#Idk if anyone else is gonna understand

[judethebrood]

Shoegaze music

And sunsets over a really shitty street and converse with rocks in them and weed and a messy bedroom and fruity energy drinks and orangey street lights and a food you used to love and stray cats and an empty field next to something industrial and making out near the fence when it's cold out and driving over the highway in the early mornings and cold blue lights and 2 am cereal and showering in peace and melting in the summer like a popsicle with the window open as the sun pours onto the floor and your favorite jacket and eyeliner and overthinking and not thinking at all

[jeongjinman]

Endless gifs of Jeong Jin Man [1/ ∞]

[thcbolter]

taylor swift — the manuscript

[batsplat]

do you have a favorite bit of motogp gossip that you either want to know is it’s true, or you just enjoy as a stand alone piece, no need for further investigation?

one of those where I initially stared at and like. lost all motogp knowledge in my brain. and then stuff did come back to me. this is all very much low hanging fruit and I'll add to it when I remember more interesting/quirky ones. BUT here are some things I want to know:

y'know how casey randomly suggests in his autobiography that valentino was sabotaged in the 2006 title decider? so, personally, I don't really buy this, because 'why' and also 'casey girl you are SO paranoid' - though, sure, if given the option I'd like to double check if valentino had a dud tyre (completely plausible) and also if somebody really deliberately gave him one (?? casey idk about this one). but what I'm REALLY curious about is... there's a change in his autobiography?? like I've seen this book excerpt float around online and the text is different from what's in my book!! mine's from the paperback version so I assume there may have been some edits for that, so that would make it the newer version... but like. this is a real editorial change. check this out:

version posted on the internet, from the hard cover edition???

version in my book, first paragraph is the same

But as soon as the lights went out Valentino was in trouble. I was one of six riders to pass him on the first lap and if you watch the footage you can see how much he is struggling to even keep up with us. His rear and front tyres were just not working together and on lap five the front inexplicably folded and he went down, right behind me. I couldn't help but wonder how he could be having such problems with his tyres. Could he really have been stitched up? It seemed so improbable, but I remember watching that race back in the motorhome that evening and thinking, Welcome to my world, mate.

this isn't 'gossip' because I haven't found anyone else who has spotted this, but like? that's a substantive change? if my one really is the newer one? ...?

let's set aside the fascinating insight you get into casey's knotty and at times bizarre valentino rossi complex with him adding the line "welcome to my world, mate" (oh my god. please just take him to dinner. I will crowd fund this I literally just need to be able to listen in. casey come on CALL him I NEED you to do the dinner thing, YOU suggested it not me). like we're not going to even touch that. but if my version really is the updated one, then he's kinda softened his stance, no?? "convinced he was stitched up" to "could he really have been stitched up"

what happened?? who wanted this change? casey? an editor? did dorna give casey a call? did some poor bloke from pr have to politely ask whether casey could please not state in his autobiography that the most popular rider ever had had a title stolen from him by the establishment?

(casey was talking about valentino's stolen tenth BEFORE it was popular. he did it even before valentino did, bless)

"there are a lot of commercial interests in the sport" also didn't make the jump to the 'new version', mind you. did Big America get to casey

come on you guys have to admit this is an odd change?? does nobody else thing this is weird??

okay fine moving on

Did Valentino Literally Curse Sete

(like. not literally as in did he curse curse sete, literally as in did he say it)

(though if he did literally literally curse curse sete, I suppose I'd also like to know that bit)

the commentators in 2003 brno say so and I'm inclined to believe them, but I need to double check whether sete and valentino really were partying on ibiza together right after that very painful valentino loss at the sachsenring. such a fascinating little detail, that's not something post-2004 valentino does I reckon

I mean, look, obviously a bunch of things from that time period I want to have fact checked. including valentino's friend hearing sete say in late 2003 that valentino wasn't going to be smiling so much after joining yamaha. classic bit of gossip, did it actually happen though

I've referenced this a few times before, but y'know how valentino said that marc's manager alzamora told him after sepang 2015 that marc had been angry at valentino for killing his title charge? I just want. to know. if this conversation actually happened. I don't think valentino would pluck a lie like that out of thin air, especially something so specific about somebody on marc's team, and he has known alzamora for decades but like. maybe almazora just said something valentino misinterpreted? I just find this such a bonkers thing from alzamora if it's true that I would like it confirmed for my own sanity, you know?

yeah look I would like to know if marc really did get casey kicked out of honda, obviously I've discussed this before and it's very he said she said but yeah it'd be fun to know the truth

this is literally peak gossip because I can't find a source for it but I swear a journalist did say it: the rumour is that marc blocked joan mir from joining honda in 2019. like, I'm only including this because I was explicitly asked for gossip as I just cannot find where it was said... but it is something that is. out there. and... again, just curious. like I buy it, but also it could be bullshit!

on a similar note, did he ever make clear to honda he didn't want either vinales or rinsy on his team circa 2016? was it just a vibe in the paddock or was this an actual demand from marc?

speaking of!! the whole thing about alzamora basically rigging the moto3 teammate situation between rinsy and alex marquez to ensure the latter won the title that year. what was that all about, how far did they go there

switching to valentino now. this doesn't quite fit the remit of the question because it IS something I've investigated. and my conclusion is basically a big *shrug*

did valentino block casey from joining yamaha in either 2005 or 2006, and did he attempt to block jorge?

there are completely contradictory sources on the timeline here that do make me feel like there's a chance yamaha was just fucking with casey at the very least in 2006 and valentino had fuck all to do with it, which a recent interview from casey did actually hint at too... he made it sound like maybe yamaha was just using him to try to drive down the price of another rider (which would then presumably be jorge)

I just want to know! and the thing is, it was a matter of open paddock discussion that valentino blocked casey (jorge explicitly references it in in 2007), but something doesn't quite add up between what jorge, casey, colin edwards, articles from the time and lin jarvis have said on the subject! my current pet theory is that valentino blocked casey in 2005 from joining the satellite yamaha team in 2006 (weirdly casey doesn't really imply valentino was responsible for this one in his autobiography, but whatever) but NOT in 2006 (casey does imply valentino was responsible here, you see my problem). and yamaha was fucking around with all four of valentino, casey, jorge and edwards in late 2006/2007. but. yeah. I have unanswered questions

the entire 'alex marquez blocked from yamaha' situation.... again. something is off there. you know the story from late last year about how he was blocked in 2019 from joining the petronas team in 2021? this completely threw me, because there was an entirely different story about this YEARS back in 2018!! I initially assumed the two stories were about the same event, but it can't have been! one's him being blocked in 2019 for 2021, one's him being blocked in 2018 for 2019

from the descriptions of both there's also no confusing them. the 2018 story has to be about the 2018 contract cycle because that's quite literally when it was published, and the 2023 story has to be about the 2019 contract cycle because it explicitly references the space fabio would create by moving to the factory team for 2021, which obviously wouldn't make sense before fabio's actual rookie season. like they have to be about different stories

and in that same 2018 story, marc said that back in 2016 lin jarvis told him no marquez would be joining yamaha:

again, this was in 2018!!

plus, he did say back in 2016 that he'd spoken to jarvis, which kinda backs up this is a conversation that did happen and marc isn't just misremembering the timeline/lying (the notion of marc joining yamaha in 2017 is fantastic, what an absolutely horrendous idea):

now what marc says in 2018 about his conversation with lin jarvis is very similar to petronas yamaha boss razali saying in 2023 that he'd been told by yamaha no marquez was allowed at yamaha. suggests that this is a thing that did happen!!

but again... razali was told that in 2019... after marc had already been told the same thing three years before that, and the exact same deal had already been blocked one year earlier... does nobody else think this is weird?? like, I'm not saying yamaha hq covered themselves in glory here, but is it not a little strange the satellite yamaha squad had basically almost signed a contract with the younger marquez again without checking in with yamaha, just ONE YEAR after this same contract had already been blocked???

again this isn't actually gossip because I'm apparently the only person going ?? about this but I'll say it: ??

kinda been annoying me since december last year, like I know it doesn't matter but I'm just curious about it! why's nobody else talking about the 2018 story!

idk my best guess here is that petronas yamaha was faffing about and playing weird games with the factory team, that the deal was never as likely to happen as they made it sound to the marquez camp. zero proof, that's me spreading rumours yeah... time to create some of my own unfounded gossip

(also of course I'm curious if valentino did have any actual involvement in this. like if lin jarvis was telling marc this in the year of our lord 2016, I'm assuming valentino didn't have to explicitly say to jarvis that 'inviting marc to the team for 2017' wasn't exactly high on his christmas wish list. it is interesting that marc frames it as jarvis making this about. like. all the marquez's way back in 2016, and again, would this really have been on valentino's radar at the time? that feels a bit...? alex marquez was thirteenth in that moto2 season? would certainly be very... thorough for valentino to already have had that particular talk with jarvis)

(mind u there's a fun moment in a 2019 presser where valentino is sitting between the two marquez brothers and the younger marquez is being asked about his contract situation, the implication being he'd had a motogp deal and no longer had a motogp deal. and he's answering and marc's doing his freak stare and valentino is Right There sitting between them... I <3 mess)

man did valentino actually ever fucking block anyone from joining his manufacturer #notmygoat. I still think he didn't know about jorge until the deal was basically done, had nothing to do with the younger marquez, at most blocked casey the one time but then yamaha wasn't actually seriously intending on signing casey in 2006 and was just using it as a play in their jorge negotiations, which.... idk. bit disappointing if true icl. I hope he blocked someone, I'll say it

(also. okay. I don't want to sound awful here because I do have a lot of sympathy for baby!casey but. ignoring the morality for a second, I do LOVE the idea that valentino blocked casey from getting a satellite yamaha seat fresh off his 250cc runner up season because it would conclusively prove valentino did ABSOLUTELY rate casey!! like he didn't even want casey to come close to being his teammate!! not even a sniff at his data!!) (genuinely this is the rumour I'm choosing to believe, I know there's a chance valentino didn't successfully block anyone and was just a complete flop but I want the 2005 one to be true. it really adds something to the rivalry idk... like ugh valentino saw how dangerous casey was proper early when much of the paddock wasn't yet convinced... cute)

moving on

there was a rumour in 2015 that valentino approached dani after aragon to complain about how sturdy his defence was, like moaning about denying him points and shit. now, there's exactly one article about this in marca that is the sole origin point for the rumour, and it says that valentino also interrupted a honda party after phillip island to complain to marc. this does not match up at all with anything either marc or valentino have said since then - and would mean you have to believe that marc wasn't actually blindsided by that presser... also feels a bit unlikely we would have heard NOTHING from any other source if vale was really gatecrashing a honda party

of course, neither dani nor valentino have spoken about this supposed post-aragon 2015 meeting either, not even when dani was kinda accusing valentino of hypocrisy during sepang 2015, but I suppose you could say maybe dani's just not the type of guy to bring it up again. however.... I do reckon occam's razor kinda applies here and if one of these stories is bullshit then they probably both are, plus it's not like marca is exactly a neutral source. still would love to be certain!! instinctively I don't really think that's valentino's style at all, but of course it'd be intriguing if the story were true because it'd be a sign of how 2015 kinda messed with him. but I still feel 2015 is more about him falling back on past tools he'd mostly discarded - rather than, like, acting wildly out of character, which again... well, this brings us back to how that kind of behaviour isn't really valentino's style. basically, I don't buy it, but that's kinda why I am so curious about it? because I feel like it would be really interesting and quirky if he had actually done that. does this make any sense

speaking of, again this doesn't really count because I did kinda investigate it last year.... but you know when valentino in that podcast referenced a conversation with marc around the time of sepang 2015, where marc stared blankly at him? I have a hunch about when that conversation happened, want to know if it's right. this also isn't really 'gossip' because this is a conversation I'm having with myself but

y'know when bez was injured on the ranch late-ish last year? a bunch of journalists pointed out how hush hush they were about what actually happened to bez - like they repeatedly drew attention to that because god knows THEY love some gossip lol. which probably means nothing, but I'm curious what the journalists' theory here is, like do they think it was an embarrassing injury?? OR. look. I suppose the conspiracy theory would be that pecco caused it (obviously accidentally!!) and everyone at the ranch knew it'd be a terrible look if they admitted that because of the whole title fight situation. call me casey stoner because those dots are not real and definitely have not been connected

okay, you know how there were rumours in the spanish tabloids bez said some real ugly stuff to marc at valencia last year, and bez didn't directly address it but freaked a little and did a sort of blanket denial that he'd said anything that bad? I don't actually think he did tbh, but again. would just like to check!

while we're already on bez, there was one report that the switch to aprilia was partly motivated by marc to factory ducati. again, not entirely sure I buy that this would factor into his thinking beyond the obvious 'this means the route to that factory ducati seat looks even more closed than it already did' angle'.... it's very much down my list of priorities but I'd quickly confirm/deny it if given the chance yeah

that's all for now lol

[oceanwithouthermoon]

i think its weird that i have to make this disclaimer but the internet is crazy so wtvr,, anyway,,

if i say i dont like something, that doesnt mean "that thing is bad and nobody should post it.."

i swear literally every time i even mention that i dislike something, people will go "wow does that mean u fucking hate me cuz i post that thing? ur a fucking stupid bitch and all ur opinions r wrong" LIKE ?? er.. no. just because i say i dont like certain characterizations of certain characters (the saiki k fandom is CRAZY about this cuz i can state an opinion on literally any character and a group of people will still go 'well only we're allowed to post our opinions about them because we're always right!1!1!'), or certain ship tropes (mentioned my hatred of toxic yaoi maybe once or twice on here months ago and people STILL get mad at me as if i said toxic yaoi lovers r evil or something), or certain ships, or WHATEVER, does not mean that i HATE the people who are posting them or that i think they shouldnt post them at all, NO, im just posting about my personal tastes on my personal blog and it would be extremely weird and hypocritical if i decided that i was the ONLY person that was allowed to do that,,

i think the only reason people assume that is because there are a lot of other people on here who ARE like that, and a lot of people toe the line between posting that they dont like something and posting that they think everyone who likes that thing is stupid, annoying, and wrong,, so i guess all i can say is, sorry for whatever made you make these assumptions but they arent true about me so plz leave me alone ʘ‿ʘ ur doing the same thing to me that ur accusing me of but i didnt do it in the first place so ur just actively being a dick for no reason

[freakurodani]

yes i agree sometimes shipping brain gets in the way of like good analysis HOWEVER i think ppl that look down on shipping (especially crack shipping) have forgotten that fandom is silly at its root and ppl have fun in many ways

like we can be at the school of athens AND wear our silly clown shoes

[thelastspeecher]

currently accepting recommendations for what sort of specialty food is served at the Pines Family Kitchen in my Restaurant AU, where Stan opens up a restaurant

[autistic-katara]

there r fics that make u insane (so amazingly good it’s removed ur sanity) and then there’s fics that make u insane (you need to fistfight the author for how they did a specific thing that caused u to rant for hours)

[bunnihearted]

ᯓ★

[arsenicflame]

continued thoughts on eds redemption arc

It falls flat doesn't it? he gets banished, sure, but barely for a few hours before Stede brings him back, and then his apology was barely an apology, and the crew are supposed to be fine with that? we are supposed to be fine with that?

But this was what I was expecting, to some degree at least. Stede's well established to be both an Ed apologist, and generally unaware of other peoples feelings, so of course he was going to say that everything was fine now. I wish the crew hadn't pushed over so easily, i loved seeing them stand up to Ed, but it doesn't really surprise me either- there's a lot of power dynamics at play here, Stede's still their captain, Ed's still Blackbeard, no matter what he wants (he has proven Very Well what he's capable of to half of them)

So. That's where we are, but where do we go from here?

The best way i would see to play it is have the crew in a 'forget but not forgive' mindset towards Ed. They're willing to have him on their ship, to have him do Stede's silly ways to 'earn redemption' but never truly grant it. They say they do, sure, they wont hold it over his head, but they don't forgive him.

Have it be this uncrossable canyon between Ed and the crew, have him realise that everything he has done has meant nothing to them. That while they will put it behind them for the sake of living with him, but that he hasn't done a good enough job to find friendship here

Have him learn from his experiences, learn that the way he talked with Fang? that's the way to earn forgiveness. That at the very least he needs to sit down with everyone individually and talk about what happened between them, listen to how they feel and say sorry. yeah, some will be easier than others- I'm sure the marooned crew have far fewer grievances than those who had to stay, and that's not even to touch on the ocean of hurt between him and Izzy, but that's what he needs to do. He's seen it with Fang! he can learn!

And maybe, maybe, he still wont earn his forgiveness. But that's part of it too. sometimes things cant be undone with an apology, and learning that is a part of the process of becoming a better person.

[todayisafridaynight]

YOU MAKE THAT POST AND DON'T SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON EVERYONE'S OPINION ON SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG???

I MEAN IT'S SUCH A NICHE FUCKING TOPIC LMAO I DIDN'T THINK ANYONE WOULD CARE

but anyway here's the Egregiously Simplified version of Everyone Is Forced To Play Ten Routes Of Shadow The Hedgehog And Has To Give Their Opinion Afterwards

[rosicheeks]

To anyone who messages me - I’m sorry. Im sorry I suck at replying 99% of the time. I’m sorry I don’t have the mental capacity to hold a conversation. I’m sorry if you see me active on here reblogging and answering asks but I still haven’t replied to your message. I’m sorry I want to talk to you but I get overwhelmed by the smallest things.

I really really really hope you never think I’m purposely ignoring you or trying to hurt you in any way. I hope you can understand that I’m truly trying my best.

[keganexe]

Meet The Agents of Rot

I've been working on Blister City, an upcoming far future setting guide for playing survivors on the last city of Mars, for what feels like an eternity now. I want to start sharing some of my favorite factions, npcs, locations, and mechanics from the guide just so I have something to point to if folks want to know more about it as I ever approach finishing the game.

Follow that link up above if you want some basic information on Mars and the setting, because I'm gonna dive right in like you know everything else already.

So first up, lets meet one of my favorite factions, The Agents of Rot.

Who Are the Agents of Rot?

In the simplest form, The Agents are a doomsday cult devoted to the teachings of a long dead and unnamed scholar. They believe the destruction of humanity is already happening, and unstoppable; and they long only prepare everyone for the oncoming end times, without any desire to hasten the coming end.

In 2143, The Agents of Rot first landed in the city of Ambition (which would later become Blister City) after having been chased off earth by The Crusade for their heretical religious beliefs. With them came the first of the Prophet Machines, cobbled together old tech that spits out endless streams of numbers and letters, from which adherents claim the future can be known and prepared for. Upon their arrival to Mars, The Agents had a dire portent, Mars would fall in 2191.

Their portents were ignored, but history would go on too stare back in wonder as their preaching was true. Down to the minute. Ultimate Mars does fall, and today The Agents of Rot occupy a strange space in the city, their heretical beliefs seemingly true, but their message still unpopular for the folks in the last city.

Where Are the Agents of Rot?

In The Mids, the second layer of the three layer Blister City, sits The Smokestack District. In The Lowers, directly under this district the industry of the Blister is booming. Miasma is refined, plasteel is produced, and the toxic smoke of industry pushes up through the levels unstopped by those with the power to demand better.

It is in the worst of this toxic runoff we find The Smokestack District, and herein find some of the worst of the city. The folks who call The Smokestacks home are a combination of those with the expensive lung bionics that make breathing here safe, trading a lifetime of debt for an opportunity to live in an apartment they can afford; and those chased out by the rest of the city, largely unmodified and suffering short lives as the air toxicity kills slowly but painfully and surely.

In The Smokestack District you can find The Rot Chapel, one of few wooden buildings in the city, although the building itself is dilapidated, rotting, and covered in soot. A walk through the church shows mildewed religious statues, sitting undisturbed next to rack after rack of advanced computers; each beeping away at impossible maths. Cries echo out across the church as more prophets discover portents of the future in the hodgepodge of numbers lighting up across screens.

The Agents of Rot in Play

In Blister City, you can find yourself working alongside or against any number of factions in the city, each with a list of pros and cons for helping or harming them. While the factions usually only provide these boons and banes during missions for or against them, The Agents of Rot instead always provide boons and banes for players.

If You Make an Ally of The Agents

+1: The Agents consider you a fledgling acolyte of their faith. Rot Shops are open to you, as are their churches for those looking to lay low.

+2: The Agents consider you a true believer. You gain a discount in Rot Shops, and gain access to their medical centers.

+3: The Agents have begun to see prophecies of you. Once ever you can go to them, and have them tell you a terrible but true fact about events yet to happen.

If You Make an Enemy of The Agents

-1: The Agents of Rot are scared of you and your crew. You are actively turned away from Rot Churches and Rot Shops, violently if necessary.

-2: The Agents consider you persona non grata, and take to the streets preaching of the dangers of being near you, and your allies.

-3: The Agents have begun to see prophecies of you, and it terrifies them. The Agents pool all of their resources, and will hire whoever it takes to kill you, and challenge the hands of fate.

Final Thoughts

The Agents of Rot are but one of 25 named factions, and have (like all the factions do) complicated ties to the city and the other factions. They frequently find themselves allied with The Children of The Red Sands, other religious outsiders to the city; and working against The Rusakli, a quiet order of well liked healers who The Prophet Machines keep spitting out warnings against.

[clhampir]

one of my least favorite themes about the internet lately is non-american people complaining that americans are talking about american-centric issues on the internet and being like "nOt EvErYtHiNg ReVoLvEs ArOuNd YoU iDiOtS" and it's like. yeah buddy. that's why we didn't apply it to anywhere else in the world. we're talking about the specific issues we are facing as americans living in the states. the reading comprehension is atrocious

[sensesdialed]

can i talk about how much being around other spider people would mean to peter after he's been so incredibly lonely post-nwh. can i talk about it

[toastsnaffler]

weekend melancholy is starting to kick in >~<