#idk that one I'm willing to take some differing opinions on definitely

[maybe-theres-hope]

Ok I gotta say something abt this ep

and fellow texans from other areas please tell me if I'm wrong

but I grew up in southeast texas and half my body is basically made up of tex-mex my blood is 72% red enchilada sauce at this point and I have NEVER, NOT ONCE IN MY WHOLE ASS LIFE

SEEN AN OLIVE IN ANY TEX-MEX DISH EVER

i was so blown away by that I'm like..............excuse me????????? 🤣

[dr-spectre]

Hello everyone, I got some announcements to share and some plans for the future of this blog now that the Grand Fest is over and the news drought begins.

(LONG POST AHEAD!!!!)

I think going forward I'm gonna change how I approach myself acting online and be less "OH MY GOD HOLY SHITENWIOEDISIWIEOE GUYYS!!!"

Because to be honest with you all... I've been feeling very self conscious about the way that I've been acting online and I feel like I gotta channel my passion for Splatoon in a much more healthy and less EXTREMEEEEE way.

I am aware that um.... people have blocked me... and you know, that's to be expected of course when you are online and you're slowly building a following. Still really stings, though, and I think it's due to the fact that sometimes I can be sorta- "This is what happened, and if you disagree with me, you're an idiot and you're wrong!!!!!" When I make posts. And I don't wanna do that, and I don't want to come off as a gatekeeping fan that thinks lower of other people who might not know my stances very well. I wanna educate people and present my stuff as more of "Hey guys, this is what I think actually happened in this event. Feel free to take a look! I think this is really cool and I wonder what you guys think of this perspective that i have?"

And sometimes I can be pretty loud mouthed and stuff and I have talked shit towards certain characters. I remember one time I made a post where I said "what the fuck is wrong with Marie?" And said some stuff... I probably rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with that post... and other posts. I'm so sorry if I have made some of you upset in the past or have said some awful things about your favourite characters in the series...

As you guys probably know, I am passionate about Hypno Callie and I have very strong stances and opinions on her. And that leads to me get a bit... out of control. Callie is my biggest comfort character and to see certain people try and push this vile and disgusting event that happened to her... that she was kidnapped by Octavio and the Octarians when she was alone, and that he brainwashed her and forcibly put the shades on her, or he tricked her and he removed her memories too...

and I try to see the same event in a completely different lens... I see it as more of Octavio manipulating her in a more subtle way and due to Callie's poor mental state and desperation, she heard him out. Octavio used the shades as a way to control her more easily but he doesnt have full direct control over her because her influence helped motivate the Octarians. Octavio still wanted Callie to be... well... Callie. Plus, Callie was more than willing to help the Octarians as well, as she thinks they are cute. I do have evidence to back it up as well as articles and definitions explaining how hypnosis actually works and its limitations.

But this perspective gets compromised and put into question in my head when people keep pushing and pushing and PUSHING the other thing. Then it feels like I have to yell and get mad.... I've seen it as recently as when Blushing Tide came out and I looked at the YouTube comment section on one of the uploads and I just kept seeing people say "oh it's like Tidal Rush but without the brainwashing" or some shit like that idk. I dont remember it well but i know I saw the word floating around. (Don't look at YouTube comment sections. You won't get anything of value from them.)

Anyways, I also wanna cut back on swearing too because sometimes I border on being a hazbin hotel character and I DO NOT want myself to get to that level LMAO!

So what shall I be doing now that Splatoon 3 is officially wrapped up? Well... I wanna do more creative projects and fun stuff like that. I got good reception from my haikus for the Grand Fest and I think doing more stuff like that sounds really really fun!!! And it might actually give me a reason to finish stuff as well lol...

Like I have a God damn Splatoon 2 hero mode finale rewrite that's nearly done and it's been sitting on my Google docs since JULY!!!! I have also made plans to do a fan sequel to the Squid Sisters Stories that takes place in between Splatoon 2 and 3 because that time frame for the Squid Sisters has been barely touched upon. I'm also doing a personal project where it's basically what I want to see out of a Splatoon 4 and I've been really enjoying making that. I dont know if I would ever share it but... it's something to do for me at least.

I also wanna involve myself in the community more, I received an ask where someone said (I forgot who asked I'm so sorry) if I could do a thing where I receive Splatoon OCs and critique them. That sounds really fun!!!

Maybe i can do photo mode competitions or showcases!!! Where I choose a theme (Callie, water, Splatsville, etc) and people submit their photos and I critique them and showcase them to everyone!!! Does that sound like something people would be interested in?! I would love to know as virtual photography is a hobby I love to partake in and I wanna encourage more people to try it!

There is also other stuff i can do like going over the Idols outfits and rating them, but I don't have the motivation to do that at the moment and I know it's not gonna be as in-depth as the one I did for Callie.

Anyhow, that's basically what I have so far. I think im gonna slow down on posting and I'm gonna chill out. Or at least I'll try to chill out.

I've just been feeling incredibly guilty and kinda... sad that I've been acting in a certain way for a while. And I really wanna change that. I dont like making people upset and I don't wanna be the kind of Splatoon fan that puts down others who don't even know any better and don't know who I am....

But enough being sad, I wanna focus on the present and make sure that my future on here is bright!!!

[i-heart-hxh]

Hi! I have a question, between the two versions of the anime, which one do you think was more faithful to the manga when it comes to the personalities of Gon and Killua? I've recently finished watching the 99 anime and I really enjoyed it, but idk if this is an unpopular opinion, but sometimes i felt like some of the characters were a little bit ooc, people usually talk about how the Killua of the 99 anime is so different to the Killua from 2011, but I also felt that Gon was really different in both animes, in the 99 version sometimes he was kinda shy or doubtful, like he was too passive, where as in the 2011 anime he seems overall more confident except for the times where he doubts about his self-worth, like after Hisoka didn't take the tag back during the hunter exam, in the 2011 version it also feels like when they are doing something even if the plan wasn't his, like going to Heaven's Arena, Gon is the one taking the lead and deciding how he is going to do things, idk if I'm making sense lol, the point is that he is a little bit more assertive while still being a sweet boy in the 2011 version while in the 99 version he is mostly just a sweet boy at least to me, I'm really interested in getting your thoughts about this topic, sorry for the long post 😅.

Thank you for sending this, it's definitely an interesting thing to discuss and something I've thought about quite a bit myself! Going to go on for a bit right back at you, haha.

Gon and Killua's characterization is actually a major reason for why I have mixed feelings about the 1999 anime. It has some wonderful strengths--like the beautiful cel animation, creative visual direction, more realistic character designs, unique (and darker) atmosphere, some great OPs/EDs, and a lovely soundtrack, among other things. But there are a few different aspects that I'm not a big fan of, and the changes to Gon and Killua's characters are at the top of my list.

First off, I want to say that to an extent I understand why Gon and Killua are characterized differently. Not much of the manga was out when 1999 was made, so the staff could only work with (essentially) the first impressions of the characters, and the anime had to expand into filler/anime-only material to prevent it from catching up with the manga and running out of things to adapt, so to a degree the staff had no choice but to get creative. The artistic liberties they took aren't always a bad thing. I even like some of the additions they made. But I do think some of the choices they made to deviate from the source material--and some of them were definitely not necessary--lead to them being much flatter characters in 1999 than in the manga itself.

This whole paragraph requires some oversimplification so bear with me, but I feel like in 1999, Gon is characterized as too much of a "good boy," while with Killua they lean too much into his "bad boy" side. Leaning into these stereotypes runs counter to what I love about these two, which is that they're both complex and have mixed lighter/darker attributes that feel somewhat "balanced" between them ultimately, and by the end of CAA they have essentially switched positions with regards to their respective light and darkness. They both have strong light sides and strong dark sides contained within them, which is part of why they get along so well even when they're as different as they are. To make Gon more passive and sweet (as you said, which I agree with) and Killua more edgy and bratty makes the relationship feel much more unequal and, to me, uninteresting.

I love Gon's assertiveness, strong-willed nature, and feral and scary sides, and Killua's softer, more vulnerable, and more childish sides, as well as other sides to them we see in canon, so having those toned down makes me sad.

One small example of a change that has always bothered me in 1999 is that they had Gon introduce himself to Killua when they first meet, and Killua even ignores him initially when he tries to introduce himself. While the scene isn't drastically different, I think it's incredibly important in establishing Killua's character that he introduces himself first and is so eager to get to know Gon. He desperately wants a friend! This is a vital basis for his character and motivations! There are a number of decisions in 1999 like this, where some deviation is made to make the characters more straightforward/fitting an archetype, and it would just be a small thing if not for how carefully constructed and extremely intentional Togashi's writing is, and how delicate the balance is with their characterization in the original series.

I'm personally not a fan of how much bigger and older Killua seems in 1999 compared to Gon as well--at times it feels like there must be an age gap of 3-4 years, which is weird to me with two characters where an important aspect of their relationship is that they're the same age. In the early parts of the manga, there was a bigger height gap between them as well (though it gets less and less with time), but even taking that into consideration, the strongly emphasized size difference is odd to me. (I know some people find it cute and that's fine, this is just my own preference!)

That said, I still do enjoy a lot of their scenes in 1999, even some of the added ones! I just don't think the way their characters are portrayed comes off nearly as layered/fascinating/well-balanced as in the manga and therefore in 2011 (which more-or-less closely follows the manga, with some exceptions). I consider 1999 its own alternate canon and any changes/additions only canon within that universe. (Though some of the additions I like can go under "Headcanon accepted!" status for me, LOL.)

2011 does have some small deviations from the manga too, and I do think there are subtle differences in the characterization vs the manga, but 2011 and the manga are much closer to each other overall and the characters are essentially the same at least, with only small exceptions.

So anyway, I definitely agree with what you said about their respective characterizations, and it's something that bugs me, too. There are a lot of aspects I appreciate about 1999, but I'm actually glad I didn't start with it for multiple reasons, and it's a pretty mixed bag for me overall.

[sapphic-agent]

It actually makes me a bit sad to see how Charlie is treated both in the show and by some of the fandom.

She literally has all the pieces to be an endearing and compelling protagonist. But the execution just kind of... messed her up in the process.

I remember reading a post explain how throughout the show she flips flops to being self aware of how Hell is and still trying to find the good in those willing to change, and to someone completely oblivious to the world around her and coming off as stupid in the process. And even going as far to say she's the worst girlfriend when it comes to Chaggie.

Now, I'm not saying Charlie is COMPLETELY faultless as I feel she could've been more aware of how Vaggie feels such as her hesitance to visit Heaven. But I cut Charlie some slack as it seems more like a writing problem than an actually character flaw.

She kind of got sidelined in her own show and I really hope they focus on her more in Season 2 and have her be more involved.

I'm actually really glad you brought this up because I was debating on whether or not to bring it up to you. Great minds think alike😉

I saw a similar post, but it went on and on about how pilot Charlie was better. But in my honest opinion, she really wasn't. Charlie in the show has a lot more spark and isn't afraid to stand up to people. She literally told the High Seraphim of Heaven that she was being unfair and accused her of being uncaring. She was VERY close to ripping Valentino limb from limb. And who could forget the, "Fuck you, you old bitch!" Show Charlie, to me, is a lot more definitive and dynamic.

This post also talked about how Show Charlie is inconsistent in being manipulated by Alastor. And I-?? No. Not at all. Charlie is well aware that Alastor has ulterior motives, how could she not be? However, part of her beliefs and goals of the show is that she believes that there's good in everyone. If Alastor shows the slightest bit of good will, she's going to be receptive towards it because she believes that someone like Alastor has the capacity for good. But that does NOT equate to her not knowing how manipulative he is.

The OP of this post used Dad Beat Dad as the prime example for this. But honestly? When Alastor is feuding with Lucifer, he's not making up bullshit. He lists the things he HAS done for the hotel, while Lucifer is listing the things he COULD do, which is why Charlie is more receptive to Alastor. Yes, Alastor wanted to get under Lucifer's skin, but I think what that OP missed is that Alastor takes pride in the hotel. Not because he believes in Charlie's dream, but because it's something he chose to do. It's something attached to his name. That's why he kicked Mimzy out, even though she was someone he cares for. And Charlie understands that, which is why she defends him to Lucifer.

I got off track, but I really wanted to explain that no, that wasn't something the show was being inconsistent with. It's actually a part of her I thought was written very well.

Now, is Charlie perfectly characterized? No. Like you said, there are a lot of things that could have been done better. I actually think this is a problem with women Viv writes in general. Whereas the men she writes have layers and complexity, her women are way more... one dimensional? Like she takes one aspect of their characters and runs with it. Like, compare Vaggie to Angel. Compare Nifty to Husk. There's a clear difference in how their characters are handled and approached.

(I can't speak to Helluva Boss, but from what I've heard it has some of the same problems)

But also, I wish people would stop expecting characters- especially protagonists- to develop in one season. ESPECIALLY FOR A SEASON WITH 8 EPISODES. Hello?? This season was Charlie stepping up and learning how to be influential and inspiring to those around her, which she's struggled with since the pilot. This season was her learning how to be a leader, and that's what she did. Her character arc isn't done yet, so idk why people expected this big transformation. Enough of her character was focused on so that it can be expanded and improved upon in season 2.

I personally think her relationship with Lilith is the key here. She's a lot like Lucifer in personality currently, I'd like to see how much Lilith truly influenced her

[trulyblockedout]

TLDR: I need Podcast recommendations, but I'm really specific about what I think I'll enjoy, and I couldn't decide if I should have tagged this TMA or not. (If this is in the TMA tag, it's because I think people who like this podcast have good opinions. If I don't, I still think it; I just didn't want to bother people.) 

Trying to find podcasts for me is super overwhelming (mostly because I don't know where to start looking. So, I'm asking people for recommendations. I've listened to TMA/TMAP and really enjoy both of them. I like its structure and don't feel like I was getting super bored. I've also listened to Trice Forgotten, though that one was more just because I really like the setting, and it was relatively short. Under the, I've compiled a list of things I'm looking for and stuff like that.

Genre

I know I would like to stay mostly in the horror/thriller genre or adjacent genres. I'm not a massive sci-fi fan, but I'm willing to listen to it if the concept sounds interesting enough. I would also consider mystery, even if it's horror/thriller, for the same reason as Sci-fi. I'm definitely into anything Historical (Anything set in a different era.)  

Content (Idk what to actually call this)

I would prefer something lore-based just because that's what keeps me interested. I really don't want anything that doesn't have an overarching plot.

Length

I don't mind how long a series is. I would prefer something complete, but again, like several other things, If the plot sounds interesting, then I would be willing to give it a shot.

That's most of what I can think of for now; if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. But I think that covers all of the main things. Hopefully, I can get some nice recommendations for future series that will take up portions of my brain.

[barkspawn]

What kin of kinks do you think the sdv bachelors would have? I'll be honest I'm only asking because of Harvey (who strikes me as a very nervous but simultaneously bold dom at bare minimum) but I'm sure others would love to see your ideas for him and others.

This was fun, I'm ngl.

I'm gonna put it under a read more because it's suggestive? Idk the rules.

These are subject to change, as my opinion has changed roughly 2947649275 times.

Harvey: as known, he's definitely a different man in the bedroom than he is in public. Definitely more dominant. He needs somewhere for all of the release of his stress. Don't get me wrong, he still has anxious moments, especially if trying something completely new. He also has super passion-filled romantic sex sometimes too. But man has a secret side. Which, I have no doubt, he'd be willing to try anything with the right partner at least once. What's the word for being teased in public? That too. He has definitely locked the clinic up once or twice to use the exam room for more than examin’ ifyouknowwhatimean

Alex: definitely has a secret thing for exhibitionism. Not so much fucking in the town square as much as for the risk of being caught. He's a bit of a show-off, so I imagine this being the case. I feel like he'd make out in public or smack the booty. Or hell, smack his. It's all fun and it shows off that you're his. I'm ngl, and don't kill me, I feel like he's into degradation a lil bit too.

Shane is dominant. I have no doubt of that. He likes a strong woman for sure but he likes to be in control. I'd say he's into some choking/hair pulling or rough sex, though would definitely be sure you're on the same page. I imagine lots of open-mouthed kisses. Everywhere. His goal is to break you in the best possible way. If you're crying out his name or just LOUD, he's into it. Not super public in affection, but will be a teddy bear if you want him to be. Or let him. (this HC might change because it has a million times so far)

Sam is definitely one of the people with a worship kink. Definitely focuses on his partner’s pleasure. I wouldn't necessarily call him a sub, but I definitely think he likes his partner to... Take control every so often. He is playful as fuck and makes it easy to be comfortable, but obviously stops the silly when things get going. Genuinely, I think he is all about kisses. Lips, neck, stomach, thighs, literally anywhere.

Elliott is a passionate man and we all know it. He could get behind some roleplay for sure and is 100% vocal in bed. Can voices be a kink? Idk but he's constantly worshipping (there it is) and trying to show you how much he loves (and is happy to be fucking) you. Say his name and he's yours for literally forever. Imagine roleplaying as the characters in his romance novel lmao

Sebastian. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered this one in the past. (I mean Harvey too, given the one-shot but I digress). Seb def has a praise kink. I feel like if you praise him he'll lose his mind and because it makes him feel so good, he'll often praise you as well. He is also into power play. I genuinely believe that having someone fight for control is his thing. Depending on his mood, he might just let you win. It depends. But 10/10 has a power play and praise kink. I'm gonna tack on that he'd def be into biting and neck kissing I'm not sorry

Krobus’ kink is when you don't run away at the sight of him.

Note, it's possible I may have missed some. I don't often consider these things but lmao I should this was fun.

[the-deceased]

KIN INTRODUCTIONS

The obligatory post to explain my kintypes because I can not shut up about it.

All are spiritual through alternate realities unless specified :3

AVIAN/WINGKIN

My wings are a part of my soul in a way. It's not past life, nor alt reality, is as if my soul has wings. My wings are very similar to this image, if not larger.

FICTIONKIN-- GHOSTBUR, DSMP

This is definitely my highest kin. I also had wings like Phils ! When I am shifted or talking about my memories, I will refer to myself as Aster. I do not support Wilbur soot.

FICTIONKIN-- C!TOMMY DSMP

(my own cosplay, aren't I awesome?)

Another high kin, very canon divergent. Once example of my canon divergence is that I was the one given Wilbur's jacket after he died! Many memories, much trauma /hj.

FICTIONKIN-- ANTISEPTICEYE JSE

Definitely my most cringe in my opinion. I have some kin memories, but most of it is canon. We hart you homocidal man.

FICTIONKIN-- STOLAS GOETIA HH

This is probably one of my lowest kins, mainly due to the fact I didn't interact with my media often. I'm not owlkin, but I experience certain owl tendencies when in Stolas shifts. I do not support Viziepop

FICTIONKIN-- LEX MURPHY JP

My first awakened kin. Most of my memories lay in the movies, though I haven't seen past the first one sigh. If I ever see clips from the movies and see her, I go "omg it's me".

Idk how to end posts but yeah !! I'm always willing to talk to mediamates and take questions about them ! Idc abt doubles, i wanna see how our kins differ! I hope u have a great day :33

[greatbigbellies]

I did multi womb math. I could only find monthly milestones, so it'll have to be nine wombs. I also searched "woman average sizes" so idk how accurate some of the numbers are. I used the average baby weight a birth being 8 pounds. Weight is in pounds, uterus volume is in cubic inches

My math is: Standard singleton: 50 lbs gained and uterus volume is 470 cu in. Standard nonuplets: 225 lbs gained and uterus volume is 4238 cu in. Mutliwomb: 165 lbs gained and uterus volume 1608 cu in.

You guess was close, maybe even right, I can't tell. The closest I could get for uterus volume without changing baby weight was quads (1608 for multi, 1883 for quads) but the mutliwomb still gained 50 lbs more overall. It probably evens out but a lot would have to got to the hips/butt to stand such a belly. I imagine the lower volume is due to how little space any of the first few months take up, especially the first month which listed no change except for the high order multiples.

Other things and details I wanted to address about this mutliwomb. Morning sickness is caused by hormone changes, but always being pregnant means there is no imbalance, no sickness. I have no clue how to calculate breast growth or milk production. Finally, the pregnancy weight should eventually plateau as they fall into the schedule of birthing every month, but I'm curious if they would still have cravings.

This is how you know you're in too deep, when you're willing to do MATH for your kink. I'm proud! Averages are close enough in my opinion, there's wiggle room in a situation like this. Someone undergoing this rotating pregnancy would have to be super bottom heavy, both to support the immense weight, and have wide hips for the regular births. Makes sense it's considerably less than straight nonuplets, only one baby is full size at a time. I'm not sure if morning sickness would be an issue or not... on one hand, a body going through that constant rotation would probably be a hormonal nightmare... though in this hypothetical situation there may be some ways to stabilize it to make it more bearable. On the other hand, I guess it would depend on which baby the body is producing hormones' for, if it's regularly for the oldest one than you're right, it'd be much more even. Weight would definitely plateau, probably only fluctuating due to the removal of one of the babies before the next one grew to take their place as biggest little guy. I think cravings would remain, cause those tend to come from the pregnant person in question needing specific nutrients for the baby (need vitamin c? Crave oranges). So growing such a constant brood would still necessitate an income of specific nutrients. I think if anything they would get really strong but also maybe the craved items in question would be more consistent... but then again every pregnancy is different so... could be all over the place. What I'm learning here is that this situation has so many variables it's really up to interpretation on its execution, unless a maiesiophile biology major has more insight.

Oh and one last thing... to put into perspective the size of belly this person would have...

The belly would be big enough to functionally hold 7 goddamn gallons... and as explained above, it'd be 165 lbs, just from pregnancy.

Hot shit...

[redheadbigshoes]

Hey I don't want to start an argument or anything because it really isn't that serious but American Latinos didn't really have a choice to assimilate. They weren't allowed to speak Spanish in public, they were segregated and a lot of older generations carry that trauma on similar to how Indigenous Americans have. This causes a lot of (especially non white) Latinos to have identity issues because they're constantly told to speak Spanish and constantly ostracized by Latinos from Latin America who don't understand what it's like to live in the U.S as a poc. Tbh It's really interesting to me how white Latinos from Latin America will claim every American White Latino while not claiming any black or brown Latinos and dismissing them when they try to reconnect with their Indigenous half. I understand why Jenna Ortega and other actresses weren't taught Spanish. White Latinos are seen as superior to black and brown Latinos in the U.S and are rarely if ever treated with the same amount of disgust. As an American Latino I agree we can be really annoying but I don't understand why mostly white Latinos have an issue with American Latinos trying to claim their culture. There's just something weird to me about white Latinos trying to gatekeep the term "Latino" while not even trying to hear what non white American Latinos have to say. I guess I have a more personal take on this because I'm half Salvadoran half Mexican, and Central Americans are commonly looked down upon by other Latinos so much that many Salvadoran Americans lie about being Mexican because it's more accepted. Which is something I've personally experienced in the past few years with the newer president suddenly everyone wants to claim being half or full Salvadoran when they acted like it was a slur before. My Salvadoran family even has some identity issues because they ignore their Indigenous heritage in favor of being Mestizo. Now this is only my opinion as one American Latino I'm not their rrepresentative and you can have your opinions lol just wanted to give some context I guess.

If you checked my tags you’d see I imply I was talking mainly about American white Latinos.

Idk which white Latinos you interact with but most Brazilians don’t claim any white American Latino lol I’ve never seen that happening before.

I don’t disagree with you about how white Latinos are better treated than POC Latinos, I’ve never said otherwise 😃

It’s definitely not only white Latinos “having issues”, maybe this is just your experience. And based on my own opinion I have issues because when it comes to media outside Latin America American Latinos are definitely way more represented than us (and I say Latinos born and raised in LatAm in general). A lot of them like to speak over born and raised Latinos as if they’ve ever been here. A lot of them treat race just like Americans and are not willing to listen to how race and ethnicity are seen differently here because, just like most Americans, they think their views are universal. You implied white Latinos as if also talking about me so according to your (and I mean the American view of race and ethnicity) views I wouldn’t be white lol

I hope you can understand why I am so annoyed of this because it’s truly annoying how (talking about outside LatAm) we don’t seem to have much voice, and when we do we’re represented most of the time by American Latinos.

Not to mention how annoying some people (like I said in my other post, especially white people) treat being Latino as an aesthetic, and when it comes to actually getting in touch with LatAm culture and language they treat us as inferior.

[antiquery]

the news about Matt Christman is really sad and I hope he pulls through, but...

idk, it's kind of upsetting to see a bunch of writers I really like (sam adler-bell, in particular) praising his character and his impact on the modern Left, because I do think that the bend-the-knee attitude Christman espoused and popularized is really bad, not to mention the general hostility of the "dirtbag left" to women in particular. it kind of sucks to feel like I couldn't disagree with people whom I'm otherwise aligned with for fear of no-holds-barred verbal cruelty. I would like to feel free to have my own opinion without worrying about whether someone's gonna call me a bitch or tell me to get raped if they have a different one!

but at the same time: Chapo and co. were likely pretty important to the resurrection of the US left, and I think that's unambiguously a good thing, even with the aforementioned internal culture issues. the Dems really suffered in the Clinton (and to a lesser extent Obama) years for not having a serious left flank, and I wonder how much of the success of Biden's presidency ultimately comes down to the fact that the American left is the strongest it's been since the 1960s.

and, like, do I believe that you need the sexism, abrasiveness, shock-jock quality that the dirtbag left employed in order to revitalize a movement? no, and I think it probably makes your movement less effective (libs hate Christman and co, and understandably so). but just because it wasn't the best version of itself doesn't mean I get to discount the role Chapo, etc played in reviving the left. ironically enough, I do try not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good!

one of the core problems of any left wing constituency is that you have to be willing to, as it were, take one for the team. the Dems' current focus on abortion rights is in a very real way coming at the expense of, say, poor Black voters whose main concern is crime in their communities, and who'd like to see someone at least try to fix the police— not because those two concerns are inherently contradictory, but because political capital is always limited, and if you're spending it on one issue you're by definition not spending it on another. I'm a white woman from Texas who's very worried about abortion rights, but I live in a wealthy, safe neighborhood and crime is pretty low on my list of concerns— the current prioritization matrix is great for me! but at some point the focus is going to shift away from the issue I care most about and towards something like police reform, and when it does, the odds that sexism will be solved forever and I won't have any more pressing problems I want addressed are pretty low. in order to be part of a coalition, I have to be willing to accept that state of affairs, because that's the only way anything's ever gonna get done— including the things I'd like to see addressed, later on down the line.

if the cost of a strong left wing movement in the US is that that movement will have problems with misogyny, then...well, that sucks, but frankly I'll take it— it's a lot easier to fix an existing structure than to create one from scratch, in any case

[ryansjane]

Hello! I have an anon controversial train of thoughts, in case you're still doing those.

I want to preface this by saying I mean no disrespect to anyone, it's pure curiosity. Provided everyone is a willing participant, they are taken care of and paid properly, no one is forced to do anything, and everyone's boundaries are respected and all that, how would you feel about any of the bl/ql couples doing actual nc scenes? Or like separate sexy videos, just for fun. Do you think any would be down to do it? I think the fandom would be very devided into "hate it or love it" if that ever happened, people would either consider them confirmations that their favorite imaginary couples are real, or hate them for giving the fans (who have nothing better to than project onto famous people) false hope, and queerbaiting, even if it was prefaced it's not real and shot just for fun, as a side project. Maybe in characters as extra episode for their series? Something like LITA special episode, but more. The key point is that if *the actors* were willing to do this, I don't mean it as another forced fanservice act from thier companies. I don't really know where this came from, I think with the increasing amount of bl/ql pairs who seem genuinely comfortable with each other, and not just dead fish-kissing, I was curious if any of them would be interested in doing anything like that (and earning some extra cash in the process). Actually, I wouldn't be too surprised if something similar was to take place soon (though probably less explicit and consensual), some "special perks for top spender at X company" or something, or already taking place (very non consensual, cough War Of Y cough).

Alright, it got all over the place, but it's been circling in my head for a few days now, and I wanted to let it out. Feel free to not reply, I know it's a lot, but you wanted controversial anons so I thought of you. Thank you kindly for your time if you finished it.

hi, so that's an interesting question, one that I can only give my opinion on even though who knows what will happen bc it depends on the actors & directors. I also wanna say that I'm a bit clueness about bl news bc I now try to stay in my own bubble of wholesome & worth it shows, so for example I didn't watch lita or war of y & didn't know there had been any issues with them. now though, I think if we're talking about having sex for real on screen, that's a practice that's always been used in movies more than in series as an artistic practice & I think that would also be the case in thailand. also, while bl shows are allowed to be more sexual than their straight counterparts bc they don't contain women (gotta love sexism lol), I think people forget that thailand is still a conservative country, therefore any show that ends up on tv channels such as gmm25 or one31 go through censors, which would NEVER accept nudity or explicit sex. even though streaming platforms are very present in thailand, I have yet to see a bl show not also be shown on tv, but some very violent & explicit straight dramas like the revenge & remember 15 were made exclusive to wetv & viu, which affected their international viewing especially. moreover, in a world where bl is such a different industry compared to literally any other in the world, full of fanservice & toxic fans, I don't think most established thai actors would be willing to go through it. maybe show some ass at most but that would be it. that being said, a newbie who's comfortable in his body & wants quick fame? I definitely see that happen, though I think the controversy it would cause in thailand might be too much to handle for now. soooo... maybe? personally I don't see it happening any time soon though. seeing how a lot of the sex scenes in bl are already very convincing, idk why they would take the risk to get their show pulled off the air and alienate half of the fandom for that, when fake sex is already very popular. one day, though, it'll definitely happen.

xxx

[themuffinman-taylorsversion]

fearless tracks 18-26 + crazier review

SUPERSTAR

this song is one of my favorites on the fearless album. idk what it is about it, I just really love it.

i really like the way Taylor wrote about this experience and then became the superstar herself. it's such a full circle moment and I think that's really beautiful.

i think of myself as quite the hopeless romantic, and this song is so me it actually hurts. I cant count the amount of celebrities that I could relate to this for me personally. but oh well

anyways I love the line delivery in this song, but it does sound a little nasally or over-controlled or something sometimes.

either way, I think this song is really good and underrated. I love it

score: 9/10

points for lyrics, style, personal bias, chorus, verses, bridge, instrumentals, vocals, pretty privilege

favorite line: im invisible and everyone knows who you are (but I would choose the whole song if I could)

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR

the best outro in the album, maybe even taylor's entire discography.

"with your face and the beautiful eyes and the conversation with the little white lies and the faded picture of a beautiful night you CARRIED ME FROM YOUR CAR UP THE sTAiAiAiRs and I broke down crying was she worth this mess? after everything and that little black dress after everything I must confess, I need you <3"

like come on that is such a great outro (although the time between a couple of the lines sounds like they were using different recordings. it's a little bit disconcerting but I can get past that)

what's harder to get past is that i this song kinda reaffirms the whole "women say no but they mean yes so you should just keep trying" thing (because that's the majority of the song) so that's not great and it definitely brings down my opinion of the song and makes it less enjoyable for me, but I'm willing to give Taylor some grace because she was a teenager when she wrote this. but yeah that's not super great

also I just noticed this but in love story she says "you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles" and in this song there's a line that says "to stand outside my window throwing pebbles" so that's cool

score: 6/10

points for style, chorus, verses, bridge, instrumentals, vocals, pretty privilege, I'm subtracting a point because of a previous comment about when women say no

favorite line: me and my stupid pride are sitting here alone

TODAY WAS A FAIRYTALE

it's a fun song. I don't have that much to say about it but I love singing it and I love the fairytale part of the song. the imagery the song gives me is so pleasant. sort of reminiscent of the love story music video

also in the part right before the bridge I could hear it being mashed up with begin again

(i've been looking at the song title too much. how is fairytale a word)

score 5/10

points for style, chorus, instrumental, vocals, pretty privilege

favorite line: you've got a smile that takes me to another planet

YOU ALL OVER ME

first vault track!! I think the lyricism is incredible here for the era. it would take me months to write even the first verse

i think if I had to guess which song this almost replaced on the track list it would be white horse. they just seem similar to me

also clean reference?? no amount of freedom gets you clean. also the wine stained dress in clean could relate to the you all over me line

i think this song could've done without the feature as well. I don't really hear maren morris on this song as well as I would like to, but I don't think it takes away from the song that much

score 7/10

points for lyrics, personal bias, chorus, verses, instrumental, vocals, pretty privilege

favorite line: held out, and held on God knows, too long

MR PERFECTLY FINE

omg this song. I love this song

i can't even articulate my thoughts but I love it so much!!!!!!!!

score: 8/10 (that even feels too low lol)

points for personal bias, chorus, verses, bridge, instrumental, vocals, pretty privilege, loopability

favorite line: so far above me in every sense, so far above feeling ANYTHING

WE WERE HAPPY

she did us so dirty removing the production of the original. listen to it and tell me I'm wrong

other than that it's a great song and I have absolutely no criticism for it (and I will accept none)

again I feel like this song was super ahead of the fearless album and that might've been why it was left out. I feel like this one would replace you're not sorry (at least with the re-recorded production)

score: 9/10

points for lyrics, personal bias, chorus, verses, bridge, instrumental, vocals, pretty privilege, loopability

favorite line: I hate those voices telling me I'm not in love anymore, but they don't give me choices and that's what these tears are for

THAT'S WHEN

not my favorite. I honestly think I skip it most times

it's sweet I guess but that's all it really has going for it imo

score: 3/10

points for style, instrumental, vocals

favorite line: and you said "honestly when you were gone did you ever think of me?"

DON'T YOU

it took forever for me to understand this song. I thought it was more accusational with the don't you's. like I thought it was saying "but don't you?" as in do you not when it's actually saying "please don't"

the bridge on this one is superb as well. I just love the whole one

score: 8/10

points for style, personal bias, chorus, verses, bridge, instrumental, vocals, pretty privilege

favorite line: my heart knows what the truth is, i swore i wouldn't do this

BYE BYE BABY

this song is so superior I LOVE IT

the eptiome of fearless songs. cause I never doubted it!! then the here and the now floods in! feels like I'm becoming!!! part of your past!!

score: 10/10

points for style, lyrics, personal bias, chorus, verses, bridge, instrumental, vocals, pretty privilege, loopability

favorite line: feels like I'm becoming part of your past

CRAZIER

it's not really my cup of tea, but I can appreciate it (and I would've recognized it on the eras tour, unlike a certain crowd)

anyways I think this song is really sweet and it'll probably grow on me when I actually find someone I love like that but for now it's not hitting the same as it is for some people.

score: 3/10

points for lyrics, chorus, instrumentals

favorite line: baby you showed me what living is for

[emergingghost]

More of my beads came!!! On that in the least exciting news my friend failed to get tickets for the eras tour, so she just when for planetshakers instead 🙃 she a zionist so that tracks at least💔 Damn do I need to get smarter and 10× more eloquent. How did you change your dad mind?

just looked up planetshakers hmm that is definitely an interesting tswift substitute. i'm sorry though that sucks! i am lucky that my dad usually has a pretty open mind so he's willing to hear me out on things. but i think the important thing is not necessarily aiming to change someone's mind completely (that is difficult, especially if their opinion is based on a lot of deep-rooted personal values) but rather getting them to see things from the other/your perspective. that is a really important first step and takes a lot of the harm out of their view because they might just stop seeing their opinion as the one objective truth. in my case, my dad is from an older generation, he is an ex humanities teacher. he knows everything there is to know about every war. his perspective is based on his knowledge about historical conflicts and culture and everything like that and that 'the youth dont know this context so theyre not informed enough, thats why they're pro-Palestine!' i explained the perspective of the youth. we do know the context, but the present-day information we have access to is also wildly different and much less biased compared to what he and his peers may consume (what is in the general media), and that's why we have different viewpoints, and that he is not seeing everything. unfortunately, he was seeing it too analytically rather than emotionally as well. if you can pinpoint someone's bias and why they think the way they do, that's a good way to start a conversation. i get that it's hard though, and some people just do not want to listen. idk if i have explained this well. i wanted to try and keep this kind of concise but i know it's important and i dont want to misspeak. but yeah, as for eloquence, i discussed most of this with him through hysterical tears. unfortunately i just cry when im angry or passionate about something. you dont need to be overly eloquent, you just need to stick to what you believe and have a space for discussion. it is also just good to try!

[rabbitdrabbles]

TW: violence, sex-based oppression, trafficking, non-con I'm scared to share it in the OG post of the "unpopular whump opinions" but my unpopular opinion about the overall preference of MALE whump, is that some people do it to escape the reality of misogyny/ AFAB discrimination (because let's face it, most transmen have grown up through female socialization too and have faced sex-based oppression even after coming out).

Like... torture, abuse, non-con, being trafficked... it is all a historical and modern-day reality for both sexes, but the primary perpetrators of terrorism, wars, domestic violence and sex crimes and most leaders of trafficking rings have been historically cis men. In the p*rn industry alone, it has been estimated that more than half of the women in it have been trafficked, whereas he percentage of men who have been trafficked is about 17% (still too high if you ask me). In today's day and age, it's still mostly AFAB people who suffer domestic violence and sex crimes, just check out some videos from Yemen or Afghanistan. I truly feel uncomfortable when I read the so-called fem-whump, because even though it's not a real person getting hurt, real names, real people, real news headlines, real cases of young girls having gone missing, being kidnapped and brutally murdered pops up into my mind - cases from yesterday, last week, last month, last true crime podcast, a friend, another friend's sister - they all pop into my mind and reading 'lady whump' is like a continuous exposure to reality. I want to read whump to escape reality, not to re-immerse myself in it. I'm not a fan of child whump either, for a similar reason.

Writing male/ male-on-male whump is like taking back control from the patriarchy.

I'm not saying that EVERYONE feels that way but on a subconscious level, I'm willing to bet at least some people do.

For the record: this is all just my personal feelings on the matter. If anyone who reads this enjoys femwhump, as long as you don't harm or wish harm upon real women, you do you.

hello!! respectfully, I’m not sure what post this is referring to, you might be directing this at the wrong person? unless I’m mistaken in which case someone correct me please.

I think you’re absolutely correct though!! I will be entirely frank I think I simply enjoy male whump because I find it hot, but I’ve heard and heartily agree with this perspective too even if it’s not the main reason why I personally enjoy it. I also definitely understand why one might get super turned off by femwhump as it so harshly mirrors what women/AFABs face so often in reality, it’s also a squick of mine but I think for different reasons; either way I completely resonate with you. frankly I’m surprised this opinion (more of a fact tbh) isn’t more well known within the whump community? like I’ve seen people complain about why there’s such a lack of fem whump and well idk I kinda thought the reason was obvious haha. not dissing anyone who likes it ofc I kinda just figured everyone knew femwhump would stay in the minority for the exact reasons you described, evidently not though so thank you for putting it in words!!!

edit: found the post and my reblog, I’m honored you chose me to tell your opinion to haha and sorry I took so long to respond!!

[wildernessuntothemselves]

Ooooh that chapter was a 10/10.

The failed betrayal scene was so so satisfying to read. I knew that dagger would come into play again in a pivotal moment. It's almost funny how Oc supposedly knows Beomgyu better than anyone else in the world and still makes the mistake of taking him for dumb just because he is impulsive and viscerally emotional sometimes. He is devoted, not stupid. She has more than enough evidence to never forget his scheming ways and how far he is willing to go... and yet she does every once in a while. She keeps trying to outsmart him, but she is not smart enough for that.

I did however feel bad for Oc in some parts. The game has never been in her favor, but at this point she really is looking more like the ball than like one of the players. Nothing ever goes the way she wanted it too... either she gets the opposite of what she wanted, or she gets it only after paying a ridiculous price that makes her regret asking for it in the first place.

And don't get me started on the smut scenes! You kept saying it was too much for one chapter but it felt just right. It's hard to say which one was the best honestly - i am inclined to say it was the first one for how gone, just gone, he was and the bits of humiliation thrown his way. You're so good at painting such vivid mental images, I could imagine every detail of each scene. Such a smut artist ♡♡♡

Oh, and I still maintain my opinion on Soobin. I wouldn't call him spineless... it's just that while everyone else is playing a game of power, he is playing a game of survival. He does what he gotta do to save his skin and stay alive in the middle of all that madness. Not the most honorable modus operandi, but fuck honor when your is neck is on the line.

(sorry for disappearing, I was busy literally almost dying... again)

~♡anon

welcome back babe! i'm sorry to hear you're sick again 🥺 i hope you're better now ❤️

oc thinks she can pull the same tricks she used before on him (like when she escaped) but while gyu is obsessive and acts pitiful towards her, he's arguably the smartest character in the fic (though wony is also very smart). even though oc herself calls herself stupid for having believed he might leave tyun alone and for believing she could pull one over him, it was more wishful thinking on her part as evidenced by her attempting to have a backup plan if he betrays tyun. it's just that she doesn't have a lot at her disposal. she doesn't have allies. she doesn't have power. she doesn't have any influence. what can she really do? she wanted to believe that she could do something because the alternative is just so depressing. she knows gyu has been controlling her life all this time, even when she left with tyun, he was still controlling her life. she wanted to believe that she could stop him or even just make him falter for a second because fuck not even tyun can stop him? that's soul crushing

"either she gets the opposite of what she wanted, or she gets it only after paying a ridiculous price that makes her regret asking for it in the first place" that's basically the theme for the next chapter lol just oc realizing that it's hopeless and that she's just making it worse every time she tries 😬

thank you 😭 it definitely felt too much but i just couldn't sacrifice any of the scenes because first of all they're hot, and second of all i feel like each scene represents a different plot point. the first one is oc letting her anger out and attempting to dupe gyu by using his love for her, the second one is her letting him get his anger out to try to control him and also to demonstrate how angry gyu is still about her leaving him, and the third is her giving into him and him in turn trying to get her to just let him in

idk i feel like both are true. he is trying to survive and by doing so he is betraying the woman he is in a relationship with, and more importantly, his queen that he has sworn to protect. if that's not spineless idk what is.

[aspecpplarebeautiful]

so i am aroace and have a romantic partner. they know i’m aroace and how important my identity means to mean, but sometimes they’ll say aphobic things or I’ll explain labels to them, how i’m sex/romance repulsed by their statements and it’s like talking to a wall! and honestly i’m really hurt by it :( i enjoy being around them and being with them, but not when they’re not like this. worst part is they don’t seem to understand that their “jokes” aren’t funny and instead insensitive. guess what i’m saying is what should i do? i’m really hurt and idk how to communicate it to them in a way that’ll get through to them.

Yeah, this is a serious issue. It's important in a relationship of any kind that you're respected. Part of being respected includes respecting your labels and identity, and that means things like not making fun of it, not making fun other people with the same/a similar identity, and listening to you when you talk about it.

It also includes when you say something bothers you, that you're listened to and they try and understand it.

If you want you can look into communication techniques in relationships online, and you will find some good tips. Generally you'll get advice like using I statements, or focusing on the behaviour not the person (so the difference between saying 'that joke was aphobic' vs 'you're aphobic'), ways to try conflict resolutions, etc.. Sometimes it doesn't matter how well you're speaking, the other person also has to be willing to listen. If you feel like you should give it one more try, you can try a sit down where you can have a serious conversation with them, but in that case they should be listening and trying to understand. If they're being dismissive or defensive there may not be much you can do.

Personally I would think about reconsidering this relationship, even if other parts of the relationship are good. These jokes/opinions don't come out of nowhere, either they're harbouring these kind of views or they're getting them from somewhere (for example maybe their social media they may be following some aphobic accounts) and don't see anything wrong with them. And this is the type of issue that if they don't take steps to learn and stop it is more likely to grow and get worse.

I always tell people with friends who say these kinds of things and the other person refuses to listen and learn that they may want to reconsider the friendship, because long term this can negatively affect mental health and self esteem. A romantic relationship it can be even worse because this is someone who's supposed to be supporting you, and that includes supporting your identity.

I'm sorry you're in this situation at all, Anon. It's definitely a difficult one. I hope things get better for you.

Take care and good luck!