#like i have review-related notes but overall i liked it

[3gremlins]

no, you watched all of hazbin hotel season 1 in one sitting!!

...okay it was me. it was so good?!? def check out if you like cool animation, interesting designs, queer characters and musicals!

[daisys-reality]

♡ꜞ˖ ᴘɪᴄᴋ-ᴀ-ᴄᴀʀᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ

What do you fear as a shifter? How should you deal with it? 🍞

⌇ reality shifting themed tarot reading | masterlist | voting

pile one

Overall, you seem to struggle with taking ownership of the decisions you make. And you’re quick to overthink things and together this causes a lot of inner conflict. It seems that one major thing here in regards to your shifting journey is that you fear is being stuck in limbo, you might be anxious over how long it takes and how you might possibly miss opportunities because of this ‘delay’. As others (seem to) move forward, you fear being left behind by the world. This makes you ponder a lot about what direction your life (/shifting journey) is going in… over and over again… and it makes you feel confused, unsure and hesitant. You need to remember that you are the master of your own destiny. Don’t try to blame ‘the universe’ if your situation is a result of choices that you’ve made. 

Sometimes it might feel intimidating to take the first step toward resolving the inner conflict and its roots but that doesn’t mean progress isn’t possible. You can break this frustrating ‘feeling of stagnation’ with some creativity, courage, and clarity! Just do whatever you can to make YOURSELF feel like you’re (more) ready to face whatever is coming towards you - whether you review past DR ideas and scripts or indulge more into DR related topics etc. The point is that you should counterattack your overthinking nature - if you feel that you start spiraling again, do something to assure yourself and to get on track again! Your mind will often have conflicting thoughts but don’t let it ruin your decision making skills.

On a side note, you might also fear getting hurt in your DR - whether mentally, emotionally or physically. There is some kind of imbalance or gap between mind and heart or just misaligned values. If you feel like you’re forcing yourself to experience things that you actually don’t want to experience (or that make you lowkey uncomfortable), try to think about where this stems from. I feel like you might not even be aware of the fact that you’re doing this… Re-evaluate your choices and address these misalignments (inner conflicts) to regain your balance back and to clear up the mental fog. Trying to develop a deeper understanding of your DR self,  their values and beliefs might also help you in understanding what you actually want to experience there. Good luck!

pile two

This is a bit tricky but i think you might fear becoming or being emotionally immature, not wanting to come to terms with your feelings, being defensive about it and lying to yourself or trying to deceive yourself that you’re okay/strong/healthy etc. through senseless meaningless pursuits/things (ex. casual flings, shopping, eating - leading to dependencies/addictions). Frightened and threatened by your own sensitivity, fearing losing control over your emotions, you might try to conceal your insecurities by presenting a distant and uncaring (or overly strong, pretty, overpowered = flawless=unreachable) facade to the outer world. In fact, you might fear being controlled by emotions (through yourself or others) or becoming someone who misuses their emotional intelligence. This might stem from past trauma where you experienced emotional dynamics that were used to manipulate or to exert control. Overall, there is a need for setting boundaries, learning how to be more resilient against emotional manipulations, and becoming more emotionally stable and confident/free/autonome through healthy self expression and management of emotions.

You might also fear not achieving the desired level of success, stability or happiness. You yourself might even worry about becoming too materialistic, too arrogant or losing touch with other values the more time you spend as a (limitless) shifter. While you understand how lucky you are to get to know about shifting in this life, how many opportunities this brings and how it can provide security and comfort, it might not necessarily be solely ‘enough’ to lead to a fulfilling life. You’re concerned about how to balance all these things to not turn into extremes. Deep down, it’s very important to you that you maintain your integrity but you’re afraid of not being strong or capable enough to do so in the face of these limitless opportunities and freedom that shifting entails. Trying to focus more on quality than quantity while choosing your path (your journeys, DRs, your background, your life etc.) will bring you closer to a fulfilling life. 

pile three

You seem to fear discontentment and dissatisfaction at a personal level. You fear that all these experiences will just lead to apathy, disinterest and overall detachment from life or from being alive! You worry that life will just feel boring in the end and you’re scared of what that means. This might be triggering for some but some of you might ultimately fear coming to a point where you’d rather want to d*e then stay alive. 

I can see that deep down you take this very seriously and you have respect for the freedom and limitlessness that shifting offers you but you know how we humans are and how fragile our mind can become just because we’re not ‘prepared’ or ready yet for what we have to face in our lives. 

If you had the choice, you would like to always have a direction or an end destination in mind, you might hate living an aimless life. You don’t want to stagnate; you want to always progress. And while you hate feeling like you’re trapped in your circumstances, you oftentimes stay unwilling to make sacrifices for change because you fear wasting these sacrifices or missing opportunities later on because of these sacrifices. There might be an overall resistance to letting go or a reluctance to see things from a new perspective. I feel like you're someone that would hate being a people pleaser and not having any independent thoughts - becoming narrow minded like others (in your opinion). You don’t want to bend down or surrender. And coming back to the beginning, you fear reaching a point in your life as a shifter where you feel like you have no further direction, where you feel pushed into a corner, forced to start living like the others and adapting their mindset because your way of doing things led you to a stalemate. 

You need to remember that this perception you have is influenced by your attitude and opinions and is not completely free of prejudice or illusions. While some of these imaginings might be a possibility, it is important not to lose yourself in those or rather to not restrict yourself by those imposed limits. Why think about the end when you haven’t even fully started your journey? Stay open-minded. Seek stability in this overwhelming chaos of opportunities. Release outdated attachments, learn as you go and do so with flow -  learn about what makes you happy and what fulfills you. There is no need to think about the afterwards when you haven’t even come close to the end. Just think about the next step while taking care of yourself, your health and happiness. You won’t be hanging aimlessly in the air, you’re more than capable to assert control and structure in your life, at any time. But try to do so with integrity, flexibility and empathy to ensure that your ‘order’ does not become oppression (of yourself).

[curio-queries]

Are You Sure?!

Episodes 5 & 6 Notes

It was very fortuitous that I've been so busy over the last couple of weeks as I really needed both of these episodes together to make sense of my thoughts. This post is definitely far more conceptual than my last ones so if you're up for it, click on though the cut!

AYS's Main Character?

I would like to propose that AYS has a main character OTHER than the individual humans we're following along on screen. (I warned you, this post was going to be conceptual.) And the main character is the relationship itself, how each of the members relate to one another.

Here's Google's AI overview on what this concept means:

A story can center on the relationship between characters as the primary protagonist, with the dynamic and evolution of that connection acting as the main driving force of the narrative, rather than the individual characters themselves.

Key points to consider:

Relationship-centric stories: Many genres, particularly romance, often focus heavily on the relationship between the main characters, exploring its complexities, challenges, and growth throughout the story.

No single protagonist: In such cases, the "character" is the bond between the individuals, not just one person's perspective or journey.

Exploring the dynamic: The narrative would then focus on how the relationship changes, adapts, and reacts to external situations or internal conflicts.

Examples:

"Before Sunrise": The entire plot revolves around the single night encounter between two strangers, with the developing connection being the central focus.

"Brokeback Mountain": The story primarily explores the forbidden love between two cowboys, highlighting the complexities of their relationship in a restrictive environment.

"Steel Magnolias ": A group of girls in a small town in Louisiana experience grief together, including weddings, fatal illnesses, and the loss of loved ones.

Now before anyone comes for me saying I'm just pitching an argument for xyz fanwar, please note that I included the above just to illustrate the concept of a non-person main character rather than stating any of the above are comparisons to the individual member's relationships. We're talking about a show that was produced and distributed for entertainment, nothing further.

Episode 5

My main feeling after finally being able to watch episode 5 was overall unsettled. There was something sticking with me about that episode and I could NOT figure out what it was.

I knew I was feeling like the entire episode was stretched well beyond what the footage wanted for a complete episode. I'm all for getting to spend more time with our fellas but the Jeju trip would have benefited from being cut down to 2 episodes rather than 3, in my opinion.

There was just a whole lotta nothing happening. The guys eat, travel around a little bit, and eat some more. I had some vague thoughts about how I could quantify some data for y'all to explain this point but then it was time for the next episode...

vs. Episode 6

And what an absolutely lovely breath of fresh air this episode was. I know there have been some Run eps that I review with a smile on my face throughout the whole episode but AYS6?? That was 73 minutes of pure bliss.

So I started thinking about what must be different between the two eps. The guys eat, travel around a little bit, and eat some more...wait, that's exactly what I said about ep 5! Lol

But I think the main difference between the two is episode 6's plot points continually focus on the relationships between the members, while 5 falls a little stagnant.

Some examples:

JM/cat & JK/dog. I'm ALWAYS down for more footage of BTS with pets but this is frankly too much time spent on these scenes. It's honestly footage I would have expected in the bonus content instead of the main product. It's not just an establishing beat or a setup for a callback, this is supposed to be a scene but since it doesn't contribute to the journey of the main character aka the relationships. It could maaaybe work if they'd cut it to highlight the juxtaposition of how JM is calm with the cat vs JKs energy with the dog but that would have shortened the time it occupied and they were clearly trying to keep absolutely everything in that would lengthen the episode.

JKs stew. The ONLY thing that ties this plot point into the narrative of this show (other than it happening while he's in Jeju and Jimin is nearby) is the offhand comment he made that Jimin would like it while he was in NY. I'm going to talk more about this footage below but this was absolutely crucial for this whole beat making it into the episode. This is also why the footage of JM eating it and randomly taking off his shirt was kept in. The cut they chose is actually pretty bad story-wise but they used it anyway. We hear JM saying how much he loves it and how glad he is that JK is a good cook. It ties all of this time we spent watching JK do something alone back into the real main character of the show (the members' relationships between eachother in different circumstances).

Anyway, I won't belabour the point any further. With Tae constantly disappearing from scenes and the slightly diminished lack of focus on the member's relationships, episode 5 left me on an odd note.

A Little Production Note

I was completely thrown by the footage of JK in NY that we got this episode. But not for the reasons you may be thinking. (I do wonder if the anon that was sending in asks about the financing behind the documentaries is still around because we're getting into some of tidbits finally.)

So, all along we've been trying to sus out as much as we can, just a few details about how AYS came to be. We've had some hints but the inclusion of this footage may be another indicator.

The facts as we know them:

AYS is distributed by Disney.

Jungkook's documentary is being distributed by Trafalgar Releasing NOT Disney (at least not now, maybe it'll make it onto streaming after cinematic release but who knows?)

Questions due to the footage of JK in NY:

Was this footage captured as part of JKs documentary?

If so, when was it pulled to be utilized for AYS? Did the editors find it or were the writers involved?

We know that HYBE gathers behind-the-scene content without always having a full plan of how it will be used. But there are times where it did seem intentional for a specific purpose. Where did JKs Golden footage fall in?

Once upon a time, production houses would make deals with distributors about quantities of projects that would be delivered. Was that the case with the Disney deal or has every single project been negotiated separately and we only heard about it once there was a confirmed quantity. Somewhere in the middle perhaps?

And that's all I've got to say for now. I do have some more thoughts about things I've gleaned during these last couple of episodes but it'll likely keep until the end.

Anyway, this footage bumped me because it broke the rules of cross-project production. They got away with it for JKs SEVEN footage in ep 1 because they likely were using the same production crew since it was literally the same day so it doesnt feel like they're'breaking the wall'. But the NY-Jeju crews could have been completely different.

Editing to add further clarification to this point in this ask.

On a sidenote, do y'all remember the last time we got footage of jikook in a hotspring?? I'll jog your memory if not, it was in BV:4 and they 'washed each other's faces'. I can't even imagine what we're about to see in episode 7.

Link to my AYS MasterList

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

WebMD Page for Aziraphale

As promised to you all, inspired by that video of Aziraphale as an antidepressant. The WebMD drug format, from your clearly deranged mascot, Asmi. This took way too much effort. For legal purposes, even though this blog is a lawless hellscape, this is a spoof. If you did like it, reblog it, maggoty loves of mine, because likes don't help visibility on tumblr, and I want everyone to be traumatised with my own specific brand of unhinged. No pressure though, be rebels muaha. That being said:

MENU > DRUGS & MEDICATIONS > AZIRAPHALE

COMMON BRAND(S): Guardian of the East Gate, Angel GENERIC NAME(S): Aziraphale

USES This medication is used to treat mood-related disorders ranging from depression to chronic loneliness and anxiety. It has also been proven effective in treatment of Compulsive Demonic Behavioural Disorder (CDBD) and Post Fall Stress Disorder (PFSD). The medication results in an overall improvement in mood (see Side Effects), morals, and lifestyle choices. This medication is sometimes described as a 'miracle-worker'. It is advisable to ensure that the correct dosage is taken at regular intervals. The doctor/God/Forces That Be may prescribe a lower dose at the start, gradually increasing frequency and amount over the course of millennia.

SIDE EFFECTS Documented side-effects include pining behaviour, severe withdrawal symptoms in case of suddenly stopping the medication, heart palpitations, stuttering or stammering, mood swings including irrational lashing out or defensive behaviour when faced with highly emotional situations, break-ups, misunderstands, obliviousness, amongst others. Despite the studies being limited to a single subject (see Crowley et. al. updated 2023) these effects are typically harmless in the long term. Life-altering effects may also be noted, including irretrievably falling in love, marriage, a positive character arc, tendencies to put oneself at risk to ensure continuation of medication, lifelong friendship, fate-defying romance and severe allergy to the idea of discontinuation of medication.

WARNINGS Casual or reckless consumption can be too fast for the medication, which will lessen its effects, leading to withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms range from repeated indulging in CDBD and PFSD induced behaviours to alcoholism, depressive episodes, recklessness, listlessness, and prolonged car rides with no purpose. While the medication should not be consumed too fast, regularity is also advised. This is a long-term medication and not a short-term fix. Rare, short-term exposures will only worsen the side effects, withdrawal symptoms and may even reverse the drug effects.

PRECAUTIONS Ensure immortality so that the medication may be able to work its effect through the full course. Pre-existing trauma and heart conditions may require regular consultations with a therapist.

INTERACTIONS Drug interactions may change how the medication works or increase severity of side effects. This document does not include a comprehensive list of all drug interactions, please do adequate research and check instructions on the medication before proceeding with additional drugs. Aziraphale is known to have highly negative interactions with the toxin hellfire as well as the drugs Gabriel (only when sold as Supreme Archangel), Satan and Metatron (known toxin). Negative interference may occur due to most drugs from the class Heaven and Hell. Vague interference may occur with the drug class Homo sapiens.

OVERDOSE While less dangerous than withdrawal symptoms, overdose may lead to lack of personal space, miscommunication, and decrease in mood stability. Increased irritability is also common. Use with caution.

IMAGE

REVIEWS (1) Effectiveness: 5 stars Ease of use: 4 stars Satisfaction: 100000000000000000000e stars

It must be noted that in the country where I live (India), advertisements for pharmaceutical drugs are legally prohibited on television and other media. Which is why I was very bewildered at the initial video. But WebMD is a universal phenomenon so this shall by my contribution to the fandom. Thank you @neil-gaiman, Good Omens has given me a lot of opportunities to exercise my brain in all the weirdest ways.

[carriehobbs]

The Wayhaven Chronicles (Not-Quite-Official) Timeline [Part 1]

I often struggle to keep track of the timeline of the Wayhaven books. While it is known that the story is set in the “[m]odern, present day”[1] and that the series as a whole (Book 1 through to Book 7) will likely take place over a few years[2, 3, 4] (specifically, the series is projected to be set over approximately 2-3 years[5]), the books themselves do not always explicitly state when each book is set or each book’s duration. Supposedly, the series should have "[n]o set timings"[6]. Instead, the books tend to be set in general seasons[6], as this “frees things up for the narrative”[7]. This is not to say, however, that a more concrete timeline cannot be constructed. Several asks that have been published on the official Wayhaven blog, as well as the books themselves, seem to indicate an intended timeline (even if this timeline may never be formally canonized).

So, I set out with the intention of constructing Wayhaven’s intended timeline. However, I quickly found that Tumblr’s search function made it incredibly difficult to find the necessary information at will (that is to say, the search function does not always retrieve information thoroughly or reliably). As such, I decided that the only solution was to review every page on the official Wayhaven blog and identify any posts that relate to the books’ intended timeline. I followed this search by replaying the released Wayhaven books (as of the "last updated" date, these are Books 1, 2, and 3, as well as the demo for Book 4) to substantiate the findings from the asks with evidence attested in the books. I have compiled the results of my review here.

The goal of this post is not to insist that the timeline presented here is the only possible timeline for the Wayhaven books, nor is it to refute alternative interpretations of the timeline. My aim is merely to create a repository of information (from both official asks and from the books) about the timeline of the series so that anyone may access and refer to sourced reference material, should they wish to do so. While I do, at times, offer my own interpretation of the timeline, I do not mean to imply that my view is the only (or necessarily the correct) way to interpret the information that has been collected here.

This post is organized by book. Each section first addresses the overall season or time period in which a book is set, referring to evidence from both the published asks and books. Next, the duration of the book is discussed (when possible). Finally, the length of time between the current and following book is identified (e.g., the length of time between Books One and Two). Key passages from the books have been selected to be included in this post to provide evidence for the timeline. It should be noted that not every passage that explicitly states or alludes to the season is identified in this post, though I tried to include passages that I felt made a strong argument for the season. The proposed timeline and the list of linked sources are included under the cut for length. As further books are released, a Part 2 of the timeline will be created and linked at the bottom of this post.

While I've done my best to include every ask (that has been published as of the "last updated" date) and several key passages from the books that address the timeline, it may be possible that I've missed something. If you know of an ask or a passage that contradicts (or elaborates on) the information I've collected here, please let me know and I'd be happy to include it :)

Last Updated: 09/06/2024

Book One:

Book One is set at the end of winter, near the beginning of spring[7, 8]. On multiple occasions, Book One indicates that the story is set in late winter. This is often done by contrasting the current season with the impending arrival of spring, even if the winter season is not explicitly named:

"Buds may be clinging to the few stark trees lining the alleyway, but it is far from spring yet." (Chapter 1, emphasis added)

“I really hope spring arrives soon.” (Chapter 6)

Despite the acknowledgement that Book One is set in winter, there is one passage in Book One that claims that the story is set in spring instead:

"What should have been a lovely early spring morning is dampened by a grey sky flecked with dark storm clouds; a mist of rain hangs in the air." (Chapter 4, emphasis added)

One of the asks answered on the official Wayhaven blog, however, addresses this passage, stating that, in this passage, the "MC was probably being optimistic" and that it was "more like February [than spring proper] in Book One"[9]. Additionally, in one ask, it is claimed that "Book One is set in very early spring. Possibly around about early March kind of time"[10], though this statement could contradict the other asks published about the Wayhaven timeline as well as the textual evidence for the timeline in the books themselves. I believe that setting early or mid-Book One in early March would conflict with the rest of the timeline as it has been established. However, setting the end of Book One in early March would be consistent with the timeline presented in official asks and with the timeline established by future books.

In addition to specifying that it is not yet spring in the story, Book One repeatedly refers to the weather and the temperature as a means of indirectly communicating the season. Book One frequently emphasizes the cold temperature of the air:

“The chill air bites at my skin as soon as I step out of the warm comfort of the car. I shove my hands into the pockets of my coat, shivering at the relief it provides from the sharp cold.” (Chapter 1, emphasis added)

“It smells cold, the chill hitting my nose and coating my throat. I cough as the cold reaches my chest, bundling my coat up a little tighter.” (Chapter 6, emphasis added)

“The cold seeps through the pockets of my coat, biting at my fingers and settling with an ache on my shoulders. My walk has turned into a stomp just to try and keep the feeling in my toes.” (Chapter 6, emphasis added)

These descriptions of weather and (more frequently) temperature clearly suggest that Book One is set in winter. It should be noted that, though the author states they “very specifically didn't have a set place in mind for Wayhaven”[19], it is evident from the way that the seasons in the Wayhaven games are described that Wayhaven is nonetheless implied to be set in the Northern hemisphere. While the rest of this post will discuss the seasons as if they are universally experienced in the same way, it is acknowledged here that different regions may experience seasons differently and that those experiences may not align with what is discussed in this post or from what is depicted in the Wayhaven books.

The duration of Book One was "probably around 10 weeks"[11], or approximately 3 months[12, 13], from the beginning to the end of the book. About 2-3 weeks were spent recovering from the altercation with Murphy at the end of Book One[14], though it is not clear if this time is a part of the 3 months of Book One (as the detective is in recovery in the final scene of the book) or from the time between Books One and Two. Later chapters of Book One begin to describe new plant growth, thus indicating that the season has begun to change and emphasizing the multiple months that have passed during the book:

“It's [the hospital] spread like a flat cream monstrosity amongst a few trees that are attempting to bloom” (Chapter 12, emphasis added)

Between Book One and Book Two: About 2 months have passed between Books One and Two[12, 13, 15, 16]. This timeline is confirmed in Book Two, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.

Book Two:

Book Two is approximately set in May[9]. Book Two demonstrates the shift between winter (the season in Book One) and spring (the season in Book Two) multiple times, typically by overtly naming the seasons:

“At least the light spring mornings are better to get ready in than the gloom of winter. A change of season has been much welcomed in Wayhaven after all the heavy events that happened.” (Chapter 1, emphasis added)

"Spring really has finally arrived, and with it, the sun and warmer weather.” (Chapter 1)

“The spring warmth wraps the area in its embrace, and I even have to unbutton my coat.” (Chapter 19, emphasis added)

Some passages suggest that Book Two is set in early spring by mentioning the lingering winter weather:

“Whereas the day started out warm and bright, the night brings with it the remnants of still-clinging winter. A chill whips along on the breeze, gnawing on my fingers even through my pockets.” (Chapter 4, N’s route, emphasis added)

Later chapters in Book Two seem to indicate that spring has fully arrived (or, at least, is in the process of fully arriving). These passages suggest that the later chapters may be set closer to mid-spring (or even potentially late spring):

"Spring is eventually finding its stride through the final clutches of winter. (Chapter 18, emphasis added)

As Book One did, Book Two depicts the changing of the seasons by describing changes to the environment. Whereas Book One emphasizes the cold air, Book Two generally emphasizes new plant growth in order indicate the season:

"They [citizens of Wayhaven] opt to take the paths off the streets that lead through the trees, enjoying the nature which is once again blooming in shades of emerald and bottle greens throughout the town—something I'll have to remember to do too once I get the chance.” (Chapter 1, emphasis added)

"As a breeze blows past me, I can smell the earthy scent of spring hanging in the air from the forest that surrounds the town. Life must be blossoming in nature at this time of year. (Chapter 4, N’s route, emphasis added)

“Sunlight struggles to push through the thick canopy of fresh spring growth on the trees, but a warmth still saturates the area. [...] Small white flowers blossom on the bushes I am passing, my motion disturbing their rest and drawing out a waft of sweet fragrance that trails behind me as I go." (Chapter 18, emphasis added)

In addition, there are some references to birdsong throughout Book Two. The presence of birdsong suggests that birds are returning to Wayhaven after migrating for the winter:

“Birds chirp happily in the trees as I pass beneath them, blossoms dancing down around me and brightening the dull grey concrete with freckles of white and pink as they land on the ground.” (Chapter 1, emphasis added)

With regards to its duration, Book Two takes about "a month and a half or just over"[12]. It has been "at least half a year" between the beginning of Book One and the end of Book Two[12].

I would speculate that, given the time between the beginning of Book One and the end of Book Two, Book One would have had to start in January at the latest: as it has been established, Book One took three months (approximately January-March), then there was a two-month gap between Books One and Two (approximately April-May), and then Book Two took one/one-and-a-half months (approximately May-June). Thus, in order for there to have been six months (or more) between the start of Book One and the end of Book Two while being consistent with the rest of the established timeline, Book One would have needed to start around January and Book Two would have needed to end around June, perhaps even July.

Between Book Two and Book Three: One month has passed between Books Two and Three[17]. This one-month gap is confirmed in Book 3, Chapter 1 (N's route).

Book Three:

Please note that (as of the “last updated” date) my method of citing passages in Book Three is different than the citation method used for Books One, Two, and Four. While I did my best to cite as accurately as possible, if you notice errors in any citations (and specifically in the chapter numbers), please let me know.

Book Three is set during the summer[18]. The season is explicitly confirmed multiple times throughout Book Three:

“There aren't many moments that beat dusk in summer.” (Chapter 1)

“The oncoming summer day is already adding a warmth to the open-plan station." (Chapter 2)

"The summer sun is already bright, but the trees help disperse the heat into a comforting warmth against [their] skin.” (Chapter 2)

Like in Book Two, Book Three tends to describe plant life in order to indirectly indicate the season. While Book Two emphasizes new growth, Book Three instead emphasizes lush plant life:

“The leafy branches of the hazel tree sway overhead, offering a good amount of dappled shade, and the grass is surprisingly squelchy beneath my shoes considering the heat of the day.” (Chapter 5, emphasis added)

“It's a surprisingly large clearing considering the thickness of the trees surrounding it. A sea of green carpets the area, with tangles of dark bushes creating a barricade around the outside. [...] Our steps are slowed by the lush, overgrown grass, but each step which breaks the blades sends a waft of summery goodness to help ease my nerves.” (Chapter 5, emphasis added)

Whereas the plants in Book Two are just budding (as plants would be in spring), the plants in Book Three are consistently depicted as being fully-grown and thriving, as they would be in summer.

Information about the duration of Book Three has not yet been made publicly available.

Between Book Three and Book Four: No information has yet been publicly shared about the length of time between Books Three and Four.

Book Four:

As with the other books, there are several passages in the Book Four demo that confirm that Book Four starts in summer by explicitly naming the season:

"It is hard to deny summer is still clinging with its last desperate grip over Wayhaven." (Chapter 1)

"Summer will be over soon". (Chapter 1, A's route)

"Summer's sunrise is always a sight to behold" (Chapter 1, M's route)

One passage in Book Four specifically suggests that the book is set in late summer. This passage indicates that summer is at an end and that autumn is approaching:

"Summer heat grasps to the trees, crisping the leaves at the edges, and adding a warmth to the air where the autumnal chill is so desperate to claim victory." (Chapter 1, emphasis added)

Part 2

Linked Sources:

[1] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/186631276448/hi-sorry-if-youve-answered-this-before-but (posted 29/07/2019, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[2] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/611495184637755392/whats-the-timeline-on-twc-timewise-the-first (posted 02/03/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[3] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/742950852102373376/how-much-in-game-time-will-pass-between-book-1-and (posted 21/02/2024, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[4] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/171049914994/how-much-time-passes-from-the-day-the-mc-met-the (posted 19/02/2018, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[5] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/613035165044850688/how-long-does-the-wayhaven-books-span-over-is-it (posted 19/03/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[6] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/626892386980823040/are-there-any-set-timings-for-when-the-series (posted 19/08/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[7] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/635865379357523968/hey-im-not-sure-if-this-question-has-been-asked (posted 26/11/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[8] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/171376966644/hello-sera-i-was-wondering-in-what-season-is-book (28/02/2018, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[9] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/175570383062/so-you-said-the-timeline-for-book-one-is-three (posted 05/07/2018, last accessed 07/06/2024)

[10] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/169539410844/hiii-jest-wanted-to-let-you-know-that-youre (posted 10/01/2018, last accessed 07/06/2024)

[11] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/174718760931/whats-the-timeline-like-how-long-was-the-events (posted 09/06/2018, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[12] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/618738714375553024/im-sorry-if-this-is-a-dumb-question-agsh-but-how (posted 21/05/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[13] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/186400748088/im-new-to-wayhaven-and-i-was-wondering-if-there (posted 19/07/2019, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[14] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/178410044026/question-how-long-was-the-mc-in-recovery-after (posted 24/09/2018, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[15] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/173026735924/out-of-curiosity-how-big-will-the-timeskip-be (posted 17/04/2018, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[16] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/168535656799/hey-sera-i-dont-know-if-someone-already-asked (posted 14/12/2017, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[17] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/630878648635899905/how-long-has-passed-in-between-end-of-book-2-and (posted 02/10/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[18] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/625443080774057984/if-book-two-is-in-spring-what-season-will-we-be-in (posted 03/08/2020, last accessed 30/05/2024)

[19] https://seraphinitegames.tumblr.com/post/689585471509151744/hi-first-ask-ive-ever-done-but-i-am-obsessed (posted 12/07/2022, last accessed 09/06/2024)

Special Thanks:

Special thanks to @/wayhavenguide (for their unofficial guides to Book 1 and Book 2, which I used to cite my quotes from Books 1 and 2 throughout this post) and to @/agentnatesewell (who taught me a trick to view the code of the Book 3 demo, which I used to cite quotes in Book 3 up to Chapter 6).

[hongyueg]

'The Reckoning of Roku' Review

The Reckoning of Roku

By Randy Ribay

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Content Warnings: death, grief, colonization

Description: “A young Avatar Roku has only just commenced his training at the Southern Air Temple when his erstwhile friend, Prince Sozin, requests his aid in preventing the Earth Kingdom from claiming a remote Fire Nation island. Despite his inexperience, Avatar Roku slips away with the help of an irritating young Airbender named Gyatso. As the reluctant companions delve deeper into their wayward mission, they begin to realize that even greater threats lie ahead. Plagued by self-doubt but eager to prove himself, Roku fights for his life and the lives of others while ensuring that the hidden secret of the island doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

After reading the previous Chronicles of the Avatar books, and liking them a lot, particularly the Yangchen duology, I was very excited to read The Reckoning of Roku and see another author tackle the Avatar-world in novel format. Overall, I liked The Reckoning of Roku. The characters were very entertaining, the plot was intriguing, and the book does a nice job setting up the themes and events we know Roku will face later on in his life. I have some complicated feelings toward how one of the antagonists was handled and a death that occurs later in the novel, but in general, I find this book enjoyable.

What I enjoyed:

-Just like the original show and the Kyoshi and Yangchen duologies, this book creates heartwarming and heartwrenching character dynamics and relationships. Ribay especially does a good job providing more depth to both Roku and Sozin’s and Roku and Gyatso’s friendships. As someone who recently went through a life transition that meant moving away from some of my closest friends, I could really relate to Roku as he navigated leaving his childhood best friend behind. Additionally, I am impressed by how the novel humanizes Sozin while making you hate him more. Sozin’s storyline reminded me a lot of Snow’s in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and I would be interested in seeing where it continues in the sequel. Gyatso was wonderful in this book and I appreciated learning more about his past and seeing him interact with Roku and a new character named Malaya. I especially loved how Gyatso got to be his own person in this novel and not just Roku’s Airbender friend. Also, Ta Min completely stole the show in every chapter she was in. I hope we get to see more of her in the sequel!

-Speaking of Malaya, I wanted to acknowledge how her character helped challenge some problematic tropes in adventure and travel stories. In this book, Malaya, at first glance, stands in for the stereotypical and often racist caricature of the “friendly Indigenous guide.” Yet, almost every scene where she interacts with outsiders is written from her perspective, forcing non-Indigenous readers to challenge their own biases and assumptions within this story as well as in similar narratives. Additionally, since so much of the novel is from Malaya’s perspective, we can really see her own agency in her decision-making and see her growth as a character going from beginning to question her own leader to fighting to protect her clan while choosing to explore beyond her home.

-In terms of themes, I appreciated what this novel had to say about grief both in terms of grieving the death of a person and also about grieving changing relationships with one’s friends and allegiances. Detachment is a word that pops up a lot in this novel and the book does a great job of challenging what it means to detach and exploring how we can have healthy attachments to the people and places that are no longer in our lives.

-The worldbuilding additions in this book were fascinating! I enjoyed learning more about Air Nomad and Fire Island cultures and it was neat seeing how the author weaved his own Filipino culture into the story.

What I thought could be better:

First, as a note, it’s very hard to talk about my critiques of the book while avoiding spoilers, so please take this as your spoiler warning.

-[Spoiler Alert] I have complicated feelings about how Ulo was handled in the novel. On one hand, I appreciated how Ulo’s storyline showcases the importance of holding all leaders accountable. Just because a leader is from a marginalized identity and claims to be making decisions to protect their communities does not mean they are exempt from being corrupt or abusing their own people consciously or unconsciously. On the other hand, since we are mainly seeing Ulo through the eyes of Roku and Malaya, the novel seems intent on making readers distrust Ulo’s position toward outsiders without delving into the complexity of his order to kill all outsiders. Ulo is also the primary character in the story who outright discusses a fear of colonization, a fear that is proven true by the end of the book. It seems like the book is trying to both give complexity to Ulo while still retaining him as an antagonist without truly delving into his motivations and the source of his fears. Maybe if Ulo had just been given a couple of chapters from his perspective, his storyline would have felt more like a complex examination of leaders living under the threat of colonization rather than a muddled commentary.

-I also have complicated feelings regarding Malaya’s death. On one hand, I appreciated that the scene is written from her perspective, allowing readers to recognize her agency in her decision to try to assassinate Sozin. Her decision also reflects her growth in her ability to stand up to corrupt leaders. On the other hand, her death appears to be used to emphasize Sozin’s paranoia and cruelty, characteristics readers already know he possesses. While her death does add to the grief plotline of the book, it still feels somewhat unnecessary since we already see Gyatso and Roku grow in terms of their understandings of grief even before she dies. This leads to her death feeling like the book is killing off its only Indigenous, female point-of-view character to showcase the male characters’ cruelty and growth. [End Spoiler Alert]

Despite my complicated feelings regarding some of the book’s plotlines, I enjoyed The Reckoning of Roku overall. I loved seeing Roku, Gyatso, Ta Min, and even Sozin receive more characterization and it was a lot of fun meeting new characters like Malaya and Sister Disha. What this book had to say about grief was powerful and I can’t wait to see where these characters and themes go in the sequel! I recommend the book to any Avatar fan looking for an exciting adventure.

[freakinator]

Freakinator freakinator freakinator. I'm shaking you. I'm really interested in your opinion on Wemmbu's video when you're done watching it.

hiii im finally done watching the vid so heres my Honest Review™

im sure a lot of ppl hate the length but i personally dont mind it cause pacing is really important to me (too slow i get bored and antsy, too fast i get bored and overwhelmed) and with the kind of storytelling wemmbu does i think it works pretty well, can it be divided into less intimidating time chunks? yes and honestly he probs should do that ngl lol like theres some downtime moments where cutting it would be acceptable imo and its not like unstable where you risk having the overall story flow break if you cut a vid in half, will i mind if it stays this way tho? not really and i could always come back to it later if i had to stop watching for whatever reason

also the latter half of the vid was more interesting imo cause of the fact that his pov is a lot more unique there which i think wemmbu was aware of considering he put less cuts and narration for the later days vs the earlier ones ---- tho it could have also just been because the more interesting parts of the earlier half are more spaced out and context-dependent compared to the latter

i think most of the seeds for how wemmbu became the menace that he is today were planted After his hiatus so i wasnt surprised at there not being a lot of ✨foreshadowing✨ shown in the video, but the few that Were there were really juicy such as wemmbus zambook-related shenanigans, wemmbu referring to the wemmbu head above the frat house as a parasitic infection seeping into the roof which pangi notes as being like him living rent free in their heads, and wemmbu saying that revenge has consumed him already after zam said not to let it consume him

i said it in one of my liveblogs but i think its fascinating how trusting wemmbu is, like youd expect him not to be considering the kind of person he is and the kinds of things he likes to do but he it seems he just. wholeheartedly believes the other lsers wouldnt make his life miserable if they could which is interesting considering even at that point he was considered as one of the serverwide opps, he also extends that trust onto their skill level ie trusting other ppls decisions before his own and thinking that other ppl are more skilled than they are

i think its interesting how his tussle with the empire was a little less... direct??? for lack of a better word compared to his teammates, like they fought sure but he has yet to have a 1 on 1 problem with any of them with the exception of jepexx who his problem with is just that he combatlogged and even then that conflict was resolved really quickly ---- wait nvm i just remembered the daycare fight lmao, but even then that was less an empires moment and more a loserduo moment tbh, otherwise all his conflict with the empire has been pretty team-based rather than individual-based

im a big fan of how he kept coming across zam considering theyve got basically nothing to do with each other at this point and yet hes still one of the more consistent presences in wemmbus vid which is something of note considering all the other consistent presences in his life are either his teammates or his enemies (mainly mapicc), not even pangi is a consistent presence despite the fact hes also a spawn camper (could just be a timezone thing tho)

im also a big fan of the wemmflower, shoutout wemmbus inclination towards tulips lol. im curious how its doing rn tho, like i doubt any player touched it cause its quite the niche area but at the same time it Is located in an unlit cave full of mobs such as creepers so it getting destroyed is a non-zero chance (hoping it stays safe forever tho)

overall i gotta say im a big fan and also that was p much what i expected out of a wemmbu lifesteal vid lol, granted the fact it was 3 hours long was a lil unexpected but also that explains why it took him like 2-3 months to edit it

[vivziepopwhatthehell]

Ep 4 Review

There are mentions of SA in this document. Reader discretion is advised.

Introduction

There’s so many things that I want to say about Hazbin Hotel but for now, I’m only going to keep my thoughts relevant to episode four. It’s the episode that everyone is talking about, after all. I’d love to hear everyone else’s thoughts too. 

The Positives

- I was expecting Blake Roman's voice acting to be subpar, and initially, it fell short of my expectations. The first episode featured what I believe is his weakest voice direction among all the released episodes. However, my initial concerns were proven wrong as the series progressed. In this episode, Blake's performance truly stood out and showcased his considerable talent. He skillfully conveyed emotions that he wasn't given an opportunity to show in the earlier episodes. Despite this improvement, he still faces the challenges with maintaining the Angel Dust accent. Blake Roman would definitely shine if he was given a role that wasn't previously defined by another talented voice actor like Michael Kovach. That being said, I'm really excited to see more from Blake Roman in future episodes.

- Valentino's character is now effectively portrayed with the menacing demeanor befitting his role, a notable departure from his initial appearance in episode two. The shift in his portrayal makes it more evident why Angel Dust fears him. To enhance the impact of Valentino's introduction in this episode, a strategic adjustment in episode two's writing could have been beneficial. Specifically, focusing more on Vox and Alastor, and introducing Valentino through Angel Dust's voicemail instead. This approach would have spared Valentino from the perception of being pathetic and whiny in previous showcases, ensuring a more powerful debut. However, it's worth noting that episode four rectifies this mistake to a significant extent, making the suggestion to rewrite episode two more of a reflection on what could have been done differently rather than a critique of the current narrative.

- The animation is a lot smoother in this episode compared to two and three. The characters are also a lot more expressive and the art is overall pretty to look at. That's my overall opinion on the art direction. The storyboard is great in several areas, too. I loved the visuals when Husk talks about how he signed his contract with Alastor. 

- The beginning of the episode actually had a few jokes that made me laugh.

The Negatives

- Hazbin Hotel has huge pacing problems present in all of the episodes. Because the show only has 23 minutes and 10 episodes to tell its story, a bunch of minor inconveniences need to be escalated unrealistically either to change a scene or develop character relationships (this one is mainly in relation to Charlie and Vaggie). In this episode, Charlie's tiny stumble over a plug must hastily snowball into a fire to justify the subsequent escalation of tension with Valentino. But how does that even start a fire? Charlie could instead accidentally knock over a lit candle on the bedside table in the set. Following this mishap, the employees, who are off exploring Charlie's hotel idea after their conversation during the shoot, are absent when the fire starts, causing it to spread. This change is still stupid, but it maintains the same elements while offering a more believable catalyst for the escalating tension. Another area that could have been improved was the ending, because I feel like Angel Dust forgave Charlie way too easily.

- Hazbin Hotel often relies heavily on exposition dumps and tends to tell rather than show. Husker's dialogue in the beginning of the episode serves as a means to spoon-feed the audience information about each character's struggle, which is a really boring way to storytell. Husker also seems to have such an intimate understanding of every character that he should be the one to run the hotel at this point. I am hoping that we get a Husker and Charlie episode, where Husker tells her to listen to her friends more. Maybe then she’d have a better understanding on how to help them out with their problems.

- Valentino's powers are confusing me. In "Addict," the red smoke from Valentino and Angel Dust's cigarettes, initially symbolic, seems to become literal in episode four. For instance, Valentino uses the smoke to create chains around Angel Dust's throat and pulls him upwards to focus on the contract he signed. The smoke should not have been made a physical entity that can control the characters this way, because now it completely devalues its presence in the music video (even if the music video is no longer canon). 

- Regrettably, the episode has become difficult for me to view objectively due to some storyboard artists openly sharing their personal bedroom preferences. I'm making a concerted effort to distinguish the artists from their work, but it is hard to not view this as just another fuel for fetish. To illustrate, consider the smoke chain scene preceding "Poison," where Valentino employs a chain around Angel's neck to compel him to review the contract. It's notable that Valentino could have achieved the same effect by grabbing Angel's hair, but the inclusion of the chain appears to be a direct reference to the storyboard artist's leash kink.

- There’s too many songs. When the song title leaks came out for Hazbin Hotel, I thought that most of them were just the names of the instrumentals. They are all actually two-four minute length songs. When these songs do come onto the screen, none of them have build-up. The song just randomly starts, and many times, the song replaces moments that are crucial to have dialogue in. Just because you have Broadway stars doesn’t mean that you need to have three songs per episode. Cap it to one to leave a good impression on your audience, because most of these songs left me REALLY bored not even halfway through them. The lyrics and how they are sung are also offensive at times, specifically in “Loser Baby”. 

- Charlie's fixation on the hotel has reached an alarming level of insensitivity in this episode. While the hotel's success remains crucial, her approach comes off as callous and indifferent to the people around her. The episode kicks off with what seems like a thoughtful gesture toward Angel Dust, trying to help him get a day off work. But her motivation is solely to ensure he can continue his daily redeemer exercises at the hotel. Then, when Angel Dust begs her to leave (while sounding completely terrified in the process), Charlie overstays her welcome and actively disrupts the employees during the shoot to advertise her hotel. There’s a time and place, Charlie! In my ideal version of the episode, Charlie remains determined to secure a day off for Angel Dust (just to spend time with him). Charlie doesn’t get to speak to Angel Dust before she proposes the idea to Valentino. Valentino responds nicely to her, but we see a bunch of subtle cues to his anger about Angel Dust trying to “escape” before he glares at Angel Dust and brings him into the other room.

-  Keith David is talented, but his voice for Husker just isn’t doing it for me. Sorry, Keith. It isn’t as rough and gravelly as it should be, but you were obviously just miscast. The same applies to Stephanie Beatriz as Vaggie. 

- A trigger warning is absent from the episode. The warning wouldn't have benefited the narrative in any way, but it would have definitely aided the members of the audience that it is meant to represent.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the episode is overall “okay”. It still suffers a lot of the same problems as the other episodes. Though, episode four does have its own improvements as well. I am hoping that the show continues to get better from here.

Edit: accidentally deleted one of my points before publishing + added a tag.

[uloelu]

🖼️ Jordyn Padgett 🖼️

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Ethnicity: Irish and Black British (Simlish)

Traits: Snob, Sporty, Art Lover (custom traits)

Age: 24 (young adult)

Current world: San Myshuno

Likes: Writing, wellness, mixology, media production, fitness, skiing, dancing, painting, photography, red, black, white, yellow, brown, classical music, new age music, hip hop, preppy and polished fashion, discussing interests, deep thoughts, stories, idealist Sims,

Dislikes: Handiness, gardening, cross-stitch, cottage-core and pop music, nature enthusiasts, basics and country fashion, gossip, small talk

Potential Profile

Jordyn Padgett (she/her) spent 18 long Sim years in her sleepy farming hometown of Henford-on-Bagley. As soon as she was able, she fled to the bustling city of San Myshuno, rooming with 3 other Sims in the Fashion District. One of those Sims was a woman by the name of Penelope Puri (Penny Pizzazz by default), a Simfluencer who skyrocketed to stardom through her videos reviewing celeb style fails and budding fashion trends. Penelope taught Jordyn the tricks of her trade, and now Jordyn has a following of her own--though she only makes content related to movies, TV, and the art world. Her ultimate goal is to become a world-renowned art critic, attending shows/ galleries around the world and leaving her mark on the industry. She knows she'll have to compete with the juggernaut that is Diego Lobo, but she greatly admires him and hopes they can collaborate one day.

She likes to go out and have fun, but Jordyn isn't a huge party animal. She's just as likely to prefer a night in with Netflix to a night out at a bustling bar. She's got a tight-knit group of friends with eclectic interests, and she prefers it that way. Jordyn has been on her fair share of dates with guys, but it's only recently that she realized her lack of attraction to them. Though she's not out to anyone, she's excited to explore her newfound identity as a lesbian.

Jordyn cares greatly about her health and personal style. She's seen enough denim and overalls to last her a lifetime--it's high quality clothing only from here on out. When she's not working or hanging out with her friends, you can find her shopping online, at a yoga studio, or a gym. Jordyn wishes she could eat healthier, but her notorious sweet tooth prevents her from cutting sugar out of her life altogether. She doesn't do dieting, either--she believes it can lead to unhealthy relationships with food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed this off-the-cuff profile! I'm thinking of creating roommates for her. Let me know if you'd like me to post them as well!

(Note: I don't currently own the Cottage Living EP [that or Cats and Dogs, Horse Ranch, and For Rent]. I'm trying to see if I can find a coupon/cheaper way to purchase it, but if not, I'll have to wait until the next sale. I'm not paying EA 40 whole United States Dollars for just one pack lmao. So if I make Jordyn available for upload before then, just be aware that she'll be missing those official aspects of her backstory. Sorry about that!)

[magnuficentwo]

My dad and I play Borderlands 2 together as a bonding activity and we recently beat the whole main campaign + all sidequests, so we started doing DLCs as a way to warm up before TVH mode. Here's our reviews of all the DLC we played so far (I'm doing all the write-y parts but my dad agrees dw)

Captain Scarlet and her Pirate's booty -

Pretty fun, though the slower pacing really did make it hard to get through a lot of it, especially with how ginormous the maps are. It takes a long time to get anywhere, and we got pretty disinterested in most of the side quests due to how far apart everything is. The set design is really gorgeous, but you can only appreciate it when you're walking by it slowly and taking note of all the fossilized coral– Otherwise when you're in the boat most of what you see is just A Lot o Sand.

Captain Scarlet herself is awesome, super witty lady with hilariously upfront intentions to betray you and leave you to die, I just wish she was allowed to have more dialogue that wasn't directly related to the quests like Jack was. The reveal was thoroughly expected and although the battle with her pet Rakk Nest was a bit boring, she was still very funny. Shade is so fucking funny and I felt bad for him, I kept joking we would just bring him back to Sanctuary after the dlc was over, but he was also slightly underbaked due to the lack of focus the dlc had with its characters. We liked the boat more than the usual cars even though it was a pain in the ass to shoot with. Also the racism was really fucking odd I don't know why they did that for.

Combat was just kinda fine. Maybe weirdly balanced sometimes ? We had a lot of sections we breezed through completely without the intended difficulty level because we accidentally overleveled, but enemies didn't really keep up with that. Could be our fault though so I'm not giving the game shit for that. What I AM giving the game shit for however is the fact it was VERY bad at rewarding us for when it actually did keep up with our level, because all the loot we got was all blues and greens. And I'm still pissy about not getting at Least one Leg in that final loot room.

My rating: 6/10 (Had fun overall + Scarlett and Shade are awesome - points deducted for Racism.)

My dad's rating: 6/10 (He had fun but thought it got boring very fast - Racism also bothered him a lot.)

Tina Tiny's Assault on Dragon Keep -

Such a blast all around. Enemies were challenging but once we got used to the difficulty spike (from PB to this one), it was really fun. The comedy of having a 13 year old girl dungeon Bunker Master guide her grown up friends around a brand new campaign, all while having to learn balancing and storytelling on the spot, is just Objectively really funny, but with how charming Tina and the gang are here it's even more so.

Tina is such a delightful weird little girl, and I love how you immediately gather that the whole game is her coping (A Bit Badly) with the recent deaths of her friends. Lilith, Mordecai and Brick are also really good too, from Lilith being a total dork and getting super immersed in the game (her getting defensive of Torgue not being a real geek is so funny to me because I acted like that when I was 13. But she's like a grown woman so its even funnier), to Brick embodying every murderhobo rpg player in the history of the world, to Mordecai slowly but surely warming up to the story, it's so damn fun.

The combat also gets spiced up with all the fun new enemies and status conditions, to the point where when we went back to base game temporarily we got confused some of them weren't present originally. Also the ending had us both sitting there in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time which is ALWAYS a plus in my book ! Overall, the dlc captures the whimsical nature of tabletop games and fantasy super well, while also being incredibly funny in the classic borderlands way and surprisingly emotional at times. Very fun time, both of us want to play Wonderlands now though.

My rating: 10/10 (No notes, just a very good time all around for me)

My dad's rating: 10/10 (He's hard to please but he really liked it + he said he wishes he could play the whole dlc again + We played the whole thing in one sitting, that's how good it is)

Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt -

Whoever is responsible for this DLC needs to go to hell right now. Immediately.

(Lots of interesting concepts that go completely unappreciated simply due to the fact that this DLC has no respect for you as a player and even less for minorities. Genuinely a huge shame, because it's honestly really cool stuff that could've been a lot more interesting if they weren't tied to a pile of garbage. Sir Hammerlock sweetie let me get you out of here please you deserve so much better all the time, I wish the actual dlc was about a big game hunt with this guy instead of whatever it was. We didn't play a lot of it because it's just ridiculous. There's better things to do with your time, don't bother w this one)

My rating: -1/10 (I'm bound by no entities saying I need to give it a positive score, and personally I don't think it deserves one as it deserves nothing, so -1 will do.)

My dad's rating: 0/10 (Got so disappointed we just stopped playing the game all together and started playing Diablo IV on his computer instead.)

The rest of them we haven't touched on a lot yet. Raid on Digistruct Peak was kinda forgettable but a good enough concept for what it's worth, Fink's Slaughterhouse didn't seem appealing to us so we haven't played yet, and we want to play Commander Lilith last just for dramatic effect, but overall the Borderlands 2 consensus for DLC exists in 3 categories: A) Life changing DLC of all time B) Pretty okay, but it's just Borderlands 2 in a different place and C) This should've bever been created. I'll see if this keeps true for the rest of them but for now that's it. Thank you for reading, goodbye and don't die.

[the-orion-scribe]

A Road Trip to Roadside Attraction

This is kind of a follow-up to my essay on Escape from Reality. I decided to review one of the fandom’s most widely-riled episodes – Roadside Attraction – and upon a rewatch, I say it isn’t that bad. Some of the flaws fans have with it are very true and I agree some aspects could have been written better. The pacing could improve a lot more for one thing; it’s pretty rushed for a road trip episode. But I don’t think it really deserves the title of worst GF episode. Even on IMDb, an unofficial platform on rating episodes, RA is not even in the bottom 10 worst episodes (at 7.9/10 stars, on par with Legend of Gobblewonker).

But first off, let’s explore why the episode was written. It seems out of place, doesn’t it? Right smack in the second half of Season 2 when the threat of Bill was on the horizon. Doesn’t it feel weird that after Bill-proofing the Shack, then the family leaves the Shack for a road trip? Even Ford was not at all mentioned in the episode (Look up the transcript and try to search for Ford’s name), though Hirsch later explained in the canon Journal 3 that he stayed behind to boost the Shack’s defences. 

Roadside Attraction has the misfortune of being sandwiched between two plot-heavy episodes. I would argue it’s not Roadside Attraction that’s the odd one out but actually the Last Mabelcorn that was shoehorned in-between the less plot heavy moments. From the commentaries, it seems it has always been planned to have such a road trip episode as a throwback to the Gravity Falls crew research trip across the Pacific Northwest region (the episode is full of references to real Oregon tourist traps). 

The initial plan was that the preceding episode, The Last Mabelcorn, was supposed to be a Wendy-centric episode that Hirsch scrapped at the last minute for unknown reasons. I guess the “Dipper getting over Wendy” subplot was intended to build on from that. The rewriting of The Last Mabelcorn placed the threat of Bill on the forefront, and that led to RA breaking the pace. 

The criticisms about the episode being a whiplash are valid, and I certainly agree Hirsch could have ironed out more details of the episode and its relevance to the overarching plot. My best guess is that Hirsch didn’t have time to ‘fix’ RA after rewriting the entirety of The Last Mabelcorn and eventually did the retcon in J3, but admittedly it still doesn’t make sense overall. Even Hirsch admitted the placement seemed off in the commentary, wishing it had come out earlier. Nevertheless, I still like the road trip aspect, giving us a break from Gravity Falls and exploring more oddities beyond the region. And of curious note, the Spider-people we see is a throwback to Trembley’s State of Union speech in Irrational Treasure. 

"The only thing we have to fear is gigantic, man-eating spiders!"

Another thing fans like to diss about was the Dipper flirting romance subplot, and some even dissing Mabel as a ‘hypocrite’ for calling out Dipper for flirting with many girls at once. I admit that aspect is a little cringe, and a major flaw of the episode is just how contrived all the girls Dipper encountered are reunited back again at Mystery Mountain. 

But my view on it is, at least, it shows Dipper trying to be more confident of himself and exercising that charm he never knew he had. It might not be a popular opinion, but I like that the episode shows Dipper still harbours feelings for Wendy, despite their conversation back in Into the Bunker. It’s still a few weeks since that and it takes time to get over Wendy. His line about wanting to move on to move one but unable to switch his feelings was poignant. And I personally found it very relatable, unfortunately. 

Some people have criticised Dipper as a playboy for chatting up so many girls. But then a close friend pointed out that casual flirting isn’t cheating. Dipper never stated he wanted to start relationships, just boost his confidence and get to know new people. And Stan reassured (wrongly) that Dipper will never see them again. Despite whatever that happened in the episode, Dipper at the end of the episode still managed to accomplish some of his goals – getting over Wendy (or at least, not to dwell on her for much of the trip) and learning to talk with girls.

I think there’s still something many fans tend to overlook for this episode, and that is Stan trying to improve his relationship with Dipper ever since what happened in Not What He Seems. It’s rather apparent Stan was trying to impress Dipper with the bad advice to repair their bond, so he wanted to try and win him back by giving him advice on girls. It’s of note that Stan only (re)used the advice himself after Dipper had so much success, and that is what caused him to get into trouble with the spider chick. Stan did eventually admit he’s no expert, and I quite like how they bonded over their failed attempts near the end of the episode. I wished this could be expanded further on, but I guess there’s some time constraints in the episode. Moringmark did so for his fan comics. (Stan and Dipper, and Candy and Dipper).

I admit Mabel is being quite an ass in this episode. Some haters of Mabel use her actions in this episode to fuel their rants, and it’s frustrating some have raised good points. She takes her brother’s box of private items in the opening and criticises his lingering crush instead of offering help besides telling him to “move on”. It’s no wonder Dipper followed Stan’s advice considering his sister was so unhelpful. 

Some have said, Dipper tried to comfort her when she was upset about Mermando and her failed romances (in Society of the Blind Eye), but why couldn’t Mabel do the same and offer advice? Well, as we know, Mabel isn’t an expert in this field (despite what she claimed) nor is she as wise as Dipper, who was mainly comforting her about her failed romances and not her inability to move on. 

Mabel had a much easier time moving on from her many ‘romances’ because she didn’t get as emotionally invested in them as Dipper did with Wendy. The closest Mabel got was with Mermando, spending one-on-one time with him and learning about his family, and it’s shown (in Sock Opera) that she did, in fact, have a harder time moving on from him than any of the others. While Dipper’s crush on Wendy was one-sided, it was also (probably) the first time anyone of the opposite sex (besides Mabel or his mom) had ever paid any kind of positive attention to him, causing him to become a lot more invested in the relationship than social-butterfly Mabel ever was with her crushes.

Because of this, Mabel underestimated how hard and how long it would be for Dipper to ‘move on’ from his crush on Wendy, despite placing greater value on their platonic friendship. She herself has moved on quite easily from most breakups, and even Mermando only took a couple of weeks at most, and assumes her brother must be capable of the same. This is not a character flaw, just a matter of Mabel not understanding Dipper as well as she thinks she does.

I would like to add that Mabel didn’t exactly know what was in the box and thought it was important to Dipper, until she tripped and the box contents revealed itself. She was trying to be helpful as a sister in packing Dipper’s stuff for the trip, but admittedly she should know her boundaries. But well, that’s the thing with siblings unfortunately – often taking and moving your stuff without permission. 

Another point raised is how Dipper got thrown under the bus for acting confident and socialising, while the girls get to flirt with several people throughout the series (Boyz Crazy and Northwest Mansion Mystery as examples). Let’s explore the events of the episode from Mabel’s perspective. The girls were far from aware that Dipper had just been trying to practise turning on his charm, and Candy in the spur of the moment caught it. Mabel was trying to be a supportive friend and, from her perspective, it’s an ideal fantasy to matchmake her friend with her brother. Admittedly Mabel was supposed to have learned from Love God not to get involved with people’s relationships, but I say Mabel was trying to kill two birds with one stone – help her brother get over Wendy by pushing him into a relationship with Candy. Mabel isn’t some malicious troll, but she does have good intentions in whatever she does.

I guess, after the match fell through and the fantasy crushed, Mabel thought Dipper was flirting around with many girls, at least from what Candy told her firsthand about what happened in Mummy Town. It might seem a huge double standard that Mabel called out her brother as “traitor” given she had many matches herself, but I say she’s partially justified (at least from her perspective) given Dipper was trying to flirt with many all at once. (While we know that isn’t the actual case, she doesn’t have the full picture yet.) On the other hand, Mabel only had one interest every time. And she’s also trying to protect and cheer up her friend who’s feeling betrayed. Had she known about Dipper’s socialising with other girls, I doubt Mabel would have been so quick to set him up with Candy. I don’t think Mabel was hypocritical so much as misinformed. 

No one in the romance subplot is the asshole, really (well, except Stan, perhaps). The entire drama really stems from miscommunication between the siblings, and also highlights the diverging bond between the twins – a theme of the second half of Season 2. I might agree that the subplot could be handled better, but then, most of the episode could really see better writing. The subplot ended amiably overall for Candy and Dipper. I wouldn’t say the episode really sank the ship (Hirsch made his opinion clear about Candip – clutching at straws – but we can ignore that) since the two came to an understanding. The ship isn’t bad at all, bringing together two nerds, but they’re still young and I suppose there’s still a better chance in their older years. I would like to point out that Candy still has her limelight in this episode, bringing the family out of the situation with the Man-Spider. 

My conclusion is that the episode isn’t as bad as many fans claimed. The episode still has its charm and brought us somewhere different, and the Man-Spider twist is really the highlight. My most favourite part of the episode is Dipper learning to be more socially confident himself, and it’s rather consistent with his character back in Northwest Mansion Mystery, during which he was in his element and Pacifica caught his charm. Stan’s advice was sound, but like any other advice, there’s certainly an appropriate time and place to use it.

But I’m inclined to agree it’s in a weird spot, and I’ve only rewatched the episode in a vacuum which makes it easier and more enjoyable to rewatch. It’s certainly one of the weaker episodes, but there aren’t as many out of character moments compared to some episodes (Stanchurian Candidate comes to mind). The only weirdest part was Dipper writing the numbers on his arms instead of a notepad, but I guess he was trying to be cool with some pen tattoos.

I suppose RA would have benefited greatly if the episode were to be in the initial half of Season 2, or that Hirsch had gone ahead with the Wendy plot in the previous episode. I agree some parts could have been explained and written better, especially the actions of Mabel and co, and the talk between Stan and Dipper near the end. The episode is rather rushed, quickly resolving the romance subplot before dealing with the Man-Spider. Some jokes don’t hit as well and aren’t very memorable. Though the last part about Stan getting his just deserts for ruining the other traps is really ironic, and him being clueless of what he did to deserve it.

The point of this essay, nevertheless, is to understand and offer an explanation for some of its flaws. Of course it doesn’t redeem the episode totally, and I know RA would probably continue to receive a lot of scrutiny and hate from the fandom. But I hope others will understand some of the creative decisions and relook the episode with another mindset. I think it’s a fun road trip episode, and doesn’t really deserve all the hate it gets. If people can dissect Fly of Breaking Bad and explore its deeper meanings, I suppose others can for this episode.

Feel free to reblog and share your thoughts and opinions!

(The above is written with assistance from MilkyBoyBlue and TheoryOfWeirdness, fellow fic writers, and @hkthatgffan, who is able to provide newfound appreciation for the episode)

[aliensupersyn]

An Ajin Manga Review: Discussing the Art

Part 1: Art Style in Relation to Storytelling

I entered this manga not knowing the first thing about it. I was scrolling through Manga4life after catching up on Hunter x Hunter and came across Ajin on the highest rated filter. I read through the comments and saw the praises for the story. I was collecting a number of different titles to read through and chose Ajin to begin my series of readings.

Why did I choose Ajin as a starter? What stood out to me about Ajin was its art. For many mangaka, the art begins somewhat immature and the artist hones their skills throughout the serialization. For example, there's a noticeable change in Tokyo Ghoul, Bleach, Naruto, HxH, etc. Ajin began with a recognizably polished art style thanks to Gamon Sakurai. The lines were confident and the scenes were already challenging in a way a veteran artist might be expected to execute. I was grabbed immediately!

These two pages are both from the first chapter. Note the details on the folds of clothes, the sneakers, the officer's ear, and his uniform even. I have not come across many manga who's art begins with dramatic detail in the most mundane things such as clothing, at least not in such a way. I'm reminded of how in sports manga, the mangakas take a lot of time to detail a player's shoes, because those have importance to the sport itself.

To clarify, Ajin still went through a maturity in its art. Obviously, there was a change when the original writer Tsuina Miura left. With Sakurai having more control over the story, it's clear his change in story affected the characters and art style as well. For example, Kei Nagai goes from a rounder more doe-like appearance to sharper and straighter lines. His original design fit alongside his character portrayal as an innocent kid unfit for the severity of the story's premise; Kei was perhaps meant to be pitied in the original story.

After Sakurai became the writer, Kei changed into an untrustworthy character who could shift personalities, utilizing both the younger look of the first volume, and the more confident and mature appearance Sakurai had created. Sakurai says that after volume 1, he "tried to move the art gradually closer to [his] own style" (ch.83, pg. 82). I recognize Kei's purposeful tonal changes as a creative method to transition the manga into Sakurai's own style and design changes that he had decided for the story.

Below, this series of pages illustrate first the differences between Kei in volume one and two. Then, the ways Sakurai uses both the softer and sharper designs to convey a transition of his character.

Finally, in chapter seventeen, page seven, Sakurai commits to the shift and reveals this new design and characterization to be the "real" Kei all along. Nakano comes to the same realization as the reader.

Sakurai used Kei's earlier more pitiful appearance to show Kei's softer mask that he wore to hide his true, more cold and calculative nature. After the moment between Nakano and Kei, the later design remains more consistent and total. Personally, I enjoy the later design more than the first and what it implied for the story. Along with a change in Kei's character was a change to the story's tone as well. Sato became more devious, and so did Kei. These character changes, in a way, foreshadowed the extremes in which the plot would take as well.

Though, still I would have enjoyed the closer relationship that was foreshadowed for Kei and Kai. I mean, look at these pages and tell me you don't see a budding homoerotic romance on the rise!

To round out my thoughts, I enjoyed the first premise, but overall enjoyed the second premise even more. In the next review, I'll dissect Sato's character and how he was handled from an authorial point of view. I just needed to discuss the art style change and what it implied for the story, especially Kei, as he plays an important role for the overall tone of the story.

[animesavior]

“Usagi, I need you to listen to me. Strange things are happening in the city. Even the Police can't handle what's going on. A dangerous enemy has appeared. You're the only one who can defeat this enemy. You're the guardian that's been chosen for this mission. But there's more than just that. you also have to find the other Guardians and our Princess.” -          Luna, Sailor Moon (Ep. 01)

The Toonami Trending Rundown for May 31 and June 1-2, 2024. For the first time since April 15, 2004, Toonami would return to airing on a weekday timeslot on Fridays with Toonami Rewind as part of Adult Swim’s expansion to 5pm to showcase classic Cartoon Network programming. The inaugural lineup featured the return of Sailor Moon to Toonami for the first time in 23 years alongside an hour of DBZ Kai and OG Naruto. 

And fans on social media responded very positively to Toonami Rerun’s debut. On Twitter, #ToonamiRewind trended in the USA alongside Sailor Moon and DBZ Kai.

Meanwhile on the regular Toonami late night lineup, Zom 100 returned from its three-week hiatus, and Demon Slayer begun its rerun of the Entertainment District arc in the meantime. In terms of trends, #Toonami trended in the USA on Twitter alongside My Adventures with Superman and Zom 100. #Toonami also trended on Tumblr.

This week’s feature was a game review of Dave the Diver, developed by Mintrocket studios. It received an 8.5 out of 10 score.

Despite the present upheaval at Warner Bros Discovery, the current success of Toonami was paramount to Cartoon Network and Adult Swim creating Toonami Rewind. According to Jason DeMarco on Blue Sky, “It was the network’s idea to try a second Toonami block since they are very happy with the performance of the Saturday night version. They wondered if a throwback Toonami would be interesting. We liked the idea!” And assuming things go well, Jason says he has “all kinds of cool plans to bring more shows in” including shows Toonami has aired in the past, Adult Swim action shows, western animated action classics and more.

Of course, that all depends on if people continue to watch Toonami Rewind every Friday as with regular Toonami every Saturday. So be sure to keep watching (or at least set your DVRs) and help contribute to the social media buzz if you’re into it. And as with any potential Toonami show, if you do wish to see a show air on Toonami or Toonami Rewind, feel free to let Toonami know on their Facebook page as well as letting Jason DeMarco know on his Bluesky @clarknova.bsky.social. It also doesn’t hurt to let your favorite show’s respective licensor(s) know (whether it’s Crunchyroll, Toei, Viz Media, and the like) on their respective social media outlets as well. On a related note, Jason DeMarco no longer posts on Twitter outside of “promotional information related to my work,” and has privatized his account (after previously deleting it) for archival purposes, so we’re not sure if he’ll still read any show requests and feedback that is sent to @clarknova1.

Finally, this past week was the birthday of yours truly, so I’d like to give a huge thank you to Jason, Steve, Dana, and everyone at Cartoon Network who are doing their part to rebuild the better cartoon show. as well as those that watch, record, and live tweet and blog this great block. No doubt that Toonami is the gift that keeps on giving and showing that hope springs eternal for the mainstream success of anime and action cartoons overall.

Legend: The shows listed are ordered based on their appearance on the schedule. Show trends are listed in bold. The number next to the listed trend represents the highest it trended on the list (not counting the promoted trend), judging only by the images placed in the rundown. For the Twitter tweet counts, the listed number of tweets are also sorely based on the highest number shown based on the images on the rundown.

Toonami Rewind May 31 Trends

United States Trends:

#ToonamiRewind [#3]

#SailorMoon [#9]

#DBZKai [Trended with #ToonamiRewind]

Tweet Counts:

#SailorMoon [5,245 tweets]

Toonami June 1-2, 2024 Trends

United States Trends:

#Toonami [Trended with #Toonami]

#MyAdventuresWithSuperman [#18]

#Zom100 [#8]

Tweet Counts:

#MyAdventuresWithSuperman [2,266 tweets]

#Zom100 [2,098 tweets]

Tumblr Trends:

#toonami [#7]

If you wish to send me a tip for the work on the trending rundown, donations can be sent to PayPal.Me/DanielLimjoco.

Bon Appetit. Only Toonami on [adult swim] on Cartoon Network.

[cosmic-starfall]

"Harmony Rings True"

MDZS Orchestra AU

I started writing this au last year, but never got very far with it due to having zero musical experience. Here's the segment I wrote, along with my notes, for anyone who might like the idea of this au.

Notes: 

Orchestra:

Wei Wuxian = conductor

Lan Wangji = vocalist, guqin 

Nie Huaisang = bass cellist

Wen Qing = violinist

Wen Ning = pianist

Lan Xichen = composer, vocalist, pianist

Lan Qiren = orchestra director

Non-orchestra:

Jiang Cheng = music critic

Nie Mingjue = retired cellist, injury related

Xue Yang = music critic, disgraced vocalist

Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan = retired musicians, xiao and vocalist. Retired, due to the actions of Xue Yang. (A scathing review ruined their careers.) 

Fic:

There is no earthly reason that Wei Wuxian would be here: The Cloud Recesses Concert Hall. But they let him in the door without calling the police, so maybe miracles really do happen. He was hired as a last minute conductor when the last one was fired unceremoniously right before a big concert. 

That doesn’t make it any less surreal to walk through those grand doors and stand in the lavish lobby like he belongs there. Every bit of decor is light and airy, and it makes his simple black outfit stand out like an ink stain. 

But no one stops him. No one is there to scold him for believing he belonged there. The people passing by largely ignore him as they bustle silently in and out of nearby corridors, or work behind the front counter. 

Self consciously, he fumbles for his phone to check the instructions he was given one more time. There’s a detailed note with directions to the orchestra director’s office, and he quickly scans it once again. 

Then with one last awed glance around the vast atrium, he finds the correct corridor and walks as confidently as he can manage down it. The hall is dimmer than the lobby, with less windows and more softly lit lamps as it continues. Wei Wuxian takes the instructed turns down each one, feeling like he’s walking deeper and deeper down a branching cave system. 

The director’s office door is identical to the two bordering it, and he almost walks past. But the plaque next to it says “Director: Lan Quiren”, so he steels himself with one last deep breath and knocks. 

“Enter.” 

Wei Wuxian opens the door and hardly makes eye contact before he’s bowing much deeper than needed in greeting. “Director, sir. I’m here for my interview.” 

His satchel nearly slips from his shoulder and he readjusts it. Lan Qiren is perfectly dressed to blend into the overall aesthetic of the concert hall, with a neatly groomed mustache and goatee to top off his look. He is stone-faced as he says, “Sit down.” 

So he sits across from his desk and sets his bag on the floor. Wei Wuxian resists the urge to wipe the nervous sweat he can feel appearing on his face. 

The director shifts papers around on his desk, not looking up as he speaks. “The position is last-minute, I apologize.”

“No need to. I can easily pick up the program in a few weeks.” He smiles. 

Lan Qiren frowns in response. “You will only have a week.” 

Oh. “That’s fine!” 

“Your resume states that you have over a decade of experience in conducting. Care to elaborate?” 

“I was the conductor for my high school orchestra. And I studied music for four years in college, while conducting for their orchestra as well.” Wei Wuxian leaned back in his seat, his smile only growing. 

The director was unmoved. “That is what it says on your resume. I want to know if you can truly put in the work it takes to memorize an entire concert program. You were the only conductor available, and in fact your resume indicates a gap in employment for one year. How do I know you will be qualified?” 

Wei Wuxian sat up straight, projecting a mask of absolute professionalism. “I unfortunately was dealing with a family emergency during that gap in employment. My…grandmother was bed-bound and I was the only one able to take the time off to take care of her.” 

Lan Qiren raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well I don’t see any other issues with your resume. The lead vocalist will help you memorize the program, he has been assisting with the production while we are missing a conductor.” 

“Thank you, sir.” He suppressed a victorious grin down into something polite. 

Lan Qiren pressed the intercom button on his desk. “Lan Wangji, to my office immediately.” 

Wei Wuxian blinked, hiding his shock– surely he didn’t mean the famous Lan vocalist, the one who had just accepted several awards for his performances? But of course, this was the Cloud Recesses Concert Hall, his home venue. Why wouldn’t he be here? 

The office door swung open behind him, and Wei Wuxian twisted to face it. The man who entered was undoubtedly the famous Lan Wangji. Though he was not as dressed up as he had been on the TV award shows, he was still excessively prim and proper. He wore a high collared white shirt, free from even the tiniest wrinkle. His pants were a pale blue, also pressed and creased to perfection. 

Wei Wuxian had to crane back a bit to see his face, and was unsurprised to find it as blindingly pale as the rest of his appearance. The only respite from his colorless complexion was the slight blush of pink at his lips. 

He realized he was staring at them when Lan Wangji subtly cleared his throat. His eyes snapped up to meet him, and he nearly shriveled at the disapproving laser-focused gaze. 

Wei Wuxian forced his face into a presentable expression. “Hello!” 

“The practice room is this way.” Then he left back down the hall, not giving Wei Wuxian a chance to even get up in time. 

With a rushed goodbye to Lan Qiren, he scrambled to catch up. 

If he thought the route to the director’s office was confusing, getting to the practice room was even worse. This time, there were stairs involved. Lan Wangji kept up a brisk pace that never wavered, even when climbing up flights of stairs. 

By the time they reached the floor with the practice rooms, he was struggling not to pant. The nervous sweat had turned into an actual sweat. He silently cursed at the fact that Lan Wangji was entirely unaffected. 

The soundproof practice rooms surrounded a central open space for musicians to practice together and discuss the programming. Several were already lounging there, stands with sheet music and open instrument cases scattered about. 

Wei Wuxian waved. “Hello everyone! I’m Wei Wuxian, I’ll be your new conductor.” He hoped desperately that the sweat wasn’t visible. 

He received a few polite greetings in return, but one musician seemed to recoil at his presence. “Oh no, not the new conductor! I thought we still had time to learn our parts! I’ve been practicing and I still sound awful, I’m so sorry you’re going to be so disappointed.” 

“Whoa, slow down.” Wei Wuxian came over to him, looking at the sheet music over his shoulder. “What was your name? And what part are you having trouble with?” 

“I’m Nie Huaisang, I play the bass cello. And it’s just–here let me show you.” He stood, retrieving his instrument. The bass cello was almost too tall for him, but he balanced it neatly against his shoulder and consulted the sheet music before laying his bow to the strings and beginning to play. 

Every conversation in the room fell silent, the haunting melody taking over. The pitch was deep enough to vibrate in your lungs at close range, and it was clearly the foundation that other instruments in the orchestra would build upon. It was also exactly the same as the bit of sheet music Wei Wuxian had read over. 

“That was perfect! Are you just struggling with memorization?” He asked, once more stepping to Nie Huaisang’s side to read the music. 

“No, I swear it just doesn’t sound right!” He protested, letting his bow drop from the strings with a final somber note. 

“Of course it doesn’t! You need the rest of the orchestra to complete it. The bass instruments are the valuable support that the rest of the music rests on.” He was gesturing emphatically as he spoke, half-slipping into actual conducting motions. 

Nie Huaisang looked doubtful. “That is true. But I don’t think I’m doing my part as well anyway.” 

Wei Wuxian clapped him on the shoulder. “Then keep practicing! What I heard was wonderful, you just need to add some confidence.”

“Ahem.” Lan Wangji had not moved an inch, and his blank expression had gained an annoyed wrinkle between his eyebrows. 

“Shall we?” Wei Wuxian said, no longer feeling intimidated by the job he was taking on. 

Lan Wangji answered with an affirmative hum, and led the way into an empty practice room. Well, not entirely empty. There were two chairs facing each other and a stack of sheet music on a stand, an empty one beside it. 

The soundproofing instantly descended upon his ears, and he resisted the urge to click his tongue to hear the lack of an echo. With how quiet this famous vocalist was, he had no doubt the room would remain unbearably noiseless. 

Lan Wangji took a seat, picking up the sheet music. Wei Wuxian took the other, shifting to find a comfortable way to lounge on its unyielding surface. 

There was one long moment where the only sound was the shuffling of sheet music. Lan Wangji’s carefully tied back hair slipped over his shoulders and he leaned over the papers, finally breaking his perfectly styled appearance. Wei Wuxian smiled at the crack in his professional mask.

“So, what’s the theme of the program? Is it just a medley of classics or is there a specific tone?” 

“It’s a collection of compositions written in memory of the souls lost in the Sunshot Campaign.” Lan Wangji looked up, plucking a few sheets from the stack and laying them on the stand. “The style is classical but the compositions are modern.” 

Wei Wuxian looked it over. The sheet music was for the choir, which made sense since Lan Wangji was the lead vocalist. Wei Wuxian hummed the melody under his breath. “I see, so it’s a bit like a memorial concert. Very somber, like a funeral.” He gave Lan Wangji a knowing grin. “Which means you’re already on theme.” 

He was returned a stony expression, completely void of humor. Tough crowd. 

“Do you think you could demonstrate what you’ve practiced so far? I’ll know how to adjust the other’s parts if I have a place to start from.” 

“No.” 

“No?” 

“I do not practice in front of others. My technique cannot afford distractions.” 

That was odd. But he didn’t want to be rude. “Right. We should call in another musician then to demonstrate–” 

“No. The director has assigned me to the task. It would be unproductive to take practice time away from a musician.” 

“Then how do you expect me to get a feel for the programming?” Wei Wuxian couldn’t believe the inflexibility of this man. 

“Read it. Then the orchestra will practice together this afternoon.” He moved to stand and leave the practice room. 

“Wait! Don’t go, I won’t be able to get these compositions down without someone to bounce ideas off of. I’ll lose my mind trying to figure it all out on my own.” 

Lan Wangji slowly sat back down. “Very well.” 

Wei Wuxian stood up instead, tracing the lines of music on the stand with one finger as he nodded along to a beat inside his head. He really should ask for a metronome next time. 

With his other hand he started to feel out the music. Every conductor has a unique style, and his involved wide sweeping motions with subtle flicks of his wrist. 

He stopped and started several times, muttering “That’s not it.” and “Almost, but not quite.” 

Once he had run through the first composition once this way, it had completely solidified in his memory. So with the image of the music firmly in his mind, he stepped away from the stand. He closed his eyes and let the room fall away, imagining the sound of a full orchestra. Both of his hands danced through the air, one foot tapping the beat. 

A hum rose in his throat, a little off-key, but it was serviceable. The composition wasn’t exactly rousing, but it was meant to invoke a feeling of national pride, so it was more uplifting than an actual funeral march. 

The final hummed note hung in the air and he opened his eyes once more. He found that Lan Wangji was staring at his right hand, which was curled around an imaginary baton. He smiled, “I forgot! I have it in my bag.” 

Wei Wuxian crouched to sort through his satchel, producing his thin black conductor’s baton. A shiny red ribbon was tied to the base, and it fluttered as he gestured with it. 

“Frivolous.” Lan Wangji commented. 

He shrugged. “No one in any orchestra I’ve worked for has had an issue with it.” 

Lan Wangji simply cast him another disapproving look. So he spun the baton between his fingers, the ribbon trailing jauntily after it. 

“We don’t have practice with everyone else until later, right? It’s about lunchtime, why don’t we get a bite to eat?” 

The vocalist stood. “There is a teahouse nearby where I usually take my lunch.” 

“Perfect! It’s a date!” Wei Wuxian said with a wink. 

Lan Wangji did not honor that with a response, sweeping from the room without a word. 

[marcusagrippa]

hi, have you read books relating to rome & stuff by lindsay powell? i've been eyeing one of his books but idk if he counts as Good among Rome Scholars. (i'm asking you because he has a book on agrippa and there's a chance you've read that and have an opinion and also. beloved classics mutual 💖)

hi! iii am really not a professional Rome Scholar TM and i've not read much by powell, but i have read his agrippa biography! personally i really enjoyed it - the way it's written is pretty dense and not super engaging, and it does drag at times (esp. in regards to battles and duller aspects of his life) but it's definitely very well researched and documented - the last 100+ pages of it are all footnotes/appendices/notes on sources and stuff. it does have a few problems which jlrrt brought up in their review but overall. thumbs up. agrippa book!!! i don't know a lot about powell or how well regarded his stuff is in the classics community unfortunately, but from his website it looks like he's part of a lot of fancy sounding classical associations which is probably a good sign?

[andbrokenmemories]

full murderbot thoughts post

Alright! Finished with Book 7 of Murderbot, System Collapse, and collected my thoughts on the series.

Maybe one day I'll do one last round-up to read novellas and maybe write a Properly Structured Review Innit, so for now this is gonna be the messy notes version of this. Let me give a paragraph or two of review-y thoughts, here, though. Set the stage and all.

So: I liked them a lot! I wouldn't ever say I struggle with sci-fi, but I think in practice I struggle with sci-fi. For other genrefic novels, tropes i Enjoy the Consumption of can usually keep my interest alive long enough; like, Black Sun and Fevered Star didn't light me on fire, but there was a lot of dynamics and play within the space that I could consistently enjoy and keep. Chewing down the line on. real strawberry lace fiction. real gummy worm fiction

Sci-Fi usually struggles more with that, I guess. Or, rather, I don't enjoy genrefic sci-fi for sci-fi's sake? There is, i think, a needle to thread of Good Spec-fic, of "oooh literature on a Weird Way of Existing". that style can keep me hooked, and Murderbot Diaries manages that with all the intricacies of the SecUnit experience. and also you can just have a lot to say! and murderbot has a lot to say! overall 8.5 out of 10. book 1 is a 9 out of 10 (yippeee strained relations distrust etc); book 2 is an 8.5 out of 10 (ART good); book 3 is a 7 out of 10 (i dont really remember those people); book 4 is an 8 out of 10, book 5 is an 8.5 out of 10 but i think it'd be a bunch higher if i didnt find the middle a bit bloated; book 6 is a 7.5/10, book 7 is an 8/10. loose thoughts from my journal from here on. spoilers for the whole series begin in earnest.

I like murderbot diaries the most when its reasonably omniscient, dynamic feeling, with a bunch of pieces moving around; and when those pieces are the psychology of murderbot as it navigates shit. i popped the fuck off when at the start of the long one [that's Network Effect] we got an interlude of murderbot interacting with mensa and her family and Caring and augh. ouagh.

WE HJAVE TO PUT ON THE BEST DAMN TALENT SHOW THI S COLONY HAS EVER SEEN!!!! [this was right when i got to the documentary part of the last book lol]

what if the other sec units went stereotypical serial killer robot and murdered all their handlers. like yes i get an argument against that that goes down the line of “and then we wont be able to extract from the situation and everyone gets killed in retribution” but, also, i feel like early in this series there was a lot of text talking about how sec units don't actually. think like that. in real life. I dont know, maybe i havent adjusted to a Thematic Choice where actually that was unreliable narration, but i find my brain getting caught up on that every time. like comparing how murderbot talks about how sec units think early in the series to later on. bwah.

anyway [in regards to the end of Exit Strategy] something very unique but kind of hash tag relatable about an extended sequence of a character reconstructing their memories from base principles, all sortakinda drunk. seeing all those cute and Telling and I See How It Is moments, which i derived a lot of value from, really fun capper to a book. good times. and then they hit 100% and the microwave goes Ding and they sit right up in bed and go Damn. That was stupid. I'm leaving.

when the panopticon surrounds you on every level and you have a lot of time to think on your self and your connection to your self and gain access to every system that makes you up and makes you you and all you can manage to acheive with it is the recreation of the panopticon within the self. and being without the panopticon is uncomfortable and foreign and strange. when the character does not allow the narrative to woobify them. 😍

ships you can talk to (who talk back only in concepts) are a gender by the way. that first scene [at the end of All Systems Red] of Murderbot working out its take on the all of it to a ship who can't really talk back, and was more or less the default “easily Manipulated bot pilot” that we just kind of sidestep each time going forwards, but like. was also the Same Thing as Mbot in not having anyone to really talk this out with. we are both on the same level. we, two, have not been taught to sell our class, our people out to the humans; we can be Niceys to one another. you can seek that out and find it. there are glimmers and moments like that throughout the whole series going forwards. which kind of makes hanging out with the humies boring unless they're one of the like 3-4 that i feel have an Interesting Social Dynamic with murderbot

following on from that, i immediately started visualising ARTs feed-self as a Kirby Endboss mass of glowing, dazzling, flowing dials/lenses/clocks towering over everyone else. with speech bubbles violently louder than everyone elses. Like that was how my brain went “how would the graphic novel get this Concept of ‘I could squish you like a bug with one instant of thought you are nothing to me you little it/its freak’ across". and its good. its good

[in regards to Network Effect, and trying to sum up my whole feelings on 2.0]: Whoops! Your clone headmate you made underbaked on purpose came out with ADHD and joié de vivre and is kicking its feet up and down in its partition watching comfort media while you go through the shit that made the Expanse expand. that made the signal is. that made the Space [face/off-style pause] Dead

So, what're my big takeaways with the whole series? Everyone trying to Do Therapyspeak on Murderbot and it usually Not Working is nice. There is something wrong with you, and that's not like a puzzle to be unraveled, but the perspective the text then takes on everything else. this world isn't, like, Fascinating and realized with any special flair, but you get to have moments where Murderbot exposits how fucked shit is to other people, or judges a situation it's bitter about as people around it get Fucked Over, and it's just like. It's a fun level of fucked up, in a way, sure, but it's also those moments of like. Ah. Murderbot does not set out to be protagonist-ly about this world, to be deeply critical, to wikia-mode about it all. Only to be constantly drawn to such anyway, to being Bitter and having to exposit to make certain points land because it needs certain points to land because. shrugs, gestures. The World. All of it. but then we go back to like “Hey do you think you have trauma maybe?” “FUCK you” and it's consistent and that's all chewy in a way I find nice. It's nice. We're having a niceys time. smile emoji