#none of it written down. just tidbits about how they communicate and form relationships

[seaside-lovers]

Hiya Scarecrow! What are the challenges of a robot-human relationship? How do you overcome those with Kate? What things have y'all had to reconsider or change? -ourlittleforever

(Thank you!)

It has certainly been... interesting to navigate this relationship. While my kind is made like our Creators and can have intimate relationships, it's uncommon amongst us as we focused on our duties over everything.

Now, not having to do pilot work, I find myself having a lot more time with Kate. One of the major challenges early in our friendship was communication. Neither of us were used to sharing a living space. Despite our separated resting areas, it was still awkward in the beginning for Kate, according to her. I was just grateful for a time to rest and allow my injuries to heal.

Being able to discuss our communication habits helped the awkwardness for Kate. She liked to talk to me, and while I may not respond, I was always listening. Establishing this helped her feel heard. I've also started to communicate more with her to fulfill her social needs.

Something that Kate has done that I appreciate is giving me time on my own when I need it. I do like spending time with her, but sometimes I need to be on my own and have time to rest.

Thankfully, we have not had much issue with outside forces. Mostly Kate just gets a lot of prying questions and I get a lot of stares, but I think the colonists are starting to get more used to us... and me.

The marriage situation will be interesting since I do not have a last name or day of creation that I know of, but I don't care either way. I want to make Kate happy, and this is something important to her, so I'm pleased to do it.

Oh yes, sleeping arrangements have been a much less serious hurdle for us to overcome. Her previous bed was much too small for both of us once I started sharing her sleeping space, so she ended up getting a new bed... and the frame broke due to my weight. Don surprised us recently with a much sturdier bed frame that he created as well. An early wedding gift, he called it.

edit: forgot to add it in-character, but neither Scarecrow nor I have been in a romantic relationship before, so it is new for us both. :)

[gunterfan1992]

Episode Review: ‘Obsidian’ (Distant Lands, Ep. 2)

Airdate: November 19, 2020

Story by: Jack Pendarvis, and Kate Tsang, Adam Muto, & Hanna K. Nyström

Storyboarded by: Hanna K Nyström, Anna Syvertsson, Iggy Craig, Mickey Quinn, Maya Petersen, James Campbell, & Ashlyn Anstee

Directed by: Miki Brewster (supervising), Sandra Lee (art)

Of all the many colorful characters in Adventure Time perhaps none has a more elaborate backstory than Marceline the Vampire Queen. In many ways, Marceline really was the writers’ gold goose, engendering complex story after complex story. By the time the series ended, the vampire’s life had in more ways than one been woven into the very fabric of the show’s mythology.

But because I am a Marceline fanboy—whose zeal for her majesty is rivaled perhaps only by Glassboy himself—I always felt like the show could have done even more with her backstory; I mean, when the series finale aired, there were still plenty of questions that had yet to be answered (What happened to her mom? What is Simon going to do now that he’s “cured”? How did Marcy and Bubblegum meet? Were they romantically involved before the events of the main series? How did it all go south?). Nevertheless, when "Island Song” played for the last time at the end of “Come Along with Me,” I forced myself to push aside this minor, fannish grievance and applaud the show for writing such an excellent character. I didn’t need for every last detail of her life to be explicitly shown on screen. I was happy.

But then, about a year ago, news dropped that one of the Distant Lands specials would really delve into the history of Marceline and Bubblegum’s relationship. In an instant, I tossed my stoic “I-am-satisified-with-what-I-received” mentality right out the window. We were going to get another Marceline episode, and it was going to dive back into her elaborate backstory!?! I could barely contain my excitement as I waited for the episode to drop.

Well, was my excitement worth it? Or was “Obsidian” a big ol’ let down—a tragic victim to grandiose expectations that were never meant to be fulfilled?

I���m quite happy to say that not only was “Obsidian” a remarkable special in its own right, but it is arguably one of the strongest episodes of Adventure Time, period.

The plot of this episode is fairly standard, as far as Adventure Time episodes go: Glassboy (a new character voiced by Michaela Dietz, the voice of Amethyst from Steven Universe) accidentally sets a giant fire monster named Molto Larvo loose on the Glass Kingdom, and Marceline and Bubblegum—who we learn have been living their best cottagecore life together in Marcy’s cavehouse—are forced to save the day. But the series’ writers take this otherwise quotidian adventure idea—a story which, at least on paper, could have easily fit in during any of the show’s many seasons—and employ it as something of a Trojan Horse, using it as a pretense to delve into both Marcy’s traumatic childhood and her and Bubblegum’s romantic history. And, boy, is it a ride!

With regard to the former story thread, the audience learns that sometime after the Mushroom Bomb detonated, Marceline and her mother, Elise (voiced this time not by Rebecca Sugar, but by actress Erica Luttrell, who played Sapphire in Steven Universe), roamed the wastelands in search of shelter; after Marceline’s mother came down with some sort of sickness, she sent Marceline to be on her own. Elise was hoping that this would spare Marcy the trauma of seeing her mother die before her very eyes, but due to some communication issues, Marceline never learned what became of her mother. As such, Marceline began blaming herself for “leaving” her mom to die in the wreckage of the world. This plot thread is perhaps one of the bleakest that Adventure Time has ever explored, and the show does it masterfully, balancing the darkness (e.g., Marceline’s mother coughing up blood) with bright spots of comedy (e.g., the "wazzup” dog) that never feel distasteful.

Likewise, when it comes to the story thread about Marcy and Bubblegum’s romantic history, the special does not hold back. We get to see “Bubbline” at its best and its worst. I have a feeling that the word “fan service” is going to be used by a lot of folks when talking about this episode. As the AV Club writer William Hughes notes, this word is usually hurled around like a pejorative, but it aptly describes the appeal of “Obsidian”. After all, this episode really is “fan service at its finest”—not only does it give the ravenous shippers the story tidbits that they have so long to see (e.g., the moment Marcy gave Bubblegum her rock shirt, Bubbline’s epic break-up), but—and this is very important—it does so in a way that is fundamentally meaningful. “Obsidian” does not feel self-indulgent, unnecessary, or pandering. On the contrary, it is overflowing with deep emotion that allows us to better understand how Bubblegum and Marceline really feel about one another. Sure, over the centuries that the two gals have bummed around Ooo, they have bickered and fought, but deep down, their love is passionate. In many ways, it is like the titular obsidian, which means that nothing short of an enchanted diamond pickax is strong enough to break Bubbline apart for good.

(It’s also quite nice that after seasons and seasons of tip-toeing around the question of Marceline and Bubblegum’s sexuality, “Obsidian” can explicitly focus on their life together, showing the two characters cuddling, kissing, and dancing. In terms of LGBTQ+ representation, it’s a huge leap forward, and I’m so happy that Adventure Time has had a part to play in normalizing queer relationships!)

Marceline episodes almost always featured a catchy diddy, but "Obsidian” really cranks things up to 11 by featuring a whole bevy of catchy songs, several of which are perhaps among the show’s strongest. The first right banger, “It’s Funny,” is the song that plays over the special’s credits. With a grunge-meets-riot grrrl feels, this track really sets the tone for the episode, signaling to the audience that we’re in for, as Lumpy Space Princess once put it, some “drama bombs.” The next standout is “Woke Up,” a brutally honest diss track that Marceline used both to contain Molto Larvo and break up with Princess Bubblegum centuries prior to the start of this episode. This song was written by pop rocker Zuzu, and it—as the kids say—slaps. Layers of fuzzed-out guitar and digitally processed vocals are used expertly to sell Marceline’s emotions and convey how, on the surface, she’s delighted to no longer be under Bubblegum’s romantic spell... even if her heart may not be so sure.

But arguably, the musical jewel of the entire special is “Monster,” a somber ballad that Marceline sings to Bubblegum when they find themselves trapped in the collapsing furnace and are facing what they believe is certain death. Written by indie pop artist Half Shy, this song is, in many ways, something of the inverse of “Woke Up”: soft, happy, and filled to the brim with a sort of love that few are lucky to receive and even fewer can honestly express. Not only does “Monster” finally cement Marceline’s real, visceral love for Bubblegum in song form (remember: almost every prior Bubbline song was either indirect or delivered by an angsty, heartbroken Marceline), but it also “tames” Molto Larvo, allowing him to metamorphose into a strange but harmless cat-butterfly critter. Just like “Come Along with Me,” “Obsidian” proves that the power of love and music will save us in the end—if not physically, then at least emotionally.

Regarding the production-side of things, there’s a lot of praise to doll out. First off, the look and style of “Obsidian” is gorgeous. While “BMO” opted to experiment somewhat with the classic Adventure Time art style, trading cel shading for an almost watercolor feel, “Obsidian” echoes the aesthetic of the original series. That said, there’s an undeniable animation bump—likely courtesy of that sweet, sweet HBO money—that lets Ooo and its denizens shine in all their glory. You can tell that Adam Muto, art director Sandra Lee, supervising director Miki Brewster, and all the members of the production staff really went above and beyond the call of duty. The episode's soundtrack, composed by Amanda Jones, as deserves a shout-out. Jones did an excellent job mixing the chiptune style of the original series with a bass-heavy rock sound that highlights Marceline’s starring role. Bravo!

As another production aside, I should point out that CN/HBO’s decision to make these specials each 44 minutes was the right call. The 11 minute format of the original series often left something to be desired when it came to plot development, as many an important episode was forced to end somewhat prematurely due to time constraints; conversely, the 8-episode miniseries format that the show experimented with during its latter days sometimes felt like too much time (Stakes, Islands, and Elements all had whole episodes that felt like nothing more than the show treading water). The length of “Obsidian”, however, was just right, giving us plenty of time to take in what was happening without ever feeling like it was dragging.

A final aspect of this episode that is worth mention is its many call-backs to previous episodes and characters. “BMO” was mostly a self-contained story that, due to its nature as a prequel in space, really couldn’t reference the Land of Ooo without feeling forced. “Obsidian,” however, throws in everything and the kitchen sink (Adventure Time superfan and all-around cool person Jagm has collected most of them here for those of you who want to see everything laid out nicely). Stand-outs for me include Choose Goose (someone who we really haven’t seen since season five) smuggling sketchy products into the Candy Kingdom, post-Ice King Simon trying his hand at open mic nights, Bronwyn as an adventurous hero, and Finn the (Adult!) Human complete with beard and scars! Of note, Jake does not appear in this episode, except as a tattoo on Finn’s chest. Many in the fandom are now speculating that the events of “Obsidian” take place after our beloved shapeshifting dog’s death. Oh say it ain’t so! Perhaps we’ll learn more in “Together Again.”

Mushroom War Evidence: Unlike “BMO,” which directly referenced the Mushroom War and its fallout (both literally and figuratively), this episode returned to the show’s roots by featuring gobs of explicit hints in throw-away lines or elaborate background pieces. Honestly, there is far too many to list here in a pithy paragraph, but some major references include: the reveal that the Glass Kingdom, like the Fire Kingdom, was created by ‘magic’ blaze from the heavens (almost certainly a nuke); the fact that Marceline and her mother wandered for a time in the debris-filled wastelands following the apocalypse; and the reveal that Marceline spent at least part of her childhood holed up in a bomb shelter surrounded by the bones of myriad dead humans. Honestly, while references to the Mushroom War have always been sad footnotes to an otherwise cheery show; in this episode, however, the references are very graphic, illustrating the sorrow and horror of mutagenic war.

Final Grade: As I said earlier, I’m a Marcy fanboy, so I’m horrible biased, but I don’t care. This episode rocked. Q.E.D.

[janiklandre-blog]

Saturday, March 18, 2017

9:35 a.m.  cloudy, 34 or 35 - lonely computer room - though I am glad the loud Chinese are not here - I now only see Chinese - they are not lonely - once upon a time a woman by the name of Miriam Friedlander was the council woman for this area - rumors had it she had been a communist once upon a time - it was held against her that she kept an apartment on East 6th street - across the street from where I lived, that she had stopped using and lived on the upper East Side - many communists in their later yeasrs do like luxury and achieve luxury - still - I believe it is thanks to her that I have this here housing, at first = opened 1983 - filled with her buddies - a generation older than I - one of the 100 year old women on my floor did come here then and tells me the house was overrun by rats - well, it's in much better shape now. When I arrived in 2000 there still was Jane, a Friedlander left over? - who did have the power of assigning apartments - but - she was as they say, "on the take". I knew that and greatly regret among the many things they did not teach at Columbia was how to bribe - an art - I never learned. I told her the day I moved in I wanted a quiet apartment to the back - and had I only known how to grease her palm - she was relieved and the power taken from the manager to assign apartments - given to Donald Manning - who answered my earlier requests by "you are not eligible" - my last request he didn't even bother to answer.

I still know that Friedlander was replaced by Pagan whom everyone - or almost everyone - hated - after 20000 and the fire I stopped voting (now I reregistered)) - since then we had many managers here, can't even keep up with their names anymore, like the present one because she is casual - there now is a Chinese assitant - and, we have a Chinese council woman - and since, so I am told there are no old age faxcilities in China town -- they have taken over this house here. I've learned about the difference of Mandarin and Cantonese - Mandarin were the higher classes - Cantonese the lower I believe from Southern China - alas, they are very loud.

It is pitiful how little I know about China and Chinese history - alas cannot learn from my house mates, who talk to me in Chinese that I am much too old to learn. On the roof in the summer they form a large, loud circle and once there was a younger one - their children and grandchildren do visit them and come in fancy cars - I asked one of them: What are they talking about - without a moment's hesitation he said: Food.

I smile at them, they smile back, on warm mornings at 7 a.m. one of them teaches beautiful Tai Chi - it is wonderful exercise and they all will live to 100 or more - they also cook for each other and eat healthy food, in company - alas I did not have quite the patience for Tai Chi, also cannot do the moves - like standing on one leg, holding the other - besides I liked my Mocha routine - so while they exercise I sit in a cafffee and drink coffeee - of course they will outlive me - and as my friends say - God bless them.

Still, Miriam Friedlander had meant this house for people getting old in this here neighborhood - now harrassed to death by Trump's son in law among others - I already observed in the late 60's when I had the $92 floor through on the corner of 90th Street and 3rd Avenue (Christine Fiedler had scored two apartments - the landlord was emptying the house but correctly assumed we were young enough not to stay long) - then houses there were being emptied wholesale - many of the old were Irish, they had built the city - and many actually died when uprooted at an old age. This is New York.

I am not the only chronicler - and while other than eating in Chinese restaurants, using Chinese laundries - but wait: when I began substitute teaching at Stuyvesant high school, a public elite school that Robert Goldscheider attended once upon a time - graduating in 1945 - and witnessing countless tenements taken down to cxreat Stuuyvesant town and the development next to it - also massive evictions - anyway, thanks to a woman I tutored in German, Patricia, I had at long last gotten a TPD - temporary per diem licence, from the Board of education - she alerted me to the fact that things change - I had tried earlier to no avail - anyway, this licence enabled me to substitute teach  - also at that time a person at the schjool could call the substitute - I lived 10 blocks from the scjhool, got paid $100 a day for a few hours - alwaysa assigned to advanced placement science classes, the law required a licenced body in the classroom - and there already I met up with Chiinese - bright, eager kids, they studied and studied, totally ignored me - this sad old body in a corner. None of them ever tal;ked to me.

Then if course there were those times when the radicals idealized Mao Tse Tung - from the few Chinese who ever talked to me - usually in very poor English - I've heard only stories of sorrow about Mao Tse Tung. Also since I do little but read - I haver read some about China

And about my Chinese here I do find out tidbits when a younger one comes around - in good English - their parents owned a house, sold it, gave all their money in safe keeping to the bright young people, their social security is mostly minimal - just  as mine srtarted at $400 in 1994 - only based on my board of Education earnings - all my other jobs had been for non-profits not paying into social security, I never paid any attention - and so these Chines come here with "only income" - a low social security check -pay next to no rent and take advantasge of every last benefit there is - also I have watched them at any distribution of anything free - they take everything and then try to sell it. They are smart. Our social worker here has a Chinese and Puerto Rican parent - is fluid in three languages - the Chonese love herr - and she organizes "yard sales" - utterly amazing at what these "poor" people have to sell - all I can do is marvel at it all - yet, alas I do feel a bit lonely surrounded by people who are friendly, but talk to me in a language in which I do not understand one single word.

I've avoided traveling to countries where I did not understand the language - in Spain I understood little, but still, picking up a newspaper I could make out some - in Scandinavia I also understood very little - but a word here and there - and mostly I've stuck to .Germany, Austria, Czech Republic - on my trips to Europe - every five years in the 90's, 2000's - when I'd get a cheap flight, could get cheap coupons for the railroad that allowed me unlimited travel in a 24 hour period - and I only stayed with friends, Aachen, Bonn, Heidelberg, Zurich, Munich, Vienna, Ostrava, Prague, Nuernberg, sometimes Essen, sometimes Lausanne - it was a wonderful round trip, a bit exhausting, in most places I stayed only a few nights and after a while was not quite sure where I was waking up - and also - hard to remember all the names of children and grandchildren of my friends - I would make long notes in my address book - my last trip to Europe only a week with my grandson in 2012 to Berlin and Prague - and now I've grown too old and most of my friends have grown too old - and often I do think - I have an American passport valid until 2023, two credit cards, with I think an 18.000 dollar credit line - never used - never owed credit cards one cent - a driver's licence to be renewed in June - in theory I could hop into a taxi, say Kennedy airport and get on the next flight of my choice - and I do see young people doing just that - but I am too old.

I am sitting alone with the 14 computers - lamenting - dreaming still of that house and my community in that house - that will not include Chinese - not because I don't like Chinese - they now also have their boxes on the roof where they grow vegetables ansd insist on giving me some, and I doi like their smile - but while we do like in cities with diversity - while I have enjoyed friendships with people of very different backgrounds, and still do - there is this affinity - that Goethe talks of in his novel by the translated title: Elective affinities - Wahlverwandtschaften in German - relatives by choice - and where he postulates that humans are like chemical molecules that attract each other - and we speak of affinity groups - the Chinese stick together, they are an affinity group.

Goethe's novel speaks of how we like to live with people to whom we have affinity, sociologists study it (often I wish I had stasyed with sociology - I had a lot more affinity to it than the obscure German literature) - sociologists, and Goethe did too (German literature) - study relationships - as do psychologists - I've read a lot of psychology - and yes, a friend just called - it's so long that I have not cooked a dinner - because shared food tastes also create affinity.

Also, the computer is strongly suggesting I would do so much better writing this in word - if only I could overcome my inner resistance to learning things that so many call so simple - I am so grateful to Molly for posting this here - and when I wrote my 1000 page unedited memoir Ken had set up a computer for me where I wrote in word - I do feel like an old nincompoop  - well it's past 11 - I know I've written a hodge podge and probably make little sense - something just poopped up that said end process - so to yesterday - interesting session with Molly - reading, not enough moving - the Chinese never sit, always exeercise - few calls, some texting, eating too much sweet stuff to console myself - this morning back to the bean, talking to Dinah - and now - send - why this inner resistance to reading what I wrote and make corrections - thank you, thank you, thank you to the probably few of you - any? - who read this far   adios  Marianne