingly at him. "Should we expect to see Sonar Juniors in the near future?"

Sonar couldn't help himself. He blushed, staring open-mouthed at Maria for a few seconds while she giggled to herself. If there was one way to break Sonar, it was speaking of things like that about Carol.

Which was a little weird for him specifically, really, he thought. It wasn't as if he'd never had relations with other girls before he and Carol had met... but he just couldn't bring himself to see Carol in that way. It felt... wrong. And he was okay with that. But every once in a blue moon he'd find himself imagining what his kid would look like. What Carol would be like as a mother. He liked the idea of spoiling a daughter while Carol encouraged behavior that would make his hair gray early. But actually getting there? Probably wasn't going to happen.

Of course, there was also the matter of Carol's stance on the matter. Which was to say "Hell, no." He was pretty sure she just didn't want to deal with the burden of it all. Maybe she was afraid of what would happen if she became a mother of any sort. He was happy to respect that. The two of them were enough. And his newfound family.

He recovered after a couple of moments and cleared his throat. "Probably not," he said with a sheepish smile. "I don't think any of us would be able to fathom it anyway."

"Oh! And before we go, the world wants to know: What's it like working with Tunder Lilin?"

"It's awesome. We bounce ideas back and forth all the time on collaboration songs and the like, and having similar tastes in music definitely helps. The stuff she does with me is kind of a side project, not her usual genre, but it's another outlet for her. And it's really fun." He was also very certain Carol absolutely hated Tunder. For the life of him, though, he couldn't figure out why. It was much more than her usual jealousy. But he wasn't going to just put that out there in an interview.

"Well! That was certainly informative. Maybe we'll have to track down Carol so we can air these interviews back to back. That'd be interesting to do. What? We can't? Fooey. Well, in any case: Sonar, thank you for joining us today. I hope we can get another interview again someday, when you've absolutely dominated the planet."

"World domination through music, eh? I like it. But Carol and her friends would probably have to stop me." He laughed at the bad joke. "Great being here, Maria."

[slamsams-blog]

You Only Live Twice - #24WeeksofBond

This weeks installment in the 24 Weeks of Bond marathon continues with 1967′s “You Only Live Twice” where Bond DIES....then comes BACK TO LIFE...then becomes JAPANESE...then has a WAR INSIDE A VOLCANO.  If someone who hadn’t seen this movie was given that description of this film, that person would’ve dropped everything that they had in that moment and found a way to see this movie.  While that description makes this movie sound like a great cinematic experience, it ultimately falls flat with every bit of the plot being rushed to hell.  But that’s just my opinion, read on and see if you agree.

Sean Connery is back for the 5th time as Bond, and only because the producers agreed to bump his salary considerably.  Sean was getting tired of the grind that came with Bond and was having a hard time finding other film work with the hectic schedule of filming and promoting...(life sure must’ve been tough, eye roll.)  But they showed him the money, and with it, we get a checked out Sean Connery on a mission to find out who is causing chaos in outer orbit?

Let’s start with some positives...the pre-title sequence is fun.  We start out with a couple of American astronauts in space, and one of them goes out to check to make sure everything is working fine, but we see a mysterious spacecraft approaching undetected until it’s too late and swallows up the Americans, but in doing so, cuts the said astronauts lifeline.  That scene always made me cringe as a kid.  Then we see the American’s blaming Russia for the abduction, but Britain disagrees and think they saw something coming out of Japan.  Cut to Bond in bed with a lovely young lady...(who makes a quiet cameo in Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale).  She surprises Bond and traps him with the fold up bed they were sleeping on for some evil bad guys to open fire, KILLING JAMES BOND.  I mean, there was blood and everything!!!

I must admit, they got me with this when I first saw this movie.  I was legitimately shocked and sad when I saw this.  I thought to myself “how can this be??”...well, turns out it was all a stunt to fake his own death so his enemies all write him off - giving MI6 a little breathing room for Bond to do his job.

The job is to figure out where this unidentified spacecraft is coming from.  M has intel that there was some fishy stuff going on in Japan, so that’s where Bond is sent with the code “I love you” for his contacts to identify him.  Basic, but humorous. Moneypenny gets a great line out of it, “repeat it please, so I know you have it”. Bond gets to Japan where he meets Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi) who is NOT his contact, but will be bringing him to his contact who is Mr. Henderson (Charles Gray).  This is sort of a wasted role for Charles Gray.  A very brief conversation with Henderson ends with him getting stabbed in the back through his paper walls.

Bond catches the guy, kills him, steals his clothes and goes to the get-away car that is being driven by none other than Peter Maivia.  Who is Peter Maivia you ask?  Well he is the father of Ata Maivia, who had a son who would go on to become THE ROCK.  Yes, Peter Maivia is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Grandfather.  No wonder Bond has a rough time handling this one. The Rock has said before that he would love to land a Bond Villain role one day.  Maybe to avenge his grand daddy?

Aki bails Bond out by getting him out of harms way after taking out Peter Maivia and stealing some documents from a chemical facility and she takes him to Tanaka (Tetsurō Tamba) who works for the Japanese secret service.  I would love it if my office had a slide attached to it.  Bond and Tanaka talk business over Sake at 98.4 degrees fahrenheit, then what follows next is a rather uncomfortable scene that really doesn’t age well.

Tanaka takes Bond to his personal spa where his massage and bathing slaves wash them both while Tanaka says “In Japan, men come first - women come second.”  ugh, some things about Bond that make you wish you could forget.  We also get close to seeing Connery’s junk.  If you look close enough while Bond is in his hot tub you can really see pretty far down through the water...not that I was looking...ok I was, I do every time. 

But now suddenly, Aki joins the party taking over for the girl who was giving Bond a massage and she acts like they have been long lost lovers - whispering sweet nothings, and kissing his ear as he turns around and yells AKI, longingly.  I’m sorry, when did they suddenly fall for each other?  This is a very rushed relationship, we don’t have any time to get to know Aki before we are supposed to accept her as Bond’s love interest.  Have I mentioned this movie was written by the man who wrote Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach??  Roald Dahl, swings in and writes the screen play after having no screen play writing experience.  Apparently he and Ian Fleming were buds.

Anyway, there seems to be a lot of danger surrounding this chemical facility as the document Bond stole said that a picture of this boat had been taken by a tourist, and that the tourist was liquified.  Bond goes sniffing, enlists the help of trusty ole Q and his “Little Nelly” toy helicopter with missiles and flies by the coast of where the boat in the picture was at.  But one simply cannot go to the coast as an englishman, no no.  In order to get there, Bond MUST become a Japanese ninja who has a wife and goes undercover as a poor worker.

Enter Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama) who is another Japanese agent, picked to pretend marry Bond who is made up as the worst looking Japanese man ever.  Seriously, this is just so goofy and ridiculous where it really takes away from the movie.  Aki ends up getting poisoned accidentally and Bond has a hard time giving a crap about it.  Thank you for your service Aki.  But Bond now has to find where this spacecraft is coming from and fast, otherwise it’ll be Bond’s ass.

Kissy says there was something going on with the volcano.  So they go hiking and discover that that is where the spacecraft is coming from.  Man, Blofeld has an impressive collection of headquarters and hide outs.  You have to wonder how long it took Blofeld to construct this volcano lair, it is very impressive.

Bond gets to work infiltrating the volcano while Tanaka sends his ninjas, and now we have a war.

This is the first time we get to see Blofeld’s (Donald Pleasence) face and also the first time we get Blofeld as the main henchman.  In the previous movies Blofeld was just a voice and a cat who deployed his empire to be the Bond villains, but Blofeld is alone here with only Hans, Mr. Osato, and Helga Brant as his backup.  Not exactly the “A” team.  After a pretty intense battle, Bond manages to destroy the Spacecraft, sent out to create a world war between America and Russia, and escapes...mission complete.

While “You Only Live Twice” has it’s moments - The pre-title sequence, the Volcano fight, and the Peter Maivia easter egg.  “You Only Live Twice” is a rather forgettable film in the series.  Connery had enjoyed incredible success in his first 4 films, and even this movie was touted as a major success when it opened - but this just comes up short in flavor and substance.  The whole movie is just about Bond looking for the spacecraft in Japan, and running into all sorts of vanilla characters along the way, making me have to think twice about watching this again. (pun intended, unfortunately).

Connery would exit the franchise after this film to be replaced by George Lazenby, but after George decides to walk, Connery will come back again for one more film - but you can definitely see the writing on the wall for Connery here.  You Only Live Twice is at best, a passable Bond film that lacks depth and void of any creative passion, but gets by because it’s a Bond movie.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it, what did you think?  Let me know!

Reviews from Friends:

Jake Benrud

I enjoyed this movie. Although the spaceship "eating" the other spaceships was comical by today's special effects standards. Watch out for the piranha pool. I've always enjoyed this theme song. I don't know why. It always gets stuck in my head.

24 Weeks of Bond will return next Monday with - 

For Your Eyes Only

[dangan-aesthetic]

im not sure if this counts as a request or not and you can absolutely delete it if it does but... if im not mistaken mod twogami has a fondness for broadway so... could they recommend any shows? i've been trying to get into more shows and such...!

It doesn’t count as a request! don’t worry, you’re fine! oh my gosh though I love Broadway SO MUCH I am SO HAPPY to make a list for you I LOVE talking about stuff I like! 

one warning I should maybe give is that I tend to be more into modern musical theater, so the majority of shows I really like are from after like 2000 if that’s okay with you. I’d be happy to recommend some older stuff if you’d prefer, I’m just not as knowledgable about it. another warning: I am incapable of brevity. this list is way too long… i’m so fuckin sorry… i’m really really sorry. 

comedy:

♡ the producers (2001). the show that really got me into musical theater. it also won more tony awards than any show, ever. about two broadway producers who try to create the worst musical ever, ergo hilarity ensues. maybe not the best pick if you’re uncomfortable with content that makes fun of nazis, but if it helps, the writer is jewish (and I’m jewish and don’t have a problem with it). there’s also some adorable gays, and a movie version that’s very faithful to the show, so that’s nice. you want the 2005 movie if you want songs (the 1968 movie isn’t a musical). also, if you like this, young frankenstein is a great show by the same creators with a similar sense of humor.

♡ the book of mormon (2010).two mormon missionaries go to uganda. absolutely hilarious. pretty crass though, and i’m sure problematic as hell (by the creators of south park, if that’s any indication), so be warned. but it’s just… such a fun time.

♡ a gentleman’s guide to love and murder (2014).a rare musical comedy that’s actually not that crass. about a man in edwardian england who learns he’s ninth in line to inherit an earldom, so he kills everyone in his way to the position. actually a very lighthearted comedy. bonus points for a love triangle that turns into a really cute poly triad.

♡ avenue q (2003).sesame street, but about issues faced by people in their mid-twenties: a kindergarten teacher tries to snag a boyfriend, a recent college grad tries to find his purpose, a gay republican struggles to come out of the closet, gary coleman is just kind of there. song titles include “the internet is for porn” and “everyone’s a little bit racist.” puppet sex. a good time.

♡ a funny thing happened on the way to the forum (1962).slapsticky, very clever, hilarious if you like roman history, funny even if you don’t. about a roman slave who wants to earn his freedom, his young master falling in love for the first time, pirates, soldiers, sex workers, a lot of stuff. the movie is very good. I’m also partial to the 1996 cast album because I love Nathan Lane.

drama:

♡ sweeney todd (1979).just… a masterpiece of a musical score tbh. about a barber who seeks revenge for his tortured past. people get baked into pies. if you haven’t noticed, i really like musicals that make light of murder (although i’m guessing you like funny media about murder too, since you came to a danganronpa blog to ask this?). funny, moving, dark, creepy, powerful. I’ve never actually seen the movie and don’t really recommend it from what I’ve heard, but a production of the show is on DVD with most of the original cast, and it’s definitely worth a watch. also, if you like this, i recommend p much anything stephen sondheim’s ever written. he’s a genius.

♡ spring awakening (2007).takes place in the late 19th century, but is very, very relevant to issues kids face today. covers stuff like the importance of sexual education, child abuse, the pressure placed on kids by school, and the confusion teenagers go through when discovering sexual desire. very heavy, but very beautiful (note: this is maybe the musical I know that is the most difficult to get a sense of the plot by just listening to the score, so I’d recommend maybe reading a plot summary or watching a bootleg or something. there was a cool production last year where a lot of the cast was deaf and it was bilingual in english and asl! idk if there’s a bootleg of that anywhere, but it was a good time). tw for rape, suicide, abortion, child abuse… yeah, it’s dark.

♡ next to normal (2009).about a family dealing with their mom’s mental illness, and covers stuff like how her life is affected by her illness, how fucked up the process of getting treatment is, and how mental illness affects her relationship with the people around her. I find it very realistic, very moving, and very relatable. of course tw for mental illness and suicide. i am dan goodman.

♡ natasha, pierre, and the great comet of 1812 (2012).just reopened on broadway! based on part of war and peace, so you’ll know the plot of war and peace and look really smart. about a woman who gets swept up in an affair while her husband is at war in 19th century russia. the plot isn’t really what’s interesting so much as the gorgeous musical score and really cool things they did with the staging / mixing the 19th century and the modern day.

stuff that’s a mix of the two genres:

♡ the frogs (2004).a comedy that gets more and more serious until it’s… not really a comedy anymore. dionysus and his slave go to the underworld to bring back george bernard shaw and make the world right again. shakespeare is there. hades is gay. was on broadway for all of like four months and is pretty damn obscure, but it’s SO GOOD, I promise.

♡ heathers: the musical (2014).another comedic musical about murder. I love comedies about murder. a girl befriends her high school’s popular clique and gets a sort of fucked up boyfriend. shit goes down. I feel like it does a very good job of representing what high school is really like (my high school experience, anyway), and is a good mix of funny and serious. heavy tw for suicide and mental illness (and briefly for eating disorders, but it’s just a couple of comments).

♡ matilda the musical (2010).based on the roald dahl book! about a little girl who is extremely intelligent, but is surrounded by neglectful parents and an abusive headmaster – so she fights back against them. what a genuinely fun, heartfelt time. great lyrics, super creative, and has a scene where someone eats a whole cake, which is always a plus and very relatable (note: im twogami, what were you expecting). tw for child abuse, but the musical is meant for kids, so it’s not very graphic.

♡ my fair lady (1957).thought maybe I should throw in some older stuff as well. early 1900s england, an upper class linguist asshole tries to turn a lower class flower seller into a “lady.” the movie is very, very good. is based on a very feminist play but was made into a slightly misogynistic romance for hollywood, so I’d recommend reading pygmalion if you’re unsatisfied with the ending (but it’s not like the movie doesn’t do its fair share of calling out higgins’s misogyny).

♡ 1776 (1969).also has a very good movie. about the founding fathers and the signing of the declaration of independence. maybe don’t watch this if you’re mad that hamilton is glorifying slave owners (note: I like hamilton, but I didn’t put it on this list because I’m kind of tired of it by now, and anyway I’m sure you know about it). a very good mix of funny and historically accurate. 

anyway I hope you enjoy this list and can forgive me for… info dumping rlly heavily on u… love u, hope ur havin a good day, thanks for letting me talk about this. tell me if you end up checking out any of these shows and liking them! - Mod Twogami