#i guess i had a lot of feelings about how important the disney worlds are to the thesis of kh

[hollowwhisperings]

KH4 Spec: Disney Worlds & Emotional Vulnerability (for boys)

A key part of any Kingdom Hearts game is the use of Disney (& Pixar!) films as Microcosms to the greater Macrocosm of said game (& often the Series as a whole). The Disney Worlds act as easily recognisable Settings, toyboxes if you will, to convey concepts otherwise difficult to "fit" within the limitations of the JRPG genre.

(even then, KH does tend to rely on Monologue Heavy Cutscenes & Collectible Texts to direct players toward All Those Emotions & Reactions That Are Happening)

Societal Preconceptions of what stories can be told with a Young Male Protagonist actively sabotage the KH series in its efforts to show the emotional experiences of its young male characters: Sora needs the Framework of a Disney Princess in order to express and recognise concepts traditionally Denied to his gender. Players need Very Explicit Parallels and Dialogue, often repeated & rephrased across several Worlds, just to prevent their Dismissing Emotional Text (let alone Subtext) out of hand because "JRPGs/Action Heroes/Boys don't feel Scared/Sad/Insecure".

Emotional Depth is not "masculine", especially for Male Protagonists and Male Antagonists because "Feelings" are "feminine".

KH actively subverts this false perception of [How Brains Work] by very pointedly removing its "Token Girl" from the most Emotional & Introspective moments in the series.

Kairi's whole PURPOSE, in the greater scope of the KH series narrative, is to "Not Be There" when she "should" be: when Sora feels overwhelmed by the enormity of his quests or feels scared of Failure, it is never Kairi who magically pops by to do the Emotional Heavylifting in Sora's Stead. Sometimes Sora is able to articulate his feelings by recognising them in the Stories of the Disney characters (most of them Female) but as "Story" characters, the emotions and memories that are being Expressed are, by default, those of our Male Protagonists (Sora & Riku). The Disney Worlds act as framing devices for a Young person struggling to articulate whst they Feel & for a Male Protagonist to Recognise his own emotions even as his "own" World (the society he grew up in, the societies of We Players) has preconditioned Sora to "grow out" of Feeling emotions, let alone Expressing them.

Kairi the UnCharacter

Kairi's function within the greater narrative of KH ("the Coming of Age of a young boy named Sora") is to Be Female and to Not Be Where She Is "Supposed" To Be.

In most works with Male Protagonists, especially those of the Shōnen or action genres and ESPECIALLY in the videogame medium, a "Token Girl" functions as an Emotional Outlet for the Male Characters.

Has the (male) Protagonist just experienced something Frightening, suffered Loss or become Lost after the Peacefup Setting of the game's Tutorial?

The Token Girl will be there to Recognise and Express feelings of "something sad and scary" having happened to the Protagonist, of how "shaken and out of sorts" the Protagonist must be. The Token Girl will then act as an Outlet for these emotions, a Comfortable Vehicle to Focus on (to "redirect" the negative emotions to masculine "action") via becoming Someone To Protect or Someone To Impress. Or, if the Token Female is Dead By Tutorial, grief for "Her" is an Acceptable Emotion... to then be directed to the "more acceptable" method for dealing with Males Having Emotions via Monologues To The Setting ("talking at the scenery") or Promises To The Dead.

These emotions are, subsequently, Never Brought Up Again except as Character Motives or within the "acceptable" outlet of a Romantic Sideplot or an Epilogue Montage/Cutscenes. Sometimes games will use character commentaries in item descriptions or story logs to Remember The Plot Device but since these Expressions of Emotion are hidden within optional reading, players & the game's cast can Dodge any further acknowledgement of Having Feelings or anything resembling [Emotional Labour].

Kairi, the "Token Girl" of KH1, exists to "not exist": as the Designated Female in the lives of Sora and Riku, Kairi's absence is Glaring and, for some, Uncomfortable.

When Sora is at his lowest, when he feels scared and overwhelmed... Kairi is Not There to do his [Emotional Labour] for him. When Sora feels insecure or has a sudden understanding about himself or his relatio ships with others... Kairi is Not There to be Sora's ("Acceptably Female") Emotional Outlet. When Sora feels inspired or moved by his experiences... Kairi is Not There to say Sora's emotions for him, she is Not There for him to confide in, Not There to serve as a "purpose" for Sora "Having An Emotion".

Sora is a Very Emotional character: he is in a Coming of Age Journey, he is constantly put into the emotional stories of Disney films, and emotional introspection is a fundamental component of his setting's [combat mechanics]. Sora spends most of his games with Disney characters as his companions, his mentors, his confidants: when each KH game has its Emotional Climax, removed from the Disney settings & characters who had subconsciously prepared Sora (& players)... Kairi is Not There.

The emotions in Sora's Story are HIS emotions: his to experience, his to recognise in Others, his to express and articulate.

And, when removed from the comforting framework of Disney, who does Sora share his emotions be they positive or negative?

Riku, the OTHER Male Protagonist.

Kairi is Not There for Riku's emotional experiences either. Kairi, whose "purpose" in most works is to be Designated & Acceptably Female Emotional Outlet, is Not There. When Kairi is conveniently nearby either boy when they have an Emotional Revelation... Kairi is left in the background. The KH games COULD include Kairi, the Designated Female most "convenient" for its Male Protagonists to Emote At... yet, at every opportunity, Kairi is Not There. Kairi Not Being There is Deliberate, it is Pointed: it is the KH series saying "here is where you expect Emotions to come from & go to" and "we will not be doing that".

Kairi is Conveniently Female so that the KH series can Actively NOT USE THAT CONVENIENCE: Sora's Coming of Age Journey is emotional, as all such stories are, and it is SORA'S. Sora's to feel, Sora's to act upon, Sora's to recognise through Disney Parallels, Sora's to come to terms with, Sora's to express to whomever Sora most wants to express them to.

Now that the KH series has "retired" Kairi from her Role as "Convenient Female We Actively Never Use For Convenience", she might be allowed to have an opinion and perhaps even Have A Personality! I fear, however, that Players will need even more very pointed instances of Kairi Being There & Female and how Pointedly Unused she is when Sora needs to do something "feminine"!

Because KH is about deconstructing the "gender" of emotions: it is about exploring how feelings affect and influence our memories, our behaviour. How our identities, our relationships, require us to engage with our emotions. How refusing or ignoring what we feel leads to pain, isolation and sometimes tragedy. How each generation's relationships with emotional expression affects the generations that follow them, shaped by beliefs of predetermined suffering: how younger generations, if given the tools and context for such trauma-shaped beliefs, can show us all that these cycles of suffering are not inevitable or destined. That it takes all of us engaging with our emotions honestly, respecting each other's emotions as being as important to them as yours are to yourself... and, together, we can share our emotions (our Hearts) and find grounds for reconciliation (Connection). How we can only become stronger by embracing our ability to "feel" and by respecting how important and natural emotions are to us all. Emotions ("hearts") and the tools we use to understand them (stories, friendship, introspection) are not solely "allowed" to "children", to females or within the bounds of romance. Emotions are human and limiting who is "allowed" to express them or how they "should" be expressed? That harms us all. So open your hearts, connect with the hearts of others, and heal the hurts we have done unto ourselves & each other.

[set-wingedwarrior]

My most important sapphic ships post before Pride Month ends

What the title says, studying kept (and still keeps me) busy so we gotta go fast lol

Bumbleby (RWBY)

to the surprise of absolutely no one, they get first place (despite me not going in a particular order) because of reasons. They're perfect. Soulmates. Slowburn of all time. Yin and Yang. Eyes the color of each other's souls. Truest OTP to ever OTP in my book. ∞/10

Konosetsu (Negima!)

I already talked about them in their own post, this scene changed my life leading to my self-discovery and it still lives rent-free in my mind.

Kyosaya (Madoka Magica)

I'd also add MadoHomu but I'm trying to keep it to just one for each fandom. That said, they still make me mentally unwell. I love them, and I did for a long time now. I can't wait for the next movie to come out and suffer.

Ruby and Sapphire (Steven Universe)

These bitches had the first cartoon gay wedding and kiss DO I NEED TO SAY MORE???

Korrsami (Avatar)

Still down the queer cartoons making history path, these two made me insane back in the day because I still didn't understand I was queer and lots of sapphic couple were starting to appear in media, and I remember jokingly say how "lesbian ships were hauting me". All I can say now is "Thank you" lol. Anyway, they were incredibly important and all the people criticizing how little queerness there's in the show will never understand just how massive this scene was.

Catradora (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

Friends to Enemies to back to Friends to Lovers. Iconic. I still want a movie with their adventures bringing magic back to the universe.

Hollstein (Carmilla)

My third beloved blonde with a cat gf ship. I miss this web-series every day. Also, Natasha Negovanlis played an immense role in my gay awakening.

Ellie and Riley (The Last of Us: Left Behind)

Ellie and Dina are adorable and I love them, BUT I just will never get over these two. That dlc fucked me up. (also, they're in the same category with Korrasami as "gay ships that hauted me before I realized I was queer" lol)

Lumity (The Owl House)

I remember starting this show feeling it as the successor of Steven Universe, at least to me. We could say that at level of mistreatment from its parent company, it defenitely surpassed it, but at least I'm glad I was right and we got Luz and Amity becoming canon. I love these two and not a day passes without me yelling at Disney for what it did to them.

Bubbline (Adventure Time)

I actually watched Adventure Time fully only recently, but I always loved them even when I watched the show randomly when it appeared in tv back in the day. Getting to see the progression properly just made me love them even more.

Yasammy (Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous/Chaos Theory)

Incredibly recent addition, but I am so glad that I checked out Camp Cretaceous and got into it. It's a nice show and these two are a really cute couple, their confession and especially Yaz's internal turmoil were just so on point. I was really happy to see them go still strong in Chaos Theory, and I can't wait for next season.

Pricefield (Life is Strange)

These two caused me pain in the best possible way. I felt literal heartbreak at the Bay Ending, and I was just as emotional at the Bae one (Bae > Bay Forever) I hope the new game will respect their relationship OR ELSE.

Wow, this is quite the list. I do have an amazing taste, if I do say so myself, ahah!

Well, I guess this is it for now, glad I could make it before Pride Month was over! Knowing myself I might have actually forgotten some though, so keep an eye out for possible updates (what makes me even think that you'd care? lol).

That would be all, be gay and do crimes! Bye!

[wowifinallywatched]

Wow I finally watched Monsters at Work (S2)

**Minor Spoilers**

This show is Joy. This show is happiness.

This show is pure enjoyment, forget-about-the-world-around-you fun and indulging in a world full of adventures, Jokes and references to an original movie we hold dear to our hearts, While paving the way for a beautiful new story about a dynamic duo changing the colour of their world and the human world one child at a time.

I think there was a lot of risk, As with any sequel / spin off, of repetitiveness and overall the continuation of the story just not doing well.

But Monsters at Work was perfect.

(In my eyes - You do not have to agree with me, I just want to show my appreciation and love for this show and Story)

This show provided more of the future we've all been so curious about since the end of Monsters Inc (We all knew things worked out with Laugh Power - But did it really?) (Yes, Yes it did.) and the changes it made to the city and their communities as a whole - The politics, The power company's rivalry's, How people feel about laugh power, All of our favourite characters, All of our most disliked characters and so so much more.

They balanced giving a nod to the past, Making references to those original movies between og characters as if they're inside jokes (Which I guess, they are), Seeing characters we love and adore, Seeing scenery that is comforting and familiar, Even items (BOO'S DRAWING ON SULLEY'S DESK - I'M NOT OKAY-) without it being in your face and making it the whole show. Mike and Sulley being a part of the future of this company and caring for their little misfits, without overbearing and letting these new characters shine and share their own stories - It was perfectly balanced.

I love what this show represented as well - Different cultures and races in the human world and monster world, Different couples / sexualities without making it a big fuss (They're just in a happy relationship - That's what matters!), Healthy relationships and really great traits like embracing who you are, Always stand up for what you believe in, Never hesitate to show your Love for the things and people you care about and so much more!

Something I also loved is the representation of the real and healthy relationship between Val and Tylor - And the fact this didn't turn into a romantic relationship.

The first season was about building the foundations of their friendship and really getting to know each other - The second season really tested their friendship and saw to how they would get through these rocky times together.

While there were some moments of heartbreak, sadness and even anger - With communication, Responsibility and ackowledging what they had done, They got through it and came out the other side of it with their bond even stronger than ever! Which I think is something super healthy and important to represent.

And while I see there are a few hints here and there that could definitely lead to a Third season, Which halfway through episode 10 I literally said I would sell my soul for a third season, Once I had finished that final episode, My mind had changed.

The ending of Season 2 was perfect.

It was happy. It was fulfilling. And while I'd be one of the first to hop on Disney plus if a Third season did come out - I feel like they could stop the show here if they wanted to.

I could watch this show forever and ever and ever if I could, But we've all seen what happens when a show continues simply for profit etc. and it loses what that original story is about.

But on the other hand, they have a whole world of Monsters stories and cities to explore that we've only scratched the surface of.

And you never know what might be coming in the future.

All in all, I absolutely adored this show with all my heart and soul and I will forever talk about how perfect (in my personal opinion) it is.

Also there will forever be some references that will never get old.

Example A: Mike getting covered by logo / barcode etc

Example B: Roz (Period. She has so many good ones)

Example C: Boo. (Anything really, I just love their relationship)

100000000000000000000000000000000000000 x infinity / 10

I love you Monsters Inc world. Thank you for making me feel protected and Loved, Even if I couldn't be apart of your world.

And don't forget, This show wasn't made just for kids.

Oh no.

It was made for those Monsters Inc kids, now all grown up.

(And for everyone and anyone!)

[doomwadz]

“send this to everyone you know. the more you know me the better.

Full name: Eric Harris

Nicknames: REB, reverend, indigo, WAR

Birthplace: Wichita, KS

Birthday: 4/9/81

Where Do You Live Now?: hell. a few days ago people called it littleton.

Parents: Wayne and Kathy

Sibling(s): Kevin

Looks: 5’10” 140. skinny but handsome, some say

Favourite Animal: Dogs, bald eagles

Favourite show(s): i hate TV

Favourite Kind(s) Of Music: industrial

Favourite Movie(s): Lots Highway (i think he meant Lost Highway)

School former: Columbine High School

Future School: none

Future Job: none

Boyfriend/Girlfriend: Nope

Best buds: the 4 horsemen. me (war), vodka (death), REDACTED (famine), REDACTED (pestilence)

Favourite Candy: slim jims

Hobbies: doom, guns

Things you collect: fireworks, gunpowder

Do You Have A Personal Phone Line?: its the computer line too.

Favourite Body Part Of The Opposite Sex.? Legs.

Any Tattoos And Where Of What?: None yet.

Piercing(s) And Where?: hell no.

What Do You Sleep In?: Boxers.

Do you like Chain Letters: burn em.

Best Advice: Follow instincts.

Favourite Quote: kill em all. lets rock. BUCK DICH.

non-sporty activity you enjoy: Computer, shooting.

Dream Car: hummer (ew)

Favourite Thing To Do In The Spring: shoot stuff, blow up stuff

What’s Your Bedtime?: Whenever.

Where Do You Shop?: try not too. army surplus or hot topics. even though its a trendy little place.

Coke or Pepsi: Coke

Favourite Thing(s) To Wear: black stuff and sunglasses.

Favourite Subjects In School?: Bowling

Favourite Colour(s): black

Favourite People To Talk To Online: REDACTED in CSU

Root-Beer or Dr. Pepper: toss em both.

Do You Shave? wheni feel like it

Favourite Vacation Spot(s): mountains

Favourite Family Member(s): bro.

Did You Eat Paint Chips As A Kid?: No

Favourite CD You Own: a custom burn of gothic industrial

The ONE Person You Hate The Most: are cops one person?

Favourite Food(s): salsa sunflower and slim jims

Who Is The Hottest Guy/Girl In The World? REDACTED something. a few others.

What Is Your Favourite Salad Dressing?: ranch

When You Die, Do You Wanna Be Buried or Burned Into Ashes?: burned.

Do You Believe In Aliens?: i believe your probbed ass i do

If You Had The Chance To Professionally Do Something, What Would You Do?: blow up things.

Things You Obsess Over: guns bombs doom

Favourite Day Of The Week: Friday

A Teacher You Hate: REDACTED

Favourite Disney Movie: burn em all

What Is Your Favourite Season? Summer

What Toppings Do You Like On Your Pizza? pepperonis and green peps

Do You Like Your School Food Itself (As In District Food):

If You Could Live Anywhere, Where Would You Live?: phobos

Favourite Thing(s) To Do On The Weekends: bowl and get stoned

Favourite Thing(s) To Clean Up: eh?

Favourite Magazine(s): guns and ammo, penthouse, time.

Favourite Flower(s): this chinese one i saw.

Favourite Number(s): 7, 666

Favourite Ice Cream Flavour(s): cooke dough!!!

What Kind Of Guys/Girls Your Attracted Too?: sexy and fun ones.

(theres no 67-)

Whats Your Most Embrassing Moment?: getting arrested

If You Could Change One Thing About Yourself, What Would It Be?: weight

Do You Eat Breakfast First And Then Brush Your Teeth or Brush Your Teeth Then Eat Breakfast: i eat breakfast and then brush my teeth.

Favourite Time Of The Day: 2am.

Can A Guy And A Girl Be Just “Best Friends?”: i guess.

Do You Ask The Guy/Girl Out Or Do You Wait For Them To Come To You?: ask em out

Do You Mind Paying For Sex?: depends on who its with, but no not really

Whats The Most Important Thing To Somone’s Personality?: compassion

do you have a cell phone or a pager? hell no

favourite sport: soccer

What Was The Best Gift You Ever Received?: my 86 honda prelude

How Long Did This Letter Take You To Finish?: 5 min

What Did You Listen To While Completing It?: nothing

are you or would you like to be married in the near future (next 5 years)?: no

dont u just hate how psychics never win the lottery?: would rather rob.

btw forgot to put a title but this is a survey that eric did that i found on reddit somewhere :)

[pastelwitchling]

Thoughts on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, episode 3:

(Disclaimer: I loved everything about the episode except, mostly, Annabeth herself. So if you're going to get offended because someone doesn't like the same fictional character, because that's what Annabeth is, and if you're going to try to turn the argument into something else, please don't bother reading.)

So. This is a bit difficult because I feel very conflicted/wary about what's to come, mostly because Disney has not been historically good at girl power or badass female characters. Let me just say this; while I used to love the CW's Flash, it quickly went downhill when the Flash took a backseat to his own show for the CW's half-assed "girl power" message. I fear the same might happen here.

Let me be very clear about something. It makes sense why Annabeth would seem like the more formidable opponent at the start of the story. She was more or less that in the first two books because, not only is she the daughter of the goddess of wisdom and battle strategy, but she'd spent a lot of her life training for quests, studying about the gods, and she just knew more than Percy did. I didn't like Movie Annabeth for most of the first film either for the same reasons I'm about to list below, please keep that in mind.

My issue will come here; if Percy starts to take a backseat to his own show just so we can highlight how great and awesome Annabeth is and girl power rules and whatever, I'm going to be very, very miffed. Again, it's fair for me to worry about this now because Disney is all tell and no show when it comes to women. Just like they did with Marvel, just like they did with the most recent Disney Princesses, it's more important to them to show how woke they are instead of caring about the actual stories they tell. And I'm Middle-Eastern, so don't even try any of that self-righteous white woman racial crap with me, okay?

I know I'm saying what a lot of people probably think but aren't allowed to say, but -- call me crazy -- I want the show based on the Percy Jackson books to focus on Percy Jackson. To be honest, I've never loved ANY of Rick Riordan's female characters, save for Ana from Daughter of the Deep, as well as the other female characters in that book, but that's not even in the Percy Jackson world, so it doesn't count. And I ONLY say this now because, again, Disney has SUCKED with their female characters. It's all pandering and nothing but pandering.

The first book especially always frustrated me with the way Grover never really seemed to defend Percy against Annabeth's snobby behavior, so this aligns fine. I'm not really saying anything against the character either (not yet), as this frustration with how unfair and snobby she is towards Percy very much aligns with the book. I guess I was just hoping that since I always hated Annabeth in the books and she was actually likable in the second episode, that maybe the show would be better about her portrayal. I was actually thinking how cute they would be as a couple in the second episode, but now? I'm kind of back where I was with the books, I don't see why she deserves him, not yet.

Much like Grover was in the episode, I was just looking at a lot of her behavior as Really? The guy had NO reason to invite you on this quest, you NEEDED him to pick you, and you still act like he's the idiot for caring about his mom and not knowing anything about this world that he's just found out about, and it's so freaking entitled, I --

I've been part of the Roswell, New Mexico fandom since season 1, and I know just how ridiculous people get when you DARE criticize a character who HAPPENS to be played by a black actress. I don't give a crap. I'm critiquing the CHARACTER here, and I'm disappointed, not with her, but the writing itself. It's too soon to tell, I know, but I do hope Disney is better about Annabeth's character than the books were, because I saw Book Annabeth as rude, selfish, and unfair, it bothered me that everyone in the story still idolized her despite how toxic her behavior was (save for Percy, but just in the beginning, and then he was fine with her hitting him and calling him stupid all the time), and I saw glimpses of that in episode 3, so I'm hoping for better.

Also, that whole, What are you afraid of? conversation felt so weird and forced. They JUST started the quest, Percy is throwing in suggestions, Annabeth treats him like he's stupid for it, and then demands to know why he's scared of who he is, and I'm like ?? What warranted that question? He hasn't used his powers yet, he hasn't refused to use his powers yet or talk about his father or anything, so why would he seem afraid of who he is? It just makes no sense.

Honestly? At this point, I just feel bad for Leah because Annabeth is a very difficult character to make likable in my eyes, and it's made worse when the writing won't allow her to be any better.

Aside from that, I really did love the episode a lot. I wish Grover had done more to defend Percy in the beginning, but he did the same thing in the book and he eventually did step in. Medusa was actually great. I hated the actress's character in the Flash, so I was wary, but she really knocked it out of the park. I love some of the extra details they put in, like Percy giving her a chance because of his mom and kindness (fatal flaw, if you know you know), I LOVED the consensus song, and YES! I was SO worried they wouldn't have Percy send Medusa's head to Olympus, but they did and he was perfect and it was AMAZING! When Annabeth said that what Medusa said isn't what happened, I would've liked an explanation of what actually did happen. Then again, it feels like there's a bit too much exposition already, to be honest. Like there were more creative ways to explain Thalia, there were more creative ways to explain Annabeth and Luke finding camp, and I don't know if it's because I've memorized the books at this point, but it feels like so much of the episode is just dedicated to explaining things that don't really need explanation or could be saved for later to show through flashbacks or something. I don't know, just more creative than standing and sitting there while someone explains everything.

It works great sometimes, like with Sally and Percy, but other moments just feel very... exposition-y.

I love this show. It's the highlight of my week. I maintain that we are getting the best possible adaptation. It's just because I love this story so much and it's so sacred to me that I can't help but critique. I don't think the books are flawless (i.e. the female characters), so it stands to reason that I won't find the show completely flawless either. Is it still sacred to me? Absolutely. Percy Jackson has always been too important not to nitpick, I think.

[amyintherapy]

"Good Parenting"

I had an eye-opening therapy appointment this week. The kind that makes me feel like...how did I not see things this way all along? It's so obvious?

But, I didn't, so I guess here's to sharing in case someone else hadn't realized this yet either. And to just continue processing on my own if this is obvious to everyone but me already, haha.

I'll skip over the conversation that led into this, as I don't think it's really needed. But my therapist said something like "Some people think of parenting as basically being about taking care of a child's body. They are a 'good parent' if they make sure their children are fed three meals a day, bathed and groomed. If they sign permission slips and make sure the homework was done and they have clean clothing and get taken to school...that's what parenting means to them. I think your mom did a good job of taking care of your body, but children aren't just a body. They have tons of emotions, thoughts and beliefs that result in a lot of emotional needs...and sometimes those are ignored while the body is taken care of and people see that as good parenting."

And just...yeah. DUH. Of course that's what a lot of people think. That's why I come across tiktoks by boomers who have adult children who have gone no-contact and they're screaming about how they have NO idea what their child's problem is, because they were a GREAT parent and they even took their kid to Disney every year. I've literally seen the Disney comment multiple times and thought...going to Disney just means you have at least a little money. That doesn't have shit to do with whether you were a good parent or not? Who says that?

But it totally makes sense that if you see 'good parenting' as being about making sure your child is clean, has access to health care, gets to school on time, etc - that you might honestly think that you were an AMAZING parent if you did those things PLUS spent thousands on a vacation. I think what they're really saying is "I met ALL their (physical) needs and gave them lots of UNNEEDED things too! So clearly I was a perfect parent!"

After my mind was done exploding, I said something to my therapist about how that's fascinating to me because while I, of course, recognize that physically caring for kids is important, too - I see parenting as primarily an emotional or social thing. And I identify far more with my emotions, thoughts and beliefs than I do my body.

She said she doesn't think that's true for a lot of people. She used the example of how a lot of people's primary identity comes from their job (or career path, income, etc) and how that is a by-product of living in a world where we're taught to identify with our bodies over our emotional or social needs from the time we're little kids.

At some point, she also pointed out that there's a relationship between the two - and how in my case, my mom failed to protect my body (in part, at least) because of the lack of emotional care. She was referring to how I was sexually abused and didn't tell anyone about it for years due to the lack of support that I had. And like...yeah. It totally makes sense that you run the risk of not even doing a thorough job of taking care of their body if you don't have a really solid emotional connection with your children. I think I'm starting to realize that my cPTSD isn't just my stepdad and his explosive anger, and my mom catering to his anger to try to keep things calmer. It was also caused by the emotional neglect.

[itshype]

Ao3 WIP Tag Game!

I was tagged by @nonamemanga a while ago but I didn't have time to do this until now! Thank you for thinking of me!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? Thirty Eight! (37 on my account and 1 that is currently anonymous!)

2. What's your AO3 word count? 170,914 (oooh!)

3. What fandoms do you write for? Netflix's Wednesday (2022), DC Comics (Mostly Batman), Danny Phantom. Other fandoms I have written for but I wouldn't consider myself as currently writing for are; Disney's Descendants first film, Teen Wolf, Fantastic Beasts and where to find them the first film and Netflix's The Witcher. If we're counting my long-abandoned fanfiction account I have also written Dr Who fic, I think maybe a Sherlock one and Without a Trace (2002-2009)

4. What are your Top 5 Fics by Kudos?

In ascending order:

5) Hang On, I Still Need You (Descendants)

4) The Captivating Case of Percy’s Imaginary Date (Fantastic Beasts)

3) Bad Boys, not Bad News (Teen Wolf)

2) Espy Me, While I Watch You (Teen Wolf)

1) a language they cannot understand (Teen Wolf)

5. Do you respond to comments? If I can think of something to say! I can't always though unfortunately.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I generally write the most unrepentant fluff so I think Once Bitten, Never Shy? But I still wouldn't classify that as angst.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Again, most of them are pretty happy! I'm not going to reread 38 fics to check but the overall fluffiest, happiest AU I've written that comes to mind is The Only Garden My Heart Will Ever Grow In.

8. Do you get hate on fics? I don't think I've gotten hate in my comments but I did get an unkind comment on Tumblr fairly recently saying I needed to get a lot more feedback before publishing (I do have betas) - amongst other less friendly suggestions.

9. Do you write smut? No sorry. When reading fics I'll be like "Hmm this unsafe-kink, publicly-set, PWP is a little too vanilla." But when writing I'm like, "They kiss...with the tongue....I guess."

10. Do you write cross-overs? Yep! A bunch! I haven't always loved crossovers but over the last few years I've really come to enjoy them. On my account is a few DC x DP fics (Danny Phantom and DC Comics) and one, very poorly written Batman and The Witcher I never want to think about again.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated? Niet.

12. Have you ever cowritten a fic before? Yes! Not all of them are published and I don't think I currently have a cowritten fic on my ao3 account but yes, as a process. I enjoy it but also find it challenging to blend writing approaches and deal with time zones.

13. What is a WIP you would like to finish but doubt you ever will? All my fics are completed. However I just begun a new AU (Wyler) that's VERY ambitious so we'll see how that goes.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship? Malec. Have I ever written a Malec fic? No. Will I? Probably not. The fandom is low key intimidating. But in my heart I have so many AUs.

15. What are you writing strengths? I think my comedy and worldbuilding?? Maybe? I'd feel more confident if a reader of mine weighed in on this.

16. What are your writing weaknesses? Length. It took me almost the whole year to get to the end of A Standing Reservation in the Eye of the Storm. I'll never be one of those people who can smash out 30k in a few days.

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I'm not 1000% sure what this question refers to. I think it's important to check that any real-world language is written correctly. But with real-world languages AND conlangs, ensuring readability is so important. My preference is probably the sentence in English with the dialogue tags something like "he said in flawless Mando'a" but an immediate translation in parentheses at the end of the paragraph (hover text is good but doesn't work on mobile) is decent OR have the in-text reply make the dialogue fully evident:

"3456 234567 2345?"

"Oh, I love this song too, I'd love to dance with you!"

Encoded footnotes are alright, and my detested option is full separated out glossaries that give the meaning of each word used for me to string into correct order for each sentence. A headache.

18. First fandom you wrote for? Can't be sure...I think I was involved in a Five Find-Outers and Dog fanfic (not that I used that word) as a child that never made it near a computer, let alone the internet.

19. Favourite fic you’ve ever written? OH easily A million years ago, last night & at the end of all things (also known as AMYAL). The words flowed and I loved every moment. However, I did also love writing Espy Me, While I Watch You back in 2017. I wish the third story in the AMYAL verse came 1/3rd as easy.

20. What fic would you want to rewrite one day? None! Often after a fic is fully published I never think about it aga...That's all a total lie and I feel sad DAILY over the complete hash I made of Pry This Home From My Cold, Dead Mountain because I loved my au so much and I failed to show anyone why. It was just NOT good.

Tagging: @suchaladyy, @cosmic-lullaby, @katwitchwriting, & @writerrose1998 + @ohnomybreadsticks (If you'd like to be tagged please lmk and I'll add you ASAP!)

[britishassistant]

A twst and NeverAfter crossover! A Twisted Neverland! There are so many possibilities!

Warning: NeverAfter/twst chapter 7 spoilers

I imagine the RSA princes’ motives might be a combination of the Fairies and the Princesses; something like, destroying twisted wonderland in order to return to the “true” version of the story. Because imagine how unfair it must feel to go from being the most important character in your story to barely even getting a name. I could see that leading to a mindset of setting right what once went wrong, only their definition of “right” is a bit myopic. Nevemind that their plan would doom all of the NRC students because “they’re villains, villains don’t deserve happy endings”

I know he’s taking the role of the Stepmother but Malleus’ goal also gives him a lot in common with the Baron of Bricks. A beginning with no ending. And a conflict with death (which is perfect since Idia, twisted from the ruler of the underworld, is gonna go up against him in canon). Perhaps that’s why he’s not too far gone to save? Because he doesn’t want to completely destroy everything, instead he wants to preserve certain parts of the story at the expense of everything else. Or is he at a point of “if I can’t have you no one can”?

What’s Lilia’s role in this? I can’t imagine he’d willingly go along with this insane plan if he understood what was going on, considering his reaction at the party. So is he being controlled? I guess that would mean Silver is in a similar position to Pinocchio.

If the students are sticking to the script doesn’t that mean that Yuu has to meet with Malleus? Not very often (thank god) but I doubt he’d take kindly to being denied their friendship, not after everything he’s sacrificed to keep it. Man, imagine meeting this eldritch creature and being expected to act all clueless and call him Hornton like you’re not painfully aware that he wants to eat you or something.

And are all the students aware of the nature of their world? Was it harder for some of them to awaken than others? Specifically the ones without an obvious analog from the other stories? Like Jack, or those twisted from plot devices instead of characters? (Epel: I’m a goddamned apple)

Sorry for the long disjointed rant, your au just combined my two current hyperfixations:D

Thank you for the ask, dear anon!

These are literally my two hyperfixations right now, I am vibrating in place—

(Also this is just one of the two possible crossovers I’ve had in mind. After all, if Disney interpretations of fairy tales exist within Neverafter, who’s to say our intrepid heroes couldn’t wash up on Sage Island one fine morning?)

And yes that is what’s happening with the RSA princes—much like the Neverafter princesses they have basically decided that the villainous world of Twisted Wonderland is only making people residing in it unhappy as things get worse and worse every run. Therefore the only way to save everyone and make them happy is by making sure this backwards, twisted world no longer exists.

Yes, Malleus’ goals are basically an amalgamation of the two—like when the stepmother started out and the Baron, all he wants is a way to keep Lilia from getting sick and to keep his human in Twisted Wonderland without needing to ever worry about parting. Except, then he discovered that his story was written to be a tragedy where he confronts loss and learns to move on despite it. And in his current mindset, the being formerly known as Malleus Draconia was not prepared to accept that this narrative would only take from him that which he held dear.

Isn’t it better that he sacrifice the very thing binding him to this tale, the name of the heir to the Valley of Thorns, if it means he can surpass the Thorn Fairy and destroy all that which is unnecessary to his happiness? Even if his current power is insufficient to do so, all he needs to do are consume the other manifestations of “Dorm Head” or “Villain” until he is the only being left with any claim to these titles, no?

He’s not quite at the point of “if I can’t have you, no one can” but he is getting there. Oh boy is he getting there.

Lilia, Crowley and by extension Sebek are trying to work against the Diasomnia Dorm Head to get things Back on Track (or what they think Back On Track is). As fae, they’re a bit more aware of the ways in which the narrative should run, and the beings whose attentions they do not wish to attract for fear of them making the story worse.

For Lilia and Sebek this is hard as they need to try and keep Diasomnia running like how it was when the Dorm Head was still mostly person shaped, while ensuring no one deviates from the script by force, if they must. They can’t do much about the Dorm Head, as he’s basically drifting around doing whatever he wants to try and gain more power, but for the more human students? Well, it’s not like these individual, self-centered mages can really fight back against Crowley or Lilia’s capabilities, right? Just stick to the plan and everything will be fine, they promise.

Of course, this is without the additional factor that every parallel version of Twisted Wonderland our heroes end up in after they die incorporates more of the darker and grittier aspects of the original tales than the ones before it.

Kalim al-Asim hasn’t had the freedom to think for himself since the start of the year, for example. Crossing the Octavinelle trio is a sure fire way to find yourself vanished without a trace, the dorm students of Ignihyde seem to be halfway to the underworld already, and some say the dorm head of Heartslaybul will paint the roses red with the blood of those who fail to live up to his exacting standards.

Yuu, Grim, Silver, Rook and Ortho are all part of Team “maybe we shouldn’t have to follow our stories to the letter to find happiness but we don’t want the world destroyed either thnx”.

Grim, quite understandably, does not want his story to end with him turning into a monster that either kills his friends or gets killed by them, and so is trying to find a way to avoid this fate.

Silver and Rook, thanks to their more light-aligned origins, are similar to the RSA students in that once they’ve “awoken” they’ll stay that way across every version of themselves. Silver is taking it much harder than Rook is, though it’s not easy for him either.

Ortho, thanks to Idia modifying his memory databanks so they can be transferred across dimensions, is able to pretty much “awaken” whenever an alternate version of him is destroyed.

Yuu’s notebook, which they originally used in their Villainous Paranoiac ‘verse to record everything that happened to them and try to figure out a way to prevent overblots, functions very much like Timothy Goose’s storybook, if more…prone to overwriting its wielder with the memories stored within.

Most of the students who “wake up” usually join this side as well. It’s actually much easier for the students who aren’t twisted from defined character within their story to “awaken”. After all, it’s much harder for a person to be twisted into a worse version of their story counterpart if that counterpart is say, an apple, a pair of cards, or a wolf that never appeared in the first place.

Thank you for ranting though! I really enjoy reading through things like this!!

[inkabelledesigns]

Okay, I don't voice a ton of opinions about Disney movies, but here's one I think about from time to time: Raya and the Last Dragon AND Encanto would have worked better as animated series than movies.

I say this as someone who absolutely loves Encanto mind you. Every time I see a Camilo post I am immediately sending it to my sister, we both appreciate this film. But our inside joke is that it gets an I for Incomplete. The movie spends so much time giving us musical numbers that expose us to each character's struggles, but it feels like Mirabel just kind of shows up and listens to how her family members are feeling? Like she doesn't get much of a chance to actually help most of them through their problems, even though the movie seems like it wants to frame her that way. She barely suggests a solution. Luisa just had a good cry around her, and Isabella yelled at her and then found her solution on her own. I feel like listening and having a soundboard are important when it comes to working through your feelings, but this format and pacing actively strip Mirabel of getting to be fleshed out and have an active role in the story. Things just kind of happen around her. We don't get to see much of what makes her unique as a problem solver. And I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that this story was being told in a movie format. It has such a big cast where all of them are important, it's hard to give anyone enough time to be fully fleshed out and have the entirety of their character arc within that time span.

Raya suffers from the same problem. The world is so large and expansive, its geography and individual cultures have so much potential, but we only get this tiny glimpse of these characters and places that doesn't tell us all that much about them, outside of a small taste of exposition when they're all missing their families. Which kills me, because both of these movies have some really interesting ideas on display. The scope is just too ambitious to fit cleanly into one singular movie. If they were animated series that had some slower growth to compliment their rich world building, it would have made a significant difference. I would love to see more shenanigans with each of these characters, more ups and downs of serious conflict and a little goofiness. Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset by what we got, it was nice to have some original IPs that were fun and took some risks. But I am a little disappointed, because they had the potential to be a lot better than they were.

It's been feeling like Disney movies are more and more rushed over the past couple years, or at the very least, not thought through as much as they could be. -gestures at the behind the scenes of Frozen 2 where they didn't know what the voice was for most of production- And I can't pinpoint any one thing as the reason why, because there are a lot of factors contributing to it. But it definitely makes me want to be more conscious of that when creating my own stories. I guess that is the great thing about storytelling and art, you're always learning, and as you take in more art, you figure out what you value most about it. That is key in teaching you how to make what you want. Art is a language after all.

[orchideous-nox]

1, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18, 23, 26, 36, 52, 91 and 99 for the ask thingie < 3

yay good, this will keep me busy for a while

1 - do you carry around a bag when you're out and about? if so, what's usually in it?

I am a backpack bitch but in that backpack I keep a tote bag in case I need to be more gay. I also always have chewing gum, lip balm, an umbrella and every receipt from the last month just in case I need it.

9 - who is your biggest inspiration?

I don't think I really have someone who I could categorise as an inspiration for me. I get short bursts of inspiration from everyone around me I guess, from my friends, my family, people on the internet. That feels like such a non-answer 🙃 Alex inspires me a lot though < 3 (sorry to be gross but he's my best friend so it's allowed)

10 - any unusual fears?

Fun bit of Katie lore, I don't personally think this is unusual but I have megalophobia which is a fear of large objects. I get an physical reaction just thinking about those pictures where they use people as perspective for how big something is like the Statue of Liberty or the anchor chain on big ships, it makes me feel sick.

11 - favourite myth?

I am so glad you asked. I have Greek Mythology autism so this is difficult and I am deciding to do a top 3 because this is my blog and I can do what I want.

First is The Odyssey, I love Odysseus and his journey and the way he changes as a man on his way home. I am classing this as one myth but if I had to be even more specific I would go with Odysseus and Polyphemus. I studied the Odyssey at school when I was 14/15 and I would mark it as the start of my special interest in Greek Mythology. I would love to visit some of the places along his journey (not the Underworld though).

Second, Ariadne, Theseus and the Minotaur. I have always loved Ariadne and especially her links to Daedalus and Icarus who haven't made the list but were so close. It was an early introduction to mythology for me and I'll always love the stories surrounding these events.

Third is difficult but I think it is the Labours of Heracles (again, I am counting this as one but you're being picky the Cretan Bull). I could talk about him forever, about the people who came and went during this time, about the lasting effects of these labours. Heracles is such a fascinating character and Disney did not do him justice even if I love that film.

Special mentions to Apollo and Hyacinthus, Daedalus and Icarus, Medusa and Atalanta.

15 - favorite font?

I normally write in Calibri, however I am fond of a Garamond.

18 - what's your most controversial opinion?

I don't like the Prisoner of Azkaban film. I won't be elaborating.

23 - what's popular with the people around you that you can't seem to get behind?

Bridgerton. I've never watched it, I have no intention of watching it. I have a few bones to pick with the books from what I have heard about them and while the show might have got rid of them or has changed things, I'm just not vibing honestly.

26 - would you enjoy being famous?

Would I enjoy having more money? Yes. Being famous, however, absolutely the fuck not. There's so much pressure behind fame and public influence and the idea of people watching every move Imake and critiquing everything I do fills me with anxiety. I'm quiet happy being of little importance to the world.

36 - what's the most expensive thing you've ever spent money on?

I'm going to exclude holidays which would take the top two spots, and my rent doesn't count either. I guess my laptop but that's not any fun.....my film degree that I've done nothing with.

52 - what the best anon hate you've ever received?

I can't remember any of the specific wordings and it would take too long to scroll back and find them because tumblr is homophobic and isn't showing me any of them if I search jegulus on my blog but there's always anti-jegulus anons that are like "but jily is canon". The last time I got one, I just sent them a link of one of my jegulus fics and said it was a petition to have jegulus banned form the internet.

91 - what's a common misconception people have about you?

That I'm intimidating or that I am grumpy/pissed off/hate everyone. I just have that thousand-yard autism stare which on me kinda looks like rbf. Humble brag but I actually think I'm lovely.

99 - is there anything you would consider yourself an expert at?

Expert? No. But I would love to actually be an expert on Greek Mythology and there are probably people who do consider me an expert but I'm just an enthusiast.

Thank you for the endless list of asks my darling loser husband < 3

[mauesartetc]

Hey maue get to so you again. I want to ask you an Important question. What designs you feel needs a redesign? because there's this character name tinkerbell who while iconic I feel her design doesn't age well. Her design is extremely sexualize like her dress is skimpy, long flowing hair, lascivious lips, long legs and a bust. How would fix her design?

Honestly? Not sure what's really that sexual about it. She has a short skirt, sure (and the length probably would've been scandalous when the movie came out), but I've seen similar dresses on plenty of women in the summer, and like... it's not a big deal?

I've never been a fan of projecting morals onto body types or pieces of clothing. It's superficial and nonsensical to judge real women for their bodies or taste in fashion, so why judge fictional women for the same? Obviously characters don't have the same agency as real people, though, so there's a discussion to be had about the designer's motivations and thought process in drawing Tink the way he did. But implying she needs to be "fixed" because her outfit's a little revealing-? As if showing some leg is grounds for a redesign? Just kinda smacks of purity culture to me.

"But Maue", I can already hear pearl-clutchers mewling from the box seats, "this is a character in a children's movie! For children! Won't someone please think of the children??!!"

Welp, back in the 2010s, Disney released a series of 3D kids' films starring Tink herself. And wouldn't ya know it...

Her design barely changed at all. Guess they didn't see it as an issue. (Then again, this is Disney we're talking about, and those people stick to the script when it comes to their brand mascots, but still.)

I'd already aged out of this series' target demographic years before, but from what I can gather, Tink's more of a Barbie-like character in these films. More of a role model for girls instead of just "the jealous chick".

So it seems these filmmakers prioritized making Tink a more fleshed-out, sympathetic character rather than hand-wringing about her outfit. I guess you could cry to Disney about it if you really wanted to, even though I'm sure countless overprotective moms already have.

I don't even know why you think some of the qualities you listed even apply to Tinkerbell. First of all, her hair isn't "flowing"; it's tied up in a bun. Second, I'm not at all sure what "lascivious lips" means. How can lips be lascivious? Finally, you stated the fact that she has a bust as a negative, but like... literally everyone has a bust, at least if you go by the loose definition of the term. I'd also like to point out that the cultural fetishization of big boobs is utter bullshit that objectifies women who have them, but Tink's are actually pretty small in proportion to the rest of her body. Are we looking at the same picture?

It seems to me like you're projecting a lot onto this character just because you find her attractive. If you think she's sexy, that's totally fine. But sexy doesn't equal sexualized. It'd be a different story if she constantly posed in a provocative manner or was purposefully drawn with exaggerated proportions to highlight her feminine assets (like, say, Jessica Rabbit). And even if that were the case, sometimes characters who are sexualized end up doing more in the narrative than looking pretty. Sexualization isn't necessarily a bad thing; it just depends on the character and the story.

But sometimes - Le gasp! - Some characters just enjoy showing off their bodies or flaunting their sexuality, just like some people do in real life. It ain't a crime. Yes, it'd be a problem if all the female characters in a piece of media acted like this, as this would demonstrate that the media's creator sees women as interchangeable rather than individuals. But one character being a little sexual isn't the end of the world, despite what religious extremists may have you believe.

TL;DR: Cope.

[adventuretolkienlover]

For the TTS Ask Game!

🥳 How do you like celebrating your birthday?

💇 What's the shortest your hair has ever been, and do you regret it?

👑 What's one responsibility that you wish you didn't have?

🐴 How did you meet your best friend?

🦉 What's the dumbest name you ever gave a pet (or non-sentient object if pets weren't your thing?)

🌕 What empowers you?

🌌 What's your dream?

🌨 Who are you trying to make proud of you?

🏕 What's the worst gift you've ever given someone?

🎨 What's your favorite art medium to use?

🎶 Favorite song to sing when you're alone?

🍳 What's one thing you've got to get for yourself?

🍎 What would you give up everything you're doing to get?

🍃 Do you like having the wind in your hair?

Thanks girl! Okay, let's see!

🥳: For my birthday, or any occasion really, I love going to the Natural History Museum! I'm a huge history and science freak. Someday I plan on working in a museum!

💇: The shortest my hair has ever been? That's good question. Because the thing is I never cut my hair. Why? Well, I always treasured having really long untamable hair. I viewed at a symbol of my personal freedom. So my hair has always been pretty long. Although lately, I guess you could say the shortest it's been is a bit past shoulder length. That the length it's seemed to have settled on since I've gotten older. Which is still pretty long actually. But yeah! It actually used to be longer which is crazy! Okay, I'm rambling. Moving on.🤣

👑: This is Also a tough one. Because well, I do struggle with a lot of my responsibilities cus of my ADHD. But I don't know if I'd want to be rid of them either because they're important to myself and to others. So I don't know if I can really answer that.

🐴: Over the Internet! I actually have three. 💕You💕, my friend @cassandrium360, and @disneyfanatic1993! I love you all!

🦉: Dumbest name? Well, I don't know if you could call it dumb, but me and my Mom named my cat Mouth.🤣 Because whenever it's feeding time or he's just talkative, he'll do these very long stretched out meows and opens his mouth real wide. Haha!

🌕: What empowers me? Well, knowing I have the Lord on my side is one thing for sure. I've had several experiences that I can call back on when I feel weak. And that definitely makes me feeling better.

🌌: My dream? Hollywood baby! But I'm not in it for money and fame. I guess that sounds cliche. But I want to help people. I want to write songs that will excite. Weave stories that will bring love and comfort. Creat art and animation that will inspire! I want to bring joy to people! Give them something that will lift the heavy burdens of life and wisk them away to somewhere of fantasy and happiness. And the money I earn? I'll put it to good use! Fix the world's problems! Help everyone can! Use in a way that would make Jesus and God proud. I guess I got a little dramatic. Lol!😅 But it's true! It's something I'm very passionate about. :)

🌨️: I don't know really. Honestly, none of the stuff I do is to earn any sort of praise. I simply want to do it because I feel it's my calling and I want to do good! But I suppose, I would like to make my family proud of me. I never really crossed my mind I guess.

🏕️: I haven't gotten any complaints from the gifts I've given before. Actually, I've been told I do really good when it comes to gifting. So, I'm not sure if I can answer that.

🎨: Favorite medium? And pencil and paper! That's all! And maybe, my Adobe Sketchbook App. But I think the good old pencil and paper rivals that.

🎶: Oh gosh. I don't even sing. Lol! I'm so embarrassed by my voice that I can't even sing to myself without cringing.🤣

🍳: The Full animation class by Aaron Blaise! One of my favorite Disney Animator Veterans! And if not that, a 3D printer. Cus those are awesome!

🍎: Woah. I honestly don't know. I've never felt that strongly interested in something before. Is that bad?😅

🍃: YES. WIND. RAIN. LIGHTNING. THUNDER. LET ME AT IT. WATCH ME PRANCE THROUGH THE CHAOS. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - HACK - *intense Coughing* Sorry. Let us continue.🥸🤣

Well, there you go! Thanks for the ask bestie! That was fun!

[thetimelordbatgirl]

Let's get real! How about 💘 🌿 🍉 🎀 and 💞?

💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?

Honestly? There's a-lot of my fic's I would like to rework/re-edit/rewrite, but if I was to single out two in particular: Marvel Descendants: The Art Of Mischief and Ninja's Unite Book 1. Just because I'm not proud of some of the earlier writing in both fics, aka grammar issues in Art Of Mischief and it being clear I had no clue what I was doing at times and throwing shit to the wall and hoping it stuck, while Ninja's unite earlier on writing does feel like its leaning heavily into the angst and not you know, the characters. But while I am planning to try and reboot Ninja's Unite, it a bit difficult to redo Marvel Descendants: The Art Of Mischief, since stuff from the book has been mentioned in stories set after it, so its sadly in hiatus state forever at this point unless I find a way out of the corner I've written myself into (aka another reason for singling out this fic here).

🌿how does creating make you feel?

When I do get to do creating? I guess I feel good, since I do love writing my characters and their fic's, and I love getting ideas for them, really. But not gonna lie, do get anxiety a-lot lately when creating, and it's pretty hard to fight at times, hence why I said when I do get to create, really...

🍉in what ways has writing helped you process trauma and/or navigate through your own life?

Just writing in general really, helps me navigate life, since writing means I escape to another world all together and aren't in reality where things are honestly, a mess a-lot of the time. Like, I still remember starting to write LGBT+ stuff around the time I was beginning to realize I was bisexual, but also attended a religious secondary school and had a mom who seemed to hate me briefly when I tried to come out to her, meaning writing was the only way I could be happy there with being myself. And while childish looking back, I remember making self-inserts of former friends and such in MH OCs so my own self-insert could deal with stuff and actually be happy afterwards.

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing.

Honestly? Moving on from copying Disney Descendants for Marvel Descendants. Best decision I ever made, really. It meant the series could become its own thing and do different plots and writing for the characters. Characters like Jayla likely wouldn't exist if it wasn't for that decision, so thank the gods I made.

💞what’s the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language.

All of them are important to me, really, since they all play important parts. But if I was to pick one or two: plot and characters, since you need a good plot to make the story work or it falls apart pretty fast, but you also need good characters that not only work with the plot but also are likeable to read for both readers and you, the author, looking back.

Let's get real!

[anna-neko]

ok @misterdadguy FOR NEXT TIME, LET US AIM TO READ ANOTHER QUARTER OF BOOK

this puts us almost halfway thru the story! You will know you in right place, as Mort will be in a TAVERN the line to stop - "Everyone had seen Mort run through it three times. He just hadn't opened it" get ready to watch ya boi learn the job a bit, mess up, meet some new cast members…. (a few things will seem like Good Omens references.... but this IS Pratchett we talkin about, so really, it's all comin from the same creative pool)

lets do some Sir pTerry notes so far! behind cut to save others timelines

DISNEY at one point had optioned Discworld, MORT specifically, for an animated movie

the deal eventually fell thru as Discworld came as more of a complete package than they wanted (don't know details of rights sales/ownership here. Gonna guess it was maybe similar to Jim Henson's MUPPETS being diff package to Henson Workshop creatures type thing?) a lovely pre-production concept art by Claire Keane. Keli to Ysabell contrast is really *chefs kiss*

Another lovely art: its not quite as book described, but maybe this is what Disney was already rewriting it to be? absolutely captures the PRESENCE of Ysabelle in Death's house tho

This is purely "pop culture has ruined me" but for the first day kept reading "Mort" as "Morty" each time its there, right. as In Rick and Morty almost kinda works in that hilarious awkward way, as for MOST of the book everyone keeps referring to him as "boy" and he corrects "Mort" Every. Single. Time. So did my brain kept forcefully correcting and rereading the name each time, to get it right ahhh Mortimer, we really in it this time

so basically Discworld summaries is literal shitposts. Perfectly accurate, but they all come off this way! like, u try a good summary that isn't spoilers: "if Meet Joe Black was B-story to Great Expectations" that is my summary for this book, make up your own when you ready!

*flipping thru notes* the scene with the thieves was fav funny bit: the dashes swears being so effortlessly pronounced! Also reannual plants!!! a throwaway joke that'll get reused like…10 books later

Geography notes: All the diff places have diff rulers here, all their own city-states. Sto Lat has a King, Ankh-Porpork has Patrician, Djelibeybi had pharaohs? ("sto lat" if the T is softened up & the "a" is sounded out like "eh" it very much sounds like "100 years" in russian. Make of that what you will) When they mention Klatchian and whatnot - The Seriphate of Klatch, desert country, across the sea. At this point of the books, a world-map hasn't been properly created (didn't bother until the late-90s) so don't worry about keeping some places straight. The important part is if a certain fiction VIBE is there, roll with it (it's probly another 2 pop-culture references holding up a pun)

A round of applause for Death naming his horse BINKY I like to headcanon that bebi~Ysabelle was allowed to name horses

Also, again a throwaway line, but SUCH A GOOD JOKE - Death commenting he gets his coins in pairs i read it, nodded, moved on… like an hour later the full meaning of the line smacked me upside the head

When they go to visit a certain dude ready for reincarnation - in real life, that name is a reference to a Tibetan monk … who turned out to be fake btw, buuuut he did published lots of books!

This book was written in the 80s, so i feel some stuff may have been more obvious to people closer to that pop~culture era Once we hit the mid-90s (later books duuh) …. u gonna be seeing it Every Line!! Like you know, if today I make a Seinfeld reference, half the room will give blank stares, and half will nod knowingly... LIKE THAT!

oh, and just a heads up goin ahead, as we will be meeting WIZARDS dog-Latin will happen! As in basically take a normal English phrase, and translate single words into latin, so it kinda forms a phrase? Not following any proper latin grammar rules.. but it looks fancy!

"I feel like there's opportunity to see how someone can lose themself in their work that it erases part of who they are" YES!!! you are a bit early on this point, but this is EXACTLY what will be happening to Mort, in a way….. don't wanna say too much, you will absolutely see it happening in the later part of the book

Ysabell is….. oh there's a reason she is the way she is, and there will be a fantastic scene which breaks it down. For the current moment, she is basically playing out The Great Expectation novel, what with being so stand-offish and constantly calling him "boy" Altho thats the entire b-plot in itself…. Sir Terry absolutely makes parts of all his books this way, and it never gets old!!

Princess Keli is …. ooooh boy is she a major plot point, not spoiling. The man does not write in anything needlessly, everything will come back in some way

YES YES YES 100 TIMES YES on certain puns needing a minute to…. "digest" or "sink in" as it were. There is ONE line in freakin Monstrous Regiment, that no joke, took me MONTHS! Like within the story it works a certain way [it works!! it makes perf in-fiction sense!], but then fast forward and us goin to see Beetlejuice musical and a song lyric suddenly snuck up and my brain went "hol…up… wait wait wait… motherfuck!!!" as the secondary meaning of the pun from the novel suddenly made too much sense! (which i then inflicted on a friend some weeks later, and his reaction was just as priceless)

This is the absolute wonder of Pratchett's writing - he will tell a great story, it will be very engaging! But on 2nd look… all these lil hidden puns and references and extra touches come thru, and it … just… SUDDENLY EVEN BETTER

[glambots]

Hello! I want to ask for the four group members. What if each of them had an assistant, like the Disney princesses in Disney World? Those who follow them everywhere to make sure no one damage them, help them with their schedule, take care of their instruments and their room, etc.! How do you think they would treat them?

🎩Glamrock-Freddy + Assistant!Reader HCs: 🎩

⭐Trust me, this man needs all the help he can get. He was totally and completely overwhelmed before you were there. He spent pretty much all night, every night reading and responding to fan mail, and all of his days either performing, practicing, or meeting with fans. He's worn down to his last good wire.

⭐You make things so much easier to deal with. You help him balance out the workload--which is a lot, even between the two of you. He could never put into words how much he appreciates having you there, but he does his best to remind you as much as possible. Everyone knows he considers you his "Number One Superstar!"

⭐You're also pretty much his best friend. He doesn't treat you just like an assistant, you're so much more than that to him. You're there to listen when he needs someone to talk to, and he's there for you, too. You have a very "profound bond," as he likes to put it. Putting it bluntly, the man would die for you, no hesitation.

🐊Montgomery Gator + Assistant!Reader HCs:🐊

⭐It's...very tense, at first. Monty has no idea what to do with an assistant. Still, it does make him look cool in front of the crowds, so. That's definitely a plus. Plus, it makes him feel kind of important, so...it's not all bad! Having you there to push around. Heh.

⭐He doesn't mind even letting you tag along with whatever he's got going for the day. S'nice having someone there to remind him of what he's gotta do. He does tend to get kinda side-tracked now and then. Just don't nag or anythin'! He's not a little kid.

⭐Your relationship is very much "exhausted assistant" and "celebrity constantly trying to skirt his responsibilities." Most of your shifts are spent having to track the man down before you can actually get any of your work done! MONTY, GET BACK HERE, DAMMIT--

🍕Glamrock-Chica + Assistant!Reader HCs:🍕

⭐She's so excited to have an assistant! (But at the same time, she has no idea what to do with you. She can usually handle taking care of things by herself--but you will be a big help with her, uh, "snacking habits," so there's always that! Hahaha...)

⭐And she's more than happy to let you know how glad she is to have you around. It can get so boring sometimes--not that she's not happy to talk with the others, but it's just. Like. Different! You know? Yeah, you know! That's why she likes talking to you!

⭐Plus, you are so much nicer than the cleaning crew when it comes to helping her clean out her stomach hatch. They're always so gruff, and they never wanna gossip about anything. But you don't mind her ramblings, and that's just, like, so cool of you!

🐺Roxanne Wolf + Assistant!Reader HCs:🐺

⭐Considering her nickname among the staff is "Princess," you can probably guess what your relationship is like. She runs you ragged. Sometimes it's just to screw with you! (Like the time she ordered you to get her a drink from the vending machine on the third level--only for you to get there and realize: Roxy Doesn't Need to Drink.)

⭐You have a very love-hate relationship. Roxy is always bossing you around, acting like she's very much above you--truth is, you have no idea how much she appreciates having you there. But she can't let you know that. She's not, like, a sap or anything. Plus, you already know! Obviously. So. There's nothing to say!

⭐People wonder how the hell you can put up with it. Truth is, sometimes you wonder that too. But Roxy really isn't as bad as people think she is. She's a little rough around the edges, but she's got a soft side to her, once you get past the thorns. Plus, once she considers you one of "her people," there's nothing she wouldn't do for you.

[writesailingdreams]

Amphibia Finale Thoughts (22 May)

I think of the recent Disney animated shows I’ve seen the endings of (Gravity Falls, DT 2017, SvtFoE, Tangled), Amphibia pulls out a satisfying ending (being the first since Gravity Falls), and this is because I think it sticks to its throughline: to change means to grow and people can change for the better.

I don’t want to get into all the details of this, but I will say Anne exemplifies this lesson best, as does Sasha to a lesser extent (though maybe at a more high contrast level); I’d say it's a little weaker with Marcy, but is stronger with her newt counterparts (Andrias, Olivia, Yunan; but especially in Andrias).

My biggest emotional takeaway, as I wrote on 15 May, was:

I feel I should be more upset, but I place narrative weight to the value of memories, remembering, and retaining the memory of something or someone. This may be my writing influence. It’s a very my writing thing; it’s a pretty central sentiment (as its developed). Or maybe OP influence — as long as something is remembered, it won’t die. That...moves me. Resonates. [In other words] the narrative emotional value of memories is thematically important in my writing, but also an OP influence.

EDIT REVISION: realized it felt weird to tag someone in my personal post; see here for the original line & intention. Also, it was me writing about an emotionally resonating theme that matters a lot to me and in my writing, which I saw reflected in One Piece. There’s more I could say and be clearer about but I don’t want to. It’s just a piece of this whole post and I don’t want to pick it apart. I know what it means to me and that’s all I really wanted to convey.

Also that, as I wrote on 18 May:

I feel emotional, deeply moved [by the separation/ending]. But I don’t feel broken-hearted. Perhaps these helped:

(1) The subtle setup of change in All In

(2) My conclusion that the hardest thing Anne would have to do would be to say goodbye to Sprig forever

(3) My past bafflement about how upbeat everyone was in True Colors when the girls were (allegedly) going home — I thought Anne going home meant leaving Amphibia, but since the characters were so sure that wouldn’t separate them (Anne even talks about introducing Sprig to stuff on Earth as if the idea of travel between worlds is just a matter of course*) + how the show often had more positive conclusions for Anne and the Plantars, I came to accept that Anne and Sprig wouldn’t be separated, that going home wouldn’t mean leaving Amphibia forever. The seed had been planted but the show convinced me otherwise until All In

*(how would anyone know whether the music box would be usable back on Earth? What if the gems needed to be recharged (I mean, they wouldn’t but the characters wouldn’t know that at the time) without the Temples to do it?)

But the best thing Amphibia did was get me back into writing in my writing-world. Thanks to friendship, cool powers, and saving the world.

•••

Gosh there’s so many other thoughts, but these feel like the most important:

Anne grew into the best version of herself in her opinion

Her love for Amphibia & it’s inhabitants allowed her to defeat the Core; a request for help from its worst version answered by someone who came to love it for the friendship and family it offered

More other thoughts:

“[frogs] love humidity” 🥺 Flood, Sweat, and Tears

Why couldn’t the Guardian give Anne new stones? Probably because it’s a Watcher; it doesn’t interfere with events, I’d guess. If Anne made the decision that destroyed the stones, I don’t see why the Guardian would contradict that

When Anne dies, think if the story ended there: not only how sad it is (knowing someone is dead vs letting someone go when one is alive & well & wishing for one’s best — I’m suddenly reminded of Gayle Greeno’s last ghatti book...), but Sasha and Marcy are stuck there w/o anyway to tell Anne’s parents what happened (suddenly reminded that one of my oldest stories ends with friends being separated...by death, which feels so much tragic than what Amphibia actually gave me)

Appreciated the freak out humor while talking with the Guardian “I’ve seen some pretty strange things”

Argue why Sasha and Marcy wanted to go back — but Sasha’s main goal initially was going back, then overpowering the king; once she decided to change, I’m not sure what her motivation to stay would be once Andrias was defeated. As for Marcy, her main growth centers around realizing she can’t run from her problems; of the girls, Marcy may have made the fewest connections in Amphibia but was the most passionate about understanding— I think if circumstances had been different, you know she would have loved to explore and study Amphibia.

5/16: I think somewhere inside my brain I expected Sprig to refuse to leave Anne after she’d absorbed all the stones’ energy. Like, you’re my friend, I’m not leaving, and the power of found friendship (“I’m not gotta let my first real friend get eaten”) would save the day.

5/16: I headcanon that Sprig and Ivy find something on the undiscovered continent. Leaning toward a different energy powered device that works on a different, maybe less cosmically powerful, source to travel between dimensions. Linked to desire/wishes? More personal??

5/16: Maybe if Anne had shown more conflict about leaving [would that have helped the separation]?? But see, from the very beginning Anne wanted to get home and I’d always been baffled by how casually upbeat everyone was in True Colors. Anne and the girls are going home! And somehow we’re gonna stay in contact. By using this music box, that every time we use it we’ll need to recharge it at the Temples. (That’s not how it works, but unless you know how to use it, the travel is pretty hit or miss...)