#anyway thank fuck I can revise the translation before they send it to me

[mossistyping]

So I have a VISA interview coming up, big deal etc. I need to have my birth certificate and police record translated into English for the interview.

The US Embassy doesn't require the translation to be done by a certified translator, just someone who can confirm they're fluent. EXCEPT. You can't do it yourself.

So tell me why I'm out here CORRECTING the translation service that I paid for because they spelled the same street name wrong TWICE?

[theres-a-goldensky]

BL Show Review Series - My Engineer and 2gether

I am new to BL series, having only discovered them thanks to being stuck at home in quarantine. However, I’ve now watched enough of them that I feel like I have a lot to say and nowhere to say it. So I decided to write some reviews, talk about some issues that I had, and mainly get all of these feelings out of me. 

Disclaimer that these are my own opinions, and I don’t know where the BL community as a whole stands on these shows. If I disliked a show you loved or visa versa, no disrespect is intended! 

First up, then, are My Engineer and 2gether

MASTERLIST OF BL SHOW REVIEWS

MY ENGINEER 

Rating: 4/10 (Revised score: 6/10)

Main Pairing

The premise of this show is silly, but I was willing to let that pass if it was cute enough. It wasn’t. Not for me, anyway. The main pairing was very lackluster, and their courtship started off weird, with freshman Duen inexplicably feeling obligated to care for the older Bohn. Duen accidentally punches Bohn, but that interaction spirals into Duen letting Bohn bully him into buying Bohn flowers every day for a month as recompense. 

You get it from Bohn’s perspective. He clearly is interested in Duen from the beginning, and this is his inept way of flirting. But Duen going along with it at first, when he dislikes Bohn, is baffling. I thought there must have been something I missed. Was it because Bohn was his senior? 

The parts I found most charming about their story involved them interacting with their younger siblings. In particular, Duen’s love of his little sister was genuinely heartwarming. There’s a date scene late in the series that is the highlight of their story for me.

There is a ridiculous, drawn out arc about which one of them is going to top, which I was super done with before it even started. It ends with the message that, hey, anyone can be a top or a bottom and it doesn’t matter, but man did the story take its time getting there. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

Side Pairings

There are three additional side pairings happening here, which was at least one too many. However, the relationship between King and Ram quickly became the best thing about the show for me. The two of them together are charming, particularly the patient way that King enjoys Ram’s oddities and works to find a way to communicate with him anyway. 

Ram, despite being a side character, is the most developed person in the show. We see a lot about his family life and his interests. He’s fiercely loyal to his friends but also very shy. Over the course of the show, you see him feel hurt and scared and angry and in love, and all without him saying much of anything at all. 

The next side pairing is Mek and Boss. They are best friends and Boss calls himself Mek’s wifey. Mek is in love with Boss, to the point where he has a shrine of him hidden away in his room. It’s very sweet, even though you’re left kind of wondering, uh...why? What has Boss done to earn Mek’s undying devotion? It’s unclear.

Bafflingly, the actor who plays Mek was not speaking Thai in this. All of his lines were dubbed over -- very, very poorly -- and you can see that the words he’s speaking don’t match the words he’s supposed to be saying. I have no idea why they cast this person, though he did well given the circumstances. He has a very soulful stare that worked to demonstrate his pining. Watching him decide to help Boss get a girlfriend just because he wanted him to be happy was tough. 

If I were to recommend this series, it would be to follow these two side stories. You may enjoy the Bohn/Duen romance, but I had a hard time getting attached to them or believing their chemistry.

The final pairing was between Frong and Dr. Thara. I have nothing to say about them, honestly. It could have been completely taken out and nothing would have been lost. The actors did what they could with the roles. Both were charming, both were very, very attractive, but that couldn’t save this side story for me.

The acting was just so-so, though special mention should probably go to the actors who portrayed Mek and Boss, since they spent the majority of their scenes acting with someone who was speaking an entirely different language. 

There was very little tension and almost no stakes in this series, except between King and Ram.  

(Update: 9/27/20

Time sometimes changes feelings on a series, and in the months since I wrote this review, I’ve come to look more favorably on this drama. My love for Ram and King has only grown, and I’ve come to tolerate Bohn and Duen’s story more than I had before. Some of the early parts are even cute, though the back half still bugs me.)

***

2GETHER THE SERIES Rating: 5/10

Main Pairing

Win and Bright, the actors who portray the main characters of Tine and Sarawat, are both just...startingly good looking. They’re tall and broad and handsome. Tine has the sweetest smile and Sarawat can sexy brood with the best of them. I think the natural charisma of both leads did a lot to paper over the cracks of a thin story where the characters made nonsensical choices just to drive forward the plot. 

This is a fake dating story, which should be my JAM, ok? Straight boy freshman Tine wants to curb the attentions of Green, a gay man who is pursuing him. He decides to ask Sarawat, the campus dreamboat, to pretend date him so that Green will back off. It all makes sense so far, in terms of how these convoluted romantic comedy set-ups go. Sarawat refuses, and Tine starts up a charm offensive to get him to agree. Still makes sense. But then, once Sarawat commits to this plan, scene after scene goes like this: 

Tine: Sarawat, here comes Green! Pretend to be my boyfriend! Sarawat: [pretends to be his boyfriend] Tine: Oh no, what are you doing? People are going to think we’re dating!

Like, bro, he is doing what you have explicitly asked him to do! Often just moments before! What is HAPPENING? I get that this is supposed to be Tine feeling confused about his burgeoning feelings for Sarawat, but then show that by Tine being nervous or embarrassed. Having him lash out at Sarawat made no sense and got more frustrating as the series went on.

And look, I’m just going to say it: Win and Bright seem like they didn’t want to touch each other. They have major bro chemistry, but zero romantic chemistry. It got to the point, in the last few episodes, where I thought there was a translation error and I was misunderstanding the status of their relationship. By the tail-end of the series, former playboy Tine still looks a cross between confused and horrified whenever Sarawat tries to touch him. We never once see Tine happily kiss Sarawat. I don’t understand the choices that were made by the actor, director, and writers here. 

Every problem that occurs between Tine and Sarawat could be solved with a few clarifying words, but instead they get dragged on for the sake of drama. 

Furthermore, I know that BLs are fond of the “I’m not gay, I just like you” trope, but for the first 11 episodes of this show, Sarawat is coded as gay. Not bi. Not straight-except-for-you. Gay. He has a literal harem of women surrounding him at all times, showering him with gifts and attention, and doesn’t once appear interested. When his mother asks him when he’s going to get a girlfriend, the look that both he and his brother give her clearly reads, “Are you fucking kidding?” 

And yet, in episode 12, we are supposed to believe that his first and only other great love was a woman. It’s the way the book was written, I get it, but it rang false for me. 

Side Pairings

There were two side pairings. All four of the actors involved are BL vets who performed their duties well. 

Man and Type are interesting, but their story gets pushed to the side until the end of the series. However, while Tine and Sarawat’s story was floundering in the latter episodes, I was more than happy to watch this develop. Mike, who plays Man, has become one of my favorite supporting actors in these shows. He’s workman-like, bringing natural charm to his performances and always getting the job done. Seeing Man try to win Type over was fun even while it barely toed the line between sweet and creepy.

Mil and Phukong though? I was not here for any of it. Mil was a jerk and Phukong was a doormat. The way they ended the series was insulting to Phukong. I’d say he deserved better, but his insistence on going after Mil even though Mil was a genuine asshole to both him and his brother did his character no favors. The show wanted Mil to be redeemed by the end, but no thanks, I’ll pass. Phukong may not have deserved better, but Drake and Frank definitely did. I hated it.

Like I said, the actors are so likable and gorgeous, and the fake dating trope is such a classic, that I really wanted to like this one. The first few episodes were sweet and had potential, but the awkwardness between them that I assumed would go away by the end never did. 

MASTERLIST OF BL SHOW REVIEWS

(Send me an ask if you have a show you’d like me to review - with the understanding that I will be completely honest - or if there’s anything you think I forgot or got wrong in this review.)

[shortqueershakespeare]

Can you do all the questions please? 🥺👉👈

i’m starting to think all of the question requests are one anon and i’m so intrigued, i genuinely didn’t think anyone would be remotely interested lol also I reblogged two and I’m not sure which you meant so i’ll do both! Animated character that was your gay awakening?

- Hmmm back when I thought i was cis I guess Kim Possible, when I started realising I was trans, Flynn Rider

Grilled cheese or PB&J?

- Grilled cheese babyyyy, love cheese, hate peanut butter

What show/YouTube video(s) do you put on in the background when you when you don’t have anything to watch but you want something on?

- Pretty much anything I’ve seen before, usually comedy, so Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Rec, Crazy ex Girlfriend, Chuck

Your go-to bar order, if you drink?

- Rum and coke, or pina colada if I’m feeling fancy

What’s your favorite pair of shoes that you own?

- Either my tennis trainers or my shoes with rainbow laces

Top three cuisines?

- Italian, Japanese, Mexican

What was your first word as a child (that wasn’t a variation of “Mom” or “Dad”)?

- I have literally no idea, it’s written on a calendar somewhere

What’s a job that you’ve had that people might be surprised to find out you’ve had?

- Cleaner for a business

Look up. What’s directly across from you?

- The AGA

Do you own any signed books/memorabilia in general?

- Signed Dear Hank and John poster, a signed anorak (I took it to festivals), some signed CDs etc

Preferred way to spend a rainy day?

- Curled up under a blanket with a book and a cup of tea, ideally with my head in a boy’s lap.

What do you get on your bagels? 

- I don’t really get bagels so idk

What WOULD you get if you had access to anything you wanted?

- Top surgery and a good prosthetic lol

Brunch or midnight snacks?

- Mate I’m not choosing, but probably midnight snacks because I’d prob sleep through brunch if I could

Favorite mug you own

- Either my Robin mug or my moose mug

What coffee drink would you describe yourself as?

- Caramel iced latte

Pick a song lyric to describe your current mood (and drop the name and artist!)

- Would you be so kind/ as to fall in love with me - Would you be so kind - dodie

Fruity or herbal teas?

- Herbal I guess??

What’s that one TV show that you’re a little bit embarrassed to watch but you still like nonetheless?

- Fucking Vanderpump rules thanks to my damn sister

That book you were forced to read for class but actually ended up enjoying?

- To Kill A Mockingbird

Do you match your socks?

- Yes

Have you ever been horseback riding?

- Yes, at a birthday party

What was your “phase” when you were younger? (i.e., Mythology Nerd, Horse Girl, Space Geek, etc)

- Real bold of you to assume I only had one, here’s a non comprehensive list:

Rabbits

Tigers

Football

Harry Potter

Tennis

Theatre

Languages

Have you ever been to jail?

- Nope

What’s your opinion on Lazy Susan’s (the spinning tray in the middle of tables)?

- Cool I guess?

Puzzles?

- Love them

You can only have one juice for the rest of your life, what is it?

- Apple??

What section do you immediately head for when you walk into a bookstore?

- Either YA if going for fiction, History if going for non-fiction, Language for uni stuff

What’s one thing you’re trying to learn/relearn in your downtime right now?

- How to be fucking MOTIVATED MAN I’M MEANT TO BE WRITING AN ESSAY

Who’s your go-to musical artist when you’re feeling upbeat?

- Troye Sivan

Where could someone find you in a museum?

- Depends, abroad you’ll find me seeing if I can understand the signs, if not I just wander round and look at lots of interesting stuff

What’s that one outfit in your closet you never get the chance to wear but want to?

- I reallyyyyy wanna wear dungarees w/o a shirt but can’t til post top surgery

Rainbows, stars, or sunset colored clouds?

- For art, sunset coloured clouds, for actual real life, stars bc I love nighttime, for anything else, rainbows

If you could own any non-traditional pet (dogs, cats, fish, rodents, etc), what would it be?

- Does a bunny count as non-traditional? I have one and I love him

Do you have more art on your walls or more photographs?

- I think it’s a 50/50 split! I have a photo wall, and the rest is art

You have to get one meme tattooed on your body, what meme is it and where does it go?

- The spiderman meme, on my feet so if I stand with them turned out it shows properly

Pick a superhero sidekick to hang out with

- Robin

Lakes, rivers, or oceans?

- Oceans and lakes for swimming, rivers otherwise

Favorite mid-2000s song

- AKA my childhood, Mr Brightside (also I just discovered that a lot of songs I thought were early 2000s were late 2000s rip)

How do you dress when you’re home alone?

- I sleep naked, and I often wear harem pants and a tshirt

Where do you sit in the living room (we all have a preferred spot, and you know it)?

- On the right of the sofa

Knives or swords?

- Knives

A song you didn’t think you’d enjoy but ended up loving

- AJR - Burn The House Down

Pick an old-school Disney Channel Original Movie

- HSM

Are you a “Quote that relates to the photos” caption-er, an “explanation of where I took the photos” caption-er, or a no caption kinda person when you post pictures online?

- Explanation, or a piece of my writing inspired by the pictures

Name a classic Vine

- Legit can’t think of any

What’s the freezer food that you stock up on when you go to the grocery store?

- okay so this is the first time in years I’ve had a freezer but when I get to pick - hash browns every time

How do you top your ice cream?

- I usually don’t?? Is this an american thing??

Do you like Jello?

- Meh, indifferent angel;  favorite album of all time? 

- this probably changes all the time because I listen to a lot of differnet genres but off the top of my head, bonxie by stornoway

honey;  are you a very affectionate person? 

- fuck yeah

moonlight;  do you enjoy museums? 

- yesss

roses;  what does love feel like to you? describe it! 

- love is like waking up, perfectly rested and relaxed, with enough time to start the day in whatever way you want. love is all the hard work you put into revising, the anxiety of exams, and the relief of them finishing all at once. love is commitment and trust and heartbreak and frustration. love is having your own language with someone, knowing what to do when they’ve had a hard day and needing no prompting. love is picking up their favourite shampoo when you’re out because you noticed they were running low. love is trying really hard to cook their favourite meal, failing miserably, and them eating it anyway, and lighting up at the effort you put in. love is friendship bracelets and origami butterflies scattered around your room. love is pulling back to allow them room to grow and pulling them up if they need some encouragement. love is sending them pictures with a “this made me think of you”. love is all these things and more.

shimmer;  zodiac sign?

- pisces

princess;  have you ever been to disneyland? if so, favorite ride? 

- nope, never been

cherry;  have you ever been to a psychic? 

- nope

magic;  favorite film? 

- moana probably

starlight;  have you ever written a love letter?

- yes and i want to again, they really mean a lot to me

velvet;  do you enjoy horror films?

- HATE THEM HATE THEM HATE THEM, they give me nightmares

blush;  have you been to a concert? if so, which one(s)? 

- show of hands, stornoway, dodie

sparkle;  dream job? 

- translator for an lgbt refugee centre or academic

witches;  how do you like to dress? 

- depends, i have a lot of colourful clothes but i tend to switch between muted masc (greys, dark blues, black), vibrant masc (green, blue) and rainbow

crystal;  favorite planet? 

- saturn

sugar;  favorite pet names? (baby, sweetheart, etc.) 

- love, darling, babe, 

hopeless;  do you believe in ghosts? 

- no

glow;  do you have or want any tattoos? what of? 

- I want many, a transition one (which is a bit personal so not sure i’ll share rn), an infinity sign, a dodie lyric, something in russian, something watercolour

starlet;  what historical period is most interesting to you? 

- for my subject, the 1960s-1990s (yes v recent I know)

motel;  are you superstitious? 

- no

heart;  do you like the color pink? 

- ehhhh

golden;  do you appreciate high fashion? 

- i’m not eve sure i know what that is lol