#Frame Structure

[nevenvc2]

" you're coming to the meeting this afternoon. "

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[arc-hus]

Haus am Sürcher Wald, Laterns, Austria - Bernado Bader

[wisteriagoesvroom]

interesting soundbites you might've missed from the op81 & howie games podcast in melb

(did this while procrastinating at work... we are so back i guess.)

disclaimers: (i) i'm paraphrasing here so can't vouch for 100% accuracy, but as much as possible have tried to capture the meaning (ii) the word association game and the carcar soundbite have already made the rounds, but, i feel like, there was a lot more in this interview.

let's go!

on the topic of personal chefs and nutrition etc: host mark howard asks if the menu changes or there's anything special that oscar requests that reminds him of home -- apparently race week thursdays for a while were "chicken parm thursdays" and they might bring this back

oscar's lunch on press day was barramundi and "the big grained couscous with no spices" (oscar... the 1/16th is crying out for help)

one of the reasons he renewed with mclaren is because he felt the infrastructure and people needed to get to the championship in the new set of regs was there, so he was confident

on the reported $22mn bonus last year: oscar denies that it was this high (lol ok sir)

on longevity of career and responsibility: oscar talks about the estimated career in f1 usually being up to 35, maybe into your 40s but "it isn't like a typical career where you've got until your 60s" so financial investing and doing something with your salary to prolong the usability of it is important (wow 20something multimillionaire thinks of his pension. mature)

on the early RC cars: "i drove one around the school [cricket] oval a few times and that got me in trouble" pLeaSe !!!

recounting his first race at oakleigh (he was about... 9? 10?): "i went to a friend's birthday at the bmx track and did the last jump of the day before we went for the race. and i skidded down the down ramp on my face, so i actually missed it" HE REALLY WAS JUST SOME KID

so his real first race was a state race (with a P/provisional drivers' plate) HAHAHAH. he fought his way about half way up the pack in this one

"my first win... i won a club race at oakleigh and it felt like a world championship at the time. and then i quickly realised no one cared" <- once again devastated by his deadpan humour

on aus footie: "i was good in the under 9s cus i was pretty big as a kid up till that point and then everyone else grew and i didn't, then quickly realised i wouldn't become a footballer no matter how much i wanted it. i was playing footie a lot before i started racing and [the demands of racing then] really took up a whole season"

he also fielded in cricket at state level (?) a couple of times here and there. [i don't understand cricket terminology fully so i might be wrong here]

he was starstruck when meeting jackie stewart and alain prost because it was "pretty special, pretty cool. to meet legends of the sport like that."

he downplays the question about whether it was hard to move to boarding school, because he wanted to become a professional racing driver so badly and was always really motivated by this.

but does say formula renault was hard because of everything he felt he had to balance that year, and when things were not going well it feels very pressurised especially when you have only a year to prove yourself

on sponsorship and racing: "i'm fortunate to have a family that are pretty well off and it didn't become apparent until i entered f2 [that it was a big financial strain]. it costs about three million AUD a year [to fund a year in that series]"

credits both his parents for the sacrifices they made to support his racing career and shouts out his mum for making sure his sisters had the same opportunities to pursue their dreams as well

about the alpine purgatory years: "that was a tough thing because not everyone knows the full story and we weren't able to tell it. it was not an easy thing to go through but once i cemented my future and signed with mclaren, it was a relief to know i was going to be on the grid for at least a little bit"

to put the current margins on the cars into perspective: "the amount of difference between me and the car in front is the time it takes to blink".

and on car development being so advanced now: "there being something like a second between first car and last on the grid in qualifying is pretty unprecedented"

does he watch drive to survive seasons? "to be honest not really. i just skim through and see my parts to see if they've painted me as a supervillain. [this year's] is pretty balanced i would say. the mclaren episode is a pretty fair reflection of two competitive guys wanting to win races and it being a difficult situation for the team. it's entertaining but that one is for the most part pretty accurate. i found it quite entertaining."

during the drivers' word association part: "i don't have much for Stroll" FLKJKFJSDKLJSDK he really went *mariah carey voice* i don't know her

race weeks are scheduled down the minute, and on off weeks it's usually training every day at least once or twice a day; they get maybe 2-3 days at home. last year he reckons he spent 100 days at home in monaco last year, and was on at least 48-60 flights for work depending if you count the ones going to and from the MTC

howie told him to share his airline points (ha) and oscar said "qantas is the one airline i don't have platinum status at the moment [though] i used to when i lived in aus"

oscar does not own a boat in monaco (YET)

finds life in monaco a little bit of an adjustment due to the smaller spaces, but he's been in apartments even since boarding school so it's not a big deal to him. "i'm going to sound like a complete wanker if i complain about living in monaco"

on communication style on the radio, it's kind of about personal preference and he doesn't cast judgment on that – "some people need to be fired up, some people need to be calm and for me it's staying calm. in baku you can see from the onboard and my helmet i got pretty excited but i don't always open the radio for that"

howie closes with any advice for kids. oscar says: "enjoy it. for me, even – we've spoken about how difficult it is being in f1 and how cutthroat – [it's] always taking a conscious moment to reflect that you're doing a thing you love. doing it because you love it is the first thing. that's an important one for me even though there's so much more pressure now than when i started my first race at oakleigh. the second part is always be trying to learn, and improving. it's often easy when you have success early on, you think you're at that [certain] level now. but on my journey i've learned what's good 12 months ago isn't going to be good enough in 12 months time. that's in the car too. if we raced last year's car this year we'd probably be last. continuing to learn and improve is a part i enjoy as well."

[arminthada]

But you don't have any evidence... that I practiced euthanasia, other than my confession. Then will you confess? Only if it's your wish.

SPARE ME YOUR MERCY | 1.08

[remash]

casa ob ~ damiá lorenzato | photos © del rio bani

[ouidamforeman]

I keep remembering various DW expanded universe material where time lords are compared to Christian priests in different ways and it’s like ????? That is Always on my mind. Always. Time Lordism as religion. As asceticism. As being pure and holier than thou and strict and adherent. As puritanism. As deprivation and isolation and devotion. I am Thinking about it!!!!!!

[dcbutinamrev]

There’s people in my neighborhood building a new house a few houses down and they’re in the process of the roof and all I can think about is Darry Shyanne Curtis Jr.

The Outsiders brainrot is real

[grandwitchbird]

Excerpt:

“The death of the author means we do not seek to “resolve” art through its creators. At the end of the day, the death of the author is about the consumer of the art. It’s about the consumption of art without ever stopping to ask the author what they want or what they wanted, at least not directly. The reader can ask themselves what they think the author may have intended, but such a reading or interpretation is still rigorously based on the art itself.”

—

The death of the author isn’t about ‘headcanon’. It’s not about eradicating authorial craft and labor. It’s about interrogating a text for what it is. It’s about resisting the parasocial drive to seek validation from artists. It’s about thwarting censorship and moralization. It’s about interrogating our own interpretive role. It’s meant to get us closer to the text itself while recognizing all the impediments in the way of any kind of ‘pure’ reading.

In a way, the death of the author leads inevitably to the death of the audience. We are not entitled to a position of authority just because we’ve dethroned the author. This is about centering the art itself and asking more intelligent and creative questions about that art.

[vaguely-concerned]

due south is just so incredibly fun is the thing. it's a story that takes such delight in being a story at every turn and on every level.

(something strangely discworld-esque about it that way -- sort of like the fiction version of gender euphoria lol. every episode due south wakes up glorying in being a narrative and getting to do narrative Things and that shameless joy, that lack of interest in courting anything resembling the plausible or more obstructive to the truth yet, realistic, is threaded into everything. yeah of course there's a ghost now. fraser trying to make sense of the story of his father to make sense of the story of himself while being a stranger in a strange land makes the most sense anything ever has. of course they still talk (and fail to talk) to each other all the time. of course he's always here, and never here at the same time. people don't change just because they're dead. fraser in the pilot walking through all the *stories* of his father, still looking for him as he did when he was a little boy, and finding as much of him now as he did then (not nearly enough, even when he's right there). hello. hello. help.)

[sysig]

Do not separate them /threatening (Patreon)

[arc-hus]

Pavilion ∞, Hangzhou, China - Atelier Lai

[finelyagedlemons]

been thinking about protag jessica au again..............i wanna give lady JESSIE a proper witchy outfit one of these days for her game master look but here's her in a cool cape at least

[tubes-the-ann]

A thing about me is that occasionally when I dream, pretty interesting people show up. Today was one of those such occasions because this gentleman decided to appear

pretty sure if other people's brains throw them this they'd be considered haunted lol. Unfortunately this means I have to go design someone for him to hang out with now. Maybe I should stop sleeping in or else someone's gonna send me more demons

[remash]

ba-holz house ~ aum | pierre minassian | photos © studio erick saillet

[nohara-rin-dot-mp3]

"Always Watching": an Analysis of Obito's Afterlife as Horror

In chapter 687 of the Naruto manga, Uchiha Obito dies. Chapters 687 and 688 contain a scene wherein he meets with his old friend (and love interest) Nohara Rin in the afterlife.

This is a touching scene, right? One would think so. The problem is that for some reason it's actually really fucking scary. In this analysis, I'm going to explain why the moment is framed in such an unsettling matter, and what that means in terms of the story.

First off, I'd like to establish a disconnect from the intent of the scene. Naruto, as a narrative, often tells the reader things that contradict the events shown, both in terms of tone and action. This scene is a contradiction on both accounts, as is common when Nohara Rin is the focus of any scrutiny. This dissonance results from the fact that although Rin is said to be kind, intellectual, and devoted, we see very little evidence for this being the case, and in some chapters, evidence to the contrary. This contrast is a key tool in reading this scene as horror.

This contrast is not a function of good writing- rather, it is a result of Kishimoto's failure to fully flesh out his female characters. I am aware that this scene was not written with the intent of being horror- I am simply arguing that it can be read that way, anyways.

I would also like to acknowledge the fact that a reading of this scene wherein Obito is not talking to the real Rin is a perfectly viable take in the context of this scene as horror. It can even amplify it in some cases- however, whether or not the real Rin is guiding Obito to the afterlife is not the topic I intend to tackle today.

Finally, before we get into a close reading of this scene, I would like to define horror, and discuss why a reading of this scene as horror can be meaningful. I will be defining horror as "storytelling that invokes fear or otherwise uncomfortable emotions through the employment of distressing imagery or engagement with upsetting subject matter." I intend to prove that this scene can be read as horror by emphasizing the "distressing imagery" and "upsetting subject matter" present in it, primarily through contrast.

Horror is important because it challenges our notions of normality and appropriateness. By reading this scene as horror, we are forced to question the morality of Obito's actions, the accuracy of Obito's views of Rin, the necessity of Obito's sacrifice, and many other aspects of the Naruto narrative.

To begin with: Obito takes Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bone attack to save the lives of Team 7 We are treated to a short flashback of Rin encouraging Obito to become hokage and vowing to stay by his side as he does so. We then transition back to the present, where Obito tells Naruto to become hokage. He then dies- Kaguya and Zestu mock him, Naruto defends him, and Obito wakes up in the afterlife.

The first panel of the sequence is the extreme close-up on Obito's normal eye- this serves to establish the fact that he does not have his sharingan here. He is powerless, and therefore vulnerable. The shock and sudden scene transition also serves as a jolt to readers, destabilizing them as they enter the scene. We also see the grey border that surrounds the scene begin- this grey border helps to establish the surreality of the scene. In the Naruto manga, pages taking place in the present are surrounded by white and flashbacks are surrounded by black. By shading the area around the panels light grey, an in-between area is established. The liminal quality to this scene further unsettles the reader and contributes to a horror reading.

Next, the scene goes from incredibly close to distant. Contrast is one of the most important pieces of imagery this scene uses to unsettle the reader. We see this contrast again in the next panel, as Rin and Obito take turns facing the camera. The scene also plays on Obito's vulnerability to discomfit the reader. Obito has been thrust back into his childhood body. He is much weaker than he has been in a long time. Rin is not sitting neutrally- she is leaning into Obito's personal space, pressing in and creating an oppressive atmosphere.

The dialogue in this scene also serves to unsettle the reader. Obito pauses unnaturally twice in three panels, and Rin's dialogue is chilling. The first thing she says to him is "I've been waiting." Taken on it's own, it's far from comforting, or even romantic. The ominous tone of the dialogue contrasted with Rin's tranquil smile creates horror.

The expressions in these panels work to communicate Obito's (justified) distress over his actions. Rin's expression, in contrast, is oddly unaffected. The lack of reaction to any of the people Obito hurt contrasts with the picture of a kind girl that Obito and Kakashi's memories have presented us with thusfar. It creates horror, and challenges both Rin and the position of hokage as ideals.

Rin's expression and the cadence with which she delivers her judgement are unsettling. The unnatural pause in the middle of her dialogue emphasizes the horror of such a statement- "I've been... watching you all along." Directly following her declaration of Obito's innocence, this throws the lens of morality the narrative of Naruto has been asking us to use into question. It also. Hold on a second can I stop essay talking for a little bit ahem. It's just fucking creepy? Like that's not a normal thing to say why'd she say that. Why's she pause in the middle of it. It's so threatening for no reason??? It's the panel that inspired this piece because when I was reading this chapter for this first time I had to go back and check to make sure I was getting the intention of it right because this reads like fucked up nightmare fuel scene!!! Forget wrangling something into a shape it's not meant to be in you have to squint to see this scene in a non-horror light!!!! Why. Literally why. Okay anyways ahem Paired alongside Obito's distress and Rin's clear invasion of his personal space, this is easy to read as horror.

Once again, we are shown an extreme close-up of Obito's eyes, emphasizing his distress. We also focus on Rin's grip on Obito- notice how it's not reciprocated. The close view of her hold on his hand suffocates the reader, signalling that something is wrong.

Here we see more contrast to build uneasiness- the difference between Obito's anguish and Rin's unflinching smile casts doubt on the sincerity of Rin's smile, and therefore on the basis of her character.

Once again, the framing of this scene pulls attention towards Rin's grip on Obito. We also see juxtaposition between close-ups and distant framing of panels. The movement of our view creates a sense of unease, not allowing us to sit comfortably with any perspective. We also see Rin shift from a smile to concern for the first time- and it's only because Obito is trying to resist (and failing) to resist her grip.

Finally, the contrast is reversed. Now we have Obito smiling and Rin not. Rin is still holding Obito, but the tension between them isn't as great. They are both on their feet, lessening the power imbalance between them.

Finally, with Obito's denial of Rin, we see something beyond a plastic smile or concern. She releases his hand, and seemingly becoming more genuine, the undertones of horror begin to fade.

With the direct mention of Kakashi, things clear up even more. Obito's dialogue is more natural, and although we still have the framework of distant/close up perspective, it's less extreme. Rin and Obito are on even terms- or, so it seems. The horror in the earlier scenes came from the fact that Rin was leading the conversation, and was behaving in ways that felt wrong. Now that Obito is leading, Rin doesn't have the opportunity to exorcise agency and therefore contradict the characterization she supposed to have. Although the horror is fading, it has not been resolved. It is merely being covered up.

I'll stray into another framework I like to use to analyze Rin scenes, here- I've suggested in the past that the sincerity of Rin's character at any given moment can be read in a symbolic manner based on her eyes. Closed eyes represent deceit- in these panels, Rin conforms exactly to Obito's expectations of her, smiling with her eyes closed and bearing a striking resemblance to the photo of team Minato we often see as representative of Kakashi's grief for Rin and Obito's goals. She has regressed to an ideal; the horror is gone. Their expressions are no longer contrasting in an uncomfortable manner, instead complimenting each other, and their dialogue has moved on from uncomfortable phrasing into natural bickering. And yet, because of this resolution- this surrender- Rin becomes a liar, once again conforming to other's visions of her rather than expressing her true feelings.

Here, Obito reactivates his sharingan, marking a reversal of the dynamic. He is stronger than Rin, now, and conforming to a traditional Naruto value (self-sacrifice as an unarguably positive force). Any concerns raised by the undertones of horror earlier have been completely brushed over.

Finally, we bookend the scene with Rin once again reiterating her "waiting." Rather than horrific this time, though, it is resigned. It is the kind of thing a kind, dutiful girl would say- she waits in the afterlife for Obito, expressing no agency. The perfect image of a perfect girl, in complete contrast to her unsettling behavior earlier.

Although the Naruto manga spends more time in Obito's afterlife, we won't see Rin again for a while, so I mark this as the end of this scene specifically.

We receive no resolution to this horror. The handful of Rin's appearances afterwards do not address her actions or the tone of the beginning of this scene.

In conclusion, Obito's afterlife effectively uses unsettling imagery and dialogue to build tension without ever releasing it. The horror that it invokes is never resolved, and this leaves the audience questioning the reality of the scene and other information connected to Obito, Rin, and Konoha as a whole. It can be read as horror in order to broaden understanding of Nohara Rin as a character and Obito's relationship to her.

[art-on-legs]

Wanted to capture the feeling of an old 90s anime bumper... I'd say I'm like 85% of the way there