#it's out of my comfort zone but i do like a challenge historically

[venussunrise]

some trait in me that makes people desperate to employ me 

[imagionationstation]

More- more gender swap Donnie? Please? Pretty please?

(No pressure)

OKAYOKAYOKAY- SO GET THIS!

There are a lot of things that stay very, very similar to canon, but obviously some things HAVE to change to make room for big adjustments like lack of love triangles, SO I was debating a couple of episodes and how they could be altered or fixed and literally rewrote an entire episode and OOPS MY HANDS SLIPPED AND NOW I’M SHARING BC YOU ASKED NO TAKE-BACKSIES!

Baxter’s gambit: Happens exactly the same except Fishface keeps doing those weird, uncomfortable, cringe flirty comments at Donnie and at one point he gets too far into her comfort zone and Raph punches his face straight into the ground and threatens to gut him if he ever tries that again ‘cause SHE’S A TEEN DUDE BACK OFF.

Then they bond, and he reminds him of the threat, but nicer.

Needless to say, Fishface leaves Donnie alone.

Slash And Destroy: After Spike is almost blown up, Raph wants Donnie punished, but it was an honest accident, and Splinter only warns her to keep her lab door shut. In a fit of frustration, Raph nabs the mutagen and shouts that “she only gets away with stuff because she’s a GIRL!” and then slams his door to lock himself away. When Slash is bragging later, he reminds Raph of what he said while enraged and insists that he “gave her what they both knew she always deserved” and also implies that Leo’s next.

This scene haunts Raph when Donnie opens up about her insecurities down the line and he realizes that he’s partly to blame.

Showdown: Shredder tries to get under his skin by challenging the false fact that Splinter ‘replaced’ Miwa and with a shelled freak, no less. He taunts him by threatening to kill Donnie, asking if he’d get over her just as easily. Splinter hisses that he loves both his daughters, dead or alive, and the fight leads to Karai’s reveal.

The Pulverizer: The brothers ditch Timothy with Donnie and she makes a halfhearted comment under her breath about stereotypes and “women getting left with the children” as Timothy destroys several beakers in the background and she resigns to her fate.

The Invasion, Part 1: During the argument over whether to use the bot, Donnie accuses Leo of not trusting her because “she’s a girl” and Leo insists that’s not why. When she demands an explanation, all he says is that he’s “the leader.” She’s visibly dissatisfied.

The Invasion, Part 2: While April wraps her arm, Donnie admits that she thinks Leo only separated from them because she was the one who got shot. That if she had been paying attention, or if she hadn’t picked a fight, it would never have happened. She asks if April thinks that it’s her fault that he’s out there alone. Before April can answer, a tremor shakes their building and Kirby freaks out.

A Foot Too Big Disclaimer: ERASE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW.

A Foot To Big is actually about Donnie being unnecessarily nice to Leo and Leo being too distracted by his own issues to really notice. Donnie gets distressed and confides in Mikey that he must be “really mad at her” and doesn’t listen when he’s skeptical. Raph tells Donnie that she needs to give him space, does the “you know what you need? Huh? You know what you need?” bit and then drags them outside. Leo’s already out there and Donnie’s too distracted looking his way to fight well. Raph sends him and Mikey out into the forest to put some distance between the two.

There, they run into a Big Foot. Donnie notices that she’s injured so they bring her home. She’s ecstatic to meet another female mutant that’s essentially a historical endangered species. There’s no weird love thing- only Donnie being her obsessive self and diving head-first into studying Big Foot. Leo notices that change from doting to basically pretending he doesn’t exist, and mentions it to Raph. Raph tells Donnie that maybe she should talk to Leo, and she fires back that it was his advice to give Leo space. Raph argues that he didn’t mean ignore him altogether, but Donnie doesn’t listen. They get into a shouting match that ends with Donnie spotting Leo walk out of the house and her quickly stomping off into the forest.

Later, Donnie’s sulking in the shadows when Leo finds her. Or, he reveals, Big Foot led him to her, hinting that she knows the forest really well. Donnie fires at comment about ‘betrayals’ and Leo sits down next to her, meaningfully saying that he’s grateful Big Foot did. Leo tries to get Donnie to open up, but she keeps denying that anything is wrong, more and more tense as he insists that she’s been acting strange ever since he woke up.

There’s a cliche “wait, I hear something” “what?” “shhh” “you’re just trying to shut me up” moment before they hear a shout.

They move to Big Foot’s aid, only to get knocked out themselves. Upon waking up, they realize what situation they’re in and Donnie gets an idea. She pleads with Leo to follow her lead and he does without missing a beat. They escape and fight The Finger, The Finger and Big Foot have their… moment, and then Leo and Donnie exchange baffled shrugs as they leave.

The last scene has Donnie supporting Leo on their way back to the farmhouse. Leo stops her on the porch and leads her into sitting down on the stairs with him. Donnie’s anger has clearly left her by then, and she hunches in on herself as he reveals that he knows that Raph and her were arguing about him. He pleads with her to tell him what’s wrong, and eventually she breaks.

Donnie pours out all the guilt that was eating away at her- how she didn’t listen and he ended up in a coma for three months, and how she knows he has every right to hate her but she’s sorry and going to try her hardest to make it up to him- only interrupted when Leo drops his crutch and pulls her into a tight hug. She shrivels in it, burying her face in his shoulder, and he assures her that nothing was her fault. He was being just as stubborn as she was. They could have found a compromise. None of his choices were hers to bear, and if he had to choose between protecting her or himself, he’d choose her a million times over. And not just her, all of his little siblings. He ends it with a light tease of “sorry, Donnie, you’re really not that special.”

He earns a shaky laugh that makes him smile. They separate and Donnie says that she’s going to do her best not to question him in the future, and he scolds her, saying that she better not let him make dumb plans just because she feels guilty. They poke fun at one another until the tension clears, and then Leo shivers, and Donnie frantically insists that he shouldn’t be out in the cool night air.

Her amused older brother lets her lead him inside and the episode ends with her shouting for someone to grab a blanket and to start up the fire, and then a black-and-white image of the farmhouse door.

YEAH YOU BET I JUST DID THAT

The Creeping Doom: Instead of chasing Icecream Kitty across the floor, they manage to calm Donnie down by letting her play with April’s hair. It ends up being a tangled mess of bows and hair clippings that April takes out on the way to the lab to check on Mikey, but she waits ‘till Donnie gets distracted, since it’s visibly clear that she both enjoyed herself and was proud of her ‘creation’.

The Power Inside of Her: When Donnie says that she’s okay after everything, Leo interrupts to say that she’s not. When Donnie stiffens, her older brother is quick to reassure her that if any of them were in her place, they would be far from okay.

After April thinks that “at least some good came out of this,” the scene transitions to just the turtles watching tv. Donnie says that she’s sore and headed to bed, but her brothers all visibly panic. Mikey’s the one to say that maybe they “should just hang out a bit longer?” and Raph insists that they should for Mikey’s sake since “he’d just wake them up later,” implying that he commonly wakes them when he has nightmares. Leo asks Donnie to “humor them” and Donnie gives in, lightly teasing her big, bad brothers as they scoff and crowd her, but overall looking immensely relieved.

I HAVE FIVE HUNDRED BUBBLING THOUGHTS, BUT ALSO THINGS TO DO, THE STRUGGLE! GAH!

THANK YOU SM FOR THIS ASK!

[pumpkinstrawbrew]

💀_is this deviant enough for you, my dear? _💀

or jon makes some deliberate changes to his outfit, after catwoman said that he's not 'a real pervert'.

...

(i was re-reading all those 'crow vs 'cat issues recently, an' i gotta say i don't ever get tired of how much those two genuinely loathe one another. there is smth beautiful about one part of my otp pretty much having it out for a character, who is canonically supposed to be the 'main' love interest for the other part of my ship. internalized jealousy is delicious.

that's bit aside, i do find crane n' selina's antagonistic relationships pretty entertaining in the void as well. they are both petty n' tend to take a lot of things personally, while dehumanizing others with ease. looking at selina n' jon side by side, their hatred toward one another makes a lot of sense. they are similar in certain *smaller* ways. selina might have not crossed the line n' becoming a murder, but in few versions, it came very close to it. or even come to it. not to mention, that while her own motivations are different from crane's, she also driven by her bitter life experience, when it comes to how she sees others n' how she acts. at times, she'd be doing shitty things just bc she felt like it. her sociopathy is latent in most cases, but it is there.

but regardless of complexity of all those themes, this whole thing was born only bc i found it funny how out of all things, selina n' jon had an argument about who get offs on fear harder lol. n' then, bc of how the very moment catwoman hallucinated batman, jonathan was literally almost in her face lol. listening to all those things with rapt attention.

as result, i ended up thinking about what if crane took selina's comment a bit too seriously. i imagine, he was sitting there trying to study what makes 'pervented' n' 'sexy'. but in like very nerdy way. drawing diagrams an' all.

the scarecrow historically has no impressive man bossom or ass, so he has to be clever about it. expose some skin, but like 'naugthy' bits. it helps that the way his costume is structured, fabric will always poof up a bit. so even his semi-muscular man pecs n' narrow hips can work too. an' then it should be short too. v-cut. n' stockings? yeah, sure. the greatest detective would take it upon himself to figure out what they're cliping to. an' what else is hidden underneath.

i still stan by my belief that jonathan can only be seductive or sexy by pure accident. but it is fun to think about how far he can go, if he's challenged n' his pettyness is what drives him to go out of comfort zone.

in general, i love how different this version of jonathan's costume is compared to his other looks. it's still classic, but so colorful an' whimsical. i wish he wore it at least one time in front of batman in canon. like come on, let my dude live out his goth fantasy. n' let bruce have some fun on his usually hard n' grim job.)

[deadpanwalking]

you may have addressed this in the past, but i am pretty sure i'm too dumb to read james joyce. how do you improve your reading comprehension? i'd like to move beyond the nyt bestseller list, but going from stephen king to faulkner seems like a steep jump.

Nobody is too dumb to read a book, but plenty of people have been conditioned into perpetual incuriosity.  The only way to improve reading comprehension is by reading outside of your comfort zone, which necessarily means letting go of the notion that the relationship between an artist and their audience is adversarial, and that a challenging work of art is booby-trapped with mean tricks designed to make you feel bad.

What do you do when you run into a word or concept that you don't immediately understand in the wild? You don't (I fervently hope) drop what you're reading like a hot potato—you keep reading to see if there’s clarification, and if there's none, you find a reliable source that gives you the definition, context, and examples, then circle back. What do you do when you're watching a movie you haven't seen before and the camera lingers on a random detail, or a character makes an inexplicable choice? Unless you are my dad, you give the story a chance to play out before asking what the deuce is going on. 

Faulkner and Joyce aren't cyphers, which is why their short fiction is a standard in the public high school English curriculum, and As I Lay Dying and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man are frequently assigned to juniors and seniors in AP classes—but even their denser writing is more accessible now than it's ever been. Over the past century, so many people have loved them enough to devote their lives to studying their work—and they’ve passed the savings down to you. They’ve written annotations that explain literary, historical, and biographical context and that's aligned with the pagination of the books, they’ve integrated hyperlinks into the hypertext.

There's exactly one (1) acceptable excuse not to read Faulkner or Joyce: not wanting to read Faulkner or Joyce.  You don't even need to give them a chance—millions of people (among them, many prolific and intelligent readers) have and will continue to live rich, meaningful lives after deciding that a particular book or author is simply not a priority, even if the author is famous and the book highly recommended by several friends who wear glasses.

If you can parse this passage from Pet Sematary, you can parse just about anything Joyce throws at you:

[docholligay]

Foreign Films to Expand Into

I saw a post regarding the writer’s strike that suggested Americans maybe make the effort of watching a foreign film, and while I agree, I didn’t think its tone was super helpful. Don’t get me wrong, I’m the queen of “Pull yourself out of a rut!!” but I don’t think “Americans are so fucking stupid they don’t realize other countries make movies” is actually trying to help anyone, so much as add to the idea that I guess the rest of the world is being forced to watch Captain America at gunpoint. 

But I DO want Americans to watch foreign films, in the same way that I want them to watch indie films, and I want people of all nations and stripes to expand their understanding of what they’re used to, to push themselves into something else they might like. I think my family would say that it’s fair to call me a person who is open to experience. I love to try things! That’s why I have the book draw, that’s why I go see movies I’m not sure about, that’s why I actively seek out foods I’ve never tried. You deserve to make your life interesting, to be challenged, to provide enrichment in your enclosure. You are worth the effort of a richly textured life! And movies are often a pretty cheap way to go about stepping outside of your comfort zone. I can’t wait to hear what you thought of any of these! 

Obviously, if you are not American, one  of these may not be foreign to you. Yes, I know that. 

I don’t hold out that all of these are hidden gems--some of them are, or were, extremely popular movies. Many of them won awards. But I do hold out that these are some of my favorites, and I would love to share them with you. I did, however, try to avoid anything that I thought already got a lot of play on tumblr: I don’t need to tell anyone here to watch Parasite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, or any given Ghibili movie (Though you should watch Grave of the Fireflies--it’s my favorite). 

Pan’s Labyrinth (Mexico and Spain): This is my favorite foreign film of all time and I am breaking my, “I’m not putting any movie on here I don’t need to tell you to watch” rule right away because it is in fact one of my favorite movies of all time, American or foreign. It is a lush story about fantasy, facism, courage, and the horror of childhood. Warning: This movie is very very intense. Do not be fooled by the fact that Del Toro also does like fucking…Hellboy. He also can make very serious, very good movies, and he does not shy away from the brutality of the Spanish Civil War. If you liked Labyrinth but you’re fully grown now and I want a story about fantasy bargains for the adult crowd, this is for you. 

The Orphanage (Spain): I love Spanish horror, and so it was really, really difficult to only pick one. But this has been one of my favorites for years, a classic Spanish slow burn that deals with the long shadow of childhood and the line between the supernatural and the natural. If you like pensive horror movies like The VVitch, I really think you should give this one a try. 

Hero (China): I know a lot of y’all are into wuxia now, but back when this came out it wasn’t a thing I had ever heard of*. Hero is, as the title might imply, a sweeping historical epic with fantastic fight scenes and gorgeous cinematography. If you enjoy stories told in multiple interpretations, high-flying wire work, and with some ideas about war, peace, and truth that tempt without asking too much of you, you’ll love this. 

Cold War (Poland): Listen, I love Cuarón, Mexican and Spanish movies absolutely dominate my list of foreign films I’ve watched, but I genuinely thought Cold War deserved the edge over Roma for the Oscar that year. It’s a fairly short movie for the times, coming in at less than 90 minutes, and it wastes not even one second of that film time. Cold War is a bittersweet love story not only with two people toward each other, but feels deeply critical of Poland while recognizing the impossibility of unbraiding yourself from it. If you love impossible, bittersweet, happily never after love stories with stark and striking cinematography, you’ll adore Cold War. 

Tigers Are Not Afraid (Mexico): I adore an unflinching take on childhood, and this movie is absolutely that. It essentially asks, “How do children survive in a world full of trauma?” and the answer is that sometimes, they don’t. This movie is a little frenetic, admittedly, but the ways fantasy and imagination is woven into a group of street children orphaned by the cartels is something I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I first saw it, and I think the final shot is pitch perfect. If you liked Pan’s Labyrinth this is required viewing, as I think it shares a lot of themes. 

The African Doctor (France): “Holligay, if you put another fucking downer movie in this list I am going to BEAT YOUR ASS” Okay, okay, we’re going to ignore my general predilections and everything from here on down is fairly life-affirming or comedic or easy. This is about a little village in France in the 1970s that gets an African doctor. It’s sweet, and funny, and you come away from it feeling good. Also I still laugh every time Seyolo responds to the fact that most of the villagers had never seen a black person with: “So what? Now they will.” If you like sweet fish out of water stories with nice endings, this is for you. 

Om Shanti Om (India): I maintain that this is the best movie to watch if you’re brand new to Bollywood. It mostly avoid the worst of its excesses while delighting in all of its strengths. It is a genuinely fun film with fantastic songs, and a shockingly together storyline for a Bollywood movie (affectionate). I’ve actually done a full review of this one, but in the short version: If you loved Moulin Rouge and wanted more of that mix of tragedy and silliness on a operatic level, I think you’ll be in for a treat. 

The Warrior’s Way (South Korea and New Zealand): Okay, this movie is not good, and also it manages to be bad. But it’s in English, so if you’ve been sitting there like my dad going, ‘I am not gonna read a movie” well, here you go. If you’ve ever said to yourself, “I want to watch a Western, but I wish it were actually a HK style cheesy action movie” BOY HOWDY AM I HERE FOR YOU. I watched this one insanely drunk and still managed to be like, “wow! This is so bad! Maximum valid!” If you thought RRR** was good, but too deep, you will have the BEST time with The Warrior’s Way. 

Anyway, this is, of course, an incomplete list, and I’m sure I’ve forgotten something I love, since this was just made off the cuff. I would love to hear if you watch or like any of these, and also, if, looking at this list, you have a recommendation for me, let me know! There are so so many fucking movies out there, and so many fall through the cracks. 

I’m thinking about doing another one of these on “Indie movies you might have missed” and also “Movies that were made before you enfants were born” (30+ years) so let me know if anything like that is interesting! Or, if there’s a category you think I might know about you’re into, let me know also.

*I actually have a lot of emotional attachment to Hero, as I have a very distinct memory of standing in the Hastings, in front of the small foreign-film section, and it being the first foreign film I picked up. I was, I think, sixteen, and I had decided that I was going to be worldly, and interesting, and cultured, and so I took a deep dive into cooking from other cultures, and watching foreign films, and buying old art history textbooks, reading classics, and listening to opera, and formal manners. Basically becoming the person I wished I were, that poised Grace Kelly type, even if I was born to the drone of the grasshoppers on the wind. To quote Reba Macintire, “You know I mighta been born just plain white trash, but Fancy was my name” and all that. And this movie was a distinct part of that, in that it was the first, in a long line of me trying to be a more well-rounded and interesting person. 

**RRR (India): Actually on that note, watch RRR. It’s a fantastically fun Indian action film that I keep meaning to watch again because I got a little too drunk for drinking on an emopty stomach the first time I saw it, so it might actually also be good, but I do remember enjoying the shit out of it and there is a scene that has such Fareeha vibes to me.

[isiscelestia]

Jupiter in Gemini

May 25, 2024 - June 9, 2025

Jupiter has been in Gemini for over a month, but it still has about 11 more months to go. With Jupiter in its sign of detriment, what can the collective expect? The best thing to do during this transit is to keep an open mind and an open heart. Everybody needs to be checking their egos because it could definitely steer them wrong. Since Jupiter has left Taurus, the collective is focused on optimizing the joy they bring into their lives (which is going to require stepping out of their comfort zone). The appetite for adventure is strong! To help feed into this desire for a happier life the collective should spend time learning something new, gaining a new skill, traveling, and making new friends. This is the time to build community or strengthen the one(s) you are in right now. We are very susceptible to mental burnout, so everyone needs to incorporate some type of hobby or interest to keep them going. Lean into your communities for help. Prioritize keeping your nervous system calm by learning your body and knowing your limits. Optimism is going to be a challenge for everyone to keep up because the world is in shambles right now, socially and politically. Time looks like it is moving fast, historical events are happening one after the other. We are watching institutions claw for power to prevent the fall of empires and structures that have stood for centuries. We will be seeing these structures struggle with the way communication and technology is being used for the people and against them. This is not the time for information to be suppressed; what happens in the dark comes to light. I predict that independent and/or unbiased journalism is going to be more important and needed than before, but this may also mean the field is going to be heavily under fire for revealing things they are not supposed to. This is going to be a very messy time, but also a great time for us to learn from each other. No one person is always going to be correct, so I will repeat this again: CHECK YOUR EGO. My other predictions so far includes an influx of twins and families having multiple babies at once. Mask up if you are not already, and if you are thinking about quitting smoking or vaping I highly advise you to do so.

[shadesofdeviant]

For the fanfic asks … all of them? 😁

HAHAHA Ginger! I mean...you said you'd ask for all of them XD So...I guess I'll answer them all XD.

🍄How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

A variety of ways, sometimes I get inspired to write an AU based on an episode of a show, or a novel etc. Or sometimes my brain just pops ideas into my head.

🍉Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I am very much a plotter. It's also why I don't often get much written because I need SO much to be planned before I can write.

🍒What genres/tropes do you find yourself using most often?

Fluff, 5+1, Domestic Slice of Life, AU's - I am an absolute sucker for AU's.

🥝Who are your literary influences, and have they shaped your own writing?

As much of a problematic person as they were, Anne Rice's first 3 vampire chronicles books were the books that got me thinking...oh I really wanna do this kind of thing. J R R Tolkien's descriptions very much shaped my own (i used to write horrifically long paragraphs). Neil Gaiman inspired my shorter style, quirky dialogue with inside jokes aimed at the reader.

🥕What's your favorite fic you've written, and why?

My favourite fic is a toss up between "Your Arms Are Like Corset Strings" (9-1-1, Buddie) and "Rainbow Coloured Monstrosity" (9-1-1: Lone Star, Tarlos).

The rest I'm gonna put under a cut haha or this post is gonna get SUPER long.

🥨How do you overcome writer's block?

When I work it out I'll tell you haha. I don't think I've ever managed beyond just pushing through and hate-smashing at the keyboard, or just waiting for the inspiration to come back by itself.

🍕What's your favorite comment you've received on a fic?

Honestly as cliche as it might sound, all comments I get are my favourites. I couldn't pick any specific ones, I enjoy comments so much.

🌭Do you have any writing rituals to help 'get in the zone'?

I use a lot of notebooks, I also get really sad and make powerpoint presentations of planning. Then I either listen to music, or put on some series that Ive seen enough times that it can be background noise.

🍔What's a headcanon that hasn't made it into a published fic yet?

I HC a few things for different people but they're not exactly huge things, but have a few examples. I headcanon that Alec Hardy is a huge fantasy novel fan. I headcanon that Eddie Diaz has chronic pain in his shoulders. I headcanon that Aziraphale hates the scent of pine.

🍭What's been your most challenging story to write, and why?

I'm writing a huge multi-part reincarnated soulmates AU, in which the soulmates meet each other throughout history and have different names etc. and it's...taking me soooo long. And honestly it's just because it so long and has so many historical points I need to research hahaha.

🍬What's a genre/trope you've never written, but might in future?

I'm...not sure tbh. Theres a lot of genre's/tropes I don't like or I'm not comfortable with so won't ever touch. But the ones I do like, I've attempted or I am in the process of attempting.

🍩What advice would you give to aspiring fic writers?

Just go for it. Find something you really, really want to see written and write it, because at the end of the day you write for yourself first and foremost. If you try to write to please everyone you'll stress yourself out too much.

🌶How dependent are you on feedback, good or bad?

Bad feedback is never warranted. I do not write for profit so therefore do not need amazon style reviews. Nor do I ask for constructive criticism. I appreciate if someone wants to tell me they like what I wrote though.

🥑What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a bunch of things: Doctor Who x Good Omens crossover - The events of "The Giggle" with Crowley tagging along. Broadchurch Whump - 2 entries, poor Alec is getting tormented. Broadchurch x Good Omens x Rab C Nesbitt crossover - Alec, Crowley and Davina are identical triplets. Shenanigans ensue. Buddie birthday gift for someone dear to me. Buddie soulmates AU.

🍹How do you decide a story is ready to post?

I finish writing it haha. I let it come to a natural stopping point and then try not to over think it.

🍊What's a story that changed significantly from its initial idea to the final draft?

My reincarnated soulmates AU. I've changed so many historical points and condensed some and completely scrapped a whole half of it haha.

🥠What's your approach to world-building?

Powerpoints. Powerpoints and mind maps haha. If I'm going AU I will plan it like I'm Tolkien creating middle earth haha XD.

🍎How do you prioritize which stories to work on when you have multiple ideas?

I don't. My brain goes brrr and tries to plan all of them at once to the point I can't work on ANY of them haha.

🌮How do you balance the desire to write for yourself versus the desire to write for an audience?

I have been writing on and off since I was 13, and I used to write entirely for the audience and it stressed me out. Whilst I enjoy audience responses and like to receive comments confirming that they enjoyed what I wrote, if I don't like it, I won't post it, but if I enjoyed what I wrote I will love it regardless.

[lantur]

updates from day two of Kyoto,

Waking up super early in the morning (~5:50 AM) came in clutch. Kyoto in the early morning with rain and very few people around is very atmospheric. I explored Kiyomizu-dera temple and the historic streets of Ninnenzaka and Sannenzaka before 8 AM, and had breakfast at a cute little cafe. It was comforting to be somewhere bright and warm after a dark, grey early morning exploration.

I normally don't eat breakfast at home. I wake up, have tea, and rush right off to the gym before work starts. It's been really nice to treat myself to breakfasts on several of these vacation days.

I spent most of yesterday exploring Arashiyama, a region in western Kyoto. Something that took me by surprise was how much the landscape resembled Washington state. It was mountainous, forested, and mossy. The resemblance stood out even more in the rain.

Good things:

Intense green moss at Gio-ji temple, and having the small temple completely to myself.

Birds singing and calling to each other everywhere in the forest, and the sound of rain pattering on my umbrella and flowing down spouts and dripping off statues and leaves. I never realized how few birds I hear in my everyday life until I traveled to Peru and here.

The eeriness and fascination of the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple, with its 1200 stone Buddhas peering at me as rain dripped off them.

The completely empty walk in the rain through a side street to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple, the rain soaking the 8,000 statues there dedicated to deceased souls.

Another empty bamboo forest at Daikaku-ji temple, and seeing the grove of cherry blossoms there just starting to bloom. It was so beautiful and special to be there alone.

I loved that so much of Arashiyama felt intensely isolated. There were hours where I felt like the only person wandering around the area. It was only in the late afternoon that I started to see other tourists again.

Challenges:

Walking around in the rain for ~seven hours was uncomfortable, because I got cold and wet even with my umbrella and was walking around in wet socks and shoes for almost the entire time :(( which was a very gross sensation. The silver lining was that the rainy vibes were impeccable.

Successes:

I went to a public bathhouse yesterday evening! It was delightful to be able to warm up in the hot baths and the sauna after being out in the cold. I'm also very proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new. Past me would never have been able to do this. I think all the swimming I've done over the past couple years and changing in and out of my swimsuit in the locker room with other people around has helped a lot. :) Dinner out after the bathhouse was giant grilled shrimp and scallops, and it was so good.

[writingbyricochet]

AUTHOR (RE)INTRODUCTION: @WRITINGBYRICOCHET

Having been on Writeblr for ten months and with a recent uptick of followers, I thought it was due for a refresh of my intro! Fingers crossed this one will be a bit more informative about what kind of a writer I am than my first one!

— THE AUTHOR; ♡ —

Megan, Meg, or Lucky (she/her)

20s, Taiwanese American, Eastern Time Zone

Interacts from @luckyricochet

Ask/tag game friendly

In love with history, art, and romance itself

— WRITING; ♡ —

Primarily romance, historical fiction (or historically-inspired), fantasy, fanfiction

Aspirational: Dark academia, gothic

Favorite tropes: friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, sunshine/grump pairings, mutual pining

I love prose that is moody, atmospheric, and deeply emotive in its examination of the human condition almost to the point of romanticism. Besides the universal aims of a solid plot and characters, these are the qualities I want my own work to reflect the most.

— WORKS IN PROGRESS; ♡ —

Between Heaven and Earth

low fantasy/adventure; intro post, tag, wip page

Raised as a princess and heir apparent to the Velitovan throne, Laeisa Durecane's world is suddenly turned upside down when a diplomatic mission turns deadly and her father the King and his entire delegation are killed, leaving Laesia the sole survivor. Having to now abandon peace talks that would have formalized independence for her country, Laesia is forced into exile and takes refuge in the home of a young farmer. The distant rural district she now finds herself in is a far cry from the life of privilege she once enjoyed, but she at least has plenty of time to plot exactly how she will reclaim her throne and finally liberate Velitova.

Tomorrow is a Place

low fantasy/romance; intro post, tag

Do you believe in love at first sight? It’s fine if you don’t—that’s not how it happens in this story, at least not entirely. Even though Merity first takes a shine to the boy next door in childhood, it might have stayed an unspoken crush forever if not for a fateful decision that leaves Fendley wracked by his conscious and Merity his sole confidant. 𝔄𝔪𝔬𝔯 𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔦𝔱 𝔬𝔪𝔫𝔦𝔞. (Companion work to Between Heaven and Earth)

Poco a Poco

contemporary romance; intro post, tag

Welcome to Fujiwara Academy of Music, the most prestigious music conservatory in Japan. Balancing academics, work, and an attempt to win a lucrative scholarship is hard enough, but when Rika and Masahiro end up as duet partners, Rika has one more challenge to deal with: Breaking through to the academy’s best musician. It’s just as well that she keep trying, though. After all, chamber music is considered intimate for a reason.

Where Paradise Died and Lived

historical romance/the pacific au fanfic, intro post, tag

The attack on Pearl Harbor takes place far from most Americans’ homes, but for Sophie Holland, it’s right in her backyard. The idyllic tropical isle she knows is now a war zone, where death, suspicion, and martial law are a fact of daily life. With all of America mobilized for the war effort, Sophie joins the Women’s Air Raid Defense to do her part. The job is a welcome diversion that mostly keeps her from her own self-destructive habits, but it’s 1943 now, and her demons only become harder to ignore when the heroes of Guadalcanal—including one new 1st Lieutenant—arrive in Honolulu for rest and recovery.

Other WIPs that I have not formally introduced but am working on in some capacity are here and here. Please send me an ask if you would like to be added to any tag lists!

— CODA; ♡ —

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading! I would love to make new friends and connect with writers who have similar interests, so if any of the above is your cup of tea, please interact and I'll check out your blog! Farewell for now~

[trappedinmymind]

1, 2, 20, 21, 29 from this ask game

Thanks for the ask!

1. How long ago did you start reading fanfiction? Writing fanfiction?

I started writing before I started actively reading fanfiction, believe it or not. The first fanfiction I wrote, I started when I was 11-12 iirc. Then I stopped for a while, then started reading (and eventually writing again) fanfiction when I was 14-15.

2. How do you spend your time when it comes to fanfiction? Are you primarily a fic reader, writer, or a perfect 50/50 split of both?

Currently, I am primarily a writer. I want to read more, but I tend to be picky with what I read (I'm like this with all media I consume). I either have to be in the right mood for fic - that, or I see a fic, decide against it, then later in the week I think of it again and can't get it out of my head until I finally read it.

20. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

My favorite part is "exploring the world" and looking into the psychology of the characters. The setting, the culture, the history, etc. Seeing how it all culminates into how we see it presented in the time period we see in canon. Seeing how it all affects and influences the characters. Do the characters express or diverge from the dominant culture at the time? Why? Why might have something become dominant in the culture (ex. what historical purpose did it serve)? Of all the questions I like to ask when writing fanfiction, "how did we get here" is the most interesting to me.

21. What’s your least favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

The point where I have most of the fic/chapter done, aside from a few little transitions or descriptions I decided to put off for later. I'll put brackets [] around descriptions of the idea of what I wanted to do, but couldn't figure out how and wanted to just move on. It makes those sections easy to find with ctrl+f. After a while though, I've written everything I've wanted to write and am left with between 5 and 20 bracketed sections. And usually, I still have no idea how to write any of them! But I have to whittle down at them if I ever want to get the fic/chapter out.

29. Have you ever written for an exchange or event of some kind? Which one(s)? Did you enjoy it?

Aside from the Nimona Big Bang event, which is currently ongoing, I wrote for Nimona Week and did a December prompt challenge a long time ago for another fandom. I've enjoyed all of them, although the December prompt challenge isn't a fond memory due to outside life events that happened to coincide with the timing of that challenge. But I overall enjoy these challenges because they encourage me to think outside of my comfort zone, as well as give me the opportunity to explore things outside of my main fics.

[flingmetothemoon]

Hello again, do you have any cute Sonikal Headcanon’s?

Oh hi there! Are you the same Anon who asked about the first kiss? I already appreciate your cute asks! As for your cute Sonikal headcanons, well I have come up with alot of them throughout the years so lemme see what I can do…

~~~~~~~Cute Sonikal headcanons~~~~~~~~

-Here's my possible explanation to the question that has always remained a mystery to me ever since I heard it: Even though she never once introduced herself to him, how did Sonic know Tikal's name? Shortly after Tikal's sacrifice and the birth of Angel Island. The echidna temple was rebuilt to serve as a shrine dedicated to the incident told by witnessing survivors (Makes sense because the temple is inspired by the famous Mayan temple of Tikal). During his early adventure days after meeting Knuckles, Sonic first explored the abandoned Mystic Ruins and heard about the story of a tragedy that fell upon the ancient echidna clan due to the warmongering chief's selfishness and greed and how his daughter sealed herself and the monster in the Master Emerald to stop the destruction.

-Using his ability to channel the M.E.'s power to show people/objects held in the emerald, Knuckles shows Sonic the echidna girl. (Chaos isn't seen because Tikal trapped him in her blue water ring to secure extra escape prevention) Despite essentially being fridged, Tikal actually isn't frozen or disempowered. (She mostly just sleeps when there's nothing else to do) She can still channel the M.E.'s power, transport people/objects and communicate to people And even told Sonic not to rescue her because she fears the destruction that could occur again if she and Chaos were to be set free without plan B.This makes Sonic sad and he often thinks about her even if he doesn't admit it to Tails and Amy. He can't imagine how much Tikal had to sacrifice to stop Chaos from destroying the rest of the world – her freedom, her old friends and family, her opportunity to enjoy life without watching her home turn into a war zone just so everyone else can enjoy those privileges. Not only does she remind him of someone he vaguely remembers in the past, but he also knew what it was like to be confined into stasis for a long period of time due to a tragedy, except she had to go through this ALOT longer. He wants to save her so badly. 😢

-Sonic’s most challenging yet rewarding battle after SA1 is Perfect Chaos. There's not a whole lot to be afraid of when he's basically an invincible Super Saiyan who can easily beat Eggbutt’s robots on a regular basis, but what makes Chaos a unique rival to Sonic before Shadow is the fact that not only is he literally a body of one of his weaknesses: Water, (The fact he is powerful enough to trap him in water and drown him if he can sure as heck doesn't help) but he initially viewed him as another one of those baddies of the week he'll simply kick the butt of as usual, but Tikal, the girl Sonic wanted to help out the most, showed him Chaos was actually that once kind, gentle monster from that historical incident she had to suffer to tame. It was pretty scary for Sonic to tame a literal water God with a whole flood around him, but boy it  was worth it! Now he can rest reassured that Tikal and the calmed down water creature found peace again and can start a new happier life. Now he just makes sure she gets the comfort and new friends and adventures she might need to heal from her trauma at any opportunity he gets.

-Sonic is one of the few modern friends of hers Tikal trusts the most to have a listening ear when she wants comfort when she feels down from her memories of her old life and family she lost so the pain and sorrow inside her wouldn't consume the qualities that made her lovable amongst her former people: Love, joy, kindness & hope. Ever since that day, Sonic was the light to her gloomy darkness. Thanks to him, Tikal doesn’t have to fridge herself or Chaos for another 5000+ years until another madman comes and uses Chaos as a weapon of destruction, she can now have a chance to live a more happier, peaceful life, make herself a new home, make new friends, have new adventures, have more freedom and even be a new hero alongside her light. Tikal is anointed as the new chieftain of her new friends one day much to her surprise and dismay because she now associates a chieftain with her father, who used his position of power to harm others. But Sonic and his other friends reassures her that she'll be a fine chieftain and use her position of power to do good instead of bad, to help those in need and advocate for peace and harmony.

-Even when away from each other, Sonic and Tikal still find ways to communicate with each other from long distances due to their interesting telepathy ability and their creative ways of communicating to the emeralds, particularly when they are relaxing at the end of the day and they don't have anything else to do or anyone else to talk to. Due to their connection to the emeralds’ energy, they can also feel each other's energy when touching each other and feeling a certain emotion. When one is stressed and another is calm and touches the stressed one, the calm, positive energy transmits into the stressed one, and they also calm down. Sonic (Even though he doesn't want to admit it due to him not normally being a physical touchy kind of person) and Tikal likes to hug and hold hands for a reason.

-Tikal didn't really get to explore the world outside of her home place in her life. So for their dates, Sonic takes her to explore a new fun adventure and try new things, whether it's beautiful scenery or a new cuisine. Tikal has a high spice tolerance and loves chili peppers, not only does she like chili dogs as much as Sonic does, maybe it's not spicy enough to her and she often tries to make it spicier by using spices and/or hot sauce. Both her and Sonic often have fun eating spicy food together and watching their less spice tolerant friends suffering. 😂 And they also like to hang out at beaches and the sunflower field of course. They also like to spend a quiet peaceful day together hanging out at a chao garden and parenting the chao as if they're their children. And although Sonic doesn’t want to swim for obvious reasons, he doesn’t mind joining in a pool where Tikal is swimming in long as he simply sits on a stair step where he can still feel a body of water on half of his body while knowing he can easily get out if he starts getting uncomfortable. He surprisingly finds pure peace and serenity when he just chills that way.

-Tikal also sometimes joins Sonic in defending small, helpless critters from Eggman. She despises that guy ever since he fueled her closest friend's anger and used him as a weapon of destruction. Just imagine how she would feel about him when she learns he also takes small, helpless, innocent critters and uses them as machine batteries and pollutes the environment around them. She would not kill him, but she will wreck his replaceable machine's good with her gymnastic warrior moves and her newfounded spiritual powers she can get creative with. Forming orbs with her hands? Fling them as bombs. Wanna create a spiritual border to trap Eggman to keep him from causing trouble? Call this girl. Summoning lightning? Causing stunning earthquakes with a slam of a palm?  Hydrokinesis? Shovel claw whenever Knuckles isn't using it? She got it. Mix that with Sonic’s speed, boosts, spindashes strong enough to create underground tunnels, his super form and whirlwind forming and you sure get one heck of a power couple that gives even Superman and Wonder Woman a run for their money. Whirlwind + Water = Waterspout

-It took a while for these two to decide to get married due to their own things to do and their own issues to work on. But when Tikal finally uses her position as the new chieftain to propose to Sonic with a golden ring, they come up with a very creative wedding ceremony idea that fits for both of their personalities. Both are a bit introverted, but also like to spend time with their friends and make them feel included in the happy memories, But they're also worried about how Amy would react to Sonic marrying someone who is not her. So for their wedding day, they hosted a “fancy party" and put on a dress and tuxedo respectively, but didn't make them look too obviously like wedding gowns. They had fun food and dancing as usual, but Sonic and Tikal sneaked their vows and the kiss the bride ritual when everyone else isn't looking and then he'll bridal-carry her and run into the night to their honeymoon. Their interactions after their marriage aren’t even that different from their normal interactions. Yes, there’s a few kisses and cuddles here and there (They prefer to kiss and cuddle in isolated areas where it's more intimate for them), but they mostly just keep doing what they’ve been doing.

Welp, that’s all I can think of without letting you wait for my answer for much longer. I hope you enjoy reading my headcanons. Cya next time!

[ilgaksu]

For the ask game: 1, 23, 30, 50

From these writer asks, which I am LOVING answering

1. I answered this one (about fics I'd recommend as a primer to my work) here, but you should let me know if you agree with my choices. I'm curious what someone else would pick???

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

OHHHH I'm trying to think and drawing a blank. I think I want to try and deconstruct tropes a lot more than write to the letter of them, but all of the ones I can think of right now are ones you can guess from my work generally. I would LOVE to write a historical court drama for dmbj but I have written those before....I even had a historically accurate Golden Age of Piracy one I plotted and never wrote.....uh, help. Maybe werewolves? I've never wanted to but I think it's more I haven't found a route into the idea that compels me yet.

30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?

Trans Xie Yuchen (and also generally always, lmao.) I am drawn to work by the implicit challenge of it, and I am immensely grateful to the sensitivity readers I have had and continue to have, but writing the majority of my dmbj fic, including that aspect, hasn't just affected my fic but me as a person irl. I think art affects our lives in ways we don't expect, and maybe ones we should have, and I always pick work to push the limits of an idea, or elaborate on it. Honestly I get terrified work feels repetitive when it becomes such a huge body of work as the heihua extended universe has.

(I'm not sure how well-known this is, but let you blow what's left of my right mind was me teaching myself to write a transmasc lead alongside sex scenes. Simultaneously. not what you want, but what you deserve is the first attempt at writing pwp with penetrative sex. the boy behind the drapes, the girl inside the crate is both a labour of love and the bane of my life in terms of a work I'm trying to do justice to.)

50. Answer any question of your choice, or talk about anything you want to talk about!

I regularly order two drinks at once in cafes because I genuinely want both, and one of my hobbies is going to supermarkets while abroad. Triple bonus if I can try country-specific drugstore makeup.

Sisi Empress of Austria is one of my favourite historical figures, mostly because of a bootleg version of Elisabeth das Musical I saw on YouTube at 17. I do not speak German.

Also, the Sultanate of Women in Ottoman history is one of my more recent historical interests, so if anyone has any book recommendations I guess?

Sorry I couldn't think of any fic ones, I'll have to dream some up another day

[al-hekima-madara-blog]

1, 11, 24, 40(Aiko & Reiki)

💙💙💙.

1- Do you listen to music when you write?

Yes a lot ! Except when I'm proofreading otherwise I can't focus. Someone ask me the same question I went more in details that might interest you here

11- Books and/or authors who influenced you the most

Oh there is too many people but I'll say what inspired me for this fic especially

Eiji Yoshikawa who wrote a fiction about the life of famous swordman Musashi Miyamoto (who will inspired Takeshi Inoue to draw Vagabond by the way).

Miyamoto Musashi himself wrote his memoirs in the book of five rings.

Sun Zu and the Art of War.

Sei Shonagon she was a writer from the Heian court in the 10th century

Murasaki Shikibu, an other noble writer from the Heian court, she wrote the famous book The tales of Genji, and my Genji Hikaru is a direct hommage to hers. In her book, the prince is a poet running for honour and ladies and mine is like the dark version : "Naahh I don't want to do poetry...I wanna fight Madara Uchiha and conquer the world."

Ibn Khaldun a 14th century historian and philosopher, who wrote a universal history book called Muqaddimah. There is theories about civilisations cycles, sociology and economy.

G.R.R. Martin for his way to always surprise and trick the readers. I love how he built his plots.

Michel of Greece who is an actual European prince and an author, he wrote a lot of fictions based on historical figures. My favourite is Louis XIV, the other side of the sun a fiction about the life of the King of France who took back his power after having beeing traumatized by a nobles rebellion in his youth.

The clan of the Otori from Lian Hearn.

J.K. Rowling for the whole Harry Potter saga. I love her world building it's not too big like GRR martin, it's the right size.

Victor Hugo for Les Miserables and his poetry.

Talking about poetry hard to not mention, Arthur Rimbaud, Baudelaire, John Keats and Rumi. I'm obsessed by them.

Not a book in particular but the real japanese warring state era (from 1467 to 1615 BC) is a source of inspiration with his most famous figures : Oda Nobunaga, Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi

24- Favourite genre to write and read

Without a surprise I like historical stories, with large world building intrigues and conspiracy. It's just an excuse for me to talk about everything at once lol : society, politics, psychology, war, love, family issue you name it... In future I'd like to write a romance, it's a bit a challenge because I don't think I'm really good at it. But I love true romance, not teenage love where there is nothing to loose. but when two characters have to deal a relationship which challenge their values and involve the world around them.

And a tend to read less fiction nowadays because I watch tv shows instead. But now I read more things who will teach me something like essay on philosophy and sociology and spirituality.

40- Share some backstory for one of your characters

Ok I need to be careful not to spoil my future chapters...😋

Aiko

I'll take this opportunity to clarify who she is since I talked with some of my readers and there was some ambiguity (I'll rewrite it later when the book is finished) . She's not blood-related to Madara or Izuna. She has her own family. Madara's mother were her wet nurse and she breastfed both Izuna and Aiko in the same time. Both families were very close to the point Aiko can come inside Tajima's house without knocking the door. She was very loved by Madara's mother. In a way she was the daughter she never had. For Madara she was like a little sister.

Reiki

The idea for this character came one day while I was scrolling instagram and I saw this video :

At the time I knew I wanted an OC who won't be a kunoichi to force Madara out of his comfort zone. But I have no idea of who? how? where? when? Then I see this mysterious girl dancing on a beach with so much grace and confidence, and yet we can't see her face... I knew that was this energy I was looking for. And then her backstory slowly flourish from there. For now (chapter 6) you don't know enough about her, but later it will make sense to you all.

thank you for your questions !

here the original list of questions

[abstractlesbian]

Idk if you’re the right person to ask this question of but the Coleen Hoover post u reblogged got me thinking- I haven’t read much Good Literature like. Ever (I was very much a John green/divergent/etc kid and as an adult have just abandoned reading) but do you have any recommendations for like. Good books to read that might be a little easier for someone who doesn’t read much? Sorry if this is a weird question lol but I trust ur opinions! 💕💕

Aw thank you anon!! I can give more specific recommendations if you're comfortable coming off Anon and talking a bit

I guess my recommendation is to figure out what kind of stories you like (mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, romance, tragedies etc) and spend a bit of time researching that genre? What are the classics? Who are the authors making waves in that genre? Find lists for that genre, find online communities for it, find blogs and author websites

When you find an author you like find out what authors they like! Find out what authors their fans like. Social media can help with this but reading the acknowledgement pages at the end of books is another way to find new authors to check out.

So step 1 is find what you like them find more like it.

Step 2 is trying out new genres. Step out of your comfort zone. Sometimes you'll be surprised.

I'm very much a sci-fi nerd so id recommend All Systems Red by Martha Wells it's short but fantastic and if you enjoy sci-fi might be a good place to start.

If you want something more realistic I recently finished and really enjoyed Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. It's longer but I think it's still pretty accessible to someone who is getting back into reading. It's a novel about family and grief (among other things).

I'm also studying library science in college rn so I gotta plug your local library. Don't be afraid to go ask library staff for recommendations, we train for this. And you don't need a card to ask for help (but getting a card is usually free! And gives you access to thousands of books, CDs, games, movies etc). You can tell a librarian what your favourite movies/shows are and they'll help you find books you might enjoy.

I recommend making a list of topics you like in stories (for me it's: time travel, parallel universes, clones, doppelgangers, murder mysteries etc) and you can search for novels about those things (either on a library website or thru Google)

Short story collections might be a good place to start if you want to get back into reading? If you don't enjoy a story you can shake it off and start the next one. I enjoy reading the Best American Short Stories collection, not every story is going to work for you but it's a good way to find authors to check out. Other short story collections I really enjoyed: The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Steele, Exhalation by Ted Chiang.

I also really recommend not limiting yourself to just North American books, there are so many fantastic translated works out there these days. When you find a genre you're enjoying look for books translated into English in that genre. And if you find a translator who's work you enjoy you can follow them to find new authors!

And remember that reading is reading! Short stories count, comics & manga count, poetry counts, memoirs count, nonfiction counts. Any reading you do is good for you ! Don't get too hung up on Good Literature vs Bad Literature. It's important to try an expand your palette and to branch out to more challenging books but don't let shame over not reading the books you think you're supposed to be stop you from reading at all.

Here's my Goodreads account if u want to look around to see if any books sound interesting to you, and feel free to add me if you want to make an account :)

Hopefully at least some of this was helpful, feel free to message me on or off Anon for follow up if u want <3

[jyango]

Week 4&5 - Field Trip to National Gallery Singapore + Analyse Artistic Traditions and Lineages

We had a field trip to the National Gallery and here are some of the paintings I found most interesting:

I found this painting to be the most interesting and talked about it during class:

The reason being how they chose to use a vertical scroll to paint this scenery instead of the typical horizontal landscape canvas. I thought this was extremely smart as it further elongates the painting, highlighting the depth and showing the beautiful cityscape. 

However, upon feedback from our lecturer, our mistake was that we focused too much on analyzing the materials used in the painting instead of the context and history of the painting. 

We should first start with context, give reasons on why materials are used and how the painting is composed. Then, historical facts can be used to back up the points and end with a conclusion. Sometimes it can also end with a question like if this is the right way to communicate the context.

Other than gallery artworks, I feel that now I’m more clear on how to analyse designs too, especially abstract ones. As for our studio work, we will be designing more abstractly. We were told not to illustrate directly (e.g. illustrating food for food fest). This is my first time designing abstractly so I do find it challenging. The project is definitely pushing me out of my comfort zone and design boundaries though. 

(234 WORDS)

REFERENCES:

Studio Lowrie’s Sundance Film Festival Identity Proves Small Studios Can Take on Projects of Any Scale. 11 Sept. 2024, www.itsnicethat.com/features/studio-lowrie-sundance-film-festival-2020-identity-graphic-design-240320.

Antonia Terhedebrügge and Mado Klümper’s Identity for Sehsüchte Festival Combines “Soft Forms and Edgy Lines.” 21 June 2019, www.itsnicethat.com/articles/antonia-terhedebruegge-mado-kluemper-sehsuechte-film-festival-graphic-design-210619.

Franceschini, Cinzia, and Cinzia Franceschini. “How to Analyze Art – Formal Art Analysis Guide and Example - Artlex.” Artlex - Art Dictionary and Encyclopedia, 25 Nov. 2022, www.artlex.com/formal-art-analysis.

Creative, Proactive. “Context'S Significance in Art Analysis: Exploring Depths - Proactive Creative - Guides for Visual Artists.” Proactive Creative - Guides for Visual Artists, 22 Dec. 2023, proactivecreative.com/importance-of-context-in-art-analysis/

[umichenginabroad]

WEEK 9: FINAL REFLECTIONS

Last blog for this summer wow! After studying abroad in my host city of Prague for 8 weeks, it’s time to do some reflection and leave you guys with my takeaways and advice. This journey has been so incredible and life changing, so I want to wrap up with a couple of the lessons I’ve learned. Before I jump into my final reflections, I’m going to give a quick update on my travels following my program’s end. 

After giving my mom and my sister a little tour of Prague, we headed to Paris! With the 2024 Olympics in full swing, this city was soooo busy as expected. London was our next stop. We managed to squeeze in most of the touristy spots and do tons of shopping for the few days we were there. My mom headed home after London, while my sister and I ended our Europe tour with a vacation in the picturesque coasts of Italy. The two of us spent the next days relaxing in the beach towns near Genoa and Portofino before I finally traveled back home to LA. 

Though this trip with my family was amazing, it also resulted in three stolen laptops (thank you AirFrance), two canceled flights, one night spent at London’s airport, and hundreds of dollars that need to be reimbursed by various airlines. Our travel nightmares explain why this blog, as well as my previous one, were delayed. But, this is a good segway into my tips for people who are looking into studying abroad or traveling in the future:

1. Be ready to adapt to change. 

Traveling internationally is not always going to go so smoothly, so always be prepared to face challenges. Whether it be figuring out how to deal with a transportation hiccup or navigating a new environment that’ll be a temporary home, it’s important to recognize that problem-solving is a skill that will further develop and get easier with time and an open mind. Taking on international study abroad is a whole challenge in itself, but it’s one that’ll help you step out of your comfort zone and gain new experiences.

2. Do your research!

The biggest step in preparing for new cities and countries is doing some research beforehand. I found that the most enjoyable trips that I had were because I went in with a plan and an adequate understanding of the places I visited. Questions I would ask yourself and the Internet include: What do you want to get out of this city? How do you make the most of your time there? What does your budget for this trip look like? Correspondingly, what are the prices like in this city? What are the most important sites or historical places to visit? What types of food is the city most known for? What are the basic phrases in the country’s language? How does public transportation work? Doing your research will make your travels go more smoothly and allow you to have cross-cultural interactions. 

3. Be wary of your expenses. 

I feel like this one is kind of a no-brainer, but if it needs to be said: traveling is expensive! Most people reading my blog are probably students like me. So like me, you're also trying to ball out on a budget. Before taking on your study abroad experience, I strongly suggest figuring out how much money you have to spend on what and how you can allocate your money as best as you can. For example, one thing that saved me a lot of money traveling to different countries is investing in a Eurail pass. Eurail is a high-speed train pass that gets you access to the complex train network in Europe and makes it simpler to travel to countries all over. Learning how to budget was another huge lesson that studying abroad taught me. 

4. Have fun and take advantage of every opportunity!!

Last but certainly not least, studying abroad is the best time to make so many new memories and meet new people. The places I’ve been to, people I’ve met, and experiences that I’ve had will stick with me forever. Traveling to 11 different cities in the span of 11 weeks is something that not a lot of people get the chance to say that they’ve done, so one of my biggest takeaways is to make the most out of your international experience!! The friendships that I have built, both with the people in my program and with the travelers that I’ve met from all over the world, are lifelong. 

I want to end with some of my favorite aspects of my program and my host city:

My program through IPE and CEA CAPA:

I absolutely love the program that I studied abroad through and encourage every student to look into the programs that IPE and CEA CAPA offer. CEA CAPA made acclimating to a whole new environment so much easier. The housing accommodation they provided for me, which was an apartment with four other girls in my program, allowed me to get a taste of what it’s like to live in Prague as a local. The learning experiences that the courses Linear Algebra and Art & Architecture in the Golden City brought me were invaluable. All the professors and faculty at CEA CAPA made a huge effort to build connections with the students and give us all the best time abroad. The dynamic learning approach that CEA CAPA takes on gives students the opportunity to further their education while growing a deeper appreciation for different cultures. I can confidently say that I feel better suited to approach problems from multiple perspectives, both in a professional setting and in my overall life. 

Furthermore, I really appreciate how my program prioritizes students’ study abroad experiences by giving the flexibility for us to travel to other countries. On top of my academic coursework, it wasn’t difficult for my friends and I to find time to go to different cities with different cultures and histories. I feel like being able to travel to so many diverse places truly completed my international study abroad experience. These travels improved my adaptability, communication, and leadership skills in a global context, and I’m eager to be able to carry what I’ve learned with me into my future career. 

My beautiful host city of Prague:

For any students looking into studying abroad, Prague is a great option for your temporary home! Prague had such an ideal blend of rich history and culture, welcoming people, convenient transportation, and affordable living. There was never a shortage of things to do in this city, whether it be visiting the historical Prague Castle or chilling at a beer garden with friends. Along with the place itself, the locals were just as hospitable. Living in a more local area of Prague allowed me to interact with locals on a daily basis, which were definitely highlights of my days. From walking to tramming to metroing to bussing, it was also very easy to get around the city. Not only are these public services convenient, but they were very well-maintained and clean as well. By the end of my program, I could probably get from my apartment to the CEA CAPA center with my eyes closed. 

As a student, I felt that Prague’s prices were very budget friendly, especially compared to some of the other countries I visited. Meals could cost me as low as $5 and up to around $15. Even beer was typically as cheap as water. And in terms of safety, I always felt very safe in my host city. Even if I was walking around alone late at night, feeling unsafe was never a concern. My program also ensured beforehand that all the students had emergency numbers handy.

All in all, studying abroad in Prague was everything that I hoped for and more. For my first time in Europe, I can without a doubt share that I have made countless memories this summer living in a whole new country while taking on new experiences and challenges. Every single up and down taught me a new life lesson. I urge every student to look into furthering their education through an international study abroad experience. If you have any questions regarding study abroad or anything else, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!! My email is always open (julhwang@umich.edu). Thank you for reading my last blog and keeping up with my journey throughout this summer!!! Na shledanou!

Jules Hwang

Industrial and Operations Engineering

Engineering in Prague