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[dinodude52]

[dinodude52]

I support the WGA and SAG-AFTRA

I was working on writing up movie reviews, but I’ll refrain for the time being. I know I’m a little late to stating my support but I wasn’t sure what did or didn’t constitute scabbing. I thought critical reviews was okay, but I’ve decided personally, whether they are or not, I won’t participate in movie or TV reviews until the strikes are over.

Not only do I hope to one day be a writer with the WGA, but also they, and the actors, deserve livable wages and fair working conditions. Hollywood and America at large think they can just wring us, the workers, dry. They can’t. They think they can just exploit us, and because they believe we live in fear, we’ll do what they say. But we won’t. We *all* deserve a livable wage and fair working conditions, it’s not just the writers and actors.

I stand with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. I stand with unions. I stand with workers.

[dinodude52]

Okay, let's talk about Speak Now (Taylor's Version) Part 2

From a non-Swiftie's perspective.

I was 13/14 when this album came out. I'm probably going to skip through the songs from the original line up pretty quickly because they've been out for so long. I'd also like to remind you all that I pay attention to the music of a song first before the actual lyrics and that does affect which songs I do or don't like not matter the artist.

So, let's just get into the songs track by track.

Mine: I've always liked this song. It's very fun and catchy and bridge gets me in my feels.

Sparks Fly: I remember a kid in my class trying to tell me that this song was about sex and tried to explain why, and that really bugged me as a kid. That memory is very vivid in my mind when I listen to this song and it's annoying because I like the song and I'd like to just enjoy it.

Back to December: Don't come for me, but I think this song is kind of boring. That's not to say I don't appreciate and respect the subject of the song. I know it's about Taylor Lautner. I like the chorus. But overall, I don't particularly like this song.

Speak Now: As much as I like Speak Now and would imagine myself playing this song as the man I'm in love with is about to marry the most horrible person in the world, it feels... weird. I can't explain why. I like it, but it has a weird energy.

Dear John: I do apologize again, but this one is also boring to me. And again, I appreciate and respect the subject, but musically, I don't like it. And if I can't get past the music, I can't get to the lyrics.

Mean: I've always loved "Mean". This was the song I pointed to when I heard people saying Taylor Swift wasn't country anymore. And they were right, but I wasn't going to admit that. Haven't you heard "Mean"? It's still pretty country! Completely forgetting the whole rest of the album.

The Story of Us: Always one of my favorites. Again, I love the break up songs the most.

Never Grow Up: I don't think I appreciated this song as much as a child as I do as an adult. It's still not one of my favorites, but I understand it better now.

Enchanted: Don't talk to me about Enchanted. I love this song. I'm ridiculous about this song.

Better than Revenge: I *truly* love the break up songs, my friends. "Better than Revenge" was my favorite off the original line up and I understand the people who say Speak Now is, arguably, Taylor's Pop Punk album. I think Taylor shined the best with Folklore, but I would eat a true pop punk Taylor Swift album whole. I really would. Make it sound like "Better than Revenge" and I'll become insufferable about it.

Innocent: This is another one similar to "Never Grow Up." I didn't like it, I still don't particularly enjoy it, but I appreciate it better now as an adult than I did as a kid. I think the big reason for that was that I was fully 13/14 years old and Taylor was about 20/21 ish when the album came out. We were not in the same places in life, but now we are, more or less.

Haunted: Again, insufferable. I love "Haunted". I, coincidentally, went through the shortest Loki phase in history when this album came out and I always attached this song to Loki. I think that's very funny now what with Taylor having dated Tom Hiddleston.

Last Kiss: Again not a favorite, except I haven't come to a place where I can appreciate it in a way I appreciate "Never Grow Up" or "Innocent". "Last Kiss" just isn't for me.

Long Live: Another of my favorites. It fills me with nostalgia for a time that never happened, and I love songs that do that.

Ours: On the Taylor's Version album this song has been throwing me for a loop because the album I had when I was little ended with "Long Live" and I started to feel like I was losing it. The Deluxe album had "Ours" and "Superman". On the subject of "Ours," I like it. I thinks it's very fun.

Superman: She definitely wrote this song as a teenager, I'm sorry. I didn't realize this song isn't new and was on the Deluxe Album until now, and I'm happy I hadn't heard it until now. Taylor's voice is great, but I don't think I like this song. It's not silly in a fun way, it's just silly.

Electric Touch (Feat. Fall Out Boy): This was the song I was most excited for, and I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed. I've only listened to the vault songs two or three times so far so I might change my mind. I did like it better on my third listen than my first, but I was really hoping for more of a "Better than Revenge" vibe or their performance of "Phoenix" from the VS Fashion Show in whatever year that happened.

When Emma Falls In Love: I like this one. Again, only listened to it about 3 times, but so far I'm enjoying it. I think it's a very sweet song.

I Can See You: What is this song??? And I mean that with love. I love this song. It sounds like it should have been on "Red" or that maybe she was already working on some songs for "Red"? All I know is, the guitar notes right before the chorus in "I Can See You" sound *very* similar to the beginning notes of the song "Red." I thought they were the same, but I compared and I've decided they found very similar, and I don't think that's a coincidence.

Castles Crumbling (Feat: Hayley Williams): I loved this song when I first listened to it, but again like with "Electric Touch," I was hoping for more. How are you going to get THEE Hayley Williams on your track and NOT have her SING, you know what I mean? That doesn't change the fact that I do like this song a lot, however.

Foolish One: I like this one, but I think I have to listen to it a little more before making a full decision. "Foolish one, stop checking your mailbox for confessions of love" is such a good line though.

Timeless: Taylor has an obsession with the 1940's and it makes me feel a little weird. Didn't think anything of it when she mentioned 1945 in "Starlight" but now she mentioned 1944 and I just want to know what it is about the 1940s that seems so romantic to her? I like the song, don't get me wrong, but I just have that one question.

Anyway, that's my review for Speak Now (Taylor's Version). Please be nice to me, I'm not a Swiftie. If you feel like I need any extra context for any of these songs, don't hesitate to let me know!

[dinodude52]

Okay, let’s talk about Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) Part 1

From a Non-Swiftie perspective.

I would also like to note two things: First, that I'm very much a music first, then lyrics kind of music listener. I like the sound of a song before I like the lyrics and that does affect which songs I do or don't like no matter who the artist is. Second, I haven't always liked Taylor Swift. It was a mix of just not liking country music as a genre, but also misogyny. "Oh, Taylor can't go 5mins without a boyfriend. She always writes songs about her ex's," blah blah blah. Boring. She's not dating any more than anyone else, and she's not doing anything the male musical artists around her aren't doing, either. Not to mention she dated Joe Alwyn for like 6yrs before breaking up.

Anyway, I want to quickly run through my thoughts off the albums before getting to Speak Now (Taylor's Version), and I'm going to include how old I was when they initially came out versus the knowledge that I'm now 26 because I think my age absolutely colored how I felt about her music both then and now. You'll also quickly realize that my favorite songs are break up songs lol.

Taylor Swift: I don’t like country music, so this wasn’t ever really on my radar. I was also only 10 when this album came out. I remember singing “Our Song” on a bus with the volleyball team on the way to a game (I was just the manager; I didn’t play). I only really like “Picture to Burn” and “Tell Me Why.”

Fearless: I definitely like it more now than I did as a kid. It came out when I was 12. “You Belong With Me” was *integral* to my childhood, and so was “Love Story.” I don’t know that I ever really appreciated “Fifteen” or “Fearless” when I was younger, but I’m 26 now I love them. My favorites off the album are “The Way I Loved You” and “Forever and Always.”

Speak Now: Well talk about my initial thoughts later

Red: Is now my favorite of all her albums. I was 15/16 when the album came out and I loved it so much, still do. Genuinely not sure which songs are my favorites, but “State of Grace,” “Holy Ground,” “Starlight,” and “Girl at Home” are definitely my favorites from the original line up, and don’t even get me started on the vault songs. Too many good ones to pick from

1989: Red might be my favorite album, but 1989 is the album that made me fall in love with Taylor Swift. I was 17/18 when this album came out and it kind of felt like an introduction into young adult life, even though in Taylor's timeline, the album of her young adulthood was Red. My favorite song is just "I Wish You Would."

Reputation: I really like Reputation but I wouldn't say it's a strong album. I was 19/20 when this album came out, and it doesn't totally feel authentic to me anymore. At the time I don't think I thought too hard about it, but now looking back... the strongest songs are the ones about Joe Alwyn and Tom Hiddleston. My favorites are "Gorgeous" and "Getaway Car."

Lover: Don't come for me, I still haven't listened to Lover. I've heard clips on TikTok so I'll eventually get around to it. It was a one-two punch of "Hey kids, spelling is fun!" and the album being called Lover, which is not a word I like. It gives me the ick, I'm sorry.

Folklore: Let me tell you, Taylor Swift as a folk artist is a match made in heaven for me. I love Folklore and I think she really shines in this album. I was 23 when this one came out. I think my favorites are "Exile" and "Invisible String," but I haven't listened to the album in a while.

Evermore: I don't know that I was in the right headspace for Evermore because I don't like it at all, which feels weird to me because while I don't love every single song on every single album, I usually like at least half of them. My favorite song is "No Body, No Crime," but I'm not even sure I like any of the rest, so I'll have to give it a listen again.

Midnights: I think the description of all the songs being inspired by various sleepless nights is a good description. While I do like the album, I’m not sure it works. It feels very disjointed, and that’s probably the point. My favorites off this album are “Lavender Haze,” “Question,” and “Glitch.”

And that concludes part 1 of my Speak Now (Taylor's Version) review. I think it's kind of important to understand where I'm coming from with the rest of her music in order to understand where I stand with Speak Now (Taylor's Version).

[dinodude52]

I made an edit to Number 1 with the correct info, but IDK why it’s not on the version you reblogged? But thanks for checking me! As for point 6, I don’t think I’m going to edit it only because, in the other points where I talk about the iceberg and the atmosphere, I personally don’t believe slowing down would have saved the ship. Maybe there are experts out there who say otherwise, but because the iceberg was so big and if they really couldn’t see it, in my opinion I think the Titanic was still going to sink. Poor thing was destined for the bottom of the ocean if you ask me.

Okay, let's talk about the Titanic

Because I'm autistic and the Titanic was one of my special interests as a kid and that submersible has reignited my interest a little bit.

There were enough lifeboats. The controversy about the lifeboats came from the fact that the original designers wanted more lifeboats, but they downsized the number of boats to clear up the deck. There were regulations in place to ensure there were enough boats on all White Star Line ships. With the few collapsible boats they included on the ship, they had enough boats. The problem was they didn't fill them properly during the evacuation.

"Women and children first" wasn't the norm for shipwrecks. Typically, women and children made up the majority of the dead during such tragedies. To my knowledge, only two shipwrecks have done "women and children first," and they are most definitely the exceptions, not the rule.

On that note, one of the reasons the lifeboats weren't filled properly was because the crew on one side of the ship interpreted Captain Smith's command as "women and children first" while the crew on the other side of the ship interpreted the command as "women and children only."

The majority of the dead were third class passengers. Some did survive, but the majority didn't.

There were also a number of dogs that perished on the ship, though some did survive.

The ship wasn't going any faster than it was supposed to.

As for the ice field, they were skirting the bottom edge of said ice field. Where they were passing through, the icebergs were supposed to be pretty small.

The iceberg the Titanic collided with was unusually large for that time of year and for the location it was floating in. The weather conditions of the time made the ocean much colder than usual so the iceberg didn't have the chance to melt as much as it could have.

Though the lookouts didn't have binoculars, the sky was clear and the ocean was calm that night. If there was an iceberg, by all accounts they would have been able to see it, though it's suspected that the calm seas might have actually been a hinderance to spotting the iceberg rather than the help the lookouts assumed it would be.

On the topic of spotting the iceberg, recent research suggests that due to some atmospheric weirdness, the horizon line looked higher than it actually was. I don't remember the specifics, but it had something to do with the calm ocean and warm air from the south mingling with cool air from the north. It was also an exceptionally cold night that night, according to survivors, which might have aided the optical illusion. With the horizon looking higher than it was, the iceberg would have either looked smaller and further away than it was, or it could have been hidden completely.

The way the Titanic was built, it was explicitly designed to take damage head-on rather than from the sides. If the ship had stayed course instead of turning, it would have survived. It would have taken significant damage, but it would have stayed afloat.

The rivets used to connect the steel plates on the side of the Titanic were made of iron, I think, and an impure iron at that. The iron became brittle from the cold water so when the iceberg scraped against the side of the Titanic, the seams ripped apart like a zipper. The rivets failed completely.

The survivors of the wreck reported seeing the Titanic break in half, but no one believed them (probably because many of the survivors were women). It wasn't until the wreckage was found that the truth was known: the Titanic broke in half.

Though the lifeboats did their best to stay in a group, a few boats ended up floating away. The bodies were recovered some time later. Many retrieval efforts were dispatched over a handful of weeks after the tragedy. They were never able to recover all the bodies, and I think they only managed to recover about 100 out of 1500 bodies, give or take. They took the bodies back to Halifax in Canada where the Titanic was supposed to dock first. There's a memorial there and the unclaimed bodies have been buried there as well.

If there were bodies trapped inside the Titanic as it was sinking, there weren't any bodies once it hit the bottom of the ocean. And there definitely weren't any bodies when the wreckage was found in the 80's. The pressure would have destroyed them, bacteria and deep sea creatures would have eaten whatever was left. They would have decomposed.

As they were attempting to recover the bodies, a search and rescue team did find the iceberg the Titanic hit. They knew it was the true iceberg because it still had paint from the hull on it.

I went to the Titanic museum in Orlando once a long time ago and it was wonderful in a tragic way. My favorite part of the tour was a small section where the deck was recreated, including a bench you could sit at and a wall covered in black cloth and lights to look like stars. It was cool, but not cold, and was set to replicate the night of the disaster. Sitting on the bench, you could really feel what it was like to be on the Titanic the night it sank. The next room you entered was a room with a piece of the hull, and then after that another room filled with the names of everyone on the ship. If the name was lit, the person lived, but if it wasn't, the person died. You got a card with information about a real passenger at the beginning of the tour and in that final room you learned if your passenger survived or not. I still have my card somewhere, but I'm not sure where. I can't remember the name of the passenger on my card (this was 7 or 8 yrs ago by now) but he was a third class passenger, one of the few who survived, and unfortunately his wife and all his children perished. The panels with the names were set up by class, and the most heartbreaking part was seeing the panels with the third class passengers and how many names weren't lit.

And those are my Titanic facts. IDK what it is about this ship, about this wreck, that captures our imaginations in such an intense way. I used to check this book out of the school library about the Titanic and read it over and over again. I was obsessed. Still am, apparently.

Note: This was all from my memory so if my facts aren’t quite right, I apologize. It’s been *years* since I’ve gone down a proper Titanic rabbit hole.

[dinodude52]

Okay, let's talk about the Titanic

Because I'm autistic and the Titanic was one of my special interests as a kid and that submersible has reignited my interest a little bit.

There were enough lifeboats. The controversy about the lifeboats came from the fact that the original designers wanted more lifeboats, but they downsized the number of boats to clear up the deck. There were regulations in place to ensure there were enough boats on all White Star Line ships. With the few collapsible boats they included on the ship, they had enough boats. The problem was they didn't fill them properly during the evacuation. Edit: I say there were enough lifeboats but I doublechecked and realized I miss remembered. The Titanic was equipped with the legally required number of lifeboats at 20 (16 on deck and 4 collapsible). The assumption had been that, in the even of an emergency, they would have the ability to be rescued fairly quickly and the lifeboats could be used to carry people to safety on repeated trips. Unfortunately, the closest ships were still too far away. The Carpathia was the rescue ship despite being further away than the closest ship to the Titanic, the Californian.

"Women and children first" wasn't the norm for shipwrecks. Typically, women and children made up the majority of the dead during such tragedies. To my knowledge, only two shipwrecks have done "women and children first," and they are most definitely the exceptions, not the rule.

On that note, one of the reasons the lifeboats weren't filled properly was because the crew on one side of the ship interpreted Captain Smith's command as "women and children first" while the crew on the other side of the ship interpreted the command as "women and children only."

The majority of the dead were third class passengers. Some did survive, but the majority didn't.

There were also a number of dogs that perished on the ship, though some did survive.

The ship wasn't going any faster than it was supposed to.

As for the ice field, they were skirting the bottom edge of said ice field. Where they were passing through, the icebergs were supposed to be pretty small.

The iceberg the Titanic collided with was unusually large for that time of year and for the location it was floating in. The weather conditions of the time made the ocean much colder than usual so the iceberg didn't have the chance to melt as much as it could have.

Though the lookouts didn't have binoculars, the sky was clear and the ocean was calm that night. If there was an iceberg, by all accounts they would have been able to see it, though it's suspected that the calm seas might have actually been a hinderance to spotting the iceberg rather than the help the lookouts assumed it would be.

On the topic of spotting the iceberg, recent research suggests that due to some atmospheric weirdness, the horizon line looked higher than it actually was. I don't remember the specifics, but it had something to do with the calm ocean and warm air from the south mingling with cool air from the north. It was also an exceptionally cold night that night, according to survivors, which might have aided the optical illusion. With the horizon looking higher than it was, the iceberg would have either looked smaller and further away than it was, or it could have been hidden completely.

The way the Titanic was built, it was explicitly designed to take damage head-on rather than from the sides. If the ship had stayed course instead of turning, it would have survived. It would have taken significant damage, but it would have stayed afloat.

The rivets used to connect the steel plates on the side of the Titanic were made of iron, I think, and an impure iron at that. The iron became brittle from the cold water so when the iceberg scraped against the side of the Titanic, the seams ripped apart like a zipper. The rivets failed completely.

The survivors of the wreck reported seeing the Titanic break in half, but no one believed them (probably because many of the survivors were women). It wasn't until the wreckage was found that the truth was known: the Titanic broke in half.

Though the lifeboats did their best to stay in a group, a few boats ended up floating away. The bodies were recovered some time later. Many retrieval efforts were dispatched over a handful of weeks after the tragedy. They were never able to recover all the bodies, and I think they only managed to recover about 100 out of 1500 bodies, give or take. They took the bodies back to Halifax in Canada where the Titanic was supposed to dock first. There's a memorial there and the unclaimed bodies have been buried there as well.

If there were bodies trapped inside the Titanic as it was sinking, there weren't any bodies once it hit the bottom of the ocean. And there definitely weren't any bodies when the wreckage was found in the 80's. The pressure would have destroyed them, bacteria and deep sea creatures would have eaten whatever was left. They would have decomposed.

As they were attempting to recover the bodies, a search and rescue team did find the iceberg the Titanic hit. They knew it was the true iceberg because it still had paint from the hull on it.

I went to the Titanic museum in Orlando once a long time ago and it was wonderful in a tragic way. My favorite part of the tour was a small section where the deck was recreated, including a bench you could sit at and a wall covered in black cloth and lights to look like stars. It was cool, but not cold, and was set to replicate the night of the disaster. Sitting on the bench, you could really feel what it was like to be on the Titanic the night it sank. The next room you entered was a room with a piece of the hull, and then after that another room filled with the names of everyone on the ship. If the name was lit, the person lived, but if it wasn't, the person died. You got a card with information about a real passenger at the beginning of the tour and in that final room you learned if your passenger survived or not. I still have my card somewhere, but I'm not sure where. I can't remember the name of the passenger on my card (this was 7 or 8 yrs ago by now) but he was a third class passenger, one of the few who survived, and unfortunately his wife and all his children perished. The panels with the names were set up by class, and the most heartbreaking part was seeing the panels with the third class passengers and how many names weren't lit.

And those are my Titanic facts. IDK what it is about this ship, about this wreck, that captures our imaginations in such an intense way. I used to check this book out of the school library about the Titanic and read it over and over again. I was obsessed. Still am, apparently.

Note: This was all from my memory so if my facts aren’t quite right, I apologize. It’s been *years* since I’ve gone down a proper Titanic rabbit hole.

[dinodude52]

It’s ok if you’re tired.

🏳️‍🌈Happy Pride.🏳️‍🌈

[dinodude52]

Okay, let's talk about Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse (part 3)

*spoilers*

Duh

Let's talk about Miguel o'Hara.

Now, I might be asexual, but Miguel is hot as hell and no one can tell me otherwise.

My theory about Miguel is pretty simple: He killed the other Miguel and took over his life.

Maybe Miguel was deeply unhappy with his life in his original universe. Maybe he was even turned into a vampire, or half vampire, or Spider-Man and that ruined everything for him. So, when he ended up in an alternate universe where that version Miguel was living the life ATSV Miguel wanted, he killed that version of Miguel and assumed his life.

As for the event that destroyed his world... I don't think his world was destroyed because a canon event didn't happen. I think he did something that ruined his life all over again and might have even gotten his daughter killed. Then he developed the idea of canon events as a coping mechanism. *He* didn't ruin his life (all over again), his life got messed up because he missed his canon event and that's why everything went to hell. *He* didn't do anything. It was the canon event's fault. Or whatever other mental gymnastics he has to do to absolve himself of his guilt.

Then he used the threat of "If these canon events don't happen, then your universe will collapse" to keep everyone in line and to make sure everyone suffers the same way he suffered.

[dinodude52]

Okay, let's talk about Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse (part 2)

*spoilers*

Duh

Let's talk about canon events.

Because they aren't real.

But I don't think that Miguel is lying about them. I think he believes they're real to the point that he developed an algorithm to predict said canon events, but algorithms can be programmed for anything. Miguel can say his algorithm predicts canon events, but the algorithm could very well just scan and predict specific deaths and Miguel is turning around an claiming them as being canon events. In the vastness of the Spider-verse, I find it highly unlikely that every single Spider-Person has the same canon event. Or even has a canon event as described by Miguel.

Not to mention that Miguel's own existence destroys the very concept of canon events because he wasn't bit by a radioactive spider like the other Spider-people. There was a scene that showed Spider-Rex, the t-rex, and he wasn't bit by a spider. Jessica Drew and Ben Reilly also weren't bitten by spiders. (Note: I haven't read the comics, though I plan to, this information I found out by watching tiktoks). Now, Miguel never outright stated that being bitten was a canon event, his focus was mostly on losing a Captain or Uncle/other mentor figure, but I think it was implied in the way Miguel told Miles he was the first anomaly. I think the reason Miguel didn't focus on the spider bite being a canon event was because he knew if he did, his own existence threatened his theory.

I think my biggest piece of evidence as to why canon events aren't a real thing comes from Gwen and Miles themselves.

When Miles figures out that his canon event is his father's death after his father is promoted to captain, Miles remembers that Gwen's father is also a captain. We know that Gwen has been living in the Spider-Verse for a few months and hasn't returned to her own world, which simultaneously means she doesn't have to deal with the fact her father was going to arrest her for her Peter's death and that she's saving his life. If she's not in her universe for her canon event, her canon event can't happen, right?

But Miguel was fully ready to keep Miles in the Spider-Verse to make sure his canon event on Earth 1610 happens. That's what the chase scene was all about. That's why Miguel tried to trap Miles in that red force field thing. He knew Miles was going to go back and try to save his dad. For the canon event to work the way Miguel insists it does, Miles has to be there, but Miguel had no intention of letting Miles go.

Also, why would Miles' father's death be a canon event, but not his Uncle Aron's? Uncle Aron's death perfectly fits the bill of by being not only Miles' uncle, but also his mentor.

Why isn't Gwen's Peter's death her canon event? Why does it have to be her dad? Because of the arbitrary rules of this most important death having to be a captain or uncle?. A rule made because in Miguel's mind *everyone* has lost a captain or uncle?

Arbitrary rules for an arbitrary concept.

Canon events aren't a real thing.

[dinodude52]

Okay, Let's Talk About Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse (part 1)

*spoilers*

Duh

First and foremost I have to apologize for sleeping on Miles Morales for so long. It wasn't until literally last week that I watched the first movie and it was so good.

Now, I think I want to set this "review" up a little differently than my other ones. There was just so much to absorb in this movie that I'm sure I missed a lot during my first watch through. I also have a lot to say and I think this post could get way too long if I try to put all my thoughts in one place. So, instead of making a list of points, I'm just going to split my "review" into a few different posts dedicated to each of my thought categories.

But first, some gushing.

Across the Spider-verse was so good, too. Really amazing and the visuals were stunning. The way the animation changed for certain characters like Hobie and Vulture, or how each universe was meticulously designed like Mumbattan or Gwen's version of New York. Gwen's universe was absolutely mazing, honestly. I watched an interview where Hailee Steinfeld said Gwen's universe was described to her as a mood ring and I kept that in mind during the time we spent in Gwen's universe and I think mood ring is an accurate description.

Speaking of Gwen... she's trans. Or, at the very least, the animators and writers behind Gwen realized that her story, and the story of being a Superhero in general, is the perfect vehicle to talk about what it's like being LGBTQ+. In that vein, I think making the focus be on trans people during what is most certainly the genocide of trans people in America is perfect. For those who don't know or haven't had it pointed out to them, Captain Stacy has a trans flag on his police uniform and Gwen has a trans flag that says "Protect Trans Kids" above her door. Beyond that, a lot of the lighting around Gwen in her universe is pink, blue, and white, the colors of the trans flag. Particularly during her final conversation with her dad. The coloring is obvious once it's been pointed out to you.

Having to hide who you truly are from your loved ones because you know how they'll respond. Perhaps even running away from them and finding a new family that loves and accepts you. And in the end, returning to your loved ones and finding the love and acceptance you weren't sure you would get. While Gwen's story in the end was better than what many LGBTQ+ people get, I think the overwhelming sense of hope is the most important thing to take away from it.

Even if Gwen isn't trans, and I would love it if she is, the writers and animators understood that, at it's core, Gwen's story and the stories of so many LGBTQ+ people are very similar and treated it a such. And I adore that.

[dinodude52]

5 Instances of Copaganda in Media

Copaganda. What is it, what's it do, and what are some examples where we might see it in action? I'm a SFF blog. Technically. So I'm giving this a spec fic twist and making this a list of copaganda featured (mostly) in spec fic.

When we think “copaganda,” we often think of the Dragnets, Blue Bloods, the Law & Orders, Cops, and Chicago P.Ds. of the world. And for good reason. These types of shows are usually held in high regard by law enforcement, sometimes collaborating directly with police departments. This collaboration benefits both parties; production may benefit from perks like closing off streets for filming or…

[dinodude52]

Okay, let's talk about Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

No spoilers, actually

I have watched this movie twice now and IDK what else to say about it except that it was amazing. I have no real problems with it, and I'm even willing to say it's pretty much perfect.

I appreciated that the focus wasn't on Star-Lord (because Chris Pratt sucks) and I also like that the scale of this movie didn't feel smaller in comparison to the other two movies. Trying to follow up two whole movies about saving the galaxy with a smaller, more emotional story of a family trying to save their loved one is no easy feat. Kudos to James Gunn for pulling it off.

Crutches and Spice on tiktok has talked extensively about Guardians 3 and the obvious eugenics of it all and I'd like to encourage you to watch her videos about it. Her point was that it's much easier to say "eugenics, bad" when it's a CGI raccoon but not when it's a very real global pandemic where the most vulnerable among us have been thrown to the wolves in favor of "getting back to normal." The implication being "getting back to normal" does not include disabled and chronically ill people despite the fact that the pandemic is a mass disabling event.

With all that being said, I really liked Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. I think all the characters got the ending they not only needed but deserved. I'd gone into this movie the first time thinking that various characters were going to die (my votes were Drax because Dave Bautista didn't want to be shirtless on screen anymore, and Mantis because in the Guardians Christmas special it was revealed she was Peter's sister) but I was happy none of them died. They all deserve the chance to live fully and happy lives.

And I love Cosmo the space dog. She is such a good dog.

[dinodude52]

hi, tumblr

I never actually did an intro post, and I realize I have none of my links or info here so…probably time to change that. 

I’m Charlie. They/them pronouns, please. Super queer, super nerdy, super awkward and apologizing for that in advance. I’m an editor and an author, a gamer, a brand new narrative designer trying to break into game writing, and a bit of a chaos demon. But in the fun way. I hope. 

I’m an editor for indie authors with +10 years of experience and actually affordable rates. You have stories to tell! Money shouldn’t be what keeps you from the professional editor you deserve. Find me and learn more: cknightwrites.com

I write! As of now: I have a very large, very smutty, angsty as hell Shakarian fic that is posted every week. Best friends to lovers kicking ass in space—you don’t ever need to have played Mass Effect to get into this story. Read that here. 

I also have a Dragon Age: Inquisition fic and (less frequently updated, sorry) Horizon Forbidden West fic. 

My debut novel is coming out in 2023, too! RISE OF THE TEMPEST (the novel formerly known as Butt Pirates) is a low-stakes, high heat fantasy romance features two trans MCs. More on this later, but you can see character arc on my blog already and a little more here! 

On my Patreon, I provide customized and functional editing and writing advice, education, and coaching. I’ve covered everything from how to use em dashes properly to world building and purple prose. New posts weekly! 

My Patreon also has an Editor in Training tier! I’m delivering education on what being a freelance editor is actually like (and how to make it work for you), building that business, and hands-on coaching on editing practices. 

(And as a bonus, my Patreon is how I pay for chemo, so subscribe here.)

I am disabled and sick, which is a costly life, and my editing rates are set to be more affordable for you than profitable for me. My Patreon goes directly to my medical bills every month, and my ko-fi is another great way to help with that.

I will cheer on and help my mutuals however I can. My messages are always open, and I encourage you to use them if I can help you with anything. But you’re not welcome here if you gatekeep the writing or queer communities in any way. I’m not nice to bullies. 

FIND ME ELSEWHERE! 

IG & Twitter: @ CKnightWrites Discord: enbycabbage#0401 linktr.ee/cknightwrites

Any support is appreciated, but just getting to know my mutuals is a damn joy. I want to know your characters, your hyperfixations, and your favorite kind of pie.

[dinodude52]

Okay, let’s talk about The Last of Us s1

I feel it’s important to mention I don’t like zombie shows/movies. I watched The Walking Dead but only because it centered on the characters and what they were going through more than the zombies, though I’m not sure if that’s true for later seasons. I stopped watch in season 8. But I was intrigued by The Last of Us. I never played the game (again, I don’t like zombies; the draugr in Skyrim is as close as I get) but the show looked really good. And now that it’s over, I really only have two thoughts.

So, spoilers. Duh.

Thought One: I got that initial outbreak that I was missing from The Walking Dead. With TWD is my only frame of reference for apocalyptic zombie media, I’m going to use it a lot. What I was missing from that show, though, is how the outbreak started. And yes, we did sort of get that from Fear the Walking Dead, but they skipped over the good parts, if memory serves. One minute there was a mystery disease and the next... apocalypse. When we started with TWD, we were still in the beginning stages of the apocalypse. Everyone was still adjusting to their new normal and holding on to whatever they could from the old world, that was the exact same stuff we got in Fear the Walking Dead. It brought nothing new to the table. It didn't give me what I wanted.

What I wanted was the horror. The dread. The knowing the outbreak is coming, but when? And who? I got that with TLOU. It was compounded by the fact that we’ve been through a pandemic; we know how easy it is to spread disease. It went global and then a week later the whole world shut down. No one turned into fungus monsters or the walking dead, but still. The dread in the first episode was palpable, and I have no doubt that even if the pandemic hadn't happened, it still would have been deeply effective. It used dramatic irony well. The show knew we knew the outbreak was coming and used that knowledge to its advantage. Incredibly well done.

Thought Two: I think making the main story take place 20yrs after the outbreak was a bad idea. I know in the game it was 10-20yrs since the outbreak (I googled it, but I couldn't get a straight answer for some reason) but that feels too long. I don't get a sense of urgency. There's supposed to be urgency, that's the feeling I got during the scenes between Marlena, Joel, and Tess when Marlena was begging them to take Ellie to the Fireflies outside the QZ, but I don't feel any of it carried through the rest of the show. Because there wasn't really any urgency at all. The plot was "get Ellie to the Fireflies" but is that supposed to happen sooner rather than later? Is there a time frame? At any point Joel and Ellie could have chosen not to keep going. They could have stayed with Tommy and Maria in Wyoming. I know that it was important to Ellie to make everything that's happened during their journey mean something, but I have no reason to believe she felt like that before meeting and killing David. And if she was supposed to start feeling that way after Sam and Henry died, then they didn't do a good job of showing that to me. And I'm by no means shit talking the show. I was just missing that extra little motivation.

I also assume that after 20yrs most people would have given up on the idea of a cure or vaccine. This is the world they live in now. I can understand wanting a treatment maybe, so clicker bites aren't deadly anymore. To that extent I can get behind sending Ellie to the Fireflies, but I can't get behind finding a vaccine. And no, it's not because there can never be a vaccine for a fungus (that's not how vaccines work), but it seems like, for the most part, no one's worried about the clickers unless they get too close to a big city. There's not even the threat that if someone were to die they would become a clicker like in The Walking Dead. (For those who don't know: In TWD, everyone is infected with the Wildfire virus so it doesn't matter if you're bitten by a walker or not. If you die, you turn). This circles back to my issue of urgency. Again, if they were searching for a treatment, I would understand. But they want a vaccine. I want to say they must know there's no way to cultivate a vaccine against a fungus, but I can't be sure. They said in the first scene that it's not possible for a fungus to take over the human body because our bodies are too warm, but cordyceps took over human bodies anyway. So maybe they're operating under the logic of "if that's possible when they said it was impossible, maybe a vaccine is possible, too."

Anyway, those are my only two thoughts, really. I mean, I have more than just those two, but I don't know how many times I can say "I loved it and I can't wait for season two" before everyone gets bored of what I have to say. I think my feelings about the show are pretty on parr with everyone else's feelings (except for the Ben Shapiros of the world, complaining about episode 3. I loved episode 3 and it wrecked me).

I loved it and I can't wait for season two.

Edit: I called ber Marlena the whole time and her name is definitely Marlene

[dinodude52]

Okay, let's talk about Ant-Man: Quantumania

*Spoilers*

Duh

I'm just going to say it: While I thought it was fine, I don't find the Ant-Man movies to be strong entries in the MCU. I liked Ant-Man and the Wasp well enough, but only because of Ghost and that last zinger of Hope, Janet, and Hank getting snapped. I do, however, appreciate that the movies don't take themselves too seriously. Marvel knows that shrinky/growy tech is silly so they made the movies on the silly side. But I feel like Ant-Man and the Wasp did a better job at balancing the silly side with the serious side. Quantumania didn't so much. Not for me.

How is shrinky/growy power supposed to help the world? Hm, Hope? Tell me that. Explain it to me like I'm 5 because I don't get it.

I hate the "I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you" trope. By Janet not telling them what was in the quantum realm, she basically sealed their fates. She didn't have to say anything about Kang specifically if she didn't want to, just *something*. It's dangerous down there. There's life down there incompatible with the world up here. Just tell them SOMETHING, Janet. Then when Cassie's showing Scott the quantum telescope, Janet says to Cassie, "You could have asked me about the quantum realm" and then Hope says, "I have asked you. You never want to talk about it." is a perfect example of this. Janet is freaking out but no one knows why. And then even when they're in the quantum realm, she *still* doesn't explain.

Do you think Wasp/Hope got kneecapped in this movie because of Evangeline Lily's anti-vaxx views? Because girl got kneecapped pretty hard. While Scott and Cassie were getting kidnapped and tortured by Kang, she was working through her mommy issues. And while I get the situation is not only weird (what with your mom returning 30yrs after disappearing) but also not ideal (getting snapped out of existence for 5yrs and then getting sucked into the quantum realm), it just made it very jarring to go between Scott and Cassie's storyline and Janet, Hank, and Hope's storyline.

That was not Michelle Rodriguez. I absolutely thought that one woman was Michelle Rodriquez and she absolutely was not.

MODOK... Why does he exist?

I'm happy that blob finally got some holes.

I'm still not sure how I feel about Kang as a villain. I think it comes from not knowing what his motivation is. From while I can tell, his motivation is simply "It's what I do," and that just doesn't work for me. But considering I've only seen him twice so far, once in Loki and now here, I know I have a lot to learn still.

I could not understand what was happening during that final fist fight between Scott and Kang. I know the MCU gets a lot of shit for their fight scenes, but most of them are fine and I think it's just people being picky. This one, though, was a problem for me.

Wasp coming out of nowhere to help Scott TWICE in this movie really lends itself to my assumption that she got hella kneecapped in this movie.

Scott's existential crisis at the end about killing Kang was so relatable.

I kept forgetting this movie wasn't just a regular Disney movie and got a jot every time a character cursed or something. While the MCU has always been family friendly, it's never been intentionally for kids. But this movie felt like it was for kids.

Overall, I don't think I have much to say about this movie. I was hoping Scott and Hope would die, not because I was eager to see Paul Rudd go, but because Kang is *supposed to be* that powerful. Thanos was extremely powerful and they made sure to let us know that. With the (admittedly minimal) research I did on Kang, I found out that the only person who can kill him is Wanda, and she's dead. So, in my mind, the best way to show that Kang is extremely powerful is to have him kill people. Simple as that. Kill Scott and Hope. Or, at the very least, kill Hank and Janet. Hank and Janet, while not being big characters, would have leant themselves well to the idea that Kang isn't someone to mess around with. Right now it feels like Marvel is banking on fans knowing who Kang is from the comics, forgetting that much of their fanbase is not comprised of people who've read the comics.

Okay, those are my thoughts. Nothing too deep or introspective because the movie isn't deep or introspective. it's a perfectly fine brain-off movie.

[dinodude52]

Fanfiction Authors: HEADS UP

(Non-authors, please RB to signal boost to your author friends!)

An astute reader informed me this morning that one of my fics (Children of the Future Age) had been pirated and was being sold as a novel on Amazon:

(And they weren't even creative with their cover design. If you're going to pirate something that I spent a full year of my life writing, at least give me a pretty screenshot to brag about later. Seriously.)

I promptly filed a DMCA complaint to have it removed, but I checked out the company that put it up -- Plush Books -- and it looks like A LOT of their books are pirated fic. They are by no means the only ones doing this, either -- the fact that """publishers""" can download stories from AO3 in ebook format and then reupload them to Amazon in just a few clicks makes fic piracy a common problem. There are a whole host of reasons why letting this continue is bad -- including actual legal risk to fanfiction archives -- but basically:

IF YOU ARE A FANFIC AUTHOR WITH LONG AND/OR POPULAR WORKS, PLEASE CHECK AMAZON TO SEE IF YOUR STORIES HAVE BEEN PIRATED.

You can search for your fics by title, or by text from the description (which is often just copied wholesale from AO3 as well). If you find that someone has stolen your work and is selling it as their own, you can lodge a DMCA complaint (Amazon.com/USA site; other countries have different systems). If you haven't done this before, it's easy! Here's a tutorial:

HOW TO FILE A COPYRIGHT COMPLAINT FOR STOLEN WORK ON AMAZON.COM:

First, go to this form. You'll need to be signed into your Amazon account.

Select the radio buttons/dropdown options (shown below) to indicate that you are the legal Rights Owner, you have a copyright concern, and it is about a pirated product.

Enter the name of your story in the Name of Brand field.

In the Link to the Copyrighted Work box, enter a link to the story on AO3 or whatever site your work is posted on.

In the Additional Information box, explain that you are the author of the work and it is being sold without your permission. That's all you really need. If you want, you can include additional information that might be helpful in establishing the validity of your claim, but you don't have to go into great detail. You can simply write something like this:

I am the author of this work, which is being sold by [publisher] without my permission. I originally published this story in [date/year] on [name of site], and have provided a link to the original above. On request, I can provide documentation proving that I am the owner of the account that originally posted this story.

In the ASIN/ISBN-10 field, copy and paste the ID number from the pirated copy's URL. You'll find this ten-digit number in the Amazon URL after the word "product," as in the screenshot below. (If the URL extends beyond this number, you can ignore everything from the question mark on.) Once this number has been added, Amazon will pull the product information automatically and add it to the complaint form, so you can check the listing title and make sure it's correct.

Finally, add your contact information to the relevant fields, check the "I have read and accept the statements" box, and then click Submit. You should receive an email confirmation that Amazon has received the form.

Please share this information with your writer friends, keep an eye out for/report pirated works, and help us keep fanfiction free and legally protected!

NOTE: All of the above also applies to Amazon products featuring stolen artwork, etc., so fan artists should check too!

[dinodude52]

SHOW ME YOUR SPOTIFY WRAPPED

I fricken love Spotify wrapped. I’m sad the Music Auras didn’t come back, that was my favorite from last year. I do like the top genre graphic though! Space!