#fantasy pug quest

[before-calamity]

Buffs and Debuffs

Okay, no idea how this is going to go given I'm still relatively new to Tumblr, but here's a very quick look of some buffs and debuffs that you can receive in 1.0. I'm not sure which ones are actually in the game and which one's not. You'd probably need to click to expand each one. This is going to be a lot dryer of a post than regular ones as we pore through black text on white background, because the real horror is data analysis.

In this first one, you'll see Thamaturge and Bard effects which we'll look at later, as well as things like Gold Lung and Goldbile, which are effects from Aurum Vale. There's also an effect called Red Riding Hooded, where you "don a red riding hood as per Chuchumu's request", which might be relevant to XI's old costume system, as well as one effect where you "tote in intact sylph podling" ala the Sylph beast tribe quests.

Oh! And Sanction, which does its ARR ability of simply providing additional benefit (I believe it's in ARR. I know it's completely different from the XI version. Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

In this next set are some Gathering and Crafting ones among a few buffs that are able to stack together, like Power Surge or Life Surge. You also see Double Nock and Triple Nock which I'm not 100% if those were actually in game.

As well as some mysterious removed ones~.

And interesting enough, you have spells that modify your level. Which is interesting, because that hasn't been a mechanic in any Final Fantasy except for the best one, Final Fantasy 5, where there were a lot of Blue spells that would modify your level or a monster's level.

I believe "Comradery" and "Strength in Numbers" are basically similar to the Echo buff you have in FFXIV raids.

Here we have a few interesting ones. I think some of these are either from cut spells or were leftovers from XI. Then some that would break the game like Reraise, unless an NPC casts that on you. Or things like Shell, which was in XI but is not in 1.0 (unless it was planned for it).

Even tohose Absorb Stat spells are from XI, and they are here, and even translated. Why? Absorb-STAT were Dark Knight spells in XI, was Dark Knight in its more XI form (or something similar) was planned for 1.0 at some point? Remember that XI and 1.0 ran on different engines, with 1.0 using a modified version that XIII ran on.

Our last batch.

Here we have some GLA/PLD or MRD/WAR attacks, as well as some things related to Battle Regimens which we'll get to at some point.

The top four - the Incapacitation infliction are interested - what is damaged beyond use? Usually the game uses "incapacitation" to mean that you as a PC are knocked out - this makes it sound like your gear is incapacitated. Something like Couerl Step sounds like it'd be a PUG/MNK action but as we'll see soon (please look forward to it), it isn't one.

Anyways, I hope you found this interesting. I know it's not one of the most visually interesting posts, but it's been on my backlog to post for a bit, and it just needed it done.

Happy Halloween! (And yes, if you are curious, Pumpkin Cookies are in 1.0, I just don't have a picture of them at this time!)

[dogwoodcomic]

Hello World!

I'm a comic book creator working on my first graphic novel and I've decided I'd rather post development work on here rather than other social media sites.

Here's where I'm at so far:

Dogwood is going to be about 20 Chapters long (with a couple mini-chapters to bridge things together), and I'm currently thumbnailing Chapter 14. Once Chapter 20 is finished being thumbnailed, I'll do a final script revision then begin final page art.

What's it about?

It's a fantasy story about two dogs looking to make their mark on the world. One is a pug, the Prince of Dogwood, who dreams of being the greatest wizard. The other is a mutt, his raggedy best friend, who wants to be remembered for his deeds and adventures. The duo fall into a quest to steal the treasure of the mythical Tiger-Dragon, all the while they are being hunted by members of the Royal Guard who think the Prince has been dognapped by a devious mutt.

This is my passion project that I've been trying to get finished since the end of college in 2019. With the pandemic hitting soon after, ruining my mental health, and having to get a "real" job in the meantime, which sucks up most of my waking hours and energy, I need to get this project done for my personal well-being and actually start living my life.

I love stories and storytelling as it is the closest thing to magic we have here in the real world.

Hopefully you find this interesting enough to follow. Have a nice day regardless.

-J

[televinita]

1-5 for the end of year reading ask! 📚

I appreciate you launching me on my quest to answer 'em all. 😄

1. How many books did you read this year?

Currently at 134, officially, but will probably still read another, plus 7 I generally consider Too Short for the official list but arguably could have been counted (Weetzie Bat, The Tiger Rising, Fairy Foals, Kill Joy by Holly Jackson, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, The Car by Gary Paulsen, The Pug That Bit Napoleon. I made a concentrated effort to keep track of my "supplements" this year).

2. Did you reread anything?

Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix (which I'm 99% sure is a reread) and Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block (on audio)

3. What were your top five books of the year?

I made a concentrated effort to determine this for Goodreads, so...

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

Check the picture above for a little clue...

Or, you know, if the image ever fails to load, then I mean Mimi Matthews, who is also my most-read author for the year. She's an auto-read author for me now, maybe the first such one of adult books I've ever had; I'm following her on Twitter (I follow exactly zero other authors) and subscribed to her newsletter besides, because even though historical romance has generally not been the first subset of the genre I reach for, she writes romance in a way that perfectly matches my tastes. She also highlights pets in her stories, particularly dogs and horses, which also perfectly matches my taste.

5. What genre did you read the most of?

I'm afraid this requires statistics I have not yet gathered -- not least because I am always THE WORST at deciding genres sometimes and I feel like my reading ends up all over the map. I know the answer is always "not fantasy, sci-fi, or particularly literary fiction!" and that's it.

So I'm gonna guess with a very broad brush...just, realistic contemporary, women's fiction and/or romance, evenly divided between YA and adult.

[eartharoundsun]

So You Wanna Trade Your Face for a Filter? Welcome to the “Wonderful World” of Snapchat Dysmorphia

Let's face it, folks, we've all been there. You spend an embarrassing amount of time meticulously sculpting your jawline with a filter sharper than a samurai sword, smoothing blemishes like a digital Michelangelo erasing a nipple slip-up from a Renaissance fresco, and maybe even throwing in a virtual nose job that would make Pinocchio jealous. You post your masterpiece, bask in the glowing admiration of your followers ("OMG QUEEEEN"), and strut around feeling like a million-dollar supermodel with the confidence of a squirrel who just outsmarted a bear for a picnic basket full of kale chips

Then, disaster strikes faster than your uncle sharing conspiracy theories at Thanksgiving dinner. You reach for your phone to document another riveting moment in your life, perhaps the majestic Mount Washmore of dirty laundry dominating your bedroom floor, and – oh the horror! – the filter is off. Suddenly, your Kardashian-esque cheekbones resemble a deflated whoopie cushion, and your "bedroom eyes" look more like you just saw a ghost dressed as your student loan bill. This, my friends, is the existential nightmare we call Snapchat Dysmorphia. It's that soul-crushing moment you realize your filtered selfie looks like it belongs on the cover of a Disney princess comic and your real face resembles...well, let's just say it wouldn't win any beauty pageants (unless the theme was "Most Likely to Trip Over Air")!

Introducing Snapchat Dysmorphia: The Hell of Your Confidence

Forget puppy filters, social media is giving us a whole new kind of dog: the filter face freak. These folks, also known as Snapchat dysmorphia (or selfie dysmorphia) sufferers (Christel et al. 2020, fancy that!), are lining up at plastic surgeons' offices begging for cheekbones sharper than a chihuahua's tongue and noses thinner than a pug's tail (thanks to all those filter edits). Here's the thing: social media lets you edit your pics faster than you can say "Photoshop fail," smoothing wrinkles, shrinking schnozies, and making your eyes look bigger than a surprised goldfish (Ryding & Kuss 2019). But the problem is, staring at these "perfected" versions of yourself is like living in a funhouse mirror – it warps your perception and makes you feel like your real face needs a serious makeover (Boston Medical Center 2018). This disconnect can snowball into major body image issues, and in some cases, even a full-blown case of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), where you obsess over flaws nobody else even notices (it's basically like having a magnifying glass permanently glued to your self-esteem)!

From Filter to Frustration: The Rise of Snapchat Dysmorphia and the Quest for the Filtered Face

The consequences of Snapchat Dysmorphia are more than just a bruised ego. This phenomenon is leading to a troubling trend: people seeking plastic surgery to replicate their filtered selves. Imagine spending hours sculpting your jawline into a chiseled masterpiece with a filter, only to be jolted back to reality by the sight of your actual, slightly-rounded face. It's enough to make anyone yearn for a permanent filter strapped to their head (not recommended, by the way!)

Here's why this trend is a recipe for disaster:

Filters are the Michaelangelo of Make-Believe: Those flawless faces you see online are the result of strategic lighting, makeup magic, and enough filters to make a kaleidoscope jealous. They're not a realistic portrayal of what a human being actually looks like. Chasing that filtered face through plastic surgery is like chasing a unicorn riding a narwhal across a rainbow – it's a fantasy, and a potentially expensive one at that

Surgery Isn't Photoshop: Unlike a filter, plastic surgery is permanent (well, mostly permanent). What might look good on a filtered selfie could translate very differently to a real-life face. Remember, even the most skilled surgeons can't defy the laws of physics or make you look exactly like your favorite influencer

The Grass is Always Greener (and More Filtered) on the Other Side: Let's face it, even after surgery, the allure of the filter won't disappear. There will always be a new filter, a new trend, a new standard of beauty to chase. This endless pursuit of perfection can lead to a cycle of dissatisfaction and low self-esteem

So, What's the Antidote to Snapchat Dysmorphia?

Instead of chasing a filtered dream, here's how to embrace your real, unfiltered self:

Filters are Fun, But Reality is Fabulous: Enjoy the occasional filter for a giggle, but don't let it distort your perception of beauty. You are beautiful just the way you are, wrinkles, birthmarks, and all

Focus on What Makes You Shine: Maybe your real face isn't runway-ready, but you have a smile that could light up a disco ball and a laugh that could make a mime crack a smile. Highlight those!

Put Down the Phone and Go Outside: Fresh air and sunshine are good for the soul (and your skin!). Spend time with real people who love you for who you are, even if you shed more fur than your cat during shedding season

Love the Skin You're In (Even if it Needs a Little TLC): Take care of yourself with a healthy diet, exercise, and a good skincare routine. You'll radiate a natural beauty that no filter can replicate

Remember, beauty is more than just skin deep. It's about confidence, kindness, and a sense of humor. So ditch the filter, embrace your real you, and rock the world with your own unique brand of fabulous. The internet (and the world) needs more of that, and less of people chasing a filtered fantasy…

Reference

Boston Medical Center 2018, ‘A new reality for beauty standards: How selfies and filters affect body image’, EurekAlert!, viewed <https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/784563>.

Cristel, RT, Dayan, SH, Akinosun, M & Russell, PT 2020, ‘Evaluation of Selfies and Filtered Selfies and Effects on First Impressions’, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, <https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/41/1/122/5718389?login=false>

Ryding, FC & Kuss, DJ 2019, ‘The use of social networking sites, body image dissatisfaction, and body dysmorphic disorder: A systematic review of psychological research.’, Psychology of Popular Media Culture, vol. 9, no. 4, viewed <https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/38845/1/1206397_%20Kuss.pdf>.

[ainews]

Puggles, the charming crossbreed between a pug and a beagle, are known for their playful and loving nature. They are often described as "people pleasers" and make great companions for families. However, recent news has revealed that puggles all over the world are feeling heartbroken for levers for goblins.

So, what exactly are these levers and why are puggles so upset about them? Well, it all starts with the popular mobile game "Goblinville". This game, set in a fantasy world, features goblins as the main characters who are on a quest to find hidden levers to unlock treasures. The game has gained immense popularity among players of all ages, but it has also sparked a concerning trend.

Players of the game, especially children, have been searching for real-life levers in their surroundings. And it seems like puggles have been caught in the crossfire. Many puggle owners have reported their furry friends digging up their yards, chewing on furniture, and even injuring themselves while trying to find these mysterious levers.

Experts believe that puggles, being highly curious and energetic dogs, are drawn to the idea of finding hidden treasures just like the goblins in the game. And when they are unable to find these levers, their curiosity turns into frustration, causing them to act out in destructive ways.

"What we're seeing is a classic case of learned behavior. Puggles are intelligent dogs and they are picking up on their owners' excitement for these levers. When they can't find them, they become distressed and their behavior reflects that," says Dr. Emily Williams, a veterinarian at the local animal shelter.

This growing trend has also raised concerns about the impact of video games on our pets. "It's important for pet owners to be aware of what their pets are exposed to, especially when it comes to games or shows that glamorize certain behaviors," says Dr. Williams.

The makers of Goblinville have issued a statement urging players to enjoy the game responsibly and to not let it affect their real-life actions. They have also added a disclaimer in the game's description, reminding players not to try and find real levers.

In the meantime, puggle owners are advised to keep a close eye on their furry friends and to make sure they have enough mental and physical stimulation to prevent them from getting fixated on finding levers.

So, for the sake of our beloved puggles, let's all remember that goblin adventures should stay in the virtual world and real-life levers are best left undiscovered.

[multiplayingorg]

FFXIV: Login Achieved!

| Repost: Originally posted by Shannon "Zelibeli" Hamel on August 29, 2013

I wasn’t considering playing Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (FFXIV:ARR), but I kept hearing good things. My husband was in the beta and had a bit of a head-start due to preordering. According to him, it’s a group dependent game that is very holy trinity oriented. Both of those things appeal to me. I want to go to there.

Yesterday, with all the buzz I was reading on twitter and a couple of live feeds on twitch, I decided to cave and get the digital version… only to find that the game is so popular that sales of the digital version had been put on a temporary hold. Well, now I have to have it, right?

I check the list of retailers that are carrying the box version and decide to hit all the ones that were on my way home from work. I cannot remember the last time I bought a game in a store. This was already beginning to be a bit of a quest. Starting with the Walmart closest, I walked to the video game section only to find no copies. There was another patron there and he was looking for the same game and we noticed something. It wasn’t odd that they’d be sold out, but the odd part was that there was no space for them… no blank section on the shelf with the FFXIV:ARR label underneath. I was going to head to the next store, but he suggested we ask the clerks. There were two of them available and neither had any idea what we were talking about. I was wondering why they weren’t checking the computer for a confirmation on their inventory. He was tanking the conversation and I chimed in with supportive “Yes, it just launched, maybe it’s in the back?” comments. They kept shaking us off. Finally the gentleman patron I was now kind of with said that he had checked before he left home and the Walmart website said that they had the game in stock. Crit. One of the clerks walked away and the other decided to go over to the games area with us. At this point, I wanted to leave because I had already been over there and we were facing, at best, a no-loot win, but I’m not the type to ditch a PUG no matter how hopeless things seem. She starts unlocking the PS3 case. I sighed on the inside, in frustration, because we had clearly stated we wanted the PC version… at least, I hope I sighed on the inside… I tend to show everything on my face so I may have been rude. All I could think was, “I’m wasting time… I could be hitting the other stores,” but that’s single-player mentality. We were in the middle of this encounter, so it’s best to see it through.

Just then, patron-extraordinaire notices that the two FFXIV:ARR cases in the PS3 locked area were for PC. I didn’t believe it. There were only two. I checked twice and yes, PC version acquired! Personal rule confirmed: Never leave your group. Sometimes persistence pays off.

Of course, loading and creating was another challenge. I ended up on a Japanese Legendary server at first. My husband, however, has been through head-start and he’s a bit established already. I tried a few times before bed, but his server, Siren, was not accepting new characters.  I decided to keep trying and I set my alarm for 5AM. Sure enough, Siren was available. I created a character on the same server as my husband. Persistence pays off yet again.

I wish I would have friended my PUGmate in Walmart. I’m feeling pretty accomplished. I can’t wait to get some game time in!

[marianodebiase]

FANTASY PUG QUEST is live on kickstarter! Put your paws on your copy now!

[laele25]

Now to talk about something inconsequential

As I sit here waiting for an MMO to download, I browse beginner’s guides.  I have been playing WoW for going on 14 years now.  I am almost exclusively a solo playing altoholic.  I like crafting and collecting transmog, pets, toys, and mounts.  I do not raid or even run dungeons unless there’s something I want (like progression on a transmog set or mount) that requires it and I will bitch to my husband the ENTIRE time I am doing it.   I absolutely HATE PvP. But there gets to be a point in every expansion where I am tired of the slog, especially the gated endgame progression Blizz has become so fond of the past few expansions.  I have unlocked flying.  I have nearly completed my transmog collection (until I can get the rep to get more transmog, stupid content gating) and therefore I am bored.  Because of my disabilities (I have nerve damage in my right hand which makes it impossible to use the mouse to drive and often I have to use the mouse to click hot keys because my neuropathy is making the fingers dumb), I have to use a certain key configuration.  My photosensitive migraines do not like first person or super flashy particle effects.  So I have to be able to play in third person and disable or turn down as many of these as I can.  This limits the playing possibilities. I have tried other MMOs.  I loved FFXIV.  It’s a beautiful game that’s a lot of fun classes, races, and storylines.  But required dungeon content to progress every five damn quests is a no.  I have the worst pug and RNG luck and therefore I avoid them both as much as possible.  Not to mention the player housing situation is worse than not having player housing at all. Then there was Archeage.  There is a lot I liked about it.  The combat system was challenging without being frustrating and the endless class combinations were fun to play with.  Everything being a keyboard shortcut was the most neuropathy friendly thing I have encountered in MMOs.  I barely have to touch my mouse and thus don’t end up with pain in my functional fingers from endless mouse clicking.  But the alt limit and open world PvP were turn offs.  I bought Archeage Unchained because while I don’t want to play the game all the time, I do occasionally like to play it and I feel less guilty about a one time fee and not playing it for months. I played SWTOR for about a year.  But after finishing the class storylines, I lost interest.  If I wanted to play ship combat, I would play a ship combat simulator. I also tried Secret World Legends.  Which is buggier than batshit  and has the worst grouping mechanics in MMOs.  Not to mention the snails’ pace of the storyline and the buggy and irritatingly picky puzzles.  We didn’t make it out of the first area because we got fed up with the bugs and the lack of group play support. Now I am trying Blade and Soul, which is supposed to have a fighting game esque combat system.  Back before my disabilities, I was an extremely good 3D fighting game player.  Even now, the first time my husband played ARMS with me, I absolutely owned him from muscle memory alone.  That and I am always up for fantasy genre not based around Western Europe.  Asian fantasy is a personal favorite and it certainly looks pretty (which is important dammit).  I am not terribly fond of the FTP model, because it just encourages trolls and scammers, but I enjoy the ability to try out the game without spending money to see if it fits with my playstyle and preferences. And before any of you helpfully suggest ESO, I have watched my husband play Bathesda games and when the bugs are so prevalent, the company CEO is making jokes about it at E3, I’m gonna pass.  I play MMOs to burn off stress, not make it worse. And this has been a very long, very pointless ramble about one of the ways I burn off steam and waste time.  Now back to my regularly scheduled political memes and articles, cat photos and occasionally accidentally sharing gifs of my favorite Kpop groups. *salutes*

[squirrelwrangler]

DC/FFXIV

laurelsblue: No but I want to hear all about this now.

Okay, so with a familiar but incomplete knowledge of DC and FFXIV, the notes on what the main six Green Lanterns play, plus other DC characters:

Hal Jordan played back in 1.0, but he joined right before the server death and he might not even have finished the quest-line to have the Legacy player back tattoo or not. Clark Kent, Diana, Bruce Wayne, and Barry Allen do. Alan Scott, the first GL, was a Legacy player, in fact he was one of those FFXI players that moved over to XIV during the first beta. Alan doesn’t play as often- he’ll let his subscription go in-between expacs and resub right before they drop to catch up on all the patches, but he’s still allowed on the Green Lantern FC discord. The Green Lanterns are one of the larger FCs on their server and are known for events and things like full FC alliance raid runs where they all have a green glam theme. The frog suit and the metallic green dye is very popular. Comparisons to the Jades is a reoccurring reddit thread. I’m not sure what Hal’s man job is - he might be one of those guys that changes the job to match the theme of the expac or whatever the most popular job of the moment is. He definitely played Dark Knight back in HW and broke himself trying to prog Gordias Savage. The burnout and anger was so bad that he ended up unsubbing for a while until SB when he came back (Parallax/Spectre joke). He is the FC leader but sometimes he has passed duties to the second officers/co-leaders. Hal plays as a Hyur Midlander- not only that but a default face basic guy jokes were made when Ardbert appeared.

Guy Gardener joined in 2.0. He picked SeaWolf Roegadyn, max height, green, will glam is outfit to be nothing but a speedo and hat. You know, the typical choice. He wanted to play a giant ax-wielding berserker fighter so he picked Marauder/Warrior. Turns out that playing a tank is perfect for him. The rotation and job duties are simple (Fell Cleave, Fell Cleave, Fell Cleave), he likes the job fantasy of controlling his inner rage (Red Lantern plotline parallels), but most of all he loves that he’s the party shield. He takes the hits so his party doesn’t. No greater joy than hitting that tank LB3. He’s also one of the most genuinely helpful guys to new tanks on explaining their roles and offering tips.

Jon Stewart is the embodiment of ‘Jaded Healer, Dead Inside’. This man has had to carry so many parties, rez too many idiots, and get no coms. He will Rescue Hal and Guy into AOEs. Everyone is just Blood for the Blood Lily. He is also the FC co-leader in charge of the housing- he decorates the FC House and is one of those people that has found all the glitches and tricks to create those incredible rooms. People are terrified at how he manipulates the floating shelf and stage glitches. Most of the time you can find him in the FC Workshop. Appearance-wise he might have fantasiaed once or twice- his current look is a Viera. Saint Walker is his fellow healer (AST) from a different but friendly FC and they play together as co-healers on the same static.

The true fantasia addict is Kyle Rainer. That guy changes player race and name all the time. Catgirl, lala, Au’ra, he even was Hrothgar for two weeks. He mains Dancer for dungeons and raids but likes Bard for the Performance feature. He’s the RPer of the group and loves to play tunes in the starter city states. Has macros to switch his minion and mount depending on which glam/job he’s currently playing as to be color and thematically coordinated. Active in multiple statics. There was a brief time before SB where he was de-facto FC leader.

Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz joined recently, soon after another, and as the two sprouts they teamed up to play through the MSQ together, especially as this helps Jess’s social anxiety to have at least one FC member with her for PUGs. Simon wanted to play Machinist for the gun, but learning that he had to play all the way through 2.0 and unlock HW to unlock that job, so he was convinced to play Arcanist, both him and Jess, since the class split into two jobs so they thought that would be cool. Hal and Guy would be their tank for fast queues for the first fun dungeons. When they both got to 30, Simon decided to focus on Scholar because healing was too much pressure for Jessica. To his surprise, he loves healing. Eos and Tonberries are his bae. He thinks the mortarboard hats and school robes of the artifact gear is stupid but he loves everything else about SCH. Also he’s eagerly waiting for the return of the FFXV crossover event so that he can get his own Regalia car mount. Jess plays Summoner and loves the huge dps numbers and the Bahamut and Phoenix summons. She’s also started to branch out into Red Mage (easier rotation and she likes the giant flower explosions) and Guy has been helping her dispel the tank anxiety and teaching her WAR (though she thinks she likes DRK more). I’m not sure what race they play- I think they might both be Au’ra- Jess likes the cute lizard girl kawaii popstar emotes without going into full catgirl, while Simon thought the tall horned Au’ra looked badass and then discovered they had the dorkiest run and you know what, it fits.

Clark Kent is in a world-first static (Justice League) but he’s one of those Ultimate Legends that isn’t an asshole and still does PUG dungeons. Not sure what he mains- maybe Red Mage or DRK oddly enough. Lois is a causal RPer (she’s unique in that she plays as a reporter for one of the two in-game newspapers) but also helps to run a Hunt Train for their server, which everyone agrees in one of the rare non-toxic ones. Both are very popular. Well, there’s bad beef with Lex Luthor, one of those jerks that bought up an entire Ward of houses with shell FCs. Lex is on a data center wide blacklist.

Diana Prince (Viera) has always mained PLD, even when it was memed as the weakest tank (who’s laughing now) and can solo almost anything. She is disappointed that there aren’t more permanent prominent female characters. Cried that we couldn’t save Yotsuyu.

Bruce Wayne, ninja main, has two characters that he plays. One is on the JL data center, but the other is his non-hardcore raider that he uses for more causal RPing (he still raids on that character, just not exclusively) where he owns a mansion in Shirogane and does large party events and controls the MarketBoard. The Batfam is his FC on this sever. He’s also one of those rare Duskwight Elezen players.

[douxreviews]

Galaxy Quest Review

“Never give up. Never surrender.”

This affectionate parody of Star Trek is one of my favorite science fiction comedies. The fans at the 2013 Trek Convention in Las Vegas even ranked it the seventh best Trek film at the time. I knew Trek fans were smart.

Warning: Spoilers abound. They also frolic and cavort.

Galaxy Quest stars Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith/Cmdr. Taggart/Capt. Kirk. Sigourney Weaver plays Gwen DeMarco/ Lt. Madison/Uhura/Troi. Alan Rickman plays Alexander Dane/Dr. Lazarus/Spock/Picard. Tony Shalhoub plays Fred Kwan/Tech Sgt. Chen/Scotty/Sulu. Sam Rockwell plays Guy Fleegman/Crewman Number Six/Redshirt. Daryl Mitchell plays Tommy Webber/Lt. Laredo/Wesley Crusher. You got that? Good, moving on.

We also get some great aliens played by Enrico Colantoni as Mathesar, Missi Pyle as Laliari, and Rainn Wilson as Lahnk. The way that they portrayed their characters as so sweet and naïve - that was both hilarious and endearing.

Now, I’m a long-time fan of Star Trek, so I really enjoy all the digs at the series and their stars. I’m not a big Tim Allen fan, but he does a good job here channeling Kirk. Once he gets on that space ship he really does embody the tagline, “Never give up. Never surrender.” He leads his crew to victory and it is really fun to see them triumph. All the stars seem to be having a good time and they really make this a joy to watch. My favorite characters were probably Fred and Guy because Tony Shalhoub played Fred as so nonchalant, calm and cuddly, and Sam Rockwell was so hysterical as Guy as he constantly thought that he was going to die at any moment because of his Redshirt character.

There are too many in-jokes to mention, but my favorite ones were probably Fred Kwan squinting when he plays Chen (as if that makes him look Asian), Tommy being a kid at the helm, the self-destruct stopping at one second because it always does, and Guy being an unnamed security officer. It’s not safe to be unnamed and to wear a red shirt on a science fiction TV show, ask anyone.

The crew trying to fly their ship without really knowing how to do so - that’s comedy gold. I love the part where Tommy scrapes The Protector along the side of the launch bay and everyone leans…like that is going to help. Hey, I do that when I’m watching my bowling ball head toward the gutter, but that’s a different matter. Gwen is great as she has nothing to do but irritate everyone as she just repeats what the computer says and states the obvious.

My favorite sequence is what happens on the planet and then what happens right after aboard the ship as the crew tries to find a way to rescue Jason. That digital conveyor mishap is inspired in its execution and just kills me every time. Well, it killed the pig lizard creature also, I guess. I won’t quote the whole scene, but I’m sorely tempted to do so. The scene of Jason and Gwen going through the chomper hallway is also wonderful.

There are some young fans helping out our heroes. I still can’t decide if they are realistically characterized or not. I guess they might have been at the time this movie was made, but now they don’t seem to fit any teenager that I know. Regardless, they help the ship land; crashing right into the convention center where the whole adventure started.

I really like the ending when the crew comes out of the ship one by one and the audience is cheering. Our heroes have just survived an incredible experience and they get to share their triumph with their fans, even though the fans think that the whole thing is just a part of the show.

By Grabthar’s Hammer… Bits and Pieces:

General Sarris was an okay villain, but it was a little convenient that he knew that the Historical Documents were a TV show, with little explanation. He doesn’t look like someone who spends a lot of time watching theatricals.

The Thermians were so great. A whole race of beings who don’t even know what falsehood means and just wants to hug everyone. It’s so sad that there were so few of them left.

The Protector’s registration number is NTE-3120. NTE stands for: Not the Enterprise.

I love the little aliens on the planet. They’re so cute. In the movie, they speak in alien-speak with subtitles, but I remember watching trailers of the movie that had them say these lines: “What is it?” “I don’t know.” “Let’s hit it with a rock.” My husband and I still quote that rock line all the time.

Computer: “Negative, there is no replacement Beryllium Sphere on board.” Gwen: “No, there is no replacement Beryllium Sphere on board.” Tommy: “You know, that is really getting annoying.” Gwen: “Look, I have one job on this lousy ship. It’s stupid, but I’m gonna do it! Okay?”

Alexander: “Could they be the miners?” Fred: “Sure, they’re like three years old.” Alexander: “Miners, not minors!” Fred: “You lost me.”

Guy: “Did you guys ever watch the show?” Gwen: “See, they’re trying to help the little hurt one.” (The other aliens attack him.) Gwen: “Let’s get out of here before one of those things kills Guy.”

Guy: “We’re doing episode 81?” Tommy: “Whatever, the one with the hologram.” Gwen: “How the hell is Fred supposed to project a hologram?” Guy: “We’re doing episode 81, Jason?” Jason: “It’s a rough plan, Guy, what does it matter if we are doing episode 81 or not?” Guy: (yelling hysterically) “Because I DIED in episode 81!”

Gwen: “What is this thing?... I mean, it serves no purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway. No, I mean we shouldn’t have to do this… it makes no logical sense, why is it here?” Jason: “’Cause it’s on the television show.” Gwen: “Well, forget it! I’m not doing it! This episode was badly written!”

I have probably seen this movie at least a dozen times and still laugh at all the jokes and get teary-eyed at the end when the audience is cheering. Fandom can be a lovely thing and this movie is an affable and fond spoof of an iconic series.

Mallena loves her DVR, her Pug, anything in the sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural genres, and her family. Well, maybe not in that exact order.

[missmusiclove]

“Look, only a madman would not be fearful of facing what we have, and what may come, but how you behave. My father fair once that a hero is someone who simply got too frightened to use his good sense and run away, then somehow lived through it all.” 🌿✨🌿✨🌿 The second book in the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E Feist, Silverthorn follows on from the events of Magician. Just as action packed and riveting as book one, Silverthorn kept me hooked from the very first page as we followed Prince Arutha and friends on his quest to save his Princess. At the same time, we follow as Pug tries to find out more about the plot regarding The Enemy and the Prince. I really enjoyed how Feist was able to recap the events of the first novel, and all of the information regarding the Kingdom and the Riftwar, without it being too repetitive or feeling like the information was just dumped on me. I also really admired the way old characters were feminised about, or joked about during some of the adventures, as it added a lightness and a deeper layer to the overall story. Full of witty and sarcastic banter, magic and adventure, Feist drew me back into the world of Kelewan. Meeting new faces and reconnecting with old friends, this richly described and intricately detailed fantasy novel gave me everything I could have possibly wanted for the sequel of one of my favourite reads of last year. Seeing as that’s all I can say about this book, I’ll leave my review here! 🌿✨🌿✨🌿 Silverthorn is book 22 for 2021. #bookstragram #books #booksofinstagram #booklover #bookphoto #reading #aussieswhoread #avidreader #booklover #aussiereader #bookdragon #reader #readersofig #booksofig #bookcommunity #bookish #bibliophile #readersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #booklife #bookaddict #girlswhoread #readinggoals2021 #bookquote #magician #raymondefeist #silverthorn #epicfantasynovels #epicfantasy #blackandblack #fivestarread https://www.instagram.com/p/CNM0pUdL-Wr/?igshid=10h4626onvv2z

[tirsden]

Eh. Final Fantasy XIV is a lot more playable if you don't read anything. Played it ages ago for a bit and lost IQ points over the absolute garbage that is the original story. "It gets better in the expansions!" is a real tough sell, fanbase. Also, so is being forced to run dungeons to advance the main story quest, and if you don't have three friends, being forced into your meta role for the dungeon (1 tank, 1 healer, 2 DPS). Also also, being forced to ungroup from your friends that you're playing with in a multiplayer online game in order to solo instanced content that you have to pass in order to continue. This isn't the only MMO that does that, and it needs to stop.

Meanwhile, for some reason I have atrocious latency in MMOs lately. We're talking 1.5 to 2 seconds most days. About half the time, this particular game registers me as "standing in the fire" even though I've moved out of radial attacks before they land on my screen. And gods, it's really hard to learn and pull off rotations when server-side decides what I did client-side didn't actually happen. My combo hotkeys usually start sparkling after the global cooldown is done. I see a lot of the game's version of "you can't do that yet" when I'm not even trying for the pre-cast sweet spot, and pre-casting rarely works as it is. Spells get interrupted way more than they should by my guess, because I've been interrupted while casting on targeting dummies. Hell, sometimes all hotkey bars grey out because who wants to play this nonsense anyways? But Lalas are adorable and a friend is playing and mehhhh.

As to the pics, from first onwards: Dante is a punchything (did I mention fiddly rotations + positionals + latency = LOL WHY DO I EVEN TRY) and I really like how he turned out visually; he'd be more fun on days I have braincells if it weren't for, y'know, the lag. Marc is my main at this point, and is leveling both Gladiator>Paladin and Arcanist>Summoner because I want him to be a damned tankytank but I'm too chicken to pug dungeons I don't know as a tank with 2 seconds of lag. Yeah. No.

[badwolf1988-blog]

Wrong Number: Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own Picture to Burn. Yet again, it belongs to the crybaby known as Taylor Swift.

Author’s Note: No, I did NOT change the lyrics to Picture to Burn...Taylor Swift did...I just changed them back, The lyrics I used (complete with backhanded homophobic comment) are the ORIGINAL lyrics to Picture to Burn. I’m assuming T. Swift’s record label made her change the lyrics for radio play. The LGBT community probably wouldn’t have liked the song too much if they realized little Miss Swift used “You’re gay!” as an insult. I’m the proud auntie of a lesbian and the lifelong best friend of a gay man and honestly, the song pisses me off so I wanted to point out a change that no one seemed to notice. I’ve seen celebrities attacked for saying much tamer things and I don’t think Taylor Swift should be able to get away with it simply because she’s Taylor Swift.

“State the obvious,

I didn’t get my perfect fantasy

I realize you love yourself more than you could ever love me.

So, go and tell your friends that I’m obsessive and crazy,

That’s fine!

I’ll tell mine, you’re gay!”

“Dear Lord in heaven, please grant me the strength not to kill her.” I prayed as I looked over at my alarm clock.

It was four in the morning and I had to be up in an hour to work my morning shift at Safeway. I’m pretty sure that Kendra hadn’t even been to bed yet. To make matters worse, after work, I had to sit for my finals. I was a junior at the University of Colorado where I was double majoring in American and European History and it was killing me slowly.

I reached over and grabbed my phone off of the nightstand. If it wasn’t going to get any more sleep, I might as well play a quest or two on Plants vs Zombies 2.

I was surprised to find that I had a text message waiting for me.

***Heading into work early and just wanted to wish you luck on your finals.

-Asshole #2***

I laughed. It was the mysterious friend that I had made a few days ago. And when I say mysterious...I mean mysterious. We knew almost nothing about each other...not even each other's names. He knew that I was a college student who worked some kind of retail job. I knew that he was a single father that talked about going into the office and working late chasing fugitives. I figured that he was some kind of cop. We both enjoyed talking to someone who wouldn’t know us from Adam if we met on the street. Venting to a stranger was strangely therapeutic. So...we have decided to simply use nicknames. I was Asshole #1 and he was Asshole # 2. His text had only been sent half an hour earlier.

***Thanks! Looks like I’m going to need it. I’ve been up since 2. Operation kill T. Swift is a go!

-Asshole #1***

For someone at work, he answered pretty quickly. I had to wonder about how good of a cop he was.

***Boo, you know if the FBI ever gets ahold of these texts, we are totally going to prison for conspiracy to commit murder, right?

-Asshole #2***

I laughed again as I sent a reply.

***Nope! Only you! I’m a broke college girl. This is a pre-paid phone...and I was bored so I registered it to John Dillinger. Thought you were at work?

-Asshole #1***

I was about to roll out of bed but he responded quickly once again.

***I am. Waiting on someone at the airport so I have a few minutes.

-Asshole #2***

I looked at the tiny clock on top of my phone’s screen and sighed.

***Sadly, I do not. I have to start getting ready for work/school.

-Asshole #1***

My morning was going incredibly slow...like slower than molasses in December. I was the customer service manager on duty that morning so I had gone about the morning cash count and logged on the registers. After that, I went back to my post at the counter - where I sold Western Union, lotto tickets, and gave refunds - and was bored out of my mind. I hated the morning shift. At this hour, most customers were coming in simply to get coffee from the in-store Starbucks.

I was leaning against the counter, flipping through a copy of People Magazine when a gruff voice scared the hell out of me.

“Excuse me, sista...”

Sista? Who talks like that?

I looked up to find Dog the Bounty Hunter and a bulky dude with pretty blue eyes standing in front of me.

What the hell? I didn’t know much about the man but I thought he lived in Hawaii.

“Can I help you?” I asked as I closed my magazine.

Why was the bulky dude staring at me so intently?

“Yeah, I was wondering if you had seen this guy coming in to pick up any Western Unions in the last few weeks?” He passed me a mugshot printed on a piece of computer paper.

Holy shit! It was Danny the Pervert from the park! He loved to yell vulgar things to me in the afternoons when I took my mom's dogs for a walk.

“Not in here.” I shook my head. “But I do see him almost every afternoon in Congress Park.”

“Where in the park?” The big guy spoke up.

“By the picnic area...he yells...rude things when I walk my mom’s pugs.”

Once they were gone, I pulled out my phone.

***So...Dog the Bounty Hunter was just at my job.

-Asshole # 1***

CHAPTER INDEX

[dazzledbybooks]

Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after. As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come. But after an excruciatingly public rejection from her closest childhood friend, Selah’s stepmother suggests an unthinkable solution: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits—and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all. From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and under the eye of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks…and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending. The Beholder (The Beholder #1)by Anna BrightPublisher: HarperTeenRelease Date: June 4th 2019Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings Favorite Quotes: "I knew our history as well as I knew my duty. But duty had felt different when it had looked like Peter." “I don’t know how you do things in New York. I don’t know what makes a lady, in your eyes. Where I come from, a lady knows how to help people.” “You mean I have to know what I want.”  “I mean you have the power to choose.” “‘No one knows how many years he has, Seneschal-elect. Life is short and death is certain….So every moment I am aboveground and not below it, I want to feel the difference. We’ll all be in our graves soon enough.'” “‘Not everyone is fast. Not everyone is clever. I could only stay one step ahead of my enemy before my reinforcements arrived. But if you’re one step ahead of them, they still haven’t caught you.'” "Set your course and trim your sails, Seneschal-elect. And whatever your heading, keep your eyes ahead'” Book Links: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36558159-the-beholder Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OWvM02 B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beholder-anna-bright/1128751049?ean=9780062845429#/ Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Beholder-Anna-Bright/9780062845429?ref=grid-view&qid=1554744094457&sr=1-1 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-beholder-6 Google Books: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Beholder.html?id=Qm61uwEACAAJ&redir_esc=y Review: The Beholder by Anna Bright is a lot different than what I expected. I think it was different in a good way. I was expecting a fierce warrior woman to go on an adventure and prove everyone wrong. Really we have a protagonist that is a bit timid, she is super trusting, and she is super soft. I was definitely surprised. Selah is rejected by the boy she loves. Now she is being sent away to find herself a husband. It doesn’t matter that she has made herself present in her country, everyone wants her to be a bride. Selah just wants to lick her wounds. Let’s discuss the world building. I really enjoyed how Bright used both real and fictional places for this book. I felt like it really made the worlds collide. Selah goes on the adventure of a life time. She may have been hesitant to leave but she is getting to explore the world. She is visiting new places and meeting new people. I thought it was very unique to have Selah know different stories about each place she visited but at the same time it really made her get to know the different places more. I could just live in this world. I loved it so much. Another thing that I really liked is that Selah really grows on her journey. She becomes someone that is afraid and always worried about making a mistake to someone that accepts herself and embraces her mistakes. I think Selah really finds herself on this journey. She is beginning to realize the type of person that she wants to be.Bright is a fantastic author. She drew me into the story right away and I was hooked. I really loved getting to know this world and all the characters. I feel like I've known Selah my whole life. When you get that feeling, then yo know the author is a fantastic author because they could make you feel. The feel of the book also had a great pace. I am really looking forward to book two. I can't wait to see what happens to Selah next. This book is definitely refreshing and you should give it a chance. Book Excerpt: https://aerbook.com/books/The_Beholder-217912.html?social=1&retail=1&emailcap=0 https://www.epicreads.com/blog/sneak-peek-the-beholder/ About the Author:  I believe in woods, mountains, highways, cobblestones, roller coasters, dancing, concerts, cherry Pop Tarts, books, and magic. When I'm not reading or writing on my couch, I'm dragging my husband off on an adventure, communing with Salem (my kitten/spiritual familiar), or causing trouble at One More Page Books, where I work. Author Links:  Website: https://www.annabrightbooks.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17310926.Anna_Bright Twitter: https://twitter.com/brightlyanna Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightlyanna/?hl=en Tumblr: http://merryandbr1ght.tumblr.com/ Blog Tour: May 29th The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Welcome Post May 30th Book Slaying - Review + Favourite Quotes A Court of Coffee and Books - Review + Favourite Quotes OlaReadsBooks - Review What's She Reading? - Review May 31st Bookish Looks - Story in 3 or 5 GIFs The Book Nut - Review + Playlist Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Review Dazzled by Books - Review + Favourite Quotes June 1st Wishful Endings - Interview Moonlight Rendezvous - Review + Favourite Quotes Here's to Happy Endings - Review Book Rambler - Review + Favourite Quotes June 2nd Confessions of a YA Reader - Book Style A Dream Within A Dream - Review ashleigh jayne - Review Bri's Book Nook - Review June 3rd Pages and Pugs - Story Behind the Cover L.M. Durand - Review + Favourite Quotes Pages & Postcards - Review Book Swoon - Review June 4th Kait Plus Books - Interview Library of a Book Witch - Review A Book Addict's Bookshelves - Review Utopia State of Mind - Review + Favourite Quotes

http://www.dazzledbybooks.com/2019/05/thebeholderblogtour.html

[marianodebiase]

We reached the goal, brave pugs! More than 8000K funded in less than 3 days, and still 27 days til the end! Thank you SOOO MUCH! But we're not gonna stop here, our journey has just begun and we need you to keep on supporting Fantasy Pug Quest!

[thechriscormier]

#ContestAlert Fantasy Pug Quest Board Game Giveaway   https://wn.nr/NDXhMP