#no more hot women just default icons

[meangreenmulletmachine]

I thought the bots were bad before. It got worse.

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Eye of the World! Chapter 2: Strangers

Hello and welcome back to the madness that is me. As usual (three times in a row totally counts), I am rereading The Eye of the World and I am spoiling the crap out of everything so you should run away if you're not into that. Thanks and have a good one!

To the rest of you, thanks for staying, let's get started. This chapter begins with the raven icon, which is often used to symbolize those allied with the Shadow or the Seanchan, which is really such a glowing review of them, isn't it? Here it's being used to refer to the evildoers Moiraine and-- Wait no that's Whitecloak talk. It's being used to refer to the dear, sweet, innocent raven whose only crime was watching Rand and refusing to be killed for it.

At that time of the busy day before Festival, Rand expected to find the common room empty except for Bran and his father and the cat, but four more members of the Village Council, including Cenn, sat in high-backed chairs in front of the fire, mugs in hand and blue-gray pipesmoke wreathing their heads.

I wonder now about how the Village Council gets chosen and how Cenn Buie keeps his seat if it's anything other than "life positions for certain families".

though who knew what Taren Ferry folk really thought about anything?

I'm glad Jordan put in so much effort to make Rand so incredibly provincial when in about ten chapters we'll be past Taren Ferry and he'll never get a chance to look back.

“It’s old Luhhan,” Mat said, peering past Rand’s shoulder into the common room. “I think he suspects I was the one who—”

Dammit Mat just confess to your crimes so I can laugh at you for them!

She was one of the few married women in the area who never tried to play matchmaker with Tam.

Yeah, if she gets him married, then when Tam dies of old age Rand and Egwene have to take care of the new widow al'Thor!

If she occasionally looked at him as if she wanted to do more, at least she took it no further than looks, for which he was deeply grateful.

Rand, you and Egwene are basically already promised to each other according to the retcons, of course she's not putting in effort. She thinks she's already won.

"Nothing, really. I told Adan al’Caar and some of his snot-nosed friends—Ewin Finngar and Dag Coplin—that some farmers had seen ghost hounds, breathing fire and running through the woods."

I guess this is the local name for Darkhounds, or Jordan was gonna straight up go with ghosts at the time. Were they supposed to be literal ghosts, or just the third age interpretation of whatever modifications Aginor made?

“I hear she chased old Luhhan and the dogs, all three, out of the house with a broom.”

Poor Luhhan, getting blamed for shit he had nothing to do with. I wonder if Perrin tries to model his marriage after this, where he assumes Faile is acting like Alsbet and gets to be hot-tempered and low-key violent but he is supposed to go with it. Really both of these couples should try and model their relationships off of some healthier couple, preferably in an entirely different story.

The years separating Rand and Mat from Ewin, only fourteen, were usually more than enough for them to give short shrift to anything he had to say.

Ah okay so the boys are definitely MEANT to be 16, probably more, but they really don't feel like they could be older than 16 so *shrug*.

Maybe southern boys are hella immature for their age or were in Jordan's childhood. *insert completely unfounded rant about the toxicity of 'boys will be boys' based entirely on this supposition without the slightest bit of research done because I'm an expert on everything by default*

“Of course I could see his face. And his cloak is green. Or maybe gray. It changes. It seems to fade into wherever he’s standing. Sometimes you don’t see him even when you look right at him, not unless he moves. And hers is blue, like the sky, and ten times fancier than any feastday clothes I ever saw. She’s ten times prettier than anybody I ever saw, too. She’s a high-born lady, like in the stories. She must be.”

Oh thank fuck, the grown-ups are here! Lan and Moiraine are not the perfect mentors that they sometimes get mistaken as, but they try twice as hard as most and that goes a long way. Shame about the whole "beauty equals nobility" thing going on, but since Ewin said it and not the narration I'll assume he's rightfully crushing on her.

“They arrived last evening,”

So they got here before Thom and were traveling at decent hours. Was he trying to follow them? Doesn't seem quite right, does it? Was he trying to AVOID them?

It was a good five years since the last time a real stranger appeared in Emond’s Field, and he had been trying to hide from some sort of trouble up in Baerlon that nobody in the village understood.

I wonder what the guy did. Or was he a channeler trying to hide from himself?

“She asked the Wisdom for directions this morning,” Ewin said, “and called her ‘child.’ ”

Poor Moiraine, sticking her foot right into it. Didn't even mean to, of course, but that's the problem with having a standard mode of address for unimportant young'ins: when they become important, there's no good way to tell, is there? Almost like you should treat everyone respectfully regardless of perceived differences, but what do I know?

When Cenn Buie called her a child last year, she thumped him on the head with her stick, and he’s on the Village Council, and old enough to be her grandfather, besides.

Yes but even hyper-violent Nynaeve knows you can't just beat the shit out of guests Rand. She's not axe-crazy; that's Perrin.

Then something led him to turn around, to raise his eyes. On the edge of the inn’s tile roof perched a large raven, swaying a little in the gusting wind from the mountains. Its head was cocked to one side, and one beady, black eye was focused . . . on him, he thought.

I don't think we see ravens pulling much crap after this book, do we? It's hard to view them as a serious threat when the protagonists are capable of doing more than missing with thrown stones and when even Trollocs rapidly become cannon fodder.

Fancier than any feastday clothes, Ewin had said, and he was right. No one ever dressed like that in the Two Rivers. Not ever.

Frankly I doubt the whole Two Rivers could combine their net worth for the clothes, let alone the jewelry.

Ewin leaped forward before either of the others could speak.

If it weren't for the fact that it isn't how it works, I'd assume she was trying to compel the boys and Ewin somehow got caught in the cross-fire. But again, the weave doesn't really work like that.

Then again, it's the first book, and the boys seem to "wake up" later like they're all being compelled... Guess she hit Ewin on purpose not to leave him out, and he was hit hardest.

Rand had been wondering if he should do something of the sort, the way men did in stories, but with Mat’s example, he merely spoke his name. At least he did not stumble over his own tongue this time.

The Wheel makes sure that the king of the world doesn't bow, I suppose.

“You cannot be expected to work for nothing. Consider this a token, and keep it with you, so you will remember that you have agreed to come to me when I ask it. There is a bond between us now.”

I feel like this is another early bookism, though an easily dismissed one - I think Jordan intended this wording and the boys' acceptance to be part of making the bond spell work, though going forward such things are much less necessary.

Her smile did fade then, slowly, as if something had been recalled to her. For a moment she merely looked at him. “I am a student of history,” she said at last, “a collector of old stories. This place you call the Two Rivers has always interested me. Sometimes I study the stories of what happened here long ago, here and at other places.”

This isn't Moiraine's first half-truth to dodge the lie restriction (telling Ewin "We'll see" after his invite is a half-truth so common even non-Aes Sedai use it), but it is a big one and an interesting one. She likely did have to study history both in Cairhien and the Tower, so that explains her student claim. Studying the DR means she's probably looked over the Karatheon Cycle and many similar documents, hence collector.

But has she always been interested in the Two Rivers? Obviously this can't be LITERALLY true (or can it? Did a very young Moiraine wonder about the place that all the grown-up men in her life said had the best tobacco?), so when did her eyes turn to it? When she learned about Manetheren? It's exactly the kind of story the Jedi would teach her.

Men wear many names, many faces. Different faces, but always the same man.

And here she almost outright tells them what's up! She's getting hit hard by Rand and Mat's combined ta'verening.

It was as if he were weighing them in his mind, and there was no sign on his face of what the scales told him.

Two minutes later:

Lan: So it's the Aiel kid.

Moiraine: Maybe.

Lan: It's obviously the Aiel kid. Explains why your list didn't find him twenty years ago: no one wrote down that some Aiel gal had a baby.

Moiraine: What if he's a decoy?

Lan: Why would there even be a decoy?

Moiraine: The Wheel weaves, Lan.

Lan: If you say that to me one more time I'm just gonna go kidnap the Aiel kid myself and take him to the Amyrlin.

Moiraine: The spring on the green is probably quite chilly in this unnatural winter. It would sure be awful if someone magically relocated it on top of you.

Lan: ...

Lan: It's still the Aiel kid. Think I'll teach him how to use swords. That would be funny to see.

Anyway, Warders have swords and armor covered in gold and jewels, and spend all their time up north, in the Great Blight, fighting evil and Trollocs and such.

Statistically, most Warders spend all their time down south, fighting lady bits and pubic hair and such. With their tongues.

If it weren't for the Yellows I'd call Greens the greatest failure of an Ajah since Mat very accurately describes what they SHOULD be doing. In fact, while with the text as written it's obviously one of those "truth becomes fiction in the retelling" things that pops up a lot, I suspect that it was intended to be an accurate description that fell by the wayside as Aes Sedai politics were defined.

He did not recognize the fat silver coin with the raised image of a woman balancing a single flame on her upturned hand

Y'all really are provincial hicks if you get coins that so obviously scream "The Official Currency of the Witch-Papal Queendom" and don't even speculate it might be from the region, if nothing else.

Strangers and a gleeman, fireworks and a peddler. It was going to be the best Bel Tine ever.

Spoiler alert: It was going to be the worst Bel Tine ever.

And that's another chapter! I would like to rewatch more of episode 1 and comment on the differences in the introductions of Lan and Moiraine, but my Fire Cube is having some hilarious technical difficulties where it's playing the episode at a rate of one frame a second right now, even though it plays the episode PREVIEW (and Futurama on Hulu) properly, so I can't go too in-depth, which means I only have one thought to give and it's sadly negative:

Nynaeve, you massive idiot (shhhh not you Zoë Robins, it's the script writers' fault and probably the Amazon execs for forcing so much cut time, you're doing great though, keep it up), inns are exactly where reputable strangers are supposed to show up! Be more like your book incarnation and have a tiny inclination against threatening out of towners!

Episode 1 is going to be rough to get through even if I do get it working at the proper frame rate.

[keitheaverage]

friendly reminder to new tumblr users/followers

we're having a bot situation right now so in order to keep yourself from getting reported/blocked erroneously, here's some quick tips:

Get an icon and a header! Sticking with the default icons are a little iffy and using an actual photo of yourself is a no-no rn (bots LOVE using photos of women as their icons--they're in their Hot Singles In Your Area era). You should also give it a title and fill out your bio with a quick little blurb about yourself.

Make some posts! If I get followed by someone with a supermodel photo as their icon and a completely blank/uncustomized blog, that's a red flag to me. For better or worse, you can say anything you want on your blog, just so long as you have something that'll let anyone you're following that you are, in fact, a human being.

Reblog, reblog, reblog! Likes are always appreciated, but reblogging content you like can really help your blog feel more like your own personalized space, and again, lets anyone you're following know that you're a human being. Leave tags! Leave unsolicited comments (actually, don't)! Leave unsolicited comments in the tags!

Other than that, if you're new and getting a bunch of weird followers with supermodel photo icons and blank blogs, those are probably bots, and the best thing you can do is to block/report them. Have fun!

[coolartcritique]

tag list

post type: #commented, #uncommented, #conversation, #misc posts

medium: #traditional, #digital, #ai, #medium unknown

color: #b&w, #grayscale, #full color

characters present: #villains, #hot men, #hot women, #multiple characters

things I liked: #clean lines, #balanced composition

emotion I felt: #peace, #acceptance, #unease

info

I do a lot of speculating about the characters in art I see because it's fun for me. feel free to tell me if I'm wrong about any of it and/or making you uncomfortable. I take down posts at the request of the op.

speaking of which, my intention with this blog is to reblog art directly from artists. if something I reblog is a reupload just tell me and I'll delete it, or edit in a link to the original if the artist prefers.

on this blog I try to default to discussing what I liked about a particular piece and not get into the parts that didn't work for me. random artists on tumblr have no responsibility to make their art more to my taste, and I assume most of you have no interest in doing so, either. if you'd like to dive deeper into my opinions on your art, feel free to dm me.

black and white lineart is my ultimate weakness and the reason I don't have an icon yet is because I haven't found the perfect piece of black and white lineart yet. if you have a black and white lineart blog/tag please drop a link.

[adobe-outdesign]

TIOL LIVEBLOG: PART 4

holy shit, game-canon character time

Note: I’m busy tomorrow, but I should be able to finish up the liveblog on Wednesday.

Spoilers under the cut:

Part 4, Chapter 1

I like how Joey is still into old-fasioneds like in DCTL

Part 4, Chapter 2

Joey Drew discovers how packaging design works

Part 4, Chapter 3

"we didn’t need Henry. he was holding us back. did I mention how much I didn’t need Henry oh god please take me back”

Joey: “I wasn’t gay for Henry” *NateA: “yes he was”

I like the contrast with Nathan considering Joey humble for not holding a grudge with Henry, but in reality he just stole all his shit and Henry left due to poor work environment

BATIM AU where Henry enters Joey’s apartment at the end and starts smacking him with a copy of this book

Henry is so bland that Joey instantly forgot his face rip

Apparently Abby is only the interim head of the art department. Not the impression I got from DCTL but whatever

not even sure if the archives are canon (probably not) but I wonder if Joey’s habit of visiting art shows factor into it

Assuming he’s not lying (which is a pretty big assumption) Joey made the BG rather than Henry. Makes sense, I don’t think they debuted until after Henry left

Henry: give me credit Joey: anyway Abby was my inspiration

“I half expected that you would be an animated character, not an actual human being” this is either more Joey-is-story-Bendy stuff, or foreshadowing for BATDR

bruh if you think people want an honest-sounding lie instead of a critique you’re not a very good art director

“a small man with a surprisingly low voice came over to talk to him” is a weirdly specific description but I don’t think it’s anyone or else Joey would’ve mentioned it

“I might even argue I don’t even have a subconscious anymore” Joey walks into his board meeting calls everyone a bitch and leaves

I feel like Joey’s reaction to Abby’s sketch is exactly how he reacts to the deformed ink creatures whenever they’re made

Abby’s like me in the “can draw realistically but can’t draw cartoons” corner

Part 4, Chapter 4

"I have excellent control over my emotions” is like, fucking hysterical

Joey spends so much of this book just dragging Henry into the dirt aljfd. we get it you had a bad breakup

“Boris was special” wondering what the hell that means

“Boris came to me in a dream, Alice was a pain in the ass, the Butcher Gang were a mistake”

“Something that wasn’t Bendy. I will never understand that drive” is a pretty clear nod to Henry wanting to be with Linda, which makes for a nice contrast with Joey regretting not having a family of his own

It’s weird, because Joey keeps saying he made Bendy, yet the scene in which he was made clearly shows Henry doing it. Like he didn’t even try to hide it

Part 4, Chapter 5

"I did make a mistake once. I fixed it” the only time Joey has done that in his life, ever

Part 4, Chapter 6

I’m assuming the chapter title is an intentional reference, given that this is a well-known song (not this remix specially, just in general

honestly I kind of love Sammy’s backstory

he blatantly says it wasn’t his birthday a page after he said it was

Jack just like, radiates Good Vibes(TM)

I can see why they’re friends. Jack takes all the attention off of Sammy who really doesn’t want it

see I knew Jack was gay. no straight person dresses like that

Joey has like, a major issue with having the urge to shove people off of high places

no one: Jack:

I’d also like to point out that this is canonically the first time they’ve been confirmed to be friends. This does imply some tension between them, probably because Jack’s need for attention rubs Sammy the wrong way sometimes

Sammy just walked up and made Joey his bitch. iconic

Part 4, Chapter 7

I like how Joey shows them the little animation of Bendy dancing from Chapter 1, nice touch

I have no idea how to take Sammy’s “you need a girl�� other than he’s been drinking his respect women juice

Sammy: “maybe I’ll worship a God if you make a good enough one” Joey: “is that a challenge motherfucker”

In terms of characterization:

Henry seems right, nothing else to say there

I know some people have said Jack being an attention whore doesn’t fit with canon, but he mentions needing a quiet place to compose here, so I think he’s just the type of creative who can’t focus with noise and not someone who doesn’t want to be around other people by default. Him brushing off Joey getting their award is a bit more questionable, but I also noticed here that Sammy was the one who dictated if they both took the job (Jack obvs. wanted it but still). I don’t think him wanting attention and him being a pushover are two incompatible ideas.

Sammy is much better here than in DCTL (he’s not being an open bigot, for starters). I do question if he’s being a bit too much of an asshole though. Don’t get me wrong, he is, but I got the impression from BATIM (and the Hot Topic Q&A) that he can be an asshole sometimes, but isn’t 24/7. Seems a hair too aggressive here, especially as he doesn’t have a reason to be pissy. He’s not openly mean like he was in DCTL though, so like I said, it’s better.

[dolls-self-ships]

1 and 5 for any f/o you want for the ask meme!!

How old were you when you & your F/O(s) first met? (Idk if you mean my irl age or the age I headcanon my self insert to be, so I'll save myself the trouble of trying to think of an age on the spot and just say when I started f/oing each character, I started f/oing when I was like 9 but I didn't know there was a name for it (I age up my self insert for adult f/os though to make everything, y'know, ☆~legal~☆) )

The character I still f/o today that I've had for the longest would have to be Cedric the Sorcerer. I developed a huge crush on him when I was 14 and to this day at the ripe old age of 17 I still simp. I have a self-insert/OC for him that I headcanon to be in her early 30's because Cedric is canonically in his late 30's (and I'm tired of women in media always being 20 years younger than their male love interests).

I started to f/o Beetlejuice when I was... I think 15? It was 2018 when I found out about the musical and decided to illegally stream a bootleg of it watch it for the first time and I got instantly wrapped up in how outgoing and flirtatious he was, he was the solidifier in my awful taste in men.

I became smitten with Spinel a while later last summer when the Steven Universe movie came out, so I was 16 going on 17. I didn't fall in love with her right away but I'm a huge nerd for vintage music and aesthetics so her 1930's feel and theme song grabbed me pretty quick, and then I began to feel the feelings during that fight scene at the end with Steven bc I like women who can fight and protecc 👉👈 I just fell in love with her more once I started reading all the imagines and x readers.

Iida's been kind of a background on/off f/o for me for about half a year. He has potential and I love him but I'm just not super invested in the show so it's hard to weed out content of just him (and maybe a few other characters I like).

And my latest f/o, Jervis Tetch aka the Mad Hatter (Batman's most iconic villain, I know) I started to f/o this past month. Or maybe two months, I have no concept of time anymore but I was 17 (and I still am!)

Does your F/O have any silly nicknames for you? Absolutely! Beetlejuice's default for me is "babes", but he switches it up once in a while with a "doll face" or a "baby cakes". If he's feeling it he calls me "hot stuff" which I can never recive with a straight face, I get all red and laugh.

Spinel likes the gushy mushy petnames like "sugar-baby-apple-pie" or "honey-bun" or "suga'". But her favourite thing to call me is "doll" ❤

Jervis is very much a Victorian Gentleman so he addresses me as "my dear" very often, he may switch it up sometimes with "my sweet" or "my love" which are more petnames than silly nicknames but still cute u//w//u

Cedric is all about cute petnames, uses the super sweet "we are definatelty a married couple" ones like "my dear", "darling", and "honey" ❤💞💗💖💕

Idk if Iida is about nicknames, but I don't imagine he would only call me by my name. Something mature and simple but still sweet, like "hun" or "darling".

[suits-of-woe]

Regan, Cornwall, Goneril & Edmund, give me all the trash children whomst I love

Thank you! I love all of these trash children far, far too much. (@harry-leroy we’re out here Lear posting :) )

Regan:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would banghogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: Just pure confidence and badassery. Unless I’m forgetting someone, I think she’s the only woman in all of Shakespeare to kill someone, not indirectly like with poison, but just with a weapon and her own hands. And like? Legendary. Show-stopping. I’m too obsessed.worst quality: The whole enjoying ripping people’s goddamn eyes out is uh…shall we say not great. I’m a grade-a villain apologist but it’s pretty hard to explain her actions without considering her at least something of a sadist.ship them with: Cornwall!! Best power couple. I don’t think she actually loves Edmund that much, it’s more of a desperate rebound and a power play.brotp them with: Goneril. I like to imagine before love triangles got in the way they were partners in crime and got along, if not in an entirely healthy way, at least decently.needs to stay away from: I mean, Gloucester and Lear, but that’s for their good and not hers.misc. thoughts: I really Cannot morally justify stanning but she was the first King Lear character I loved (partially thanks to @dukeofbookingham ‘s brilliant posts about her) and I don’t think I’ll ever stop. Also I totally subscribe to the idea that if Goneril hadn’t killed her no one would have been able to stop her from becoming queen. Bow down tbh.

Cornwall:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life (he’s objectively the worst person alive but that doesn’t stop me)hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would banghogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: Say what you will about him but he drinks his respect women juice and his relationship with Regan is one of the most equal and respect-based in the canon. The Macbeths want what they have.worst quality: Again like…he sure does enjoy torturing people. ship them with: Regan obv, the ultimate power ship.brotp them with: Edmund maybe? I’m trying to think if he has other friends. But I have a lot of feelings about the “thou shalt find a dearer father in my love” line so I’d like to see their relationship actually get to play out.needs to stay away from: Again, keep him away from Gloucester PLEASE. misc. thoughts: He might actually be the worst person in this play. Will that stop me though? Absolutely not. Also, relationship goals.

Goneril:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang (I imagine her as good-looking but in my head Regan is the hot sister and Cordelia is the pretty sister and Goneril always feels less appreciated)hogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: This might be a low bar but I actually think she’s the most practical and level-headed one in her family. Also, she was 100% right about Lear’s behaviour in Act 1 and he absolutely deserved to get kicked out (not that he even really was!!) even if he didn’t deserve everything that came after.worst quality: Envy. And I think that starts way before the love triangle does. It’s somewhat justified, because she is constantly getting one-upped and mistreated, but she still lets it totally consume her.ship them with: Edmund? Kind of? It’s not a good relationship and it would probably always crash and burn at some point, but I have feelings about the mutual love-starvation. If they could both get over the idea that they need to be loved more than anyone and actually accept the affection they desperately crave…like maybe. Also 4.2 is kind of hotbrotp them with: Regan, like I said above. I just want them to have a good relationship at sisters at some point.needs to stay away from: Lear. Please. They’re both so, so terrible to each other. Honestly imo he might be worse to her, but really they just need to cut each other off.misc. thoughts: I used to think of her as the most boring/least likable sister for a very long time but honestly the more I think about her the more I really feel for her. I joke that it’s oldest sister solidarity, but really, I think she takes the brunt of the misogyny in this play and she’s probably the loneliest character in it.

Edmund:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang (in my head he’s like an 11/10 i wish i was exaggerating but he is the top fictional crush of all time)hogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: Rejecting fate! Championing free will! Taking full responsibility for his life and his actions and never once shying away from it! I should have been that I am had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing!worst quality: The moral ones are very obvious but lately I’ve been thinking about his connection with Lear (despite barely interacting with him) and I think they have a lot in common. He thinks power is love, and the more love and the more power the better. And he can’t accept love if it’s moderated, or shared, or second-class, or not worth literally killing for.ship them with: Kind of Goneril for the reasons stated above. I love @princess-of-france ‘s idea of him with Cordelia too but if I’m just watching the play (not with the lens of a particular interpretation) they generally don’t interact so I tend to default to thinking about him with Goneril or Regan in the canon-verse. And yeah, I don’t think he and Regan are actually a good match at all. He and Goneril have more in common and might have something closer to love.brotp them with: EDGAR PLEASE I KNOW IT’S A MESS BUT LET THEM BE BROTHERS I’M BEGGING. (This. This is what happens when you like every single character in the younger generation with zero discretion.)needs to stay away from: Who DOESN’T he need to stay away from? Don’t let this man near anyone who holds any advantage over him and deserves to have a happy life.misc. thoughts: I just. I love him. More than is probably healthy. It takes one hell of a cast of protagonists for me to not actively root for him, and even in that case, I’m still crying like a baby over him by the time we get around to Lear’s death. Icon of bastard dick energy. One of the few characters in the canon who actually aligns with my personal (lack of) spirituality. Heartbreaking in how much he wants to be loved. Basically, I would die for him, send help.

[theinsanecrayonbox]

Digging your tabletop pride icons! I like the filter effect they have! :-) Do you by any chance have a textpost of the characters and their sexual orientations/gender identities? I recognise some of your characters, but not all of them, and there are pride flags I've never seen before, so I'd like to learn more. :-)

well thank you. it was just a bit of photoshop work.

i do not have a list of that made up yet...so lets do that now lol

let me preface this though with two points.; 1) i am 1 of 2 females who play regularly in my dnd group of 6 (sometimes 7) people, the other is Dixon. so i am usually the only female in the party itself. i have only ever played 2 (and a half) male characters in the 6/7 years i’ve been playing; every other male character i do in my tabletop group arts are story characters, not player characters. i am also 1 of 2 (sometimes 3) people in the group under 40. romance isn’t really a big part of our storytelling...no matter how hard i try to put it back in there ^^; 2) i identify as quoisexual myself, so all my characters have that to some degree in them just because i’m the player and you bleed into your characters that way. i also use goggle as a helpful tool to learn about all the different identities, so my knowledge and interpretation is fallible.

ok so list now;

Paige-Cupioromantic, meaning does not feel attraction, but desires that type of relationship i went with this, because Paige....well...is Paige lol. as one player once said “it feels wrong trying to date her, because she acts so young and innocent” and to be fair, she isn’t really out here looking at people as romantic partners. she wants friends, she loves her friends. also you know, mortal embodiment of an eldritch horror terror, so...

Cizma-Fraysexual, meaning has strong attraction until a relationship is formed and then the attraction fades she’s the opposite of Paige, and this is mostly based on her “relationship” with InkShade honestly; she believes she’s madly in love with him, but he refuses her, so she pursues him more. i think if he gave into hr advances and reciprocated, she’d realized her feelings weren’t what she thought they were. i admit, this one’s new to me so my interpretation could be very wrong, but that’s how i feel it fits Cizma.

Ada-Quoisexual, meaning has trouble distinguishing between romantic and sexual attraction as i said above, my default is this, so if i don’t know a character’s leanings it’s their too (yes jelena is my icon and is this too fyi). BUT in fairness, it suits Ada because of how she was raised; she has very little idea how to properly people here. and she is developing some sort of a relationship with Til. also, her first dice bag was my pride bag with this flag.

Gauzra-Lithoromantic, meaning has desires of attraction, but does not want them reciprocated again, kind of supposed to be in opposite to Ada, and seeing as i still don’t know Gauzra’s personality this could change...but from my interpretation of her right now, this feels right. plus the flag goes with her color scheme.

Rosalba-Demisexual, meaning does not feel attraction until a strong bond is formed at the time i was playing Ro, this was how i identified primarily, but it still suits her i think. if you met Rico after meeting her, you would never know WHY they were a couple, but those two kinda fought against two life times to be together (three if you count the accent into godhood). Ro’s also never been good at getting close to people, but once she did, you’re stuck with her.

K’nessan-Nonbinary, meaning does not identify with a binary gender scale; Marsic, meaning is attracted to masculine qualities ok, ok, *technically* since Ness is a hermaphrodite they should be inter-sexed BUT they do prefer the gender neutral pronouns (followed by the masc; never use “it/that’ or you will die)...and their color scheme matches the flag, so... ^^; i also included in the list the Marsic because Ness does have a preference for male partners

Nemo-Asexual, meaning has no desires for attraction Nemo is nothing but a hero, so that pretty much screamed ace to me...plus it matched her color scheme

Mekala-Aromantic, meaning has no desire for attraction i wasn’t really sure about her, since you know 2 failed campaigns in a row didn’t give her much room to grow, but i could see this working. she’s not really looking for anything, more searching her past. 

Jass-Bisexual, meaning attracted to both males and females Jass is my sabretooth, so my sabretooth headcanons are canon for her lol. we only saw her have a relationship with fantasy!Deadpool in the game she was played, but hey

Tesla-Electio Aroace, meaning has no desire for attraction, whether sexual, romantic, or tertiary  i admit, this one is completely new to me, so my interpretation could be very wrong, but the idea that this is one that is uninterested in any form of attraction suits my viral android very well. again, she has gone on record saying that “the biological imperative for emotions is distractive” (more or less) which is especially funny since she was played in a valentines game where the goal was to let Cupid infect a town with horniness to make babies; Tesla was the only one unaffected and actively trying to stop that. so yeah.

Theo-Pansexual, meaning is attracted to any gender yeah, Theo’s just out there doing and being anything

Sean-Bisexual, meaning attracted to both males and females; he however has a stronger male preference i admit, one reason why Sean is bi and not just gay is for the “half and half” joke...but yeah, he started the game with a boyfriend, he would kill everyone for his boyfriend, he woudl die for his boyfriend.

Vitanya-Gynosexual, meaning attracted to feminine qualities still learning new things as we do this, but since Vita has had little development (but will be getting more) i’m kinda aiming to have her be a bit more into girls...we’ll see how that pans out

Lokaj-Androsexual, meaning attracted to masculine qualities originally i had him as something else, but when i saw that description i liked it better, since he ended up with Arkos and all

Arkos-Transgender, meaning identifies with a different physical gender than the one assigned at birth; Gay, meaning attracted to men going more off the latest version here than my previous one for this. but yeah, he’s just straight up trans here, not intersexed, and his tribe is cool with it. plus being a tribe means not enough money to get magic to physically change anything...but he’s ok with that. in his tribe it’s less what you have and more how to act.

Rikkar-Bisexual, meaning attracted to both males and females mainly because he did have a fiance...even though they weren’t super into the idea, they weren’t against it either...but he’s far more into Ark

Tarn-Lesbian, meaning attracted to women she has been a loud raging lesbian since day one, and nothing will ever change that. not even one continuity having her in a forced, bested in trial by combat, marriage to Starlord basically. she will only go for a dude if he’s a dragon...and he’s gotta be a hot dragon...and even then it win’t lasting dude.

Reyzah-Abrosexual, meaning one’s attraction is constantly changing or fluid Reyzah started as a knock-off tarn honestly and never got to thrive too much. but compared to her siblings, she was always the one learning and trying to figure herself out, so this fits well.

Margus-gay, meaning attracted to men Margus, similarly to his sister, started off as quiet nervous gay, and by the end of the adventure he had himself a doppleganger husband and confidence to boot, so yeah, my baby boy grew up good. admittedly a lot of his self-confidence issues were more from his half-orc heritage, BUT that fed into the “no one would wanna date me cause i suck” mentality. so yeah.

Nikkos-Asexual, meaning feels no desire for attraction he’s Margus’ twins, and was always intended to be some sort of ace. the joke being the Ironbrood kids are a full set; likes girls, likes guys, figuring things out, likes doughnuts. i waffled over making him a more defined type though...but since i’ve only played him for like one session as a background character, i’m not sure where he’s at. so general ace is fine. he loves and supports his siblings, and is best uncle to Margus’ kids anyways, so s’all good.

Jelena-Quoisexual, meaning has trouble distinguishing between romantic and sexual attraction i know i said up in Ada’s that Jelena was this too, but here i am saying it again since she’s my actual icon and not in the reffed to image set. i haven’t played her, so this could change...but i’m very self projecting on her during quarantine to begin with, so yeah she’s quoi until proven otherwise ^^;

so hope you found this informative...and that my information isn’t too terribly off ^^;;;

[hellyeahomeland]

“Catch and Release” | Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, Cinematography by David Klein

A lot of Homeland, especially in the last few seasons with its focus on American politics, is about power: who has it, who wants it, and who can take it away. In many scenes, we can interpret the power balance based on how characters are filmed or placed relative to each other (for example, President Keane was often shot from below, as if she was towering over us). 

Likewise, the show devoted a lot of exposition to the fact that Carrie and G’ulom had a good working relationship based on similar goals back when she was the Kabul station chief. We can see the visual evidence of it here. They sit opposite each other, on equal ground. They’re even in similar positions, leaning forward, elbows on knees. The framing here is actually ironic given that, as Carrie says later, G’ulom basically laughs her out of his office. But given what transpires between them later, we think the visual cues this framing offers are intended more to establish the dynamic of this relationship for the remainder of the season. 

The production of season eight was split between Morocco and Los Angeles. The scenes of Max and his Marine buddies were all shot in LA. The filter here--sort of blueish grey--is incredibly distracting and very odd. The lighting on Max here is also interesting: he’s half in the light, half in the dark.

That said, we can get past it for this scene alone, where, one by one, each of the soldiers pat him on the head (for luck, seemingly) and call him “Maxie.”  

We have another shot from behind Saul’s shoulder, the background out of focus. Again, we’re not sure what this means yet. It could be a visual motif Lesli Linka Glatter chose to string throughout her first two episodes of the season, or it could be something more symbolic, as we suggested last week: Saul is aging, out of touch, relegated to a role as observer. In the past he’s had a bigger plan at play, sometimes one that neither the audience nor Carrie was aware of. Now, he seems to be losing at his own game. By the end of the episode, his glasses are gone and his Plan A may be as well.

This scene and the slow procession of prisoners from out of the airplane is eerily reminiscent of the prisoner exchange in season four, down to all wearing the exact same color and cut of orange jumpsuit.

This time, of course, the exchange goes exactly to plan. The choice to conduct the exchange under cover of darkness, while Tasneem remains figuratively in the dark as well (temporarily at least), suggests Saul and Co. have learned from past mistakes.

Sara loves Carrie’s scenes with Jenna for all the reasons we’ve already stated, but in particular for this moment. Whatever this facial expression is, it feels strangely new. After seven seasons, it feels like we’ve seen every range and type of emotion Carrie has. But this! This actually does look like something we’ve never seen before, and it’s exciting to see Claire render that. As for what the emotion is, we’re going for “I don’t trust you but I’m trying to decide how much to let on that I don’t trust you.” 

IJLTP. 

Gail has actual analysis: Tasneem was shot at a similar distance in the last episode while smoking, and it’s interesting to see that same shot applied here to Samira. Samira is looking down, somehow somber. Meanwhile Tasneem was calm (wearing blue), calculating, and looking powerfully into medium distance. Both women hold an incredible amount of power: one who weaponizes it and one who is trying to learn how.

The color palette of Jenna’s and Samira’s outfits here is identical, which seems very intentional. What that means, we’re not sure, but it does look like Samira may be in a few more episodes this season, so we’ll see how/if thekr relationship evolves.

We need to note as well that Jenna is dressed almost exactly like Carrie was the day before, but with a red top instead of blue. Is Jenna mirroring Carrie or is this just the female CIA officer’s default uniform? (Your guess is as good as ours.)

The shot of Carrie from outside the car window comes earlier in the episode but we chose to feature it by a nearly identical one of Saul here. Last week we discussed how a similar image represented a trapped, cornered Carrie. This week, the purpose instead seems to be to draw a line between Carrie and Saul, mirrors of each other. Carrie is on the left beside Jenna, Saul on the right beside Haqqani’s cousin. Both are forced to work with people they don’t trust to complete a mission. 

Saul actually steps into Carrie’s shoes by arranging the meeting with Haqqani, dangerously entering the field for what feels like the first time in many years. The contrast in their expression is notable, too. Saul looks hopefully upward. Carrie stares straight ahead, tense, focused, stewing in her initial failure with G’ulom.  

The producers have talked at length about how the final season is about completing the story of Carrie and Saul’s relationship, so we anticipate more imagery in this vein as the season progresses. 

IJLTP.

Saul waiting alone on the rooftop in Peshawar reminded us heavily of the rooftop scenes in “Beirut Is Back.” Again, more Carrie mirroring.  

Tasneem looks like a fuckin’ B O S S. Everything here is amazing. We have to stan. 

This image of Saul waiting on the rooftop was particularly provocative. He waits and watches, surrounded by garbage and other discarded objects. 

We actually didn’t notice this Max potato head at first. Give the props department an Emmy and put this in the Louvre.

We loved this sequence of the Peshawar street growing gradually quieter as Saul realized what was about to happen (Sean Callery’s score only adds to the eeriness). Some of the most iconic Homeland scenes are about dread and some looming, inevitable tragedy. In this case, the build-up is more excruciating than the moment where the shots are actually fired. 

The shift in Carrie’s demeanor after she successfully leverages G’ulom is palpable. She’s stomping through the Kabul streets like she absolutely owns the place. This sequence gives us shades of The Drone Queen (the person and the episode) and even calls back to the beginning of the season four premiere, when she’s also flanked by two guards while walking through Kabul. 

Costa Ronin is a tall man, but this shot from Carrie’s perspective shows Yevgeny looming large over her, nearly taking up the entire screen, all she sees. 

On a less serious note, we will never stop wondering how Costa Ronin became so hot. We remain convinced that he is being framed as a romantic lead. This little smirky thing? What is this????

IJLTP.

Admittedly, this is a fantastic ending (Sara: “how could Saul getting hit in the face not be?”), and Saul’s disbelieving, relieved smile harkens back to his at the end of “The Choice.” Then, he was thanking God that Carrie was alive. Now, it’s the leader of the Taliban. Perspective is everything. But my, how the mighty have fallen. 

[hellyeahrpmemes]

※ JENNA MARBLES SENTENCE STARTERS ※

starters from jenna’s 9 most recent videos as of november 8, 2017! feel free to change names/pronouns/etc.!

REACTING TO COMPILATION VIDEOS OF ME 2

“At any moment, the cleaner can walk in the front door.”

“If you don’t want to be disturbed, put up the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, and we’ll ignore it.”

“Have me and him beefed back and forth in our videos for a total of seven minutes?”

“Okay, I did not see that — what a little shit.”

“I’m trying not to be too loud, because we’re in a small hotel-thing.”

“I need to not comment on this feud because it’s between you and him.”

“Just gimme your neck so I can choke you out real quick.”

“I’m sorry, but that shit’s just funny.”

“I took chemistry in high school, it’s bleach.”

“Does this give you any moment of pause or remorse and be like, ‘wow, I really am gross to my girlfriend all the time’?”

“You know when you walk into your trophy room and you’re looking at all your accomplishments and you see your name on all those plaques and you’re reliving the glory days, and you’re like, damn, I did all that? That’s the feeling I have right now.”

“This is like torture. Maybe to some people, this is funny, but, to me, this is torture.”

“Somewhere, deep down inside me, I think you really like Nasty Julien.”

“You fuckin’ lick that up right now…!”

“This isn’t our house…!”

“How’d we get here…?! We were doing something…!”

“You need to get that wig on and look at 50 different camera angles in the room.”

“Did we leave that shot in a video? It wasn’t an outtake?”

“That was fucked up.”

GIVING MYSELF A SET OF GEL NAILS

“I found out about myself that I like to take my money and chuck it into the toilet and flush it.”

“I don’t know what it does, but she said I need it.”

“I ended up with some hot-ass witch nails.”

“It seems like you sort of just dip your brush in it and go for it, which I’m all about.”

“This seems like it’s getting out of hand already.”

“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about.”

“It’s very similar to eating spaghetti.”

“I feel like this is an incredible medium to jam things onto your nails with.”

“This is fucking magic.”

“It’s like the fossil of stupid.”

“Do you know what pain is? It’s a physiological response to tell you to stop doing something.”

“This is some real 2008 hot shit.”

“In order to perfect this part, you do have to have some level of technique, which I sincerely lack.”

“It looks… how you say… homemade.”

“I’m amazed that that worked even a little bit.”

“Now something that I am concerned about is how the fuck I’m gonna get this off.”

“Welcome to the diary of a 31 year old lady.”

“All I want for Christmas is to get this shit to stop.”

“I’m not saying I’m the best at what I do, but I’m the best at what I do.”

“I’m so pleased with myself…!”

“I’m just gonna go ahead and say what we’re all thinking: acrylic gel is the best invention that’s ever been invented.”

“I feel like you could do this and get okay at it.”

“I’d probably dial 911 while asking her out.”

MY BOYFRIEND COOKS MY FAVORITE MEAL

“Can’t you see what the fuck I’m wearing, bitch?”

“Can’t you see I’m fucking leisuring?”

“This was actually all inspired by the fact that I bought this leisure suit.”

“I’m gonna leisure in it, which means everybody else around me’s gotta do shit for me.”

“I’d say my favorite meal is a little bit interesting.”

“While they cook it for you, you can wear your leisure suit and tell them everything that they’re doing wrong and that it doesn’t taste right and to keep trying.”

“You’re gonna cook me my favorite meal and I’m gonna critique you the whole time.”

“You can’t even take a sip without a laughing.”

“It’s just — it’s terrible for you.”

“That’s by far my least favorite thing in the kitchen.”

“Boy, you’re chopping vegetables, like, chill out.”

“You’re just gonna leave that…!? I’m a virgo…! Please clean it up…!”

“This right here? This is what we call some aries bullshit.”

“Everything that Julien makes is so fucking bitter, and he’s like, should we add more lemon, and I’m like, no…!”

“Why was that in your sweatshirt…? That’s nasty…!”

“Go away, it’s my favorite meal…!”

“Hey, how do you spell cans backwards?”

“That’s right…! Don’t fuck it up. Don’t touch it, don’t put anything in it, don’t say it needs some lemon, don’t make it bitter as hell, it’s perfect.”

“My favorite part of this is the backhanded compliments.”

“Does it need lemon, you think?”

“I’m feeling pretty relaxed. Except for the fact that everything you’re doing right now is stressing me out.”

“Watch your mouth when you’re talking about my son pad thai.”

“Aren’t you glad I picked such a simple recipe for my favorite meal?”

“I’m not feeling very leisurely.”

“I feel like someone’s favorite meal says so much about them, and you know what mine says about me? I’m fucking trash.”

“I’m gonna cry actual tears.”

“Hell yeah, we know what the fuck we’re doing.”

“Now imagine, Julien, it’s 2 AM, and you’re wasted right now.”

“I feel like you treated me like the princess I am not.”

“Thank you, I love you.”

“Oh, man, the wine just really bounces off all the flavors.”

“This is my heart on a plate.”

MY DOGS TRY ON HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

“They’re raking it in over there. It’s not like George Lucas doesn’t have a bajillion dollars anyways.”

“I’ve had it with this wig…!”

“How is this an extra small? What’s with these sizes?”

“I love you so much, but you test me every day.”

“Okay, Spock’s hair is not this long.”

“I think this is too relaxed — this is like a dangerous level of relaxed.”

“This is a lot to ask of you, bud, but you’re doing amazing, sweetie.”

“He’s a real good boy. He’s a 10/10 good boy.”

“Alright, let’s see, do they glow in the dark? I think they do. …barely.”

BLEACHING MY EYEBROWS

“I didn’t invent it, it’s a thing…!”

“I want it to blend in with my translucent skin, alright?”

“Whenever I have to see people, I have the unstoppable urge to fuck myself up in the face."

"I feel very excluded by that product."

“Just for men. And Jenna."

"Nothing says ‘thanks for inviting me to your school’ quite like chemical burns on your face.”

"I was like, yeah, totally. And then I realized that I was lying because I don't fucking feel like it."

“I love fucking myself up. It feels good. It feels cathartic.”

“Like, this is a good look.”

“I wanna look like a beautiful snowy snow elf. Like, a snow owl personified.”

“It is a chemical burn. This is the definition of a chemical burn.”

"You and everybody else are so concerned about, like, safety and looking okay but, like, fuck off.”

“Don’t give me that look…! This is a judgement-free zone…!”

“I feel like I see a lack of people with this particular part of their hair dyed.”

“I feel like bleach is addictive. Can I get some research studies on how addictive bleach is? Because I feel like it is, and I feel like I have a problem.”

“Bleach on your face challenge!"

“Every time I go into that beauty supply store, that guy should be like, get out.”

“Just for fucking men… no it isn’t… I’m a man…”

“You have to go to your baseball game right now, son.”

“You really look like a Mii character and you just added a mustache to your character.”

“Just for men? I beg to differ. I’m a women, and I made it work for me…!”

“I feel like I look like a very rare and interesting fish.”

“Why do you look cute when you do the weirdest shit?”

I BUY MY BOYFRIENDS OUTFITS

“I am a fashion guru, okay?”

“I went and bought you some clothes, like the style icon I am.”

“I want to be dressed like a doll.”

“Let’s see how big you think I am… oh, that’s accurate.”

“I can guarantee you I’m will wear this entire outfit on 9 of the next 10 flights I take.”

“Are we done here? Cause I don’t want anything else.”

“I took your credit card, and I bought it.”

“Yo, these are soft as fuck, bitch…!”

“I wanna know what social rule says I can’t wear this everywhere I go.”

“To be perfectly honest, I’ll probably wear this all the time. It’s soft, it fits my body well, and I’m invisible.”

“Engage thicc mode.”

“I’m gonna take that fanny pack away from you.”

“I’m so disappointed, where is your thigh…!? I came here for the thigh…!”

“I was half kinda joking, but, like, why does that outfit look so fucking good?”

“I love all of the stuff you got me.”

“I’m gonna take that shirt, and I’m gonna burn it while you’re sleeping.”

REACTING TO COMPILATION VIDEOS OF ME

“I feel obnoxious. Am I obnoxious?”

“I’m not a weirdo who imitates people to their face.”

“I’m telling you — they misspelled ‘moments’.”

“I’m like a little kid. I start saying something or doing something, and then I can’t stop.”

“I’m not a snack…!”

“It’s just another example of you blatantly interrupting me because you wanted to.”

“You forget you have nothing to say, so that’s your default.”

“You don’t have a basketball game — you’ve literally never, ever had a basketball game, today or tomorrow.”

“I’ve never met a person that I’ve had that same hate like a sibling. That’s how me and Rome get sometimes.”

“It’s like one big, long incest joke.”

“Okay, this is literally gonna make me fucking cry.”

“It just ends with you screaming.”

“Don’t call me a snack again.”

“Oh, it’s hot? Now you know how I feel sitting next to you.”

MY DOG REVIEWS SOAP

“Stocked up with soap until forever.”

“If you’re dirty, come to my house, I got the soap, you know what I’m saying?”

“Alright, now we’re taking a fight break.”

“We’re not judging you; this is a safe place.”

“We only got 8 bars of soap, because I thought that was a lot of soap.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna throw any of the soap out, okay?”

“Please send help to my house. My dog is broken.”

MY BOYFRIEND BUYS MY OUTFITS

“There was a couple of items I got because I’ve always wanted to see you wear them.”

“While I was shopping today, I was thinking: what would go good at a step-grandparent’s barbecue?”

“I think this would be mad cute on you. And off of you.”

“You don’t have any step-grandparents.”

“We can go to Disneyland in it, cause I’ve never been.”

“This is my new favorite shirt!”

“Do not make me wear that capri-crap.”

“You got my nemesis in clothing form.”

“Please put this on.”

“I saw those and they literally yelled at me.”

“My nipples aren’t that far apart from each other, this is just gonna be a boob show…!”

“…I kinda like this.”

“I retract everything I said.”

“I can feel my legs suffocating from here.”

“Julien, I am a grown woman…!”

“Why do you want me to be a people that wears jeans?”

“Hey, guys, it’s me, Jenna, the regular people, here to do regular people things.”

“Tell me she doesn’t look cute in this.”

“As long as I’m wearing these sunglasses, I can wear jeans.”

“You look like you’re trying to hide from the cops.”

“Girl, you look cute as fuck.”

“If you’d ever like me to return the favor, I’m more than happy to.”

“Dear God, it’s me, Jenna. Please give me the strength not to punch my boyfriend.”

“I think I have permanent scars from those jeans.”

[orbemnews]

What Does a Gamer Look Like? Video games entered mainstream culture decades ago, but these days, gamers are more like celebrities, with millions of fans online. That means, among other things, that the days of gamers wearing jorts and oversize T-shirts are long past. Esports athletes and streamers alike now dress with urban panache mixed with opulent sensibilities. The result is a mix of luxury brand worship, Korean streetwear, video game fantasy and Japanese “kawaii” culture. Major brands have taken notice. Tyler Blevins, the mega-popular video game streamer known as Ninja, signed a deal with Adidas and released a limited edition run of “night joggers,” which sold out almost immediately. Gucci partnered with the London esports team Fnatic on a $1,600 dive watch. Louis Vuitton teamed up with League of Legends, the most popular esport in the world, for a limited run of capsules and shirts. And the designer Jeff Staple, often credited with kick-starting the collectible sneaker revolution, worked with the Overwatch League on a line of jerseys. “I feel that while streetwear was rising, gaming culture was also rising,” Mr. Staple said. “In 2018, when Overwatch League first reached out, that’s when the paths started to cross.” Gaming accessories too are style. Players can be seen wearing large headphones with keyboards sticking out of their backpacks. HyperX creates a popular line of gaming headsets. Its ambassadors include the singer Post Malone, JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Daigo Umehara, the Street Fighter champ. For their fans, players display a wide array of styles, from a team-branded hoodie to a camo jacket to Pokémon cosplay. We spoke to three players about how they think about their appearance: an influencer, a pro gamer and an amateur gamer. Imane Anys The 24-year-old Twitch streamer known as Pokimane has more than 7 million followers on the platform. Her style mixes comfort, cute spectacle and streetwear. I see many streamers and esports athletes dying their hair in nonnatural colors. Why? Whether it’s your hair or accessories, it really becomes part of your branding and, in essence, iconic to who you are. So for example Ninja: It’s the blue hair. For me, it’s become kind of curly wavy brown hair and wearing a headset, almost all the time. In regard to accessories, what do you like to wear while you stream? It’s more about what kind of accessories you don’t want to wear. For example, I found that I don’t usually wear earrings or bracelets much because earrings really get in the way of your headset and it can kind of hurt. And bracelets get in the way of your armrest on your gaming chair. Streetwear is especially popular in gaming and esports circles. Why? It’s still something that you feel comfortable in. You can dress it sort of up or sort of down. That aspect of comfort is really important when you’re sitting down for six plus hours on your PC chair. What streetwear brands are you wearing right now? I love Prix. I’ve always really enjoyed some nice athleisure — if you would consider an Adidas or Nike a kind of streetwear. And one of my all-time favorite stores is called Maniere De Voir. Is there pressure for women who stream to want to look cute, and does that come at odds with comfort? I think because no brands are specifically targeting that — clothing that’s comfortable to sit in or walk around in — athleisure seems to be what everybody defaults to because there isn’t another option. Adidas, Nike and especially Lululemon. With Twitch having a largely male audience, is there more demand to wear sexier outfits? Does that clash with your more modest look and how do you navigate that? I think there’s a desire for both, to be honest. There are people that will ask you to wear more revealing clothing, but then if you decide to, there are people that will comment rude things. I found that it’s best to just do what you want and what makes you comfortable. How has the pandemic affected your style? Initially, quarantine didn’t impact my style too much since I’ve always worked from home. However, I’ve recently started reaching for the pieces I’d usually save for special outings, and wearing them at home just to spice things up and put them to use until it’s safe to go out again. Thomas Paparatto Known as ZooMaa, he is a professional Call of Duty League player for the New York Subliners, part of the Andbox esports organization, which houses a clothing design arm. Earlier this month, he announced that he would be stepping back from competition due to ongoing wrist pain, though he will continue to stream. What are you wearing here? I wore a part of my collection, which is the hoodie, and I just put on a pair of jeans and some white shoes to go with it. I’m a very simple guy when it comes to clothes. What was your goal with this collection? I just wanted something that looks good that anybody can wear out in the open, no matter what the age is. I wanted something that people can wear to school that doesn’t scream “gamer.” What do you mean by “scream ‘gamer’”? Like a team name maybe. Or like a bunch of sponsored jerseys, stuff like that. I wanted something more, like everyday wear that people can wear to work or wear to school or wear around the office. Is there anything wrong with clothing that screams “gamer”? Absolutely not. It’s just, for me, not everybody knows much about gaming, so I just think having something that’s more versatile that anybody can wear would be really cool. But obviously I’m a gamer, so having a little bit of gaming twist to it. What things are integrated into clothing for gaming purposes? Hand warmers are a big thing. So having a nice hoodie pocket or having nice pockets like that can keep your hands warm in between matches. And why are hand warmers important? The venues are always really cold. So having hand warmers on deck, just holding between matches keeps your hands nice and warm and loose. You have a custom PlayStation 4 controller made by Scuf Gaming. Explain the importance of having a custom controller. It’s a comfort thing. They do little things that help your game. They give you a really good grip on controllers. The smart triggers and smart bumpers, which I think is like the most important thing. They’re just more responsive than a regular controller. You grew up in Cranford, N.J., and now you represent the New York Subliners. How important is your image? It’s pretty important to me. I always want to rep the team that I play for just because I’m proud of it. Have you changed your look in the pandemic? Not really, just like to change styles depending on what’s hot and what season it is. Nathan Truong The 20-year-old gamer and upcoming Twitch streamer out of San Jose, Calif., goes by Nate. Explain your get-up with the camo jacket. I decided to pick up that jacket simply because it’s something a little bit different but not too flashy. I tend to not wear a ton of print varieties of colors, but I think camouflage is something that’s not really worn too much anymore. And what are these necklaces? One, a skull, and the other one is a pendant of a lion. They add a little bit of flair to whatever you’re wearing and it does add a sense of personality to your outfit. I think one of them in specific looks like an esports team logo, Houston Outlaws. And then the rest of your ensemble? So starting with the shoes, I’m wearing the Adidas Yeezy Boost Pirate Black. I think they stand out. Fairly simple because they’re all black, as well as the Levi’s 501 original fit men’s jeans. You’re wearing HyperX headphones, and HyperX has landed endorsement deals with major athletes and gamers. Is that why you chose them? I think HyperX makes a lot of audio devices with better quality and a little bit more comfort as well as with just a cleaner look. What about the keyboard you’re using? The keyboard is a Ducky One 2 Mini. It is a 60 percent keyboard, meaning that it’s traditionally smaller than most keyboards also comes with less keys, so the arrow keys are actually also the I, J, K and L keys. I hopped on this hype train where the player Tfue had been using this keyboard. I thought it was really cool. As you build up your presence, you gain more clout. And with clout comes a greater adherence to your personal image and brand. How does fashion play into all of that? With clout, you have more people looking at you, you have more people idolizing you. If you don’t have a sense of fashion, then you could be seen as almost like a nerd. But in a way, it changes how people look at you, it makes them think whether you’re cool or not. How has your style changed during lockdown? Since quarantine, I have been going for a much more comfortable look yet with a skater aesthetic. I think the best thing about dressing this way is that it doesn’t have to be super expensive. Finding clothes, with most places being closed and mainly being inside most of the time, there’s lots of time to shop online. Source link Orbem News #Gamer

[thedeanthomas]

Expectations and Reality || AU

It’s been days. It has to have been. Dean has barely moved from the bed, ordering take away pizzas to sustain himself. He doesn’t think, all he does is sleep and zone out to Office reruns on Netflix, trying to keep himself as numb as possible so he doesn’t break down again. Shay’s Smiths t shirt is in a crumpled pile in the corner of the room, Dean had thrown it there that first morning when he’d woken up. He hits the power button on his phone and gets the dead battery icon. With a sigh, Dean rummages around for his charger, plugging it in. As soon as it gets the juice, his phone blows up with notifications he’d been ignoring. He has 18 missed called and 158 texts. He groans when he opens his texting app and sees that at least half of them have to be from his mum.

Dean hits call and throws the phone on his bed with speaker on. He tries to stay awake as his mum shouts at him for disappearing, then he comforts her dully as she weeps about some nonsense with thinking he was dead.

“You’re not alone, are you? Dean, you can’t be alone right now-“ She rambles on for several minutes, but Dean knows she’s right. His mum knows him well enough to know that that’s what he defaults to when he’s upset.

“…we’ve been praying for you Dean and…”

And at the same time she didn’t know a single thing about him.

“I’m fine mum.”

“Seamus is with you still?”

That hits him like a thousand bricks to his chest. Of course she didn’t know. Why the hell would she know. He’s supposed to be torn up over Lavender, mourning the future of married life, suffering the humiliation of being jilted-it was there, but it was nothing compared to the fog of hurt, anger, confusion that he’d spent the past 72 hours in. He’d lose Lavender a hundred times over if it meant Seamus would come back. But he can’t even begin to conceptualize how he’d explain this to his mother. He didn’t even know where she stood on gay people, not really….not that Dean was gay people. God, was Dean gay people? No. No he wasn’t. He liked women. What happened just happened because he was drunk. But that didn’t make explaining this any easier to his mom.

“Dean?”

“Yeah. Yeah he’s around. Just stepped out for a smo-food. He’s getting food.”

Dean didn’t need a cigarette lecture on top of everything else. For a few seconds, he lets himself believe it-that Shay would be showing up in his apartment with eggrolls and one of those trash magazines he read ‘ironically’, throwing himself on the couch…throwing himself on Dean….no.

“I have to go mum. Okay?”

He’d cut her off in the middle of something, but he didn’t apologize.

“Okay. Many happy returns. Namaste.”

“Yep. Ditto.”

“You call me if you need me?

He did need her. He needed her to be who she was when it was just her and him, when they were poor, when she didn’t speak with the affected uppity accent.  When she knew him. When Dean could tell her anything. When she would’ve been here, waiting for him, instead of hours away tending to her perfect replacement family.

She didn’t need Dean anymore. That was the problem.

“Sure mum. Bye.”

His plans already disrupted, Dean lets his phone charge and drags himself into the shower, trying to zone out in the water, but it doesn’t work. His thoughts keep drifting to Seamus, to the large loss of him obviously, but Dean can’t quite get other thoughts out of his head. How Shay had tasted….how he’d looked when Dean had been on his knees in front of him…

Dean grunts pinches the skin on his arm to distract himself from getting hard. God. What the hell was wrong with him?  He smacks the side of the shower wall and feels better when his hand starts to smart. Good. Something to feel other than fucking sad and like a fucking girl.

He gets out the shower and paces around in his towel, suddenly needing to get out. It’s eleven in the morning. Luna should be awake. Dean checks his phone. It’s…how the hell was it Thursday? Didn’t they get back on Sunday?  Whatever. It didn’t matter.

“Hello?”

“Hey it’s-“

“Oh so now you can fucking call me, hmm? Come on, Thomas! We thought you died.”

Luna’s hint of an Irish accent deepens whenever she’s mad.

“No you didn’t. I live across the hall, numpty. You’ve seen lights on.”

“My point still stands. Don’t fucking do that.”

“Sorry.”

“So what have you been-“

“Want to go out tonight? You can bring Ginny if you want.”

“Er, sure. She’s got practice tonight and she usually just crashes atAngelina’s after because it’s closer, so it’ll just be you me and Shay.”

God. It stings. He wants to cry. He hates himself. He wants to punch something. A thousand more emotions hit him at once and Dean locks them away, and his voice is flat when he speaks.

“Shay isn’t coming.”

“Why?”

“I’ll be round at eight okay?”

“Dean Malcom Thomas. Talk to me.”

“I’m going back to bed, Lune. I’ll see you at eight?”

“I’m mad at you.”

“Bu I’ll see you at eight?”

“….I’ll see you at eight.”

He didn’t lie to her. Satisfied, naked, Dean falls back onto the bed. It’s hours later when his text tone pulls him out of sleep.

Luna: What the hell happened with you two?

Dean starts to type

Dean: We got drunk at the club in Greece, and we were trying to get me laid, or at least someone to make out with. Shay kissed me because we couldn’t find anyone, and then I kissed him. Then we sucked each other off. Then he fucked me. And I liked it. Then he left me. Then I got drunk and called him a whore when he came back and I don’t think he’s ever going to talk to me again-ok?

He hits the backspace button so fast his phone glitches for a second. Then he types again.

Dean: had a massive blow up. I think we’re done. Shay hasn’t talked to me since. And I don’t care.

Luna: Yes you do.

Dean: Sure. Look, I just want to get drunk and find a girl tonight, okay? Can we focus on that?

Luna sends him an excessive amount of the eye roll emojis, and the rest of the afternoon passes in the same haze he’d been living in. Around 7, Dean takes the time to pick out his clothes carefully, settling on a royal blue sport coat, white button up and dark jeans. He expects Luna to berate him for his outfit choice, but when he knocks on her door, it flies open and her arms are around him instantly. Dean would normally resist, pull away even, but he just accepts the affection, gently hugging her back. He’d forgotten how nice human contact could be.

“What was that for?” He asks as he lets her go. Dean tries to smile at her but he knows it looks fake.

“You needed it, mate. After everything that happened.”

“I told you. I don’t care about Shay.”

Luna raises an eyebrow.

“I was talking about Lavender.”

Dean looks away from her.

“Oh. Right. Well I’ve ordered a car it should be here so-“

“Right.”

~

Luna stands next to him at the bar. They’re about three shots in.

“You look hot by the way.” She says this as she plays with the lapel on his jacket. The compliment surprises Dean and he smiles at her for real this time.

“Really?”

She rolls her eyes.

“Yes, Thomas. If I wasn’t with someone, I’d pity fuck you.”

He laughs, and she does too. He’d asked her for that once, when he was really drunk the first year of Uni and it’d turned into a sort of in joke. Dean takes a long swig of his beer.

“So….you on your own in the apartment?”

Dean won’t ask about him. Not directly. Luna nods.

“Shay hasn’t been round, no. Asked me to tell him when you were going to be out.”

He ignores that and how much that hurts.

“So Gin isn’t moving in?”

“Er….no. She can’t afford it. Neither can I really, on my own. If I can’t find someone I might have to move.”

That surprises Dean. They hardly live anywhere extravagant. Dean preferred it that way, though Lavender had been harping him to move somewhere nicer after the wedding. He didn’t need much, not really, and even though his stepdad always paid for everything, Dean didn’t like to take advantage of that, even when he should. An idea pops into his head before he can stop himself.

“Let me.”

Luna scoffs, not understanding.

“What, drunkie?”

Dean grabs her hand.

“Its er-partially my fault you don’t have a roommate now, and it’s definitely my fault you lost your first one at least. Let me pay your rent. Please. It’ll make me feel better.”

Luna laughs.

“You’re the strangest person I’ve ever met, you know that?”

Dean throws his arms out in front of him.

“What?”

“You’re going to sugar daddy my lesbian relationship because you feel bad?”

“Yeah.”

“And you don’t see what’s weird about that?”

Luna does another one of the shots set in front of them.

“Only you saying the word ‘daddy’.”

Luna chokes on the shot and coughs, glaring at him. Dean pats her back.

“Sorry, mate.”

“You should be.”

He flags the bartender for water before turning towards her again.

“So will you let me or no?”

She raises her eyebrows.

“You serious? This isn’t just drunk Dean talking?”

Dean thrusts his arms forward and dramatically mimics a sobriety test.

“I’m not that drunk. But I am that serious.”

“Dean!”

She presses a kiss to his cheek.

“Normally I wouldn’t let you…but god, I want to live with my girlfriend. Ooh. Sorry.”

Luna’s eyes grow large as she realizes what she’s said. Dean shrugs.

“Don’t be. But I’m serious. Seriously.”

Luna’s face breaks out into a grin.

“I’m gonna go call her and tell her the good news. Also…” She jerks her head slightly to the right. “It’s looking like I’ll see you in the morning. Let me know if you need clean up crew.”

Dean laughs as she walks away. He sips on his beer for maybe 30 seconds before new company joins him.

She’s gorgeous. He hates himself for noticing how similar she looks to Lavender, but this girl’s hair is cropped short and her lips are fuller. She smiles at him and Dean notices her eyes are a lot kinder than Lav’s hand been in years.

“Hi.”

She’s American. That surprises him.

“Hi.”

“Um…was that your girlfriend?”

She’s bold. Drunkenly bold, she glances over at her group of friends and they all giggle. Dean smiles, feeling anticipation build in his stomach.

“No. Not at all. She’s on her way to call her girlfriend.”

“Oh. Great. I’m Rowan.”

“Dean.”

“Hi Dean.” She smiles, getting just a touch closer to him.

“Hi.”

“You can buy me a drink now, if you want.”

Dean laughs.

“Well I think I want to, but it depends on something.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you as fun as you are pretty?”

She blushes but laughs.

“Definitely.”

“Then, definitely.”

~

Rowan’s lips tickle his neck as Dean fumbles with his keys in the doorway.

“You live alone?”

She says this between kisses, sucking a hickey on his neck.

“….yeah.”

They open the door and Dean barely gets it shut behind him before Rowan’s all over him. She’s practically climbing the front of him, and Dean takes the hint, lifting her up easily. She’s so little, she about the same shape as someone else who had recently wrapped his legs around Dean’s waist. A groan escapes him at the memory, and Rowan smiles against his lips. Dean grabs her jean covered ass as they walk into the bedroom, and when Dean falls back onto the bed, he gropes her breasts through her blouse. As Rowan gets settled on top of him,  Dean’s hands run up the back of it and undo her bra, slipping his hands up through the front of her shirt after. She moans into his mouth as his thumbs graze her nipples and Dean bites her bottom lip in return. He massages her breasts as she undoes the buttons on his shirt, and he moves his arms to pull off his jacket and shirt. Rowan pulls her own shirt off, flinging her bra aside, and Dean tries not to show disappointment. He liked undressing women, the moment of anticipation just before you get to see her...it’s like magic. He notices her pale chest is dotted with beauty marks, and it’s endearing. He traces a finger over one of them and she shivers. 

Rowan climbs onto his lap and kisses him greedily, gyrating against him as she kisses down his neck again. Dean pushes back up towards her, moaning, but uh....

It’s not working. He’s only half hard. And Dean knows Rowan notices.

“Sorry, ‘m a little drunk.”

He says this against her lips and she smiles.

“I can fix that. Lay back.”

Her telling him what to do does make his hips twitch.

“You don’t have to...”

She pushes him on his back and starts kissing down his neck, down his chest, and she sucks a hickey on his hip before answering. 

“I want to, yeah? I bet your dick is huge.”

She’s trying to be sexy, but it just makes feel gross to have her talk to him like that-still, Dean grins at her as she starts to take off his pants and briefs, watching, propped up on his elbows.

“You American girls are different, yeah?”

She licks a stripe on the underside of his cock and smiles at the immediate effect of it.

“Oh, you have no idea, baby.”

Baby. 

Dean groans again at the memory of Seamus instead of what Rowan is doing to him now. It’s just dark enough and her hair is short and dark-Dean’s mind slips easily back to Greece, to Shay calling him baby-Shay swallowing all of him .Rowan’s pace is quicker and...wetter, but it works. Dean closes his eyes and loses himself, growing harder and harder until--

“Do you have a condom?”

“Nightstand.”

He stays on his back as she goes to find one, giving his cock a few pumps with her hand before she puts it on him. He feels himself soften at her touch but he thinks of Shay and fixes his problem. God, what the fuck was his problem? This absolutely stunning girl absolutely desperate for him, sucking him off, and Dean has to think about getting fucked by his best friend to stay hard?

Maybe...maybe he liked men. 

It’s the first time he lets himself think that, really, soberly and truthfully, and Dean knows its true. He wasn’t not attracted to Rowan, it was just-there was a large part of him, larger than he’d known actually, that wanted to be taken care of. Used. Praised. And he wanted a man-Seamus preferably, but he’d bungled that quite nicely-to do that to him.

If only he hadn’t had this realization with a woman on his lap. Rowan’s trying to fuck herself on his cock, but it’s not going to happen-and they both know it.

“Dean?”

“Can you uh-can you get off of me?”

She does, looking at him strangely.

“You okay?”

Dean breaks eye contact, looking over the side of the bed for his underwear

“I uh--no. Sorry. I think you should go.”

She makes a noise of surprise.

“Seriously?”

Is she annoyed? Dean glances at her. She’s definitely annoyed. In the light from his lamp that he’s turned on, she’s not nearly as pretty as she looked in the bar. Though that might be her personality.

“....yeah.”

“You won’t even like, go down on me or something? I only have two more nights in London.”

That annoys him.

“Am I a tourist attraction?”

She ignores him, putting her clothes back on in a huff. 

“Thanks for nothing.”

“Anytime.”

That pisses her off.

“What, are you gay or something?”

“I-”

Dean laughs, even though it’s not funny.

“I think so, actually. Yeah.”

She walks away,not looking back, but Dean doesn’t care. For once, someone was leaving because it was what he wanted. Dean could get used to getting what he wanted. When he hears his front door slam, he grabs his phone,opens his messages with Shay and starts to type.

Dean: I’m sorry. I miss you. I want you

He hits delete.

Dean: I just tried to fuck a girl and all I could think about was you

Delete

Dean: will you come over and fuck me? we don’t even have to look at each other.

Delete

Dean: I just want to kiss you again.

That’s it. That’s whats so brilliantly pathetic about all of this. Dean wants affection, tenderness, softness from Shay. The opposite of everything he deserves. He deletes the message from his phone and closes it. He sighs and falls back onto the pillows after pulling his briefs back on, glad Rowan left him alone with his thoughts. Even if he can’t get what he wants, at least Dean can get some sleep. Despite it all, he smiles slightly to himself. He was right-picking up a girl did make him feel a little better. Just not in the way he had expected.

[musesonawhim]

about Clarke Griffin

previously written on bearingitforthem

characters I’d like for her to interact with: primarily Bellamy since I'm bringing her back to change what canon did, and also because I will only have a few versions of the other characters, since I write Clarke a bit canon divergent and fighting back when antagonized by friends and I'm not sure of how many roleplayers will accept that. But I’d like to write with Raven, Murphy, Echo, Emori, Madi, Abby, Octavia, Diyoza roleplayers who don’t hate Clarke and would like to basically write aus/canon divergences and less depressing/fighty things? 

icons: none for now

starter call here

canon divergences/my hot takes, which I need you to read before signing up to this:

-I won’t write any of that s7 super depressing stuff, I will only write things that lead to a happy ending. That by the way includes AUs where Praimfaya didn’t happen (Madi came into her life eventually in some other ways), where she got into the ring, where someone else stayed with her in the meadow, where season 5 was actually solved in some peaceful way, basically anything that doesn’t involve constant big plots and pain and focuses more on characters and healing. 

-I don't write her when in the middle of being in love with Lexa because I don't ship them. There might be threads where Clarke didn't forgive her or at least decided to play nice to keep peace but didn't develop romantic feelings for her, not after Finn and Mount Weather, though of course if we write threads set later on the relationship happened. But Finn will be mentioned as much as Lexa when it comes to past loves, they both broke her heart when still alive and while one was ripped from her by accident, the other had to be killed by her to save everyone else. Both are big traumas.  

-That said, Clarke is still bisexual. Beside having fallen in love with Lexa by default when we write threads after s3 and having hooked up with Nylah, she feels attraction for both men and women even in universes where we skip Clarke staying in Polis and she and Lexa don’t make up. Clarke loving Bellamy in most threads doesn't erase the fact that she's bisexual. Going to be honest, Murphy/Clarke is my guilty ship so if you ever think you could be interested in a big au that would lead to it let me know.

-Wells was incredibly important to her, and she mourns him for years and remembers him fondly after Praimfaya, mentioning him every now and then because platonic love is just as important as romance, and Wells was there her whole life, her best friend.

-Blood doesn't make family and Madi is Clarke's daughter even if obviously there are no legal documents involved. She took a child in and raised her for six years. Madi comes first. She's still a child, one not raised to be a warrior, much less a commander, and Clarke will ALWAYS have a problem with the flame being put in her head and with the attempted kidnapping so Madi could lead an army, if we write that happening.

-unlike in canon, when Raven, Echo, Shaw, and Murphy will bring up Clarke's past mistakes, she'll bring up theirs, and same with Bellamy even if not always and not as readily since she feels so guilty for the pain she caused him. When accused of not being loyal, she will also bring up the attempted kidnapping of Madi. When she apologizes to Bellamy over leaving him behind she means it, although she actually didn't have much of a choice seeing as Octavia canonically did not give her one and in fact sent a man to kill them both as well, proving that she was right in wanting to run. However she also expects Bellamy to regret giving Madi the flame, and will eventually bring it up again seeing as it led to horrible things happening to the child and Clarke is not a saint who can always bite her tongue.

-Other times Clarke will still be ready to take/accept full blame and 'be the bad guy'. That's just who she is and I'm not fully erasing it. She did 'bear it' so the others wouldn't have to.

-I'm not writing anything that has to do with her reunion with Bellamy in s7 nor after unless it's Clarke getting through him and convincing him to come back to their side. But we can skip it altogether and rewrite that season. In fact, we can rewrite any season. I'm also a fan of happiness if you are interested in those threads, and hurt/comfort, threads where someone is temporarily injured, and similar clichés that won't destroy any chance of a happy ending.  

triggers you’ll find in her threads: Clarke has almost committed suicide several times and PTSD. However, unless she finds herself once again alone on a planet and about to die of thirst and hunger, or unless she’s under toxins again, I don’t predict her attempting it again. Her PTSD isn’t going anywhere unless Jackson turns out to be an amazing therapist and pharmacist. 

Now you don't need to read this part, but here are SOME ideas of what we could rewrite together if you are a Bellamy:

-season 3, Clarke actually returning to the camp/being found by Bellamy. She's still traumatized and blaming herself and has become the gruff hunter we saw deal with Nilah, so she might actually come and go without warning but slowly reopen up to him

-season 3 in which she didn’t stay in Polis but Kane replaced her/no mess with Pike or she did stay but nothing happened with Lexa, it was a political move and nothing more  

-season 4 there is no second end of the world coming and Clarke needs space again to deal with all traumas. She and other delinquents including Bellamy, or simply she and Bellamy take Becca's place. This is connected to my wish for happiness, domestic threads, and hurt/comfort, injures and so on

-season 4 when there is an end of the world coming and Clarke makes it back and goes to the ring. bonus: maybe Madi was found and brought to Polis early on during the ALIE situation and Clarke managed to bond with her before the end of the season, so she's coming with her

-season 4 where there is an end of the world and a second dose of night blood formula. Bellamy took it too so he could run back to get Clarke or earlier on. In any case he stays behind too and they are stuck on Earth together.

-season 5 in which Bellamy got ALL the radio calls Clarke sent but couldn't answer and when he manages to come down to earth it's also to look for her.

-season 5 same as above but maybe he comes back earlier or the Diyoza situation goes down more easily, point is: they can all settle down on earth again instead of having to run around without a second to breathe

-season 5 Clarke doesn't leave him behind but drives the car in their tent and takes Bellamy back because in this circumstances it's doable to do so and he's still there (she's furious though)

-season 6 in which Russel and company aren't body snatchers and let them stay, so they can finally build a life and deal with the past

-season 6 happens like before but there is no anomaly taking Octavia away again/Bellamy doesn't disappear and they deal with everything that has happened while making a new life instead of the season 7 we got

-season 7 is in the making but threads where Bellamy was simply kept in a cell, or he went through that adventure but talking to Clarke brought him back to himself  

-anything except putting Clarke in the position of having to choose between letting Bellamy live and tell Cadogan about Madi or saving Madi, because I find IC that she chose the latter unless he tells her he won’t say a word and mean it.

[princeadams]

The Ultimate BATB tag

Rules:

- Always include the rules.

- Answer the questions as truthfully as you can.

- Tag at least 3 people at the end of the tag.

- You don’t have to be tagged to paticipate, you can do the tag even without       being tagged.

- Tag the post “#BATB Tag” so we can keep up with the tags.

- That’s literally all there is to it! Have fun!

You can use this as reference:

https://gastt.tumblr.com/post/160009844702/the-ultimate-batb-tag

When did you start your blog, and why? I started right before I saw the movie because I knew I’d be obsessed and wanted an area away from my  main multi-fandom blog where I could freely fangirl and shitpost and whatnot. Also, my “likes” on Tumblr were filled with four years worth of BATB meta, fan art and fanfics, and I wanted to clean my likes out so they would actually be a specific place for bookmarking. I had 14,00 likes before I made the blog, and now that I’ve almost completely cleaned it out I have about 900. Still not great, but it’s getting there.

Where did you get the idea for your url? Obviously the growl at the end. I decided I wanted daysinthesuns for my main blog, and I'd had danstevensgrowl saved for a little while. For daysinthesuns, I saved it when the titles for the new songs were announced, I think that was in late summer.

Where did you get the idea for your icon? I didn’t make my icon, I just got it from an icons post by someone on Tumblr. I like the color pink and I love 1991 Belle, so I went with it. 

What was your first choice of url? dayinsthesuns was the first one I had for this blog, then I switched to danstevensgrowl. If you mean what my ultimate choice would be, I’d really like to have daysinthesun or princeadam. On my main blog, my first URL was weareteenageheartsforeveryoung and it stayed like that for 3 years or so.

What was your first icon, or the oldest you can remember? And if you can, post it. This is the one I’ve always had, but on my main blog I had a picture of Miley Cyrus from the movie LOL once, a picture of Elvis once, and my freshman year of high school I had my favorite fan art of Adam hugging Belle from behind with his chin on her shoulder while she’s reading. 

Would you die for the person on your icon? I mean, I consider myself to be Belle, so that’s a bit weird. But if my icon was Adam, yes, in a heartbeat.

Which url of your mutuals are you most jealous of? Hmm. I don’t know, I honestly like my URL. However, if we’re talking about @gastt‘s mutuals…you know who.

Which icon of your mutuals are you most jealous of? I love @ohstaythisway‘s icon, I would use it if she wasn’t already.

Do you have any sideblogs? And if you do, what are they about? And if you don’t, what would your sideblog be about? I have a ton that I made while cleaning out my likes to get meta and fanfic out of there, I have an Anakin Skywalker one and a Pride and Prejudice one. I also run the Tally Hoes Archive, and I have a professional blog to showcase my articles and other things I’ve written.

Are you satisfied with your blog currently? If not, what would you change? I guess, I mean, it’s a trash blog so I don’t aim for the content to be high quality. 

If you weren’t in the BATB fandom, what would you post about? Star Wars, Doctor Who, basically everything I post about on my main blog.

What fandom(s) did you belong to before BATB? BATB was actually my first fandom, but after that, Divergent, Once Upon a Time, Doctor Who and finally Star Wars. 

Which blogs do you regularly check up on? @je-suis-em-jee and @theteaisaddictive because they’re my favorite fic writers.

What would you say is your most common tag? “Prince Adam” because I reblog gifs of him a lot.

How many people are you following, and how many people follow you? I think I follow around 300, my main blog has 1,700 followers and this blog has a little over 200.

Who are your current top three fans on Tumblr (for this month)? For this blog, it’s @trippsykes, @lee-lee-ed and @snipandsnail. Thank you guys :)

What is your top post (for this month)? It actually won’t show for some weird reason, but I’m guessing it’s my Ultimate Fic Rec post. 

Which post are you most proud of? Probably my meta about the enchanted object’s part in The Mob Song.

Which post are you most embarassed by? The Meme Queen Adam fic and every time I’ve self-promoted (which is a lot of times.)

Weirdest message someone ever sent you? When I posted my selfie for the Introduce Your Self(ie) challenge, I immediately got a DM from some girl with a weird URL saying I was hot. I assumed it was a porn blog so I marked it as spam and blocked them, but then I looked at their blog and it was kind of normal? So I hope that wasn’t one of you guys lol. 

Weirdest message you ever sent someone? God I don’t even want to know

Have you ever received anon hate? And if so, for what? When I was 13 I got a ton but I honestly deserved it. I had this ongoing joke where I acted like I was really self-absorbed and snobby ironically, because I actually hated myself and had been struggling with an eating disorder. But either way, I took it too far and I was really obnoxious and people called me out on it, some less gracefully than others.

Do you have any blogs blocked, and if so, which? I’m sure I have a lot blocked for spam and stuff. 

Have you ever thought about quitting Tumblr? If so, why? Not really, because I’m kind of terrified of ever deleting anything. I hate the idea of erasing any part of my life, even if it’s a part I’m embarrassed by or don’t want to think about.

What device do you use Tumblr the most? (e.g. Laptop, Tablet, Phone, etc.) Probably my iPhone, since I’m always in class and stuff.

What was the last thing you searched on Google? Meme Queen Adam bc I was too lazy to go on my profile on Archive of our Own and click on my fic, I just wanted to get the link the quick way lol.

What time is it currently as you make this post? 11:45, I really should go to sleep after this.

What are you wearing currently? Star Wars pajama pants and a black camisole. 

If you had to legally change your name (in real life) permanently, what would it be and why? Belle, because I’m a dork.

What kind of characters and/or pairings do you tend to turn to? Is there a recurring theme to it? I feel like in terms of male characters I always love the brooding, angsty, damaged guys with tragic backstories, like Prince Adam or Anakin Skywalker. For female characters, I always like strong, witty, outspoken women, like Belle and Elizabeth Bennet.

Tell us a favorite of yours and why? (Literally any favorite, something that touches you and you’re passionate about.) I guess Beauty and the Beast in general, honestly. There’s so much to love about it, but it really changed my life when I fell in love with it all over again the summer before my freshman year of high school. I was doing a Disney movie marathon alone, because I really didn’t have any friends at the time, and I actually skipped Beauty and the Beast because I figured I remembered it well enough from my childhood that I didn’t need to waste time re-watching it. However, I still had some time to kill before school started, so I watched it again, and not only was I struck by the Beast’s character and how deeply and unconditionally he loved Belle, the message of Beauty and the Beast really got to me. After I recovered from my eating disorder and dealt with (deserved) backlash on Tumblr for my crappy sense of humor and coping skills, I’d become really tough and rigid and pessimistic as a default. Suffering from such an awful illness really kind of stripped me of the usual kindness and warmth I held. Belle kind of helped me get it back, helped me find myself again, and the movie in general helped me to believe that maybe it was okay that I was fat or my voice is weird or that I’m short because I’m eloquent and I’m kind and true beauty is found within. Maybe my words and my heart is enough. I still struggle with believing that today, but I would’ve given up on believing it and given up on myself a long time ago if it wasn’t for Beauty and the Beast. When I started at a new high school after becoming obsessed with Beauty and the Beast, I was both a new person and my old self at once, and the optimism and kindness and open-mindedness I’d regained helped me to finally let people in a bit, and I made a ton of friends. My love for the musical also inspired me to join theatre, which I never would’ve given a thought if I hadn’t loved the musical.

Tag 3 or more blogs to do this tag, and also add what you associate them with and tell them what you truly think about them.  I can’t tag @gastt because they already did it and literally made the tag, but gatt, you are such a loyal and supportive person. I don’t even know your name or your face or anything like that, but I don’t have to to know that you an amazing person and all us Tally Hoes are so lucky to know you.  I tag @mmedegarderobe, my sin sister and fellow Mass Communications major, my other fellow mass communications major @thestanfoubrew, the mother of the Heelys meme @uncledisney, and my two favorite fic writers - one I’ve loved since I first fell in love with BATB, the other more recently, @theteaisaddictive and @je-suis-em-jee. You both are so talented and wonderful and portray the characters that are so close to my heart perfectly. 

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[thefaeriereview]

Inside the Mind: Lauren Hall Ruddell

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Welcome to Inside the Mind where we here at The Faerie Review interview authors and creators.

Our guest today is Lauren Hall Ruddell, the author behind The Portolan. * Please note all the photos included in this interview were taken by Lauren Hall Ruddell and are under copyright and may not be reproduced without explicit written permission, and The Faerie Review was given permission to use them in this interview *

Lily: ​ Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Lauren I LOVED ​The Portolan​. What made you decide to write this? 

Lauren:  Sometime back in the early 2000’s I read a treatise on Granuaile.  I was fascinated by that historical figure.  I did a lot of research and even went to County Mayo (Western Ireland) to do more research on her using original documents held only at the Westport Library.  That was back in the days before Google Earth and most of the Internet!  Historical research isn’t nearly as difficult now as it was back then. While doing that research, I realized that a number of other writers had focused on her life as a source of inspiration, and I decided that I wanted to do something a little different.  The life of a fictional best friend seemed to open up some intriguing plot and historical avenues, as well as some additional characters outside of the real, of the strictly factual, allowing for a little mysticism and Celtic spirituality to be woven into the story line. I really liked the idea of a plot addressing the challenges that any young woman faced in that time period, or any time period, really.  Narratives that combine fictional characters with historical female heroes or leaders are inspiring, at least to me.  They are more common now than when I started the book initially, since it took nearly 15 years to write while life intervened occasionally. I’m seeing now that they have become very popular, which I find validating and exciting.  The more the merrier!

Lily: ​ I've loved seeing more strong female leads enter the book market as I get older, and I do remember the days before you could just pop onto Google and look up anything. Gale was so headstrong, I could definitely relate to her even though we live in different centuries. Did anyone inspire her? 

Lauren:   I was inspired by several women: Myself a little, Grace O’Malley a lot, and various family members, one of whom was the first woman to descend into the deep in a diving suit, the old kind with the big bell helmet!  I was always more independent than my parents were truly comfortable with.  Now that they have passed, I can truthfully say that although my childhood was wonderful in many ways, they purposely held me back in certain endeavors out of fear for my safety and concern for appearances in that day and age.  For instance, even though I grew up around wild animals all my life, being a San Diego Zoo brat at an early age with multiple family members working there, my parents strongly objected when I took up falconry.  They considered it a man’s activity and possibly dangerous. At 22 years old, I did it anyway.  So Gale is a bit of an alter ego, yes, although she sets her feet upon a contrary path years earlier in her young adulthood than I did.

Lily: ​ I can understand wanting to push the boundaries a bit and I love that you went for falconry! Why choose the 1500s when you could pick any time period? 

Lauren:  The two protagonists dictated the time period. So in a way, it chose me! 

Lily: ​ That's a great way to fall into a time period. Any idea on when book 2 is coming out? I definitely want to read it when it does! 

Lauren:   It should be out in February 2021.

Lily: ​That seems so long away now that I have so much time to read! I can't wait to read it. Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer. Do you have any special routines you do before you sit down to write? 

Lauren:  Yes, whether I want to or not! Correspondence with clients for my freelance writing gigs at 5:00 AM, Breakfast at 6:00 AM, Daily Goat Hike at 6:45 or 7:00 AM (in summer), landscaping and barn chores until 9:00 AM and then finally…writing time. Then, whenever inspiration seems to be waning, I take a 15-minute break in nature and then return to the work.  I either sit on the back deck and view my goats for a bit, or on the front deck and contemplate trees and the snow-capped San Juan Mountains (Rockies) in the distance. 

Lily: ​ That just sounds like an excellent way to start the say. What’s your favorite place to write? 

Lauren: My very favorite place to write is the orangerie at the top of the Knockranny Hotel just east of Westport.  5 hours of writing there can zoom past, and the staff is very patient with writers camping out on a table as long as they buy something occasionally.  My usual place is my tiny office in Western Colorado.

Lily: ​ I can definitely see just getting lost in your writing. Do you ever have to fight with writer’s block? How do you deal with it? 

Lauren:  I do sometimes have to fight it.  Now I get writer’s block in a tiny way.  Time in nature, which is so accessible to me here at my home, usually does the trick.  It propels me out of a space of ‘voluntary’ attention and into ‘involuntary’ attention.  Not jargon that fiction writers use much, I know, so for a bit, picture me with my professor’s cap on.  My area of scientific expertise is in Attention Restoration Theory, a cognitive discipline with a side order of neuroanatomy.  I know when my executive function is depleted and the default network needs to come out and play (a subject I address in my non-fiction book on the benefits of time in nature, Zoodulcis).   That said, there was a time over twenty years ago when I experienced severe writer’s block for over two years.  Big city life and writing environmental documents 40 hours per week sapped every bit of creative energy I had and nearly ruined my health and sanity.  That is when I left San Diego for Colorado.  It took two years for me to get my mojo back, and a round of “The Artist’s Way” with some other blocked creatives.  The Portolan was the very next work I began.  It took a while, but what a labor of love!  Now I produce about 3 books a year, and large number of animal care guides.  Golly, that was a long answer to that question!

Lily: ​ It's great insight though! Let’s finish up with some fun questions and get inside your mind. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Lauren:   County Mayo that I have come to know intimately and where I have wonderful friends.

Lily: ​ I can definitely see you writing in the Irish countryside instead of rural Colorado. Would you rather live in a rural cabin in the woods, an RV, or a sailboat? Why? 

Lauren:  Rural cabin, plainly!  Because it’s where I am now.

Lily: ​ It definitely sounds like you enjoy your life there. What’s your favorite hot drink? 

Lauren:   Irish Coffee – extra whipped cream.

Lily:  Extra whipped cream makes everything better, and an Irish Coffee doesn't sound too bad right now. What’s your perfect vacation look like?​  

Lauren:   Two weeks in Ireland, including tons of pony trekking.  Still haven’t done that in the southern portion of the country yet.  I guess if I ever lived in Ireland full time, my ideal vacation would be two weeks at Glacier National Park and surrounds.

Lily:  Sounds relaxing. Would you rather never have a toilet clog on you again or never have the power go out​ again? 

Lauren:   What a funny question!! Toilet clogs begone!! The power goes out in the country here regularly so just part of the gig. 

Lily:  I have to admit I panic a little without the power! Have you ever seen a ghost/spirit/fae?​  

Lauren:   More felt than seen, mostly.  Since I pray daily to the Goddess, I am plainly open to guidance where it is offered.  These moments of being watched and guided are subtle, as a rule, but not always.  Once, when I drifted off to sleep at the wheel while crossing an overpass in San Diego, a female voice screamed at me. Startled, I snapped awake just in time to correct and not smash into the guard rail.  That was 30 years ago, but I knew an intervention had happened.  

While researching the old castle of the O’Malley’s just outside of the town of Murrisk on Clew Bay, I was climbing through some natural arbors filled with moss, shadows and light, right next to the river that would have provided Granuaile and her family with water.  I had ventured away from the vine covered stone walls, reputed to be the foundation of the old castle in order to take some artsy river side photos. There was a presence there underneath those bowers, always just out of sight.  It was neither benevolent nor malignant, just watchful and curious.  I felt honored to be examined this way!

In a different vein, once as a kid, at the British Museum, I paused before an exhibit of a Chaldean goat statue.  A gold goat adorned with lapis and other gems stood upright with its feet in a golden tree.  Sounds lovely, right?  But not to me.  This was long before I had goats of my own, but I had nothing against them.  This icon instantly radiated malice, human suffering and sheer dedicated, purposeful evil.  It was indeed, I found out later, dedicated to human sacrifice. Another instance, not fun, I placed my hands on the stones of an ancient site in Chaco Canyon that was off limits to the public. I felt such fear, anguish, and watchfulness radiating from its cooling stone, that I snatched my hands away.  My Navajo friends complemented me on my perceptions.  We had not discussed the history of this tower, but it was built to give a view of approaching enemies, and said enemies wiped out the people in a terrible slaughter eventually.  So I seem to be somewhat sensitive.  In the wilderness I sometimes feel eyes on me, but they don’t frighten me, I just feel part of a wholeness that extends both forward and backward in time.  

Lily:  That's a beautiful feeling. Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?​  

Lauren:   Not that I can think of.

Lily:  Let's wrap up with how readers can discover more about you and you work?​

Lauren: I’m constantly trying to keep my website updated with tidbits, from recipes to excerpts from new and old works.  My next contribution will be what it’s like to be a country writer with COVID, in a diary type of format.  Once I did a similar piece for Farm and Ranch Living for 30 days, and I found it really enlightening when looked back at it a year later. I will try to post weekly updates on my coronavirus journey. 

Also, I personally answer all fan mail sent to planetgoatpress@gmail.com.

Website | Amazon Author Page | Blog | Facebook

The Portolan

Goodreads | Amazon

Zoodulcis: Our Fascination with Animals on Amazon

A Small Matter of Ethics (Book One of the Peony Creek Murder Mysteries) on Amazon

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