#cs weekly

[itsdappleagain]

It's time for the end of season 2- The Deep Dive Caper!

What an absolutely showstopping finale!! I'm so thrilled to liveblog it. This episode gets serious like no other episode really does before or since. Lets get started!

Late, as usual. Buy a lottery ticket the day I do one of these on time. Notes under the cut as always!

right off the bat this episode is pretty much unlike any other. they try to have a caper setup- the vile drive- but it's not long before we realize that EVERYTHING is gone. even in the last finale the sort of "caper" of the episode was rescuing devineaux. this episode is all about answers.

"all on my own. the only sure way i know." hrnnrgh carmen

their boat is being so nice and stationary in the middle of a raging storm and waves taller than they are

"MY FIST IS GOING TO MAKE YOUR GUTS EXPLODE" ivy never change

its ALLL GONE

rip vile island we hardly knew ye

the cs team is just showing off their background artists 😌

ah would you like some mashed shadowsan with your steak

maelstrom your plan sucked babygirl sorry. should have sic'd brunt on her on the train like a rottweiler

interesting plan though. if shadowsan really had killed dexter, what would carmen have done? beat him up? sent him to acme? just thrown him out? she promises to hunt him down if he runs but like what were you going to do after that? murder for a murder?

malestrom: maybe she'll show up in botswana ✨ carmen who's been out for the count for half a year and has no reason to have even shown up in botswana as early as she did:

the teddy bear <3

in love with cleo's boob straps. that safety harness does not even clip in the front its like if a backpack was securing you to a car

that explosion animation is so good though its so impactful

its a damn good thing devineaux showed up when he did he could have been blown to the gates of hell in one second flat and no one would have been any the wiser

chase drinks so much disrespect women juice the first two seasons that he blames julia for an impression of her that his own mind dreamed up i love him for that

angry carmen is so babygirl to me. go bestie show emotion. get so mad about that shit

mmm and theres the shot i used for our title card! and what a fantastic one it is. shadowsan's motif playing in the background as carmen pauses at the oni, but the show itself telling us that he is still on her side with that gigantic, massive symbol of him framing carmen in a circle of red. if you pay attention and learn the colors the team likes, you don't even have to worry about this ep its all cool

you know what the dominant color in this entire scene of carmen trying to find out the truth is, though? blue. even when she's in the server room or staring at shadowsan's oni, the water isnt tinted green like they easily could have made it. its. all. blue.

obsessed with how zack wakes up he's being exorcised and the demon was the peppers and onions

agree it would have been hilarious if devineaux finally gets rescued and it turns out to be a really, really pissed off carmen sandiego

roundabout has the air of a theater kid who always got the leads but had to act surprised about it

evil ihop

i love how confused roundy looks its so funny

devineaux stabbing himself and the scream makes me cry laughing every single time

devineaux really goes ↘️↗️↘️↘️↘️↘️↘️↘️↘️

i would watch a series about devineaux being left to fend for himself on the island and slowly losing his mind

his supervisor was so excited about firing him

okay here we go it all gets real now

carmens realization going from my dad was a cop -> my dad was literally the exact opposite of a cop and neither of those things being things she is happy about

i love the realization hitting her face (even if it was animated. a touch blandly)

shadowsan's face s just animated fantastically here. his eyebrows are up- he realizes carmen is there, maybe confused about why she isnt saying anything. then his eyebrows drop, his face falls ever so slightly. he knows the jig is up

also. yes. "your silence is like thunder" is just. ough its such a good line

he isn't even surprised by the question he knew it was coming eventually

"if you run, I will find you." its not a threat its a damn promise. for older viewers its easy to draw the connection between the famous i will find you and i will kill you. it doesnt have to be said.

mm and carmen rejecting the offer to sit and be comfortable around him. she just can't

even in the flashbacks your can see so much of carmen in him its so great. its dishonorable, and everything carmen stands against, but she is undeniably her father's daughter

the plot for this flashback is so sophisticated its so so good. they treat the audience really well about it

also young faculty designs <3

the red on the inside of dexter's jacket to symbolize his secret with carmen im sobbing

also the decision to make carmen have his eyes is. hrngh.

already been pointed out but the way the music softens when shadowsan says "you" HURTS

THAT BABY IS A SNITCH. carmen. snitchdiego

the heartbreak when present carmen speaks again gfgrgh

i like the new mask he hangs behind him before carmen confronts him, by the way. its green and white- the shadow of vile and his past looming over his shoulder, maybe- but also the mask of vile he had to put on to lie about what really happened to wolfe

BABY CARMEN CRYING AS DEXTER TRIES TO HIDE HER :(((

the dolls rdhg im not crying you are

anyone have any thoughts on a dexter voice claim btw?

also also i sprang this on rueitae already but "dexter" while referring to dexterity and his skill as a thief can also mean "the one who dyes" which. jesus. it refers to dying cloth but the double meaning is ouchie

he locks her in gay baby jail!!!

i gotta stop making jokes about the most serious part of the entire series sorry

there's a little bit of a pink panther hint to his theme as he sneaks out the window which is interesting

rue's also already covered it but what WAS this man's plan for just leaving baby carm in there. like shadowsan says desperation i guess

god young chief shooting and killing an unarmed dexter wolfe and presumably orphaning her is the twist. of a fucking lifetime

the despair in the music cue when it reveals it was only his car keys

the matryoshka dolls getting burned in that fire ahrhgfrdshgsghds

love that shadowsan not only sets the house on fire while he and a baby are still in it but gives said baby an object that just got set on fire

also vile protocol dictating that he should have just burned a baby alive?? what the fuck!

bellum's apathy, mael's mild interest/concern, and cleo's disgust towards baby carm shdfjads

little tiny baby carmen shunting her butt at cleo is hilarious

faculty: omg she's a real natural thief she stole that thing without anyone noticing baby carmen in broad daylight five seconds earlier:

btw bb carm is so cute she's so round

carmen finally just sliding to the floor under the weight of all of that information. now that she has at least the idea that shadowsan was not the one who murdered her father, even if she still needs proof

"why would you make me find out on my own?" is one of the most heartbreaking lines in here. she had to go through this realization almost completely alone. her trust in the man she was coming to see as a father was shattered and he could have just told her. he could have just told her

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shadowsan crying theyre so family

you can just hear the regret and fear and sadness in his voice paul nakauchi is literally so good

REAL CHIEF!

COMMANDER!!!! oh shittt i missed the one and only canon commander caturday rip...

ivy violently hitting the cash register is a mood

the little reveal even in the music as it pans to ivy in the starbucks uniform

chief nailed the good natured but a little exasperated "hmm" when dealing with people who have no idea what they are doing

ivys little look as she sees carmen walk in. the smile drop off her face as she walks away

carmen's theme ahrugdhjdsg the music in this show is so good

what is her hand doing

oh chief no honey

the deadpan "i wouldnt drink it"

i love the little nod/head bow thing of acknowledgement of carmen's efforts

the sinister music as carmen ever so casually pulls off her little trick is GREAT

i didnt know chief could open doors 🤨

congrats on being gay agent argent you did it again

player hack chief so bad the logo goes off of the screen

"somethings wrong" yeah no shit julia

chiefs oh shit face is so funny shes like aohhhhhhhhhhhh noooooooooooooooooo

little guy

im so mature

we love digging up graves

that dawning apprehension on carm's face as she realizes there's a chance she might be about to see the decayed corpse of her twenty-years-dead mom in there

carlotta being modelled after old carmen was a cool choice. lots of fan theories about old carm being her mom this day 🫡

"are you with me?" "to the end of the line." grgfhgjhsdhjsgds im shaking them violently in my teeth if i ever got a cs quote tattoo or something it would probably be that line

the only thing i dislike about this cliffhanger is that in s3 they kind of try to deliver on this big wide promise that this finale gave us and then give up until the last episode of the entire series. like. isk. i feel like they should have either gone harder on the carlotta mystery or left it alone although they did leave me the opportunity to write a 66 thousand word fic series on the concept so i guess i cant complain

half clean shaven half very unshaved chase is so funny its cursed. he shouldnt have no hair but he shouldnt have that much worst of both worlds

devineaux's theme mixing in with that iconic action/danger soundtrack as he grins devilishly is just fantastic shit

chief waiting for a response as chase just silently smirks into the mirror

anyway GOODNESS GRACIOUS i cannot believe we're already through season 2????? what???? tis the end of my favorite season :( but s3/4 are nothing to sneeze at, either!! im super excited to get into more. (plus tsonts? are we doing that?)

[frozenwolftemplar]

Okay, so: thoughts on the Carmen Sandiego interactive show for this week’s CS Weekly.

Nothing will ever match the first time I played this through. Basically, it proved that when it comes to Carmen Sandiego, I have very poor judgement.

Carmen: Should I go after Zach and Ivy, or play along with and steal for VILE?

Me: Carmen’s awesome! She can do anything! Go for Zach and Ivy!

FAIL (aw shoot)

Carmen: Should I drive to the landing strip, or try to catch the plane midair?

Me: Carmen’s awesome! She can do anything! Go for the plane!

FAIL (dang it)

Carmen: Should I get Jules involved?

Me: Carmen has Player and her wits and wicked skills and is awesome! She can do-

HARD FAIL!!! (I really shouldn’t be this bad at this)

So, yeah, that was how it went. 😅 Other highlights:

Carmen, after the first stealing mission: Should I go rescue Zach and Ivy or keep stealing for VILE?

Me: But I’m having fun...*keeps stealing for VILE*

---

Carmen: Should I take a mission from Dr. Bellum or Countess Cleo?

Me: Cleo will likely include a gala. Carmen will get to wear a pretty dress. I want to see Carmen wear a pretty dress! Decision made!

Later:

Carmen: Should I accept the offer to dance?

Me: WHY IS THIS EVEN A QUESTION YES!!!!

---

Carmen: Should I leave Tigress in the ditch?

Me: YES!!!! (you know Carmen enjoyed that one)

[rueitae]

Season 3, episode 1: the Luchadora Tango Caper

Liveblog for @csweekly

Ahhhhh each time I watch this episode i don’t remember at the beginning how utterly fun it is. And then by the end I’m grinning so hard.

VILE has their new hq! Scotland! Maelstrom head over heels to have a LITERAL castle. Dare I say he’s giddy.

WHAT even are the Cleaners. Drama enjoyers and costume enthusiasts. Always dressing for the occasion. Clearly shows that you can look apathetic but love your job. (Including actually cleaning like I legit think they enjoy it and that’s what gives them zen)

The Cleaners deserved to be in Milan. They got the shaft.

Brunt you JUST bought the place don’t destroy anything.

Cleo’s levels of petty here are unparalleled. She is so not pleased 😂

“Way to go new guy” 😂😂😂😂 Brunt has to once again deal with a new colleague she’s not really fond of. Lol

And yet Carmen is fine! We as the audience know that but it’s cute the Faculty think they’ve won for once.

VILE is actively searching for Carmen? Interesting there. Before this it’s been fairly passive. But now they seem to want confirmation of her demise? Or to off her once and for all.

Awww Carmen’s cute the way she lands on top of the metal detectors.

Player brings up a very good point. It DOES belong to her whatever’s in there (a line she later uses on Chief).

THIS SCENE

The way Carmen IMMEDIATELY goes soft she didn’t even know what her father looked like until now. She HAS HIS EYES. The emotion of this 😭😭

This is the banter of best friends. Player IMMEDIATELY jumps at the chance to coo over baby Carmen as is his right. And Carmen already had her moment looking at the passport photo so her mind is already on the next step. She acknowledges that YES she was a cute baby but we are in caper mode and Player immediately snap to like “image analysis. On it” one of my favorite interactions. Actually reminds me a lot of their conversations in the first two episodes during the Eye of Vishnu caper. Gives off the same vibes.

Okay but the box is under “Vera Cruz”, the Alias given to Carmen’s mother. I’m…actually really curious just how involved she was. Could then she OR Dexter have access to that box? Did she do it for him? Honestly I’m having the most amusing time thinking that the box was easy for Carmen to open because Dexter would also enter the bank like a thief and store his things. He would not have needed to, but I enjoy thinking about like father like daughter.

Ivy and Zack familiar enough with dancing to make comparisons. Interesting. Noted.

Hello Spinkick. I do love his intro tho. “May I have this dance” “who may I have the pleasure of declining” your lessons with Cleo are showing, Carmen.

Hi Flytrap. Not as good of an intro but high points for getting the line “it takes two to tango”

SHADOWSAN BEST intro. The way the light splits his face light/dark and he QUIPS that they couldn’t take his class and that he can STILL TEACH THEM A VALUABLE LESSON. He’s learning to banter and was probably tailing at least Flytrap this entire time. I’m so proud of him.

THE FIGHT ENDS SO FAST. And omg whose IDEA was it to tie them up on the flagpole. Under normal circumstances I would say Carmen but I think Shadowsan is gaining a mischievous streak.

I love the softness when Shadowsan takes the tracking mark off of Carmen.

Awww of course it’s the city name 🥹 it’s such a beautiful code name because as we are about to discover, Carmen was likely born there.

Brunt is so angry but I’m more amused at Maelstrom’s disbelief. I don’t think he’s ever this perplexed or distressed in the entire series.

SHADOWSAN AND IVY ONE ON ONE. VERY RARE INTERACTION. All concern about Carmen 😭 such a short scene but it shows us the long way that Shadowsan’s come with the siblings. He acknowledges them, likely endeared after the events of Stockholm. He knows they care fiercely for Carmen and will be there for her as friends. It’s SUCH a beautiful moment i could cry. Shadowsan’s got no idea who Carmen’s mother is, and knows it could cause her further heartache. If a thief, what kind? Pure thief flows through her veins. If civilian…then how much does Carmen tell her? How much did she know about Dexter? (A Spy chasing Dexter is my theory, willing to be wrong).

But also a neat idea to sort of sideline Shadowsan in a way? Being the decoy because he can handle both operatives. He’s still very present in the story, but contributes in other ways (until the second half of s3 I’m vibrating in excitement)

Okay but you did not give Shadowsan this talk when he decided to do fieldwork? I appreciate the foreshadowing though. Thanks Maelstrom.

Carmen meets her mother’s neighbor and GETS A NAME. Fully aware Carlotta could also be a code name but it’s better than nothing. Gosh the neighbor is so sweet. The way Carmen’s eyes go WIDE at being recognized as someone else and her face when she realizes she takes so much after her mother but she can’t be emotional right now fhghcbvhcvc going insane. It’s so good for Carmen that she’s actually getting somewhere.

LOL Chase. And Julia being all stiff about it when JUST last season she was the one practicing quips in the mirror. Julia does NOT look happy AT all after what went down last season. She’s at her metaphorical lowest. She knows she’s right about Carmen being good but can’t prove it. Again and again Carmen strikes out for unknown reasons and it has to be SO frustrating for Julia. Meanwhile Chase gets everything he wants now. I’d be sore and petty and looking for a new job too. (While doing your current job? For shame Julia)

The flashback of the photo being taken PLEASE. It’s tooth rotting cute.

Every season, Player gets one wallop of a zinger. This season, it’s “I’m sorry, did you not attend a school for thieves?” I am HOWLING. It’s even better with the unimpressed look on his face. I’ll say it again. Carmen is the moral compass on this team 😂 this little exchange exudes the best friend sleepover gossip vibe. Including Carmen’s disgusted sigh of giving in.

Imagine if Lupe Peligro actually was Carmen’s mom. 😂 this intro 😂 Ivy and Zack are ride or dies here just attacking at the knees and it doing nothing.

Color theory! She’s wearing a yellow shirt and has a blue/yellow mask. So definitely Carmen friendly.

THE WAY IVY SLIDES AWAY.

I LOVE the way Lupe Peligro indulges Zack. A little bit of danger, but also the pure delight on the sibs faces when she acknowledges that they are fans. Even Ivy trying to be grown up responsible big sis cannot resist.

So sweet that she offers Carmen a good time at the match 😭 this is why Carmen loves the world. Everywhere she goes, she meets the kindest people 🥹 Lupe did not have to go that hard, but she did for complete strangers who broke into her home.

Devineaux’s swagger 😂😂😂 also!!! Chief will never let him live down those car crashes.

Awww everyone is looking for Carmen. She’s going to the match, but all eyes are on her. (I see Brunt’s taxi arriving the same time as the ACME car)

IT IS SCRIPTED THAT WAY. But the way Lupe wants to keep it secret from Zack is so precious. She may not be Carmen’s mother but I think she adopted all three anyway.

Ahh poor Carmen is ready to relax, having NO idea that Brunt is just next door. Seeing ACME ruins it all. I love Zacks mild complaint vs Ivy’s quick to be on the job.

The way Chase gestures to the trophies 😂😂😂😂 poor Julia just wants to UNDERSTAND.

The way Carmen recognizes that track suit right away and CANT RUN. She TRIES. The absolute FEAR in Carmen’s eyes. There is no mistake how much danger that Carmen is in. Brunt already tried to kill her, already tried to turn her against Shadowsan. There’s only one thing she’s here for. Totally blindsided Carmen. I LIVE for it.

Carmen is so brave but Brunt and the audience know her true feelings.

Lupe just TAKES Brunt!!!! I Love this fight!!!!! So much!!! The “mi casa my fight” MHM

This is fantastic. Because Brunt goes up against someone who CAN take her. That hasn’t happened before. Carmen has always evaded. Brunt has been this immovable and undefeatable force since the beginning of the series. Now, this is a crescendo.

It began with Shadowsan. Protecting Carmen from Brunt in the basement in Poitiers. Player did his part by telling Carmen to stall.

Player, Zack, and Ivy protected her from Brunt in South Africa, by keeping red drone secret and tackling Tigress before she radioed for help.

Now, a civilian physically got in between Carmen and Brunt. Lupe totally takes Brunt to task here. We see Carmen’s shocked and bewildered face through Devineaux’s pov. She’s extremely concerned for Lupe here. Carmen knows what Brunt can do.

(And Shadowsan will bookend it later in s4)

I just. I love Carmen understanding that she can be the protected one. It’s okay. She does so much for others.

The ref all “oh the crowd likes it whatever!”

Carmen’s distraction gets her cuffed by Devineaux. He actually gets a win for 2 seconds 😂 the way “not a good time, Devineaux” becomes Carmen’s mantra for him 😂

She just DRAGS him with. PERPETUATING VILEs assumption that Chase and Carmen are working together.

The way Carmen briefly looks at Chase in disbelief when he takes Brunt’s not-compliment. Carmen is just in a constant state of “really” when it comes to Devineaux and it’s so funny.

OUCH

Carmen’s so lucky that the cuffs are push button activated.

The subtitles say he’s whimpering 😂😂

And now that Carmen has her wits about her, the tag team against Brunt is spectacular.

Bellum is so chaotic while Maelstrom and Cleo are legit concerned 😂😂 they couldn’t say butt dial because kids tv

The way Maelstrom says “Coach Brunt! Noo” is just SO funny to me coming from him.

Do…do the Faculty sit at that table like 24/7? It’s night in Mexico. Scotland is 6 hours ahead, it's like 2AM. Or do they pull all nighters on big risk capers? Imagine, the rest of the Faculty angry because Brunt leaves and that means they have to sit at the table until she returns or something.

Awww Carmen’s so nice to get Chase to a quieter place. To which he immediately wakes and the comedy of the century continues. What an EXCELLENT way to shake up the car gag.

!!!!!!! Carmen tells Lupe everything! I love this because after everything, Lupe definitely deserves an explanation. And immediately picks up on why. Lupe has proven she can handle herself in a fight. If VILE comes back for her, she’ll be okay. Ish. Knowing Carmen’s story at least allows her to be prepared. But Carmen doesn’t know if her mother can or not. To find her would put her in danger, as this not-caper proved. It’s also good for Carmen because she’s putting her trust out there. Lupe quite literally saved Carmen’s life that night.

SONIA’s COMING

“If I had a daughter, I’d want her to be just like you” SCREAMING. Carmen needs these people in her life 😭 Brunt wanted a daughter but clearly isn’t proud of Carmen now. Lupe's old enough. She knows that is exactly what Carmen needs to hear.

It is SO chilling to see Brunt humbled before the Faculty, not being able to take her seat back right away.

And then Maelstrom goes into Halloween mode dhcgcccfv. Like legit that’s SUCH a great fade out for the episode but also so silly!!!! Like we go from super serious implications of Brunts face being seen to Halloween costumes!

I’ll take it because we get the Viking episode in s4

Such a heartwarming episode!!!!

[rexhistoria]

sonic fans literally breaking down under the pressure of experiencing 20% of the life experience of a comic book fan

[rivermask]

Tumblr Book Clubs I am Currently Following, in order of how hard I think they would be to catch up on if you wanted to join the fun:

Around the World Hourly (Around the World in Eighty Days with entries sent according to the in-story hour of events, started Oct 2)

The Public Domain Book Club (started Frankenstein for the month of October on Oct 1)

Lord of the Rings Newsletter (started late September with some very long posts, but will be variable length as they follow the dates of events in the story)

Dracula Daily via Re:Dracula (chronological Dracula by Bram Stoker - OK, you've missed most of this one, but the audio format is very engaging - you could still catch up for the exciting conclusion!)

My Dear Wormwood (The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis - 22 short letters so far, posted on a weekly basis)

What Manner of Man (original vampire romance by St John Starling - 24 shortish and very fun chapters so far, posted on a weekly basis)

Whale Weekly (Moby Dick by Herman Melville with roughly chronological timescale - we're 70-some chapters in but there are often long breaks between them so you could probably catch up)

Les Mis Letters (a chapter of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo every day for a year - catch-up difficulty level: impossible)

Please add your own!

[itsahotminuteinbetween]

why does every single version of eclipse i draw have a collar...?

please ask questions about the celestial symphony au, I'm dying to talk about it

[inkwelloftheeldar]

The forest did not speak as she once had. There was a time, long ago - before shadow crept through the woodland - that the trees whispered in joy, and the wind danced untroubled through green leaves. Thranduil remembered it. He remembered laughter in the glades and the voice of his father, strong and unyielding as oak. But time, ever cruel to those who do not die, had taken much from him. Now, the silence of Mirkwood pressed in like a wound that would not close. And yet, amid that darkness, there remained one light. Legolas. Thranduil did not speak often of his affection for his son, if at all. Not out of coldness - though many had mistaken it for such - but because that love ran deeply and brought with it a terrible fear. How could one lay bare his affection, when love had so often been the lever by which kings were broken? He had seen it before, in the ruin of proud houses and noble hearts. Affection, too openly worn, became a blade in the hands of an enemy.

No. Thranduil wore his love as one might rest beneath armour. Hidden beneath layers of ice and gold, guarded and revealed to none. He feared not Death, nor the Dark, nor even the slow corruption of his realm. Only this -- that his son, and his son’s light, might be stolen, for dearly he held him to his breast. He had raised Legolas under a canopy thick in sorrow, and taught him to move swift and silent through a forest that had grown hostile and hungered beneath their feet. He had shown him to love the green even when it darkened to black. And still, Legolas breached the walls his father had long built, of stone and silence and pride. Not by disobedience or defiance, but simply by his breath. And so full of light, Legolas walked the paths of wonder Thranduil had long forsaken for his duties, and in him Thranduil saw not only the child he had loved, but the joy he had lost. Legolas was all Thranduil had once been, and all that he still longed to be. There was in Legolas a light unclouded by bitterness, and tempered by wisdom. He did not deny the grief of their people, nor the shadow that lengthened over the lands, and he met it not with sorrow. In him lived the grace of the Eldar undimmed, and the fierce clarity of one who still believed the world could be made whole. He could weep for the fading trees and still smile at the rising sun. That was what Thranduil longed to be again -- not unbroken, but unafraid to love what might be lost. In his son, he saw not naivety, but the rarest kind of courage -- to hope and to remain. And from within his father’s heart of hearts, Legolas took this. Though the years had wearied Thranduil, and the health of Mirkwood weighed heavily on his spirit, he had not forsaken Middle-Earth. There was bitterness in him, yes. But not despair. For though he rarely spoke it, he too believed in the future of the Free Peoples, that there was still beauty to fight for, still a song buried beneath the rot, waiting to be heard. In this, father and son were alike. Legolas looked to the wider world with the same clear eyes Thranduil had once turned toward the starlit skies, and the same fierce longing to mend what had been broken. It was not ignorance that made his son hopeful, but strength. And Thranduil, though worn, still carried that same strength in silence. Here in the Great Wood - where the forest no longer rejoiced and rot curled like smoke through the roots of her trees, and shadows clung to boughs like memories too bitter to forget - and so long as their people walked beneath the sky - Thranduil would remain. For what he had guarded in silence, he would guard still, with crown and blade, with silence and fire, until the Dark was spent and the green arose fearless. And, until the forest sang again, and Legolas walked unburdened beneath the sky. 

[stuteetime]

currently reading week for me and there's so much i could be doing that i just don't have the motivation for... actually i might just make a todo list here to put in perspective what there is to do

study for stats midterm

start cs assignment 1

review calc lectures i don't understand

catch up on calc material

finish cs weekly prep for next week

catch up on 165 lectures i missed

okay wait i want to add like personal projects too

get back into drawing

try completing a storyboard

finish writing a thing for another blog

perhaps even finish writing another thing for another blog

finish my kanji anki

start working through kanji anki

[aiam-maianaise]

Actually I’m gonna go more in depth here. Tags were before I wrote this part.

Even with a basic savings account, the 10million will quickly outsize what the 1k a day is capable of.

1k a day, may as many have said, reach 10million in 27 years.

But the 10million in those 27 years, even from just basic interest, could reach a lot more.

Like this:

I’ll put the interest rate at 3%. Modest conpared to some, but reasonable. It’ll partially account for how interest rates fluctuate form high at 5 to 6% to lows of 1%

Lets say you spend 1 million to get a house, pay off loans, decrease your weekly expenses.

9 million stowed away for interest.

After 1 year, 9 million becomes 9 270 000 (increased by 270 000)

The second year, that becomes 9 548 100 (278 100 increase)

Third year: 9 834 543 (286 443 increase)

Fourth Year: 10 129 579 (295 036.29 increase. Im lazy and ifnrinf the .29 tho)

At least point you have officially recouped the money you spent paying off loans/buying a house or using as simple spending money.

Fifth year: 10 433 466 (303 887 increase)

Sixth Year: 10 746 469 (313 003 increase)

Seventh Year: 11 068 863 (322 394 increase)

Eighth Year: 11 400 928 (332 065)

Ninth Year: 11 742 955 (342 027)

Tenth Year: 12 125 243 (352 288)

Eleventh Year: 12 489 000 (363 757)

And after 11 years the interest alone almost matches the amount you get each year from the 1k a day.

And with each year the bench mark to match the lump sum amount shifts ever farther.

(By 27 years, the lump sum person with a modest interest rate of 3% could potentially have gotten to 20 041 171$. Double the original sum, and double the ‘goal post’)

All this is with a more reserved interest rate. If you had a higher interest rate or were actively investing, this would be rather different. A 5% interest rate would’ve matched and surpassed the rate of 1k a day in the first year at 450 000 a year (not accountjng tax on the interest) even a 4% on 9 million puts you just under at 360 000 per year, meaning the bery next year youve surpassed it.

Additionally, if you are still working a job, you likely have saved additional money due to not having to pay off loans/pay rent or other stuff. Obviously i habe not accounted for that variable.

Any bad marhs is cause a) its 8 am and i havnet slept wheee (also probably did this a harder way than i needed to)

And also maube just me funbling them keys and numbers fjjfjf.

Explain your reasoning plzzz

[roseband]

we fully got my automation system working at my job now (which... literally follows the same way i automate my gifs lmfao... mixed with an additional step that uses excel)

sooooooo since it's yearly review season I'd better get a huge raise and bonus tbh

[itsdappleagain]

i know csweekly is on hold now, but I still have to catch up on The Luchadora Tango Caper, so here it is!!

Season 3 is maybe my least favorite season out of any of them, but I still love it, so I'm really excited to get into this!

Notes under the cut as always and please ignore the fact that I'm a month late on this thx

NEW CASTLE!!! NEW CASTLE YAYYY

sometimes I think this whole series is Maelstrom just talking about shit for like 14 hours

cleo sympathizing with guys in skirts <3 she knows ur struggle boys

love how they slapped up a giant glowing green world map and copper sulfate burning chandeliers before they put in insulation or heat

brunt, girl, calm down. they were just doing their evil minion bagpipe job

british on british violence

that was such a cute nod when this season first dropped. haha theres been no sign of her all summer because of the hiatus you are so clever

they rlly thought they had something with the turn them against each other thing. i cant believe they thought they tvy7 rating would let shadowsan and carmen kill each other 🙄

"carmen is DEAD" (cheery tango music)

i mean it works because we know hes wrong and stupid but like

no offense but the tango dancers are animated in a way that is reminiscent of a kid manually moving their barbie dolls legs to make them walk

our girl <3

tell me why dropping 200 feet onto the top of the metal detector was more sneaky than literally anything else she could have done

ok. yes. but the fact she is robbing it does not negate the fact that she will be on the news for breaking into a bank dsjfsdghfkdsa

1021 is the number on the box- could it mean something? in a strictly doylist sense. october 21st doesn't seem to have any significant holidays...I can't find anything, might just be a random number set.

good god the "i...have his eyes." hits me like a truck every time

gina pulled it out with the voice acting in this one

she WAS a very cute baby

"another" link girl what else has there been you should be ecstatic

ayyy its the character literally everyone except spintrap-stan and amaryllis solely remember for being voiced by dante basco

i love how snarky carmen immediately gets. if he knows her name and what she looks like, obviously he's an operative, so she gets to have a little fun in immediately declining him while still gaining valuable information, almost immediately, about who he is and what his talent will be

everyone is very stretched today

this is not my favorite fight scene honestly (at least until flytrap gets here. dont even get me started on her fighting style im in love with it) because its literally just like ooh. he kicks. she dodges. wow. they really do try with the tango parallels but idk

wow!! other people can kick too??? who knew

she protected the face

cutely runs into oncoming traffic

those cars were not even slowing down girl they were just like HONK MOVE OR DIE

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS FLYTRAP MY GIRL

okay mini rant incoming i already did a post on this like a billion years ago but flytrap is one of my favorites because in my opinion she and paper star are the most dangerous villains we ever see in the show. let me. try to find that post actually

yeah here it is

flytrap is also so hot and has the same va as luz so she's just top tier. idk if the team put half the episode budget into celebrity voice actors and thats why we only got 5 episodes but you know what

love how carmen is literally stopping her attempts to get free to banter. girl. stop

shadowsan <3

love how they do not even bother showing the fight they just get their asses handed to them

why didnt they start in veracruz just asking

not the table

ok guys. you can stop with the tango thing now. its okay

that little conversation between ivy and shadowsan is so good

comrades??? sir its not the cold war

article from 17 years ago, thank you for that easy to understand slang

carmen plot armored her way out of getting her skull smashed in on that train so hard that she made maelstrom stupid

its canon both in and outside of the show that color theory is so prevalent that any sort of red at all immediately signals carmen

the colors are so beautiful in this scene. carmen doesnt have her coat or jacket on, everythings just a little desaturated as she searches

THE ACME GANG <3333

not the finger guns and glasses wheeze hes such a loser i love him

THE FORESHADOWING TO EGYPT WITH THE PYRAMIDS ON HER LAPTOP!!!!

love how all we get of julia this season is her being pissed off and then leaving

he was such an asshole for closing her laptop why did he do that 😭

has carmen just been ignoring vile missions for the last season of the year to research her mom or

girlie is so sad about everything

ah yes, the door, the thing you wish to have opened, the best place to lean your full body against after you knock,

i'M SOrry. did you NOT attend a school for THIEVES

HSDGGDG HEY. just broke into your house. im your long lost daughter

i love how she goes DONT TOUCH ANYTHING and then immediately drags her whole arm across the wall and cabinet

also her face when she sees the masks is perfect

okay be honest how many of you have replayed carmen saying maybe mommy at least once. who. raise your hands

shes sooo buff

love how everyone is taking this so seriously and then carmen is just completely apathetic about anything thats going on

dont deadname lupe, carmen

her hair catching a gust of indoor wind for the sole purpose of making her look sick as hell in her intro card is so iconic

as ivy absolutely obliterating zack in the foreground is so fucking funny

she got that "EH EH EH." titter of "HEY NO. DONT YOU DO THAT" down scary well

devineaux strutting im sobbing. julia was doing SO well and then she got paired with devineaux AGAIN

that cab driver looks so concerned about the hulking texan in his backseat

remember when the trailer dropped and we thought those roses were for julia. good times

everyone narrowly avoiding each other as they pull in

you just know ivy smacked zack when he protested to decoy time hdsafhadsg

gotta say the "EH?" while getsuring to the trophies is fucking hilarious. obviously julia knows she wouldnt go after those but its so funny

i do love the way carmen just shrinks any time brunt appears. she is soooo traumatized

VAMOOSE EL MASKO SHES SO ACCURATREIUSDHKFSKHFD SHES EXACTLY WHAT MIDDLE AGED AMERICAN SOUTHERNERS SOUND LIKE

LUPE IS SO FUCKING COOL

devineaux showcasing his braincells for a spilt second this episode

ah, so begins the not a good time mantra

devineaux getting absolutely decimated because he thinks coach brunt thinks hes handsome is so funny

the referee watching two apparent civilians enter the ring: 🙂

carmen is so funny here. she uncuffs herself and then just leaves devineaux to die like fuck his ass he can get smooshed

carmen getting increasingly mad at devineaux while she drags him places is my favorite part of the episode

also, either carmen got stronger or devineaux had a few bouts of crazed research where he didnt eat, but she can drag him easily now as opposed to when she was struggling back at the trap in poitiers

they put this shot in the trailer and without context it just looked like carmen was standing there glaring at brunt menacingly

the cat burglar <3

worst fucking ref on the planet i love him

was carmen stopping to listen to julia's voice i would like to think so

ah the devineaux and cars gag. i mean, to be fair, it wasnt his fault this time

starts beatboxing

carmen really just dumped her whole life story on lupe thats so funny. girlie started the day preparing for a match, got her house broken into, and then ended the day learning about a global crime syndicate

they really ended s2 going THE NEXT SEASON WILL FOCUS ON CARMENS MOM and then started s3 going well actually um okay so

theres our transition sentence

lupe's yellow and blue palette btw!! cs color theory i love you

lupe is more of a mom than carlotta ever gets to be thats sad honestly

carmens little smile ough

here is a shot that very succinctly illustrates the dynamics in the coming seasons. the three at the table stand strong- always have. roundy is basically a footnote no one cares about him and then brunt...brunt is sort of on the edge. this carries over all the way into s4 when malestrom tries to drown her

oh my god i forgot about the weird halloween thing the faculty has going on this season i love it

my analysis is right in time for spooky season >:) halloween IS nearly upon us!!!

OKAY well my thoughts on the luchadora tango caper...pretty good. honestly its kind of net zero information because we introduce the premise of finding carmens mom and then immediately abandon it but it sets up um....well....it sets up....what does it set up

anyway- not my favorite episode, even though lupe is fucking awesome. i think it suffers a little from deviating from that classic caper structure and jumping around, but it does its job as an introductory episode.

until we return, sayonara, mon amigos!

[frozenwolftemplar]

I know its late in the @csweekly rewatch for this, but I never got to share during the week for ‘The Crackle Goes Kiwi Caper’ and just had to say:

When you think about it, it’s lowkey hilarious what was probably running through Gray’s (sorry, Graham’s) mind when Carmen shows up at the cafe and he asks where she went when she stood him up. This mystery woman, clearly younger than he is, clearly quite stylish, breezily says ‘I run an international charity for orphans’ like it’s as commonplace as working at McDonalds. Then, if he thought it was maybe a small charity, she follows it with ‘I’m putting on an entire professional-quality ballet as a benefit, be my lighting tech? 😉’

The cost of such a production, he would be well aware, is nothing to sneeze at. As improbable as it may sound, ‘philanthropic heiress’ is actually the most logical explanation.

And if he had any doubts to that earlier guess being true after, well, everything, the amount she wired to him for that little gig is...wow.

So, yeah, he probably went home convinced he met the secret-agent heiress daughter of an oil baron or something. 🙃

[rueitae]

Season 2, Episode 10: the deep dive caper for @csweekly

On the surface, this seems like an underwhelming title, but it really does describe the deep dive Carmen takes in the ocean and into her past.

This is such a serious moment but I honestly can’t help but laugh at how dramatic Carmen is to Player. He knows exactly where she’s going they’re nearly there. He chartered their flight. But I understand it’s a nice parallel to the end of last season where she promised never to go back, as Zack kindly reminds us.

Protective Ivy is also a fav, even if it’s just from Zack’s big mouth lol. But honestly this is just another in a long line of instances where Zack is legit just trying to relate and make Carmen feel better. She said she’d never go back? Yeah but circumstances change. That’s what he’s (probably) trying to say. Since he used the same tactic to cheer her up after Carmen’s altitude sickness. Great line tho about the peppers and onions 😂

“It’ll be just like old times” SOBBING Carmen remembers those days fondly.

Player concerned enough that he actually suggests calling in ACME. For all they know, everything is still intact on VILE island. Carmen would need to sneak past or fight the Faculty the Cleaners and untold operatives. On their home turf. Player remembers how hard it was for Carmen to escape the first time. He does not want to risk losing Carmen again. He is fully aware at how serious this is. This is his last chance to change her mind. What must have been going through Player’s mind as he watches Carmen’s hat on his map go from (presumably) Casablanca to the Canary Islands? The opposite of what he watched her do the night of the graduation caper and when she left with the coat and hat.

Player didn’t get a chance to tell Carmen that he tracked Chief until now 👀 She’s surprised, but isn’t mad. Nice for later in the episode. The guilt when he admits it was Shadowsan’s idea is excellent.

Carmen just finishes telling Player that if VILE knew she was coming they’d destroy the evidence. Thank you for confirming exactly what happened because you asked for help (1) time and stole a key card (though for legit information gathering)

She missed it by two weeks. And this would have been right before Botswana. Coach Brunt leaves from here to go to the mine. Carmen arrives before Brunt, as she’s there to observe Brunt taking a tour. Poetic that (it could just about work) Carmen wakes and is restless at the same time across the world, VILE Academy is destroyed?

The scenes of the empty halls of the Academy…this is what happened before they destroyed the Castle-ship in VLD. It’s super effective on my heart.

I love the Faculty plotting haha. Cleo is utterly gleeful at Maelstroms suggestion.

Boris’s teddy bear 🥹 goodness i LOVE the Cleaners as characters.

Okay so if Devineaux is on the island all scruffy and angry, he’s been there a day or two. He missed VILE by DAYS. The one time his bad luck wasn’t of his own doing. This is the best comedy. I also like the insinuation that he explored every inch of that island that he could get to before deciding to leave. He didn’t check his gas and he didn’t check his phone he literally went looking for VILE first.

Weather satellites my beloved.

Considering that Roundabout would have needed to put bribes in the right places for governments around the world to not notice that explosion.

The way Carmen pauses at Shadowsan’s old classroom.

Listen, I know it would have ruined the mood but how FUNNY it would have been for Carmen to rescue Chase off of the island. I still can’t believe they were there at the same time. I really want to be a fly on the wall post series when Chase and Julia finally get to compare notes with Ivy and Zack.

THEY ARE AT A DiNER IN TEXAS I'M HOWLING. (Or somewhere in the southern U.S. I don’t know my dialects well enough). So sinister and yet completely in place. I bet they’re at a Waffle House, no one would bat an eye at this behavior.

And Roundabout joins the Faculty. It’s almost not fair, how could any other operative top his resources. He does a cool job though plot wise! I was entertained.

Devineaux’s entire castaway montage is gold. I don’t know what else to say. I bet there’s a storyboard out there where he talks to a coconut. He is at his lowest of the low here. Even no longer an Interpol employee. He has nothing. Which means, it can only go up from here. He had to be humbled first.

Ahhhh and VILEs side of the story comes out. The absolute pain in Players face and voice when he’s about to tell Carmen her father was Faculty. I love that Player is reading this to her in real time. She’s been on the comms waiting patiently. The AGONY.

This whole rest of the episode is pain. The angst literally overflows. It’s amazing.

Carmen first thought, her first HOPE is that her father was Interpol. The way she rambled off that theory. When Player confirms he’s VILE you can tell in her voice and eyes that she goes through the five stages of grief and then tries to hide it by focusing on the facts. ‘Okay if he’s VILE, then it’s a code name’. And her SHOCK at finding out he was Faculty. Magnificent scene.

*grabs popcorn* Carmen confronts Shadowsan. Carmen’s anger finally comes out. She has been waiting. And she finds out he was indeed still withholding secrets. No more.

“Your silence. Is like Thunder” rate this the coolest line ever. It sets the stage SO well with fading to Carmen standing stiff in the doorway. I’m trembling.

Shadowsan’s so good at masking his emotions, even turned away from Carmen, that i really can’t tell how much this does or does not blindside him. Goodness the man is hiding emotions from HIMSELF.

“Did you take my fathers life?”

Shadowsan’s truthful answer is immediate. Carmen, however, doesn’t have the full story yet and in defense of her considering Shadowsan’s track record, doesn’t believe him.

“If you run, I will find you” is this the most dangerous sounding that Carmen’s been to date? Because it sure feels like it.

The way he says “no more running no more secrets” with such resignation but also guilt in a dignified way.

Where do I even BEGIN to unpack this.

Okay first of all, Dexter Wolfe. Wolfe is an interesting code name as it is one of singular strength but also very pack oriented. So that combined with the “lone wolf” moniker suits him well, as he didn’t like to be on the island and didn’t fit with the rest of the Faculty. They thought it was VILE as the pack, but his pack is really Carmen and her mother. Next, Dexter. I always wondered why *Dexter*. I think it’s a play on “dexterity”, as in his agility and thieving fingers.

Listen, it honestly kills me that Carmen is absolutely her father’s daughter. He can’t sit still. Loves the thrill of the hunt. Beat of his own drum. Was willing to defy VILE for the sake of others. As Carmen is listening to Shadowsan tell his side of the account, she has to be thinking this. He was the best. And was never caught. Until VILE caught him.

Omg younger Faculty. I like how Cleo and Bellum really dig into their code names lol, they scream “new Faculty members testing the waters”. I am eternally interested in how they all became Faculty. I get the sense that Maelstrom is senior and that’s why he does a lot of the speaking for the others. 100% betting that they both cut their hair because of Black Sheep.

ANYWAY. Young operative Shadowsan is so interesting. Because of his skill set. Implies that they don’t have the Cleaners yet? But they are there by the time Black Sheep is grade school age. I’m thinking Shadowsan the operative was a test run for wanting to hire someone like the Cleaners. Also how did Shadowsan get to VILE Academy? I’d say it’s pretty clear that they’ve got business ties to the yakuza, and Shadowsan literally was an exchange student, a promising young star that could do bigger and better things for both parties benefits. Just a theory.

The INCREDIBLY soft way that Shadowsan says “you”, and the way the music shifts. I LOVE.

Okay, baby Carmen can stand briefly, point, and sit up very well. Crawls like a pro, ready to take first steps but not quite there. My estimate is 9 months old, give or take. Now a parent myself, I get it. First 3-4 months Carmen wouldn’t have been doing much, eating sleeping and pooping mostly, but after that she’d have really started to become aware and want to engage in the world. That lines up to close to half a year that Dexter might want to be away to be with her more frequently, because first laugh, smiling at her primary caregivers. Dexter would have craved that. Badly. So it’s part of his slip up. And that lines up to when VILE begins to notice something is off. I’m not emotional.

THE WAY BABY CARMEN FINDS SHADOWSAN AND LIKES HIM IMMEDIATELY. “Play with me,” she’s saying. And he does, 20 years later, to take down VILE.

Dexter cocky that he isn’t paranoid at all.

The way they build up to Dexter’s fate is so tense. Like, Shadowsan told us that it wasn’t him, and never has he technically lied, but as an audience we don’t trust him either. Carmen is emotionally compromised that she can’t consider anything else right now. Brilliant writing. The music and scene transitions are so effective as always.

And Carmen isn’t angry any longer. Not really. She’s just really really sad. Overwhelmed.

Dexter promised to return for Carmen. Despite that, I don’t really understand what his plan was. Was he going to escape, let Interpol find her, and then kidnap her back? Was he going to bring the car around? Did he know Shadowsan was there and knew he wouldn’t hurt the baby? Did he have plans with the nanny that she would return in just this situation? Stressful situation for him, so he probably was not thinking clearly, as Shadowsan says next.

In the other light, Carmen now knows without a shadow of a doubt that her parents loved her and did not abandon her on purpose. This is the important takeaway. I’m sure it was always in the back of her mind considering the story she was told. And the forefront of late after Player shared his experiences with her.

Dexter had a red car. Color theory. Also, the inner house is yellow as Shadowsan watches, that’s typically a color used for team red Allies (most of the civilians of the day have some yellow prominence in their outfits, while Julia has a red shirt, Devineaux has both red and yellow stripes on his tie, less prominent than Julia’s shirt). It bathes young Shadowsan in yellow, already showing that he is on Carmen’s side.

Chief no 😭 and in this very moment, as if nothing else were crashing Carmen’s world around her, this is the cherry on top. Trying to trust a new ally. SMH but yes, this is why ACME uses gas guns.

I love Chief’s angry face, she keeps her temper.

That’s how the doll got burn marks *sobbing mess on the floor*

Did anyone write the fic detailing young Shadowsan’s trip across the Atlantic with baby Carmen? Please inform me where.

“Why would you make me find out on my own?” REAL. This scene is so emotionally charged I literally cannot keep up. ANGRY as she validly should be.

Shadowsan is CRYING. He has held this to HIMSELF for TWENTY YEARS

Carmen understands. Despite the emotional turmoil she just went through, she understands Shadowsan’s feelings enough that she takes pause and decides to prove him right or wrong. Which makes me think that despite it all, Shadowsan’s instincts on Carmen questioning herself were valid. That’s interesting.

However, she chooses now to channel what she knows into an even fiercer conviction. And that’s strength. Something that perhaps she might not have had at the beginning. Something she gained in Ivy, Zack, Shadowsan, and everyone else she’s met since Player.

COMMANDER let me scratch you and rub your little toe beans.

Okay I wasn’t crazy. Chief has gold ish eyes. (That’s yellow color theory fans)

Ivy and Zack: 0

Coffee Machine: 1

Maybe VILE needs whatever disguise Ivy and Zack have, because the chief of ACME, a covert organization that has been following and collecting any and all information on Carmen Sandiego and her ���partners” has NO idea who they are (yet).

The way Carmen comes in, locks the door, and changes the sign to closed.

“Lost my pen” is a good neutral way of saying “my childhood mother figure who once tried to kill me kidnapped me and while doing so fried it. It also electrocuted me.”

“You must be ready to enlist” oh Chief. I’m sorry.

Carmen is so neutral and cool, completely unlike when she last chatted in Botswana, when she was hopeful that this partnership could work. It almost hurts to see it all go backwards.

Chief needs to take IT security training. She failed before Carmen even asked.

I’m so sorry Julia. You had nothing to do with this. Chief didn’t have to loop you in.

This is where Chief hits her downfall. Her desperation to prove VILE exists makes her not think clearly and ignore every corporate safety rule.

I do love to see Player in action though, so it’s fine : D “I’m on a shopping spree”. I’m 90% sure that Carmen told Player that they needed to get ACME’s files. He says he needs a Trojan, and she’s like “we have an empty VILE hard drive” and Player says “I’ll have it ready and mailed to you asap”

And confirms Shadowsan’s account of what happened that night.

1999. Given that Vera Cruz “died” two weeks prior, and that Carmen is nearing one year old, Carmen is a 90s baby. And I think that’s a beautiful homage to the 90s cartoon that they specify her age that way. 99% sure that’s the reason.

The absolute relief on Carmen’s face as Shadowsan reveals the empty coffin. The PEACE. She realizes that her parents were that close to starting a new hidden life with her in the middle of it. It’s comforting and heartbreaking at the same time. She knows her story. She can move forward now with conviction.

“I have a mother who may or may not know I’m alive.”

“Are you with me?”

“To the end of the line”

Let’s go s3

Oh yes, can’t forget to bring our favorite walking disaster back to the fold. Time to bring him around and for Julia to put her foot down.

[fmab]

A collection of personal notes and headcanons for the Citizen Sleeper classes based on how we played them in our playthroughs!! Some of this is very grounded in canon actions you can take, but others are just based on vibes and pure speculation that may not align with how it shakes out in game. Some additional info under the cut for them!! <3

So credit where credit is due, none of these beloved fuckers would be possible without link funnywizard3000, because we played CS book club style and really got deep in the discussion.

Extractor - This was our first play through and we ended up settling on what I see as the most emotionally impactful ending.. The way we wound up playing Operator saw them very alienated from all of the people they knew, even if they shared a connection. Their deep sadness really enforced this wall and they are really really out of tune with their emotions.. But i think embracing the reality of everyone leaving/drifting away/things changing (possibly for the worse) is both good and hopeful in a way. - By "weird thing" with Ethan I mean they were definitely doing some gay shit but there were zero feelings involved. And also Ethan very much died when he disappeared. He's just kind of doomed. And I don't think the sleeper ever cared enough to dig into it. - I feel like theyre very much a ghost inhabiting the Eye. Forever seeking out some connection that they just aren't capable of accessing.

Operator - We wanted to make Operator the most evil cruel cunt in the world. Or at least as mean as you could choose to be in this game.. And we ended up choosing operator for this bc Operator seems to be the poster child for the game and everyone's favorite. Very not fair the other two classes need more appreciation </3 Make Operator Suck. - As it says up there, they care a lot more than they let on but this scares them deeply. They hate being vulnerable or feeling trapped, and with so much autonomy taken from them, this aggression is one of their last lines of defense. It is a tool they can weaponize to avoid being hurt again. - Bc of all this they hold very complicated feelings for Ankhita. They see themself in her, which is also scary. They understand her actions but begrudge her for it (almost in a misdirected way to be hard on themself.) That being said, they do leave the Eye with Ankhita and Bliss. I think the future is hopeful for this Operator, and the two of them stop enabling each other and instead encourage growth and healing.

Machinist - Machinist is just soooo fucking niceys. Ok? And theyre also our free pass to break the mold. - Not mentioned above but they have weekly Tavla games with Castor. Privileges of being a whimsical foil. They really enjoy challenging each other. - The secret third thing with the Gardener comes from how badly we wanted to merge with the Greenway but was horrified to find that it was just. An Ending? I think that there can be some kind of mix or inbetween. They can't fully merge, but they can certainly continue to visit with and cultivate with the Gardener. And they stay really really good at growing fungi. - They wind up staying on the eye, but I do not think this is permanent. I think they consistently somehow stumble onto new and beautiful opportunities that take them many places and always end back home safely eventually.

[ms-demeanor]

*screaming*

*continued screaming*

Okay. So. My introductory Visual C# class.

The professor for that class was Alice. Alice was the person who spoke in the introductory video and the person who we were supposed to email if we had any issues.

But all of the assignments, lectures, and quizzes were written and delivered by Bob. On the youtube channel "Bob's programming academy." The quizzes included Bob's name, like "if you do X will it return the string ProfessorBob, Professor, Bob, or Professor.Bob?"

This class was really frustrating for me because it was structured in such a way that you could easily pass the class with zero knowledge of the subject - it was totally based on quizzes that you could take an unlimited number of times and we *had* weekly programming assignments but they weren't graded so there was no incentive to do them (and look, if I wanted to teach myself programming with no incentives I could fail for several years to do that on my own, I don't need to pay fifty bucks a unit for that; the reason I am in a *class* and am not self-taught is because I need external motivation. That's why I sought out a class).

Also when there *was* a problem with an instruction that was unclear in one of the videos for the assignments, or if I thought I'd done something correctly that was very much incorrect, it wasn't Alice who had created the instructions, it was Bob - in 2017 no less - and I didn't really feel like I could ask Alice for help with an ungraded assignment that she hadn't written.

So. Now. My Python class.

Today is the first day of class. Professor is Charles.

I go to the mandatory attendance quiz and it is word-for-word the same mandatory attendance quiz as the C# class, down to the final question "what is your personal email address so I can keep in contact with you after the semester?"

I look at the syllabus.

Class grade is based on quizzes. We have assignments but none of them are graded. There's no textbook, just a series of videos from Professor Bob's Programming Academy.

So I'd been toying with staying at this school and trying to take more CS classes instead of going to another school, just to try to keep my records easier to manage, but since it seems like that *ENTIRE DEPARTMENT* is five Professor Bobs in a trenchcoat, I will probably be going somewhere else (and once again trying to force myself to do projects that I already know are *good for me to do* but *useless for the class and a massive time suck*)

I should drop this class. I should drop this class and apply for the other school so that I can start taking classes there in the spring because if I take this class and then go into the object oriented programming class in the spring and it's another professor bob sock puppet and I end up taking twelve units of programming classes where all I learn is how to google answers in a short time frame (something I already know how to do thanks) I am going to fucking lose it.

Also, again: I have a Bachelor's Degree. I spent five years at a community college when I was getting that degree. I took probably a dozen online classes starting in 2005 and going until 2011 in the process of getting that degree.

THIS bullshit, this "I'm your professor but actually I'm not and all the materials were created by someone else in the department or came directly from the textbook publisher and there is no writing and there are no assignments everything is multiple choice quizzes that are automatically graded" is *dogshit.*

This is NOT how online classes worked back in my day, not even online math classes, and as much as I know adjuncts are getting fucked over by academia in general, this isn't something that these professors should be getting paid as much as they are to do. Alice checked whether or not students turned in a hello world assignment and gave a pass/fail grades for three discussion boards that were responses to youtube videos. Nothing else in the class required her input. If this is the level of instruction that students are getting then the class is already automated and the students shouldn't have to pay for it.

This is crap. This is an incredible level of crap.

[darkfictionjude]

That's why I do not like when the authors create in Twine instead of CS. It may look boring but it gives you three basic themes; white, sepia, black and you can choose depends on your preferences. We are talking about text game, after all, not visual novel so author should provide the reader comfort during long reading. Aesthetics is a secondary matter.

I don't get it. It seems that most authors in itch.io / tumblr community do not care about readers but create themes that they like the most and do not pay attention that font style, font color or background can be awful to read. This may not be good for the project too: doesn't matter writing is great and the story intriguing, if the potential reader gives up, because their eyes hurt from reading...

I don’t like the idea that a text game is somehow lesser than a visual novel and I don’t like the accusation towards authors in IF that they don’t care about their readers when most authors break their backs creating free games for the audience to enjoy, it is not simple and it is not easy and after all that to have someone say to you that you don’t care about the readers is not only false but hurtful. Do you know how hard it is to write a choice based game? Do you know how many hours of work weekly have to go into it? I’m right now looking into changing the text colour based on themes from a code another IF author just sent me but I will have you know right now that I won’t be disrespected nor be told what is good and not good for my project. I always try to treat my readers with respect and I demand the same in return