#i was mostly excited for the ireland stuff

[dennistakesamentalhealthday]

i think s16 is the most excited i've been for a sunny season

[darerendevil]

Excerpts:

Do the characters Murphy plays stay with him? He talks about playing Tommy Shelby on Peaky Blinders for a decade. “By the fifth or sixth season he would be driving the car, not me ... I understood the character so well that sometimes he would make the choices, not me.” He laughs. “That sounds really pretentious and wanky, but that’s the truth.”

Murphy’s wife, Yvonne McGuinness, is a visual artist, and one of their two sons, Aran, who is 16, has been cast in Taika Waititi’s adaptation of the Kazuo Ishiguro novel Klara and the Sun. At home “there’s an awful lot of discussion about books and plays and shows”, says Murphy. “That’s always been the way if you’re two artists who are in a relationship – and then, naturally, the kids get stuck with it.”

Has he been enjoying the ceremonies? “Much, much more than I anticipated,” he says. “And mostly because you meet all these people whose work you’ve admired and watched throughout the year, and you get to have a really good chat about this sort of stuff, about art and music and making things, and that’s been, for me, the best part ...“I will say that it’s been so brilliant being out there and seeing all this amazing Irish talent, seeing Barry Keoghan and Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, and then Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, who produced Poor Things. It is a staggering footprint we have on the world of cinema.”

“I think the most important thing is that we support and encourage and promote the next round, the next generation, all these young film-makers and actors who are coming up,” he says. “I think Screen Ireland is doing a good job of that, and I think the Government has got to keep funding it. I think it’s up to my generation, too, to encourage the next. I remember working with Brendan Gleeson [early on], and he was the most open, patient, kind man. He gave me a lift home and really listened to me when I asked him questions. He had no need to do that.”

Is he more conscious of that because Aran is now in the acting world too? “I am,” he says. He pauses and adds: “And he did that on his own ... It’s the next generation are the most exciting ones. Barry Keoghan and Paul Mescal, it’s kind of staggering how good they are.”

Is he nervous about the Oscar ceremony? “I get nervous, but there’s nothing you can do. I mean, the die is cast, and what will be will be. You just try to have a good night.” But he’d like an Oscar, right? He laughs and then smiles enigmatically. “No comment.”

[nightmaretist]

TIMING: Mid April, so pre-Ireland LOCATION: Metropolitan Opera House, NYC PARTIES:  Ariadne @ariadnewhitlock, Leila @amonstrousdream and Inge @nightmaretist SUMMARY: Inge takes her two mare mates on an outing to the MET at night. It's sweet. CONTENT: N/A

All in all, Inge was terribly excited. It was a strange thing to feel, this kind of giddiness about a social outing — but she did and it was refreshing. Wasn’t it? To take a pair of mares under her wing (leathery and black) and spend a night with them, pushing the limits of their powers and going where they weren’t allowed to be. The three of them had convened at her studio and then agreed to meet backstage at the Lincoln Center where the American Ballet graced the stage every summer.

She’d done some scouting beforehand, considering some security risks while in the astral, looking down at the location. She’d figured out where the sewing room was, where nice accessories could be swiped and where the carpentry shop was. She’d even found a nice place for food nearby, a place that took low-sodium diets into account and did good pizza. 

She appeared in the dressing room she’d instructed the others to meet her in, seating herself in one of the seats and looking at herself in the mirror. It was dark, but her red glowing eyes didn’t struggle with the lack of light. Lips spread at herself, but her head swiveled at the sound of another person in the room with her. “So,” Inge said, “Where should we go first? The stage? Or in the belly of the backstage?”

—

She was actually legit going to break in somewhere. Except, the Metropolitan Opera offered tours and stuff, right? So this was just a super exclusive tour. That they were taking without permission. Which Ariadne was very chill with. Mostly. Admittedly, she wouldn't have been nearly as chill if she was going by herself, but Inge and Leila (and most especially Inge) knew what they were doing, which meant this would all go off very well.

She’d even worn her ABT sweatshirt (it only seemed right, after all) and had extra-prepped by downing half a bag of gummi bears. When she successfully appeared in the dressing room, Ariadne could hardly contain herself, letting out a delighted squeak at the fact that yes, this was actually happening.

“I mean, stage is cool. But anywhere. I’m just – this is so awesome!!” Ariadne grinned. “Seriously. Wow.” She pulled out her phone. “I need to take the first of a few selfies.” She turned to face Inge and Leila, who’d just appeared. “Do either of you wanna be in this one? Or any of them?” 

___

There were all sorts of things Leila hadn’t let herself dare dream about for a very long time. Places she would not go and would never see, things she would never have the chance to do. Using the astral to sneak her way into the Metropolitan Opera House was not something she thought was possible. But Inge had insisted it was. And after pushing her way further than she’d ever gone before, she reappeared in a dressing room hundreds of miles away. 

The other mare had more second-life experience than herself or Ariadne. Despite being older, there were times where she felt as if Inge was the mother hen of this group of three, guiding Leila and Ariadne in the ways of a world they did not fully understand. Parts of it felt a bit like stretching muscles she had not used in years. Most of her trips in the astral never went so far at once. But it felt strangely good. As if she was finally doing something she was meant to be doing for years. She reached out and poked the dressing room counter, just to assure herself that it was real, before looking at her friends with pure, unbridled glee on her face. 

“We’re actually here…” The statement was a little ridiculous. The proof was there in the walls of the building that surrounded them and the things it housed. Ariadne’s excitement was, as always, adorable. Leila was sure that by the end of the night, her phone would be filled of pictures she’d take of the girl posing about the theatre. “I would be honored to be in a picture. Commemorate the moment and all of that…”

___

There was something very infectious about both their excitement. If she’d allow herself, her mind would travel to days long gone of going out with Vera and taking her out. She’d get so giddy and thrilled about the world expanding. Inge had a feeling both Ariadne and Leila could use some expansion — especially the youngest among them, who probably had lived in that weird, wicked town all her life.

She didn’t search deep within her soul, though. She was here because she enjoyed to have fun and to share it with those she deemed worthy. “I’d love to be in it,” she said, pulling Leila closer so Ariadne could get all three of them in a picture. Inge gave a wide, toothy smile before moving aside, figuring that the selfie had succeeded. 

She glanced between the two mares. “Let’s do the stage first, and then I’ll give you two a little tour,” Inge said, gesturing at them to follow as she opened the door of the dressing room. The backstage was a nice little maze, but she had prepared. It was good to do something like this, to flex her spontaneous muscles and use her mare-skills for her and others benefit, and not just for feeding and feeling safe in the astral. She halted when they’d reached one of the sides of the stage and looked at Ariadne over her shoulder. “Go on, then.”

___

The fact that the both of them wanted to be in a selfie with her was nearly enough to cause Ariadne to faint from sheer disbelief that something like this. She didn’t, though, and figured that was something she could add to her list of ‘things she was proud of’ because she had two people who were like her and who were willingly spending time with her and making everything seem just that much more easy. The picture was perfect, too, though she’d have been hard-pressed to think of it as anything but.

“Yeah, yeah stage sounds perfect!” Ariadne couldn’t keep herself from chirping, from taking such extreme delight in everything that was going on. When she was little, on the family computer, she’d had her parents search up photos of the Met’s stage and she’d stared at it (and ones of the Royal Ballet, too) for hours, knees pulled against her chest, in awe, hoping that one day maybe she’d be able to be on one of those stages. She wasn’t sure how logistically it would be able to happen now, since she’d never age, but right now wasn’t the time to focus on the negative, on the things that made her stomach toss and turn, but instead she could focus on the fact that she was here now, and that was incredible.

At Inge’s suggestion, she slipped past the other two mares and onto the stage, falling into third position before briefly gliding across the stage, stopping in the middle, looking out into the audience. All the chairs, folded up, nearly unreal. Except she couldn’t dream now, so this had to be real. Ariadne bit her lip and glanced back to Inge and Leila, a sudden beam of a smile covering her face. “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done, ever, I think.”

___

For a moment, Leila watched. 

There was a different kind of happiness that came with watching someone you cared for utterly possessed by joy. To see Ariadne with such excitement etched in every line of her face… She didn’t need to see the inside of the opera house, didn’t need to know that it looked like the inside of a red velvet jewelry box; she didn’t need to hold the costumes in her hands and run the fabric between her fingers so she might examine every stitch. To watch Ariadne’s joy was enough. More than enough, actually. Leila wished she could trap  the moment in time with the feeling attached, to revisit when things got dark.

It was only when the young mare looked back towards herself and Inge that Leila snapped out of her reverie and stepped out onto the stage. “It really is something else, isn’t it…?” She remembered reading about the opera house’s construction in the news. She’d seen wood engraving illustrations of this place. Then lithographs, photographs, digital images. But never did she think she would see the real thing. The lights would go down, and her eyes would light up, and that was not a safe thing. So despite the beauty, she’d stayed away. 

Inge was the one who had made this possible, who had told the mares that they could actually achieve such a thing. She turned to glance at the other woman, feeling the sting of tears welling in her eyes. All she could do was mouth a small ‘thank you’ and smile.

___

Once, a lifetime ago, she’d taken Vera to see the ballet in Amsterdam. They’d biked there, just the two of them, all giddy and excited to see the production of Sleeping Beauty. It wasn’t really her kind of scene, as ballet was refined in a way that Inge thought she’d find boring — but she’d looked at it the same way her daughter had. Mouth slightly agape, transfixed by the movements of the dancers. The memory sneaked up on her as Ariadne moved over the stage.

It was a memory best banished. She’d come here for some rule-breaking fun, not to be swept up in nostalgia and grief. And so she watched Ariadne and smiled, because it was good to see the young dancer so excited. It wasn’t easy to die and come back, to have something like life robbed from you — even if something better was returned to you. Inge looked over at Leila, followed her onto the stage.

The older mare looked moved, eyes watering as she mouthed a thank you. Inge gave a small nod, “It really is. And with that I mean your technique, Ariadne.” She was a little teasing, but she meant it too. Ariadne could be a ballet dancer all her life. She’d never age out of the job. She’d always be fresh-faced and perfect for the harsh world where mortal bodies gave in. “We should attend a performance one day. We can easily sneak in.” Or buy tickets, but where was the fun in that?

___

She continued to feel a deep sense of joy about everything that was happening, and she had two people who she hadn’t even known a couple years ago to thank for it. People who made her feel like what she was wasn’t something shameful, but was instead something worthwhile. Even if the two of them went about it in drastically different ways, it was a welcomed feeling and one that Ariadne wanted to drink up just like the dozens of cans of Dr. Pepper that she had in her apartment.

“Thank you.” If she could’ve blushed, she would’ve. “I have danced since I could like, walk, or even sort of before, so I’ve had practice.” Because even if she reveled in the compliment, there was always a part of her that needed to push away compliments, to push away attention on her, at least direct attention. When she was actually dancing, she could pretend she was all alone and doing it for herself.

“I’d like that. The attending a performance. We could sneak in, yeah.” Even though that wasn’t like, legal, but neither was this and it wasn’t something that would hurt, and she could always get overpriced concessions and some sort of souvenir so that the ballet would make at least some amount of money. “That sounds perfect.”

___

Their Ariadne was practically made to be a ballerina. It was evident in the way she held herself, the way she moved. She doubted that the young mare would ever believe her, but Leila was certain that Ariadne was effortlessly graceful. She was born to dance, as Inge was born for art, as Leila was born for fashion. While some people only had a lifetime to pursue these passions, their curse was given alongside the gift of being able to continue the creation of the art forms they held so dear. 

Inge’s suggestion caught her by surprise. To sneak in… It couldn’t be so easy, could it? To hide away in the shadows while the minds of the audience soaked in the beauty performed before them? Leila had always worried she’d give herself away somehow. That the darkness that would consume the theatre would give her away, red eyes alight; that some unsuspecting dozer might become a meal if she were too hungry… But Inge seemed so sure that it was more than a possibility- it was something they could simply do… 

For the first time, Leila couldn’t help but wonder if all her decades of hiding away from the world had been for naught. The world had gone on, and she could have been a part of it, were it not for fear. 

A strange pang of regret lingered in her chest as she forced her smile to remain intact. She could still experience things now. It wasn’t too late to start living again- she had to keep believing that… “I think I’d like that. I think I’d like that very much.”

__

Inge truly did think that life was better as a mare, but in this moment as Ariadne spoke of her youth she felt a strange hint of melancholy. There was something so easy to pity about the young mare, who was still so tightly connected to her mortal life. In a few decades perhaps that would be over, she was sure, but for now it was at times a sad sight to see.

Which was why they were here, now. Not to think of the sad things that ruled their – and perhaps everyone’s – lives, but to revel in what they had been given. “Most children dance from the moment they can walk,” she said, “Not like you, though.” She meant it. She wanted Ariadne to be confident in her craft, as that would only improve it. One day, maybe, there could be a production that was all theirs — stage decor by Inge, costumes by Leila and choreography by Ariadne.

The future was brighter with undead friends on ones side, that much she knew by now. And even if she were to turn her back on Maine at some point, these two would only be an astral project away. “Then we’ll do that. You can pick, Ariadne, and we’ll go.” Inge smiled. “Come, there’s far more for us to see.” With that, she turned around to guide her friends deeper into the theatre.

[dcyllom]

misc. tag game

thank you for tagging me @blood-mocha-latte :)

a band you don’t like that many others do:

definitely Ocean Alley (i don't like their music and their most recent scandal was...interesting. also a guy i used to like but who ended up being a racist LOVED them so i have viscerally negative reactions whenever their stuff plays)

a childhood memory that you remember vividly:

i have a terrible memory, but the thing i remember best is taking our dog around the garden so he could get used to it when we first moved in, and he dug up 23 bones which the previous owners dog had buried around the place.

least favorite animal and why:

CRABS, I FUCKING HATE THEM

hot fandom take:

none, i just see bob stuff and i generally like it. although i do dislike the (not very common) infantilization of the actors or the version of the real life men they're portraying. it's just not something i personally agree with but it's not that big a deal

do you were any jewelry, if so, what’s your favorite piece:

i love rings and necklaces, but my favourite piece is my great-great grandmother's engagement ring which i inherited through my great grandmother. its gold and engraved with cool designs and a ruby and some diamonds.

a movie others liked but you didn’t:

the greatest showman. i detest that movie so much and im possibly a little dramatic about it.

three things you love about yourself:

i like my taste in wine

i really like my hair right now (just got it cut)

i like that i have such an active and extensive imagination

a place you hope to visit in the future and why:

ireland :) my family has a lot of connections to it

an actor that gets on your nerves and why:

jared leto <3

things you’re excited for in the nearby future?:

joining the tramping club at my uni this year (in nz we use the word tramping for hiking im not that strange i promise)

least favorite ship in a fandom you’re in:

legolas/gimli, i just think their story is cooler if its them working through several millennia of racial hate and enmity to become best friends to the point where they want to spend the rest of their lives together. the romance angle just overshadows that for me with them.

what’s the most toxic fandom you’ve been in?:

okay this is quite niche but its funny to me, the girlfailure community on instagram. like those people who make semi-ironic accounts posting about unhinged esoteric books or ideas, astrology, societal/cultural expectations, and religious interpretation of thoughts. its a load of bullshit but its so fucking funny to read and its mostly sarcastic (i think) so i don't feel bad for enjoying it.

list three things you find beautiful about life:

my mother, especially learning more about her and how she interprets life. i've realised recently that we're extremely similar despite having wildly different upbringings. she's also the best person i know.

new zealand :). nz is very isolated with a diverse range of biomes, there is such a large amount of untouched land that you could drive from the southern alps through farmland and native bush to the coast in about 3 hours.

cooking while listening to music!! i love it.

any dreams for the future?

completing my law and arts degrees and going on to do a masters in the uk somewhere.

how are you really feeling today?

extremely tired lol, i've got a doctors appointment tomorrow because it's been going on for several weeks.

tagging (no pressure):

anyone who wants to do it! i forgot i had this tab open so i think everyone's done it. if not, feel free to say i tagged you or something :).

[sehrgefaelltmir]

Tell me about planes!! :)

BDKDJDJDJDJS OH MY GOD WITH PLEASURE BRO i am vibrating with excitement THIS IS GONNA BE SO LONG IM SORRY IN ADVANCE

OK SO!!!!!! for someone who is obsessed with planes i haven’t been on many exciting planes (mostly just 737s cause if you live in ireland you always just take the L and fly ryanair lmao). my favourite plane i’ve ever been on is the embraer 190 cause it’s SUCH a lil cutie patootie. and my favourite plane overall is the A340-600. i don’t have any tattoos but if i was gonna get one i would get a schematic style tattoo of the A340 cause it’s just so pretty. (idk if u can really describe a plane as pretty but it is to me djdkjddsj) they’re kinda being phased out of use now cause airlines are moving to 2-engine planes (as opposed to the A340 which has 4) but i really hope i’ll get to fly on one one day before they’re all retired!!

also a cool thing about being obsessed w planes is that i have infinite tolerance for them. like one time i had to go through like 4 airports in one day and i had a BLAST i never get it when people don’t like going to the airport?? it’s just like. head empty 🥰 planes 🥰

my favourite airport is nicolaus copernicus in wrocław cause i had a layover there on the way to visit my friend in warsaw (connecting flight was a LOT E190, best day ever tbh) and it was just kinda vibey? djdjskbds idk it was late at night and really empty and the vibes were immaculate

also i LOVE planespotting. if someone agreed to go planespotting w me i would literally propose to them on the spot. it sounds boring but i swear its not jfdjdjdjjd its so fun!! there’s this really good spot for it near where i live atm and one time i was there and i saw this couple taking pics together with an A320 taking off over them ☹️ like thats the most romantic thing ive ever seen??? ouch???

anyway im like,, in a constant state of planespotting. the second i hear a plane i whip out flightradar24 cause i NEED to know where that mf is going im nosey. and the best thing about flightradar is that it tells u the aircraft’s whole schedule, so this one time i was flying home from nürnberg and i could tell the flight was gonna be delayed like 4 hours before they told us cause our plane was still in spain and it hadnt moved lmao (ryanair moment)

oooh also lowkey no one likes flying w me bc like. a) im really annoying abt the planes as u all can see. and b) i WILL make u be at the airport like 5 hours early. one time i was flying w my friend out of copenhagen and it was like 3 hours before the flight n we were in the WRONG COUNTRY i was on the verge of tears all day 😭 never missed a flight n i never will. im an airport dad frfr 🫡

OK LAST THING one time i saw a concorde!! like,, it wasn’t flying obviously lmao (i was born the year they were retired) but it was on display and i got to get on it n see the cockpit and stuff which was like very cool actually

oh my god this was so long sorry jdsjjdjdhd but ty for letting me infodump at you <33333

[oneknightstand-if]

i love love love arthuriana and i love fate merlin a whole lot so i was so excited to find this. the amount of info you included is incredible and the sheer amount of text specific to options is insane- i 'laid claim' to the name iseult, being a huge iseult the dark/of the white hands fan, and merlin's text included a mention of that in iseult of ireland's section, i recall? anyway, this is great and i love it

Always glad to see another Arthuriana fan! It increases the chances of someone seeing all the extra (arthurian = 3) stuff. Thanks for all the comments!

And yeah, if the MC claimed dibs on a Camelot character than Merlin should have a throwaway line about it in that character's entry in Merlin's Guide to Arthurian Lore.

Isolde* the Dark's entry will probably be appearing two updates from now in the Minor Neutral section.*I decided to mostly go with the 'most common' variation of everyone's names so "Isolde" won over "Iseult" 14 million to 1.7 million in the end.

[random-little-gal]

Mercs relationship with Airman

Scout

At first, Scout would think that Airman is a bit of an idiot. Mostly due to the fact that she likes to crash her plane into things just for the hell of it. Scout would say that she's crazy, half-witted, and suicidal because of her tendency to crash her plane into places. But he finds Airman a mother figure, due to the fact she acts like his mother but also make some dad jokes which annoys Scout.

Soldier

Soldier is trying to be somewhat of an older brother figure towards Airman however due to his childish behaviour and nature. Airman is annoyed by him as he acts like an overgrown child but she also can’t help but like his positive attitude. Soldier friendship with Airman is almost like with Demoman, cause he thinks Ireland and Scotland is the same country. So I guess they just kinda have a platonic sibling relationship where they don’t always agree on things but she appreciates the support he gives her and she supports him despite him being a complete dumbass.

Pyro

Pyro and Airman might get along well, due to Airman's daredevil nature. Since Pyro has an affinity for other mercs who enjoy putting their lives on the line to take on opponents, so they would likely respect Airman for her courageous personality and determination. She would probably find Pyro's childlike, playful attitude a little amusing, even if he is a tad bit creepy..

Demoman

He’ll be surprised that someone who is Irish and almost the same accent as him so they both love a blast, she’s probably the only crazy person that he can respect, because if you are like him, he would love to do crazy stuff with you, they probably wouldn’t talk much, they even go drink together and end up drunk as hell, but he admires her courage, and ability to do the right thing in the end.

Engineer

Engineer feels like he should just give up on fixing Airman’s helicopter, but doesn’t have it in him to do so. He’s very annoyed with Airman cause her damaging her flying vehicles and her corny jokes. He’s got a big soft spot for her, and it is really cute. When she isn’t crashing her helicopter he takes her to have some tea, and listens to her rambling. All that aside, he doesn’t really know what to do about her constant, insane crashes.

Heavy

Heavy and Airman would have been friends. Even though sometimes she can be a little annoying or insane for a grown woman, Heavy still has a soft spot for Airman. They have bonded over the time they have worked together, and Heavy sees Airman as a little sister. Although Heavy has never been rude or aggressive to Airman, he does speak his mind to her.

Medic

As teammates, Medic will be pretty excited to work with the Airman as he sees potential in Airman and her recklessness. But they both are good friends, they would have conversations about their families and their old jobs they got fired from. Medic wants to help Airman, but also satisfy his experimental needs so he experiments on her and the others.

Sniper

At first Airman and Sniper were suspicious of each other. One being half-witted, adrenaline junkie and the other being a reserved man who was afraid of getting close to people. But after a while they learned to appreciate each other's work, as working together was a lot more effective than working separately. So to say, they eventually became close friends.

Spy

Spy would always feel nervous whenever Airman was in the field with him. Although they were on the same team, he was always worried that Airman would crash her helicopter into him. Despite their trust issues, Spy always admired Airman's courage and loyalty to the team, along with her charm and friendliness. They could be seen together as friends, or just two mercenaries working the same side.

[pbandjesse]

Oh man I am not feeling very well right now. I have been deteriorating throughout the day. I really really hope I can just sleep this off. I don't have time to be sick. I literally don't think I could call off on Monday. So I have to be better. Fingers crossed.

Today was very very busy. Mostly in a good way. I slept okay but I woke up with a horrible sore throat. Like my throat has started hurting last night but I thought I had just swollen weird. Nope. Woke up this morning and it was like swallowing glass. It would improve throughout the day but my sinuses would get worse. So you know. Six of one, half dozen of the other. They both suck.

I wouldn't have much time to dwell on it. I got up and made the bed and washed my face. My hair looked crazy because I went to bed with it wet. But it calmed down and would just be frizzy from the humidity. I took some DayQuil. I poured a soda and grabbed a snack and was very quickly on the road to the highland games.

I had an hour drive. And it wasn't terrible but it was a struggle to keep my eyes open. Mostly because the rain was very heavy and it was causing basically white out conditions. It was not a super fun or safe feeling drive.

But I was super excited to see my mom. I would arrive right before 10. Was directed to park. And let my mom know I was there. She would arrive only a few minutes later and I would meet her at the bottom of the hill where she was parked.

It was raining and muddy but I was ready. When I got to her I ran over and was just super happy to be with her. I convinced her to change out of her sneakers into boots. I honestly should have changed from my bluestones to my rain boots but it was fine. I can wash them.

We would go to will call to get our wristbands. And then headed in to find Dave and Nadine.

They were at the bleachers watching stone throwing. It was so nice to see them too. We would spend some of the next few hours with them but we would also break off from them to explore. It was a good day.

We would explore the vendors. Mom would get a sash in the Stewart tartan. I would get a very soft brown poncho. It was fun. We probably would have found more things to buy but it was raining really hard and a lot of vendors covered things in plastic so it was slightly hard to browse. But I was still having a lot of fun just looking at round and being with my mom.

We would go get food. The traditional stuff has lines to long so instead we went to the chicken place and got Mac and cheese and fries ans mom got the chicken. We would walk with purpose to go back to the bleachers where we could eat out of the rain.

This whole time I had been texting Laura from Ireland and telling her about the stuff we had and she was telling me stuff that was familiar. We also talked about family crests when I would make it over to the family clan tents later on. It was a fun and silly addition to my day.

Me and mom ate and talked. I told her more details about what I was upset about with work. About how I was on the verge of quitting but I was calming down emotionally. But I still feel like my underlying complaints are still valid and I still want to talk to Alexi about it. And I want to set some more solid boundaries going forward now that I'm going to be booked and busy again. I don't want to completely burn out. I don't want to feel miserable. I want work life balance. But I also want to do so many things. The duality.

We would go watch a very cute girl play bagpipes. She was giving away sheet music and I took a piece for James. Nadine and Dave were there and we sat and talked for a bit. Enjoyed the music. Soon we would go back to the main field to watch some of the opening ceremonies but because it was raining so hard they would have an abridged version. Understandable.

After some speeches and music we would continue our exploring. We met a black man wearing a kilt that was made of kente cloth that was just so cool. He was also just lovely to talk to. We talked about education and sharing culture and being true to your heart. It was a wildly uplifting conversation.

We would walk to the clan tents next. And I insisted on asking every tent I went into what their favorite fun fact or historical fact they had for their clan. And overall they seemed confused by my energy but they all would tell me something. I wish I could remember what the names were but the first clan told me about the yoke in their crest that was used as a weapon against the English. Another told me about their tartan being used by the military because of the first Scotsman in the revolutionary war. Another told me how their people were essentially cattle rustlers and would wear a flippable flag so if the Scots were winning they would wear the blue, and if the English was winning in battle they would flip it over to the red. Which I thought was hilarious. Also thought the jacket/armor was very fashionable.

The next couple were more about crests. One clan has a purple tartan. The only family that has that backing color. I can also become a member for $25. Pretty sweet and their crest is a woman holding the head of a man she just beheaded. Badass.

The other clan had a mermaid as their old creat but now have a wild man because the new leader changed it. But when I say new I mean the family from I think 100+ years ago. Unclear. Still neat.

The last people I talked to told me all about the castles. I was just having so much fun collecting facts and chatting. It was really nice. But mom wanted to go listen to a specific band so we went to do that next.

This band was bagpipes, drums, and a didgeridoo. Wild. It was fun to listen to but I was not feeling great so my energy level was not ideal so I mostly just rested my head on mom and enjoyed people watching.

We would go look at the table about trips to Scotland. I really hope we can go. Maybe next year? At the tables I got to meet a few of Mom's friends and it was nice talking to them. Mom made a comment about me growing up and coming into myself and being much more social and talkative and she's right. It felt nice to be seen. Because it was not an accident, I worked really hard to be more comfortable talking to people. It did not come easy.

The last thing I would stay for was the caber toss. Which was fun and exciting even if I never saw the log get fully turned over. It was still fun to watch. They did try cutting off some of the end to make it work but still no luck. I think the muddy ground wasn't helping.

But then it was 2:00 and I had to go. I gave hugs all around and headed out.

This was a very tight turn around. I needed to get home. Get changed. And go pick up James. So we could make it to Mike's wedding.

It took until almost 215 for me to get out of the fair grounds. And I did not feel good. I thought I should stop at Wawa and get a smoothie and a sandwich and that would help. And I was correct. But man was it hard to get to the Wawa. Just winding roads and people driving crazy and not well labeled turns. But I got my food (even after my card declined?? It was very upsetting but it was their machine and they fixed it) and the food did help and I felt a little more normal.

The drive back was fine. I was still really tired but the rain wasn't as bad. Still raining but I was fine. I would get home at 330. And was changed and out the door by 345. I was really excited about this blue dress that I got from a box that Rosia from the museum has brought in. This turned out to be her daughters beauty pageant casual event dress. Amazing. I felt very pretty. I even wore heels.

I went and met James and got to see Meril for a moment. She made a fuss about how good I looked. And that made me feel really nice. After saying goodbye to Stanley and his wife, me and James were off.

This went. Not ideal. We ended up with two wrong addresses and missed the ceremony. Bummer. When we ran into the museum staff (Auni, Jessica, Jack, Beth, and partners) and they let us know that the ceremony was super short. About 15 minutes maybe. But I was glad we were at least there for the reception.

Mike and Morgan looked so nice. She was beautiful. They would show us their rings. Very pretty.

The reception was nice. The food was good though the dinner was weak on the vegetarian side. Ah well. Me and Jack also found that there was something wrong with the diet coke and it just tasted like seltzer. Gross. But I enjoyed the company and it was a good evening even though I was not feeling good.

I was leaning on James a lot during the speeches. But I was trying my best to hold it together. We would take a little photo as a group. Got to write messages on Jenga blocks. Just had a nice evening.

After dinner Jack and Cindy left. And I decided I wanted to go home too. This was a very good call.

We got home around 830. James would run back out to the museum because they forgot something. We did notice that all three frogs were out and that was so exciting. They were all eating and it made me so happy.

I would go and feed Sweetp. And then I would take a shower. And I am sitting on the floor now. James is going to bring me a brownie and some NyQuil. They are the best.

I am going to try and sleep ASAP. Tomorrow I do have a private lesson with Kim and Naomi. But that is the only thing. I have to be better. I have to much to do this week.

So I am hoping to take tomorrow slowly. And rest. And make art. It will be a good day. Even if I don't feel amazing.

I hope you all sleep well. And dont feel sick. Goodnight my friends.

[dangerously-human]

3 and 19 for the end of year asks pls?

Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year?

Technically I listened to both a little bit previously, but I started intentionally listening to Colony House and The Grey Havens this year and adore both.

What’re you excited about for next year?

Career growth stuff, mostly - really hoping to get at least one paper actually accepted for publication, and the plan is to start shifting me into a more scientific role (slowly, as funding allows) starting in the new fiscal year, hopefully. I'm also extremely excited to head back to Ireland in March!

[crunkmouse]

It’s cold today so here’s a short wintry Mickies piece set in their future.

—❄️—

January 2000

Liam took a moment to straighten his back, he’d been fighting a losing battle against getting the snow off the paved path for what felt like forever now and he was only halfway to the rocky car park. The damn stuff was so fluffy and light blowing everything. At least it wasn’t that cold today though yesterday was a pleasant treat. Every place was closed because of the winter storm so he got to spend most of the day in their nice warm bed with McKenna in his arms.

He heard crunching sounds behind him and he turned to find McKenna walking the mostly salted path from the church’s front steps, a steaming cup of coffee in hand.

“I thought I told you to stay in,” Liam sighed. The cold weather made the joints in McKenna’s left arm ache. He made sure his husband was nicely bundled up before they left the house earlier that morning, McKenna excited for their short walk to the church.

“You did,” McKenna smiled, handing over the mug over to Liam, who thanked him and used it to warm his hands after taking a small snip. “Think anyone will come today?”

Liam shrugged. “Getting this much snow is a rarely, so who knows who’s brave enough to tough it.” The most snowfall all of Ireland got here was one or two centimeters if any but they got a whole whopping three here this time. “It won’t be the first time we did a Mass for two.”

They had a rough start in the beginning, not everyone took kindly to a gay marriage between priests though surprisingly the small Irish town that invited them here did. They all connected and bonded while working on fixing the old church that rested just outside of it. Turns out everyone was a bit of a misfit here. The only downside was the crumby weather, many a weekly Mass missed due to it, though everyone did their best to show up for Sunday.

“I think it’s time to throw in the towel,” McKenna said, looking over Liam’s work.

“Aye, I’ll just finish salting and join you inside.” Liam gave the coffee back and kissed his husband’s cold nose, making him giggle. It felt so long again since they first met and yet it hasn’t even been a year yet. They were both still healing and helping each other mend. Even in their moments of doubts they still had hope for the future and not just their own. McKenna had moved mountains for them to be together and continued too for others. His husband had said God told him to save His church and Liam wholeheartedly believed it.

“Don’t be long,” McKenna said, kissing Liam’s cheek before turning to head inside. Liam smiled as he watched him go, that little light of his that shined brightly.

[chandajaan]

☕ hiiiiii mostly i only get coffee from my work bc it's free but i usually get a spiced latte (cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar) howeverrr i'm getting really sick of my job despite the free drinks so i've decided that by the end of may i want to have a different job (ideally i'll be self-employed as a proofreader). the management at my current place has made a lot of changes lately and i just don't think this job is right for me anymore. also i'm gonna be traveling soon!!! i'll be spending a few weeks in ireland with my family :) also i've been feeling extra good about myself lately bc i've been using tretinoin for a few months now and my skin has improved so much :)

Free coffee is the best kind of coffee! I'll grab a cinnamon chai, spices coffees and yeas really are on another level. feels so cozy and it's like chai and biscuit without the biscuit. I'm excited for your job change! I hope it goes smoothly, im also looking at changing some stuff around and it's been a handful, but im glad you took the initiative to move when things didn't fit anymore, it's a good skill to have 💖 im not being as consistent as I should with my trention and that might be because im purging and it's rough but you've reminded me to double down on my commitment, here a to us!!!! 💪

[particularj]

Got tagged by @froggierboy for a double ask game!

Sign: Aquarius ♒️

Height: 5’7” (167 cm)

Time: Uh, it’s 6:16 pm as I start filling this out

Birthday: (skipping for privacy)

Favorite Band: Band - will probably always be Linkin Park, but I’m really like Joywave these days. If we’re doing solo musician, Tori Amos.

Last movie: I don’t watch movies much these days. New movie? Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. Actual most recently watched? Muppet Christmas Carol.

Last show: New show? RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 or Abbott Elementary. Most recently watched: Bob’s Burgers.

When I created this blog: 2008?

What I post: Whatever I like…lots of crafts, politics & news, video game and nerd things, architecture & design things, animals, and queer stuff.

Do I get asks: LOL, never. This is the first time I think I’ve even been tagged to do an ask game.

Other blogs: nope, just this.

Followers: About 250? I block spambots like it’s my job.

Average hours of sleep: Hahaha…my sleep is all outliers. Mostly 8-10 hours but sometimes that is heavily interrupted or split up.

Instruments: I wish. Had a keyboard as a kid for a short while and would love to play piano.

What I’m wearing: It’s the weekend so hoodie shirt and jeans. Otherwise it’s usually a cardigan. I love cardigans.

Dream job: none? But seriously I like my current job as a child advocate.

Dream trip: I’d love to revisit Japan, but I also want to see New Zealand, Lebanon, Argentina, Thailand, Ireland, Kenya, and Switzerland.

Favorite songs: Ugh, too many to list and it varies based on my mood. Who doesn’t love Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65!

- - -

3 ships: So, I’m not really a shipper? Or maybe I just don’t watch enough tv or movies nowadays. In my youth queer representation was not common, so…I guess I’ll just say Garnet (Steven Universe).

First ship ever: See above.

Last film: See above.

Last song: Yes, Anastasia by Tori Amos

Currently reading: The Happiness Trap by Dr. Russ Harris

Currently watching: Also see above.

Currently consuming:

—Video games: Just put down Animal Crossing after playing over 1,000 days straight. Playing Two Point Campus and excited to get into Kirby and the Forgotten Land

—Foods: Aldi’s Sparkling Frost Black Raspberry waters, Mush coffee & coconut overnight oats, and Chobani Complete Mixed Berry Vanilla yogurt drinks are daily consumptions right now.

—Textiles: trying to get into crochet…hasn’t been easy.

—Other: Enjoying Maggie’s Organics Ragg socks and Yogibo weighted blanket. I want to play Betrayal Legacy so baaaad.

Currently craving: I’m always craving coffee.

I’m tagging @the-cobalt-coast (my right hand arm man), @van-eazy (my confidant), @stormesandshowers (my silly rabbit), and @kipplekipple (I guess Barbara Walters in this case?)

[facelessxchurch]

What he do this time?

Remember when he said on the first that October would be a great month for SP fans BC it would be full of announcements. Apparently it's mostly announcements of announcements.

And remember when he said in a recent vid that at the end of the week there would be an announcement for us to look forward to? Yesterday he announced that on Halloween there would be a livestream with SP themed trivia questions, a contest and another fucking announcement. Like, that couldn't have been the announcement?? I hope he does a proper announcement on Sunday and that this wasn't it. But I'm not holding my breath for it. As for the announcement on the Livestream, he's probably going to reveal that HarperCollins bought the rights for phase 3, which... Isn't really exciting news either BC I think most people already think there will be a phase 3 in one way or another.

When he said there would be a lot of announcements I had hoped for stuff like comics and merch. A contest was also among the possibilities I've considered of what could be announced tho I must admit I don't care about it BC they are usually UK & Ireland (or US) only.

Him having drummed up hype just to troll with a bunch of announcements for announcements instead of actually announcing anything, is a massive disappointment. Tho I guess it's my fault for still expecting anything from him.

[roadtripcores]

im going on another trip soon :D not a road trip; it'll primarily be by plane, but also ferries, trains, and one car. and all over the course of two weeks!

its been like, maybe 7 years (give or take) since ive been on a plane so hopefully it'll be good? I'm pretty excited about it but we all know that i am more about the journey than the destination, in a very literal sense. im a bit worried because i have some medical stuff i'll need to take with me - i read the tsa guidelines on it, but i just. like to be prepared :'D

anyways. we're going to europe! i have to deal with the next 3 days of school first but im so excited about this that i don't know if i'll be able to focus!! i've never been out of the country let alone the continent so this is a big step for me, we're going to ireland, the uk, and then germany.

im a little anxious about communicating with germans, my grasp of the german language is ok but nowhere near fluent. i think i could buy something? maybe? but i'm mostly relying on people being able to speak english, which, I figure a lot of people will - but i don't want to make too many assumptions.

my family has been planning this trip for years, but we never ended up going, until now! we've all got big milestones this month (me & my sibling both have important birthdays, my parents have a milestone anniversary) and we figured its Time to finally celebrate :D we're not rich by any means so any travel is a big deal, let alone going to europe, but we've been saving & are managing to make it work this year!!

anyway. this post has been a lot longer than i expected it to be. but i will be sure to update you all and post many photos :D wish me luck!

[interact-if]

Day 1 of our Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Featured Author Interviews, starting with Zico!

Zico, author of The Night Abridged

You were supposed to be a sacrifice but instead of dying, you find yourself being the new vessel of an old Eldritch Horror who offers you power that no other could have for a little taste of freedom. Unfortunately for you, your captors had other plans for you and decided to utilise your newly given abilities as their own personal puppet.

After being sent out to hunt down a traitor of The Court of Night, a series of unfortunate events sends you off the intended path and onto another where you then find yourself fighting an evil greater than the ones you know.

Will you remain a puppet of The Court or will you cut the strings that tie you to them?

Read more about The Night Abridged here. DEMO: TBA. Tags: Fantasy.

Zico is also the author of Exurgo. a fantasy project where you play as a newly awaken immortal being. For more information, click here.

[INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT UNDER THE CUT!]

Q1. Hello! Could you tell us a little bit about to yourself and your project?

I actually never quite got into writing but then I discovered IF a few years ago and was like "oh wow, these are great fun!". I love how you could discover new routes and how each character reacts differently to the choices you make. I had a bunch of ideas in my head and I thought the best way to get them out was to write them down and share it with people. Discovering IF really helped give me the motivation to start writing.

I want to say that there will be a good bit of angst in my IFs. That stuff is like oxygen to me. It sends a rush through your veins that can be addicting and it's incredibly satisfying to see the reactions of people it was intended to have ;)

The Night Abridged is about someone who happens to become a vessel for an eldritch horror named Alzurahm after a failed ritual. I've always loved horror and supernatural themes because I think they just leave you so much room to create your own creatures or powers and it's a great way to get all those ideas out no matter how little it may seem.

Exurgo is about an mortal turned immortal who wakes up to a modern world after seven hundred years and has to conceal whonor what they are. But something from the past seems to follow them. I'm just a sucker for powerful MCs who have to act like they aren't. I think it's very fun and I love the surprise on character's faces when they discover another character is not exactly "normal".

Q2. What inspired your current project?

A little bit of everything really. I'll probably be watching TV and see an object that becomes a seed of inspiration, or simply the tone of a film or story, or the soundtrack of a game. Once that little seed is planted, it sort of just grows until it becomes something bigger.

If I'm being completely honest, The Night Abridged was influenced by the artwork and music of "Arcane". Everything about it was just so beautifully made. Exurgo was influenced by the soundtrack of the game "Deathloop". The whole vibe of that game is just brilliant.

Q3. Do you pull from your own identity for inspiration? How has that been reflected in your work?

Both my parents are from Malaysia but they moved around a lot for work and thus so have I. We lived in Korea for some of my adolescent years before moving to Ireland where I spent most of my school years there. Then we moved to Amsterdam for almost a year and we recently moved to the UK. Every move was always a big change and took some time getting used to so I was always bombarded by how different each country was.

But to stop myself from straying from the question any more, my answer is that I don't think my identity reflects on my work as much as my surroundings do. I tend to just soak in the vibe of something and work it into my stories.

Q4. What are you most excited about your project?

The drama…

In real life, I'm about as undramatic a person can get but that's mostly because I daydream a lot about fun little situations. One thing I'm most excited for are the reunions in my IFs. I absolutely love reunions. Some could be tearful and just so heartwarming; others can be twisted and cruel *wink wink*.

I very much love the reactions of character when they reunite with people. I don't know if it's just me but I always find myself waiting in anticipation for a reunion and the relief (or uncaged rage and shock) you feel after is so exhilarating.

Q5. What has your experience writing an IF and with the IF community been like?

So far it's been good! Everyone has been very kind and supportive, which always pushes me to be better with my work. Though from what I've seen on other IF blogs, there are some anons who seem to be a bit…entitled to a story that doesn't belong to them and always end up saying very unappealing things to the authors. It's cruel to make comments at someone who built up the courage to even share their work with you in the first place and in turn can becoming very demotivating to some even if they don't quite show it. But thankfully there are many other people who are incredibly kind and just stomps out the mean words of anons.

My experience in writing an IF has been a bit challenging if I'm being honest. It's mainly because I'm new to coding and I forget some things lol. I'm also learning twine as it gives more freedom to the customisation of the interface and I always find myself playing with the code for a long time because it's so fun.

One of the best experiences from writing IF has to be learning a completely different language that is called coding. It's very relaxing until you're stuck at a piece of code.

Q7. What piece of advice would you give to fellow creators?

I feel like many people say this but I'll say it again. Don't be afraid to put out whatever it is that's on your mind. Maybe it's a small piece of lore in your world that seems insignificant but it's not! Nothing you do is small if it brings joy to the people you share it with. 

Even if you think that no one would like your story, I can say for a fact that it is not true. Everyone has their own tastes, that is true but I can guarantee that there are some people out there that will absolutely soak up every little detail of your story.

Don't be afraid and happy writing!

[cloudninetonine]

accents? what type of accents?

You guys aren't gonna like this post but here I go.

For starters, I see the Chain with more British and Irish (REPUBLIC/SOUTHERN IRELAND IS NOT A PART OF BRITAIN PEOPLE, LET'S GET THAT CLEAR) accents because Medieval men (I know that there's Medieval Germany, France, etc but I'm using British because I myself am British and seeing the boys with accents I've heard almost daily makes me laugh)

OKAY SO (Here's the video I've heavily referenced so you guys can see where I'm coming from with these (British Accents) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyyT2jmVPAk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee_N3g4ORLk (Irish Accents))

Time:

Glasgow Accent - I just can't imagine him with something different than a Scottish accent, I especially think it's deeper compared to the other boys and thicker so I was like "Yes, Glaswegian, perfect" (Also I like to think Time has more Gaelic ancestry if he was from our world and yeah)

Twilight:

West Country (More Bristol) - He's from a farm, that area is mostly farmland, need I explain myself?

Dublin Accent (Not British! Irish! Also Southern Accent specifically) - Because he's not actually from Hyrule, he's from Ordon, a province so, like, just him being from a different country makes sense

East Anglia - Because's it's very non-metropolitan and it works (I'm sorry I can't pick for him)

Warriors:

Received pronunciation - This is the stuff you get from the British tv shows you watch, like Sherlock, or BBC news and I can see him having this accent because he's part of the Royal Army, a Captain no less, so he speaks proper

(Central) London - I like to think he's from Castle Town, and I feel like Castle Town would have London accents and I see that it's actually his natural accent, but he puts on the RP accent for show

Four:

Lanarkshire - It's a very historic area and it just gives me the vibes of Four, (as said in the video, in the lower class people in Downtown Abbey tend to have this accent and has his grandfather worked for the king and his dad was a knight.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Edinburgh - I can also see Four with a Scottish accent but also the idea that Dot had a Scottish accent and he picked it up from her because he hung out with her so much sounds cute.

Wind:

Cornwall - Practically the Seaside Capital and he was raised by the sea, not to mentions pirates!

Belfast - Also by the sea, not to mention the birthplace of the Titanic and I can also see him with an Irish accent (My Gran was Irish so experiencing it first-hand makes me an expert argue with the wall/j)

Wild:

Received pronunciation - This is more before the Calamity because he was a part of the knights like his father before him, his father got the accent to fit it and Wild adopted it because people kept looking at him funny with his other

Inverness - No I don't know why, I just feel like he had one before his affiliation with the Royal Family

But I like to think after the Calamity and he was resurrected, he lost his accent and just picked them up from people all around Hyrule so now he had this mutated accent and now no one can pinpoint where he's from.

Legend:

Scouse - No I don't have an explanation I just feel like he's from there

Yorkshire - A more historic part of the country, kinda falls into his want to travel and learn maybe???

West Country (Bristol) - Was also raised in farmland, but hides the accent to not affiliate himself with Ranch-hand and he thinks it's embarrassing

Hyrule

The Republic of Ireland - Different country, different accent

West Cork - Thick, he's still very deep in his roots

Kerry - I like the idea of no-one understanding him, makes me giggle and he has to kinda adjust himself if he gets too excited

Received pronunciation - Also had to adjust the way he spoke because he moved into the castle with his Zeldas (Sorry I forget their names!) and they couldn't understand him so he just adopted their accent, his native one does slip in from time to time though

Sky

Southern Welsh - This is kinda a generalisation because I think Welsh people are very nice and it fits Sky really well. (Also the image of Sky screaming "I'm fucking fuming!" when's he's angry is the funniest shit ever)

AND DONE! This has been accents with Cloud, I hope you guys aren't too upset with me for this cursed post and forgive me for pushing this narrative onto you/ hj