#mo rats mo problems

[deep-dark-fears]

Seven mouths to feed. A fear submitted by Aliya to Deep Dark Fears - thanks!

Looking for gifts for the holidays? You can find original artwork and commission portraits in my shop!

[chongoblog]

[Blocked] for Your Sanity Analysis

In light of Deltarune today, I thought I'd look back on a mashup I made when Chapter 2 dropped, that being [Blocked] For Your Sanity.

So if we don't count the backing track of BIG SHOT, this song uses 12 different audio sources. Thats roughly 1 new sample every 12 seconds (a pretty good pace. Side note: I'm gonna have to look into the mashup rates of some of my other mashups, just because I love Numbers)

Of these 12 samples, I can cite specific reasons for adding almost every single one of them! The only one I can't think of is "Mambo No. 5", which I think ended up being added because the melodic rhythm lined up well (similar to HHGregg in Mad Rat Purgatory).

So first, we can clear a lot of these in one, because this mashup is actually a direct sequel! If you didn't know, I mad a mashup with "NOWS YOUR CHANCE TO BE A" called "[Blocked] For Your Safety". And every song that was used in Safety is reused here. Those songs being "I Want You", "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems", "Wannabe", and "Macarena". All of those were chosen because all four of them were on the Billboard Year-End Top 100 List for [[1997]].

So that's 4 songs out of the way! We can eliminate a few more by looking back at previous mashups, mostly at Behindtale. "You Spin Me Right Round" and HHGregg were included as a reference to THE JAM REVOLVING (with HHGregg getting special attention due to this coming out a few months after Mad Rat Monday). Some people in the comments speculated that it was some kind of reference to Spamton's character and how it's not too dissimilar to Mad Rat's in a way, and while that wasn't the intent, it's a fascinating perspective. THIS is the kind of shit that makes me love what I do. I plant the seed that you can analyze mashups for a deeper meaning. Then you have people who see that deeper meaning, even where you didn't intend to, giving them a deeper and sometimes even more personal connection to the music. FUCK I love creating. Anyway, "The Hero!!" and "Anthropology" were added as references to Pony! and Power of a Punch from Behindtale, since the motifs from Undertale re-emerge in this theme.

And on this note I want to take a moment to say that I'm frothing at the mouth to one day make a Deltarune album. Because Toby's use of motifs gels REALLY well with my style of mashups. I'm not sure when I would do it or how I would arrange it all, but I wanna make it happen (along with all the other stuff I wanna do aaaaaaaaa)

So that leaves 3 more songs, which are meant to reflect Spamton specifically, and his feeling of being trapped. "I've Got No Strings" is the clearest puppet allegory I could find in a song (I know Master of Puppets exists, but a Master Spamton is not). "This is Gospel" is a song that functionally works really well in mashups because its chorus is mostly one long held word, so you don't have to worry about it making the lead vocals confusing. But for this one it works doubly well, since the lyrics heard are "LET ME GO". And finally, "Locked Out Of Heaven" is almost punishingly fitting for Spamton.

That's the reasoning out of the way. In terms of production notes, you can start to see a more remix-inspired style start to really rise up with this mashup. A lot of the audio tracks are cut down and have small bits repeated (most notably, Wannabe, Macarena, and I Want You). Someone in the comments pointed out that at 1:55 there are 4 songs playing over each other and it still works! The repetition is part of what makes this work so well! I start by looping "I need you, I want you", which is a very simple loop. Once you have that going for a couple loops, the listener gets it, and since the loop is like half a second, you're SPEEDRUNNING that familiarity. Then I do the same thing with "Mambo No. 5", which I put on top of the melody playing. This acts to sort of place Mambo No. 5 as part of the backing track.

You see, my theory with mashups is that when people generally listen to a song, they subconsciously divide it into its musicality and its lyrics. The musicality side of the brain is abstract and can absorb a good bit, especially if you build on it over time (with overlaying melodies and such). The lyrical side of your brain is less talented, because if you try to tell it two new sets of words at the same time, its a bit too much. The tradeoff is that it makes a of of this kind of analysis, so I guess it levels out. So how do you make it so that you can play a bunch of songs at once without the lyric side going into a fit? That's where the repetition comes in! If you can get a phrase to repeat enough, then the lyric side of your brain sorta goes "okay, yeah I got that. There's not much by new information to worry about" and it sort of moves it over to the musicality half of the brain to process. At that point it doesn't process what it's saying, but it doesn't need to. You already know. And the best part is that musicality half LOVES it when you can seamlessly put familiar stuff with other familiar stuff (it's why mashups are so fun in the first place). That way you can add lyrics bit by bit, and suddenly you have three people singing at once, but you can still make sense of it!

I'll probably share some finer technical tips for how to do that stuff in a future post, but this one's gone on for quite a bit already

[tinytablepodcast]

The Faces of Broke Wizards: Mo

You know what they say: Mo pronouns....Mo problems.

Fun Fact: Mo has a pet rat named Ratthew who never made an appearance in the episodes, but lives in Mo's pocket

[burnwater13]

Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, rat catching droid, and Krrsantan standing on the streets of Mos Espa. Image from The Book of Boba Fett, Season 1, Episode 7, In the Name of Honor.

Don’t get fooled again…

A week had passed since Grogu had dumped all that food on the Daimyo, Fennec, and his dad. He’d been surprised that the Mandalorian hadn’t given him some big lecture about focus and concentration and what appropriate behaviors were and that wasting food like that was definitely not the way. He’d apologized for it all preemptively but his dad’s response had puzzled him. The Mandalorian had simply hugged him and told him that if that was the worst thing that ever happened to the two of them, he’d count himself very lucky. 

Grogu was puzzled by that sentiment because they had already survived a bunch of truly bad events. The Mandalorian had almost been killed by that strange brain critter on Mandalore, and by the Imps, and he’d been given to the Imps, recaptured by them, and then had save them all from Moff Gideon, while the other Mandalorians had driven off the rest of the Imps. Grogu hoped they had driven off the rest of those Imps. Of course he also hoped that Moff Gideon was really gone and he hadn’t just taken out one of the war lord’s clones. Uff. Why did there have to be clones?

He knew that Boba Fett was a clone and that his ‘father’, Jango Fett, had been a well known bounty hunter. He had also been a Mandalorian. Grogu supposed that if he was going to make an army of fighters you could do worse that selecting a Mandalorian as your template, particularly if you had a problem with every sentient species that wasn’t human. Not that Grogu had that sort of problem. He didn’t. The Jedi had been very clear in all of their teachings that all sentient beings in the galaxy were worthy of being Jedi. All of them. 

So, if he’d wanted to clone a bunch of someone, presumably to have an army that other other armies would simply surrender to, he’d probably have picked a Mandalorian. They were renowned as fierce fighters. They had often triumphed over Jedi and Sith. They had managed to conquer many planets during the peak of their expansion. On the other hand, Mandalorians were also arrogant. They only followed their own way. They weren’t great at cooperation. They only had two arms. They had almost no discernible sense of humor. And they had those short human life spans. 

Their beskar armor was their biggest advantage on a battlefield along with their flight packs. The people who had used Jango Fett as a template hadn’t bothered to replicate his armor in beskar. They had used some sort of plastic that barely protected the people who wore it. The men, he should say. Just men. There had been no female clones that he was aware of and that seemed very strange to him. 

No. If he was going to clone someone to fight by his side, he’d want someone who was a cross between the head librarian at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and a Wookiee. They would be immensely strong and be able to recall every piece of data and information needed to make short work of their foe. Whether or not they would speak Shyriiwook was another matter. Grogu knew just enough Shyriiwook to stay out of trouble, but it wasn’t a language that anyone whispered. Sometimes quiet really helped out. So maybe they’d be taught to speak something else, but not necessarily Gal Basic either. If you were overheard speaking Gal Basic, well, everyone pretty much would be able to understand what was being said. That wasn’t great for a fighting force. 

The only issue with cloning Wookiees was the issue of their height. He’d only met a few Wookiees and they were all immensely taller than him, even the younglings. He didn’t want to hold that against him, but he would have to make sure that the ships, vehicles, speeders, and every other piece of equipment they used were sized appropriately. 

During his various run-ins with the Empire, Grogu had noticed that if an individual was just a little shorter than ‘Stormtrooper’ standard, their armor didn’t fit, the helmets were too big, and the weapons were much harder to handle. He hadn’t minded that for the Empire. That was there problem. But for his group it wouldn’t be acceptable. It was just foolish not to make sure that all of your fighting force was appropriately protected. 

Of course, the Stormtroopers weren’t clones, but the armor they had been given was largely left over from the deactivated Clone troopers. It made sense that it hadn’t really fit them well. You might have sorted that out before conscripting people or taking volunteers or whatever else the Empire had done to transition from Clone Troopers to Stormtroopers. But all of that was supposing that the Empire was really good at planning and follow through and they definitely weren’t good at that. Even Moff Gideon had let his own arrogance get in his way. 

Huh. That was a good reminder. Arrogance was definitely a trait of the Sith and not the Jedi. Yes, you could believe in yourself. You could practice and perfect your skills. You could work hard and learn many techniques. But as soon as you thought you knew enough, the Force had a real tangible way of setting you straight. It simply introduced you to a person just like you. One eager for a fight. One who lacked patience. One who depended on the other person faltering. A person who utterly lacked humility. Then you would find out which of you was the fool. The trick of course was that you both were. Uff.

No wonder his dad hadn’t cared about getting covered in all that food. Yes, he’d looked silly. Yes, he’d had to clean his armor and his hair and every other part of himself, including all of his weapons. That had taken time and effort. But he wasn’t being charged at by a mudhorn, or fired on by members of the Pyke syndicate, or chased by a giant ice spider. He’d been safe and sound on Tatooine, in the Daimyo’s palace. If something bad was going to happen, that was actually a pretty good place to be to deal with it. 

Grogu should have realized that Din Djarin was no fool. Grogu had taught himself the lesson and his dad just had to stand there and watch him do it. Uff. He supposed that’s why he was the apprentice and the Mandalorian was his Master. Grogu still had much to learn and was just glad that his dad was able to teach him. That was really the Way.

[fea-resources]

Best Unhinged Commentary As RP Starters Pt.1

Preemptively shoot them. Double tap for the fucking idiot who came before you and didn't.

Shoot her anyway. Shoot her for having a crappy hairstyle.

You start doing some freaky shit like the padre, I'm gonna shoot you.

I'm serious. Don't fucking start turning into a Thing. I'll shoot you. This is a small ass house.

Marco...? Better not be a fucking polo around here.

Yeah but they'd taste bitchin' in the few minutes before you died horribly.

Anything else in here that I need, before I go? Besides ANOTHER HEART ATTACK.

THERE BETTER NOT BE ANYTHING ELSE WAITING FOR ME OUT THERE BECAUSE I WILL SHOOT IT IN THE FACE.

That noise was behind me... that noise was behind me, right? ...that wasn't behind me.

Why is there a pile of dead bodies here now? This wasn't here before.

My work place has rat traps so I guess they have vermin problems, and this makes me so happy because if I see one of those fuckers I'ma grab it with my bare hands and wow the whole store. Up my pay grade. I can catch rats myself!

Try anything once. ESPECIALLY once if its toxic.

She's your stalker girlfriend. You will be hers or you will not have the chance to be anything else.

Standing in the bushes. A great strategy. I love bushes.

I know s/he can go straight through doors, I just hope s/he doesn't go straight through THIS fucking door.

Go away, I don't want what you're fucking selling.

HULK WANT OUT. LET HULK OUT.

Its Hulk's weak bitch ass cousin.

You're right, I don't like any noise, because noise means bad stuff.

That fucking laugh though... "nyA HA".

The devil's brew and the devil's lettuce. How many other things does the devil have?

Gotta face your fears. Face them like a man. A big, burly man. A bara, even.

Best friends kill each other before the apocalypse.

That's not heavy breathing -- its purring.

MY SON ISN'T LIKE THAT. MY SON JUST WANTS AFFECTION.

I love the additions of the flies, but the lack of maggots and decay is upsetting.

She's just mad cuz her tanning bed turned her into jerky.

Ghouls in a box, much like kittens in a box, but now with fifty percent more mauling.

What, is fifty percent mauling not good enough for you? Is this year's model not violent enough? GOD, not everyone can keep up with your strict mauling standards.

Oh come on, my mauling standards aren't that high. I just assumed this wasn't the world of Hello Kitty or MLP.

How safe is the safe house, really?

S/he wants you to stay that bad. S/he's such a sweetheart. Clingy and murderous, but a sweetheart.

Hey look, its the slow mo brain juice again.

Its just a bullet to the brain, mate. Ain't that bad. I've taken a few of those.

Excuse you. That is called abstract art. And it is gorgeous.

Its the sound of forgiveness. Screaming and then silence.

Sitting here making noise on the sidelines with the desperate hope it gets you caught somehow.

Children are omens of death. Do not follow the pitter patter of feet.

I swear to god nothing better crawl out after me. I will throw my ______ and then regret it.

You think a door will save you? You're a stupid bitch.

And you are 100% faking death good sir.

I wanna lick every single window in this place. I'm not sure why, but I just want to.

Sabotage kitty.

Its me in the mornings, and the knife is reality.

He's 50 shades of dead.

Uh I don't wanna go in the church because... stuff happens in the church.

Nothing over here except that dude having a grand old time, just... slamming his fists into that body. You know.

I'm okay. I'm gonna be fiiine. Who am I kidding? I'm gonna get fucked. Hard. In a very unpleasant way.

RUN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN. YOU CAN'T CATCH ME, I'M THE ZOMBIE CRONCH MAN.

That's right, I don't have the hand axe anymore cuz I used it while I was in church, damn it.

Damn, you had a bad time. You lost your leg-- yeah, there's the leg.

Why do you eat so many bullets?

S/HE. FUCKING. ATE. BULLETS.

This house is aesthetic. That couch however... is not.

YEA BO- wait. What the fuck is this?

*Gets out the hose. Pressure washes _______ with holy water*

THAT'S NOT HOLY WATER. THERE'S NOTHING HOLY ABOUT IT, EXCEPT THAT IT FILLS ME WITH HOLES.

Dead raccoons smell a lot like melting brussel sprouts. Pro tip.

I genuinely forgot how to spell his name, and just don't care at this point.

Sell shit, be rich for about 5 seconds, then be poor.

Sky pervert you say?

Oh there you are. I tried to summon you like beatle juice but it didn't work.

Well you should'a said that chant over a dead possum. Then I would'a heard you.

Confession. I'm still hella weak for bunny tatas.

Ah, so polite. You're also like. My well of never-ending potions.

Every city looks pretty at night. They look better on FIRE at NIGHT.

Never mind. He looked better through the blurry window.

I don't know if this is weird but, does catnip... smell like tea? Cuz I think it kinda smells like tea.

I missed my chance to be Cool and say 'I've never snorted catnip'. I disappoint myself.

Dang you only had 8 dollars? You're a poor ass soldier, what the fuck.

I guess I WILL just... sound the alarm.

THE SHEEP LOOK LIKE MUPPETS, WHAT THE FUCK. THEY'RE SO CUTE.

I hate being blinded too... I say as I never wear glasses I need to wear.

*to the tune of shots* BUTTS BUTTS BUTTS BUTTS BUTTS BUTTS BUTTS

ANGERY BUNNY BUTT.

I WOULD EAT IT. BET IT TASTES LIKE CYANIDE AND HEARTBURN.

I hate those boots. I wish you'd just put on actual pants.

That dysfunctional wardrobe is the final boss.

Jar jar binks got big. Stronk stronk bigs.

Let _______ have the tittie of bitch.

My fingers are dyslexic, pass it on. Calling you stupid bone sausages out.

Angels don't talk about Eiffel tower dick.

Yeah, I ditched him. I don't even care if he's asleep. I ditched him.

All those burnt corpses look like bacon to me. Crispy dragon-charred bacon.

you're a COWARD. GO TO THE TOP. EMBRACE THE JUMP.

_______ looks like a hobbit, not gonna lie.

I told you your little child bearing bones would catch you! They're springy and resilient!

Congrdeurtions.

The deer pelt is surprisingly sterile. Its the most sterile thing in this fucking place.

My dream is to be able to spell astetic... asthmatic... antsthetic... antstatic... aunt stacy? You know what I mean.

I wanna lick the sugar candy in the sky.

Wait, I missed the corpse. We have to go back for the corpse. Leave NO man behind.

SOS jerky.

Adopt a child. It's time.

I was named after a slutty country singer. And a car.

Back in my day, we used beds and called it woohoo. Just like the Sims. That’s where all my Sex Ed comes from.

Back in my day, we walked 4 miles with ONE FUCKIN' SHOE, and we shared between 5 of us, through the snow, because I ate the other shoe.

And I’M the one that needs to pray?

Why did you come back to the kink dungeon?

Lucifer is still pretty hot, I hear.

NO. PLEASE. I'LL BE GOOD. I'LL CALL YOU MASTER AND WEAR A SHOCK COLLAR AND EVERYTHING.

Nah, I'm thinking of something ten times as traumatizing.

No fire. Only suffering. Face the dark and cold like a dragon.

Fucking capitalism.

Your kindling looks like dog turds, and I know my dog turds.

_____ WAS STRANGLING A RAT. I HEARD ITS LIL ANGRY RAT SOUNDS.

I'd imagine bodies that sit at 98 degrees F while doing nothing get pretty hot when pressed together and doing activities that raise your blood pressure. That's like a 400 degree sauna right there if my math is right. Pretty toasty. ....that makes me wanna never do anything cause that's HOT.

Good. Sex is bad - its how babies are made and we don't want none of that.

Condoms are a thing, but so are holes and accidents. Why do you think I'm here?

Pornhub is good to us... on what not to do. That’s where I found that shrek video, and Spongeknob Squarenuts.

Wood - the original forbidden fruit.

This is the least sexy sex dungeon, let’s be real here. No mood lighting, cold, no R&B music. Where’s the pizzazz?

Maybe they played music on the bones?

Do NOT. I have nightmares about that.

I can no longer look at a naked anatomical skeleton in all casual and comfort anymore.

I am very uncomfortable with naked skeletons.

______'s hair is Cheeto colored which is honestly such a look. You rub your hand through his hair, your fingers come back stained with neon orange dust. Cheeto dandruff.

Who's playing the meat sticks again? I heard the meaty slaps. I still hear them.

Alright. Go gather your quotes you quote whore.

FAKE. YOU'RE A FAKE. YOU'RE A FAKE ________ FAKE AS FUCKING SHIT.

Oh. I thought you were talking to me when you said fake and I was like "someone noticed".

There you go; _____ knows the lyrics. _____ knows nothing.

I mean... hi... leggy up... same diff. Greeting you with my leggy.

You know minus the fire, this is a very nice house.

I don't know about you but the fire is aesthetic. I think its an improvement.

Uh, holy shit, violent much?

See by this point I would'a been like "fuck that I ain't gettin' in that bathtub again."

I hope I can kill you. You already look like someone I wanna kill.

This is where shit goes to shit.

You know it is really unfair you are able to appear and throw that that well and hit me because the universe fucking hates me-- OH GOD.

NO. We don't HAVE to check it out.

Rename him Kibbles n Bits.

Calm your bullet boner.

There goes the neighborhood. Now it really is Silent Hill.

I'm not used to having the camera that close to my ass.

You know, this is a lot less screaming than I anticipated. Still good though. Still satisfying.

Be The Squirrel. A very big squirrel. And very destructive like a squirrel.

You totally want to go down the creepy hallway, don’t lie.

Seriously, what was with all the monkey comments in Twilight?

I took out mine quicker. Did you see how I swung the shIT out of him and he ragdolled?

Squirrel game not strong enough.

I’m sexually attracted to a library. *finger guns*

He just… spread his ass cheeks wide open for that death.

I don’t plan hiding places, I plot environmental hazard spots. Catch me taking random and increasingly dangerous routes.

To be fair, I dented the pole with my face. So it was a tie.

Flirting, _____ style: Light them on fire. Man that’s actually kind of a weird thing to say when you remember how many things and people ______ has lit on fire.

I assumed he would come back on Wednesday because he’d be out of weed. He’s always out of weed on this day. Weedless Wednesdays.

I may just suck at sucking.

Give me the cat nip.

Make sure you inhale with your stomach – inhale the maximum amount of glow.

Your fucking shit is mine.

COTTAGE CHEESE COMES FROM SWISS CHEESED DICKS. EVERYTHING I KNOW IS A LIE.

Today on "____ Ruins Everything".

Look at that goddamn library. I’d put my cottage cheese all over that thing.

HQ to ________. You’re breaking up. Over.

I’m sorry I keep breaking up with you guys, I just feel like our relationship isn’t going to advance any further.

I’LL PISS IN THE BENDY PART OF THEIR KNEE.

Bullet buffet.

If it fits I fuckings falls ins.

Its because I said Tits Save Lives, isn't it?

The feeling when you hear the word smoker and think of meat smoker first despite hanging with stoners…

Spider Pirahnas. Spirahnas.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON? YOU PUT YOUR HEAD BACK ON RIGHT NOW YOUNG MAN.

WUT UP MY DITCH COUSINS?

I ain't even high right now.

HI, I HEARD THERE WAS FIRE.

________ confirmed for arsonist.

He didn't see you. He smelled you.

I still don't get how he does all this shit with them tight ass pants.

RIP his balls. RIP his life too. ________ is the real one stripping balls.

Sasuke Uchiha'd his ass to the future.

He scream at own ass.

No, that guy took it to the knee. His third knee.

I GUESS it counts as a bone.

Walked crooked for a month. Got roasted with anal jokes.

When life throws grenades, pick them up and throw them back. I DON'T WANT YOUR GOD DAMN GRENADES.

He found the mummified corpse of an old man holding his dick in his last fap session in his tomb.

Those aren't swords, those are Mammoth Cleavers.

...I'm not making those noises.

I'm a rat murderer and taker of treasure.

God damn it, you were supposed to be a magic charm to make these rare game come out and instead you hurt its feelings!

Let's not bring up our Lord and Savior the Helix fossil.

Don't make those noises. Makes me think of dirty things.

[anonymousewrites]

Clan of Three (Book 2) Chapter Eighteen

Father Figure! Mandalorian/Din Djarin x Teen! Reader

Chapter Eighteen: The Return

Summary: Mando, (Y/N), and Grogu are reunited. Of course, it's in the middle of the fight.

Mouse Note: I think it's important that MC really hasn't changed and runs straight into a fight.

            R2-D2 landed Luke’s X-wing at Peli’s hangar as (Y/N) directed, and the ship opened up. Peli, obviously worried some New Republic officers were coming to mess with business, ran out with her droids to see who it was (and chase any problems off).

            “Hello, officer!” said Peli jovially. “I filed for my New Republic certification seal just as you were landing. Quite a coincidence, if you ask me!”

            “Relax, Peli,” said (Y/N), popping up from the seat with Grogu in their lap. “No one’s investigating you!”

            A delighted grin appeared on her face. “Well, look who it is! (Y/N) and the kid!”

            “His name’s Grogu,” said (Y/N).

            “Grogu? What a name for the womp rat,” said Peli fondly as (Y/N) and Grogu got down from the X-wing. “Well, well, well, how long has it been? A year? What’re you doing here?”

            “We’re looking for Mando,” said (Y/N).

            “He’s on a job in Mos Espa, I think,” said Peli.

            “Will you take us?” asked (Y/N).

            “Why not? I owe you and the Mandalorian enough, and I still might be able to squeeze some cash for bringing his kids back,” said Peli, already counting the possible cash. “Alright, droids! Get the cart going!”

            (Y/N) snorted. Things were going back to normal already.

l

            Things are really back to normal, thought (Y/N). As soon as Peli, Grogu, and they had arrived in Mos Espa, the sounds of shouts and blaster fire were a loud clamor in the air. There was a battle going on. (Y/N) grinned.

            “Watch Grogu,” said (Y/N).

            “Huh?” Peli turned around. “What?”

            (Y/N) leapt up out of the cart, disappearing across the rooftops of Mos Espa. If there was danger, they wanted to face it (and hopefully find Mando). Plus, they felt their instincts come to life. They were back where they belonged.

            “Hey!” cried Peli. She huffed. “Looks like it’s just you and me finding your dad, kiddo. Come on, droid, keep going!”

            The droid obeyed quickly, and the cart lurched around the corner. All was silent in the road until suddenly the very Mandalorian they were looking for ran around a corner towards them.

            “Mando! Ha! We found you!” said Peli. “I got a surprise for you!”

            “Turn around!” cried Mando.

            “What?” cried Peli over the sounds of shouts and blaster fire.

            “Turn around!” repeated Mando.

            “I can’t hear you!” said Peli.

            Her eyes widened as a Scorponek annihilator droid, energy field and all, turned the corner and began shooting at them as Mando fired back to no avail.

            “Turn around!” shouted Peli to the droid pulling her cart. She screamed as the droid sharply turned, and Mando jumped onto the back of the cart to escape the Scorponek.

            “Can this thing go any faster?!” cried Mando.

            “Go faster, you bucket of bolts!” ordered Peli, throwing a wrench at the droid, and it went faster. “Hey, Mando!” said Peli over the whipping wind. “Look who’s here!” She unfolded a blanket to reveal Grogu.

            “What?” Mando’s breath hitched as he saw Grogu, and he felt a wave of happiness as seeing his kid fly through him. “Hey, what are you doing here?” Grogu jumped up into his arms. “Oh!” He hugged Grogu. “Okay little guy. I missed you, too. Hey, and you got the shirt. Nice. Where’s (Y/N)?” He frowned beneath his helmet. Wait… “Where the hell is my other kid?!”

            “Uh…” Peli coughed and was about to respond that she’d lost them when the Scorponek landed a shot.

            The droid dragging them fell, and the cart flipped, throwing all three into the air. Mando pulled Grogu close as he landed, protecting the kid from harm. He turned over with Peli, and the pair shot at the approaching Scorponek, hurrying to get up. As Peli and Mando backed into an alcove, a figure leapt onto the Scorponek from the roofs.

            Mando’s heart simultaneously stopped and leapt to life. It was (Y/N)! He was torn between pure joy at having his kid and pure fear at them already throwing themself into danger. He hadn’t missed the stress of worrying for them.

            On (Y/N)’s part, they drove their gleaming dagger into the wires and cables around the Scorponek’s blaster arm. The arm began to glitch, and (Y/N) pushed their hand down, using the Force to push at the mechanical piece. The arm snapped off and collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud as the energy shield surrounding the Scorponek deactivated. (Y/N) toppled to the ground, and Mando, pushing Grogu into Peli’s arms, rushed out to catch them. He pulled them close and drew his blaster as he faced the Scorponek. Mando would protect (Y/N). He had just gotten them back.

            As the Scorponek turned on them, Grogu waddled out, raised a hand, and pulled a bolt from the Scorponek. The droid, now on its last legs as one leg fell apart, collapsed, unable to even stand. Mando pulled (Y/N) back as it attempted to pull itself up, but Boba Fett, riding a rancor, landed on the Scorponek. ((Y/N) had gotten filled in with some of the politics of Tatooine from Peli. The mechanic didn’t care about much but the bounty hunter taking over Mos Espa had been the talk of the town as the power structure changed). The rancor roared and smashed a fist into the working arm of the Scorponek. At Boba’s direction, it continued to rip the droid apart until it fell, deactivated.

            “Do it,” commanded Boba.

            The rancor roared and ripped the Scorponek in two. Boba didn’t rest on his laurels and turned the rancor away to return to the rest of the battle and the other Scorponek still functioning. That left Peli, Grogu, Mando, and (Y/N) on their own.

            (Y/N) turned to Mando as they stood and brushed the sand and dust from their shirt. They looked at him awkwardly. “Hi.”

            Mando pulled them into another hug. “I missed you, Ad’ika.”

            (Y/N) held Mando tighter, pushing back the tears threatening to fall. “I missed you, too, Buir.”

            “Hey! Save the tender moment! We’re still under attack!” shouted Peli, hoisting her gun and running off towards the fight.

            (Y/N) and Mando drew apart, and Mando picked up Grogu and tossed a blaster to (Y/N). “Are you ready?”

            (Y/N) grinned. They were back with their buir and ready to fight alongside him. “When am I not ready for a fight?” Of course they were ready.

            The group ran off through Mos Espa, weapons drawn and ready for enemies around every corner. As they found the rest of their allies ((Y/N) decided that whoever was shooting at the same people Mando did were on their side), they fired at the standing opponents as Boba and the rancor ripped into the remaining Scorponek.

            “Keep them on their heels!” shouted Mando, spurring the allies on. “They’re on the run!”

            (Y/N) was right by his side, firing and felling the enemies trying to make an escape to fight another day. They were ending this today. (Y/N) leapt up onto the rooftops to shoot from the high ground again, hitting anyone trying to run at Mando and Grogu. The rancor roared and threw the scraps of the Scorponek away. Boba and the rancor took down the last mercenaries.

            A bounty hunter with blue skin emerged from the shadows and shot the rancor, knocking Boba down. (Y/N) narrowed their eyes and ducked down. They suspected the bounty hunter was a better shot than them, and they weren’t looking to get shot, so they just watched as Boba and the hunter faced off. Behind the hunters, the rancor climbed up on top of several buildings and roared, angry at being harmed (Luckily, not the same roofs as (Y/N)). Boba and the bounty hunter faced each other, each holding their blasters at their sides.

            “Clear out and take your hoodlum gang with you,” ordered Boba.

            “I’ve known you for a long time, Boba,” said the hunter. “One thing I can’t figure. What’s your angle?”

            “This is my city,” said Boba. “These are my people. I will not abandon them.”

            “Like the Tuskens,” jeered the bounty hunter.

            “Don’t toy with me,” said Boba. “I’m not a little boy any longer, and you are an old man.”

            “I’m still faster than you,” hissed the hunter.

            “That may be, but I have armor,” said Boba.

            “Let’s find out,” said the hunter.

            They drew their weapons and fired. Boba fell from the hit to his armor, but he was alive.

            “Now’s about the time you jet off to your bacta tank,” sneered the bounty hunter, approaching Boba as he rolled to his feet.

            “This is my city!” Boba jumped up and fired his flamethrower.

            The bounty hunter rolled to the side and shot Boba down again.

            “You gave it a shot,” said the bounty hunter. “You tried to go straight. But you’ve got your father’s blood pumping through your veins. You’re a killer.” He kicked Boba’s side. “This isn’t the first time I beat you out on a job.” He ground his foot down on Boba’s wrist and crouched. “There’s no shame in it.” He ripped the helmet from Boba’s head before standing back up to sneer down at Boba. “Consider this my final lesson. Look out for yourself. Anything else is weakness.” He raised a blaster to Boba’s face.

            In a single swift motion, Boba grabbed a Tusken spear, knocked the blue-skinned bounty hunter down, and hit the blaster from his hand. He stood over the hunter again.

            “I knew you were a killer,” spat the hunter again.

            He attempted to fire a flamethrower at Boba, but Boba redirected the arm and stabbed down on the hunter’s chest. The battle was over. (Y/N) breathed a sigh of relief before jumping down from the roof to find Mando and Grogu.

            “Are you guys okay?” asked (Y/N), looking between them.

            “Are you, Verd’ika?” asked Mando, reaching out to them.

            Before anything else, however, the rancor roared from atop the roof, and their group dodged the falling debris. It was on a rampage. Boba’s group drew their blasters and shot at it as it broke a building apart, and the rancor responded by throwing a speeder at them. They ducked and narrowly avoided being crushed. Unfortunately, the rancor was even angrier.

            “You’re scaring it!” shouted (Y/N).

            Mando ran out in front of the group. “Put your blasters down! Stop shooting!” They were only making the situation worse.

            The rancor roared and climbed the tower behind it, glaring down at them.

            Mando turned to (Y/N) and handed Grogu to them. “Keep him safe.” He handed the little metal lever top to Grogu. “Here. Hang on to this.” He looked at both his adike. “It’s gonna be okay.”

            He started his jetpack and flew up into the air towards the rancor. Mando landed on the back and grabbed the reigns to haul the rancor back, but it roared and grabbed him tightly. It threw him down onto another roof, and (Y/N) and Grogu gasped in worry. The rancor slammed its fist down and knocked Mando through the roof to the floor below.

            “Buir!” cried (Y/N) as the rancor picked him up again.

            Mando fired his flamethrower into the rancor’s open mouth, and it threw him to the floor in anger. It roared and jumped down after him. (Y/N) made a split-second decision and allowed their instincts, the Force, the Way, whatever it was to them, to guide them.

            They ran between the rancor and Mando.

            It growled at them and lowered its fanged mouth towards them. (Y/N) took a deep breath and faced it. It growled once more, but (Y/N) didn’t flinch. They simply gazed back at the rancor, unfazed and unafraid. The rancor roared, and (Y/N) just blinked. Gently, they raised a hand, extending it towards the rancor. It was a hurt animal, just like the cattle (Y/N) had worked with back on Ushti. They could extend the same respect they had given those animals to this one. It was as afraid, angry, and injured as anyone else in this battle. (Y/N) would let the rancor see they understood.

            The rancor paused as (Y/N) allowed the Force to flow from them to it. It could feel (Y/N)’s calm. It seemed to take a deep breath as (Y/N) gazed at it, their hand still firmly extended. They closed their eyes, and the rancor followed suit.

            Rest. You did your part, thought (Y/N).

            As if bidden by their request, the rancor was lulled into slumber. Calm returned to the street as the rancor was calmed. (Y/N) released a breath and let their hand drop.

            Mando watched them carefully as they took a step closer. Already, their fighting was more advanced than it had been a year ago. But that with the rancor? That was the Force stuff Ahsoka had. (Y/N) had grown stronger, and Mando was proud. His ad’ika had grown into a fine warrior, and more than that, they were a better person. They knew when fighting was not necessary. So although it was a shock to see (Y/N)’s abilities in action, Mando’s pride in his ad’ika was overwhelmingly present.

            (Y/N) turned back to Mando and smiled. Mando hoped they knew he was smiling back. That was his verd’ika, his ad’ika. They were back.

l

            “Thank you for your assistance,” said Boba, shaking Mando and then (Y/N)’s hand. “Mos Espa owes you a debt.”

            “Consider us even for helping me with the Empire,” said Mando.

            (Y/N) nodded. “Thank you,” they said, finally having a chance to thank Boba and Fennec for helping Mando get to Moff Gideon’s cruiser to free (Y/N) and Grogu. They glanced between Boba and Fennec. “Really.”

            “Safe travels, and if you ever want a job, Mos Espa would welcome you,” said Fennec to Mando and (Y/N).

            Mando nodded. “We’ll see you around.”

            Boba Fett nodded in farewell as he and Fennec turned and left. It was just Grogu, (Y/N), and Mando again. (Y/N) removed the blaster from their belt and held it out to Mando.

            “Keep it,” said Mando.

            “Like I should keep the dagger?” asked (Y/N).

            Mando paused and looked at them. “Do you like it? I was hoping it was alright to make it still Ushti since your parents gave it to you, but I didn’t want to infringe on your relationship with them—”

            “I love it,” said (Y/N). “It’s exactly what I needed.”

            Mando relaxed in relief. “I’m glad. I wanted you to have something from me. That way even if we never saw each other again, you could remember me.”

            (Y/N) shifted, nervous at the vulnerability they were about to show. “I…I missed you. I always wanted to be back here with you.”

            “Really?” asked Mando, voice hoarse. Grogu cooed in agreement, and Mando’s heart swelled as he realized his kids never wanted to leave him and never forgot him.

            “Yeah,” said (Y/N), their brows creased in embarrassment as they were honest about their feelings.

            “I’m happy you’re back, Ad’ika. You and Grogu,” said Mando, holding Grogu closer and drawing (Y/N) in.

            They wrapped their arms around him and smiled into his armor. “I’m happy I’m back, Buir.”

            Buir. Ad’ika. Father and Child. Their Clan of Three was back together.

Taglist:

@im-making-an-effort

@gr33n-d00dles

@alexpangender

@painstakingly-juno

@treehouse-mouse

@theurbannoodle

@pedropascalsidechick

@dmitrytherat

@dilfsaremyfavourite

[x-birdsong-x]

1 7 10 and 13 for Warriors?

1 - Frecklewish. Not a compliment. Mapleshade too, but on a different scale because it's the people pushing "perfect victim" on Frecklewish that play along with two YouTubers' out-of-context words being used to say Mapleshade was evil from the very start actually. Appledusk plays a part here too. I'll come back to this.

7 - Frecklewish, again. She's angry. She's absolutely furious. She and Oakstar plan to raise the trio as weapons to kill Appledusk. She wants one to be named Birchface because she sees them as only extensions of him. Mapleshade did a bad thing- for the sake of her kits, in her eyes- but Frecklewish does not wait for a reaction of any sort before she pounces on her and slits her eyelid. It takes two full-grown warriors to pull her off. All in front of the toddlers she calls half-clan creatures and stopped giving a rat's ass about as soon as they weren't related to her. Their confrontation at snakerocks was not a case of Frecklewish being non-confrontational or Mapleshade provoking her for the entire scene. Frecklewish jumps at her and screams that she wished Mapleshade had died, and this is during Mapleshade talking about Frecklewish seeing her kits in the river and never mentioning Freckle doing nothing to aid her.

Frecklewish shouldn't have jumped into the river, of course not. But she saw the RC patrol and they didn't realize what had happened right away. If Mapleshade could be IN THE WATER and hear Appledusk calling for her, then Frecklewish could've yelled over the river as soon as she saw the patrol to make sure the kits got across the stones safely. She followed them out of camp in the first place, making it impossible for Mapleshade to hide them on the territory considering Frecklewish attacked her once already and as we hear in the snakerocks scene, wants Mapleshade dead. She doesn't care about the kits as soon as they aren't related to her. She's not a precious little baby constantly crying for a blankie. She's impulsive and angry and judgemental. She didn't deserve hell, sure, but the fandom should've been angry that Oakstar and Appledusk stayed sippin' wine in heaven while only she got booted, rather than immediately going to "she did nothing wrong!11"

10 - I can easily get into more of Frecklewish and Appledusk here, but lets go for Mapleshade being painted as evil from birth and manipulative from the start and pinned as "Appledusk's abuser" is revolting. I don't care that the fandoms precious pair of leading YouTubers said one thing that can be taken as them thinking this. That one video is not well-written and full of out of context things and them acting morally superior for not liking Mapleshade because that wasn't the trend at the time until the fandom 180'd the second the video gained traction. The title of the video alone is spiteful. I could directly quote and talk about one thing said in that video that isn't twisting a simple line from the book, but I think the fandom would hang me. It's ironic that Mo/onk/itti can come out with acknowledging that people will defend male characters while "pulling apart every tiny infraction a female character has ever committed" while The Mapleshade Problem is doing nothing but that.

On another end, people who script the MAPs "about" Reedshine should ask themselves why they need to woobify and sympathize with Appledusk to sympathize with Reedshine (because everything is about a man and female characters are just DLC for male characters). The way so many people see nothing wrong with Freckle and Reed being characterized by the fandom as sad all the time purely over a man and thinking about a man 24/7 says a lot. Spending her whole life mourning a man who had an affair behind her back and called his children mistakes and used her to fuel his crocodile tears apology is nothing Reedshine deserves.

Reedshine's got an attitude herself, telling Mapleshade to go away and that she caused enough trouble was blatantly bitchy and a horrible thing to do, but considering her husband is a dishonest, two-faced, chickenshit son of a bitch I think she has the right to a rude moment or two. And no, that's not applicable to me refusing to play along with or defend the fandom ignoring Frecklewish's actual character.

13 - The same answers all around. Frecklewish and Appledusk. I'm also fiercely anti-crowfeather and gray wing <3.

[hidefdoritos]

Adventures in Stage Costuming

I am Costume Mistress for a play this Friday/Saturday

Had pants for everybody except three guys

We'll call them Landon, Mark, and Joe, because that's not their names but it's close enough for me to remember 'em.

Had everyone self-report pants sizes.

Spent last Saturday in Salvation Army (I know, I know) thrifting pants in the requisite sizes.

washed the pants

kept forgetting to go to rehearsals and have a try-on sesh (adhd go zoom)

Rehearsal today had lunch break

Handed out the pants and told them to come show me.

Landon

(tall, skinny, all leg, 32 x 34)

announces "THEY'RE CALVIN KLEIN!" at his standard volume, bursts into the gymnasium, and slides across the basketball court on his socks.

He does a little spin for me and I approve.

My assistant (fun person who we'll call Lydia) asks, "Can you move?"

Landon breaks into the Orange Justice fortnite dance, with a little extra hip swaggle for emphasis.

(cue laughter from the cast)

(this is nothing less than I expected from a man who once won a cardboard boat race by making a surfboard and kicking his way across.)

Success!

Order him to go put his pants on his special labeled hanger.

(only you are allowed to touch only your special labeled hanger, on pain of death and dismemberment. everyone has been told this many times and They Fear Me.)

Mark

(weightlifter, 34 x 32)

walks in like his legs are chopsticks.

Shirt is not tucked in.

Zipper made it about halfway up

Lydia looks concerned. "Are they buttoned?" she asks.

"Yes," Mark wheezes, and the tone of his voice is one of fear.

(Landon finds this hilarious.)

Mark hobbles in a little spin for me

can almost hear the fabric whimpering for mercy

they are too tight in the everything.

choke down laughter

"Go change. Carefully," I say.

(maybe I can let them out? probably not)

"Do you just need dark dress pants?" asks Mark, voice still strained.

"Yeah?"

"Can I bring my own?"

"Yeah."

task-failed-successfully?.jpg

the goal was to have more pants that the drama department owned

but the more important goal is for him to have pants, I guess.

Order him to bring his dress pants to Monday rehearsal for approval

(and, once approved, to put them on his special labeled hanger which nobody else can touch, on pain of death and dismemberment)

and to bring the ill-fit pants back to me.

will put them in a tote to think about their crimes until next play.

Joe

(track and field athlete, 29 x 32)

(listen, this man has a 29" waist and a 39" hip.

I know women who would kill for a 10" differential.

It's not his most prominent feature, but he's draggin' the wagon.)

(should also emphasize that he's my little brother & I'm not being weird abt it we commiserate about problems of Pants Fit all the time.)

Joe struts into the gym.

The pants fit!

They are a leeetle bit snug in the thighs.

"Can I keep them?" he asks.

He does a little spin for me

taxidermy-fox.jpg

From the back, the fit is more accurately described as "gratuitous."

"Joe, do a squat!" Landon encourages, as he himself charges across the gym into a Newsies jump and almost turfs it.

Joe tries carefully

gets about halfway down

(didn't think he'd get that far)

"Never mind," he says sheepishly, standing back up.

"Go change. Carefully," I say.

(maybe I can let them out?)

backstage

Joe hands me the pants.

He's been interested lately in listening to me ramble about sewing stuff.

I turn Mark's pants inside out

literally just serged together, no extra fabric anywhere

"Rats!" I say creatively, and show Joe how this does nobody any favors.

They don't get to go on Mark's special labeled hanger. I chuck them into a storage tote to consider their crimes until next play.

I turn Joe's pants inside out

praise be to Van Heusen brand

It ain't much, but it's honest seam allowances.

start rambling at him about how it all works

there's a scoatch extra on the outer seams and inseams of both legs

and the center back has extra built in!

The waistband fits him fine but the everything else needs More.

Promise my best work

Joe smiles with hope.

back in my room

never altered pants before

brief moment of doubting why I signed up for this, my sewing abilities, the meaning of life, etc.

* Knuckle Crack *

Turn on a Nicole Rudolph video for fun sewing accompaniment

Decide not to mess with the complicated parts (pockets, front seams, zipper, and the seam intersections in the undercarriage)

Sew the replacement seams first, anchoring the replacement ends HARD in the seam allowance AND in the original seam threads

Cut those OG seam threads and knot them off HARD

The OG threads are a chain stitch sorta thing, so once they're clipped, all I gotta do is pull and they ZOOP right off

(most satisfying thing in my life btw)

head back to gym with newly embiggened pants.

Joe takes the pants. "Do you need me to try them on?"

*looks into the camera like I'm on The Office*

"Yes Joe, lemme see how they work."

He leaves.

oh gosh these better fit

I didn't spend two hours hunting pants in a Salvation Army (I know, I know) and half an hour ZOOP-ing Joe's seams just to be 1 for 3 on the pants actually fitting the actors.

Joe returns.

!!!!!

If I thought he was strutting before

This kid fully dances into the room.

You know how it is when you walk into a thrift store and the sign says "Half price color of the week: Orange" and then you find stuff you love and it has orange tags too?

That was his level of enthusiasm.

"They fit!" he cries.

He does the little spin for me

it's incredible

they fit, no longer gratuitous in the seat, there's thigh space, his knees bend, the waistband stays up without a belt!! definitely need to be ironed but they look So Good

I can't stop smiling

so relieved it turned out well.

Joe's smiling

He does a little Pants Dance of glee.

Gosh. I know he likes them, and dress pants are so hard to find.

"Do you want to keep them?" I offer.

"How much?" he asks, wallet appearing in his hand.

The receipt from Salvation Army (I know, I know) shows $4.59.

I offer "$5 for the pants and $5 for a half hour of labor?" (yes that's too cheap, but he's a college student and also my brother.)

"Look what I've got!" he says, all but throwing a $10 at me.

"Great! I say. "Now Joe, listen closely.

Go change carefully and put them on your special labeled hanger. Only you are allowed to touch only your special labeled hanger, on pain of death and dismemberment."

"Yes ma'am!" he chirps with a salute.

[lwlrence]

NOBODY TOLD U DIS: that one yt gorl having a desi life is your series of unfortunate racism (u knew dis gorl had some form of racial polarity to you cuz of the way she looked is you in the end (unbecoming of a white heart attack is you being greedy over 'sensitivity issues' is ur mom being a whoroscope for using you (u getting married an out of here)

Jean Paul Gautier Couture Spring 2022

U KNEW THE RACIAL BIAS IN THAT DEROGATORY HUNCH FACT OF NOTRE FART

DIS IS FROM THE SHAM'S AL MA-ARAF U RACIST PIGGGG. NOW I KNO MY FANBASE IS STRAIGHT AND UR GAY

SUN (U RACIST GERIATRIC PIG)

1H: PEOPLE TELL YOU THE TRUTH

WITHOUT ME: U DEAD WITH A THOUGHT

2H: SIGNS ARE EVIDENT WITH A SHIT TO GIVE (YOU KNEW)

WITHOUT ME: DIE TRYING OR JUST EAT WHATS LEFT OVER OF YOUR LASST RELATIONSHIP UR BLACKMAILING UR DESI FRIEND TO LIVE FOR (SHE GOT MORE HOPE THAN U WILL EVER DO)

3H: UR DELULU SOLUTIONS IS ACTUALLY REAL (WINK WINK)

WITHOUT ME: .... BLESS UR HUMBLE HOME (LIKE A HOTEL), I WONT BE STAYING HERE LONG *JUDGES IT LIKE A PRINCESS OF HOLLYWOOD TO U... THE RAT*

4H: OXYGEN. YOU BREATHE OXYGEN (YOU CAN BREATHE EASY NOW (THE VIBE)

WITHOUT ME: UR OKAY WITH BEING FORGOTTEN, OKAY. NOT MY PROBLEM, I JUST FORGOT YOU BY ALGORITHM IF YOU SEEN MY MESSAGE THIS WAY OR ELSE YOU WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT (IN REAL LIFE... BY TOUCH.. INSTEAD OF YOU WHINING ABOUT WHINING CUZ U LIKE ME FOR THAT WHAT I DONT GOT (NAZAR LOGIC)

5H: YOU'RE UWU CUZ U CARE ABOUT WORLD PEACE AN IT SHOWS (U ON TV)

WITHOUT ME: I AIN'T YOU (VIBING WITH CELEBRITIES IS A REALITY AN IM GLAD I LEFT YOU BEHIND, BOOHOO NO 1 GONA MISS U)

6H: NEW TAYLOR SWIFT FAN (SHE HATES THOZZZEEEEE)

WITHOUT ME: EVERY OTHER MAN IS WHY YOU NEVER GOT (DOWRY AN UR FAMILY IS LIVING UNDERNEATH BENEFITS CUZ UR NET WORTH IS LIKE UR BO)

7H: YOU KNOW EVERYTHING (STAY KISSING OR PLAY THE PART: U IN THE TV HYPE TRAIN FRRRR)

WITHOUT ME: UR GRANNY DISSED U AN IT WAS PERSONAL

8H: DUBAI LUXE LIFE IS TRUTH (UR HEART IS THE VIBES NOW WHY YOU LIKE IT (U GOT A JOB AT LAST)

WITHOUT ME: UR HOME IS SHIT (PERSONALLY MY OPINION AN U AIN'T GONNA CHANGE CUZ HEART CHANGED ME TO WHY U THINK U OWNED MY LIFE NOW (CEE LO GREEN FARTED ON UR LUXURY DREAM LIFE ENERGY)

9H: UR MAN (NOTABLY WOMEN KNEW (ON A RUMOUR ALL THIS TIME) IS URS TO KEEP (WHY THE VILLAGE LIKED YOU)

WITHOUT ME: U STINK (STAY AWAY FROM MY SEX LIFE (UR TRUE SELF IS EXPOSED NOW THAT I KNOW A GUY/GIRL OF RELATIVE OF THE SAME DIMENSION OF THE REASON WHY I SHOULD LIVE LARGE OR THAT I LIVE WITHOUT YOU ENERGY)

10H: U KNEW WHY (THAT IS GONE)

WITHOUT ME: I AM ACTUALLY AT PEACE NOW (U LEAVE WHAT WAS LEFT OF ME CUZ U HAD A SIMILAR HEARTBREAK IN REALISING YOU LOST A FRIEND U KNEW FOR A LONG TIME CUZ OF THAT SAME ROLE YOU PLAYED TO UR FAMILY (HER RAW SELF) AN THEY DID NOT LIKE YOU IN WHY YOU WERE NEVER THERE FOR HER (SHE EITHER A) DISABLED AND MUTE BECAUSE SHE HAD A WAY IN TELLING YOU (ALL OF IT) AND YOU LAUGHED AT HER OWN LIFE FOR IT (LIKE HER OWN HOME CANNOT SUPPORT IT) AND U ROASTED HER GRANNY BY MOCKING HER ABILITY TO LIVE (SHE CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT HER APPEARANCE WHICH IS WHY YOU OVERSHADOWED HER LIFE AS A MUSLIM WOMAN IN PRACTICE (U LIVE IN HER FEET NOW)

11H: YOU GOT TECH IN THE FORM OF THAT ONE RICH BESTIE WHO LOVES YOU FOR THE SAME REASON WHY SHE BECAME YOU (LONG LOST BFFL WHO IS THE REPLACEMENT ADDICTION ENERGY TO LIFE)

WITHOUT ME: I AM HANGING OUT WITH (THE REASON WHY YOU'RE NOT ME) AND I HATE YOU FOR IT (WHAT YOU FEEL ON THE INSIDE IS ME HATING YOU FOR THAT REASON)

12H: YOU AIN'T CRAZY NO MO', WHAT YOU KNOW IS YOU FOREVERMORE (LIKE FAME IS VIRTUE IN YOU BEING THAT BADDIE U ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE)

WITHOUT ME: DON'T READ MY INTERNET AFTER 'LYING' ON THE CAMERA FOR 'THAT ONE NIGHT' LIKE U NEVER HAPPENED, BE SCARED THAT U AIN'T FAMOUS FOR THAT *SKANK MOUTH U RAN THE ENTIRE TIME*

SO THIZZZ ZBICHZE (this bitch)

GLINDA: THOT FACE RUN THE COUNTRY (PAKISTANI GORL WHO IS ACTUALLY A WHITE GORL CARRYING A PAKISTANI FACE THE ENTIRE TIME IS WHY U HATED HER (SHE WAS U IN THE END)

ELPHABA: AUTISTIC GIANT WHO NOW IS THE METAPWHORE LIFE OF A WHITE GORL WHO IS A PAKISTANI GORL IN REAL LIFE (DUMB BLONDE AN SHE KILLED THE STEREOTYPE TO BE A BEAST OF THE BEAT THAT EVEN TAYLOR SWIFT LIKED HER FOR IT)

GLINDA ON ZI RED NAZI (RED CARPET)

SHE DON'T 8 IF SHE IS NOT A PAKISTANI GORL (LIKE THE HINT IS R9HT THERR)

MAKES KEANU REEVES LOOK LIKE A SLUTTTTT (HE FUCKS BULLETS, LIKE U CAN TELL CUZ THE ENERGY IS DISSING HIM R9HT BAK FOR THAT THOT SHIT CREATED THERE (PORNO FOR THE ABSENT MINDED DUMB-FUCZ)

GREEN IS THAT EVIDUHNT (SHE BEEN TO A DESI WEDDING 1 TIME, AN ITCHANGEDHERLIFE)

UR MOM IS A PIG AN I CAN TELL (ELPHABA DOES NOT EAT GELATINE)

SCHIZOPHRENIA MADONNA'S WHORE COMPLEX: SHAHADA HOW? (SHE LOOKI @ U)

THE GLARE: SHE CAN TELL WHAT UR DOIN BY UR OWN PHONE GEOMETRY (SHE TALKS LIKE SHE RAN ELPHABA'S CHILDHOOD BY THE DEAD BLACK DAD (U CAN TELL) MISERY BEING HER VIBING WITH TIANA (DISNEY PRINCESS) THAN U (SHE KNEW WHAT U UP 2) AN WILL SLUT SHAME BY THOT TALK (IN WHICH SHE CALLS 'HER SALAAM')

ENERGY HER FAMILY GIVES (SHE HAS NONE): SHE KNOWS A BITCH (ELPHABA POINTS OUT THE MUNCHKINS WHO DID HER DIRTY (DISHES NEED CLEANING IF U SELEB (CELEBRITY) ANAT

WHORE OVERALL (ELPHABA IS HER SLUT FRIEND FOR CONFIDENCE: SHE DON'T NEED NO' MAN TO NEED HER (ELPHABA KILLS THEM 4 IT): SHE MAKES U

SCHIZOPHRENIA HOLLYWOOD: 'AS LONG AS SHE (POOREST BFF NOW FAIMUS CUZOFTHAT (INTERNET HISTORY FOR WATTPAD WRITERS TO OOGLE OVER HER (HER CRUSHES NOW BEST FRIENDS) IS EVERYWHERE (ACTUALLY RUNS HOLLYWOOD LIKE A PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM,) NOBODY EVER GETS TO IUSE THE HOOVER EXCEPT ME (THE FUNNEST PART ABOUT BEING A 'TEACHER MOLE' TURNED PRESIDENT) I DECLAIRH THE RULES AND ITS FAC (SHE GOT IT ALL AN I AM HERE FOR IT: PERSONALLY READ THAT FOR HERSELF TO 'MOVE ON' LIKE SHE OWNED THE TITANIC MISANDRY)

SHUTHAFAKAP (ELPHABA IN REAL LIFE)

*GLARES IN POOREST ONE OF ALL*

*STAMPEDE FROM LION KING ENERGY* U SCARED FOR LYF (AN THAT PHILOSOPHY STIKS FOREVER (DAD SHAMED)

SCHIZOPHRENIA HATE: U DON FOR (SHE GODFATHER WITH JLO'S AMP AN GOT NO SHIZTS TO GIV (SHE AIN'T THERE NO MORE BUT U: HUNGER GAMES NOW)

SLUT (U GOT IT)

BITCH (U HAD IT)

*BABY COOS OVER THE WORLD OF A FALLEN FRIEND WITHOUT A HEARTBROKEN FELT TIP FOR A LAST STAND MOMENT (BOTH UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER NOW THAN THEN (FORGIVEN LIKE IT SHUD B)

[atopvisenyashill]

I agree a lot with the anon talking about Dany and Viserys' death. I've always seen it as Dany's equivalent to Littlefinger's show trial (as a relative and abuser brought to a painful and unexpected end by someone else on their behalf), and she was decidedly less involved in it than Sansa. A good foreshadowing example instead is her reaction when Drogo talks about invading Westeros.

Still, I've also always felt that there's an indication for Dany's ending in there as well, though not how D&D intended.

They spent several seasons playing with the idea of Dark Sansa, but Littlefinger's execution is the absolute darkest she ever got. That's where her darkness ends; meanwhile, Dany's story started with it, and she just kept/will keep going down from there. The standards for Dany's MOs were never the same as the other main characters' (save Tyrion), which shows well how villainous she was meant to become when put side by side to the heroic characters.

wait because i JUST saw a tweet (one of my rhaenicent friends quote-tweeted to make fun lol) where someone was like "oh when dany tries to reclaim her seat it's all 'she must pay for the crimes of her family' but when the starks do it it's fine" and my friend was like "okay now talk about the crimes dany herself has committed!!" so i was just thinking about this lol.

because yeah like, a lot of the problem here is that so far as we are into the series, the only comparable crime any stark has committed to dany specifically was bran warging hodor and i dare say we are going to dig into the evil of that in his next chapters, the same way george took like, an entire book to delve into the moral and ethical ramifications of trying to rule over a city you just sacked in adwd. a lot of arya's kills are pretty cut and dry self defense with the exception of daeron the singer (icr how he spells his name it might not be that valyrian spelling), and she almost immediately loses her eyesight for that one, so it's sort of like, well, arya and bran are clearly on their way to Face Some Consequences, but their moral failings are also on a much more interpersonal level here than anything going on in dany's story (because.....that's the point imo, that dany affects so much without really thinking through what she's affecting; she is not the only character being used to make this point tho, just imo one of hte more prominent).

and beyond that, show wise, like you said, the most evil sansa gets is *checks notes* murdering the two men who have been regularly abusing her for years in a way that you could say was kinda overkill. is it great when you come at it from a political standpoint? no, it's not like, fantastic. and even though it is. just the dumbest shit especially because there are once again no repercussions for it, i DO very much dislike that arya was the one that did the Red Wedding 2.0/Rat Cook thing that Lady Stoneheart/Manderly are actually in charge for (which like, listen I love Manderly so so much but obviously murdering a couple of dudes and baking them into pies to feed to their family is not like, um, great from a moral or political standpoint). so while you could definitely argue that show arya is morally bankrupt on a similar level as dany - and you can do the same for jon snow too, because that absolute idiot just hands over the north to a lady he knows is a little fire and blood happy for what reason exactly?? - you can't argue sansa is, like point blank, or bran.

and ultimately, like, idc about the show lol when i'm discussing their actions i'm talking about the books and imo while everyone's story plays with morality and ethics and politics etc etc there are some characters who are pretty clearly sliding down morality wise early on - as you say, tyrion's mo is pretty regularly threatening to rape people, and then dany spends the last few chapters of her first book trying to rationalize war time slavery and rape, and then murders her slave to hatch some dragons. jaime throws a literal child out a window. cersei helps murder a bunch of other kids, gives innocent women over to be tortured to death, and doesn't even attempt to curb the abuses of sansa. and then you have sansa, who may or may not be knowingly poisoning sweetrobin - it's unclear but seems likely she just doesn't understand how dangerous the substances she's feeding sweetrobin are - and arya who commits a few murders in self defense, then kills one or two dudes in cold blood and faces immediate consequences. bran who is in the middle of an unresolved story arc where he's mind raping someone. arianne and asha both attempt to gain power and while there are some victims they're both taking pains to limit the amount of victims, and carry a lot of guilt for the damage they've done and are trying to atone for it, in their own ways. it's like...........idk feels like a slightly marked difference between some of these characters here. it's why i can't discount a bad ending for bran - obviously i want a happier ending for him, and i think it's foreshadowed to be likely but i'm not stupid, mind raping hodor is probably one of the worst things someone has done, morally, in this series on page, and I do think he's going to grapple with this substantially, in the same way that Dany will one day have to face the truth that she murdered MMD and Drogon harmed the little girl hazzea, and those deaths - and the deaths in Astapor, Meereen, and Yunkai - are something she needs to take into account as her war effort chugs along.

[theverminqueen]

Hey. I gave the Institute my statement a while ago, but I thought posting it publicly might help a few other people who're on the road towards their Becoming or whatever it's called. So. Here goes.

Statement of Vermin Burton, regarding the circumstances of their infection and the measures they took to treat it. 

Statement begins.

Did you know that rats didn’t actually cause the Black Plague? It’s a very common myth, but the rats themselves were just carriers. It was the fleas, hiding in their fur, nestling in carpeting or woodwork or flesh. The fleas took the infection from rats to cats to dogs to people. A third of Europe died, but not a single flea ever did. 

My mom’s house used to have a flea problem, and I do mean a bad flea problem. I could barely walk to my bed without getting bitten by dozens of the little fuckers, and even then, I wasn’t safe. They’d crawl under the covers with me, burrow under my skin, drink and drink until there was nothing left. A cruel comfort, but more than I ever got from that bitch who called herself my mother.

Yes, yes, my mother, I’m getting there, just give me a minute. My mother was a horrible parent. She was a hoarder, neglectful, and often emotionally unstable. She put me on regimens of pills that did nothing but make me sick while continuing to ignore all the actual mental and physical problems I was struggling with. I dropped out of university for her, and she never gave a damn. I hated her. It took me a long time to realize just how much.

I’m not sorry she’s dead. It was going to happen sooner rather than later, with the way that she lived. So then, why do I feel so bad about it?

It started with the tick. Just an ordinary little tick that latched onto my ankle for a moment. I was walking across our lawn – unmowed, of course, she never bothered to take care of it, so I was always the one who had to mow it – and caught a tick digging under the hem of my jeans. I didn’t think much of it at the time. I plucked it off and went on with my day, but the bite didn’t go away.

 I picked and scratched at that thing for weeks, and it just kept spreading, up my legs, over my arms, around my neck. Ticks kept popping up everywhere I went, clinging to my hands, my feet, my face. I was so tired all the time. I could barely move. I couldn’t keep up with the house, and since I was the only one that ever cleaned the house, things started to get unlivably bad. I’m talking open pill bottles, used needles, things like that. I think I saw a dead cat covered in fleas once. 

But that’s not important to your story, is it? 

I shaved off every bit of hair on my body, thinking that would make it better, or at least make it easier to spot the bugs. For whatever reason, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for my mother. I'm still not sure why a shaved head mattered to her so much, but she came up to me and she just started screaming. I’m not even sure what she said, I just remember all that shouting. I couldn’t get away, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even think with all that damn noise.

I don’t know how it happened. One minute, she was there, she was my mother, and the next minute, she was screaming, covered in those awful bites, looking so small and sick. My mother was never small. Low metabolism runs in our family, and we gain weight fast. But by the time she finally died, she was as skinny as I am now, with all her blood drained out of her.

It was the tick. It was that fucking tick.

I ran, of course. I had to leave that house, or I’d die there. But the bug problem just got worse and worse. I washed myself obsessively, but I could never seem to get clean. I took drugs. I saw doctors. They all told me I was crazy, a hypochondriac and a maniac. But I knew, I just knew it was the bugs. 

The rats were the only thing that saved me. One of them came up to me in an alleyway someday and started nibbling on my hand. I freaked out, of course, getting bitten by a rat fucking hurts, but when I looked down and saw its mouth, when I heard that crunch between its teeth, I knew it had been trying to save me. It bit down and dug those ticks out of my skin, made a meal of me to save itself. I’d found the only treatment I could count on.

It wasn’t just the rats, of course. Possums also seem to like me. The one in my hoodie pocket right now, Morty, would protect me with his life. I met one named Martin that I thought was just really fat. Turns out he was pregnant, and a couple weeks later, he had six joeys. I love them all more than I’ve ever loved a person.

I ran into a bat a couple weeks ago, and she’s been useful. My little eye in the sky, if you will. Keeps her ears peeled for dogs and cops and other things that might try to hurt me.

I really don’t know how to cure this disease. I don’t know how to make those bugs go away. The most I can do is try to gain back the ground I’ve lost.

I’ve been eating better, though I suppose that’s not relevant to you. And the vermin are all looking much healthier than they did back when I found them. That’s what I call them all collectively, the vermin. They’re vermin like me, and they’re a part of me. I don’t think I’d still be alive today without them. 

Thank you for taking this. If you ever get in contact with anyone who has resources, medication that might help treat this condition, please let me know. I really need an out.

Statement ends.

[quadrant-query]

gray,

; l;ke to cons;der myself a b;t of a "romance understander", but recently th;s has backf;red ;n the worst poss;ble way.

my matespr;t and ; are com;ng up on our one sweep, but ;'m not sure we'll make it to the n;ght. she has been attempt;ng to court a goldblood ;n the p;tch quadrant for about two per;gees now, and was com;ng to me for adv;ce on how to best secure h;s spade. unfortunately he recently confronted her about "steal;ng" one of her fl;rt;ng attempts "beat-for-beat" from a popular romcom that he had recently watched. they had a b;g blowup about ;t, and sadly dur;ng that argument ;t came out that not only was all the adv;ce ;'ve been g;v;ng her from var;ous f;lm-based sources, but the spec;al moments ;n wh;ch ; or;g;nally won her over were "plager;zed" as well. now she ;s fur;ous w;th me, ev;dently because that goldblood has conv;nced her that me tak;ng ;nsp;rat;on from my favor;te mov;es means that my feel;ngs are just as "fake".

normally ; would look to med;a for adv;ce, but now even that ;s out because no doubt ;t w;ll also be cons;dered ";ns;ncere"!!

; feel a b;t l;ke the protagon;st of ";n wh;ch a greenblood makes a l;v;ng boost;ng the conf;dence of romant;c su;tors so that they may w;n over the;r quadrants only for h;s own prospect;ve flushcrush to m;stakenly bel;eve from her mo;ra;l that he ;s ;n the bus;ness of d;sgu;s;ng sleazeballs ;n order to tr;ck people ;nto pa;l;ng them, wh;ch ;s not at all true but h;s reputat;on ;s ru;ned as well as the bronzeblood's whom he ;s help;ng to w;n over a seadweller etc"... ; don't know ;f you've ever seen that mov;e but that's bas;cally my current s;tuat;on!

what should ; do??

Holy shit, I love that movie actually. Troll Will Smith is fucking amazing in everything he does and I'll never hear otherwise.

As for your actual problem though, that sucks ass. You should try to talk this out with your matesprit, explain to her that everything comes from your genuine feelings for her and that you just like using moves from your own favorite things which you consider to be incredibly romantic on her. That's a very flattering thing to do! However maybe use your own words for it, just to really prove that it's from your pusher and no one else's.

Besides, things work out for the main character in the end of that movie. He gets to be with his flushcrush, and even the bronzeblood and the seadweller get together! (Spoilers if you haven't watched it I fucking guess, but like, that movie is so old that really it's on you if you haven't seen it).

Things will likely work out if you just explain your reasoning... perhaps to her kismesis as well, since he seems to be a big part of it. You should probably stop giving her advice for her other quadrants, though, because clearly other trolls aren't very appreciative of it.

Good luck.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Legend of the Dragon S2 Watch and Rewrite

This season already shows how intense it will be through the updated intro. If I haven't mentioned before, the intro music is great, and the clips are just awesome. Yes, it shows a animation shift and Jeff "Swampy" is no longer assisted supervisor which is sad. But again, the intro so awesome, I'm already hyped and the pilot just ups the ante so let's get started.

Temple of the Shadow Dragon: Animation is much more crisp and fluid. At least when in close ups. In midrange, the faces aren’t always consistent. The flash animation is more obvious in the fight scenes though. And the CGI is wow. Very dated. But I guess it shows they got a bigger budget. Or smaller depending on how much flash animation costs. Also a side note, the animation made the color palette less vibrant and the characters more pale in general. And Ang/Ling have blue hair now instead of black with blue highlights. Kinda weird, I prefered season one palette.

Voice acting feels a little stiff during fight scenes even when the dialogue is in character, it feels like they’re trying to be overdramatic. 

Don’t remember as much monkey hooting from Xuan Chi in previous fights as he does now. Same with Bengail’s grunts and yells. 

Master Chin helpfully delivers exposition on the emperor combining his ancient magic with technology, hence CGI. 

Sadly, slo-mo has returned in a particularly egregious scene where Xuan Chi takes the blast for Bengali in a scene. But it is surprising that it actually turned Xuan Chi into a monkey, demonstrating that guardians who have taken the position long enough, have their powers in twined in their essence and thus when in danger, Xuan Chi went primal. Or primate in this case.

Probably to give them a cute animal mascot and to make up for the fact that the VA was probably unavailable for the second season.

But it is a big blam episode where the Emperor destroys the dragon shrine and dojo so the twins cannot recharge their armbands and become golden dragons. (Also I know they have no budget for extras but what about the other students at the dojo? Jungi? Their mom?!? I guess they’re dead, it was nice knowing them for one episode) 

Luckily, there’s a shadow temple for every yang temple. But Ling warns that isn’t the corruptive yin power what led to their emperor problem in the first place? 

It’s a risk they have to take, the same with Zodiac Master begging the group to take him with them. Apparently, the Emperor is the worst boss ever. Too bad he got caught and the emperor takes him away for punishment. 

However, they do have a jet to fight against the Emperor’s in a brightly colored CGI dog fight that honestly my eyes could have done without.  

Apparently one of the new bonuses is that they can create random machinery from their phones. Random but okay, gotta get toy merch somehow. 

Anyway, Master Chin takes the fortune cookie route by not telling them where the shadow temple is even though he clearly knows. I swear, some may say he’s letting them figure it out themselves, I say he’s screwing with their heads. 

Point is, the shadow temple is in Alacatraz (where else can you find mass amounts of yin than in prison) and their new dojo is in San Francisco’s Chinatown. 

Part 2 introduces a new villain. The ancient shadow rat guardian and the emperor’s sister, Yin We who has a slight British accent. I know it’s a british series but with the other characters have American or stereotypically Chinese accents (the emperor is the latter), it’s just weird that she’s British when she grew up in a time before British colonialism. Whatever, she sounds evil and loving it. Her moves are also very slithery and sinuous which is more snake like than rat like but whatever, she’s evil and loving it. 

As for Zodiac Master, he’s clearly become the bottom bitch for lack of a better term that they’re only keeping around because he knows the modern era and newfangled technology. It’s a pathetic step down and he so deserves it.

 As for the group back in the temple, Ling is wary of the shadow temple for good reason as she can already hear voices trying to corrupt her to fulfill her true destiny. 

Long story short, they mercifully don’t put viewers through a repeat of the previous season and Ling is able to regain control of herself and have renewed confidence that she can fight her dark side.

I would improve this episode just a bit by giving Ang more of an arc to go through. This season he is a bit lacking in character growth. While I liked the idea of Ling being wary of her potential dark side, Ang can show that he's still getting over the events of the previous season by not being totally trustful of her. Yes, he says he trusts her but he is first to jump on her when she seems to be corrupted. It can lead to a real bonding moment of how they're both trying to act things are normal but they aren't and they need to rebuild trust.

Enter the Shadow Wolf: Apparently some days have passed and we’re jumping into the new plot that since the twins already know about the shadow dog temple and is checking up on the guardian to see if he'll join the emperor. 

This case, they’re at the shadow dog’s temple or in this case, shadow wolf as fluffy and cute don’t scream yin as much as a giant man-wolf. 

K-Ho is true neutral evil as he has no interest in “sides” but representing yin so the world may remain in balance. A concept that Ang can’t quite reconcile in his black and white thinking. He doesn’t trust the wolf unlike Ling who is absolutely charmed. 

Ang’s negative impression is reinforced when Yin We comes out of the shadows to introduce herself and her alliegence to her brother. She also has shape shifting powers. Unlike the rat guardian, hers isn’t limited to just rats. She can turn into any person, making for some dynamic fighting your twin sequences. 

Anyway, the episode is all about whether trusting K-Ho a good idea and after some shapeshifting misunderstandings, Ang reluctantly concedes that K-Ho can be trusted. Well, the others trust him, Ang is still watching him closely. 

Yin We is a fun new character with her bratty sister dynamic as she says she’s more “with it” in understanding the modern era compared to her brother. But the Emperor asserts his dominance when he warns her against impersonating him again. Yeah, he’s “with it” too, he has eyes everywhere. 

To continue with my giving Ang more character development idea, I would like this episode to also explore Ang adjusting to being co-dragon with Ling. He's used to being the leader with Xuan Chi and Bengail as support. Now he has to sometimes run his ideas by Ling and it just rankles him after being independent so long.

Cats and Dogs and Dragons: Turns out Master Chin had a life outside the temple. A potential love life at that as the teens learn he has an archeologist friend who needs their help. 

So off they go to Egypt where the villains somehow already knew about Master Chin’s girl friend and have kidnapped her as bait to lure the dragons. Also to use as a bloodless offering to Bastet for anyone who brings Bastet back to life can ask the cat goddess for a favor. In this case, do their dirty work for them. 

You can also see the siblings are getting on each other’s nerves as the Emperor remarks that it’s too bad Yin We is his sister because then he can't chop off her head for being a smartass. 

Meanwhile, K-Ho is already at the temple as he literally sniffed out trouble which rankles Ang as he gets all territorial about the mission and not trusting him. Side note: I know there’s no budget for extra civilian designs but K-Ho looks prepared to explore the Artic rather than hot Egyptian pyramids. 

Anyway, there’s some reluctant team work between the boys after Ling yells at them, they free Bastet from the Emperor’s command, they free archeologist lady and we learn that the goddess was the original tiger guardian too. 

Which comes to what I’d rewrite in this episode which would be to give more focus on Bengail. As you'll see throughout this season is Bengail has been demoted from her badassery, often the first to be knocked out of battle. Same happens here even when Bastet has a real connection to the tiger guardian.

Bengail deserves some chracter growth too besides being mature supportive friend. So I would make this a Bengail episode, with her taking the lead on this mission, checking everyone for being unfocused with their crushes (Ling) and macho ego contest in K-Ho/Ang's case. I would highlight how Bengail has been working doubly hard, going back and forth between San Fran and Hong Kong to check her temple and help the twins and she wants some little acknowledgement for her hard work. Give her time to shine and save the time. Not just the golden dragons.

Shadow Tiger Take Two: The teens travel to a remote island to check on the shadow tiger temple where it turns out, Ang’s old superstar friend is making a new movie and he can be in it. (With only one camera man because budget problems. Hey, they can make meta)

Starstruck Ang immediately accepts as he can act opposite his celeb crush, Karen Kwan so Ling and Bengali go on a girls trip to the temple where the shadow tiger guardian, Sabre-claw lives up to his name by turning into a sabertooth-hybrid. The design is not unlike a low budget Sabretooth (hence name change). Bengail has a brief brush with corruption with how much she wants the shadow tiger band which I really wish they went through with. Show Bengail's dark side.

Meanwhile, Yin We has been impersonating Karen to get close to Ang’s armband but is foiled by Xuan Chi’s animal sense. Ang helps Ling and Bengail against Sabreclaw, they save Karen and the day is saved. 

Pretty standard so to add some pathos, I would have Ang be attracted to it because he is starting to miss some normalcy. He's been all Golden Dragon 24/7, and this used to be one of his childhood dreams. Now Ling is his co-dragon, why can't he take a break? Yes, I mentioned that he should have an episode in season one over his normal life vs new responsibilities but he can backslide, and start an arc of Ang working on a dragon-life balance.

A Horse of a Different Color: K-Ho has been training the twins on how to access their power bands without having to go through the transformation sequence. A feat which they quickly turn into a competition cuz sibling rivalries never go away. 

Anyway, before Ang gets turned into street pizza again, Master Chin’s Aesop gives him a brainstorm. All legends have a bit of truth in them so maybe they’ll find other shadow temples through the legends. Like England’s White Horse ruins sound perfect setting for the Shadow Horse temple. Ling’s Skeptical but Ang is quickly proven right when they find the temple and it’s defenses turn against them. 

Quickly they find the Shadow Horse, I mean Shadow Stallion guardian who can turn into a centaur! So awesome! Anyway, Yin We tries to destroy the temple when the stallion refuses to join the emperor and the twins figure out how to use their power by working together. 

It’s a simple episode so I would emphasize more of the competition part so their teamwork realization is more meaningful. In fact, I feel like the setting should just be changed to Scotland since they have so many loch ness jokes and a kelpie would be so much more of a yin legend-hello horse that drags unsuspecting mortals to their death just like the shadow horse draws people's destructiveness.

Rat Attack: Yin We has been breaking the teens’ defenses by attacking at all hours at random, making them lose sleep and leave no time to recharge. It’s a pretty wise strategy though I wish they did more with it as the episode goes beyond a few yawns here and there. To make it more urgent, just show the affects of sleep deprevetion on the teens, especially Ang.

But I found Bengail’s pep talk to Ang that it’s okay to take a break and he cannot be on guard all the time because he’s human to be sweet and just what he needed to hear. You can tell he puts a lot of responsibility on himself in being guardian all the time and needs to be pulled into focus as a season long arc.

So Yin We tries to pull a trap by kidnapping the rat guardian, Ming and impersonating her and the teens manage to pull off not one but two double crosses. The second one I didn’t even see coming. Plus Ming returns and the feisty girl never disappoints. 

So it’s a good episode, it could have just done more with what they had.

Spellbound: Sabreclaw and Yin We are back and have dug up a mystical were-Jaguar jade to call in another god to double-cross. Apparently, Yin We has been itiching to prove that she can do a good plan without her brother's input.

Back in San Francisco, the show finally answers my internal question about the safety of the Tiger Temple with Bengail in San Francisco this whole time, apparently she travels back and forth. And she’s been gone for a long time, Ang and Ling are worried and they head there to find it totally ransacked.

Long story short, they follow the clues to Central America and Yin We adds conflict by shapeshifting to the jaguar god so the teens would think the jaguar god is behind all this and not Yin We. 

It doesn't help that when they do see the real Jaguar God, he has hypnotized Bengail to be his future queen as he rebuilds his empire. Meanwhile, Yin We and Sabreclaw plan to ambush the god after he defeats the heroes so they can be double tigers.

Unfortunately, Bengail may be hypnotized but she's honest and tells the Jaguar god what backstabbing rats Yin We and Sabreclaw are, so he turns against Sabreclaw and Yin We and tries to sacrifice them in a pit. 

While I enjoyed the change in location, the brief fighting the wrong enemy, and the return of feisty Bengail before and after she breaks out of her trance, her reasoning that she felt bad for him trying to rebuild his empire as some tragic bad guy didn’t work. 

How did she know if she was hypnotized the whole time? I mean. the viewers knew but she didn't. 

Also, I was waiting for some clear Ang not quite realizing why he’s so distressed about Bengail being taken. I’m not saying to put them together or he has some big hero moment, but like some more intense feelings on his side as Bengail has already shown for him. 

So I would emphasize more of Ang's potential feelings for Bengail, and emphasize the god's tragic anti hero nature by having his empire be rebuilt after his tragic early death from conquistadors. Also give him a name, it will make him feel more human.

Friend or Foe: Since Yin We is weakened after their success in Rat Attack, the group takes advantage of Yin We’s state by setting up an irresistible trap-a seemingly abandoned temple. Yin We falls for it, and once they have her down, Sabreclaw nopes out of there like a coward. The Emperor watches this all from his all-seeing vision and while Zodiac Master suggests maybe it’s for the best, the Emperor turns on him for letting Yin We go without her band. Classic projection. 

Now it’s a race against time for the group to get Yin We to the shadow rat temple and send her back to the spirit world while the Emperor sends obstacles to stop them. 

And to make it a little more tricky for the heroes, without her band Yin We claims she’s good, no longer corrupted by the yin. That’s hard to believe and the whole group is skeptical of her innocent good girl act even as she begs them to let her help.

It all turns out to be a long con that Ang thankfully prepares for. I just wish it was a little more riveting and ambiguous. 

But besides the Ang/Bengail ship tease, there’s also a thing going on between Ling and K-Ho. Like he makes a comment about how it’s always a wild adventure with them, and she just smiles like he called her pretty or some huge compliment. She’s got it bad. 

While I think everyone could tell Yin We is faking, it could still add some conflicy by having Yin We observe the dynamics around her and pit the teens against each other like when she mentioned Ang and Bengail being together etc. It could also be another chance to have the twins discuss Ling's redemption.

They had a brief debate over whether Yin We could be held responsible if she was under the shadow rat power and if she is capable of change. Make it a real debate, and have the twins hash out why they (don't) believe in Yin We with Ling taking a more cynical stance to Ang's positive.

It could lead to a really dramatic climax when Ang asks Ling that if it was the smarter decision to not believe in redemption, than should he have not tried with her? And Ling says he shouldn't have. Reveal that past her nonchalant reaction to other's distrust, she still feels bad over what she did as the shadow dragon and feels she doesn't deserve redemption.

The Golden Babysitter Blues: After Yin We tries to steal the ox band from Robbie, he travels to San Francisco for refuge and Master Chin leaves the twins in charge of babysitting him while he gathers the other guardians to help. 

This was pretty much a filler episode with some highlights Ang's indignation at Robbie calling him "his elder," he's not that old yet.and the little boy effortlessly taking out the teens with ease when they underestimate his martial arts skills. 

But when they bump into the shadow-ox guardian in the park, it felt too convenient (he’s the town bully and can turn into a Minotaur) that Yin We could locate him and transport him so quickly just for Robbie to bump into him. Why not ambush? 

And then the contrived "urgent" situation where Yin We kidnaps Master Chin so she could force a stalemate and get Robbie to give his band in exchange, you feel no satisfaction from Robbie's bait and switch since it was so predictable. They did it a lot better in Rat Attack. 

To make it feel like a repeat of other episodes and maybe add some pathos have Ang and Ling really try to mentor Robbie as they were. Or even bring their mother in since she has more experience teaching kids only for her to be distracted in trying to bond with the twins and they're unsure of how to deal with having a parent in their life.

The twins could also have their own bonds with Robbie, reflecting in how they've learned and grown. Maybe ang realizes he wants to rebuild the temple and dojo. Maybe Ling even realizes she likes teaching kids and maybe Master Chin had a point that she has potential as a master like him.

Gone Shadow Ape: We return to the search for the monkey. Actually, it's the shadow monkey band. Master Chin and Ang head to Hong Kong at the behest of the previously helpful museum curator but Yin We and the Shadow Ape guardian get there first and turn into a beast worthy of King Kong (actually referenced within the show. Sadly, no tower homage) 

Unfortunately, Xuan Chin gets wind of it back in San Francisco and steals the jet to fly to Hong Kong to retrieve it, ruining Ling's day off (Apparently, they've been there for almost half a year and they haven't ventured past their street like a permanent house arrest, what gives?)

Anyway, fights ensue, Xuan Chin gets sent to the pound for rabies, and it's really not a memorable episode. We spent most of the time watching the antics of a monkey trying to fly a plane and rescuing the monkey from the pound. The fight with the shadow ape took only 3 minutes and it was painful to see the twins get beaten down by generic throws. 

Even the animation looked off in this episode, in character models and in matching audio with their mouths.

The only redeeming part is some of the snarky dialogue and yeah, that's it. It also ends the search for the monkey band on a cliffhanger! 

To make this a more meaningful episode, I'd potential bring back Xuan Chin as a human again, give Ang and Xuan Chi a real bro trip episode after a whole season without their friendship. Oh, and finally give him his dang monkey band. We've already seen the shadow monkey band in the first season, just give Xuan Chi the powers he deserves.

As a B-plot, Ling can decide to work on easing her conscience and make amends to the other guardians she attacked in the previous year. This can turn comical to heartfelt and really show that Ling has grown for her selfish, entitled nature of before.

Lone Wolf: Ang and K-Ho get a bonding episode! Since K-Ho has a connection to all wolves, he immediately sets out to the cold north to save a wolf cub being terrorized by some hillbillies. Unfortunately, one of those hillbillies is Yin We and K-Ho gets injured in the resulting fight. 

Now, it's up to Ang to care for a stubborn K-Ho and wolf cub in the midst of a blizzard while Yin We is waiting to attack them at their weakest. It made a great trapped among mountain lions scenario between Yin We and the blizzard and K-Ho rapidly decreasing energy. It was great to see Ang finally get the trust of the lone wolf and for K-Ho to finally admit he needs help and respect what Ang can offer in battle. 

Meanwhile, Bengail and Ling have their own girls trip to fight at the Tiger Temple with Sabreclaw which they deduce as a distraction so the twins would be split up and easier to pick off. Nuh-uh, they're too smart for that and so the day is quickly wrapped up with a full team beatdown. 

I don't have any changes or critiques to this episode even though it almost veers on a very special animal cruelty episode, I don't care. Animal terrorizers deserve to almost crash their helicopter. 

Also Zodiac Master was here, utterly forgettable and useless. He was fine in the first three episodes but I don't see why they had him stick around. The Emperor should have turned him into stone if only to emphasize that he's a real threat and inject "Anyone can die" scenario. 

Heart of the Black Dragon: Season finale time! With the help of the shadow snake guardian (who is promptly concussed cuz Yin We doesn’t share credit), the Emperor has the eye of the black dragon. A mcguffin never mentioned before because it in the time before guardians. Actually, it was why the guardians were created. To defeat the black dragon and then put the world in balance. 

So we bring things back to Alcatraz since the guardians thought no one would go to the “new world” to find the black dragon’s heart. Too bad the Emperor figured it out. 

So Master Chin ruins everyone’s day off (lowkey really nice to see them acting like normal teens, shopping, flirting etc. before it gets interrupted. Also Master Chin sarcasm is great) and they head to Alacatraz too late. 

But if there’s a black dragon, there has to be a gold dragon and once again, Master Chin tells them they have to figure it out themselves even though he already knows everything! 

I’ll admit the ending is cheesy as it’s inside themselves and after a brief moment of doubt, they turn into a double headed dragon. Something I’ve been waiting for and was disappointed at how cartoony it looked. Same with the final black vs gold dragon fight that was only 2 minutes long.

That’s the critique I’d give the episode as a whole. Great set up but the execution felt rushed and unearned and the fight choreography was a downgrade too. In season one you can see the martial arts moves that keep things dynamic and interesting, and the guardian powers had some relation to their animal. But here, it’s all kicks and colored blasts, it falls flat.

Even when it’s supposedly 10 terra cotta warriors against two, the urgency doesn’t feel real because the budget simplifies the action scenes. It makes them look lame honestly. 

Give their unique powers and fight skills back like Bengail and her dart claws, I haven't seem them all season. Show the actual martial arts moves and inspiration.

Although, I did enjoy Bengail and K-Ho as the last ones standing and vowing to keep fighting like any last surviving soldier in the trenches. Even though they didn’t interact much in this season one on one, you can tell they have a completely platonic respect for each other as warriors. I like it and I wish the show did more to switch up the group pairings. 

Final Thoughts: I really come to enjoy this show. The characters are what interesting and made me stay, the lore needs some work. As for the season, it started promising but showed cracks and budget issues in the end from color palette to fight chereography. It also got pretty formulaic by having the twins always being the one to save the day but the lessons felt too one-note. I wanted a season long arc as they did in the previous season.

Ang as I mentioned should get an arc on dealing with being a double golden dragon after being the lone dragon. Have him deal with sharing leadership, have him consumed with anxiety over his responsibilities, not giving himself time to rest. Learning to trust Ling again which is part of the reason he gives himself so much work because he doesn't believe Ling will care as much as he does.

Ling's arc would be complementary to his by having her take responsibility that she lacked. Yes, I want her to remain snarky but I also want her to be cautious of her own tendency towards selfishness and shortcuts. I want her to try to take accountability and make amends for the previous season instead of brushing off the other guardians' distrust of her (tho it is hilarious everytime. Guess there's no guardian newsletter update). Have her be a better sister by helping her brother acknowledge he is a good person but he needs to accept help and she wants to be someone he can lean on.

Master Chin shouldn't know everything. It makes him look like a jerk for not telling them basic information and warn them of potential dangers. Have him be just as unaware of the shadow temples since he's associated with only yang.

Give Bengail a focus episode as they did with K-Ho. K-Ho. . . K-Ho's cool. His VA reminds me of Greg Cipes the entire time which is so weird since its the same VA for Ang. I didn't mention before but the whole cast does double the amount of characters and its super impressive to me. They all did a great job!

The Emperor and Yin We were great as villains. I have no complaints, and Sabreclaw was nice attempt at giving Bengail a nemesis although it felt his indian accent got thicker in each episode he appeared.

As mentioned before, I would have just killed off Zodiac Master after the third episode. It would make the season darker and helps get rid of him since he was super unecessary and pathetic this season.

Upgrade everyone's powers. The only new thing the twins got was teleportation which eh. They can also "fly" but they did that in the previous season so I'm not sure why they were all surprised by that. It would be cool if the twin could breath fire though.

I would also up the ante with not just blowing up the dragon temple but forcing all the other guardian temples to move because they're not safe with Yin We and the Emperor on the loose. Displacement for all, and it can give the show a chance to show different Asian countries beyond Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Speaking of dark, I would have focused more lore on the shadow temples as mysterious as they are as not all of them are explored in the show. Just half. Make the teens face their darker natures or face the worst of humanity in a deadly sins-like way or yin-esque way. Put focus on the importance of balance and harmony and how they need to both exist in the world. Bring back some of the yang guardians since those cameos were fun like the Rooster guardian and Chow Chow and the twins' mom!

Really bring the zodiac into play by having the yang guardians show the animal's best traits and the yin show the worst and how destiny/the animal doesn't really control the person' fate but the person's actions do. Explore all the nuances of morality and redemption through the zodiac.

Overall, I would recommend the series for the characters alone and for its potential lore even if there are some big gaps. I really enjoyed it and will be in my mind for a long while.

[djmossback]

Spacebar Thrd Spc Sat 16 Sept 2023

THE SETLIST

Let The Music Play, Shannon (lp cut)

Bad Life, PiL (12" 45 RPM)

Give Me Some Slack, Cars (lp cut)

Every 1’s A Winner, Hot Chocolate (lp cut)

Ms. Fat Booty, Mos Def (12" explicit)

Jive Talkin’, Bee Gees (7" 45)

Oh Sheila, Ready For The World (7" 45)

Rock The Casbah, The Clash (7" 45)

Back & Forth, Cameo (12" 33 1/3 )

Roxanne, Police (7" 45)

I Thank You, ZZ Top (lp cut)

Ex’s & Oh’s, Elle King (lp cut)

Walk This Way, RUN D.M.C. (12" 33 1/3 )

2200 hrs

Metal Gods, Judas Priest (lp cut)

You Dropped A Bomb On Me, Gap Band (lp cut)

Sex Shooter, Apollonia 6 (12" 45 RPM)

Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man, Bob Seger System (lp cut)

Let’s Dance, David Bowie (12" 33 1/3 )

Pick Up The Pieces, Average White Band (lp cut)

Got To Be Real, Cheryl Lynn (7" 45)

Couldn’t Get It Right, Climax Blues Band (7" 45)

Love Action, Human League (lp cut)

Love Plus One, Haircut One Hundred (7" 45)

Knock On Wood, Amii Stewart (12" 33 1/3 )

Boogie Oogie Oogie, Taste Of Honey (lp cut)

No Scrubs, TLC (12" 33 1/3 )

Declaration Of Rights, Abyssinians (lp cut)

2300 hrs

Clint Eastwood, Gorillaz (12" 33 1/3 )

She’s Crafty, Beastie Boys (lp cut)

Boys Are Back In Town, Thin Lizzy (lp cut)

The Futures So Bright, Timbuk 3 (lp cut)

Do The Du, A Certain Ratio (12" 45 RPM)

Black Sap Scriptures, Plague Vendor (lp cut)

Hair Of The Dog, Nazareth (lp cut)

Dirty Rat, Orbital (lp cut)

Pressure, Ari Lennox (lp cut)

Keep On Movin, Soul II Soul (12" 33 1/3 )

YAH, Kendrick Lamar (lp cut)

Joan Of Arc, OMD (12" 45 RPM)

West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys (12" 33 1/3 )

Mama Used To Say, Junior (12" 33 1/3 )

Nothing Left To Lose, Everything But The Girl (lp cut)

Midnight

Original Sin, INXS (lp cut, Dance Music comp)(Pictured!)

Rock With You, Michael Jackson (7" 45)

Maneater, Hall & Oates (12" 33 1/3 )

Rise, Herb Alpert (12" 33 1/3 )

Money (Dollar Bill Y’all), Jimmy Spicer (lp cut, hits comp)(Pictured!)

Funk You Up, The Sequence (12" 33 1/3 )

Chameleon, Herbie Hancock (lp cut)

Open The Iron Gate, Max Romeo (lp cut)

Who Do You Love, Bo Diddley (lp cut, mono, hits comp)

Seven Nights To Rock, Moon Mullican (lp cut)

blue bones (deathwish), Billy Nomates (lp cut)

Remembering Me, Cate le Bon (lp cut)

The Meaning Of Love, Depeche Mode (12" 45 RPM)

Little Fluffy Clouds, The Orb (12" 45 RPM Drum & Bass mix by Youth)

Love my Spacebar people.

TASTING NOTES

I was kind of prepared. Lots of new records. New old records, too: a wealth of vintage mid-70s funk and disco 12” records came into my possession. But, none of those made it into the crate; I had plenty of other acquisitions to integrate into the flow. I am constantly on the search for the familiar unexpected, and the unfamiliar unexpected, without falling prey to the obvious. And I did what I set out to do. Some of the best segues I have ever done happened tonight... often followed up with the most ham-handed and poor transitions in the history of Third Space Saturday. I’m just happy DJ IGA was not there to witness it, and scowl at my transgressions!

It probably didn’t sound like anything in the house, but your audience or listeners aren’t concerned with the details or technicalities. They want to play Centipede, or get nice with someone.

Cyberjewel gave herself the night off, which probably lent itself to me getting stuck in the elevator, and getting to the booth at 2058, for a start time of 2100 hrs. I wanted to get there early to set up, because there was a live event the night before. Luckily, except for the house sound, things were largely in order. I struggled with volume in the house, problems that weren’t solved until Jules showed up unexpectedly halfway through. Within 5 minutes, the PA was set properly, and I had an Athletic NA in a glass. 

Will was in the house, stationed at the print shop bar. It was great to play for the man who is piloting the spaceship. “She’s Crafty” was played for him. He was excited to get to “hear a Mossback set.” He set up my backgrounds on the TVs you can see on the video and busied himself breaking down the stage setup in the performance area. He works hard. I’m so happy I get to contribute to this thing he made happen. And I will stay as long as they want me. 

The crowds, as usual, were several waves of different people rolling through. At first there were normals. And that’s when the two “request” inquiries happened. Lately I’ve been engaging with people to help read the room, without actually playing what they request. Tonight, I was just trying to get situated. So, I politely declined. But the third person that came up asked about the Shannon track that I opened with, so I was pumped for that! I loved seeing the early 20s kids dancing around to “Maneater” by Hall & Oates, too. The kids are alright. The ones that come through the bar during my sets are game for anything. Well, not the guy who came up and asked for Drake. No bueno. 

I worry that my approach to things is too laid back, like part of the atmosphere. Perhaps my lack of self promotion, and my “let the music be the program” attitude, doesn’t lend itself to making Mossback sets an “event.” Maybe I need to get on the mike and relentlessly exhort people to wave their hands in the air, and relentlessly name check “MOSSSSS-BAAAAAACK!” ad nauseum. I am going to get some coasters made, maybe that will help.

There were some slack periods, unusual for a Saturday night. It made set construction challenging. The energy from the people in the bar contributes to your set in subtle ways, and it was challenging to play without it. But I found my footing, and learned to play without it. I made choices I might not have made with a crowd there. 

The Shannon track I started with was from an LP, but it was a 12” dance mix. It’s a “dance”-oriented compilation from Atlantic Records that also has INXS (which I played) and Phil Collins (which I didn’t play but may in the future). “Sususudio” kicks! The comp is set up in a good way, three songs per side. It almost feels like cheating, but there is a lot of useful stuff on there and it doesn’t take up a ton of space in the crate. And the three-songs-per-side format sounds good, lots of low end. For what I’m doing, it works out fine. 

Compilations can be too loaded with material to be useful in this setting, too many songs crammed onto a side, bad remastering, no thump or presence. So I’m sparing in my use of them. But I carry several around with me just for fun, like Soul Jazz comps and the Trojan Records Toots and the Maytals collection.

Will loved the Jimmy Spicer track I played from the Ace Records subsidiary BGP collection chronicling the first decade of hip-hop called “Dollar Bill Y’All.” It consists of records released by the Spring label, which was run by an industry lifer Bill Curtis, who was also a member of the band Fatback. Dude heard the potential in the hip-hop sound early, and the Spring offshoot Posse had early work from Ice-T, Afrika Islam, Marley Marl and artists promoted by Russell Simmons, like Jimmy Spicer. I followed that up with a Sugar Hill Records group, The Sequence. I like the old hip-hop sound. It still sounds good in the club. Will also dug the Herb Alpert “Rise” mix I have. It was so much fun to see him and the crew dancing around to it. 

I ended right at 0100 hours. Funny how that worked out. I just didn’t feel like going any longer. Maybe I got too much rest that day. I usually like to go until close, just because I like it there, but tonight it wasn’t right, so I bugged out and got home at a decent hour.

Next Third Space is 21 October, 2023. 9PM to 1AM, unless I get inspired to stay.

[burnwater13]

Grogu wondered how different turns of phrase came into a language. Any language, not just Gal Basic. Things like ‘skank in a scud pie’ and ‘searching for you for many parsecs’ and ‘every once in a while, both suns shine on a womp-rat’s tail’. Why didn’t people just say what they meant?

No one knows what a skank is, what it looks like and if it tastes good or not. Why would you care if one got in your pie if you don’t even know what it is? And for that matter, what was a scud? Grogu had no idea and he’d looked it up. He asked Peli and Cara Dune, but they had no idea either. Was it an animal, a fruit, a vegetable (stars forbid), or just the name of a type of pie? No one knew! Uff.

Grogu also found the ‘many parsecs’ thing odd and annoying. A parsec was a measure of distance. A large distance. A huge, crazy big distance. If you did it on foot you’d never get there. Even Master Yoda would not have been able to walk that long. It was something like 31 trillion klicks. That’s right, trillion with a ’t’.  Or about three light years. Yes, the distance a particle of light traverses over three standard years. 

Now, on the other hand, considering that they had started their search for another Mando while they were on Nevarro and now they were on Tatooine, and Din Djarin was saying this to the marshal of Mos Pelgo, they had actually traveled about 150,000 parsecs. By any form of measurement that was more than ‘many’. That was a lot. An immense distance. 

And sure, when you had a decent hyperdrive it didn’t take a long time. It probably felt like no time really. But the point was people mostly measure the time it took to find a thing, not the distance they traveled. No one said, ‘Mercy, the light years I traveled to get to your party!’ At least, Grogu had never heard anyone make that exclamation. They said things like ‘you're late’ or ‘you're early’, or if you were Grogu’s friend Ian, ‘where’s my present?’, but you get what he means. It’s just a strange phrase. 

Then there’s that whole two suns thing. How many planets had two suns and womp-rats? He knew that womp-rats lived on Tatooine, but did they live anywhere else? Grogu hadn’t heard of them being anywhere else. So why mention them? Did every planet have its own phrases and slang and stuff like that? Why? It wasn’t really short hand if the people you were talking to didn’t come from where you came from. You’d have to stop and explain and people might laugh a bit uncomfortably and then move on. 

But really, why not just say what you mean? For example: instead of ‘skank in a scud pie’ try ‘that’s a problem’, or for ‘sometimes both suns shine on a womp-rat’s tail’ try ‘I got lucky’ or ‘you got lucky’ and finally, for ‘I’ve been searching for you for many parsecs’ try, ‘since this kid showed up I’ve been trying to get rid of him, boy am I glad I found you’. 

Wait. No. That’s not right. The Mandalorian needed Grogu in his life. Who would have healed him from the mudhorn? Who would have kept the kids calm on Sorgan? Who would have turned the fire back on those awful stormtroopers? Who would have given that Mandalorian curmudgeon hugs when he was feeling lonely and out of sorts, which happened all the time!? 

So maybe that one was really along the lines of ‘I’ve been wandering around this great big galaxy and I’m glad to meet one of my own kind because I need some help’? 

That sounded better to Grogu, but maybe it still didn’t accurately reflect that most people measured the distance between hello and goodbye using time, not distance. So maybe the Mandalorian was really saying, ‘It’s been a while since I’ve made a friend’? 

Nope. Sorry. It’s not that either. As far as Grogu could tell Din Djarin made friends everywhere he went. He was helpful, generous, and now had an adorable green pal to take on all of his adventures. So meeting the marshal in Mos Pelgo wasn’t about needing a friend. He had plenty of those. What sort of things did a Mandalorian need that only another Mandalorian would understand? Grogu thought for a while and then it came to him!

“Is there a decent privy around here?”

Yup. That’s what the Mandalorian must have been talking about. Someplace private where he could take his helmet off and shave and do stuff like that. Sure he could go back to the ship, but he knew that Grogu could easily undo the lock there. The Jedi had never needed that much privacy. After all they had coined the phrase ‘haste makes waste’. It’s meaning was pretty clear, right?

[wytfut]

Back issues... Chapter 198, episode 50

A few weeks ago, an old familiar back pain was showing up occasionally.

And as usual I ignored it, feeling that I'm probably going to have some sort of back pain the rest of my life... no shit Sherlock. This familiar back pain was recognized, as I found myself holding my breath while I'd do certain motions.... which in turn I'd be out of breath, doing daily mundane chores. NOT out of breath with in seconds, but doing something physical, and around the 10 minute mark, out of breath, holding my breath.

I discovered I did this last fall. I found that I hold my breath, or actually my abdominal muscles to support my back, to keep it from hurting. To keep it simple.... my stomach muscles acting like back muscles, to keep everything from hurting.

At 70 I know I'm going to be out of breath at times.... but I do work out 3 days a weeks "cardio" peddling on my vintage stationary bike, achieving anaerobic status for a set period of time. It doesn't hurt to peddle. I've been very happy with myself to be able to do this, to keep myself in some kind of shape, even if its bare minimal.

way off topic, and nobody cares...

Last week I was doing some weed eating. My most hated job, as from past history, created tons of back pain. But since injection last October, and surgery this past May..... all has been good, and painless, other than the heavy Whitefoot sweat.

No so last week. I couldn't finish the weed eating in one day, and had to finish the next day. The pain previous to the injection was back.... and at the same volume as the past.

Today I went and visited one of my back Dr.'s and he determined I have another site of issues (this makes 4 issues now).... He determined this by moving my legs in all sorts of positions, trying to make pain.

And now I'm back into PT, with a new PT, who specializes in Sacroiliac back issues. And I'm fine with that... 4-6 weeks twice a week. I just may call the PT and try to reschedule to until after Antique Motorcycle Cannonball after October 16....

But Dr. Diamont (god bless this man, I really like him, and the surgeon Dr. Gogelas), made me aware to the fact, that on this particular issue, I will be making a huge choice if it comes to it.

PT, if it fails.... makes me a good candidate for another injection site. Problem though..... successful injection at this site is not good. In fact less than 1/2.

If the injection fails then I have to decide if I wish to give fusion a shot. Fusion is not always successful. My Mother was living proof. PLUS, with my spine being curved makes the odds of fusion working even less. Another part of fusion on Bruce Whitefoot, and his decision to do so..... it could very well create other spine problems. ....

In other words, do I try fusion, knowing that it could be worse when I'm out of surgery. Or do I stop and just live with what pain I have to deal with right now.

I am 70... but with this pain, I'm limited in what I can do physically, more now than ever.

I can weed eat, but at much much smaller bits. Instead of all in one day. I'll be able to try and finish rat truck.... but at 30 minute "DAILY" increments. I'll be able to walk fair, but nothing longer than 100 yards. ..... you get the idea.... and all of this "FOR THE REST OF MY ACTIVE LIFE".

I won't be minus all of my most loved activities. I can still ride with no discomfort (TG!!). And I can tinker in the shop, on other bikes or short mechanical jobs on vehicles. (motocycles I can sit for most of it). 99.99% of time my back doesn't affect my sleep, or sitting.

In the back of my mind when all of my issues showed up, I accepted I may never be able to hike again. Most of the readers here, don't know this, nor know that I loved hiking in Colorado, and always did a "big" hike for a Nebraski flatlander. I haven't had a good hike in 5 years, and I'll be honest.... I miss it. I miss the "goal achieved" high.

I have this habit at times of second guessing myself more and more with age. And I know I do this. But not all animated or depressed about things out of my control.

We'll see what PT brings and then possibly an injection.... and worry about fusion when that time arrives. We are only human, and a person can't help of think about it here and there...

For all of you being patient with me and aches and pains... thanx