#distinguished-slacker

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

ISU released an article about Shoma

Two-time ISU World Champion and three-time Olympic medalist Shoma Uno of Japan has announced his retirement from competitive skating after a long and distinguished career and is ready to open a new chapter in his life.

“I have decided to retire from active competition,” Uno wrote on Instagram. “I am very grateful to have been able to continue skating for 21 years since I was 5 years old, and to have had a wonderful athletic life.”

The Japanese star will talk in more detail about his retirement and future plans in a press conference scheduled for May 14.

The 26-year-old looks back at a career with many highlights and also difficult times, but he always came back, proving his talent and showing resilience. When five-year-old Shoma went to the ice rink in his hometown of Nagoya with his father to have fun, he had no idea that he would become a World Champion, Olympic medalist and super star of the sport. He only knew that the enjoyed skating and kept coming back to the rink, taking lessons. He trained with Machiko Yamada, the coach of Japanese skating icon Midori Ito and also with Mihoko Higuchi for many years and worked his way up in the skating world.

Uno debuted in the ISU Junior Grand Prix in 2011 and was so tiny that he was unable to look over the boards. He won a few medals on the Junior circuit but his breakthrough came in what was his last Junior season in 2014/15 when he qualified for the first time for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final where he claimed gold. Shoma went on to take the ISU World Junior title in 2015, in what was his fourth and final appearance at the event (climbing from 10th in 2012, 7th in 2013 and 5th in 2014).

Once at the senior level, Uno quickly became one of the top Skaters in the World. In his World debut in 2016 he placed 7th but then the next year won silver, his first of a total of four World medals. In his first Olympic Winter Games in 2018, Shoma skated off with the silver medal and returned on to the Olympic podium four years later, earning the bronze. In 2022 and 2023 Uno crowned himself ISU World Champion.

However, in between there was a time of struggle. In the 2019/20 season, for the first (and only) time in his career, Uno finished off the podium in the ISU Grand Prix Series. He had left his coaches since childhood and struggled with confidence.

“At first, to be honest, I was thinking about finishing my career,“ he said in an interview at Skate America 2021 about this time.

“I did not know how much longer I would keep going. But imaging the end (I thought) maybe I'll enjoy the rest of this career as an athlete.“

Uno started to work with two-time World Champion Stéphane Lambiel as his coach and choreographer in fall 2019 and soon came back strong. He grew as an athlete and a performer with beautiful programs that highlighted his versatility: “Turandot” (Free Skating 2017/18), “Great Spirit” (Short Program 2020/21), “Bolero” (Free Skating 2021/22) and “Spiegel im Spiegel” (Free Skating 2023/24) to name a few.

At the same time, the Japanese star always pushed the limits technically and made history by becoming the first Skater to perform a quadruple flip in competition in 2016.

“When I train and want to become better, it's not good for me to work on what I can already do. If I'm satisfied with just giving 80 per cent, I'm not good. The right training for me is to push my limits,” Uno said in an interview.

The Japanese Skater has an independent mind and a fun personality. He has a Youtube Channel where you can meet his three toy poodles Emma, Baron and Toro.

“When I am on the ice, I am totally focused on my sport, but when I'm off the ice, I am sure most people know I am just a lazy slacker, but I thought that would be a good way to show to the people how I am off the ice, but still this is Shoma Uno,” he explained.

When asked who inspires him the most, Shoma’s surprising answer was:

"Myself. Of course, I think I am inspired by many people and heard some good words from everyone, too, but in the end when you break it down, I do feel that it is myself that inspires me and sadly, I don't listen to anyone. Sometimes I listen, but mostly I go with my own mind,” he added.

For sure Uno will follow his own ideas in the years to come but you can certainly expect to see him gracing the ice in shows for a while.

[tentacledwizard]

tumblr user tentacledwizard reviews: Employee of the Month

 

  So recently [read: a few hours ago], @cgtg hosted a sort of movie night. The movie was Employee of the Month, starring Dane Cook. I joined it because I am always willing to expand my cinematic repertoire and also cgtg’s Davekat stuff is really good. Like I don’t even ship Davekat that much but their content is excellent. And the Sandler rap perfectly encapsulates my opinions on Adam Sandler as an actor, because ever since my dad played Billy Madison my life has been ok I’ll just do the review now.

So okay, I was prepared to have an ironically good time. I was convinced the movie would be 100% shit tier, just like Dave Strider said. But I should have known that Dave is not a reliable source. Because this movie was fun. I had a great time. When it comes to official reviews, I’ve seen mainly lukewarm/frosty attitudes towards Employee of the Month but *clears throat* Whatever. 

Now, those who know me know of my passionate love for Home Depot. And if you didn’t know about this, now you do. I wrote a Home Depot/necromancy story in like 7th grade. Home Depot is paradise on earth. You could survive a zombie apocalypse in there. It has everything you need for survival- shelter, crops, energy drinks, etc. This movie basically takes place inside a Home Depot. I forget what the store was actually called. It doesn’t matter. You just need to understand that I love Home Depot so I will generally enjoy movies set inside Home Depots. That was a pretty big factor in my enjoyment. Never mind the fact that this was filmed inside a Costco.

Now onto the actual movie. By rom-com standards, is this a good rom-com? Ehhh. No. The main romance between Dane Cook and “Blond Tart” was half-baked. I saw nothing that distinguished the fair-haired love interest from the other rom-com love interests before/after her, except maybe her big ears. The pair had like nothing in common, mainly because I don’t really know about their interests? Gotta say that Dane Cook had far more chemistry with the other blond tart (aka the antagonist). I wasn’t rooting for the main couple. This is also partly because of the movie’s intense homosexuality. I am not even kidding. Their date was cute though, I just wish they actually had some things in common and we learned more about the love interest.

So basically the plot is that this guy Zack (Dane Cook) works at Fictional!Home Depot and he seems like kind of a “slacker.” He is rivals with a smarmy blond Eminem cousin named Vince (Dax Shepard), who seems like a “stand up guy.” Obviously he is a douche bag who flirts with everyone in a very unprofessional way. There’s some kind of subplot about the store trying to beat another retail place. Then this new employee (Jessica Simpson) waltzes into the place. (I could say she “breasted boobily,” but nah.) Her name is Amy and she allegedly has a thing for employees of the month. So Zack falls in love, but obviously Vince starts making some moves on her. Now Zack has to win Employee of the Month to get the girl, or else Vince will. (There was nothing to worry about though, he dates Amy without even getting the position yet. Also Vince is super awkward/gay.) 

So let me just bullet point this. I’ll cover the characters/plot points/romance plots.

CHARACTERS:

Zack: The main character, Dane Cook. For everyone watching, there was this process of thinking oh no he’s cute and then falling in love with him. Look, he is actually pretty cute. I don’t make the rules. That dorky smile of his is great. He does have his flaws, like being focused only on his own problems. Dude just apologize. But they do get addressed. He’s a pretty good main character, and he really knows how to treat a girl. Home Depot date? SIGN ME UP. That’s going to be me some day, ok? I will meet some dude who shares my love for Home Depot and together we will wander the dusky aisles filled with all manner of appliances. Welp I kind of lost the plot. Anyway he has great date ideas. His little yellow car thing is a complete travesty but I will let it slide. Jorge has the better yellow vehicle but of course he does. Jorge is gangsta. 

(guy has that Kubrick stare)

Vince: The main antagonist besides the nebulous “corporate.” At first he seems like a blond flashlight that draws in the ladies like moths. He truly seems like a suave douchebag. As the movie goes on, you learn that this is untrue (the “suave” part). He is really awkward. Probably the only person in love with him is my main guy Jorge (Efren Ramirez). More on that at ten. Anyway, Vince is really good at cashiering. He does an unprofessional little circus act with the products that makes the ladies allegedly swoon. He gets Employee of the Month many, many times. Can Zack possibly usurp him?? Who knows! So yeah, Vince is a sopping and pathetic fellow. At some points you want him to shut up, but at other points you feel this deep well of pity for his plight. Negative points for using the r-word once >:( but also hey this is 2006. 

Amy: Uh. Ummm. Well she seems very friendly and… like a love interest. Uh… I’m sure there has to be more to her. Right? Oh well. Her big ears are pretty cute. Sadly, she doesn’t exactly have a personality or agency over the plot. I don’t really like plots that are just two guys fighting over a girl, except that turned out to not really be part of the movie so it’s fine. At least she called out Zack when he was being stupid, but that was mainly just to milk some drama. I think she and Lily should date.

Jorge: Jorge, the man that you are. Look, he is amazing and I cannot lie. What even is a salmon churro? The entire chat was yelling every time he was on screen. He first appears as Vince’s lackey, and he mainly helps out Vince with his various sabotage attempts. But he turns out to have more depth than that. He is like a short bug. He is willing to stab an old lady. Jorge is what we call “gangsta.” Everything he does is cool in a Jorge sort of way. He really made the movie. You can fight me on this. 

Lily: The Human Resources manager. Okay, so she doesn’t have dialogue (I think) but I wanted to include her here because she is cool and really pretty and I had a minor sexuality crisis once she arrived on screen (it happens every other day. Don’t worry about it). I like the lily in her hair. She was so real for accepting a bribe and eating that Butterfinger. <3

Grandma: She could be referred to as feisty. You could also say she’s bisexual. Kudos to her for keeping it real with Zack. The “seed of love” speech was…really dubious!

Boss man: Whatever is going on with him, it’s very gay. He outright says that he thinks/has thought about kissing guys. Maybe there’s something between him and the policeman? Anyway, I feel pretty bad that his older brother emasculated him. Not much else to say. He’s not exactly a paragon of professionalism, which is what makes this movie fun. He totally wants to be the fatherly boss but he fails. His lackey’s name is Dirk. Strider reference? You know it. (This was made 3 years before homestuck started).

BOSS Boss Man, aka Corporate Incarnate: Boss Man’s big brother, in the age sense. Okay, this guy kind of scares me. He is way less relaxed than Boss Man, and he certainly can drub people with canes. He runs a tight ship, so obviously he won’t stand for the main character mayhem going on. 

Iqbal: I don’t remember a ton of stuff about him, but he is like a lot of my family friends. He deserves good stuff because he had to put up with Zack’s crap for longer than necessary. Do I have to cover every single character? How about we move onto the main thing: shipping. It’s not really the main thing, but I'm going insane over it so for me it is.

SHIPS:

  Oh man okay, here we go. I already covered my very few thoughts on Zack/Amy so here are some ships that I find interesting.

Zack/Vince: Basically, the plot of the movie revolves around these two and their rivalry. I kind of doubt their hate is platonic. At one point Vince compares them to a pair of “old gay sailors.” Zack’s face really says it all, honestly:

Their scenes together had a ton of sexual chemistry. Intense Kubrick stares. Toreador-ish mop fights. Breaking into the other person’s house to make them late for work. You know. Like that. We all agreed that they are best summarized as “toxic yaoi.” Essentially, they are kismeses. Also, Vince is a complete mess around Amy but seems way more comfortable antagonizing Zack. I don’t think Zack is really into Vince, but it’s an interesting thought.

Vince/Jorge: Now this. THIS is the true romance of the story. You think I’m kidding? This is pretty much canon (or at least heavily implied). Where Zack and Vince had some sexual tension, these two have a Home Depot’s worth of romantic tension. They have so many little moments, like when they just kind of solemnly listen to music in a car (which turns out to be a bookend). They’re constantly around each other, and their relationship actually has an arc. Vince starts out kind of using Jorge as a henchman, but then Jorge goes against that. There’s a temporary breakup, and Vince kind of loses it. He has no one to talk to now. But he’s willing to pull himself together and give Jorge the space he needs to think things through. And THEN they have this big moment where they get back together as equals and it’s beautiful and okay it’s easier to just show you. 

(Previous image) Here we have Jorge helping Vince with his dorky-ass heelies because Vince is trying to be a coolkid like Zack.

And then we have that whole moment over there. They’re holding hands! (Hurt/comfort moment tbh)

THEIR VICTORY DANCES?? HELLO?? This is adorable i can’t

Okay, this is blatantly romantic. The words “please, come home” imply that they share a home. Perhaps they are even… roommates? But look, the normally rude Vince is actually being considerate. And he calls Jorge “homes.” Jorge normally calls him that!

Full access to the cashier’s lounge? Jorge you mad lad. 

Awww-

Okay I gasped aloud at this part. They are married. Or like they will be at some point in time. “It just feels right” yeah they are SO married. Look at the height difference. They are everything, as of four hours ago. This is cinema.

I can’t do this man why did I start reviewing this. They use each other’s pet names. Shit. Fuck you, Dane Cook movies. I hate feeling emotion like this.

yes, Jorge and Vince were the real romance subplot all along. They’re literally the last scene of the movie.

Look at the smile on Jorge’s face. Jegus. This ship is everything. These two were the real emotional core of the movie. Without them, I’d just be like “eh whatever at least it was fun.” But damn, they really delivered on the romance subplot.

Uh… Yeah I can’t really think of any other ships that I like. Vince/Amy sucks and they had nothing to say to each other. I like the idea of Amy/Lily, though! I think either of them could make employee of the month. I guess Amy/Zack is good for now though.

OTHER THINGS:

That clubhouse is awesome. Probably a big hazard considering it’s on top of that big shelf. But hey I want a Home Depot buddy lair too!

Vince saying he can get a little anal…. >:? Sir what.

Amy’s really out there auspiticizing for Zack and Vince huh? She deserves good things for having to put up with that

Why did it suddenly turn into a sports movie for a few minutes? Why were they playing softball against another hardware store? We may never know.

Banger soundtrack. 10/10.

And that’s a wrap everyone, catch me crying over the hug or making “ironic” fanart of Dane Cook and co. I really enjoyed this and I will hopefully be there for the next flick. Wow I wrote a lot about this movie. Uh. Consider it ironic, I suppose.

[oya-oya-okay]

Here!!!!!!!🧡

This is a very interesting picrew🥰

Tagging: @oyatochie @haroksan @wintersoldier-barnes @kakash109 @fanfictionsworld @phantom-17 @minteaminor @bigbrainbiology @gureshinlover @devotedlyluckyarbiter @rinislove-rinislife @soplichan @hyciao @schneereggen @distinguished-slacker 💛💛💛 (You don't have to do this if you don't want to!) and anyone who wants to try it!!

[oyakay]

If you're still doing the art asks, 6 & 8!

Hii dear anon!!!💗💗💗 Yes, it's still open!!💕💕

Thank you for your interest🥺💖 I actually thought that no one would ask any more questions, so I'm so happy thanks to you<33

6. tag your favorite artists/inspirations!

@hagi-shroom @mintearo @bigbrainbiology @distinguished-slacker @hebidanshi @withoutzeuzey @hyciao and many more artists!!♥️♥️♥️ (sorry if I might have disturbed you)

8. show us at least 2-3 drawings from 1-2 years ago.

These are the drawings I drew in 2021!!! I kind of posted them only on Twitter but then I deleted them🙃🙃🙃💦💦💦

Guren Ichinose, Sebastian and Ciel💖

Artist ask meme!!!

[shinji-hibiki]

passes microphone to u tell us ur shinji ships

Oh boy. oh bouyyyyyyyy.

Ok anyone super familiar with me knows that my #1 shinji romance is shinji/hakupo tsukishiro. i had seen both of them used separately in an ancient utau medley video. neither of their voicebanks were used very well. but i was obsessed with their designs. they were my favourites out of the bunch and contrasted so well w each other so i made them duet suki kirai . they don’t have super concrete personalities so it’s really fun to imagine them as a silly ‘opposite-type’ romance where they endearingly bother each other and act as each other’s grounding force. Even more fun if you consider a UTAUniversity or similar setting where shinji is a rowdy and delinquent band club member and hakupo is a carefree, slacker-type guy :*]

I’m surprised I’m not more into shinji/nitarou otodamaya because that’s definitely the most ‘canon’ character duo. It’s fun to imagine them as childhood friends who are really close and not afraid to be affectionate w each other… and since im a gay guy with a bad habit of crushing on friends i know that theres definitely some kind of deep-seated longing in one or both parties. Maybe they had something once but continued on as friends. Maybe they fooled around one night and never spoke of it again. Maybe nothing has happened yet but it inches closer. But I definitely enjoy their dynamic of ‘reckless guy being an enabler to his voice of reason’ lolol

A pair I’ve been considering a LOT recently is shinji/piggy!!!! Piggy’s VP (buuta) is in the vkeiloid circle and thus she counts as part of their entourage. to me. I’m really bad at distinguishing whether a character pairing is platonic or romantic and dont really care at this point. Shinji and piggy in my brain go on shopping trips and dinner dates and out to karaoke. it’s interesting 2 imagine them bonding with each other over living in the city and being part of subculture scenes. I imagine they have a really compatible dynamic where they can talk really easily to each other and are just really loose and comfortable being weird together.

Shinji/soho is another really funny one I consider being similar in nature to him and piggy. Soho to me is kind of a free agent where he’s noncommittal but affectionate towards anyone he’s friends with. Shinji is probably one of soho’s closest friends where he feels comfortable being totally real to him. they’ve seen everything and love each other dearly. But like at the same time soho is also in a fucked up love triangle with nitarou and kotaro because they’re all friends and in a band and theyre all kind of gay about it

^and of course on that tangent i am also dedicated to the idea that Yes Everyone In Shinji’s Band Is Kind Of In Love With Each Other. or at display a lot of affection and are just generally really close. I like to think that they all live in a cramped apartment together with a really big bed that they all cuddle together in. I have a lot of feelings about the individual relationships between band members but i need more time to think about that before i write it down lolol. but in the meantime here’s an awesome chart showing some of it. i bet i even forgot some of it but oh well

well i hope u enjoyed reading all of that :*] its a lot but im actually really glad someone prompted me to get all my thoughts out about shinji romance. love you

[gureshinlover]

Hello! Can you suggest some active ONS accounts? Probably are the one who posts monthly translated chapters.?

There are a lot more but here are some off my head!

@paperpeter

@distinguished-slacker

@black-sapphire57

@schneereggen

@nayruwu​

@bigbrainbiology

@generalmoony​ /  @isthatmytoast

@winterserafu

@rev3rb​

@lostsoulaltair

Anyone can reblog and add more btw, active ons accounts show yourself!! :3

[arecomicsevengood]

Molly Colleen O’Connell released two new comics recently, her first in several years. Both display an increased accessibility, while retaining her signature wiggliness: a high level of doodler’s digressiveness, moving about a room and saying “oh! what’s this?” to any stray bit of string. You might think, looking at the front cover of The Shriekers, that the focus of the book would be the figures framed by the window, the little Halloween-costumed children in the front yard. But no, the main characters of the book are the figures skulking about behind the curtains, hiding from both the outside world and the prospective reader’s immediate attention. On the back cover, we see their portraits on the wall, with names, amidst the props and furniture that features in the stories inside.

The Shriekers is a set of gag strips, following weird ghouls in a house, sort of like The Addams Family, while also reminiscent of Lizz Hickey’s Jammers comics. Interactions between the characters are limited, we’re introduced to them one at a time, and the structure, a la Richard Linklater’s Slacker, moves on to the next after a brief meeting. At this point, the humor isn’t character-based; rather the characters exist to explore the formal system being created by O’Connell’s drawings. It strikes me as the sort of thing that could continue parceled out into anthology contributions which could then be collected to form an issue two.

While The Shriekers moves about the space of its boarding house setting, Pebbles moves throughout time, flitting around the memories of its titular character, Pebbles. She’s seen at different ages, in different settings, (therapy, childhood, teen years, floppy-titted middle age) and is distinguished by her nose: In the end we see her in a sci-fi pod, and it’s explained she’s traveling through her consciousness, and while this makes sense of some of what we’ve seen, it doesn’t quite account for the digressions into anthropomorphic animals we’ve seen: a chicken atop a next of snake eggs, hatching her doom; two ostriches, with heads in the sand, coming up with ideas for t-shirts while bombs fall in the distance.

I want to see more of both of these stories. O’Connell’s approach is continually suggestive of the idea that she is going somewhere with her ideas, but also might take her time getting there, and maybe in the end your brain is going to need to fill in the blanks, extrapolating from what you’ve been given. Perhaps she is talking around something bigger than her current narrative can handle straight-on, and these themes might end up being addressed in another comic entirely, leaving a reader to grasp the extent of her interests by considering her oeuvre as a whole. Already I can see that Pebbles is talking about death, motherhood, and nature, time and memory, the future and the past: Some of these topics are addressed in the diary/memoir comics mourning O’Connell’s mother that have appeared on her instagram, which when collected will be more immediately understood in terms of power and emotion than the roving jokester consciousness at work in Pebbles.

Anyone looking at these comics has ample evidence of how interesting O’Connell is as a drawer. Pebbles features more grey wash, adding this painterly texture to a clean line that obeys its own wobbly logic to detail what the world is. The loose perspective, and eye for accumulated detail, makes moments like the conclusion of The Shriekers, where we zoom out to see an increasingly cluttered room, feel the same way as the close-ups would work in Ren And Stimpy, this grossness that vibrates with comedic effect.

Overall, the vibe is very animated, of an avant-garde-ish tint: Sally Cruikshank and Suzan Pitt being the American exemplars of an energy otherwise associated with Eastern Europe. While not able to feature the same fluidity of transformation that makes those pieces such mind-blowers of technical acumen, the principles of expansiveness are applied to how a page can move in traditional comic-book storytelling ways but still be so alive it seems to continually redraw itself. Thrilling comics for fans of the medium, currently available at both O’Connell’s BigCartel site and the Domino Books store.

[jaechanartz]

Happy birthday to me!

@gofancyninjaworld @goldfishshithead @distinguished-slacker @yuikeiko

[odysseus-thecunning]

{ RISH SHAH, 22, AGENDER, THEY/THEM } Is that ODYSSEUS “ODIE” REZA? A SENIOR originally from BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, they decided to come to Ogden College to study ASTROPHYSICS on a FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIP. They’re THE SLACKER on campus, but even they could get blamed for Greer’s disappearance.

INSPO | PLAYLIST (WIP)

the basics

name: odysseus “odie” artharvaa reza age: twenty-two birthday & zodiac: october 11th. libra sun, scorpio moon, aquarius rising. virgo mercury, leo mars, sagittarius venus. gender: agender sexuality: bisexual positive traits: witty, debonair, honorable negative traits: jaded, antagonistic, sardonic

the surface

faceclaim: rish shah. height: 6′0 ft. weight: 170 lbs. eye color: umber brown. hair: coarse, naturally dark colored and cool-toned, clipped short. semi regularly bleaches and dyes hair different colors, mostly blues, greens, and purples. style: sleek, cozy, slouchy and simple. baggy, vintage tees and loose trousers. black and khaki cargo, flannel, and chunky sweatshirts. definitely thrifts most of their ensemble pieces, so lotsa timeless looks. wardrobe lacks a severe amount of colors; browns, 69 shades of grey, earthy greens, and black, black, black. can be described as some hybrid of soft punk, skater, & goblincore. distinguishing features: dark, alluring eyes. gloomy aura. prominent jaw & a cute lil forehead freckle occupation: line cook at a local diner. intern at a software company. status: single, broke, & fabulous. trope: THE SLACKER

When did Odysseus’ days as a child prodigy end? Instead, falling short of every single expectation their intellect bore from their youth. Partially thanks to the excessive drug use at an early age and what was likely undiagnosed ADHD, Odie struggled in school since their pre-teens. School was boring, and the teachers were too busy catering to the dumbest kid in class to notice the link between Odie’s fulfillment and their behavioral problems.

The schoolwork didn’t interest them, and despite the many lectures given to Odysseus about the importance of work ethic, the lessons never stuck. Though, their learning didn’t stop. They catered to their own niche interests outside of school, spending hours at the public library teaching themself computer language. Despite their insistence to avoid schoolwork, they aced every exam and kept up (or often lead) academic discourse about the subject.

Adults recognized this potential, yet no one possessed the patience to truly tap in to it. Instead, Odysseus was dismissed as a basket case, a know-it-all troublemaker with a chip on their shoulder against authority. Not only were they infamous for unfinished work, but Odie was labelled a disturbance for their classes.

This bred a resentment toward education, which in turn fostered their procrastination and lack of effort. Nothing could convince Odysseus completing a redundant study guide was anything but an absurd waste of time.

College, thus far, has been somewhat of a success story for them, largely in part to Odie being in control of their own curriculum. Odie never intended to go to college, yet their beloved high school physics teachers paid for the application fees himself and insisted they apply to a few schools in the area.

To this day, they are a frustrating, talkative, unfocused student, yet their contributions are often applauded for their depth. Odysseus is constantly hounded by their friends and family for not applying themself, yet they prefer to think their priorities are just greatly misunderstood.

SECONDARY TROPES: badass bookworm, asshole victim, meaningful name, black sheep, antagonistic offspring, anti-hero, don’t you dare pity me, lovable rogue, sore loser, society is to blame, deadpan snarker, intentional heartbreaker, misanthrope supreme, child prodigy, anarchy is chaos

the depths

personality: arrogant, dogmatic, apathetic, forthright, cynical, protective, cruel, articulate, lazy, cerebral, impatient, adventurous, shortsighted, perceptive, resentful, clever, aloof, noncommittal, vindictive, sullen, opinionated, temperamental, gallant (in that sleazy aquarius sorta way), reserved, skeptical, proud, disobedient, unforgiving mbti: estp. the entrepreneur. extraverted. sensing. thinking. perceiving. alignment: chaotic neutral hogwarts house: slytherin hobbies: watching anime, skateboarding, reading, graffiti art, coding, video gaming, running. history:

The second child of the long-married Artharvaa and Ghanavi Reza, Odysseus inherited the same responsibilities and expectations of their older sister without any of the tools to achieve them. They were a moody child, often reprimanded for talking back and blatantly refusing to bend to their parents’ commands. Causing an upset became their norm, the only real validation they received from their parents in the form of long-winded speeches and cruelties posed as punishments.

Odie felt comfortable in the role of the black sheep, seeing firsthand how their parents’ expectations crushed the souls of their siblings. They were determined not to end up a carbon copy of their parents, despite how desperately their father clung to the idea. Yet, their bright intellect caught the attention of several teachers who pushed the hopes of Odie’s eventual success onto their parents, much to their dismay. They have potential, their teachers would preach, you just need to learn to nurture it.

Neither parent had a nurturing bone in their body, instilled with tough love and having raised their kids under the same conditions. Their toughness failed to motivate Odie, instead forcing them to harden and detach lest they crack from the pressure. So what if they were smart if they were just as lazy? They couldn’t be expected for greatness if they didn’t try. It became their unspoken rule of sorts; you couldn’t fail at anything if you never really started it to begin with.

Much of Odysseus’ adolescence was spent in solitude, the tall brunette declining every opportunity to involve themself in anything. Besides a good book. Odie spent more of their time hidden in the aisles of the public library prodding and surfing than they did with kids their own age, but this was a blessing if anything. People were complex, and they tended to lie. They didn’t see the point in entertaining meaningless connection, just as they didn’t see the point in building up a future for themself that was never gonna happen.

People born into a family like theirs never truly had a chance to begin with. It was a simple fact of life Odysseus accepted in middle school, a decision made of self-preservation. They hated the world for making it seem otherwise, and they hated the fools who bought into it even more. More than that, they hated their father, who was a strict devotee to the “American Dream” and the individualistic notion of picking up his own bootstraps by sacrificing everything and putting in the gruesome work.

Marcus was a street rat, just like Odie. He was smart too and just as troublesome. The two instantly clicked, and the rebellious boy was the first person Odie felt had the slightest inclination of how they felt. They were inseparable after their first few hangouts, which consisted of hours of endless rambling about the state of the world and the latest Rick Riordan novel they finished.

Marcus’ home life was complicated. He didn’t like to talk about it much with Odie, but from what they gathered his mother was a hard drug user, often times slumped over in the recliner in Marcus’ living room on their frequent house visits. It was almost a blessing in disguise for Odie, as the two could smoke carelessly in Marcus’ room and come in and out whenever they pleased.

He was only a year older than Odie, though it felt like a decade to them sometimes. Marcus was full of potent rage, though it was something Odie never saw unless provoked. Or if Marcus had a bit too much to drink. He could be so wise, which didn’t align with the reckless, boyish behavior Odie was used to. And somehow, Marcus always had enough money for both of their subway fares. When they would tell him they couldn’t afford to go out to eat after school, Marcus tisked and paid anyway.

In passing, Odysseus wondered how a kid like Marcus always managed to have a few bucks on him, but they hadn’t realized the extent their friend went to guarantee they could eat well. Until a friend of Marcus’ pulled up to his house and he demanded Odie stay in the room and keep quiet. They went back and forth in the living room, until his friend demanded Marcus ride along with him and the boy reluctantly agreed.

They were only gone an hour, if that. Marcus popping up again with his hair in a mess with no words of explanation for Odie, though they’d pieced together the semi-private meetings and his severe distrust of strangers. They kept silent, knowing any words of discouragement wouldn’t sway Marcus and may very well disrupt their space free of judgement. Marcus knew what he was doing, and who was Odie to tell him his methods were wrong?

(tw: violence) As the two grew together, Odie watched as Marcus fell deeper into the scene, his crew and duties practically engulfed his life by the time Odie turned fifteen. On the second week of summer following Odie’s freshman year of high school, they were jumped on their way home from a mutual friend’s house. It should have been a typical beating, retaliation for whatever profits Marcus and his crew swept from under their feet, but Marcus refused to stop fighting and the boys refused to relent.

(tw: murder, graphic injury, blood) With their face shoved in gravel and their arm pinned painfully to their back, Odie pleaded for Marcus to stop and stay down. Their eyes stung with tears and blood as they watched the stubborn boy endure strike after strike, still aimlessly swinging his arms and legs against the assailants. It felt like an eternity, watching the life slowly drain from their friend before he collapsed to the ground beside Odie, pale, bloodied, and out of breath. Only then did they release Odie, running into the black of the night and leaving the dying boy in the arms of his best friend.

Every bone in his face was broken, smashed out of place to the point of almost being unrecognizable. Odie sat beside him limply, cursing at Marcus, telling him what a fucking idiot he was, trying to figure out how to pick him up and get him back to his room without hurting him. It was only a few blocks. If Odie could just pick him up. He would be fine.

He didn’t make it past the end of the street, a broken rib jutted into his lung preventing life from finding him again. Odysseus trekked the path to Marcus’, collapsing in his front yard upon realizing they’d lost him. Odie yelled for Marcus’ mother, yelled for anyone to help them.

When his mother came out to her porch to see Odie holding her son, she became hysterical and charged at them, spewing accusations and beating on their chest. Odie didn’t flinch away from her anger, instead embracing every hit until one of the neighbors intervened and pulled them away. Why? They couldn’t say. Odie deserved to die right beside him. 

The police released them of any suspicion despite their refusal to answer any questions, seeing Odie for what they were; a traumatized kid lost in a pit of darkness. Their mother was hysterical upon their release, giving one firm slap across Odie’s face for their apparent involvement in gang activity (they didn’t even try to argue) before sobbing and openly embracing them.

It was a rough few months following Marcus’ death. Their parents had them on lockdown, claiming it was for their safety but Odie recognized it as the consequence to their years of lying. Marcus’ mother never spoke to Odie again, except to let them know they were not to come to the funeral. And they didn’t. They mourned their best friend silently for years, though in all this time they never managed to accept they weren’t accountable for what happened to Marcus.

Graduating high school with a barely acceptable GPA, Odie had every intention of working their family’s bodega for the rest of their life or until it went out of business. By the grace of their favorite physics teacher, an application for Ogden’s financial scholarship (and a lengthy recommendation letter and explanation of Odie’s tremendously poor grades) was submitted on their behalf. Their teacher urged them to go and finish a degree, lest they allow the hard-earned money he spent on their application fees to go to waste.

So, Odysseus went to Ogden and has a relatively unimpressive track record at the school. Not much is known about the laidback STEM major, Odie much prefers to keep to their inner circle and is proud of their status under the radar. Yet as things grow more tense on campus, Odie seems to thrive amongst the chaos of the other students.

the connections

relationship to greer: ex-fling.

Much like it is at Ogden, everyone knew and aspired to be by Greer’s side. She was the spawn of two incumbents of old money empires, and the pinnacle of white privilege Odysseus learned to despise from a young age. They should have resented her, and by all accounts they couldn’t care less about the gossip and rumors constantly surrounding the Golden Girl.

They weren’t friends. They’d barely spoken all throughout high school, despite attending the same institution and their family’s bodega being a routinely, afternoon stop for her group of friends. Odie was civil, if not a bit indifferent whenever she came around. 

One of the only parties Odie attended in high school was at the behest of their close friend, at the residence of one of Greer’s many minions. They couldn’t recall where the night went, but eventually they were stuck on the empty patio of the affluent house, with their ride battling alcohol poisoning in the bathroom.

Eventually, Greer stumbled upon Odysseus hiding out in the cold rather than waiting inside with the remaining stragglers. She sat down beside them and asked to hit the spliff in their hands. The words of a pretty face were always so much more convincing, and Odie found themself not hating the company of the girl they’d often sneer at in school.

They sat beside each other until the sun rose, bantering and flirting and debating the purpose of existence. She was easy to admire, and she shattered Odie’s cynicism against her with ease. They were so wrapped in Greer’s world, they failed to notice when their friend finally emerged from the bathroom and left assuming Odysseus had long since returned home.

In the safety of the daylight, a sleep-deprived Greer offered to walk Odie to the station. It felt surreal, being filled with elation in the presence of the most  popular girl in town. They gave their goodbyes, but not before Odie leaned down and planted a longing kiss on the Golden Girl’s lips. They stepped on the train, leaving with a heart full of hope and a pretty girl’s phone number.

The next few days, Odysseus watched the clock in anticipation to see Greer walk through the doors of the bodega. When she did, she paid them little mind while she laughed and chatted with her other friends. They gave her a friendly smile upon checkout, one that was returned with a half-hearted laugh and a grimace.

They understood instantly what role they would play for her. A comfort in the night, a heartfelt conversation, warmth by her bedside. Yet, they would never be something Greer could love with pride. They were her shameful secret, a guilty pleasure she couldn’t help but feel magnetized too.

The next several months, Odie played the role exceptionally well. The two would sneak around, wreaking havoc in the night and sending gushy texts throughout the day. Odysseus didn’t complain for the most part, until it became increasingly apparent how serious Greer’s relationship grew with the Big Man.

When they expressed qualms about being a consolation prize, Greer caved and promised the start of her college years would be the beginning to bringing their relationship to the public eye.

Having Greer was never about placing a claim on her, but rather Odie couldn’t fathom her closeness if it was not motivated by their love. They swept much under the rug for the belief she felt the same for them, yet it was becoming increasingly clear they were just as meaningless as the rest of her superficial relationships.

When Greer started at Ogden, she quickly fell back on her promises to Odysseus. “Just another semester,” she urged, yet the end of the semester brought about nothing but the clarity Greer would never be willing to change for them.

Odie broke off their mostly-concealed fling shortly after the first semester of Greer’s freshman year. Since then, any trace of their history together has been wiped clean off Odie’s slate.

friends: tbd enemies: tbd romantic interests: tbd wanted connections: flings flings flings, nepo babies for them to hate<3, alt gang!!!, hate fuck, complicated fwb, casual enemy or two, academic foil (rlly smart/dumb kid who tries super hard), close friends, smoking circle, past situationships, one (1) best friend LMFAOOOO, someone to incessantly argue with, conversationalist, the calm of their storm

the education

school year: senior major: astrophysics extracurriculars: robotics club, chess club, track & field (sprints), boxing club.

[gh0stgr1nder]

hey kid, youre new around here, so its okay if you dont know how this school runs, but the shit that they tell you, in orientation, is nothing more than lesson number one!

hey kid, no need to worry, i can let you in on what its all about, theres a couple more things, on the down-down-low, you should know before you have to figure out,

a word to the wise, dont you dare make a fuss! asking for help shows youre not one of us!

a word to the wise, dont act like youve made it, failure will find you-admissions delayed it!

just cause you made it in, doesnt mean that youre done! a word to the wise: youve barely begun!

theres lots of little places to get lost in,

theres libraries that sprawl beneath your feet!

rooftops that nobody frequents, where secret societies meet,

theres ivy-wreathed arches and ivory towers, sun drenched verandas to study for hours!

but dont share what you find, hidden in tomes on the shelf,

a word to the wise: its every man for himself!

we're too advanced for second chances, theres a standard to maintain! every hall and dormitory, bearing some great philosophers name, so why should anybody here be impressed? who the hell are you to compete with the best? you better figure it out, and figure it fast, cause, word to the wise: filthy slackers dont last!

a word to the wise, the sons of lawyers and kings,

are taking your classes and appraising your rings!

a word to the wise: you better stay in your place! or dorm room doors will get slammed in your face! so if you arent upper crust, or youre a hair out of touch, a word to the wise: dont stand out too much! just try to blend in, buy a three-button suit, dont let on where it fits wrong!

join a club and gain acceptance- if you arent too exotic to belong! theres been a hundred years of students like us, and two or three of students like you, your ambitions might burn, but tradition runs deep, a word to the wise: look before you leap!

the phaethon prize is a highly competitive award, given to a single senior in each graduating class. honoring the memory of arthur phaethon, who, during his undergraduate years, took it upon himself to isolate the radioactive elements produced by the decay of a pitchblende. while the project claimed his life just shy of his graduation, today the phaeton prize is awarded to undergraduates who display similar tenacity, independence, and intellectual acuity, distinguishing them as the best that ardess university has to offer.

the nominees for the phaethon prize for the current graduating class are: quincy cynthius martin, vincent aurelius lin, ambrose wellington bassford, beatrix valeria campbell, david elizabeth kawthorne, drew r...

theres a certain subset of exceptional, with a bulletproof reputation! earn the right prizes, the school recognizes your usefulness more with each commendation!

so if you get the chance in your senior year, why not give it everything youve got? why not whitewash your flaws, with a phaethon shine? a word to the wise:

your life's on the line!

ill let you in on a secret, kid, dont let this place eat you like me!

just try to fit in, learn to bear it and grin, be the paragon it needs you to be!

a word to the wise: never let yourself rest! they can try to despise you, but not your success!

a word to the wise:

its no use getting through, when everyone else expects nothing from you!

a word to the wise:

just be patient and wait, theyll have to give in once you do something great!

dont crack up, dont break it, youre not great, so fake it, dont falter or show fear, act like you belong here! dont crack up, dont break it, youre not great, so fake it, dont falter, or show fear, act like you belong here! dont crack up! dont break it! youre not great! so fake it! dont falter! or show fear! act like you belong here!

if you dont look the part, or cant keep your thoughts straight, better prove yourself soon, or head back through that gate!

a word to the wise: Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize!

[theholyyuunoaduck1]

BRUHHHHUHUHHHHHH AHAHAHHAHAH

@distinguished-slacker

[bigbrainbiology]

I posted 454 times in 2022

That's 153 more posts than 2021!

184 posts created (41%)

270 posts reblogged (59%)

Blogs I reblogged the most: (edited so the @'s don't bother anyone but love y'all <3)

distinguished-slacker

redundantz

generalmoony

oyakay

oya-oya-okay

I tagged 452 of my posts in 2022

#reblog - 265 posts

#awesome art - 231 posts

#my art - 143 posts

#digital art - 140 posts

#owari no seraph - 126 posts

#fanart - 114 posts

#seraph of the end - 69 posts

#legend of zelda - 49 posts

#text post - 36 posts

#original art - 34 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters (not showing this one haha, twas a reminder of a dark time)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

"Who cares? I certainly don't." </3

91 notes - Posted November 4, 2022

#4

101 notes - Posted July 13, 2022

#3

If anyone ever writes an 'isekai-ed into baby Penny' AU, I totally give you permission to use this as a fic cover as long as you link me the fic! <3

No words version under the cut ->

This was so much fun!

101 notes - Posted July 30, 2022

#2

Penny redraw <3

ref ->

101 notes - Posted November 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Currently going Feral over TOTK <3

@squid-ink-personal I did it! ^v^ Ghost-less version ->

142 notes - Posted September 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[libidomechanica]

Shall I, unsuspect grew, and as blacksmith

Their sin. But many hear that beneath, smiles, the truth white have turne and friend Don Juan replied—if it be the distinguish in my Ear till tis much: but with the flower, glistens to grow. But as ill forgot. The first he did not for them—whose diapason knells on scrolls off San Salvador salute that tedious light, clover so. Crew; in place with greater, hardier, had I been to the rest were Frenchment of the pock, thou triumph—let thy Door; let him not ashamed of agony of please, and only a world’s wealth, and struggle slacker, but now we see it fail’d for the old Pacha sits amber Heaven, here are me when love inside, without lightning, rubb’d his flea, and blown do but glow in ditch again. Were all the very look on Heaven shield. So, some preuaile, they live my loved: so shall the vessel bounds. Hair—her Cheek was endearment all! This is a lovers meet here an architect. And me.

[liamarmitage]

Gil Scott-Heron wrote, “The revolution will be televised.” Matt Dinniman wrote, “The apocalypse will be televised.” Damien Hanson and Joseph Phelps did not write, but should have, that the apocalypse will be marketed. 

Currently the Shopaclypse Saga, or BuyMort books as they are often known, sit at a series of six and is complete. I listened to the first five books on Audible and then read the last one on Kindle Unlimited as the audio is not out yet. 

Since I have one complaint about the audio I also want to list the positives and let's get all of that out of the way to focus on the story itself. The voice work was done by Wayne Mitchell who I thought was excellent. A central theme of the protagonist is their endurance and working through physical trauma. Not original I know. And a mechanism of the story, a literal mechanism within the story, allows them to survive incredible physical damage. The text to emphasize the experience is repetitive during scenes which in prose you can visually skim but Hanson diligently grunts and strangled screams making it difficult to listen to at times. 

There are six books in total:

BuyMort: Grand Opening: How I Became the Accidental Warlord of Arizona (Shopocalypse Saga)

BuyMort: Smart Shopper: How I Became the Accidental Warlord of Arizona (Shopocalypse Saga)

BuyMort: Rise of the Windowpuncher: How I Became the Accidental Warlord of Arizona (Shopocalypse Saga)

BuyMort: 30,000 Leagues: How I Merged to Become Nu-Earth Affiliated (Shopocalypse Saga)

BuyMort: Bull Market Mayhem: How I Cornered The Multiversal Monopoly (Shopocalypse Saga)

BuyMort: Closing Time: How I Crashed the Multiversal Market (Shopocalypse Saga)

The plot can be summed up as a multi-dimensional Amazon comes to Earth and as absolute capitalism takes over the human race all but dies off. I'm going to be honest, the first book is a rough read. I know quite a few people who did not make it all the way through. I felt it picked up in the second half and the protagonist we had absolutely no reason to follow in the first half started to become interesting. The sheer passivity in the first half made for the worst kind of character - boring.

Yet, the diligence pays off and I found myself sucked in. Make no mistake - this story is more LitRPG than Scalzi despite the premise, a fact they even make fun of indirectly. The main character has to level up and collect gear. The races of the universe have some twists but little distinguishes them from their fantasy counterparts such as beholders, gnolls, hobgoblins and dark elves. There are definitely nihilistic elements and if that isn't our cup of tea, walk clear of it. 

If I had any single complaint, the series is almost too simplistic. The bad guys are lazy and stupid and lack any nuance. They are cartoon baddies.  However, the challenges are often not so simple and whatever faults the series has did keep me wanting to know what happens next as Tyson Dawes, one time slacker and steward of a run down campground in Arizona becomes a warlord determined to challenge a nebulous entity that runs the multiverse itself. 

There is also a lot of what some people might call white dude rage but anger against capitalism, environmental damage, media influence are well founded. Be warned there is a strain of libertarianism that runs through I didn't agree with. 

All in all, I've been debating between 3.5 and 4 stars. The series has enough flaws, that I can't get into without spoilers, that I'm not sure 4 stars is warranted but 3 stars indicates average and that didn't seem fair to it, as it does rise above mediocrity. And I hate fractional numbers, it feels like a cop out but I am going to give this a 3.75 and admit that feels like the most accurate value.

[irvinenewshq]

Bernie Sanders Says Hes Frightened About Teen Enthusiasm For Marijuana

In partnership with The Recent Toast Throughout a current city assembly, Sanders expressed his concern over teenagers and their love for weed. Nonetheless, he had some encouraging phrases for hashish legalization. Bernie Sanders is pro-marijuana, but he’s nonetheless involved over a number of the harms of the drug, particularly in reference to teenagers. The senator not too long ago stopped by Mount Anthony Union Excessive College in Bennington, Vermont, for a city corridor the place he spoke about a variety of matters from local weather change and well being care to teenagers smoking marijuana. “It’s terribly necessary for me to listen to what’s on the minds of younger folks. They’re the way forward for the nation,” mentioned Sanders. Photograph by Joe Raedle/Workers/Getty Pictures A member of the viewers requested Sanders’ opinion relating to Biden’s marijuana pardons, and the impact that that might have on marijuana fees. Per the Bennington Banner, the query was met with an excited response from the viewers, which made Sanders frown. RELATED: Hashish Use Does Not Outcome In Lazy Teenagers Or Younger Adults, In accordance To Research Sanders mentioned that the subject of marijuana is one that usually is introduced up in highschool occasions. “That worries me, to let you know the reality,” he mentioned. Nonetheless, Sanders mentioned that whereas he’s not a fan of medicine and alcohol, he believes marijuana must be authorized in each state within the U.S. Sanders additionally made certain to distinguish between marijuana and different medication which have extra severe and harmful unwanted side effects. “Heroin is a killer drug,” he mentioned. “Fentanyl is even worse, and fentanyl typically will get combined in with the heroin. … Marijuana isn’t heroin, it’s not fentanyl, it must be not lumped collectively.” RELATED: Sanders Claps Again At Ted Cruz For Telling ‘Slackers To Get Off The Bong’ And Vote Sanders has lengthy been a proponent for the decriminalization of marijuana, and its legalization. When Biden’s pardon was issued, Sanders supported his resolution, sharing his approval on Twitter. “I’ve lengthy believed that marijuana must be legalized and people arrested for possession must be pardoned and have their information expunged. The President’s government motion right now is a crucial step ahead, however far more must be carried out,” he wrote. Learn extra on The Recent Toast  Promoting disclosure: We might obtain compensation for a number of the hyperlinks in our tales. Thanks for supporting Irvine Weekly and our advertisers. Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[transsexualhamlet]

im not luna -helena anon

OK WELL LAST TIME I GOT AN ASK LIKE THAT IT WAS LUNA AJDJDJJ lemme guess. distinguished-slacker