#i think I'm going to go through a sci fi phase too

[leadoodles]

Just saw dune PT 2 and I can't help but see Macbeth parallels.

Someone is told by a coven of witches that he is the subject of a prophecy in which he will rise to power. At first he is reluctant about it but a woman close to him, who herself is connected to the witches and supernatural convinces him to follow through and work toward achieving the prophecy. By the end of the show he has become an insane dictator, manipulating and killing without thought to keep his throne.

There are also heavy. Themes of how genders gain power, with women gaining it though manipulation and men through conquest.

[hareofhrair]

Screenshotting because tumblr keeps shitting the bed when I try to post this, or reblog anything from OP, which I'm sure is for normal reasons. :)

I was just recently reading Pratchett's "The Wee Free Men" and it had a bit I think applies here.

"Every family in the village bought a copy of the Almanack every year, and a sort of education came from that. It was big and thick and printed somewhere far off, and it had lots of details about things like phases of the moon and the right time to plant beans. It also contained a few prophecies about the coming year, and mentioned faraway places with names like Klatch and Hersheba. Tiffany had seen a picture of Klatch in the Almanack. It showed a camel standing in a desert. She’d only found out what both those things were because her mother had told her. And that was Klatch, a camel in a desert. She’d wondered if there wasn’t a bit more to it, but it seemed that ‘Klatch = camel, desert’ was all anyone knew."

It's obvious, when thought through without the lens of racism, that the modern world exists everywhere, and that a continent where people have been living since 6000BC has probably developed beyond camels in the desert. But most people have no incentive to think it through, it's got no impact on their daily life, and so they just accept what they're shown. Which, because we live in a deeply racist society, is sepia filters and camels in the desert.

That's why it matters that American perspectives dominate media, and that so very little foreign media is allowed to get a foothold here. Unless they are curious and self motivated, all Americans will see of the rest of the world is a camel in a desert. They have to go out of their way to see otherwise, and Americans hate going out of their way.

I've griped before about the pervasive attitude towards foreign film in the US being that it is exclusively either boring art films or low budget garbage, but the way it exacerbates the cocoon of exclusively racist American perspectives we live in by discouraging people from even considering foreign films is insidious.

So US followers, this is your invitation to go watch a foreign film today! In fact, let me make it easier!

Here's a list of 10 important Palestinian films. Any of these is a great place to start. But they can be heavy, and maybe you're not a fan of dramas and want something a little lighter. Here's all the films from Southwest Asia and North Africa on Netflix, including plenty of action movies and comedies. Still not doing it for you? Here's a list of famous SWANA horror and fantasy films. Only into sci fi? Got that too! You want animation? Please god I love animation so much and America is the fucking worst about it. Pick any country in the world and it's probably making better animation than America.

If you can't find where to watch them, DM me any time and I will find them for you! I promise you will not be bothering me! I have a lot of free time and I fucking love movies!

So break the American media bubble and see what life is like in the rest of the world! What have you got to lose?

And if you're not from the US, why not throw down some movie recommendations!

[arialityy]

Honkai pt.2 first impressions (as of completing pt.2 ch.1 phase 1) (don't come at me)

I'm gonna be focusing mostly on the characters in this post, but I'll briefly go over the ui and open world

So... I really miss the old ui already lmao. Even if it did look old and outdated, I think it was pretty unique for a sci-fi game and personally easier on my eyes (I think I just need to get used to it, but everything looks to similar in the new ui and I can't focus as easily on it 😭 That's probably just me though) I also think it looks kind of out of place if you go back to play older chapters, but it's not horrible. Personally, I feel like I'll always prefer the old ui. However, it looks great in the new open world chapter! Usually, I don't really like the ow chapters, but this one actually runs well, and I've been enjoying it quite a lot, even the side missions. (Also, it's just really nice to look at) It definitely reminds me of hsr and apho, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

As for the new gameplay, it's... ok. The new battlesuits don't feel much funner or nicer than the old battlesuits. If anything, I like them less. With Helia and Coralie, the effects are fine since they're A-ranks, and the gameplay is also nice for an A-rank. Senadina's actual gameplay is fine. But her animations are so boring 😭 I like that it lights up the area around her but that's about it. I get that sometimes the animations could get too flashy, but Senadina's are just boring for what's presumably meant to be the fancy new S-rank. I'll cut her some slack, though, since it's still the beginning of pt.2.

Finally, I'll be talking about the characters themselves! Remember, these opinions are very subject to change, as it's only the beginning of pt.2's story. (I'll ommit my opinions on the designs for today)

Starting with the Dreamseeker!

I really appreciate how they didn't make them just another self insert who barely talks. Though I don't see why they didn't fully commit and give them a name. They could even keep the genderswapping thing by giving them an androgynous name. (Speaking of that, I didn't think I'd like that, but y'know what, it's cool that it's actual genderfluid rep!) However, the DS's personality so far has been kind of boring in my opinion. I think they're a very intriguing character. I mean, they were born out of the Sea of Quanta and hilariously chill over dreaming about dancing with a goddess who tells them they're gonna save the world, waking up in the SoQ with an amnesiac version of that goddess, and being thrust into a whole new bubble universe. I know they want to get home, but damn, I feel like I would freak out more. I really hope we get to learn more about them, and their personality shines through more!

Senadina- Ok. I'm pretty sure this is a controversial opinion already, but I don't really like Senadina. I want to because her selective memories and connection to a goddess are interesting, and she has cute moments, but she kind of just... annoys me. I mean, we've seen this kind of amnesiac but bubbly character before (*cough cough* March 7th *cough cough*), and something about her personality just annoys me. I can't pinpoint what it is about her, but like... I just don't really like her. She starts growing on me, and then she'll say something that annoys me. Right now, she feels like a character just designed to sell toys to me. I'm sure that will change, as she's one of the main main characters, but right now, she just isn't it for me. I hope she gets more interesting, and I grow to like her more.

Coralie- She's very much the Bronya of the group, but she's not just a Bronya clone, and I can appreciate her for that. I don't think I like her as much as I liked Bronya right off the bat, but of the main four, she has the most personality to me so far. She's also just kind of weird, which I like lmao. I have less to say about her and Helia, so just know that while I do like her, she's far from being an instant favorite.

Helia- She exists. That's almost all I have to say. Her bridge voicelines did make me like her a bit more, though. I think she's kind of cute, but nothing about her interests me. I also don't really like that she's yet another Durandal fan. I get that we only have like - 2 Dudu fans other than her, but it's not really an original character trait. Why couldn't she have been a Kiana fan or something? Even a Theresa fan would be cool. Teri needs more fans. I think she's fine, but boring.

Songque- She's definitely my favorite so far! There's definitely enough intrigue surrounding her for me to want to know more about her. What was that "dream" sequence with the DS before they actually met about? She's a shu, but what does she really know? I also like her personality. It's not like my favorite personality or anything, but she definitely has one, and it adds to the intrigue surrounding her. I hope she doesn't just go away after this story arc is finished.

So, that's most of my opinions about pt.2 so far! I left out some stuff, but this is really all you need to know about how I feel about the characters, gameplay, and ui so far.

[lemonsrosesandlavender]

Writer Interview Tag

Thanks for the tags, @darkurgetrash and @kimberbohwrites <3 I really enjoyed reading yours! I tag… hmmm, who hasn’t done it yet? @dutifullylazybread @commander-krios and @redroomroaving ? (And consider this a free tag if you want it!)

When did you start writing?

I honestly couldn’t say when my very first act of creative writing was, I feel like I’ve been writing on and off my whole life (barring like 5 years from 16-21). When I was 8 or 9 is the first I really remember though. I kept a diary religiously at that time (yes, it’s hilarious), and also attempted several stories that went nowhere, including a glorious portal fantasy about two children who are isekai’d into a kingdom of cats and have to face off against an evil cat stealing wizard. As you can tell, I love cats, lmao. And I have always loved portal fantasies and isekai. A through-line all the way to Planar Tears!

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

Oooh. Well, there are very few genres I *wouldn’t* read, and I’ve only written so much, so I suppose most genres currently sit in this pile for me? I can’t really see myself writing original sci-fi, despite loving it as a genre, because I think it really lives or dies on having an excellent concept more than a lot of other forms of fiction. Short of being struck with a lightning bolt of inspiration, I think I’d lack purpose. But I love, love, love science fiction. Isaac Asimov, Philip K Dick, N.K. Jemisin, Octavia Butler, John Wyndham, Marge Piercy, Ted Chiang… all of these SF authors’ stories have a place in my heart.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

No-one has yet compared me to anyone. I often realise that I’m going a little too Austen in my work, and gently push myself to modernise - but I guess that speaks to the fact that whilst I admire her, I don’t want to exactly emulate her? I love the way she gently teases her characters, the way she makes clear the contrast between what they believe and what’s actually true without being cruel. But I don’t want to write a pastiche.

On the other end of the spectrum, I recently re-read My Year of Rest and Relaxation and was reminded of how much I love Otessa Moshfegh’s cold, somewhat brutal cataloguing of the world around her character; her sparse but vivid imagery (casting aside a pair of shoes like “dead crows”) and her unlikeable but extremely readable MC. I should read more of her work!

Basically, I love to read and have a wide spectrum of influences, but I’m not aiming to emulate any single one of them. I would say my writing swings between archaic and more efficient depending on whether I’ve read classic or modern literature most recently, because I love both.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I have many. On my phone anywhere - especially the commute - and at home on a laptop, either sat at our dining table (we live in a rental flat in an expensive city, a proper desk would be a luxury), or on the sofa with my girlfriend and flatmate sometimes contributing "suggestions" lol. If I'm in a writing phase, which I have been for a year - every space is a writing space.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Hmmm. I am rarely in a completely creatively fallow period - unless I'm just straight up obsessed with a game/TV show/the gym, in which case I'm busy having a good time in other ways - but I'm not always in the writing zone. I like textile crafts and sewing, and art hobbies generally. I guess that is to say, if the writing muse is not present, I rarely miss it; I'm probably thinking about something else.

(Barring the times when my mental health is fucked, but even then, I'm probably throwing myself really hard into a hobby as a distraction. I'm an all or nothing person). When I'm struggling with writer's block on say, a chapter of a long fic, it's usually because it's not quite headed in the right direction, and I need to backtrack, take stock of where my characters are emotionally, and try again in a different direction. Honestly... I know it's advised against by some, but sometimes I just have to sit down and make myself write just to figure out what's wrong. Just do it, and rip it up later if you have to. (**put it in a separate doc in case you can use it elsewhere. you probably wrote it for a reason. DO NOT TILT OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND DELETE YOUR SHIT, NO MATTER HOW FRUSTRATING).

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

Number one is “coming to terms with making mistakes in your vocation, and recognising that you are more than your talent at it.” It’s the reason that draws me to Rolan in the first place, because it mirrors my own life experiences very closely. I was somewhat picked on and harassed in school (shit that many of us have experienced) and built my whole personality around being smart and having my life planned out as a shield against it. I was going to do [thing], I was really good at it, and it was all clear. Not to mention I loved this subject. So when I got into a prestigious university my life was sorted, right? Except... all of the hideous self-esteem issues and perfectionism I'd been papering over came crashing down all at once, and I was in an incredibly unforgiving environment, in a very male-dominated subject where other (male) students would literally be like huh, isn't it weird more women don't study this subject? Why do YOU think that is? I felt like I was worthless, stupid and useless, and that I stuck out like a sore thumb - and I was carrying the weight of every woman who wanted to do my subject and was afraid they weren't good enough. My life plans crumbled before my eyes, and I was severely depressed, alongside other health issues - which my uni did not give two fucks about, at all.

Which is to say, I draw many parallels between my own arc and Rolan's - being an outsider, the precarity of having your own talent validated only to have your entire future rest on it, and being vulnerable to really shitty messaging about how hard I should be working and how it was obviously my fault if I wasn't succeeding already, when they were one of the best universities around. And then I realised I was writing similar experiences with Catrin and SW Tav - discovering, and appreciating, that you're more than this one crutch you cling to, this singular skill that you desperately need to hold you above the maelstrom of life. And I promise that, like Rolan, this has a happy ending - I personally took some years out after battling through undergrad, faced my demons, and returned to the subject that I loved as a far more well-rounded person, better equipped to deal with failure. I'm not perfect, and I never will be. I'm neurotic and perfectionistic and all the rest. And that's probably why I keep writing, and exploring this theme - to remind myself that I want to avoid that trap, and to deal with the ways I feel when I'm in it. I was gonna write about kink here too, but I think this is enough, lol.

What is your reason for writing?

Joy. I love exercising my creative drive. And I love re-reading what I've written!

Obsession. These fuckers, these plot points, occupy every spare inch of brain and will not stop until I vent them.

Learning. Honing my skills is a frustration and a pleasure.

Connection. I'm so, so grateful to have people who read and care about my work. It means the world.

Horny. Um. Yeah. I have no further explanation for this one lmao. Except. Fantasies are amazing, but then writing them down makes them even better because now you're really thinking about the specifics and those specifics come to mind more easily next time you're [REDACTED. CABBAGE STOP. ENOUGH!!!]

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

I can’t pick just one! A balanced diet of comments is the best ;)

I joke but - I love them all. Shouting about the plot? You're invested, and I'm grateful. "Additional kudos" twenty chapters in? You've stuck with me this far, and I'm grateful. I guess if I had to pick a few:

1. Strong emotional responses. Kicking my feet/biting my keyboard/stressed/blushing/screaming - whatever fits the mood of the scene. I’m so happy my writing evoked strong feelings. That’s a good chunk of the point, right?

2. Writing analysis. Picking out individual lines or highlighting certain aspects - characterisation, dramatic tension, etc. The day someone said that I "had a knack for showing character in a single action" and then provided examples, I nearly exploded. Augh. I particularly love comments on my OCs because they're especially precious to me. My own brain children, and you LIKE them? heaven for reader. heaven for reader for 1000 years.

3. “I should be sleeping but instead I read this” AND I AM KISSING YOU. That’s all.

4. Just straight up compliments. "I love this" thank you I'm crying. ahhhhhhh. Cute lil kudos graphics (you know who you are). I'm over the moon you enjoy my work. <3

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Well, I know for certain that a large swathe of my readers perceive me as “the one who writes good subby Rolan porn” and frankly? I love that reputation. If nobody appreciated the SFW elements of my work, I might feel differently, because thoughtful storytelling is also really important to me - but I feel seen in that regard too, so I can delight in knowing my writing has a distinctive flavour. Kinky chilli ice cream, spicy and sweet.

I would also love to hope my readers think of me fondly when they get the next long fic email, and are excited to continue the story. Oh, and I hope my readers enjoy chatting in my comment section, because I do. All I can aim for is to be the friendly author who "rites gud". Fingers crossed I meet that bar :)

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

You know what? I might not have said this once upon a time, but I actually think I’m pretty decent at plotting. I think I wind various threads together quite well, and with purpose.

I think I’m pretty good at observing character too. I hope. I’ve written so much Rolan that he’s really taken on a life of his own, but I do often rewatch his cutscenes (I know, such a chore 😉) and think I have a good sense for him. I also think that although Catrin started out difficult to write, I developed a very distinct character for her too, which I’m glad about.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

90% of what I’m writing is for me. I want it to be the best it can be, for me; I want it to cover the themes I care about. I want to tell the story in my head. Before BG3, I wrote for a teeny tiny fandom, inaugurating its fandom tag, and that inoculated me a little against writing for stats because well, thirty kudos felt like an INCREDIBLE achievement in that fandom.

Also, I want to write my kinky filth and not dilute it. That means actively CHOOSING not to worry about whether people are put off, because they absolutely, certainly will be in cases.

However, I do also care about my readers; I love comments and I want to give them the best story I can. I really enjoy my NSFW prompts; since my tumblr connections know the baseline of what I’m into, they can throw out AMAZING ideas that I love writing and am deeply grateful for. I’ve also definitely pushed harder on fics and oneshots because I knew a particular commenter or mutual was super excited for them ❤️ (shout out to my piss kink cheerleader lol, and everyone who has kindly - or ferally - expressed interest in my longfics).

How do you feel about your own writing?

Mostly very good! I do struggle with writer’s block sometimes, but my particular combination of perfectionism and obstinacy means I don’t tend to publish my work until I’m happy with it. I can see imperfections in my work, especially my past work, but I do genuinely enjoy the process of learning even if it frustrates me sometimes. I really enjoy re-reading what I’ve written later, because by the time it gets out there into the world, I’ve always beaten it into something I’m proud of.

I can't deny that I do, occasionally, get bitten by the little green monster though. Seeing someone else's Rolan writing get called "the best" or whatever has me nursing a tiny stab of pain. And I know it's valid - I'm not *the* best writer of all time, I'm just writing my reasonably-good stories out here, but I can't deny that small oof. (I'm tipsy so you're getting rather honest Cabbage tonight). I'm also very aware that I get many wonderful comments and treasure them, so I just accept my limitations a bit and try not to think too much about other peoples' writing that is along similar lines to my own. You're all writing beautiful stuff and I support you, but I will go NUTS if I spend my life reading closely-related fic. (If I have read your fic, know I fought my inner demons to do it, lol). Idk. I write what I want to write, as well as I can, and I'm grateful that people want to read it. Seriously. You have no idea how much every bookmark and subscription and lovely comment mean to me <3 And all I can do is my best to master this lovely art form and carve out from the marble an approximation of what I see in my head.

[ambiguouspuzuma]

hi Ocelot

first of all, re: healers ...yeah

second,

if you have a particular trope(s) that pop up in all your stories, do you make a conscious effort to make sure you're writing it differently every time, or do you let it become its own version as you go, or do you not really care because you love this trope and you'll just have it the same way every time? (this is of particular interest to me)

I think I'm generally pretty happy to write slight variations on a theme. I'll reuse character archetypes wherever they're helpful (for example, I went through a real phase of writing femme fatales who were all cut from the same cloth), and often split two or three short stories out of the same idea by taking the premise in slightly different ways. If I come up with an idea I want to explore, I make sure that I fully explore it.

If a trope still interests me, I'll continue to use it in different settings until I'm satisfied I've seen it from every angle. I wouldn't want to do it exactly the same, but I'm not too worried about a bit of overlap. I wouldn't want to write the same thing over and over again, but I do return to certain wells. For example, I really like trying out different genres (I've just finished a contemporary crime novel after starting out in epic fantasy, and am now working on a historical horror and a YA dystopia), but you'll see my short stories return to the familiar ground of fantasy subversions, sci-fi ideas and mini detective stories.

As another example in terms of characterisation, the main character in the novel I finished this year was this wet and miserable man who used humour to cover up his grief - completely unlike any of my previous fantasy protagonists, and therefore quite interesting for me to write. But I've now been asked to collaborate on a novel where I will narrative one of the POV characters, and he's effectively the same guy, to the extent where sometimes I have to remind myself to use the right name.

I'm feeling a little typecast, but I don't really mind, because I'm still exploring the possibilities of the role - I had more to say on the subject, and I'm still enjoying saying it. I'd stop if I ever felt I was repeating myself, and maybe a third of these guys would be too much, but I haven't yet reached that point. So no, I wouldn't be afraid to include similar tropes again and again in different settings, as long as I still felt that there was a new story to tell around them. Every story is unique, even if only in the way that you tell it.

[deadrlngers]

the whole accessories & accents section for fenix please >:^) <3

THE SPECIALEST BOY!!!!! thank you bones <3

character design questions

bling: What jewelry does your OC wear? Does it have any meaning?

one thing that fenix is never missing is a wrist watch, the style is old-fashioned as he generally likes most of his stuff. the amount of times the glass of the watch got broken/chipped/whatever and he had to fix it is incalculable but he refuses to change the watch for anything else, not that he has any particular bond to it but when fenix likes something he doesn't want to change it for anything else unless he's forced to. beside that, he does wear earrings, he has a double helix on his right ear and both his lobes are pierced. he doesn't wear it often but you can see him sport a gold chain around his neck sometimes as well!! sadly for me he doesn't like wearing rings which is the greast loss <3

hair: How does your OC wear their hair? Does it have some kind of meaning?

ohhh this is a good question because fenix is quite preoccupied about his hair, he doesn't like when people touch it or mess it up he gets so whiney ksdjfks. he takes good care to style it, and you can catch him running his fingers through his locks to fix the style quite often during the day. the meaning? he's vain and thinks he's hot af lmao. let's straight away enjoy a photo of his hair, the prettiest boy 2 me fr

makeup: Does your OC wear makeup? How often? What kind? Why do they wear makeup, and do they like it?

fenix used to wear concealer when he was a teen and he felt too self conscious about his acne but that was the most he did, he doesn't like wearing any heavy product on his face because well, spend half an hour under the badlands' sun or italian summer sun and you will start hating it too (then we have warriors like tancred that commit to the edgy smudged black eye makeup no matter what)

favorite: Does your OC have a favorite article of clothing or accessory? What is it? What's the meaning behind it? Do they wear it all the time or do they wear it sparingly to keep it safe?

one thing about fenix is that he loves a good jacket and he loves a good pair of boots. when it comes to jackets he either goes for leather ones or denim or, how they are called...shearling jackets? the ones that have like sheepskin inside. for boots he usually wears those that have a cowboy touch, brown and that look like they are worn out but in fashionable way, or ankle black ones or combat boots when he wants to not serve absolute cunt and relax. when he wants to spice it up then he brings out his pointed boots with some fancy decoration. smth like these bc i can't explain myself. his favorite article of clothing is in fact one of these pair of boots, a gift from vesper that's why he loves them so much <3 he tends to wear it sparingly, so while he loves them and would love to only wear that every single day he tends to keep it safe more

change: Has your OC ever drastically changed their appearance? Significant haircuts, big tattoos, complete wardrobe swap, etc? Why? How do they feel about the change?

i think the biggest change fenix ever went through was going through his full cowboy phase (when he was still roaming through the badlands, he had a hat and all.. he was going through it) to like a more..lowkey cowboy vibe only, a fake cowboy even, when he began staying in night city. he does have a few tattoos but i wouldn't consider them big or like a drastic change!

alternate: What would your OC's alternate universe look be? If they're a fantasy character, what's their modern look? If they're sci-fi, what's their fantasy look? What AU would you want to see your OC in, and how would they dress themself? Bonus: Prompt an AU!

this is such a cool question jfksdfk. since we are talking of cyberpunk i'm imagining him in some kind of fantasy/dnd setting or something like that. he'd be the whore of the village, let me say that. leather pants hugging his thighs and ass in the tighest way you could imagine, flowy white shirts he wears almost all open down to the middle of his chest, CORSETS.....I KNOW HE WOULD..I CAN SEE HIM..i actually need to lay down if i think too much of this. i genuinely need to see him in some kind of fantasy au, he'd be like that text post that goes like 'they keep you in the party for your useful skills, they keep me for my witty and playful banter' or smth like that fkjdsk

[multim00n]

⚠️ WARNING !! : This shit is LONG, I don't know what happened and I'm so sorry.

୧ Hello ! I don't know you and you don't know me, but I saw that you were doing TOH match-ups and, after going through some of you work, I've decided to give it a shot ! ! :}

I'm omniromantic and (possibly) genderqueer, any pronouns but I'm more used to being referred to by she/her since I'm afab and closeted,,

Appearance-wise, I'm 172cm tall (which means I'm always the tallest of my friend groups, for some reason), have light olive skin, curly dark brown hair and eyes and . . . I wear glasses! (unfortunately) and if I take them off I basically can't see lol.

(Not joking, everything gets so blurry it's absurd).

Fashion sense is based a lot on silhouette and that twenties trend of looking girlish in a boyish manner. My iconic look is a horizontally black white striped cropped (the white lines are really thin and it's not really a cropped but I tie the back of the collar so it acts like one) and baggy dark grey military pants. Looks way nicer than it sounds ! And also my Saint Benedict necklace, mum gave me before I came back to my dad's house after recent holidays.

Personality-wise!, I’m, like, chronically tired and always have to take a deep breath out of sudden because I forgot how to breathe, haha! ^^” I feel this need to know everything about everything and to be smart and have a library installed in my brain, but I don't really have the motivation to do so . . .

I do know some trivia facts tho! If I remember it, I'll say them when it calls and I also think a lot about stuff, so I like to try to share my thoughts (which range from video essay material to philosophical discussions to sounding like I'm high) with my friends, if I feel like they're forcing a reaction I'll just stop talking and ask them about something I know they like talking about.

So in general I know quite a bit of stuff and my Dad told me that I'm very observant and have an interesting brain wiring (thought process) but I'm awful academically-wise and am almost failing four classes. Generally I’m too tired to things, so if I don't have a topic in my brain that I need to talk about I'll just let the other person start the conversation and make an effort to not make my answers seem forced.

My best friend told me that I'm sarcastic and mean and stuff but that I just pretend to be like that and that I'm actually a gigantic softie and I pretended to gasp offendedly in response. So I’m like the ‘comic relief’ of my friend group, I laugh at things that are not funny and I laugh out of nervousness and I just laugh a lot period. I'm really empathetic so I try to be patient with people, but if they're being stupid in my conception I'll make an ironic comment about it and then make sure they know I'm joking. I'm being sarcastic but if I realize the other person is uncomfortable I stop on spot— I also work a lot on people's patterns!! So like, if I see someone doesn't like something or reacts badly at something I'll never do that again.

My humor ranges from dad jokes to DHMIS humor and I'm (surprinsingly enough!!) the mom friend of my group even though I'm not the most responsible one. I (silently) look out for my loved ones while being awful at comforting others and call anyone and everyone by pet names just like a stereotypical elderly woman. I also hold grudges and have my Dad's temper, so that's something.

In terms of likes!!! I prefer animation to live action, but if the live action has pretty colors or figurines or stuff, I'm totally eating that shit up. Movies from the 90s-2000s too ! ! I loved period dramas and romances or slice-of-life books, but I'm also a big fan of horror and sci-fi. I can't watch a movie without shuttting up about composition, and figurine, and soundtrack, and dialogue, and— I had a filmography phase and it's still stuck in my brain wiring. I adore people who can produce good movies or shows and think they're integral to society.

I also like video essays on stuff I know and don't know about, drawing, reading a bit, writing, blasting music on my earphones and getting my whole family mad at me, watching the same shows and movies I've already watched 172836281627 times before since I'm scared of watching something knew and it being bad. I like collecting ! ! I have a space in jewelry music box (a gift from my stepmom’s mom) that is exclusively for my little trinkets and a pinecone in my wardrobe ! I still sleep with the same bunny plushie from when I was four, no one knows who gave me that bunny.

I would also like to be either an engineer or a fashion designer! But since I'm horrible at math, Dad is thinking about enrolling me in a fashion school when we move . . . 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Hmmm, I feel like I had more stuff to say but I can't remember now . . . Favorite artists are Mitski, Cosmo Sheldrake, Lana del Rey and Florence + The Machine ! ! By the way ! ! Thought you should know.

Also, I hate using abbreviations and most slang, could you tell. Also ny sleep schedule is so weird, I go to sleep 9pm and wake up 4-5am like what is up with that.

Okay, WOW, that was longer then I thought I’d be 💀 but that also means I have plenty of information

I had a hard time deciding between two characters, so I matched you with both of them, hope you don’t mind!

Amity Blight!

Despite her character development, I think that Amity would still be sarcastic and a bit mean (but not in a bullying way)

Also a softie!

She gets worried whenever you forget how to breath, and will probably ask if you’ve breathed yet 💀 she just does want you to faint on her, if you do she’ll have a panic attack 😭

I think she’d be very interested in how your thought process works, and how observant you are!

She also feels the need to know everything, and she’s a bit of a control freak as well (personal headcannon of mine)

I feel like Amity also likes collecting things, mostly cute trinkets or some jewelry

LOVES Mitski and will gladly listen to her with you, she also collects her music vinyls (or whatever they’re called idk 😭)

I hc that Amity sleeps with plushies as well, but mostly a little black cat plush that Ghost is strangely jealous of and has tried to assassinate it 💀

Amity doesn’t really care about live action stuff, but she’s probably watch them with you on movie nights if you really wanted too!

—————————————————————————

I also match you with….

Hunter Deamonne!

He is also chronically tired

Have you SEEN his eyebags?

He would LOVE to listen to you info dump about the amount of knowledge that’s stored in your brain

He just thinks you’re so cool, you know?

I feel like he LOVES live action movies, and also LOVES figurines

This guy LOVES sci fi too, he’s literally dressed up as a character from a sci fi show, cmon now!

He’s also scared of watching new things, which is why he sticks to cosmic frontiers, Amphibia, and Gravity falls, but he also watches a few other sci fi movies as well

I feel like he’s like horror, just nothing too gory!

This guys sleep schedule is fucked up too, he’ll go to bed at 12am and wake up at 6am

—————————————————————————

Sorry if this was too short :( but I hope you liked it!

[dangerously-human]

I posted 19,754 times in 2022

That's 5,052 more posts than 2021!

703 posts created (4%)

19,051 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fuckyeahjohnandaeryn

@mariposasmonarch

@thisbibliomaniac

@oleander-and-honey

@o-lei-o-lai-o-lord

I tagged 8,387 of my posts in 2022

#stargate - 2,389 posts

#stargate atlantis - 2,280 posts

#farscape - 2,252 posts

#personal - 723 posts

#laugh tag - 259 posts

#endeavour - 244 posts

#grishaverse - 241 posts

#sga - 233 posts

#merlin - 202 posts

#pro life - 171 posts

Longest Tag: 37 characters

#remember remember the 5th of november

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I'm not quite halfway through the first episode of Farscape and it's already among the trippiest sci-fi I've ever seen. You're telling me it starts with a normal human astronaut being accidentally yeeted into another galaxy with space-traveling muppets, and it only gets weirder from there?!

89 notes - Posted May 8, 2022

#4

This world is so dark and broken and evil thrives but the Lord is risen! He is risen and he is coming and he beckons us into a new light! I feel like a foreigner in this world because I was made for another, and he will return to make all things new!

124 notes - Posted April 12, 2022

#3

Y'know, I gotta respect the hell out of Ronon Dex, for multiple reasons but at the moment, mainly because he never changed his mind on the Wraith, always saw them as the enemy, but when his team decided to attempt alliances or truces with them, my man chose allegiance to his team over his own, very personal vendetta and followed along even when he didn't think it was the right move, because these are his people and he's going to do right by them, stand alongside them whether to fight or attempt peace, because "fiercely loyal" is too weak a term to fully describe Ronon. I love that about him.

139 notes - Posted July 2, 2022

#2

Sometimes authenticity is not about only sharing the hard or dark or weighty things. Sometimes it's opening up about the good things, the circumstances you're excited about, the places you are making progress or proud of yourself. Sometimes being real and doing life together honestly is admitting to happiness, not just grief or struggle.

I'm still learning this, that I don't have to hold back on my own journey in an attempt to help others through theirs. We can go together and grow together, even if we're in different phases or emotionally out of sync. Self-deprecation is not the same as humility. And the good things can be just as hard to share as the ones that hurt. However averse I am to the vulnerability, it is worth it to invite others into my victories and opportunities to celebrate.

154 notes - Posted November 3, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).... With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Mark 15:33‭-‬34‭, ‬37‭-‬39 NIV

Forever struck by the visual of the temple curtain, the symbol of separation between God and man, rent asunder in the very moment it was no longer necessary. Jesus, a new and perfect high priest, gave everything so we could go before God unburdened by the weight of our sin.

It is finished.

188 notes - Posted April 15, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

I was tagged by @onmywaytonarnia so here's some stuff about me

Nickname: Florida Man or just Florida (god help me, I hate it down here...)

Sign: PEDESTRIAN X-ING, REST AREA - 3 MILES, or perhaps SPEEDING FINES DOUBLED WHEN WORKERS PRESENT (I do not believe in astrology)

Height: 6'1" or 6'2"

Last thing I googled: Perseverance rover

Song stuck in my head: for some reason I have a mashup of Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls and Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson stuck in my head. I don't know if I actually heard a mashup somewhere, or if they were both part of that 4-chords song by Axis of Awesome, but I can't stop thinking of the two choruses layered on top of each other (🎶and I don't want the world to see me cause I don't think that they'd understand/🎶I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly🎶)

Follower count: officially 3222, but I noticed when I was just starting out that tumblr inflated the actual count by like 20, 30, 40%. When it said I had 100 followers, I counted, and I actually had 85. When it said I had 1000, I only had like 700. I stopped counting after that, so I have no clue how many I actually have right now. Probably more than 1000, but probably not more than 2000. I have maybe 100 followers who regularly interact with my stuff, about 30 of whom are mutuals (maybe 10 or 15 close friends).

Amount of aleep: AHAHAHAHAHAHA (5, maybe 6 hours on a good night? Sometimes none, just endless tossing and turning because my brain won't shut off)

Lucky number: 13, and I'm not being ironic about that. I'm serious. 13 is my favorite number of a variety if personal reasons

Dream job: I want to be part of a creative team, I want to work with a bunch of people to make something for people to see! I want to make art, and I want to collaborate so I'm not alone. Writing scripts or making props or dressing sets, some manner of production design. I want to craft!

Wearing: Goodfellow t-shirt and cargo shorts

Movie/book that summarizes me: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir feels like it was written for me personally. That is how my thought process works, that is how I deal with problems, that is who I want to be. I have a higher than average understanding of math and science but I always try to explain it in as simple terms as possible for people who find it all too daunting. This is the kind of book I want to write, sci-fi that explains the sci.

Favorite songs: Ramblin Man, the Gambler, Country Roads, the Devil Went Down to Georgia (I'm noticing a country pattern...), anything by Weird Al Yankovic (Hardware Store and Albuquerque are probably my top 2 of his),the Little Shop of Horrors movie soundtrack, White Squall and Northwest Passage by Stan Rogers (I went through a sea shanty phase when Wellerman was big), anything by Jonathan Coulton (Skullcrusher Mountain, Code Monkey, Blue Sunny Day, Big Wide World One, Shop Vac, Mandelbrot Set, to name a few), Climb Out Your Window, Addicted, and Here We Go by Walk off the Earth, and the Celtic Woman cover of Danny Boy (this is my go-to cry song; if I need a nice long cry, I put this on and it all comes flowing out of me)

Favorite instrument: I love brass, trumpet specifically, I could listen to Louis Armstrong all day

Aesthetic: analog technology, typewriters, instant photography, clockwork watches without quartz, sacrificing convenience for the sake of privacy, nostalgia for the early 2000s (but through the eyes of a child, so no George W. Bullshit)

Favorite author: per capita, Andy Weir. He's only written 3 books, but I love them all and want to emulate him. Max Brooks for World War Z. Cormac McCarthy for The Road (very depressing, but hopeful near the end; one of the only books to really tug at my heartstrings). John Steinbeck for Of Mice and Men (another heartstring tugger). Audrey Niffenegger for The Time Traveler's Wife.

Currently reading: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Favorite colors: cyan, lime green, heliotrope purple

Favorite animal sounds: the scuttling of crabs on pavement, the sneef-snorfing of a curious dog, the bleat of a baby goat, the EHHH of a baby sloth, the MEHH of a baby deer, the chirping of bats, ethereal whale songs

Last song: either I'm Going to go Back There Someday from the Muppet Movie, or Hey I Don't Work Here by Tom Cardy

Last Series: Owl House (Lulu + Hootcifer 4ever!!! Oh yeah and lumity's pretty good too I guess)

Random: I once learned all the lyrics to Bobby Darin's Mack the Knife without ever actually listening to the lyrics of Mack the Knife. Like, I listened to the song all the time, but I never paid attention to what was being said. It was just gibberish to me, but I learned the gibberish, and I sang along to it in the car one day and my mom asked why I was so enthusiastic about murder. Turns out Mack the Knife is about an old londontown ripper named Macheath. Still a banger though.

@goldenmoldies @olivia-online @nsomniacsdream @schifty-al @richardjager @n-brio @orange-birdie

[blackpoolcombatwriter]

4, 8, 17 🤍

4. What Fandom/Ships do you read the most?

Right now, it's wrestling. Mostly AEW and BCC centric. I tend to go through phases of obsessions and go down the rabbit hole of fandom/ships when I find a new obsession. Past ones have been LOTR/Hobbit, Harry Potter, Hamilton, Legendborn. My cousin is trying to get me into the Avatar movies and Star Wars so possible new obsession upcoming.

8. Bed Sharing or Roommates AU?

Bed Sharing. I enjoy both but I've done the roommate thing IRL with bad experiences.

17. Describe a fic that is still in the 'ideas' stage of writing.

Oh, there's so many. I have a list of text messages I've sent myself with very basic prompts or song lyrics. Going back to the Bryan being a jerk days there was a prompt of "The boy who wanted to believe in fairy tales, didn't believe in him" that was going to be Bryan realizing how much of Yuta's trust he's lost. There's a darker sci-fi one where Regal created the BCC members in a lab. Then there's some I obviously should have added more context to cause all I texted myself was: Yuta needs to take long, hot showers after training with Bryan to get his touch off him, and another one where Regal says: I think you would like that a little too much, wouldn't you moppet. And now I'm like why is Regal calling someone a moppet lol.

[figkeele]

2022 in books

So finally, I take the time and make a little top list of the best books I've read this year.

Note: These were not all released this year, I can't keep up with fresh releases, so without further ado:

10. Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer (thriller, sci-fi): I've tried to like Annihilation by VanderMeer but it was just a hit-and-miss for me but this book is where I finally clicked with the author. I love his writing style, it's a very straightforward thriller but in the time of our extinction.

9. Skein Island by Aliya Whiteley (weird fiction): Whiteley is shaping up to be one of my favorite authors, she uses the weird elements to explore the role of women in society. This particular book takes a closer look at the roles women play in stories and literature with a dash of weird horror.

8. The Loosening Skin by Aliya Whiteley (weird fiction, thriller): In this book Whiteley uses the idea of every 7 years we change completely, so here people literally are different, with shedding their skin, they shed their love, and memories too. It's an interesting exploration of love and relationships and how relationships shift with how we change. Haunting and beautiful.

7. The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson (ecofiction, sci-fi): Barely a novel but I consumed it in almost one sitting (even though it's a big brick of a book), an idea about how we might save the Earth from climate change and from ourselves. Kinda hopeful.

6. Finlay Donovan Knocks 'em Dead by Elle Cosimano (humorous mystery crime - 2nd book in series): So I was not sold on the basic premise of this book: a single mother/novelist behind deadlines gets mistaken for a hitman, so she has to deal with that. But it's a perfect cross between Bridget Jones and Desperate Housewives - a nice comfort read. Surprise of the year, this series!

5. Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano (humorous mystery crime - 1st book in series): see above.

4. A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong (mystery crime - 6th book in series): so yeah, my absolute favorite writer is still Armstrong, she writes to my soul. Is there like an author soulmate? Because if yes, she is it. I'm still behind with this series - there are 7th books out, but it's a fast-paced crime with a dash of romance.

3. A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong (time travel, romance, mystery crime - 1st in series): Armstrong's new series is about a modern-time detective going back in time (with a serial killer to boot) and doing some sleuthing. The romance set-up is already my favorite, the romantic tension is *chef's kiss* Also, I'm in my time travel romance phase, so Armstrong is keeping me fed. See the next point:

2. A Turn of the Tide by Kelley Armstrong (time travel, historical romance, 3rd in series but a stand-alone novel): So admittedly, I didn't really like the first two books in the series - the first was a second chance romance, and I hate those, but it's Armstrong so I've read it. That was an okay book. The second book - I think - is sadly Armstrong's weakest book, again a second chance romance but also the story was weirdly paced. BUT THIS ONE! It's Robin Hood-inspired, swashbuckling romance, though I have to say, it's not the usual mutual pining fare, more like mutual horny and very open about it, ha.

1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (sci-fi): I know, I know, I live under a rock because I haven't read anything from Weir before this, and I didn't even see the Martian movie, but it's really a good comfort book. I ♥ Rocky.

[watcher0033]

Hi! I'm doing a school design project and I've decided to have a go at designing a Archive of Our Own app! I was wondering if you might be up for answering some questions to help me with my design (I need to show research in my project!)

If you are, answers to these would be SUPER helpful!

How long have you been engaging fanfiction sites such as Archive of our own, Fanfiction.net and Wattpad? 

What are some of your favourite works or fandoms on those sites? 

Are you a writer as well as a reader?

What drew you to these platforms and why do you stay? 

How long have you been engaging with the site Archive of Our Own specifically? 

What does your engagement with the platform look like? 

How often do you engage with the platform?

What are your favourite aspects of the platform? 

Do you think that you engage with all of the elements available on the platform?

Are there any elements of the platform that frustrate you? 

Of the fanfiction sites you frequent, where would you rank the site as a whole and why?

What do other platforms have that Archive of Our Own does not, which you enjoy interacting with? 

Are there any features unique to Archive of Our Own that you enjoy?

If Archive of Our Own were to develop a mobile app, what features would you like to see? 

Would you like the app to be similar in aesthetic and function to the already established website?

Are there any features you would like to see added to the platform in the app?

If you're not interested no worries! Thanks so much

Hello, there!!! That project seems interesting and I hope it does well, GL!! And ofc I won’t mind answering a few questions really.

Well, I’m in my twenties so my first engagement with anything fanfiction in general bfor sticking to ao3 was fanfiction.net back in 2013-2014 I think. So about 10 years. Give or take.

4. and 12. One of the best fanfic classics from fandoms that aren’t as popular as the ones hosted in ao3 these days are still in ffnet like fics of western sci fi shows, western movies in the 2000s, animes from the late 90s-early2000s, you get my drift. So if your hyperfixation is about a movie/show pre-2010s and you’re itching for some fics. Go to ffnet. If one is especially part of a big fandoms that exist today, AO3 ofc is our best home. If you had a Worm phase (or just webnovels in general), or an intense intellectualism phase like I did go to spacebattles.com or sufficient velocity haha

Yes.

I stay at ao3 for the good fics and great comfort/convenience. I visit others when looking for something specific.

I was very pro-ffnet back in the day, it was my 1st comfort site. But the moment I got a taste of those filters I quickly converted back in uhhh 2016.

I read fics (ao3 engagement), filtered to most bookmarked. Exclude tags that I’d rather not engage with. Find a good work. Browse through the authors other works, and their bookmarks too for next recommendation fic to read.

Everyday. Every few hours if I’m not busy irl or other social media sites like this one.

The tags and the filters should be universally used and imitated.

I’d like to think so but there might be more features I haven’t extensively explored yet.

Can’t think of any at the moment.

1st place AO3, 2nd: FFnet, 3rd-4th Spacebattles and Sufficient Velocity. 5th Wattpad ig?? Tho I don’t go there unless to read something from my local language.

Mostly just some fandoms have less works in ao3 than some other sites. But more of a people-fandom dilemma than platform one. I guess, I want a forum feature for ao3? Some sites i read works are sometimes interactive like were a poster would post a prompt or the first chapter. And someone would reply to add their own interpretation/what-happens-nxt scenarios and it becomes part of the story. I miss engagements like that.

The 👏🏼 filters 👏🏼 and 👏🏼 tags

And 16. Forum features!!

Hopefully, yes. With added features, but depends ig

[ram-de]

[read] Evelyn Hardcastle ~P34

Um. I know I haven't finished Good Omens yet. I was distracted by a lots of romance books which I try to be discreet reading about because. Yea. Let's just say I know a bit more about hockey now and oh wow sportsmanship sure can be spicy💀

So, I put aside Good Omens. Impulsively searched up books to read since I was lowkey feeling like I'm about to spiral into a certain genre to read exclusively so before I went too deep, I tried to look for something else. Not too out of my comfort zone (I wasn't too keen in sci-fi, but time-loop hits a bit of a comfort tropes), so I did. And after several minutes of judging the book from it's cover (💀) and reading summaries, i was... Locked into this. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (or 7 1/2 in UK, I think). It's about a woman being murdered, and some guy (idk who) have to found the murderer. Time loop is involved, since the guy keeps being out into a different person each loop, presumably to know more about the situation.

it seems so intriguing. And only when I read a measly 11 pages I was reminded of a certain other media. Umineko... YEA... YESSS!!! I haven't read enough but the premise is just✨ and I'd like to savor my time reading it, I'm excited!! This is a preloved book I brought online and the scent, the yellowing paper, the slightly crumpled pages it's lowkey endearing like😭??

AHH I don't know what I'm writing. I'm just excited to start. It's a hella thick book and idk if my brains have the capacity to think and absorb everything lol but I don't mind taking my time!!

P.s. I want to read reviews and look through tags but I think I'll do myself a favor and not spoil myself this EARLY. AAAAAHHHHH

Also. The title reminds me of another title of the book, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo who I know is mad popular because I've heard talks about it. I may or may not be wanting to put it on to read sooner or later

——-------——------—------—

~P20

This feels like playing a detective game😭 Though I don't play a lot of games so I don't know. But like, in my head I can visually imagine a visual novel interface, a text box, a menu for memory recollection, important information. And now, let's say I'm at the phase to inspect my surrounding!! The room, what clue can I gather from knowing my belongings? (I use first POV because idk who this guy is.)

So. This one, I'm occupying the body of Sebastian B-something.

Oh?? There's going to be a packed cast... An ensemble!! Though idk if all going to appear and make appearance or be any of significant. 20 cast for what I assume the event that the murder took event, and 30 more. I'M EXCITED

-----------------------------------

~P34

If I kept writing thoughts with this pace I'd end up with dozen of post about this book lol

I LIKE IT..... AHHHHH the suspense. the mystery. there's a lot of clues laid out here and there. a backstory. i don't think i'm still anywhere near finishing the introductory phase of what's the story want to tell though.

A person inhabiting Sebastian Bell's body woke up to a woman being chased by a man in coat. This person calls out, 'Anna', and froze a bit before the man in coat shot her. Scared shitless, the man hands him a compass, told him where to go. He arrived at the mansion. Foreign figures, strangers. Daniel Coleridge welcomes him, Doctor Dickie checks on him, and he met one of the son of the house, Michael Hardcastle. A bit about how his family invited people for a party, a lot showed up but talks about them in an annoyed manners. This guy also discovers that his arms, has been slashed, assumed to be acquired in acts of self-defense. Someone is out to chase get him. End.

What I understood.

The guy is not Sebastian Bell. He felt foreign in his body. Memories isn't coming back.

The Hardcastle family is made up of burgoise folks. The Lord of the house moved here because of his failing in politics. I don't remember.

The mansion is located pretty far from crowds and the city. It's surrounded by forests.

Michael Hardcastle is the (youngest) younger Hardcastle? His brother older by two year were murdered when Michael was 5. The perpetrator is two figures, one known and the other unknown until now.

Michael seems like a fun character to read!!! He's easygoing, lively and he was close with Sebastian. Though knowing this story is about murders and all, I can imagine him being killed soon (probably not since that's his sister role!!!) but surely partake in some shady acts.

A guy helped the Hardcastle by avenging? beating up? one of the perpetrator. Ted S-something. He was awarded back then and now he's a snob.

I still don't know who is inside Sebastian's body. The story is told in his POV, but amnesia and all.

I can't make any guesses for now. There's barely anything enough to assume. I feel like even if I do guess stuff I'd feel stupid later on haha

[getmemymicroscope]

Back a ways ago, probably during undergrad, I went through this phase of "read non-Michael Crichton sci-fi." It was, to put it bluntly, an unmitigated disaster: for various reasons, essentially everything I read - Asimov's Foundation series, Jumper, the first few books of the Ender series (except the first book itself) - just did not do it for me. Which struck me as odd, because I thought I did enjoy the sciences, and fiction as well obviously. But each of those books ended with me thinking "why am I doing this?" Some of that, admittedly, might be because I can't see this stuff in my head - like, my imagination doesn't turn words into pictures, just words into words. I'm sure it's cooler if you can imagine it - though, having seen Jumper and the beginning of the Ender's Game movie, maybe that's not entirely true either.

That will come into play for this book too, but the reason I mention this is because I simply cannot remember if this is the first Stephenson book I'm reading or the second. For some inexplicable reason, I have always had his book Snow Crash and William Gibson's Neuromancer confused in my head - and while I know I have read one of them (at the same general time-frame as those above, with similarly dismal results), I cannot remember for the life of me which one of those I actually read (and given the initial results, I'm not really tempted to read it again - plus, the additional caveat that I probably wouldn't remember anyways).

Anyhow, The Diamond Age (a name I don't fully understand), or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (a name which I do).

Going back to the above bit about my book-unfriendly imagination - this book is a nightmare in that regards. He's building a future world in our world, so there is so much explanation going on. And, from what I can tell, he builds a hell of a world, and explains it all wonderfully. But, for me, word after word of descriptive text just becomes headache-inducing "skim this" verbiage and, with paragraph after paragraph of it, it becomes very hard to follow.

Additionally, there are a lot of only vaguely-related stories (up until the very end, I guess?) and this weird bit of 'something happening in a book that suddenly morphs into happening in real life' that left me baffled. Also, the timeline is a mess and not really explained. I mean, we start with Bud and he has a pregnant/expecting GF named Tequila, and then when we last see (and hear of, or even think of, for that matter) Bud she's given birth a bit back, and then we immediately skip ahead to Nell being able to talk/walk, and then time just sorta goes and we never know how much time is passing and then before we know it, John or whatever his name is has been missing for 10 years meaning that Nell is ... 15-ish, I guess? ... and then, by the end, Nell has become the character from her book?

The storylines of the other 2 girls with the primer seem irrelevant - one of them we follow for a bit, randomly, until she decides to become some sort of story-actor?; the other just disappears and we only hear gossip of her having joined something else.

Hardest for me, though, was the overall flow - for almost two hundred pages, it's mostly world explaining and a bit of following Nell (and, a bit less frequently, John or whatever his name is, and Mr. X, and that judge who also just sorta disappears) as we see that her book becomes an escape from the horrible upbringing she has. Then, suddenly, we've skipped ahead 10 years and it turns into a mad rush to the end, as if he just realized "I need to take this awesome world and turn it into a story." The first bit, I was a bit bogged down by the lack of things happening - I did much enjoy Nell's story, but the rest of it left me a bit bored; then, with the sudden change, it just became a whole lot of "what just happened" and "what is happening" over-and-over again. And then it ended.

The mouse army from the end of the book is suddenly actual real people in the real world; the drummers, whatever the hell that is, are suddenly maybe bad?; an entire army attack/plan is overrun by the mouse-to-girl army; Nell goes from book-reader to princess/Her Majesty; John is bad, maybe?

It feels like it started out as a science fiction story that was more about science's impact on the world, as opposed to the typical action-packed movie-type sci-fi (which is fine), but then towards the end it morphed into something different and turned from themes of like education and artificial intelligence into "action!" (which is less fine).

The whole nanomachine/nanotech thing is way over-my-head, which I guess is problematic in this book because there is a lot of talk/description about this type of technology and what it's doing. In fact, the whole world is set up as more-or-less run by this nanotechnology, and while he does describe a lot of it (with a lot of words, no less), I have no idea what any of it actually is, or does, or even looks like (again, that's not his fault, it's mine; but either way, it becomes a bit hard to follow).

It is undoubtedly a fine book - many others can attest to that - with a hell of a story, some exceptional world-building, and definite science fiction. For me, however, it's just a bit hard to keep up with - and the change in tone as we go from "psuedo-philosophical look at nanotechnology-driven world, and the resulting future divides" to "action-heavy story" just lost me.

I do much like Nell's story, though - and I will admit that, while it would be difficult to turn into a movie, and probably all sorts of a mess with so many different characters and a weird timeline, seeing this in movie form might actually help me understand what is going on a bit better.

Sometimes, I really don't like my inability to picture stories unfolding as I read them. That would be such an awesome thing for my brain to be able to do.

[myyeehawacademia]

Accepted! Mirio Togata

For you: Character name: Mirio Togata

Why do you want to play them?: I love how much of a goofball this guy is, and as someone who has been through a fair share of setbacks, his perseverance is something I identify with. If I could be a hero, he's the kind of hero I would want to be: someone who's always ready to help make someone's day better.

What is their quirk?: Permeation. It allows Mirio to make part or all of himself intangible - he can phase through any solid objects, including the ground.

What powers and limitations do they have: Powers: While Mirio's quirk appears to be dangerous or useless at first glance, training and determination have allowed him to master it. Additionally, he's very physically strong and in good shape; he can hold his own in close combat. Limitations: Mirio cannot apply his quirk to other people. Also, when he's using his quirk, everything passes through him: light, air, etc. So he cannot breathe or even see, and has to have his moves thought out in advance most of the time.

Describe the character’s personality: A cheerful, optimistic, and upbeat man who loves trying to make others smile, Mirio isn't one to let setbacks get him down. While he can be a little over-energetic, manic, and even downright corny with his various jokes and puns, his dedication to his dreams and his strength of will have helped him pull through some very dark moments. He's got a strong sense of right and wrong, and doesn't care about fame or money: he's doing what he does to help people, simple as that.

Preferred relationships (friendships, rivalries, ships, etc): I would love Mirio to be friends with Nejire and Tamaki, of course, and I've always seen him as kind of a big-brother figure to Izuku. Any rivals and any ships are welcome, as far as I'm concerned, as long as the chemistry is there!

Please list your goal(s) for the character (This can be a long term plan for the character’s progression, or an aspect of the character you’d like to explore!): I'd love for Mirio to get more character development - he's kind of a little too toxically positive at times, and I want him to learn about this and how to cope with it. Maybe he could spend a little more time confronting and dealing with his own weaknesses and fears, or with the fact that he seems to overextend himself a lot for others and doesn't really care that much about himself (I love drama, angst, et cetera, so I'm really open to a lot of things). I want him to be a successful pro hero but maybe one that's confronting new, deeper and more challenging struggles.

For your character: What do you think about UA University’s Villain Rehabilitation Program: To say that all villains are incapable of being rehabilitated is way too broad. One bad choice shouldn't ruin someone's whole life, and mistakes can and do happen. But... can everyone be rehabilitated? That's a harder question.

Pick two of the following prompts and write out how you would behave in that scenario. Minimum 100 words each:

“A friend is going through a difficult time, how do you comfort them?“  Be there for them! Make them food (or bring them food if you're a kitchen disaster), be a shoulder to cry on, clean their apartment, give them hugs, watch corny sci-fi movies with them and laugh at the pie-tin UFOs until your sides hurt. Or if that's a little too much, and yeah, it can be, because not everyone's into corny sci-fi, sit in the same room with them and just exist with them. Listen to them - well, don't just listen, really hear what they are saying, what they mean when they talk about what they need. Make sure they're not facing the difficulty on their own, you know? That's the most important thing a friend can do.

“You overhear someone talking bad about you from across the room, how do you react?”

“You’re in combat with a villain who is threatening to attack nearby civilians. How do you stop them?” That's a tough one. My first thought would be stopping the villain somehow, preventing them from getting to bystanders at all, but if they've got a way to hurt people in a wide area, like a quirk with range or something, then obviously my tactic's gonna be getting the civilians somewhere safe first. Their safety is way more important than capturing or defeating a villain, and yeah, I know people are gonna disagree with me on that, but I stand by what I said. I've been a human shield before and I'd do it again to keep innocent people from getting caught in any kind of crossfire. So... I guess that's my answer!

“You just received a thoughtful gift from a close friend. What is it and how do you react?”

“You have a moments peace outside of class and hero work, what are you doing in your free time?”

[corkcitylibraries]

Cork in Verse | Ana Spehar Interviews Noah Hamilton

Noah Hamilton was born in May 1987 in Waterford. He grew up in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny and is a full-time artist.

Noah Hamilton studied Fine Art at the Limerick School of Art & Design. He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Art. Noah then went on to focus on his drawing skills by undertaking a course at St. John’s College, Cork City studying Drawing (Level 5) and Web Design (Level 5).

When did you start writing? Is there a common theme, style, or structure you find yourself leaning to in your poetry?

I’ve been writing song lyrics since I was a teenager, drew comics since I was nine. Yet when I started really tapping away on the word processer it came from a certain purge, there are just some days where I'm in the mindset to write, a certain free train of thought, although when it comes to poetry, I have a few rules that relate to music theory. I focus on the rhythm of the syllables in each sentence, though every now and again I break my own rules on purpose. Usually with poetry I just type it into my phone. I went through a phase of writing haikus where you get 5 7 5 in the syllable count. It's good to consider the value of each syllable in length, it could have the value of a quaver, crotchet, have a different timing, a lot of music theory worth considering. 

As a visual artist, musician, and a writer, you express yourself in many forms. Where do you seek inspiration?

I hop between mediums just to alternate my time. One day or night I could be drawing, painting, writing, then playing music or a bit of carpentry and so on, any creative project I have a go at. I used to draw compulsively in sketchbooks for years, I still have the ones I kept since I was twelve, lots of drawings of devils and war. It freaked out my art teacher. Once, he rang my mother about it, when she saw them, she said they were quite good, but she asked me to draw something else so then I discovered music. Nirvana was my favourite band, so I drew rockstars in my teens, picked up a guitar to learn as many riffs from tabs off the internet. Art and music were the two big things in my life, why not do both? I remember that I always said to myself if I go blind, I can still play guitar, if I go deaf, I can still draw. Fast-forward to these days when engaging in a creative project, I have different themes to each medium. Innovation is crucial for my work, I always like something new to potter about with. I've learned to be okay with having creative block every now and again. I find comfort in knowing the likes of Francis Bacon went through months without lifting a brush. I like to look at the lives of artists in biographies rather than their work, good to learn from history before pursuing it as a career, though if you enjoy making art for the sheer enjoyment is a great gift in itself.

Do you show your work in progress to anyone?

I do, maybe a bit too much I think, though a painting isn't finished until it's sold. Pieces develop over time, even songs over time where I would add a middle eight here and there with more development on the subject matter.

Would you look on writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

More like an exorcism. I write away my demons, you might say. I like having a go at the Sci-Fi genre, makes it lighter and more aloof. I find it a safer place to be in, a certain detachment from real life with elements of truth involved.

What book would you recommend to our readers?

You know the real page turner for me was The Diary of Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years by Sue Townsend. I once spent all night just reading that back to back as a teenager. Actually, I haven't read all of the Adrian Mole books, I must follow up on that, though it’s quite a sad thought as Sue Townsend, rest her soul, is no longer with us. Don't tell me how it ends but I’m expecting another cliff-hanger. My main recommendation, now I'm thinking seriously, is a book that I used to play as an audiobook while sleeping. I'll be frank that I don't read as much as I should as I predominantly just binge on audiobooks these days...Ten Books on Architecture by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio. It's very fascinating with instructions on how the Roman Empire was built. It teaches you about their knowledge of building, plumbing, painting, music theory, and geology to name a few of the subjects it covers. It was revived during the Renaissance and it's illustrated by the old masters at that time. I must root out the hard copy myself to see the illustrations.

Paintbrush

A madman with a paintbrush Saying he is an artist Still a madman with a paintbrush Though people are saying he is an artist They don't think he is a madman with a paintbrush They are betting on this madman as an artist as he says himself They know a bit that he is mad A madman with a paintbrush Saying he is an artist Though a paintbrush for a madman is a good idea nonetheless.

Rural I come from rural Ireland A place of cattle and horses Not too far from me Is where they bet on courses. I know a chap who can talk to cattle But not well with women Not that different from me But worse according to other sources In one pub there is gambling A place of many vices No one judges no one Even through their mid-life crisis They may stand, sit and talk shite The barman telling them that they are right His old friend calls him a bollox Just like Jackson Pollock Country life isn't so bad The pints are cheaper with a bit of trad Next day is not so sad Back again since one was a lad This is the frontline for an troubadour No pretense and vanity For those who do will not last long This town is better than any city Men are men here and the women same Hardly ones that aren't so tame Handy with an axe and saw The land will clobber if you break its law. Take heed of it's weather It's harshness and gruff No time for nonsense Faffing or fluff.