#the Amazon show was so good that I sometimes forget how good the cartoon was

[charliemwrites]

You obviously don't have to post this if you don't want to but age regressor feral:( (I am ALSO autistic and an age regressor.)

Simon is probably such a good caregiver. Carries feral around however they ask, piggyback, bridal, on his hip. They ask, it's happening. Probably has cooked with feral on his hip more than once, them babbling his ear off as he nods and hums along.

Loves feral with all his heart and wants them happy, and stops at nothing to show it. And if that means he has to buy all of the original Barbie, Monster High, Bratz, Blues Clues, etc movies/shows/dolls. It's happening.

(in the og Barbie movies, I've noticed that while they reuse names and models for the girls, most won't receive the same name other than Barbie. Simon has also noticed after watching so many and is always confused on who's who even tho feral knows.)

This man spends a whole lot of money on TV subscriptions a year just to make sure Feral has a constant supply of cartoons and shows. Will probably sometimes turn on one in the morning if he has to leave for a few hours so feral doesn't wake up to a quiet house and can just slip right into whatever headspace they need until he gets home. (Sometimes regressors find comfort in horror flicks too, and while Simon doesn't understand how, he indulges nonetheless)

Lets feral call him whatever nickname or title they find necessary (or funny), he finds it endearing and unbelievably cute. There's no way he'd ask them to stop.

Helps them do their hair in the morning. It's just too much for feral to deal with in the morning so he sits them on a comfy chair in front of a mirror and listens to them talk as he does their hair. (Has spent SOOOO much time on YouTube and Google researching hair types and styles, he's basically a professional at this point.)

Tea parties in the sun porch<3

Sits with feral on the couch going through Amazon or Etsy to pick stuff out for them for when they regress. Nothing gets set to their house, Simon has a PO box or something set up, so sometimes feral has to wait a bit longer to get things. And sometimes has to wait until their birthday, holiday, or a special occasion to get the item. It's torture to wait 😔 but then probably forgets until they receive it.

I didn't even realize how much I've been talking 🫢 just been rambling 😭😭 I hope that's okay! Also, if not taken could I please be 🐧 anon, either way thank you so much for dealing with my long rambling 🫶🫶

Hey no need to apologize! Since this is something I’m not comfortable with writing because I’m unfamiliar and don’t want to be offensive or misrepresent, I think this is a nice little compromise for anyone that would like to see this content in the au. Thank you for sharing!

And yes, welcome to the party 🐧!!!

[endless-reboots]

S01E08 - The Tick vs. The Uncommon Cold

[godstaff]

Kent family watches the Incredibles movies

Clark: Well, guys: due to the pandemic, the JL has restricted the amount of operatives in the field, so Mommy and I will spend the day with our family. Do you know any of them? Where are they?

Aster: We’re here, Dad! We are your family!

Selene: He’s joking, you Goblin!

Aster: Shut up, “Big Larda”!

Diana: That’s enough! Both of you!

Clark: Mom is right: stop it now, or there won’t be ice-cream for anybody! I mean it. No more name calling, okay?

Selene: But, Daddy: aren’t we immune to this Covid stuff?

Diana: We are, Lena, but Dad and I have a duty to set an example to others. We are privileged, but we need to see the bigger picture.

Clark: Besides, we must not parade our immunity in front of much vulnerable people. It would seem like laughing in their faces. Even if we’re impervious, we can carry the virus with us and transmit it to the folks we come in contact with. 

Diana: We can’t deliver the wrong message.

Selene: Okay. Why don’t we end the problem once and for all?

Diana: May be we can, but we have to give humanity the chance to try and solve their problems themselves. As Daddy says: “we can’t carry them straight to the top, we can only...”

Selene and Aster: “...help them up when they trip and fall.”

Clark: Exactly. And accompany them in their journey. In this cases, we intervene when things get way out of hand, or they will start to depend on us for anything and stop thinking for themselves.

Aster: Is it bad not thinking for ourselves?

Diana: Thinking for yourself is the best way to really learn. Let you to think for yourself is the best gift anybody can give you. Daddy and I can teach you a lot of things, but it is up to you and your analysis of those things to create your own personality and knowledge. Imagine your head is a library and Dad and me are filling it with books, all kinds of books: if you can’t think for yourself, there won’t be any organization. You are the librarian who organizes everything in your personal order, to connect those books with others of the same content. So far, you need guidance. The day will come when you get good at it, and won’t need any help. When people learn to think for themselves, it will come a time, perhaps, when they won’t need our help.

Clark: It doesn’t matter if you don’t completely understand all this right now: just remember what you can. In time you’ll find out the meaning.

Aster: I’ll try, Daddy. Lena: did you find out yet?

Selene: What I’ve found out so far is it takes a lifetime to do it. The important thing is keep on trying. It’s like having a baby brother: it sucks, but you get used to it. You may even enjoy it sometimes.

Clark: Enough with the learning moment. What you say we have a marathon of movies and junk food?

Diana shot a disapproving look in Clark’s direction.

Clark (with an apologetic tone): Just for today...?

Diana: Just for today.

Clark, Selene and Aster: Yaaay!

Clark: What do you want to watch?

A battle of propositions and rejections followed, from “that is too childish” to “ugh! That’s a girl’s movie!”. Until Clark said:

Clark: What if we start with “The Incredibles”? I’ve heard it’s funny and not entirely for kids. Besides, they could be us.

Selene: I’ve seen the first, I was your age back then, but not the sequel. It’s truly funny, and realistically shows the pain of having two baby brothers, emphasis on “baby”. Count me in.

Aster: I’ve seen both, but I don’t mind watching them again. 

Diana: All set, then: “The Incredibles” 1 and 2 it is.

Clark: I’ll make the popcorn. Lena: a hand, please?

Selene: Sure, Dad.

Aster: Bring me a soda!

Selene: Of course, “my Liege”. Move it and get it yourself!

Aster: Mom!

Clark: C’mon, Len, we’re already here. Let get sodas for everyone.

Selene: Ugh! I swear I’m gonna kill him one of these days!

The movie started and Clark asked:

Clark: Do I look like that?

Diana: Don’t be so self aware: it’s a cartoon. Besides, you’re not blond, thank Hera!

Clark: I’ll double my workout routine, beginning tomorrow.

Selene and Aster: Shhhh!

Diana (whispering in Clark’s ear): Please tell me I don’t have that enormous ass.

Clark (also whispering): Of course not!

Selene and Aster: Shhhhhhhhhh! We still can hear you!

Diana and Clark: Sorry!

Selene (pressing pause): Doesn’t the villain remain you of Luthor? Minus the hair, that is.

Clark: Believe it or not, Lex had red hair too before losing it.

Aster: Dad: what do you think of capes?

Clark: I’m in favor, of course. It’s not that terrible, once you learn to deal with them. And they look majestic while flying. But you will have to decide for yourselves. Granddad Jor wore capes, and so did the fathers of aunts Karen and Kari, my uncles Zor from both Kryptons. It’s tradition.

Diana: And Grandmamá Lyta wears one for ceremonial purposes

Aster: And masks? What do you think of masks? They look cool.

Diana: Your Dad didn’t wear them because he wanted people to trust him. It would be a pity to cover that handsome face (smiling at Clark)

Clark (smiling back at her): When  Mommy and I got together, the double personality made no sense anymore. We were not hiding our love to the World, and, if we did, Superman and Wonder Woman and Diana Prince and Clark Kent were two very similarly looking couples: tall, black hair, athletic build, etc.

Diana: People are not stupid: they would’ve connected the dots in no time, so we came clean. And it was a good thing to do: now we have time for our family, instead of wasting it in a job or trying to make another life as a civilian. 

Clark: In fact, it’s very liberating not to hide half of the time, although I miss the office sometimes. 

Diana: Look at uncles Bruce and Richard and the Robins: all, except Jason, have to work twice as much, and none of them have a real job.

Clark: Besides, just look at your sister: blue hair, 6′7″, a complete and total Kryptonian Amazon...and, before you say a word, you’ll be no different: as tall as her, if not taller, and the same build. You only lack the blue hair.

Aster: Why does she have...?

Selene: Are we done? Can we continue with the movie?

Aster: It was you who pressed “pause”.

Selene: Well: I’m done. Are you?

Aster: Yeah.

At the end of the first movie, everyone stood up and went to do their things.

Clark: Okay, people, the intermission is 15 minutes. Stretch your legs, if you have to.

Aster: It was very cool. 

Selene: See? It’s not important how much we squabble, if we’re united when it matters.

Aster (coming back from the bathroom): Mom: Why does Lena have blue hair?

Diana: Dad and I are the first couple of our kind, therefore, you both are the first of your species. It was predictable you would have some genetic peculiarities. There was some magic involved in your conception, don’t forget Daddy is from another world. Don’t get me wrong: we made sure you two will not come out as strange beings, with two heads and all that.

Aster: It would have been cool to have two heads!

Diana: Mmmmno. We’d had love you all the same, though. Anyway, Lena was the first, and her hair is proof of that. You two are special, only in her case, she showed it immediately. Don’t sweat: you can still grow a second head.

Aster (enthusiastically): Really?

Diana (throwing herself over her son): Naaah!

Selene: Don’t talk about me behind my back! It’s not polite. I can hear you, you know?. Superhearing, remember?

Diana: I’ll have to teach you both sign language, so we can keep some secrets in our family. 

Selene: You know sign language?

Diana: And Braille writing and reading. So does Dad. There’s also a language based on small taps on the other people’s hand, for those unfortunate who lost both, sight and hearing, called Tactile Signing. If we want to help, we must be able to communicate with everyone, back and fore.

Selene: I want to learn! I’m starting tomorrow!

Diana: How about you, Ast? Your sis is giving you the chance of starting early.

Aster: I would hate she talking to you and me not understanding it. I’m in.

Clark: Two minutes and the show will continue!

Once everybody was sitting, the second part began. Half way to the projection, it was Aster who pressed pause.

Aster: Mom, Dad: do you need to have a job?

Clark: We don’t really need it. Mommy and I can get anything we need, and so will you someday. We could have one, if we want it, but our work protecting humanity and raising you takes precedence.

Diana: Dad and I can find all kinds of minerals men consider precious and extract it with our bare hands.

Selene: If they want it, they can be richer that Luthor, Mr. Terrific and uncle Bruce combined.

Clark: But the pursue of riches is not a priority. Some time back, Mommy and I designed the basics for nuclear fusion based energy supply, which is sustaining our home, the rest of the Fortress and some parts of Themyscira. We gave the blueprints to Mr. Holt and uncle Bruce, so they could adapt it for human usage. Mr. Holt wanted to make it into a business, but uncle Bruce and I prevented it. It wasn’t an evil thing what Michael wanted to do, from a mundane perspective, but if the whole planet was going to benefit of the findings, we better let corporations and businesses out of the picture, We convinced him with only two words: “Fair Play”. 

Diana: Lex hated us: he lost a ton of money and four of his energy corporations rolled the curtains down definitely. We made sure the employees left without a job, were absorbed by Wayne Enterprises and Holt Industries.

The movie continued. At some point, Selene interrupted it.

Selene. Mom, Dad: is it so easy to take over somebody’s mind, like in the movie?

Diana: Depends on whose mind. If the person is in need of something or lacking other things, like Elastigirl here, it’s easier to invade someone’s mind, the invaders has to take advantage of the weaknesses of that person. If Dad or any of you are in some peril, my state of mind will be compromised and I would constitute an easy target.

Selene: How can we prevent that kind of happenstances? Specially in our particular situation.

Clark: Being very careful, knowing all the time the others are safe. That’s why is so important to be always in communication with each other.

Diana: It’s not invasion of privacy, it’s just caution. We won’t stop you from living your life, we won’t use tracers or any kind of location devices: we are asking you to keep us informed. You’ll understand when you have children of your own.

Clark: There are individuals with immense power no mind can resist, like Maxwell Lord...

Selene: Who is that?

Diana: No longer a problem.

Clark: ...in those cases, we have to be patient and look for an opening. There’s always a mistake these people make: too confident and underestimating their opponent. There’s always, in the back of your mind, a vestige of consciousness. And Mommy’s Lasso of Truth will protect its bearer and it can reverse the process in others.

Selene: I see. But there’s always a risk.

Diana: Our occupation is always a risk. We must be prepared. Even if you don’t want to follow our steps, problems will reach you because of who you are, I’m sorry. It’s like being the offspring of someone very rich: there’s always a virtual target on your backs.

Clark: But life is beautiful and worth living, don’t let potential dangers take that away. People in other situations than ours are also in other kind of perils. Is a constant no living being can escape.

Diana: Animals in the wild are always at the mercy of predators. 

Clark: Ours are just another kind of predators.

Selene: I think I get the idea, but I have to ruminate on it.

Clark: Sure, baby. Take your time.

Diana: We are here for any question.

Selene: Thank you. Let’s finish the movie, please. Hey, Astroboy! Wake up!

Aster: Uh? Are we done?

Selene: Welcome to the land of the living.

Aster: Can we finish the movie now?

[parasocialpod]

Our Favorite Villains - Transcript

Follow along with the episode here if you’d like to!

Alex: If you haven't heard about Anchor, it's the easiest way to make a podcast. Let me explain. It's free, there's creation tools that allow you to record and edit your podcast right from your phone or  computer, and Anchor will distribute your podcast for you, so it can be heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many more.

You can even make money from your podcast with no minimum listenership. It's everything that you need to make a podcast in one place. So download the free Anchor app, or go to anchor.fm to get started.

Alex: Hi,  I'm Alex

Nick: And I'm Nick.

Alex: And this is Ice Cream Parasocial, a podcast that covers as many different topics as there are flavors of ice cream. Today, we'll be talking about our favorite villains in media.

Nick: I want to start out by apologizing. If I sound like shit, I have a little bit of a cold.

Alex: Yeah, just a little bit.

Nick: We've been putting off recording for a couple of days, because I didn't want to record with a sick voice, but it has not gone away. So.

Alex: Yeah, this is about as good as it's been in a minute.

Nick: I'm sorry. We all have to deal with it. Uh

Alex: Yeah, this was after me putting enough Vick's Vaporub on you to like, drive every animal in the house to like, go away.

Yeah.

Nick: Yeah, if you don't follow me on Twitter, I posted some pictures of the dogs hiding their noses.

Alex: Yeah. They, uh, that was a lie, actually. They didn't leave. They just, um, buried their  whole faces in the blankets. Cause they were just like, "I'm not going to get up. But I'm sure not happy about what's happening right now."

Nick: Yeah. Winston is a rough Collie and he's got his nose-- from the very top of his head all the way to the tip of his nose is 12 inches long, and he buried his nose all the way up to his little eyeballs under a blanket to get away from the Vick's smell, but like, didn't leave the bed that I was laying on.

So, well, he's not he's, you know, he's just really pretty. He's not very smart.

Alex: Yeah. He's just really loyal. He didn't want to leave your side during this trying time.

He's very loyal to a fault.

He'll do whatever it takes.

Nick: I'm pretty sure he's laying down just on the other side of this door to make sure that we're not dying.

Alex: Yeah, he's a good boy. He does his best every day. Oh goodness.

Nick: Uh, but yeah, uh, speaking of social media: on Instagram, by the time this episode is up, there will also be a picture on Instagram and Twitter for the official podcast. That is the best piece of art I have ever made in my life.

Alex: Oh yeah. It's a real delight.

Nick: And it has everything to do with this podcast. It's promotional for this episode and I love it. Please go check it out. I don't care if you follow us on--

Alex: This is a call to action to look at this picture only.

Nick: Yes. And, uh, if you're listening to us on a platform that you don't usually listen to us on because we're not on a whole lot, hopefully soon we'll be on everything.

But as of right now, we're on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Radio Public, and YouTube. So hopefully we'll be on Apple Podcasts soon, and then we'll start begging you to go and review us there.

Yes.

They have like, weeks to months of a waiting list because so many people are starting podcasts.

Alex: Yeah. Like I know of at least like three or four people that are starting podcasts like right now.

Nick: Yeah. Well, and the information that I had seen was even older about it, you know, taking a long time to get set up on Apple Podcasts, because so many people are starting podcasts and I'm like, I think that information was pre-quarantine. So I can't imagine how long it will take for us to get there, but hopefully it'll be soon. So.

Alex: Like, I'm pretty sure that these microphones that we're recording on were considered like, essential by Amazon as well, because we got them in like 24 hours.

Nick: Mhmm.

Alex: So podcasting is a very accessible thing to do at the moment.

Nick: Absolutely.

Alex: Oh, goodness. Especially with Anchor--

Nick: Especially with Anchor!

Alex: It's the easiest way to make a podcast!

Nick: Which you already heard our ad for the beginning of this.

Legitimately, lots of love to Anchor. It's made it really easy to do this.

Yeah, no joke. Uh, I love you Anchor.

Alex: Thanks, Anchor.

Nick: I would probably kill for you, but please don't read that in a court of law.

Alex: [Laughs]

Nick: Anyways. Uh, talking about villains.

Alex: So, speaking of villains.

Nick: [Laughs]

Speaking of villains, like me, who would kill.

Alex: [Laughs]

For anchor.fm.

Both: [Laughing]

Alex: Oh no. Are we going to be the first podcast to ever have an Anchor sponsorship revoked?

Nick: Eh, probably not the first.

Alex: Yeah. That's fair. Just one of them.

Nick: [Laughs]

Yeah. We'll be one of many, I'm sure.

Alex: One of many.

Nick: Um, so villains.

Alex: So villains.

Nick: [laughs] I think we have a lot of crossover in our favorite villains.

Alex: Probably.

Nick: Um, but I guess first let's talk about what makes a good villain.

Alex: Yes.

Nick: Because this is something that we talk about a lot. We'll pause a show in the middle and just be like, "I love them". Just like, "I love how well that scene was written" and like, "all of the meaning behind that".

Alex: Yeah. Oh my God.

Nick: I guess some previous context that may or may not be needed is about how we met and started dating.

Because we met at this, um, youth hangout for queer kids, and we had kind of, we-- we'd been like, kind of hanging out, but not really, um, because we were in the same groups together. And then we started talking about movies and cartoons, and realized that we had both wanted to go to college for film.

Alex: [Chuckles]

Nick: I think at that point I'd already dropped out, but you were still gung-ho to be going to school for film, and we were just like--

Alex: Oh yeah.

Nick: Oh, we're both going to school for film.

Alex: Oh yeah. Like you had dropped out of film school. I was not yet in film school, and I was on the precipice of dropping out of film school.

Both: [Laughing]

Alex: Truly a match made in heaven. I'm pretty sure the way that I picked you up was that I was like, "Oh yeah, I want your phone number, so that maybe we can work on a project sometime."

Nick: Oh yeah, that's right. It was doing this specifically like, oh you know, so we can like talk about movies and stuff.

Alex: So we can talk about movies.

Nick: Like, you know, maybe talk about getting into a project together. And now we've been married for almost two years, and we're finally starting a project, and it's not a movie.

Alex: Yeah.

Both: [Laughing]

Nick: We've been in a relationship for five years.

Alex: Yeah.

Nick: Almost.

Alex: Oh, god.

Nick: Yeah, we're like less than a month away from, from that. I'm just like, yeah. That's basically it now.

Alex: Yeah, pretty much.

Nick: Time is an illusion.

Alex: Yeah, pretty much.

Nick: So we like to talk about movies. We like to talk about cartoons. We like to talk about media in general, and we are awful to watch movies and TV shows with, because we will pause, and just talk for a half hour, and then play again, and totally forget where we were.

Alex: Insufferable.

Nick: ADHD is fun.

Alex: Oh yeah, absolutely. Like yesterday I think-- or no, day before yesterday-- we've been watching Korra, and, um, we like paused it like 10 minutes before the end of an episode or something and then just didn't finish it until the following day, during which we watched like seven more minutes of that same episode, paused it and then almost didn't finish it until I was like, "Oh no! We never finished that episode!"

Nick: Yeah, because we were just so into talking about the characters and, um, the villains and the anti heroes and all of that stuff. And I think that that one we're having a lot of trouble watching, just because if you don't know, the legend of Korra is a spinoff series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it follows what happens after the characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender have grown up and died off and it's about the whole next generation. So we have a lot to say.

Alex: So much.

Nick: And I think that we also have a lot to say about what other people have to say about it. So we'll just get like five minutes in and like something will happen.

And I'm just like, Oh my God, did you see that article where somebody said, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then we'll just go for like 20 minutes. I was just like, Oh, what were we doing?

Alex: Just shit talking avatar clickbait.

Nick: Yeah.

Alex: But what makes a good villain?

Nick: What makes a good villain? I feel like that's a really, really hard question to answer, because depending on the story, I feel different things make a good villain.

Alex: Right.

Nick: You know, I, something, another question that I put for like a-a conversation starter is does a good villain mean that they're are sympathetic villain? In some stories: yes. They need to be sympathetic for that to be brightening, any kind of, you know, without us just blowing them off.

Alex: Right.

Nick: But in other stories, I feel like if they were sympathetic, Then the protagonist would just kind of get blown off because it's like, Oh, well, I don't know. You know?

Alex: Yeah. Yeah, like I feel like it's almost relational to the protagonist in a certain kind of way where it's like, Oh, you know, I definitely have like my pieces of media where it's like the characters themselves aren't super deep.

Um, and like, I can absolutely admit that where it's just like, Oh yeah, like, I liked this villain because they look cool and they have a good time, but the protagonists in those pieces of media also tend to be a little bit flat.

Um, and I think that that's totally fine, but then like the villains that tend to be in the media that I like that is uh, more like complex. That's also how the protagonists are, is like, there's a lot of nuance to them.

Nick: Right.

Alex: Um, so I think you really have it like spot on there. It's just like what, what's the rest of the tone, like?

Nick: Right. You know? 'Cause one of the villains that I have on here is Count Olaf as one of my favorite villains-

Alex: Oooh, yes!

Nick: -Because he's not sympathetic. You want to throat punch him.

Alex: Oh, he sucks.

Nick: And just like move on with your life, you know, but he still has a-a symbolism and he's the main villain of that story. But by no means, is he the only villain in that story, you know, And he just reminds me of such a classic villain that is evil for one reason, and one reason only. And that is his own personal gain.

Alex: Yes.

Nick: You know?

Alex: Yes. And I kind of liked that you put them on there too, because I feel like with Count Olaf, he's definitely like a character with a lot of depth, but not out of like any sort of like a sympathetic or like deep backstory thing, but just because there's so much intrigue around him. And, uh, just that, it's just like, how does he do the shit that he does, you know?

Nick: Right. Well, and I think that he's a really, really great villain too, because of what he means to the story, you know? You've got these brilliant, genius children that are surrounded by idiot adults.

Alex: Oh yeah.

Nick: You know, and having the tragic backstory that I have, you know, I have definitely had it where, when I was a kid, I would try to talk to an adult about another adult doing something bad.

And while they might be able to be like "Oh yeah, like that is bad" after a while of talking.

Alex: Yeah.

Nick: When the person would go through and do it again, they'd be like "Oh no, they're, they're different." Or like "That's not them." And, you know, Count Olaf, shows it in a very goofy way with his different get-ups and like all of this stuff, but watching it, you know, definitely kind of triggered memories, but not in like a, not in the like bad triggered, you know, but it was kind of like, it definitely made me think of like how apt of a-a character that is, you know, for these kids.

I-I am by no means comparing myself to those children who are absolute geniuses, but it's definitely, I can imagine being a kid or being below 18-

Alex: yeah.

Nick: -And watching that and being like, yeah, it's so obvious, you know, and I definitely would love to see what parents watching that think about that. You know? I-I wonder how many conversations it started or how many thoughts it started about believing your kids, even when it doesn't seem super obvious to you that this person is bad or like that this person is finding different ways around things to hurt your kid.

Alex: Right.

Nick: But it's like put it in such a goofy way that's like really entertaining to watch. [laughs] And so I'm just like, that's, I just love Count Olaf as a villain because he starts so many conversations.

Alex: God, yeah. That is such a good point.

Nick: So I guess that's for me, that's what-that's kind of the thread between all of my favorite villains is that they start really good conversations.

Alex: Oh my gosh. I feel like that is such a good way of hitting the nail on the head with this kind of thing. I feel like sometimes a good villain is almost representational. Um, I feel like on the surface Count Olaf is, uh, sort of one of the goofiest, two dimensional villains that you can think of,

Nick: Right.

Alex: But he definitely is like one of the best villains that I can think of for that exact reason, especially for children who do grow up with a lot of like trauma and that kind of nature, and like grow up in like the system, how hard it is for kids in general to bring cases against like adults in their lives.

Um, yeah, God, that is such a good point. I really love that.

Nick: Right. And I really love that, like, until you start thinking of it that way, you probably don't think of him as being that great of a villain, you know, even putting him on here. He was one of the last ones that I added to my list and I quote,

"putting him next to the others it's hard to see him being on the same level and perhaps he's not, but I just, I just have to give love to a villain that is so classic,"

but, you know, actually talking it through beyond the couple of notes that I put down, I'm like, Yeah, no, he is a fucking fantastic villain,

Alex: Right? Like pretty S tier, you know, like not necessarily like a sympathetic villain or something or somebody that you would like want to hang out with, but like very classically, like-

Nick: Just Grade-A bad guy.

Alex: Just good, good, bad guy.

Nick: [laughs] Alright, you want to talk about one of yours?

Alex: Sure thing!

Nick: I feel like we talked about Olaf for three years.

Alex: Absolutely. Cause I would love to follow up on that one with sort of my analog for that: um, another person that I don't find super sympathetic. Uh, but I do find to be a pretty good villain, which is The Handler from The Umbrella Academy.

Which, um, I'm trying to figure out how much to talk about her.

I'm going to try and stay away from plot as much as possible.

Nick: Good luck.

Alex: Um, just for people that haven't watched season two yet.

Right.

But just like, I feel like she's also someone that is so representational of like literal systems.

Nick: Right!

Alex: Um, and also someone that has put so much of herself into the establishment and like so much faith into it that it's kind of like consumed her in this way that she kind of genuinely thinks that she's doing the thing that she's supposed to be doing, that's like better for everyone. Um, and season two it's a little bit, uh, kind of on the fence about that one, but especially in like season one and early season two, I love a good villain that mirrors people that you might meet.

Nick: Right, absolutely.

Alex: Like, Oh, we love a good bad boss [laughs]

Nick: Yeah, she definitely was just kind of in season one, a big stand in for just like the world's shittiest boss that, you know, will actually slit your throat if you don't get things done on time.

But I think that even still in season two, she holds some of that capitalism propaganda kind of thing of she loses her position and, and really loses her identity and is willing to do whatever it takes to not only get her position back, but go even further. And I feel like that's really, I hate to say apt again, but apt for how capitalism kind of makes us all be.

Alex: Yeah!

Nick: You have to work as hard as you can to get all the way up the ranks. And you know, you slip up once, maybe twice and you're demoted and everything goes downhill and you either find a way to deal with that or you don't. And. You, you know, you spiral. And I think that there's so much, especially in the United States where we are, there's this really intense correlation between your job and your identity?

Alex: Yes!

Nick: I feel like, especially since we got married, whenever I talk about you. Just cause you know, you come up more in conversations because people like to call you my other half. And like, that's one of the first things that comes up after I tell people your name is "what do they do?" And it's really hard to have hobbies outside of a job.

Alex: Exactly.

Nick: Especially, in the generation that we're in. If you do have a hobby outside of a job, you're trying to make it become your job.

Alex: Exactly.

Nick: And I feel like that's a lot kind of how she seemed to be, was just this, her identity was very, very intertwined with her job. And so it, to her, it must've felt like her identity got stripped away.

And then she was like, okay, well, I don't like that powerlessness. So I'm going to flip it around.

Alex: Exactly, exactly. And like, that's something that I think is so interesting with the whole commission and that I love so much that originally that was just kind of like a funny kind of gag about the show during- I'm gonna talk a little bit about season one since it's been out for a minute.

Nick: Yeah, it's been out for over a year.

Alex: And I just think it's so interesting seeing someone like Hazel compared to like the handler, um, when it comes to like when your job starts to turn against you. And just kind of, especially with the handler, what I thought was so interesting about her, especially like hearing you talk about it. Um, the flip in season two makes a lot of sense to me because of the way that capitalism is talked about is like this huge, like meritocracy and just sort of like, Oh, you're supposed to get what you work for.

And like, you know, this like thing happens to her and, uh, she expects to be welcomed back and she made this huge, like sacrifice for the commission and to just kind of deal with what she dealt with. Then it's like, of course, she's going to kind of, have a reaction to it. And it's really interesting seeing the ways that different people react to things like that, because I feel like that's a very much a moment where either it radicalizes you or you like latch on harder ever until the establishment.

And she kind of did both.

Nick: Yeah. Somehow she did both in all of the worst ways,

Alex: Literally.

Nick: And talking about things now, 'cause we hadn't really gotten into this conversation too, too much because we wanted to have this conversation on the podcast.

Alex: Yes.

Nick: And until this conversation, I didn't sympathize with her at all.

I was just like, yeah, I know she's 100% bad. Like, well, nobody is a hundred percent bad. She's like 99% bad. And so I really don't sympathize with her, but thinking of it and talking like this now, I'm like well, you know what, actually,

Alex: right.

Nick: You know, if I had a job and I had to leave for reasons and I came back and they were like, Oh yeah, you're demoted. I would be pissed. I would lose my ever loving mind!

Alex: Oh yeah.

Nick: I wouldn't go to the links that she does, but that's because in, uh, in our universe, jail exists

Alex: [laughs]

Nick: and I don't want to go there!

Alex: Would not like to go to real jail.

Nick: Would not like to go to real jail! [laughs]

Alex: Oh gosh. So that was definitely my, a big one for me was the handler. I have a lot of feelings about her.

Nick: Right? Since we're on the umbrella Academy, do you want to go to your other one?

Alex: Yes. We just finished up watching it. So that's why I have so many from them.

Nick: Yeah, a lot of these favorite villains, uh, I've mentioned in the previous episode that I have a bad memory and I'm probably going to mention it in every episode because I have a bad memory.

Uh, But a lot of these are shows that I just watched so they're my favorite villains right now. In two months, they'll be different. And probably two months ago they were totally different. Um, a lot of these shows are just shows that we recently watched. And if I was able to unlock all of my memory, they would probably be completely different, you know?

So. Don't come at me for my favorite villains. Don't be like, how could you not talk about XYZ villain? They're the best one that was ever made.

Alex: Right? Like, I'm just like, I've consumed so much media in my lifetime. I don't know.

Nick: I've consumed so much media in the last couple of months.

Alex: Yeah.

Nick: What else was I supposed to do?

Alex: Right?

Nick: I'm not going outside.

Alex: [laughs] Right. No. Yeah. I'm absolutely the same. Like so many of mine are things that I've watched recently. So grain of salt, but, um, one of my favorite recent villi-villians, uh, one of my favorite recent villians is Vanya Hargreeves. [laughs]

Oh my God. I live and die for Vanya Hargreeves.

Nick: That one, we really probably shouldn't get too much into what happens in season two, because if we talk about anything about season two, it'll be a spoiler.

Alex: I can and will cry.

Both: [laugh]

Alex: That's a promise and a threat. [laughs]

Nick: But, at this point, if you haven't seen season one, I just I'm so sorry at this point, like that's your bad.

It was one of, it's been in the top 10 on Netflix for forever. Season one came out over a year ago. I'm sorry. Go watch it before we ruin it. Just pause this, leave, come back. We'll be waiting. Okay. Are you back now? Let's talk about Vanya Hargreaves.

Alex: Let's talk about her. She's the best.

Nick: [laughs]

Alex: Oh my God. I love her so much because like I love a good heel turn so much.

Um, and I think they did it really well with her, um, because I love that they don't pull any fucking punches. Um, like the stuff that she does is pretty heinous, but also I love that they don't shy away from the fact that like, pretty much at every turn when things go wrong with her, the obvious option, and the thing that pretty much all of the siblings and everyone, like, even not the siblings agrees, is like the best intervention is like rehabilitation. Um, and like just fucking talking to her and being nice to her. And I love it when a show. Is willing to not just be like, Oh yeah, this person became a villain, but you're still supposed to like them.

So the most they're going to do is like kind of shove someone a little bit. Like, no, she like. I dunno, she like kills people like multiple people. And like, one of them is like a nice old man, like, you know,

Nick: a nice old monkey

Alex: a nice old monkey, like he's adorable and she just like- Oh, it's brutal. But like, At pretty much every turn, you still sympathize with her because of the way that they play out what she's going through.

I don't know if that's a thing that everyone sympathizes with, but I definitely do.

Nick: Yeah, absolutely. Like for me the first time that I watched it through, when it first came out, I didn't see any of it coming the second time I knew it was coming and I still was like, "Oh my God, that's right!" And even the third time when I finally like watched it with you, I knew! I just watched it like a week before.

Alex: Right.

Nick: And I was just like, Oh, my God. I forgot already.

Alex: That's cold.

Nick: But again, with my personal tragic backstory, I get it, man. If I had those powers, I get it. I would snap. You know again, please don't play this episode in a court of law.

Both: [laugh]

Alex: After I have snapped, please don't-

Nick: After I have snapped. Uh, can somebody please go through and scrub this episode from the internet? [laughs]

Um, but, you know, with having all of her memories erased from her childhood and having them all come rushing back at once and also then, you know, turning around and asking your family for forgiveness, for the bad things that you've done since realizing that, that you didn't have any of these memories as a kid.

And. You know, after having been manipulated and "dealing" with said manipulator, uh, and coming back to like beg for forgiveness and like talk. And having them lock you up because they're scared of you. I would have snapped. I would have snapped so much sooner, probably, you know,

Alex: Oh my God. I ooh that whole scene, I- just like ask Nick. I was dying because like, Oh my God, The whole, like fact that the, um, the little like jail cell thing that she's in is like soundproofed, killed me because it really. I feel like did extra, just in the fact that, uh, like everyone, except for Luther basically was on the side of like, "Hey, no, she's our sister. We need to let her out and talk to her because she's still our sister." And like, she cries at bugs dying. Like, are you kidding me? Like she was going through something, but like, she can't hear any of that. All she sees is people yelling and she's like in a little cage.  

Nick: Right. She can't hear any of that.

And also at the end, all of them decide to side with Luther anyways, you know, they're not happy about it, but they leave her in there. So, you know, she can't understand that they ha- they were arguing for her and that, you know, Luther kind of overpowered them. But I also think that it's really funny because in that scene, that was the most, um, diplomatic argument that they'd had all season, you know, like Diego almost killed Luther in episode one, but if you'll notice he didn't draw a weapon at all in that episode against Luther-

Alex: Rude!

Nick: -Like suddenly they're just talking?

Alex: [scoffs] Bad timing.

Nick: Right. You know? So like, of course she's gonna snap. And so I feel like she is an incredibly sympathetic villain.  And I love her and I just... [chuckles]

Alex: Right, I just feel like it's so masterful that you can make a villain that's like that sympathetic and also like, so distructive.

Nick: Just absolutely brutal.

Alex: Just so brutal. Oh my God. I love her so much. And I feel like this is a good introduction to what. I talk about as my, you know, how some people have like, um, fantasy football leagues?

Nick: Yeah. [laughs]

Alex: I have a uh, fantasy DBT group. Um, because- [laughs] I am a big fan of dialectical behavior therapy. And, um, I'm not going to give like a whole thing on that, but basically like for those who don't know, uh, it's a therapy that's largely geared towards people who have been through like, traumatic situations.

And a lot of the time, uh, when we're watching a piece of media, I'll do the, like, pausing it to talk for like half an hour thing, except I'll like, pause it and I'll turn to Nick and I'll be like, I have a new person that I want to invite to my fantasy DBT group. [both laugh] And Vanya is definitely in the fantasy DBT group.

Nick: Oh yeah. Absolutely.

Alex: Along with several others on this list you will meet soon.

Nick: Yeah. I think a couple on my list too. You're just like, come on, man. Come on.

Alex: You're invited. I believe in you.

Nick: Yeah. I think that a couple that you really want to be in your DBT group... Some that kind of started your fantasy DBT group where Zuko and Azula.

Alex: Yes!

Nick: And I think that it's really funny because on my list I have Azula. And on yours you have Zuko,

Alex: I sure do.

Nick: Uh, just since we've been talking about yours for a minute, I'll I'll go ahead and talk about Azula.

Alex: Hell yeah.

Nick: Uh, she's very arguably a sympathetic villain.

Alex: Yes!

Nick: And I think that following up after Vanya, I can't say that Vanya is simpathetic, and Azula's not, you know, you know, she has some very serious, very obvious mental health issues, you know, in the last couple of episodes, there's a point where even Zuko kind of is like, Oh, she's kind of lost it. And, I love that because he acts like it's so minimal how much she's lost it. And meanwhile, she's like over there, like sweating and panting and she's got the most fucked up haircut. Cause she gave herself- [laughs]

Alex: She has like the full like breakdown bangs and everything. Like we've all been there.

Nick: [laughs] Right, um, and I feel like with those two, it brings up a very intense conversation about nature versus nurture because they're siblings, they were raised by the same parents, you know, they both had the same mom, the same dad.

And so I feel like it's easy to say, Oh, well, Zukos nature is to be a good guy. And that's why he ended up a good guy. And Azula his nature is just to be uh, crazy, I guess, but. I feel like it's still a lot: nurture because Zuko had such a more intense, close relationship with his mother who was the nice one.  And it seemed like Azula had a lot more of a relationship with her father who was an asshole.

Alex: Right.

Nick: And, you know, that's not saying that, Oh, well, if you have a mother figure in your life, then you're just going to turn out to be a good guy. And you know, if you more only have a father figure, then you're just going to be a little asshole. That's not it. The characters were-

Alex: Yeah. Absolutely.

Nick: You know, down to the point of like Zuko and Azula's grandpa on their mom's side-or their great grandpa on their mom's side was avatar Roku. So like she was meant to be their good half and the dad was meant to come from the bad half: big, huge air quotes on good and bad, but, you know, uh, And something else with Azula that I definitely can kind of relate to is that she was born a prodigy.

Alex: Yeah!

Nick: And that's something that got mentioned is, you know, at first, when she was young, she didn't have to work for her fire bending skills, she just had them. And, you know, as someone who was the smart kid, when I was younger and like got put into all of these like big, smart kid classes and saw the other kids that got put into the big smart kid classes, you kind of go one of two ways where either like you start pushing yourself to insanity, to continue being the smart kid and the prodigy, and like still be seen as perfect because you've been kind of bestowed with this perfect-ness and, you know, everybody sees from you and you feel you have to keep up; or you get totally overloaded and give up, I got totally overloaded and gave up. Azula got obsessed with that perfection because she was so young.

Alex: Yeah.

Nick: When she got, uh, You know, when she was already being told, Oh, you're a prodigy. You did it perfectly like you're so much better than your older brother. And, you know, so I think that following that path of perfection definitely led her to having that breakdown, you know, and not being able to have genuine friends.

Because she was so obsessed with being seen as like the most perfect and the most powerful, you know, especially with her dad being, being in, wanting to be the most powerful man in the world. How do you follow that up?

Alex: Exactly.

Nick: Especially with your brother being an outcast and totally banished and like, you know, seen as a loser, you have to work so hard for people to not think that you're going down that same path as your stinky little brother, you know?

Both: [laugh]

Alex: Exactly. Yeah. And I feel like even like, from the perspective of like, you know, when she kind of goes off the rails as well, and just kind of thinking about the things that sorta lead up to that and like the family dynamics and all of that, and just like. How much- I don't know. I found a lot of like sympathy with her and like her family dynamics, especially with Zuko where like in their own way- like, you can very much tell that, like, she just kinda wants to have like a family, but she doesn't totally know what that is supposed to look like in a lot of ways. Like, not like she just wants that, but like, I feel like in a lot of ways she does want that. It was just like, "you should come back and live with us."

But like she doesn't, she's a really classic example, I feel like, of people use the tools that they have in order to navigate their lives and like the things that she's been shown her whole life have been, you know, like manipulation and just like shows of force and things. So it's like in order to get like love, which is something and like, Being able to be around like her brother again, like she does all these things that like, as we're watching it for the first time, we're just like, Oh God, like that's so shitty.

And it is shitty, but it's like, kind of thinking about it again. And like seeing her, especially in like season three, like ah, damn , this is just sort of what she knows how to do. And she might not even totally know she's doing it.

Nick: Right. You know, because, with the adults that she had in her life, especially with her and Zuko's mom leaving when she did, I mean, not that she had a choice. Zuko had a lot more time with their mom who was the good one, but then Azula was so much younger. I think that there, I think there's a point where she talks about like, not even remembering what their mom looks like.

Alex: I want to say so.

Nick: You know, so of course, like all she knows is her crazy ass dad and her crazy ass grandpa.

And she knows that her dad killed her grandpa to get power, you know, and seeing him get that power through brute force and through manipulation. How else is she supposed to, you know, go about? And I think that Zuko then in the beginning definitely shows that same, but he's so blessed with having his uncle Iroh to guide him and show him that that's not how it's done, but Azula doesn't get that.

And it's, it's really easy to sympathize her thinking sympathize with her. Thinking about those specific things, but I feel like it's also really hard because she did have opportunities to, fix that and-and be able to think critically about things. And she just chose not to. And I, and I don't know, i-it's one of those things where like, it's just hard, you know,

Alex: Mhmm.

Nick: Like I understand why she did everything that she did. But then there's just so much to me, that's like, come on you could've just...

Alex: Right. Like, come on, man.

Nick: You know, like your friends turned against you to join the other side. Like that could have been your opportunity, man. And it's like for the show, I'm so glad that they didn't then have her turn around and be the good guy because that would have been so annoying if every single bad guy who was like, Oh, actually it's time for my redemption arc now.

Alex: I'm radio rebel! [ laughs]

Nick: I'm radio rebel! I'm lemonade mouth! [laughs] But just thinking about like, if she were a real person, I'm like, come on, man. You could have.

Alex: Right. Absolutely.

Nick: I'm just like, you're going to continue to be on the side that everyone that it seems like you do love and care about in your own way is against?

Alex: Like, I feel like she reminds me a lot in that very same way of, um, like kind of what we're talking about with the handler of just like, what happens when the thing that, you know, Kind of turns against you and is like destabilized and it's just like, do you like cling on for dear life or do you like jump ship?

And it's just like, God does she cling on for dear life!

Nick: Oh, she clings on for dear life. Meanwhile, Zuko, you know, jumped ship and realizes that, uh, there's better things for him to do then try to please his father and family, and like,

Alex: yeah,

Nick: the sweet, awkward boy,

Alex: My sweet, sweet boy, God, I love him so much. [Nick laughs]

Oh my goodness. Like it's so funny because I'm just like, do all of the villains that I like come in twos and like follow a pattern because now I'm just like, yeah. So I like the handler and Vanya and then it was just like, yeah. And then Azula and Zuko. And I'm just like, yeah. So then you have the one that's like very establishment and kind of like loses it.

And then you have the one that like, kind of, uh, [laughs] Is that is like very sympathetic and, um, I'm very proud of them for going as hard as they did. Uh, but it still manages to remain sympathetic [both laugh] like that's something that I also really appreciate with them writing Zuko is that like, he didn't really go to being like on Aang's side until ,  like way towards the end. Um, despite the amount of times during the show that you're like, okay, this is the time I'm so ready. It's all happening. It's gonna happen. Um, but it doesn't, and it's always so frustrating, but again, it's one of those things where I'm kinda like glad that they waited until it made the most sense, because again, it's like you live your whole life, just kind of knowing this one thing and just kind of in pursuit of this singular goal, that your brain is just kind of structured around it.

And like, that's another thing that I love so much that like, while I was watching it, I was like, Oh, that's kind of like, Interesting that they did that, but the more I think about it, um, the more I appreciate it is like the whole like, breakdown that he has.

Nick: right where he like gets really sick?

Alex: Yeah, where he gets really sick and just kind of is like- I think he's like passed out even, or just like dang near for like several days, because of just like this moral decision.

Like, you know, I feel like that's something that I'm really glad that they gave him credit for. Um, and I feel like also kind of speaks to maybe some of why Azula didn't like defect or like why things like hit her as hard as they did. It was just sort of like how much this family has like told them that the things that they are doing is like the right way to be, that it's just like being physically ill, you know?

Nick: Right, absolutely.

Alex: And I'm just like, man, I love this 'lil guy so much and just kind of like watching him learn to navigate the world is so fascinating. And he's just such a teen.

Nick: Right?

Alex: I love villains that you can just very much see the aspects of them beyond, um, like what makes them like a villain. He's very much a teen boy. I love that about him so much.

Nick: Yeah. I think that that's something else that makes him a really, really good villain, and then hero, is that being young adults, I feel like- being young adults that have done not great things ourselves, like not as bad as them,

Alex: [chuckles] yeah

Nick: But you know, like, being a teenager and just wanting to be accepted and just wanting love and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And being willing to do whatever that takes and just following what your parents and like older people have told you is like how things are, and then starting to get older and realizing that that's not how it has to be, you know. And I feel like it really strikes a chord, you know, thinking about Zuko and then thinking about growing through your teens and like young adult stages of like everything that you do and everything that you think and say is dictated by authority figures in your life. And then kind of moving on to having less and less of those authority figures being authority figures, you know, even if they're still there. Kind of starting to be able to think for yourself and realize things and it really can make you physically sick to kind of make that change, you know? And for real humans, that change is really, really slow. For him, that kind of like s- that switch flipped really fast.

And so that sickness really got him.

Alex: Absolutely.

Nick: Yeah. I think that it's really incredible to watch it and see this like thing that I know that I've gone through. And I feel like a lot of people have gone through with, you know, growing up and getting a little bit older. I say that like, I'm super old, but like-

Alex: Ancient.

Nick: -Getting into the more, like getting into your early twenties and like. Really finally becoming an adult, even though there's never a point where you like really are an adult.

Alex: Yes.

Nick: I keep thinking every year, like this is the year somebody that like, people are gonna see me as an adult, but then everybody else also gets a year older and they're like, Oh no, no, no, no, no, honey, you're still a baby, and I'm like, shit!  [laughs]

Alex: Oh my god [laughs]

Nick: But,you know, I don't know. [laughs]

Alex: That is so real. Like the only people that see you as an adult are like teenagers.

Nick: Right.

Alex: And it's just like "oh man, still?"

Nick: Right and I'm just like your babies though! [both laugh]  Um, but just watching that and it feels very real that he got sick and it, it I'm really glad that that was there. [chuckles]

Alex: Mhmm. Big, agree.

Nick: You know, it's really almost frustrating when villains don't have that kind of like big averse reaction when they have a redemption arc where they're just like, "I'm cool now!"

Alex: No, it's cool now though.

Nick: Oh, no, we're good. We're good, actually,

Alex: actually I'm cool now.

Nick: [laughs] So speaking of villains that turn around-that just kind of like all of a sudden they're like fine now.

Alex: Surprise!

Nick: Surprise! I would love to talk about the diamonds from Steven universe. I, they are some of the most controversial villains.

Alex: Yeah.

Nick: But I love them all four of them [Alex chuckles] because, the reason that they're so controversial is because it's so easy to make them a stand-in for whatever you want them to be.

Alex: It really is.

Nick: And that's why I love them, you know, and for me, they always represented family. And to me that meant that always like meant something really deep because. [chuckles] Having my tragic backstory [Alex laughs] and having like, I didn't have great parents and they reminded me so much of that kind of thing of, you know, the pivotal episode when white diamond tries to pull pink diamond out of Steven, you know, and is like screaming and crying about how his name isn't Steven, it's Pink. He'll always be Pink, no matter what he tries to do. And like talking about how he's being silly for acting like this and talking about, uh, how he's acting like a spoiled child and like how she's so over all of his tantrums while she's throwing a huge tantrum.

Alex: Literal tantrum,

Nick: A literal tantrum. And I, I, I know that he has like that perfect line that I can't remember now, and I should have looked it up, but of just like "Oh, well, If I'm a spoiled little brat, that's throwing a tantrum then, uh, what are you?" I think that it is really frustrating that their redemption just kind of flipped like that really fast, but also it was very obvious that the show was coming to a close.

Alex: [chuckles] Yeah...

Nick: So I don't know that they could have done it any slower, but I think that it's also one of those things where. They realized all of the harm that they'd done. And so I think that making that flip was really still pretty realistic. And really necessary that it had to, it had to happen. And I think that it's also really easy to say that it happened super, super fast because we ha- we got that time skip and I don't know, it's just... and I, I love them as villains, even because after their redemption, they're still fucking awful, but they're trying, and they have to be reminded because I know you haven't seen the last, er-because  I know that you watched the movie, but I don't, you haven't seen any of Steven universe future. Um, right?

Alex: I don't believe so, no.

Nick: Yeah. Uh, in the, or I can't remember if it's a movie or if it's Steven universe future, but they're still like slipping up and like calling him Pink and like, you know, and, calling other gems "lower life forms" still. And, but  I think that it was really important to show that because they needed to grow.

And I think that that was some criticism that they got was that they flipped so fast that they didn't actually like grow. And then the show writers were just like, Oh, well just, just fucking wait a second. [both laugh] I love that they were able to make up and kind of fix things, but still show that they were growing and changing and they were still learning.

I also really love what they did with their redemption and forgiveness arc, where they let Steven still, you know, kind of talk to them and teach them and be civil with them without just kind of giving into their every whim and, you know, being overly nice to them in the name of forgiveness, because that is definitely something that I've seen in like different villain redemption tropes before is like, " Oh, well all is forgiven. We're good." And it's like, uh, all might be forgiven, but we are not good.

Alex: We are certainly not good.

Nick: And the diamonds having this idea of like, "Oh, we're forgiven and everything's good." And having Steven say "no, you're mostly forgiven. But we're not good. You still have a lot to learn and a lot to work on." And I think that that's really, really important to have a kid's show.

Alex: Yes, especially in the context of like, kind of talking about those sorts of relationships is like, I think a lot of the time where like inclined to give people a pass  just for trying. [chuckles]

Nick: Right.

Alex: When it's like, you know, people should still be held accountable, even if it's like also being gentle. You know, even if it's like, I do care about you and I want you to do better. And that's why I am challenging you instead of just being like, Oh yeah, that's just how it is sometimes anyways, the past is the past, that's water under the bridge, goodbye! You know?

Nick: Right. Just like. Ah yeah, like you're still saying kind of crappy stuff, but like, you know, you're not like actually killing people anymore, so it's fine.

Alex: So I'm pretty sure we're good actually. [both laugh]

Nick: But yeah, I, I love them because they can stand in for so much because like, you know, for the people where it, they don't see them as like being stand-ins for fam- for shitty family members, they do see them as like politicians or capitalism or society at large. And I think that that's what makes them so great is that no matter what you see them as they still piss you off.

Alex: [laughs] That is so real.

Nick: Y'know, and even with pink diamond, like so far, we've only really talked about the other three, but like pink diamond is an incredible villain, because you, even after you learn about her being a villain, there's still so much of you that loves her because you've known her as this - as Rose this whole time. And this, this idealized different version of her that had changed.

So it's really easy to be like, Oh no, but like, That's Rose she's changed. She's different, but like there's still all of these moments and full episodes that show that like, even though she had grown and changed, there was so much that she still needed to do to grow and change into like being the best version of herself that she could be.

Alex: Right.

Nick: Which was Steven, you know, and I saw a theory a while back about it that was talking about that, about how her realizing that she needed to grow and change made her Rose, and then realizing that she had grown and changed as much as she could as Rose is what made her decide to have Steven and like become part of Steven because she'd done all that she could as, you know, what she was.

And that is such an incredible redemption, you know, for her, while also still being able to understand that there was never really a point where she was the good guy.

Alex: Right. Exactly.

Nick: You know, and they go into it in Steven Universe Future, where Steven has to deal with a lot of that stuff where it's like, he spent his whole life thinking that he was the good guy and being the good guy that it kind of came back to bite him in the ass, you know, as he got older and like starting to actually have to deal with things and kind of becoming the villain in his own story. And I just, ah I love it so much. [laughs]

Alex: Oh my Gosh.

Nick: Even though people wanna like, not love it. I'm just, I do. [both laugh]

Alex: Oh man, I really need to watch Steven Universe Future now cause that sounds really good.

Nick: I think that everybody should watch it, but yeah, like all of the Diamonds are such good villains because even with Pink, you know, just like with Azula you can understand where a lot of her anger and issues stemmed from. And even though you wish over and over again, that she would just fucking learn and do better, you can see where she just can't.

Alex: Right, where it's just like ingrained.

Nick: Right, where it's just so ingrained that like, pretty much the only thing that she can do is  completely change into a different person, you know? And it's just, I love it. I love it. I love it. [both laugh]

Alex: Hell yeah.

Nick: I think that that's about all I can say about the diamonds right now.

Alex: That's so good.

Nick: Cause it's been, it's been a while since I've seen Steven Universe, so it's not fresh on my mind, but I know that I love them as villains.

Alex: Exactly, yeah. Just like one of those things where it's just like, "I don't know exactly how I feel, but I know that it's positive." [laughs]

Nick: Right, I absolutely should have used this episode as a reason to go back and binge watch everything.

Alex: [laughs] I'm doing research for the podcast.

Nick: Right. And I definitely did go back and kind of like do quote unquote "research" for this, uh, for some stuff but I thought that I would just kind of, for some reason, I thought that I would just kind of like remember more stuff as I went and I just didn't.

Alex: Imagine having a working memory.

Nick: Imagine.  

Alex: Oh, gosh.

Nick: But yeah, you've got two that I am very excited to talk about.

Alex: Oh yeah, I sure do. Because I have, um, everyone's favorite icy boy. [laughs]

Nick: Everyone's favorite villain that is awful at being a villain.

Alex: He's real bad at it. Like I-- [laughs]-- um, the Ice Cream-- "Ice Cream"...?

Nick: The Ice Cream!

Alex: The Ice Cream Parasocial.

Nick: Welcome to our podcast, The Ice Cream, and--

Alex: The Ice Cream-- Ice Cream Parasocial is very bad at being a villain. [laughs]

I started to say at being a podcast. I hope we're not that bad at being a podcast yet.

Nick: I mean, we're only at episode two, so we're kind of bad at being a podcast.

Alex: Yeah. Like it hasn't happened.

Nick: Episode two is always bad at being a podcast.

Alex: But, uh, but yeah, no, the Ice King ,  from Adventure Time, Simon Petrikov. I love, I love him so much. Cause like, talk about a fucking 2D villain that ended up becoming extremely 3D while also still managing to be extremely 2D.

Nick: Right.

Alex: Oh my gosh. Um, like the first few episodes where you start to kind of figure out like who he is. And like, his backstory are so interesting because I feel like a lot of the things that I think are so fascinating about him are sort of like, I don't know. It like really makes you think a lot about like personality, I guess, and just brains and what makes us... us.

Nick: Mhmm.

Alex: And just like the amount of times that people will have interactions with him , who  know him as Simon and like knew him, before he was the Ice King, who kind of like want that from him. And like, he can't really give that to them. And it's like frustrating for everyone involved.

Nick: Right.

Alex: And it's just so like interesting to kind of see those interactions happen. And just kind of like... when I was watching through Adventure Time and a lot of these episodes, uh, for the first time, going into my tragic backstory ever so slightly--

Both: [Laughing]

Alex: Uh, just dealing with a lot of mental health stuff, for myself and for just like some people in my life, it really was like cathartic, I guess, uh, to just sort of see a character that felt so representational of just the sort of like, not knowing who  someone very familiar is.  And almost then coming back around to like, love the new person anyways.

Nick: Absolutely.

Alex: Which I think is something that I do really appreciate a lot about adventure time. Is that in the end, like, you know, it doesn't really end up with him, like going back and like becoming Simon, like it's just like, no, I, one of my favorite quotes that I wish I knew off the top of my head, but.

Towards the end of adventure time, one of the later like ice King episodes, there's something in there that's something like, "I'm the ice King and I'm worthy of love too."  and it just really like hit because it's just like, you know, when I was watching through the first few episodes, where you like, kind of figure out his backstory, I remember having a lot of like, emotions about it and just the sort of like, Oh man, you know, like dealing with mental health and like kind of this loss of a sense of self, or like sense of like other people that I knew in my life.

Um, And just kind of being like, man, I really want to get that back. Like, it really sucks that that's gone forever. And then like kind of going through a bunch of emotional acts in my own personal tragic backstory TM, um, and then ending up as an adult watching like some of the finale episodes of adventure time and like seeing this little moment happen where he kind of gets away from this, like, you know, sort of like two dimensional, silly villain kind of thing that he does to just be like, Hey, no, like I'm a person also. And you can also like me, you know?

Nick: Right, absolutely.

Alex: I'm my own guy. [laughs]

It's something about that just really hit was just like, no, there's things to love about this too. I also just love on the surface, um, just with him, how much he just, wants affection and like how much that changed over the course of the series and how at the beginning it was very much like, Oh, it was like this creepy old man towards-

Nick: just stealing princesses.

Alex: [laughing] Yeah. Like just stealing princesses and then over the course of the series, just sort of becoming just like, he just wants some pals. He just wants friends.

Nick: Right, and

Alex: just

Nick: kind of figuring out that the companionship that he thought that he wanted with the princesses, he was able to find it in other places with just having friends.

Alex: Right.

Nick: I feel like that's something that people genuinely go through, is you know, thinking that they, really want this relationship, this romantic relationship with people, but, in reality, all they really want and need is like a couple of good friends, a couple of good pals.

Alex: [laughs] Right. And like, that's one of the things that I love a lot about adventure time too, is that I feel like it's a show that very much kind of grew with its audience. Um, and just kind of even using that as an example, and thinking about like, you know, when you're growing up and you're a preteen to like a young teenager and everything is about like, Oh, you gotta date.

And like, you have to find a partner, or something, um, partner feels like a weird term. Cause I started to say like boyfriend or girlfriend, but like, you know, gender neutral something, find someone to date, I guess. Um, and that's like the whole thing that you do, and then just kind of like growing up and being like, Oh, I can get this from other places. I feel like that's so much, like a lot of the tone in the show is just sort of like, just kind of growing up with the people that grew up with it, um, until I kinda came to a close and they did so many satisfying things, with the ice King in like the final season.

And I'm just like, man, if you haven't finished adventure time, then you should really finish adventure time. Cause it's amazing.

Nick: Right, I really want to go through and rewatch it now because-

Alex: Same!

Nick: I vaguely like, I, I know what you're saying and I know that I've like, I know that I've seen it and I know that I know the story, but like I don't have a whole lot to add because I it's been so long since I've seen it like to the point that I believe that if I watched it, it would be like the first time again,

Alex: No, yeah, same.

Nick: So I'm just like-

Alex: It's been a few years.

Nick: Yeah. I'm was just like, I should definitely rewatch that.

Alex: Yeah, like, I feel like that honestly just speaks to how much it hit me uh that this is like my one memory, like the one, my one brain cell is just clinging desperately to the ice King from like, I don't know, 2018 or whatever.

Nick: Absolutely.

Alex: [laughs]  But yeah, that was one of my big boys that I really wanted to get to one of my cartoon boys. I'm realizing now how many of mine are very mental health oriented. [laughs]

Nick: Well, I mean, that makes sense. Like, I know that I kind of talked shit about people being defined by their jobs in the beginning, but your job is in mental health and like, [ laughs]

Alex: Yeah, like it's something that I'm passionate about and I feel like I would be passionate about, even if it weren't my job. Um, but yeah, and like, that's definitely a part of the lens that I used to look at media and it shows.

Nick: Right.

Alex: Because my other big boy that I really wanted to talk about today is, from a little show that I feel like doesn't get enough love, and it should get more

Nick: Nowhere near enough love.

Alex: It's amazing. Um, if you haven't watched Kipo on Netflix. I forget what the full title is. I always just call it Kipo

Nick: uh, Kipo and the age of wonder beasts?

Alex: I believe so. Yeah.

Nick: Something like that, but I mean, you can find it just by looking up Kipo. Nothing else is called Kipo.

Alex: Yeah. Like, um, it's a really, really, really good show, and it has a villain that actively made me mad when I started to like him.

Nick: Oh yeah. Same, and I knew, cause I watched it before you watched it. And then we were watching it together and I knew it was going to piss you off when you started to like him, because in the first, like half of the season, it was just very much like, yeah, fuck this guy. I want nothing to do with this guy. Get him off the show. I hate him so much, but I knew the twist that was coming and I was like, you are going to be so mad.

Alex: Get them out of my fucking sight.

Nick: Right. They're just like, Oh, this guy sucks. And I'm like little do you know, he sucks AND he has a tragic backstory.

Alex: Yes. And you're going to love him. [laughs]

Oh my gosh. Scarlemagne, I- oh my God. He also very much follows my theme of villains that I adore when they frustrate me, because they don't, um, know, how to be good. Or like when you, think that they're going to, uh, I know that there's like a term. A term for like, whatever the opposite of a heel turn is, but I don't, I guess like redemption arc.

But like, when you think they're going to have a redemption arc and then they kind of like psych you out with it.

Nick: Right. Because they just don't, you can like, see that they just don't comprehend.

Alex: Right. Like they're just not quite there yet. And like, that's something that they do with Zuko, I feel-

that's something they do with Zuko a few times that made me real mad every time, but I'm also glad that they did it. And it's something that they did with Scarlamagne that I was like, Oh my God, I can't believe that they're doing this. That's amazing. And then they [laughs]  and then they faked us out and I was like, Yeah, that's fair. [laughs]

Nick: Right.

Alex: That makes sense, because it makes so much sense for his character. Um, just because so much of what goes on with him is very, again, like the tools that you're given to navigate the world are the ones that you use to navigate the world.

Nick: Absolutely. You know, and when it starts to get into his tragic backstory and right before it kind of shows why he starts thinking the way that he does it's so just, it's so sad because you get to watch him kind of have that mental break and that kind of mental shift of, you know, being really trusting of everything around him, to realizing that the only way that he's going to be able to survive in this world is by being a villain and by being a total asshole and, you know, and the way that the show does it by showing him years after being said asshole, it's just like, ah, man, like, why is he like that?

And then they show you why he's like that. And you're like, I mean-

[both laugh]

-fair that's fair, but I don't like it

Alex: [laughs] That is so true. Like, honestly, just the fact that like walking away from like the episode where you start to figure everything out and I'm just like, you know, a lot of the time I keep coming at things from, uh,

I really like going on the like, am I the asshole? subreddit and I just keep being like, everyone sucks here [laughs] you know, um, and it's just so wild with him, like how he was very much another person where it's like, he does a lot of really awful shit, but like, while he's doing it, you're still just like, no, yeah that's fair. [laughs]

Nick: Right. You know, I feel like it's not too much of a spoiler to say that, you know, he does start to really care for Kipo. She's the main character. And everybody loves her. Like, you know, he starts to really care for her and there's things that she asks of him that he genuinely tries to do. But he's been in this mindset for so long that he just can't.

Really, uh, he thinks that what he's doing is good and to us and, you know, to the other characters, it's so obvious that what he's doing is not good, but he genuinely thinks that he's showing affection at this point, because that's all the affection that he's known for the last like half or more of his life, you know?

Alex: Yeah. And like, it's so interesting with their relationship too, because it reminds me a lot of like the, um, uh, concept in like, Learning in psychology of have like assimilation and accommodation, um, well, where it's basically just like adapting the world around you to like fit your existing worldview when you get new information, versus adapting your worldview when given new information.

And I think that's so much of what makes the bait and switch like really like hit with that whole sequence is that you. I think that it's like, Oh yeah, you see the, you know, he knows that Kipo is good. And like, that means that he's like learned in that his worldview is changing and you know, it doesn't necessarily work like that off the bat, especially when you're dealing with somebody that has that much going on and has had to navigate the world that much with just like so much going against him, I guess, um, that then to see that it was more of a situation of just like, Oh no, this one person is good.

Nick: Right?

Alex: No, everyone else still sucks. But this one person is good.  My love language is murder.

Both: [laugh]

Nick: God. I know that we are not popular enough to get somebody to animate a bit, but all I want is for somebodyto animate my love language is murder.

Alex: My love language is murder!

Nick: Like, somebody who's got like little heart eyes and then like they say murder, like a knife shows up. [both laugh]  Oh, that would be so funny.

Alex: Oh my God. Just like, add that to like the five love languages.

Um, in order I'd say that I'm usually kind of a gift giver, but outside of that, I do, I do really like murder. [laughs]

Nick: Oh my God.

Alex: Oh, God. [ laughs]

Nick: All right. And this has been Ice Cream Parasocial! [laughs]

Alex: Do not read this in a court of law [laughs]

Nick: but do follow us on Twitter and Instagram @parasocialpod and on, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, uh, Ice Cream Parasocial, and hopefully soon I'll be able to tell you to give us a good rating on iTunes.

Alex: Yeah!

Nick: We'll see ya next week!

Alex: Please. Apple podcasts. Notice us. [both laugh] I'm begging you.

Nick: apple senpai notice me. [laughter, followed by outro song]

[eldritchsurveys]

436.

What is the most annoying thing about your life right now? and how can you change it? >> I can’t really think of anything except, like, being sensory-defensive, which I can’t change.

What was the flavor of the last smoothie you had? >> ---

Do you think you get enough protein? >> I probably do.

What is your favorite time of day to run? >> I don’t run.

How many 5ks have you ran? >> Exactly zero.

What is a current concern of yours right now? >> I don’t have any concerns.

What color shirt are you wearing? >> Black. I’m actually wearing a shirt for once, because it’s chilly tonight.

When was the last time you talked to your mom? >> ---

What's one unpopular opinion you have? >> I don’t have any sense of moral outrage about the existence of paedophiles and I strongly believe that the stigma should be lessened so that they can go to therapy without fearing the dire consequences of revealing their pathology.

What's a dream you've had since childhood that hasn't left you? >> ---

Do you parents crush your dreams? >> ---

What's a show you remember the very first episode of? >> Well, I mean, a lot of shows. I remember the very first episode of American Horror Story because I literally rewatched it yesterday.

Did you sleep in today? >> I don’t sleep in, I just sleep until I’m done sleeping.

Do you hate sleeping in? >> I hate sleeping too much, which usually happens when my sleep is interrupted and my internal clock is all thrown off.

How late do you consider too late to sleep in? >> I don’t like to still be sleeping past like 9a.

What is something of yours that is falling apart? >> I can’t think of anything.

Does your phone have a good camera on it? >> It’s serviceable.

How long have you had a smartphone? >> I’ve had this one for a year. I’ve been using smartphones in general for maybe 5.

How old were you when you got your first smartphone? >> Late 20s.

Do you have a crush on someone right now? >> No.

When was the last time you saw your crush? >> ---

If applicable, what is stopping you from pursuing your crush? >> ---

Did you ever regret letting someone go? >> No.

Who is someone you wish were still in your life? >> ---

When was your due date, and when were you born? >> I don’t know when my due date was. I was born on the 28th of May.

Do you want to have kids? >> Not particularly.

Do you keep lists of names that you like? >> No.

How long does it normally take for you to fill a journal? >> ... It’s weird how many of these questions were on the other survey I just took.

What are you behind on? >> Nothing.

Do you have a good doctor? >> I don’t have a doctor at all.

Do you like to sit on the floor? >> Sometimes, as long as I have back support.

What color is the toolbar at the top of your screen? >> Black.

What website do you usually check first when you get online? >> The first thing I check when I open my browser is the browser extension for my email accounts.

Have you ever butt-dialed someone? >> No.

Have you ever sent a text message to the wrong person by accident? >> No.

What is your favorite type of pizza? >> Veggie or pepperoni.

What is your favorite pizza place? >> Jet’s.

Do you enjoy eating at 50's diners? >> I mean, sure.

What are your favorite girls' names? >> ---

What are your favorite boys' names? >> ---

What do you want to be for Halloween this year? >> I haven’t thought about it.

What do you do to make money? >> I’m on a federal fixed income.

Name someone you know who has everything handed to them. >> I don’t know anyone like that.

Do you know anyone who is spoiled or stuck-up? >> No.

Do you believe life is fair? >> No, and I don’t need it to be.

Have you ever made a fan account on Instagram? >> No.

Have you ever bought a youtuber's merch? >> No.

Name three people you want to meet in Heaven. >> ---

Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? >> I do not.

If so, do you believe you are going to Heaven? >> ---

What was the best time of your life? >> ---

Do you feel loved or appreciated for who you are? >> I don’t think I’ll ever feel that way about anyone outworld, but I always feel that way about inworlders.

What could be the theme song of your life? >> ---

Don't you hate being all alone? (if applicable) >> Not at all.

Do you believe rich people are worth more than those who are poor? >> No.

When was the last time you read the Bible? >> It’s been a few years. I always forget I even own a copy of it.

Do you have any embarrassing health issues? >> No.

What are you longing for? >> Nothing.

Who do you wish you could talk to? >> ---

What was the name of the college you went to? >> I didn’t.

Were your college years the best years of your life? >> ---

Who was your first roommate? >> I don’t remember.

Who lived across the hall from you your first year of college? >> ---

What was your favorite food they served in the Dining Commons? >> ---

Do you consider the lunch ladies your friends? >> ---

Have you ever had a janitorial job? >> No. I’d have a meltdown a minute if I tried to work a job like that.

Have you ever worked in food service? >> Briefly.

What was your first job? >> In food service.

What year did you graduate high school? >> 2004.

What's something of yours that is missing right now? >> Nothing of mine is missing right now.

Do you lose or misplace things a lot? >> No.

Have you ever had a nasty rumor spread about you? >> Yeah.

Has anyone ever tried to ruin your reputation? >> I don’t think I’ve ever had a reputation.

What is your favorite flavor of frosting? >> ---

What is your favorite type of donut? >> Krispy Kreme glazed.

What is the name of your favorite bakery? >> ---

What is your current favorite Starbucks drink? >> ---

Have you ever been to the very first Starbucks in Seattle? >> No.

When was the last time you wrote someone a letter? >> ---

Do you write mostly in cursive or in print? >> Mostly print, because I usually only write longhand when I’m filling out a form or something like that.

Have you ever called a teacher "mom" by mistake? >> No.

Do you like the color of your eyes? >> Sure.

What color are your eyes? >> Dark brown.

What was the name of the street you grew up on (if you don't live there now)? >> Broadway. (Not that one, lol.)

What was the name of the first dorm you lived in? >> ---

What was the name of your first imaginary friend? >> The first inworlder that I can remember is a girl named Clodagh. I must have been about 6 or 7.

Does it still feel like summer where you live? >> Eh, some days. The temperature is kind of up and down.

What is today's date? >> 27 September.

Who's birthday is today? >> Beats me.

What do you usually get for your birthday? >> A daytrip to Chicago. Sometimes a whole weekend.

Who's birthday is coming up next? >> Sparrow’s.

What is the last thing that came in the mail for you from Amazon? >> A pair of shorts.

Do you have a Paypal account? >> Yeah.

Have you ever had a brand or company reach out to you on Instagram? >> No.

What is the last thing you purchased from Etsy? >> A perfume oil.

Do you sell on Etsy? >> No.

What is a childhood dream that hasn't stuck with you? >> ---

What is something you want to change about your life? >> I’m not looking to make any changes right now.

What is one thing you are looking forward to coming up? >> *shrug*

Have you decorated for fall yet? >> I don’t decorate for seasons.

Do you type fast? >> I do.

What color was your bedroom growing up? >> I don’t remember.

Who was your first favorite cartoon character? >> Johnny Bravo, maybe. I didn’t get to watch many cartoons, and in fact, that’s the only one I can remember watching.

Who is your favorite Disney princess? >> Moana.

Do you enjoy typing? >> Sure.

What bank do you use? >> Flagstar.

What grocery store do you shop at the most? >> Meijer.

What is your favorite fast food place? >> I don’t have one.

Do you get sauce on your pizza? >> Yeah.

Do you like hamburgers? >> Sure.

Do you like Coca Cola? >> No.

Do you like McDonald's french fries? >> Sometimes. Sometimes they’re not salty enough.

What color is your hair? >> Dark brown.

Did you get your hair color from your mom, your dad, or a grandparent? >> All of them, I guess.

What is your name (first and middle)? >> Mordred Shadow.

What are some other names your parents' considered when naming you? >> My parents did not name me.

What would you have been named if you had been born the opposite gender? >> ---

Do you prefer tea hot or cold? >> Hot.

What is the best fall drink? >> Apple cider or mulled wine.

Who was the last person you know who had a baby? And what was the baby's name? >> Sparrow’s sister, Liz. The baby’s name is Elliot.

If you had a boy and a girl, what would they be named? >> ---

Do you clean your room often? >> No, I don’t have to clean it that often.

Who taught you how to drive? >> No one. (I don’t drive.)

What color is your dresser? >> White.

Do you have a hope chest? >> No, but I had one as a child. 

Do you have a favorite aunt, and if so, who is it? >> ---

Who is your favorite cousin? >> ---

Do you look like your mom? >> ---

What does your middle name rhyme with? >> I don’t know, what does “shadow” rhyme with?

What does your first name mean? >> I don’t feel like copy-pasting that again.

Have you bought next year's calendar yet? >> I don’t buy calendars, although that Bananya... however that shit is spelled... one that I saw recently was tempting, lol.

What year did/will you turn 30? >> I turned 30 in 2017.

Have you found your first gray/white hair yet? >> Yeah, a few years ago.

Is your hair long or short? and which way do you like it best? >> Short. It hasn’t been long since childhood, so.

What's a food that you like, but it makes you feel sick? >> ---

Do you have a problem with needles? >> No.

Have you ever had to use an epi pen? If so, do you get a bruise when you use it? >> No.

Have you ever ridden in an ambulence? >> Yeah, both in the front and the back.

If applicable, what color are your glasses? >> ---

Do you like the name Addison? >> It’s fine.

Is there anything that you regret getting rid of? >> No.

What have you been saving up to by for a while? >> Nothing.

Does anything bother you about your past? >> I mean, sure, if I bother thinking about it.

Do you get bullied on facebook a lot? >> ---

Why do you think people bully others? >> That’s not something I have any insight about.

Have you ever stood up to a bully? >> No.

Do you post on youtube regularly, if you have a channel? >> ---

Which famous person do you think you could be friends with? >> I don’t know enough about any famous person to say.

If you could sit down and talk to anyone for an hour, who would it be? >> ---

Do you own striped tights? >> No.

Have you ever made your own Halloween costume out of clothes from ur closet? >> I mean, clothes from my closet is basically what I wear every Halloween, because I’ve never worn a costume.

Do you own any antique furniture? >> No.

What year were you born? >> 1987.

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage? >> That’s hard to say, I like a lot of them.

Do you set goals for yourself? >> No.

Which country has the coolest flag? >> I don’t know.

Do you like your country's flag? >> No, it’s not that aesthetically pleasing to me.

Which country do you live in? >> USA.

What is your heritage? >> Hm.

When was the last time you received a hug? >> I don’t remember.

Do you believe hugs are necessary for survival? >> If they are, I guess I should be dead.

Do you have anyone who hugs you regularly? >> No, because I prefer not to be hugged frequently (if at all).

Who gives the best hugs? >> I don’t know.

Would you rather have the bottom bunk or top bunk? >> Top.

Window seat or aisle seat? >> Window, always.

Have you ever thrown up on an airplane? >> No.

Have you ever seen anyone else throw up on an airplane? >> No. I’m tempted to believe that’s just a thing that happens in movies, but of course my experience isn’t like... comprehensive or anything.

Have you ever gotten sick in the car? >> No.

What color pen do you write with the most? >> Black.

Do you still wear clothes from the children's section? >> I wear children’s underwear.

What were your favorite stores when you were in high school? >> Hot Topic was one.

Do you watch Bethany Mota on youtube? >> No.

What color is your watch? >> ---

What color was the last pair of flip-flops you wore? >> Black.

What is your favorite season? >> Spring or autumn.

Were you born in your favorite season? >> Spring, yeah.

Have you eaten oatmeal lately? >> No, but now that summer is almost over I will probably start eating it again. (I don’t like eating heavy breakfast foods in warm weather.)

If you have bangs, do you cut them yourself? >> ---

What color was the last cup you drank out of? >> Yellow and white.

Do you enjoy graphic designing? >> I don’t know anymore, I haven’t done it in years.

Do you enjoy editing photos? >> Meh.

What is your favorite app on your phone? >> If we’re going by how often they’re used, Gems of War or CloudLibrary.

Do you answer your phone every time it rings? >> I never answer my phone.

Have you ever called the wrong number? >> Not that I can recall.

Do you usually pick Truth or Dare? >> I don’t play Truth or Dare.

Was your first kiss magical? >> ---

Do you like kissing? >> Not unless it’s inworld.

Who do you want to be best friends with? >> ---

Do you like to decoupage things? >> No.

Do you have a printer? >> Not anymore.

How many tabs are open on your browser right now? >> Two.

Which Internet browser do you use? >> Chrome.

Did you have a Myspace page back in the day? >> I sure did.

Do you miss Myspace bulletins? >> No.

Did you ever learn HTML? >> I used to be pretty proficient at it back when I was on MySpace and Vampirefreaks constantly. I do miss that about the first era of social media -- it encouraged learning how webpages worked so you could get stupid creative with yours. (And, of course, people that used to make Geocities and Angelfire sites had a leg up on all of us late bloomers, lmao.)

Have you ever wanted to start a business? >> Not seriously.

[colorfullfalls]

Helpful Parkers

Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: Reader gets self conscious and Peter and May help her. 

Peter Parker loves swimming. Sometimes you tease him by calling him tadpole rather than Spider-Man. That being said, he has been begging you to go jump in a pool with him. You have wanted to, but you couldn't. Your body grew from last summer, some in a good way and some not. 

Your boobs had moved at least another cup size up and your butt had become larger as well. Those were the main reasons why you needed a new bathing suit. Your boobs practically exploded of all of your old ones. When you had told Peter the dilemma, he had been eager to go with you. He wanted to impress you by picking out really cute suits. That boy is nothing but a pleaser. 

He had grabbed a lot of cute suits and threw them hectically into your arms as he shoved you into one of the many dressing rooms. You were laughing at how eager he was to see which ones you liked. After all, he did try to get the best possible ones. 

You stript yourself out of your clothes and looked at the assortment before mentally making a try on plan. You seperated the two peices from the one suits and decided that the two peices would have to be the first contestant. Excitment ran through your veins as you took the first one off of the hanger and started putting it on. It was your favorite one. 

Yellow was your favorite color and peter nailed it. This suit was yellow with white and blue flowers all over the top and the bottoms were just blue. You were grinning from ear to ear but that grin turned into a look of confusion as you stared in the mirror. The sight made your stomach drop. You did not look very good in this one, you thought as you turned. 

The bottoms looked fine but the top not so much. Your boobs were too big even though Peter swore that it was the biggest size they had. And not only that, your stomach was not as flat as you thought it was. The soft rolls made you bite your lips in complete and utter disappointment. You sighed as you shook your head. 

Some bathing suits just don't fit certain bodies, you were encouraged by that and decided to move on to the next one. 

Yet again you were upset as you stared at yourself in the mirror. The top was actually the right size and so were the bottoms, but you did not want to get it. You were embarrassed by your stomach and you didn't want anyone to see you like this. 

Maybe two pieces just weren't for you. You knew that other girls with a stomach could rock these easily and you thought they were beautiful. You just couldn't see yourself that way, it was your number one insecurity. The one peice were really cute too and you were excited to try them on. You prayed that they would look good, or at least better than the previous ones had looked. 

Peter stood outside the stall as he scrolled aimlessly through his phone. He was surprised that you hadnt come out to show him any of them yet but he wasnt worried at all. You were gorgeous and you were probably just staring at yourself in them. He would do that if he were you. 

You were staring at yourself, but not in the way Peter assumed. You were mad, upset, embarrased, and done with trying the bathing suits on. Even the one peices somehow managed to make you look really bad. You let out a shaky sigh as you put your clothes back on and sat on the bench. How were you going to explain to Peter that you loved those suits, they just looked awful on your body?

Peter slipped his phone in his back pocket as he heard your shaky sigh. You were on the verge of crying and he knew it. He knew it because he knew you like the back of his hand and the spidey senses did help a bit. He raised his hand and gently knocked.

"Y/n, baby, are you okay?" He got no reply, only a sniffle, "What's wrong? Was my fashion sense so bad that it made you cry?" 

"No." You cried out from inside the stall. Peter's heart clenched at the sound. His girl was upset and there was a wall seperating him from helping you. 

"Bub, let me in, open the door." He said softly as he put his head against the door. When you didn't he decided to take actions into his own hands. He looked around and saw that no workers or shoppers were around. He easily put his hands at the top of the stall and lifted himself up, moving over the wall and jumping down so that he was standing in front of you. You refused to look at him as you stared at the cement floor. 

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" He panickly asked as he knelt down in front of you. Your watery eyes avoided his soft and caring brown ones as you shrugged. He sighed in frustration as he ran a hand through his brown curls. 

"I can't help you if you dont tell me anything, Y/n." 

"I'm fat. I looked so bad in each of those suits. I was so excited to try them on and it ended up being a disaster." You croaked out as the tears freed themselves from your eyes and ran down your face. 

Peter was at a loss of words. You were singlehandely the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and seeing you so upset about your body made him angry. Society made girls think that if they werent as skinny as a twig, that they were fat and ugly. Peter was not having it.

"I bet you that you were glowing in those bathing suits, you just let your mind get ahead of yourself," He sweetly said as he picked you up and sat down so that you were sitting on his lap. You stubbornly shook your head against his shoulder. 

"My mind could clearly process what it saw and it was not a nice sight, Peter. Can we please just go home? I dont want to be here anymore." 

Peter sighed as he placed a sweet kiss to your cheek, "Okay, lets go." 

~

On the walk home you were uncharacteristically quiet and that worried Peter. He hoped that you would soon forget the dressing room and that you were return to his happy go lucky gal. Apparently the suits bothered you more than he thought. He was determined to make you feel better. 

"Hey, there is a pet store around the block, why don't we go and look around?" He asked as he swung your hands back and forth. You smiled and gave him a nod. 

"Let's do it." 

You two walked in and you instantly felt the weight lift off of your shoulders. Why were you so upset in the store? You loved yourself and you were slightly ashamed that you let your insecurities get the best of you like that. You basically dragged Peter over to the cat room as you two slipped in. You had a big grin on your face as you kneeled down and began to pet the little fur balls. You let out a loud laugh as one even juped right onto Peter's lap. 

"Can we take seven home? I want them all." You cooed as you ran your hand down a grey cat's back and up its fluffy tail. 

"Aunt May would kill me. She isn't really a big cat person like you, love." 

"How can you not be a cat person? They are just so lovable and god, I need them to live with me right now." You scopped the grey cat on you lap and hugged it tightly. 

Peter looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time for dinner and his aunt would not be happy if you two were late yet again. You said goodbye to your new furry friends as Peter gently led you out of the store. Peter was glad that he made you feel better. Your mood had changed since the dressing room and for that he was glad. He hated seeing you upset and insecure like that. It hurt his little spider boy heart. 

When you stepped into the Parker's apartment you were met with the lovely smell of expertly made meat loaf. May burns things sometimes, but boy can she cook. She offered you two a sweet smile as she grabbed the oven mits and got the pan out. Peter grabbed two glasses as you grabbed the chocolate syrup and milk out of the fridge. It was a tradition for you two to drink chocolate milk for dinner. It was your thing. 

"How was shopping, get anything cute?" May asked as she sliced the meatloaf. Peter's eyes widened at the question as he saw your cute little face drop slightly. 

"Um, no. I didnt see anything I really liked. Just have to keep looking." You said. Peter's heart hurt at the tone of your voice. The bathing suit still hurt you, meaning it hurt him too. 

"That's too bad. After dinner we can go on to amazon and look because the bathing suits at stores are always aimed at the model type girls anyway." May offered as she set the food on the table and pulled her chair out. 

Her saying that made you feel better, because what she said was true. There had to be a bathing suit out there somewhere that would make you look really good. Stores in New York barley ever had cute clothes with sizes larger than a medium which was very aggravating. May did most of her shopping online too. 

"That sounds perfect May, thank you." You gratefully say as Peter ushers you towards the table. 

~

A week later the whole bathing suit ordeal was long forgotten. Peter constantly showered you with love and adoration that it was hard to think bad of yourself. You two were bored on the rainy late June day and were lying on his couch as you watched reruns of cartoons. You two were a bit childish but at least you could act that way around eachother. 

You laughed into Peter's chest as Wiley Coyote fell off the cliff and smashed right into the dirt. You and Peter were a tangled mess on the couch, not that either of you cared. Your legs were intertwined and Peter laid on his back as you rested on top of him, it was the go to cuddle positon. Peter had his arm wrapped around your back as the other lazily twirled a section of your hair between his fingers. 

May walked in, complaining to herslef about the box that she tripped on while trying to enter the apartment. She picked it up as she read it and then held it out towards you. 

"Hey, Y/n, this package is yours. Go try it on, sister." She encouragingly said. You grinned as you clumsily got up. Peter was being a little shit and wouldnt let go of you. 

"No, stop, try it on later. I want to cuddle." He whined as you finally made it out of his spidey grip. You playfully rolled your eyes at him as you walked towards the bathroom with the box in hand. You were nervous as you slipped it on. Would this one look bad too?

Not at all. The yellow and grey bathingsuit looked great on you. The bottoms were high wasted so it covered up the rolls that you were self concious about. You happily covered your face with your hands as you continued to look at yourself. For once you thought you looked great in a bathing suit. You ran out of the bathroom and into the living room to show Peter and May, only May wasnt there. 

Peter was on the couch still watching cartoons, his back to you. 

"Where is May?"

Peter sat up as he stuggled to get the blanket off himself. He stood up and turned towards you, mouth going agape as you took you in. God, you were stunning. His cheeks and ears got red as he realized that he was just staring at you instead of answering the question. 

"She went to grab milk because we used it all last night." He stumbled out the words as you walked closer to him. You were taking his breath away. 

"Oh, well I like this, I mean I think it looks really good.. What do-"

Peter interrupted by pulling you in for a kiss. His hand went to your chin to nudge your head a bit for more access as the other one grabbed your hip to pull you closer to him. You were driving him crazy and he just loved you so much and there you were, looking fine as hell in his living room. You melted as he moved his lips from yours and began peppering kisses all over your face. 

"You look like a snacc." He whispered as his forehead rested against yours. His brown eyes looked deeply into your e/c ones. 

"Peter, stop, thats the worst." You laughed as you playfully shoved him away. Peter was not having it though and he pulled you right back to him. 

"Seriously though, you look stunning. And as happy I am about you finding a suit that you love, I am reconsidering wanting to go swimming now." 

You frowned, "Pete, why don't you want to go swimming?"

He picked you up over his shoulder and ran into his room, shutting the door. May wouldnt be home for a few minuets and she really didnt care that the door was shut. She trusted you two. She once even had a talk with you two that she as okay with you two doing it, you just had to promise to be safe and wise about it. 

He threw you on his bed and jumped after you as he threw the blankets over you. 

"Someone might see how gorgeous you are and then take you, can't let that happen. Now we have to hide in here for the rest of our lives." He explained as he left sloppy kisses all over your exposed skin. 

You laughed as you attempted to crawl away from him but yet again he drug you back, making you squeal, which only made Peter even happier. The two of you stared at each other as Peter held you tight against him. It was peaceful until you felt the bathing suit top come undone. You accusingly looked at your boyfriend. 

"Did you just untie my top?"

[thunder-the-ranger-wolf]

💜🌱💙 get-to-know-your-mutuals tag 💜🌱💙

Rules: When you get this, it means someone wants to know more about you, so list 5 things about yourself you want your followers to know! They can be as simple as your age or as complex as your deepest fear, as long as it’s something you’re comfortable with sharing. When you’re done and if you want to, send this to 10 people you want to get to know better!

Tagged by: @thoughtfulbreadpolice

I have a dog.

Sometimes I forget to do stuff you kind of need to, like use the bathroom or eat dinner, until I reach a pause in whatever I’m doing (usually writing or coding). That is a habit I am trying to break. It is currently not going well.

I know how to code! Among other things that I went to school for but coding is what I latched onto the most.

I’m a pretty decent writer and I have folders full of folders of fic for various fandoms. One day, they will all be posted so you can share in the madness.

I never know what’s good to watch on TV or streaming platforms because I grew up not really watching TV so it’s just like... what do I like? What do I look for? I think I like detective shows? Guess I’ll have to explore that more. I know I like Disney stuff though.  

(Their business practices are sketchy and the House of Mouse is very clearly a monopoly. You would not believe the amount of non-cartoon stuff they have on Disney Plus! I am not defending their bad business practices, merely enjoying the results of having a FireStick and not having to pay for it. Amazon is also pretty shitty but we live in society and depriving ourselves of things doesn’t stop corporations as much as we wish it would.)

Whoever wants to share 5 things they don’t mind me knowing is welcome to tag me!

[academiablogs]

Shopping For a Brand? Why Not Write a Book Instead?

  I was once told by a writing instructor, “why should anyone read your work? That’s the question you have to ask yourself: what makes it new and irresistible?” Inevitably, as we showed her drafts of our stories she quickly tossed them aside with the remark, “not new, not interesting.” Without using the word “brand,” she was basically advocating that we find one. Every writer needs a hallmark that distinguishes them from every other writer in the world, or at least allies them with the one that matter. A writer or a story might not necessarily be new or innovative, but their brand, their image, should seem so. What a story is really selling, she told us, is the idea of novelty rather than any quality of novelty itself (and really, is anything new under the sun)?

I’ve thought about this a lot over the years, since no matter how much I wrote or how much I progressed as a writer, I couldn’t put my finger on a ‘brand’ or market niche that my story possessed. I heard many writers say, “I’m like Stephen King, but darker,” or “I’m like a Harlqeuin Romance, but without the romance.” Those little witticisms always made people smile and many of them responded, “oh, I’d love to read that!” Nevertheless, it felt a little cheap to boil down an entire book or style of writing to a catch phrase; all the more so, as no one is going to read your book and say, “wow, you really are just like Stephen King, just darker!” Not likely.

So what does it mean to have a brand as a writer? How do you distinguish yourself from the millions of other writers trying to make their mark on the market? On social media in particular, everything is boiled down to tweet size. You can’t explain your book or your influences or philosophy; you need an instantly recognizable icon to catch the interest of readers or agents so they’ll take a chance on you. It’s like going to the grocery store: which granola bar do you buy? They all probably taste more or less alike. What determines which one you drop in your cart? In all likelihood, it’s the box—or whatever’s on it. The logo. The cartoons or images of nature. The mascot. The healthy buzzwords that promise rejuvenation and longer life.

But therein lies the dilemma, since the business of advertising is the artful lie. I know, I once worked for an ad agency and had clients tell me to outright lie about this or that, or to otherwise dupe their customers. Products make extravagant promises since they know you’re buying the promises, not the product. And promises can change the way you see (and taste) the product, too. I notice that a lot of authors basically sell their works like food as well: they make extravagant claims, tout themselves as “award winning authors” and quote effusive praise from people you’ve never heard of. Sometimes, it even works. The more “professional” the author, particularly for indie authors, the more they seem to imitate the lies of the best-selling authors.

Look at a typical page for a prominent book on Amazon—what do you see? The cover, of course, wrapped up like a Godiva chocolate; a series of stars—usually close to 5—with the number of reviews attached, and a “best seller” banner—again, just like something on the shelves of Wal Mart. Scroll down a bit, and you find multiple levels of advertising copy—first from Amazon, then from the publisher, and then a number of author/reader reviews which also sound like an ad agency wrote them (drowning in superlatives). We also get a slew of products “often bought together” which looks like the candy aisle even more—one sweet after the next, all of them indistinguishable. Even worse, we then get information that no one outside of the website actually needs: the seller’s rank in various categories. All this tells us is “why aren’t you buying it if everyone else is?”

If this sounds depressing, it should. Selling books has become just as corporate and just as cloying as buying food to stock your shelves. There’s just one problem: we don’t buy books to stock our shelves. We buy them to be transported—to think, to imagine, to believe, to frighten, to amaze, to transform. No cookie is going to do that for me, whatever the ad copy tells me (and nor do I expect it to). A book, however, stands a good chance of doing that, and that’s what I hope for when I buy one. A book doesn’t need to make extravagant promises or dabble in deceit; a book is good enough if it just tells a story. That’s why we buy them. It’s almost like publishers have forgotten what books are and why anyone buys them. I imagine they have meetings where someone exclaims, “how can we sell these odd, little square things? What makes them interesting? How about a cover that makes it look like an exotic tea company? Then at least they’ll be reminded of their favorite beverage...”

Are books a product or a unique work of art? Do they need help to seem worthwhile? Can’t a real lover of books tell the difference? Why do we have to resort to commercial chicanery when the only thing that sells a book is the story and the style itself? I would argue that what really makes a writer’s brand is how they write. As simple as that. When I think of Jane Austen, for example, I think of her characters and her style (and her characters could only exist within her style—her unique way of telling a story). No matter what beautiful cover you slap on Pride and Prejudice or whatever clever copywriting you add to the webpage, the work is always the same—and it’s always her. Let’s be honest, no one really reads Jane Austen because of a darling cover. It might catch your eye, but you soon forget it and when someone asks you to recount the story, you don’t say, “well, there’s this amazing cover, and the blurb was so exciting...”

Ultimately, I think many of us are writing backwards. That is, we’re trying to write to a market and establish a brand based on what sells rather than writing who we are and offering it humbly (but proudly) to the world. Too many writers and agents and readers tell me, “that doesn’t sell, you can’t do that anymore, no one will read that, that’s not where the market’s headed.” Thinking like that will create a brand but not a work of art—not a book that needs to be read. For example, how many new energy drinks do we need? We know that they all have the same ingredients—caffeine and sugar. Dress is up however you like, it’s the same damn drink. So why not sell something else? Something that you want to drink? We don’t all have to drink energy drinks, do we? Of course the publishers want us to, since it sells, but as writers and readers we have a stake in what sells, too. And I can guarantee you the next big thing won’t be an energy drink.

Obviously I write this from a position of weakness and can be accused of sour grapes. I’m an indie writer. I don’t sell many books. I only have a few dozen reviews and no one has heard of me or my novels. And yet, I’ve written my ‘brand,’ I’ve created a series of books that satisfy the reader within me. These are the books I enjoy reading and wanted to share with the world. They’re consistent and ‘new’ in the sense that it’s not another energy drink, not another superfluous product on the shelves. In that case, okay, maybe no one is desperate to buy it and display it in their fridge. Eventually, though, someone will, and when they drink it, they’ll realize that I make no extravagant claims for increased health or virility.

I market it exactly for what it is: a fantasy novel that takes you to another world, that deals in mystery, intrigue, humor, and romance. It doesn’t look or taste like your favorite tea, it hasn’t been consumed by any famous authors, and it hasn’t won any Taster’s Choice awards. I can only promise you it’s part of a grand tradition of fantasy novels written by someone who loves them, and to find out anything more, you’ll actually have to crack open a book. Because books should be mysterious...they shouldn’t reveal all their secrets on the back jacket. That’s where you, the reader, come in, and that’s what makes reading so exciting and unique. It’s not like shopping for groceries or like anything that happens in the workaday world. Let’s keep it that way.

[sunken-standard]

How about 89 and 32 from Drabble challenge meme? I'm in love with all the universes! I have a soft spot for ‘Sherlock Holmes is an Alien’ verse though. This is me being annoying, just ignore me and write your thing. :D

Okay, so I ended up using both theoriginal prompts, which were already used before, and the new ones(44, 64 & 102) picked by rainmyselfinharmony.  I changed ‘he’ to'she’ because I had an idea.  Sherlock-Is-An-Alien 'verse; not somuch crack as fluff and a little angst.  And kind of boring, becauseI’m pants at exposition when it comes to worldbuilding.  I have waytoo much backstory in my head for all of this.

“Are you drunk?”/ “Hewould have really loved that…”/ “He used to be my bestfriend.”/ “If I could go back, I wouldn’t changeanything”/ “Buy me chocolates and tell me everything’sgoing to be okay”

“Are you drunk?” Molly asked,taking in the sorry sight before her.

“Maybe?  Drunk is such animprecise term.  Your language is so vague and full of…feelings… and impressions.  You’ll never get off thisrock until you embrace scientific imperialism as a complete… thing. Paradigm,” he said, sitting up in his chair before slumpingback into it.

“Oh-kay,” Molly said, shakingoff her coat.  "I’ll just make you some coffee then?“

"Coffee doesn’t actually—”

“Placebo effect.”

He hummed, either an agreement or adismissal, who knew.  She figured she’d make him the coffee anyway.

“So why are you drunk?”

“Told John about the baby and heinsisted on taking me to the pub.  Greg was there.  And Mycroft.  Ithink they’re shagging.  Can’t be sure, though, might have just eateneclairs together, which is close enough to shagging anyway.”

“Uh huh.  And what about the otherthing?”

“What other thing?”

“The thing about you being fromsomewhere that’s not Earth?”

“Shhh!”

“It’s after nine, Mrs. Hudson iseither already baked or off with Mr. Chatterjee.  No one’s going tofind out about your secret identity, Clark Kent.”

“Who?”

“Nevermind.”

Sherlock fell quiet, either dozing orcontemplating something, while Molly finished the coffee.  Decaf,because if she had to suffer, so did he.

“I want chocolates.  Buy mechocolates and tell me everything’s going to be okay.”

“Wh…hyy would I need to tell youeverything’s okay?” she asked, bending over him to set his mugon the side table.  "What did you do?“

"Ejaculated close enough to yourcervix that one lucky sperm cell was able to make it to the egg inyour fallopian tube, thereby impregnating you.  Or did you forgetalready?”

“So you’re having a freak-outabout being a dad?”

“John just kept going on and onabout how great it is, watching them grow and knowing you’d madesomething so wonderful, but it’s all bollocks.  It doesn’t matterwhat anyone does, they always get something wrong.  Look at Mycroft. You’ve met his parents, they’re practically saints!”

“What about your parents?  Yourreal ones?” Molly asked.  They hadn’t really talked a lot aboutany of it; Sherlock always found a way of avoiding real answers toher questions, except when it was something to do with the actualbiology of his species and how it might affect Marvin (which she wastold not to call the baby because our child is not a cartoon,Molly, I’m not even from Mars and I have nosense of humour.)

“Don’t have parents.”

“So you were an orphan?”

“No, we just… don’t have them. Once people in our society reach optimal sexual maturity, they make acontribution to a kind of collection centre.  Then their DNA ispaired off with the most suitable genetic match and the strongestembryos get incubated.”

“Wow, eugenics.  So you might havebrothers and sisters?  Are you raised together, or is it like BraveNew World?”

“I don’t know what that is,”he said.  

“It’s a book.  Maybe a film, too,I’m not really sure.  Science fiction.”

Sherlock made a noise.  "Molly,almost everything your people call 'science’ is fiction.“

"Oh, why thank you,” she saidlightly.

“Not you.  You’re very goodat… measuring… things.  And identifying other things.  It’s notyour fault your species only has the most rudimentary grasp of itsown biology, you work with what you have,” he said, making agenuine effort to compliment her.

She gave him a look and he stoppedtalking, proving that even he, who thought he knew everything, couldlearn.  After a beat, she prompted, “So you were saying aboutyour— family?”  She didn’t know if that was the word for it.

“Not exactly a family.  We’reraised in small groups of children of a similar age range and fromrelated lineages, more or less like a nursery.  Once physical andintellectual abilities, personalities, and proclivities start toemerge, we’re split up and moved into specialized groups.  A bit likeyour schools, actually, with houses and different academic tracks. And I do have one genetic sister, though the biological relationshipis unimportant in our society.  She used to be my best friend.” Sherlock sounded quite sober then; she wondered if it was some alienmetabolism thing or if he could control his state of inebriation orif he’d just been putting on a bit of a show.  There was a hint ofsadness there, too, she thought.

“Used to be?”

“We had a difference of opinionand now she’s on a prison planet orbiting the event horizon of ablack hole.  Intergalactic SuperMax.”

“Oh.  So you put your sister injail.”

“No, she put herself in jail.  Sheseized control of the interplanetary government for a time and in theprocess blew up two planets and made a third unfit for habitation forthe next eight millennia,” he said.

“Wow.”

“She was always ambitious.”

“So is that whole thing why youwere exiled?”

“Exiled?  Who said anything aboutexiled?” he said too quickly.

“You did, the night you told meabout yourself and we found out about Marv—the baby.”

“It wasn’t so much as one isolatedincident as a cumulative set of things.  I didn’t have anything to dowith Eurus’ coup, if that’s what you’re wondering.  I was in adifferent solar system at the time.  She’s actually the one who sentJim after me to bring me back.  I wonder if she knows he went outwith a bang.  She would have really loved that…” he said, awistful note to his voice.

Molly was beginning to think she mightbe carrying Rosemary’s Baby.

“So your sister knew Jim?  But Ithought he was from a different planet.”

“He was.  Planets are like postcodes to the rest of the galaxy.  Honestly, calling Earth a backwateris a kindness.”

“So we’re a bunch of hicks.”

“'Hicks’ implies that you’resimply a more rural part of a larger society.  You’re more like oneof the last uncontacted tribes of the Amazon.”

“Oh, how lucky of me, a simplesavage, to have been impregnated by Dr. Livingstone himself,”she muttered.

“That’s rather reductive,”Sherlock said, scowling.  She wasn’t sure if he meant towardshimself, or towards the uncontacted Amazonians. Probably better tojust let that one lie, lest her crazy half-alien baby hormones makeher slightly homicidal.

Then something occurred to her as sheremembered something he’d said a few minutes before.

“So you said you contributegenetic material…  Does that mean you might already have otherchildren out there?”  She really didn’t know how to feel aboutthat.  

“Nope.  Optimal age for a woman issometime in her early to mid-twenties, for a man it’s betweenthirty-five and forty-five to ensure longevity, so I’m right onschedule.  Too young when I left to make my contribution, though Iexpect they’d have skimmed me out of the gene pool anyway.  I supposeit’s possible I’m an uncle, though, as far as that goes.”

“You weren’t trying to get mepregnant, were you?  As an experiment?”  She tried not to letthe sudden anger she felt come through in her voice.  She failed.

“No, of course not.  You’re myfriend.  More than a friend.  Girlfriend, lover, partner, paramour,beloved,  whatever.  Not really my area, at least up until recently,”he said, dead-sober.  

Beloved, she thought.  Did thatmean…?  She couldn’t bring herself to ask.  She made anon-committal noise and went to take her mug back to the kitchen.

*

Sherlock lay with his face pressed toher belly, his hand resting on her hip.  He did that a lot, sometimeswhen they weren’t even in bed.

“Are you communicatingtelepathically with the baby?” she asked.  The question was onlyhalf in jest; there was still so much she didn’t know about him. About them, she supposed.

“Uh, no,” he said shortly. He didn’t offer any further explanation or make some kind ofsarcastic remark about her telly-watching habits.

“Sherlock,” she began afterthe silence dragged on, “do you hate it here?”  It had beena weird night and she was in a weird mood.  She didn’t know what shewas saying or why she was saying it, really.

“It’s not where I thought I’d endup and, as far as assignments go, it certainly leaves a lot to bedesired, but even if I had it to do all over again, even if I couldgo back, I wouldn’t change anything,” he said, turning hisface and pressing a kiss to her stomach.

It was so oddly tender that she feltherself getting choked up over it; she blamed the hormones.  She ranher fingers through the curls at the nape of his neck and tried notto let herself think too much about how impossible it all seemed.

[pandepon]

I personally as a trans person dislike trans headcannons (not much as I hate cis headcannons) because I mean, an trans wouldn't like seeing another trans character being draw as cis. So why you have the right to draw a cis character as trans? It's not even representative to the community, it's most likely a genital swap for stupid penetration fetishes. Being so fuckin disgusting and transphobic like the op was! WTF!!!! TRANS BOYS ARE NOT GIRLS.

There are just no trans characters that are painted in a positive light in video games and cartoons [a lot of the art community is all about these two forms of entertainment] If there are a few trans characters in a tv series it is usually only on netflix or amazon series like OITNB, Transparent, Gypsy, Sense8 and OA] but also minor characters in series like Degrassi, Ugly Betty, The L Word, Glee, etc]   Any other stories of trans people end up being from documentaries. 

There is so little [positive] representation for trans people in cartoons and video games. I, and arguably many other artists, love video game characters, anime, and cartoons like Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, Regular Show, etc along with others] and there is no representation for us in these series [though SU plays with gender roles and expression a lot which is amazing!]. But then there are cartoons that show trans characters as a punchline like Family Guy, American Dad, Super Jail, etc where though sometimes it bring good dialogue about it but other times its made to be laughed at. [Remember the scene when Brian just vomits after he finds out he fucked a trans woman for a solid two minutes and then says that transwomen are suppose to notify the neighborhood like a sex offender is suppose to??]

Forget trans representation in video games, maybe there was one in Dragon Age but I cant think of any others?

Honestly I see no issue with having a HC of a character being LGBTQ+ because unless they clearly have been shown to have a dick and a specific sexual identity there is no reason one cant HC that to better representation and to give a different dimension to a character.Anyway I can understand the feeling of “We dont want to make cis characters trans, it would be nice to have an actual trans character”.  tw: gross fetishism of trans under cut

Also I get triggered hardcore when people do weird trans fetishes like becoming pregnant or period fucking. Like when cis people write that shit they seriously dont understand that many trans guys are super dysphoric about shit involving that. Not only that but the lack of knowledge they display of how being trans works cuz one cannot be on hormones and have much of a period to have sex during if any, and it would not be possible to get pregnant either due to the lack of period or the body miscarrying a baby because testosterone is toxic to a fetus. Yes FTM men can get pregnant, but it must be planned for, they would have to stop taking T and start taking more estrogen whether their goal is to carry the baby themselves or to extract eggs to use a surrogate for]

Sometimes I’m ok with ftm porn as long as it is tasteful and as long as the genitalia actually looks closer to ftm with the bottom growth. I actually have this porn art to thank for me becoming more comfortable with that part of me. Prior to transitioning I’d never been comfortable with things down there FFS I’m in my well into my 20s and still haven’t gotten a pelvic exam. But I’ve become more comfortable with myself. 

I do understand though that even if I find trans art comforting in some respects, others may find it super triggering because dysphoria just isn’t the same for everyone.

It is a vwery shaky topic that differs for each person and some trans people might hate trans OCs or trans HCs, others might find comfort in them. It is great that we all have different tastes and it just goes to show that everyone’s experience with their gender and body is different along with their tastes in art and porn.

I agree with you and I understand your position on this and it really is a shaky area in someways

TRANS BOYS AREN’T GIRLS!

Thanks anon!

[chadpetersondatingblog]

8 Couples’ Halloween Costume Ideas From The ’90s That’ll Give You All The Nostalgia

Oh, the ’90s. What a time to grow up. I can’t be the only one who still has boxes of stuff from this era lingering in the attic. Whether your toy of choice was a Furby or one those Neopets that were fun until they died because you kept forgetting to feed them, the ’90s are the perfect time for you to reminisce on if you’re still searching for the perfect Halloween costume idea. If you and your boo are looking for the perfect ’90s couples costumes, then we’ve got you so covered.

However, be warned: All of these costumes may result in some serious nostalgia. But before you start calling your mom begging her to ship you a care package full of those thick, ruffly scrunchies, take a breath. Although the ’90s may have been super amazing, you most definitely would not be sitting here right now combing the web for costume ideas because the internet was still super weird and way less fun. Plus, it took forever to log onto AOL. Remember that crazy sound that the computer used to make while it was connecting?

But luckily, Halloween is the perfect occasion to get your throwback on, so there’s no need to get too down daydreaming about sippin’ Capri Suns in your Heyday.

1. Reggie And Otto From Rocket Power

Nickelodeon

Few ’90s kid shows will reach the glory of Rocket Power. At the time, it felt like there was nothing cooler than watching this group of awesome kids getting into all kinds of shenanigans. Now that I think about it, this show was also pretty diverse for its time. so kudos to Nickelodeon for that one.

If you decide to show up at this year’s Halloween festivities dressed as brother and sister pair Otto and Reggie, then be prepared because you’re gonna be dishing out some serious nostalgic realness. Naturally, whoever decides to go as Reggie is gonna need a medium-length purple wig. All she needs now is a magenta/pink shirt — brownie points if you have the time to cut out a yellow rocket design to glue on the shirt — red sunglasses, and army printed cargo pants. Otto is definitely gonna need some kind of��gingery wig, sunglasses, green headband, yellow shirt, and athletic shorts. If you’re feeling ambitious, then by all means, feel free to grab your skates and spend the evening rolling from venue to venue.

2. Tommy And Angelica From Rugrats

Nickelodeon/Klasky Csupo

Rugrats was the bomb. The best part of this costume idea is that it is hilarious and pretty easy to throw together for all of my procrastinators out there who like to wait ’til the week of to start figuring their lives out.

All Tommy needs is an adult diaper and baby blue crop top. Can’t find a crop top? No worries. You can also just buy a normal light blue shirt and cut it to give it that authentic baby look. Angelica could most definitely use a blond wig — although it’s not totally necessary if you’re in a pinch. Throw on an orange sweater and purple dress over it, and you’re good to go. Just don’t forget the matching purple hair bows for Angelica’s pigtails and baby bottles, which can conveniently be used to hold some of your alcoholic refreshments for the evening. You can thank us later.

3. Corey And Topanga From Boy Meets World

American Broadcasting Company

Who could forget the adorable young lovebirds Corey and Topanga from the ’90s sitcom Boy Meets World? This is another great throwback-inspired costume that requires pretty minimal planning.

First things first, Topanga needs a denim vest if you’re going for the classic girl next door look — although if you want to get creative and spend some time browsing her other looks, then don’t let us stop you. She’s also gonna need a white shirt and a skirt; might I suggest corduroy? Now you have a perfect excuse to head on down to your local thrift store. If the Corey to your Topanga doesn’t have naturally curly hair, then you should probably opt for a dark curly wig; it may give the costume more of a goofy vibe, but it will definitely help with recognizability factor. As far as clothes go, Corey has a ton of artistic freedom. A denim button-down, argyle sweater, or just about anything else will work as long as it’s a bit oversized.

4. The Olsen Twins Then Or Now

Gerald Wu Productions

Nothing screams the ’90s quite like the Olsen twins. For better or worse, we watched them grow up right before our eyes. There are a ton of different routes you can go when trying to emulate these cuties. The easiest way is to invest in two identical blonde wigs to communicate the whole twin vibe. Next, you’re going to need two matching dresses and accessories. If you’re going for a more current Olsen twin look, then keep the wigs, add some oversized black sunglasses and all black clothes, and you’re good to go.

5. Beanie Babies

 WBIR10 News

Who doesn’t remember the bizarre ’90s kind-of-sort-of toy, Beanie Babies? The secret to pulling this costume off is one thing, and one thing only: that infamous “ty” tag that made millions of children’s hearts beat a little faster. Grab some construction paper or poster board, and get to work. Don’t forget to fill in the tag with your beanie name and information about yourself.

6. Wayne And Garth From Wayne’s World

NBC Films

Ah, Wayne’s World — a cult classic. Reminiscing about this goofy duo is just the thing to get all the ’90s kids dreaming of a time when VHS tapes were a life source and Nintendo was your favorite pastime.

If you and your partner would like to pay homage to this super silly film, then I’ve got some really good news for you: This couples costume is available already assembled with all of the necessary costume components. That means you have absolutely zero excuses to not have your life together come October 31. If you’re feeling like putting in the extra effort, then Garth is going to need a grungy white band tee, blue flannel, blonde wig, and large framed glasses. Wayne needs a Wayne’s World hat and black tee — and voila.

7. Your Two Favorite Chipmunks From Alvin And The Chipmunks

NBC

Sometimes, cartoon animals are too cute. Like, straight up, if you look at them too long, you will definitely get weirded out by how adorable and symmetrical they are. Alvin and The Chipmunks were definitely too cute for their own good. That’s why deciding to dress up as two of these little guys is a fantastic idea, and if you’re a couple who loves the spotlight, here’s your excuse to break out into spontaneous song and dance.

All you’re gonna need is an oversized turtleneck sweater to match the color of your chosen Chipmunk — make sure if one of you decides to be Alvin that you spray paint a yellow “A” onto your sweater — and a red hat for Alvin and/or glasses for Simon.

8. Kim And Ron From Kim Possible

Disney Channel

I can’t be the only person who thought that the theme song to Kim Possible was actually a catchy pop song that I wish was a full four minutes. A ’90s inspired Halloween roundup just wouldn’t be complete without these two. Although the show technically didn’t come out until the early 2000’s, I was still all about it.

If either you or your partner is a red head, then it’s settled; they’re playing Kim. For the rest of you ginger-less couples, guess what? There’s a wig for that. Kim is also going to need a black cropped turtleneck sweater and cargo joggers. Ron is also going to need a black turtleneck with matching black gloves and cargo pants.

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8 Couples’ Halloween Costume Ideas From The ’90s That’ll Give You All The Nostalgia

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[radreviews]

2017 SQUAD PICKS

Hello, it’s us. It’s been awhile, but we’re back with our favorite art, moments, and trends from 2017. I usually have a whole preamble to set the stage for our picks, but let’s just get into it:

RADHIKA

In-Theater Experiences Every year I have a few movies that remind me how great the movie theater experience can be. A couple of years ago it was Magic Mike XXL; this year it was Get Out and Spider-Man Homecoming. I saw both films in packed houses, with the audience reacting to every line delivery, cameo and plot twist as it happened. It was exhilarating, and I can’t imagine seeing the films any other way. It reminded me that sometimes film needs to be a collective experience—that peer reactions can be the very thing that makes a good movie great. The same thing can be said of live theater, an inherently shared experience. Humblebrag time… we finally saw Hamilton this year and it exceeded the hype and expectations. I also listened to the soundtrack a million times and memorized all of the words after seeing it so, yep, I’m one of those people now. Also! We saw Mean Girls: The Musical in its previews in DC and holy wow you’re all in for a treat. Lady Bird Forget what I said about collective experiences because I saw this incredible film by myself, crying quietly through the entire third act. There are always films whose stories don’t necessarily overlap with my experiences, but make me feel everything (last year’s was La La Land). This film has universal love from every critic with a beating heart and it’s one thousand percent deserved. Lady Bird was my favorite film of the year — a beautiful portrait of the confusion of adolescence, of familial frustration and of love. It was note-perfect. Despacito CALL ME BASIC but I love this song. I will not apologize for how happy it makes me, for how secretly sexy the lyrics are, for how directly my mood is impacted by those opening chords. Also, I prefer the Justin Bieber version don’t @ me. “Remember Me” from Coco

Let’s not talk about how much I cried during Pixar’s Coco (but if you must know, it was A LOT), let’s talk about the five different versions of its original song “Remember Me” that appear on the official soundtrack. There’s the three versions directly from the film (each BEAUTIFULLY sung by Benjamin Bratt, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Anthony Gonzalez), a Spanish version, and inexplicably a version by Miguel?!!??!? It’s a classic case of I didn’t know I needed it until now, but thank you for this gift.  CTRL - SZA Everything is all caps, and wow, what a debut. “The Weekend” spoke quiet sadness about being the ‘other woman,’ “Supermodel” delved deep into being unloved and retaliating, and everything before and after touched on the intricacies of relationships and heartbreak. It was personal and it was stunning. “Lemons” - blackish Eleven days into the new year, we already had one of the best episodes of the year. In a pointed middle finger to Trump, blackish became a mouthpiece for what all of us were feeling two months after the election—anger, confusion, and helplessness—and instead of harping on the negatives, it made lemonade. Traveling I was 2 steps away from going full “wanderlust”-Instagram-caption mode this year. I’ve always wanted to travel, but 2017 was the first year where I threw caution (and money) to the wind, and just…booked stuff. I went to Cuba, Philly and Nashville for the first time, explored San Francisco and Boston again with friends, and flew back to Michigan, Chicago, and Cleveland for various engagements and weddings. If ever there was a year where a few days of distraction were not just welcomed but needed, it was 2017. There’s only more exploring to be done in 2018. Pod Save America I think it’s safe to say we all feel more politically angry and engaged in this era of backwards politics. Twice a week, I relied on the educated discussion, hilarious banter, and informed opinions of former Obama staffers Jon Lovett, Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor to fill me in on what I should be angry about that day. It’s a podcast that just feels necessary. Also, I now own a ‘Friend of the Pod’ t-shirt and I feel like I’m part of a cult, but it’s the coolest cult ever. Bojack Horseman

It’s common knowledge that I love art that makes me cry, but I never thought I’d cry while watching a cartoon. This show is equal parts acerbic, hilarious, and downright depressing (read: I love this show so much). Harping on the fragility of time, the fourth season of Bojack Horseman continued its upward trajectory and gave me one of my favorite quotes from and about television, probably ever. Bojack is one of the smartest, most thoughtful and well-written shows on this incredibly vast television landscape. We are so lucky to have it. The Emergence of Timothée Chalamet Relatively unheard of before 2017, Chalamet starred in two of the best films I saw this year — Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name. Chalamet inhabited two completely different, complicated characters but made them both vulnerable, empathetic, and mesmerizing. He’s a star and even if the Academy doesn’t recognize him this year (which would be objectively incorrect), I’ll watch anything he’s in from here on out.

PROMA Trailer Hype

I have never experienced a theater crowd cheering for a freaking trailer before – titters of excitement for Harry Potter, at best – but once the Black Panther full trailer dropped there was only one logical response. We cheered for it before  Spider-Man: Homecoming, before Marshall, before Thor: Ragnarok, and I hope to cheer for it again before February 2018, which is finally close. Seeing Things in Theaters Multiple Times Since moving to New York, I’ve never seen a movie twice in theaters - first because of cost and then because of time. Honestly I probably haven’t done it since high school, but I used to love it, and this year I finally returned to that with The Big Sick and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Worth it. A First Time with an Oldie

I’ve loved Titanic since I first saw it in 2000, but of course I was too young to see it in theaters. It was re-released in 3D for a quick stretch in 2012, but I was in India at the time, so this year marked the first time I saw Titanic in theaters, that too in impressive 3D. I will never tire of watching old favorites in packed theaters full of people who love the film as much as I do and hum along with the music or clap for big moments. The Year TV Got Angry In a year when we were all perpetually existential or angry, it was cathartic to see TV mirror that state. I reveled in the female rage of The Handmaid’s Tale, the intersectional activism of Dear White People, She’s Gotta Have It, and the straight-up middle finger that was Difficult People. Having an AppleTV is almost as gratifying as screaming into the void! Facemasks A pack of facemasks literally arrived on my and Radhika’s doorstep at a point in 2016 when we didn’t realize we needed them. Since then, I’ve tried to always have some sheet masks around and let myself splurge on a charcoal mask that I’ve done almost every weekend without fail since September. Put on a mask, start an episode, remove  and rinse. Treat yo self. Mean Girls: The Musical Seconding Rads on this. I was lucky enough to catch Mean Girls in the workshop stage before it left New York for a summer hiatus and then previews – even in that early stage it was fantastic. It’s exciting to have been with a piece of art through all these iterations (not even including the movie and its decade of cult-status), and I can’t wait to see it blow up next year. Existential Twitter Twitter was always at its most funny and weird during ungodly night-time hours; The night is darkest before the dawn and now it’s like Night Twitter 24/7. From politics to entertainment, we are at least winning at hilarity on social media. But seriously, delete his account. The Return of MoviePass This squad has been preaching the gospel of MoviePass since like, 2014, and I’ll admit I faltered in the middle there when it hit $50/month (I took the 3/$30 plan instead). But now it’s $9.99/month and people have heard of it and don’t make that blank face when I talk about it and wow guys we are saving so much on movies I feel so alive!!! People still regularly ask me if it’s legit/worth it/a scam, but I am happy to answer them and spread this joy. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Listen, some shows are just pure joy and this is the second Amazon show to give me this jarringly unfamiliar sunny feeling in my heart when I watch (shootout to you, Mozart in the Jungle). This show is like eating ice cream covered in candy (but with some sweet wine) and the best part it gets me inspired to create. Oh, Hello Dittoing Rads again because our first theatre experience of the year was one of the best of my whole life. I laughed so fucking hard at Oh, Hello — I’ve never seen a piece of comedy so meticulously crafted, down to every word of every joke, and you could hear the payoff in the laughs, which hardly ever stopped.

ARJUN

“I’m not a body/the body is but a shell.” Like so many of us, I spent a scary amount of time this year being resentful and confused about a million different things happening in my hometown, state, and country – things outside of my own body, bigger than myself.  It is then maybe my (our?) subconscious trying to tell me something else in the shared themes of the music I was coming back to the most.  While I would say I was consumed by questions of the foundation our entire world rests on, my iTunes would counter that my existential questions this year were actually pointed inward, contemplating over what constitutes a relationship in 2017. “Is it warm enough for you inside me?” With the full acknowledgement that there was a LOT of great music from other artists, when I look back on what set music in 2017 apart from other years, I think I’ll most remember albums like SZA’s ctrl, Moses Sumney’s Aromanticism, and Charli XCX’s Pop 2.  These three have some pretty big differences (namely, how they literally sound), but I would argue that they are all contributors to the same internal dialogue that a single 20-something year old living in New York was having, if not always aware he was having it.  They ask questions about all forms of love and affection, including (but not limited to): What does it mean to love? What does that even look like in 2017? Is it co-dependent? Is it more than an initial attraction? Does it give us our worth? Is it harmful to tie our worth to it? How stupid are we for putting ourselves through it? If the stupidity makes us happy, is it actually stupid? How do we handle heartbreak? Do we take on an arrogant braggadocio? Do we show the utter lack of confidence hiding under that? And hey, what role does sex play in all this? “I’m not tryina go to bed with you/I just wanna make out in your car.” Admittedly, some of these aren’t the most original questions of all time.  It’s the way these artists answered (or tried to answer) them that felt special to this point in time.  When SZA says, “Lately you’ve been feeling so good/I forget my future/never pull out,” there isn’t even a question if they’re having sex, and no narrative build-up of her career; they are conditional to even be at the point in time being confronted.  For the narrator, the to-pull-out-or-not debate is less a sign of carelessness and more one of carnal satisfaction (though she points out it's pretty careless too).  In a borderline companion piece, Charli XCX adds on, “I just wanna spend the night/Fucking in your bed tonight/Watch a little TV/I love it when you need me.”  Sex and what comes after are given equal weight in all of the toiling, tossing, and turning. “Ooh no she didn’t/Ooh yes, I did.”

No doubt, these songs have selfishness and over-dramatization at work.  But elsewhere, there’s a clearly embedded sense of self-awareness, too.  On “Indulge Me,” Moses Sumney’s verse starts and ends with a bit of a call and response when he sings, “All of my old lovers have found others…All of my old others have found lovers.”  There’s meant to be some sadness here, but the wordplay suggests a certain irony; he’s far from shocked.  Similarly, on “Out of My Head,” Charli XCX, Tove Lo, and ALMA begin singing, “You got me doing all this stupid shit/you fuck me up like this,” before finishing with, “Secretly I’m kinda into it, though.”  It’s as if the narrator is fully aware that she’s enveloping you in her own problems and she’s totally cool with that – she’s even giving you a wink while doing it.  The listener is simultaneously watching a card trick and listening to the magician explain exactly what he/she is doing each step of the way. “I blame it on your love/every time I fuck it up.” All of that is to say nothing of the music.  Throughout, we are sent on a journey of eclectic sounds & compositions, ranging from no-fucks-given aggression to dancefloor escapism to soothing near-lullabies.  The fully-formed picture is ultimately what made these works feel alive in the present.  They’re messy, they’re self-important, they’re dramatic, they’re self-deprecating.  They’re 2017.

ADITYA

Master of None, season 2 It’s exciting to watch talented people swing for the fences. Master of None, Aziz’s love letter to New York, millennial aimlessness, Italian cinema, food, and about 45 other things, is a start-to-finish shot at greatness. It’s filled with terrific performances, and breathtaking shots. It also radiates intelligence in its observations; Dev might be aimless but Aziz has a point of view.

In a toxic 2017, the show’s generous nature stands out. In ‘New York, I Love You,’ Dev is completely absent; the exhilarating episode instead elevates viewpoints that are often reduce to stock clichés – the doorman, the driver, etc. In ‘Thanksgiving,’ Dev plays a clear supporting role as Lena Waithe’s Denise accepts her sexuality and hopes for her family to do the same. In episode after episode, Master of None pursues interesting stories, whether they’re with Dev or Arnold or Denise or Francesca or a taxi driver. The show insists that it’s worth caring about other people, and the spirit of empathy and curiosity is refreshing.  The show is unabashedly cinematic in its aesthetic. The first episode is a surprisingly detailed (if low stakes) homage to Bicycle Thieves, presented in black & white with dialogue entirely in Italian. Later references include L’Avventura and La Dolce Vita. Despite these influences, Master of None makes excellent use of the episodic nature of TV, with installments devoted to big issues, like the theme episodes of old. ‘First Date’ uses an inventive structure to highlight the bleak fun of app-driven dating. ‘Religion’ tackles..religion. ‘Door #3′ is a portrait of career indecision. Sprinkled throughout are observations of fame and celebrity, and Aziz’s (and Dev’s) status as a minority provides a unique observational lens. Let me point out that the season is also fun. It doesn’t matter how many hours of Fellini Aziz has watched; the moment he sings about eating food, it’s clear that Tom Haverford is irrepressible. The show is consistently funny, both sharp and silly (I’ll laugh at any framing of the tiny Dev next to his immense buddy Arnold). Dev’s relationship with Francesca is, for me, the best rom-com of the past few years. It’s bracing to watch funny, charming people fall in love, and there’s a thrilling prolonged scene in ‘Dinner Party’ - where Dev is sitting in an Uber processing the fact that he is desperately in love – that ranks among the best of the year.  Mask Off + I’m the One + Red Bone I’ve been told that I’m bad at “good” music. Because of the pretentious circles within which I reside, I’m often faking musical expertise. ‘You know who’s great?’  I’ll say. ‘Ess Zee Ayy. Yeah, no, SZA, that’s what I meant. They’re good.’ But when no one was looking over my shoulder, it was these three songs all day all year. That’s a liability! Get Out & Lady Bird Two brilliant debuts. Get Out is a biting satire/comedy/polemic built on a horror movie chassis. From the creepiness of the “No, no, no, no…” scene to the “haha…wait a minute” guilty recognition of the liberal family to the shoulder-slumping devastation of the keys scene, the film takes no false steps. Lady Bird is great all the way through, led by Saoirse’s fiery performance and a sparkling, hilarious script. Greta Gerwig’s love and understanding for the characters on screen shines through.  NYT’s “Trump’s Daily Life” Pieces The NYTimes has grown essential in the Trump era. Sure, sometimes they Disney-ify Nazis, or allow David Brooks to moan about the difficulties of getting a sandwich with a poor person. But have you seen the WSJ editorials, or the ever-multiplying panels of “experts” on CNN? I’ll take the Gray Lady. While there’s plenty to appreciate, I want to call out the Sunday night articles, usually by Maggie Haberman and 300 unnamed sources, that offer hilarious insight into Trump’s daily life. I can’t get enough of these. 8-12 Diet Cokes? 14 hours of TV? Tries to impress John Kelly by doing a push-up? Sexts himself from Melania’s phone? Tell me more. We laugh so as not to cry.  I Am Not Your Negro

The startlingly powerful documentary relies exclusively on Baldwin’s own words, culled from various letters and writings, and read by Samuel L. Jackson. Even if you’ve read Baldwin, to sit in the theater and drown in his unparalleled eloquence is a shattering experience. The director, Raoul Peck, works with Baldwin to underline the film’s relevance to present day. Images of police brutality in the 1960s fade into images from Ferguson; Baldwin’s words close the gap in time. Another standout section involving a clip of Baldwin explaining his “fixation” on racial issues onThe Dick Cavett Show- a Tonight Show forerunner - is a sharp rebuke to the anti-intellectualism that is currently pervasive.  I was hanging on to Baldwin’s words, amazed at their relevance in the world I would walk into when the credits rolled. I can’t recommend this highly enough.  Revisiting the Godfather A back-to-back screening of The Godfather Parts I & II was a lovely experience. I was particularly moved by the father and son seated behind me. Most of us learn to appreciate the Corleones through our fathers, forcing ourselves to stay awake the first time we watch it because our infallible dads insisted it was brilliant. The pair behind me was all too familiar. The father patiently entertained his son’s incessant questioning (who’s that again? Wait, why did they kill Luca? Can we get more popcorn?), leapt to cover his son’s eyes during the topless scene, and nudged his son excitedly during the Baptism. The kid is now mixed-up in the family business for life. Twitter I love Twitter. I love retweeting things I agree with and I also love retweeting things I disagree with with a “get a load of this guy”-type comment. I love jumping into the fray and tweeting something like “call your senator!” and then patting myself on the back. I love seeing what other people I follow like, and seeing that they like things that are very similar to what I like, further affirming the idea that everyone is on my side. I love political twitter. I love sports twitter. I love movie twitter. I love reading the first sentence of an article and immediately knowing that I want to tweet it out. I love twitter. Protests For when Twitter isn’t enough. I was dreading Trump’s inauguration day, fully anticipating tears when the Obamas finally helicoptered away to a much deserved peace. When the moment came, and Trump was sworn in, it was…bearable. I knew that in less than 24 hours, I would get to witness thousands of women marching in defiant response. The Women’s March had an incredible energy that I assumed was rare. But it was replicated repeatedly - at the airports after the attempted Muslim ban, outside the courthouse where the ACLU challenged the administration, throughout the city after the DACA decision, etc., etc.  I’m a longtime petition signer, but I’m a novice protestor. I’m not great at chanting and I’m bad at estimating how big to make letters. A lot of my signs looked like I’M WITH her. But with the Trump administration determined to reduce the idea of America, protests were catharsis. They were a messy, vital declaration to the administration that they would be met with a response. They’ve recharged and inspired and reassured, and they’re what I’ll remember most about 2017.

[ashleyjacksonblog]

8 Couples’ Halloween Costume Ideas From The ’90s That’ll Give You All The Nostalgia

Oh, the ’90s. What a time to grow up. I can’t be the only one who still has boxes of stuff from this era lingering in the attic. Whether your toy of choice was a Furby or one those Neopets that were fun until they died because you kept forgetting to feed them, the ’90s are the perfect time for you to reminisce on if you’re still searching for the perfect Halloween costume idea. If you and your boo are looking for the perfect ’90s couples costumes, then we’ve got you so covered.

However, be warned: All of these costumes may result in some serious nostalgia. But before you start calling your mom begging her to ship you a care package full of those thick, ruffly scrunchies, take a breath. Although the ’90s may have been super amazing, you most definitely would not be sitting here right now combing the web for costume ideas because the internet was still super weird and way less fun. Plus, it took forever to log onto AOL. Remember that crazy sound that the computer used to make while it was connecting?

But luckily, Halloween is the perfect occasion to get your throwback on, so there’s no need to get too down daydreaming about sippin’ Capri Suns in your Heyday.

1. Reggie And Otto From Rocket Power

Nickelodeon

Few ’90s kid shows will reach the glory of Rocket Power. At the time, it felt like there was nothing cooler than watching this group of awesome kids getting into all kinds of shenanigans. Now that I think about it, this show was also pretty diverse for its time. so kudos to Nickelodeon for that one.

If you decide to show up at this year’s Halloween festivities dressed as brother and sister pair Otto and Reggie, then be prepared because you’re gonna be dishing out some serious nostalgic realness. Naturally, whoever decides to go as Reggie is gonna need a medium-length purple wig. All she needs now is a magenta/pink shirt — brownie points if you have the time to cut out a yellow rocket design to glue on the shirt — red sunglasses, and army printed cargo pants. Otto is definitely gonna need some kind of gingery wig, sunglasses, green headband, yellow shirt, and athletic shorts. If you’re feeling ambitious, then by all means, feel free to grab your skates and spend the evening rolling from venue to venue.

2. Tommy And Angelica From Rugrats

Nickelodeon/Klasky Csupo

Rugrats was the bomb. The best part of this costume idea is that it is hilarious and pretty easy to throw together for all of my procrastinators out there who like to wait ’til the week of to start figuring their lives out.

All Tommy needs is an adult diaper and baby blue crop top. Can’t find a crop top? No worries. You can also just buy a normal light blue shirt and cut it to give it that authentic baby look. Angelica could most definitely use a blond wig — although it’s not totally necessary if you’re in a pinch. Throw on an orange sweater and purple dress over it, and you’re good to go. Just don’t forget the matching purple hair bows for Angelica’s pigtails and baby bottles, which can conveniently be used to hold some of your alcoholic refreshments for the evening. You can thank us later.

3. Corey And Topanga From Boy Meets World

American Broadcasting Company

Who could forget the adorable young lovebirds Corey and Topanga from the ’90s sitcom Boy Meets World? This is another great throwback-inspired costume that requires pretty minimal planning.

First things first, Topanga needs a denim vest if you’re going for the classic girl next door look — although if you want to get creative and spend some time browsing her other looks, then don’t let us stop you. She’s also gonna need a white shirt and a skirt; might I suggest corduroy? Now you have a perfect excuse to head on down to your local thrift store. If the Corey to your Topanga doesn’t have naturally curly hair, then you should probably opt for a dark curly wig; it may give the costume more of a goofy vibe, but it will definitely help with recognizability factor. As far as clothes go, Corey has a ton of artistic freedom. A denim button-down, argyle sweater, or just about anything else will work as long as it’s a bit oversized.

4. The Olsen Twins Then Or Now

Gerald Wu Productions

Nothing screams the ’90s quite like the Olsen twins. For better or worse, we watched them grow up right before our eyes. There are a ton of different routes you can go when trying to emulate these cuties. The easiest way is to invest in two identical blonde wigs to communicate the whole twin vibe. Next, you’re going to need two matching dresses and accessories. If you’re going for a more current Olsen twin look, then keep the wigs, add some oversized black sunglasses and all black clothes, and you’re good to go.

5. Beanie Babies

 WBIR10 News

Who doesn’t remember the bizarre ’90s kind-of-sort-of toy, Beanie Babies? The secret to pulling this costume off is one thing, and one thing only: that infamous “ty” tag that made millions of children’s hearts beat a little faster. Grab some construction paper or poster board, and get to work. Don’t forget to fill in the tag with your beanie name and information about yourself.

6. Wayne And Garth From Wayne’s World

NBC Films

Ah, Wayne’s World — a cult classic. Reminiscing about this goofy duo is just the thing to get all the ’90s kids dreaming of a time when VHS tapes were a life source and Nintendo was your favorite pastime.

If you and your partner would like to pay homage to this super silly film, then I’ve got some really good news for you: This couples costume is available already assembled with all of the necessary costume components. That means you have absolutely zero excuses to not have your life together come October 31. If you’re feeling like putting in the extra effort, then Garth is going to need a grungy white band tee, blue flannel, blonde wig, and large framed glasses. Wayne needs a Wayne’s World hat and black tee — and voila.

7. Your Two Favorite Chipmunks From Alvin And The Chipmunks

NBC

Sometimes, cartoon animals are too cute. Like, straight up, if you look at them too long, you will definitely get weirded out by how adorable and symmetrical they are. Alvin and The Chipmunks were definitely too cute for their own good. That’s why deciding to dress up as two of these little guys is a fantastic idea, and if you’re a couple who loves the spotlight, here’s your excuse to break out into spontaneous song and dance.

All you’re gonna need is an oversized turtleneck sweater to match the color of your chosen Chipmunk — make sure if one of you decides to be Alvin that you spray paint a yellow “A” onto your sweater — and a red hat for Alvin and/or glasses for Simon.

8. Kim And Ron From Kim Possible

Disney Channel

I can’t be the only person who thought that the theme song to Kim Possible was actually a catchy pop song that I wish was a full four minutes. A ’90s inspired Halloween roundup just wouldn’t be complete without these two. Although the show technically didn’t come out until the early 2000’s, I was still all about it.

If either you or your partner is a red head, then it’s settled; they’re playing Kim. For the rest of you ginger-less couples, guess what? There’s a wig for that. Kim is also going to need a black cropped turtleneck sweater and cargo joggers. Ron is also going to need a black turtleneck with matching black gloves and cargo pants.

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8 Couples’ Halloween Costume Ideas From The ’90s That’ll Give You All The Nostalgia

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[fic-dreamin]

An exceptional observation with modern psychology into Batman. The book covers Batman. This includes all the way from the original 1939 comic to Adam West in the sixties to the The Go to Amazon

I have enjoyed this book I have enjoyed this book. I feel it might have been a bit longer than it needed to be. A couple subjects felt like obvious filler material. But, overall, this book provides interesting insight into the psychology of Batman and many of his villains. This book thankfully goes further and provides detailed explanations of various psychology topics and diagnoses, so that it provides much more than simple explanations of DC's Dark Knight. Go to Amazon

Great Book for What It Does I have read a lot of criticism of this book in online reviews. Most of them complain that this is not what the reader expected or the psychology was a basic intro level. To that I have one response: Go to Amazon

I Wish There was More Did you find psychology class incredibly boring? Enjoy comic books? This book is for you. Travis explores the mind space of Bruce Wayne and Batman's Rogue's Gallery from a clinical point of view. Like any good comic book fan he references specific issues in books and scientific studies. My favorite section was on the multiple interpretations of Joker. Travis takes a look at golden age, silver age, movie, cartoon, and current incarnations of your favorite characters, and how each variation added to that character's background. Go to Amazon

Five Stars This was a gift and was well received. Go to Amazon

Fascinating read that verifies the author's credentials Provides a chronicle of batman's many quirks, shrewdly discerning the most substantial representations and provides a thorough analysis of the superheroes psyche. Due to the author's painstakingly meticulous explanations even eclectic psychological terminology was sufficiently understood by a novice such as I. Go to Amazon

Psychology of The Bat For anyone interested in the Psychology of Batman - this is the book for you. A good introduction to psychology in general for those opposed to learning through traditional textbooks. Sometimes goes off track in its discussion of Batman while explaining psychological concepts. But for a true fan it is a good resource for understanding the rationale behind Batman. Shows the mental process of being the Batman. Go to Amazon

Overall if you enjoy Batman, reality and books I bought this book as a birthday present for my boyfriend. He's a huge Batman fan and wants to get into sports medicine. He loves technical things. Within the quick view of wrapping this I found myself interested and now I can't wait till he finishes reading this because I want to read it too. Overall if you enjoy Batman, reality and books...get this book and food. You may forget to eat in the process of reading this. Go to Amazon

Interesting, insightful look into psychology Love it - but will you? Great for Academics, a Bit Tedious for Bat Fans Five Stars now i know You'd have to have bats in your belfry to not pick this up! Not recommended even if you're a Batman fan Damanged Good read! Five Stars

[tanmath3-blog]

My next victim is the amazing Stephen Helmes. He is very smart, funny great to have a conversation with and super passionate about his writing. He has written some awesome books two are available at hellboundbookspublishing.com and Amazon. If you haven’t read anything by him you are missing out on an adventure! Make sure that you get to know him and read his books. Don’t forget to please leave a review they really make a difference to a writer! Please help me welcome Stephen Helmes to Roadie Notes ….

  We are going to do this interview a bit differently hope you enjoy it!

  Stephen Helmes: It wasn’t till late in life that I started thinking of myself as a writer. I have loved horror films from a very young age. We’re talking, four and five-years-old, I was sitting up late on Saturday nights with my Grandmother watching Shock Theater, a local show that aired low-budget and classic horror films. Along with this strong love for horror, the love of music was growing in me just as deep. I took up the guitar at age ten, started a band and was playing clubs by the time I was twenty-one, old enough to get in. I still had a strong passion for horror as an adult but considered it as a past time. Horror was my hobby; not something I thought of trying to do as a profession. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to try to become an author. I guess it was because I was so headstrong on playing music. It wasn’t till I was thirty-two when I wrote my first full length story. The passion for writing, using my imagination for something besides lyrics just kind of slipped up on me from behind. I had this really crazy nightmare back in 2001, and that was the spark that started the fire. The nightmare was so vivid that it brought me up from my sheets in a cold sweat. It was 4:30am and I knew if I went back to sleep I would forget almost everything about it. When I woke a few hours later there would be nothing left but the vague memory that I’d had a nightmare, and it would be lost forever. Being the horror lover that I was, I could never let such a good scare fade away with the morning dew. I had to save it, get my butt out of bed and write it all down while it was still fresh in my mind. That’s exactly what I did. I got up at 4:30 and wrote out the dream in detail. The next evening, I sat at my computer and read what I had written in the wee hours of that morning, expecting it to be completely ridiculous. That’s the way dreams sometimes are. When you are having them, often you don’t know you’re asleep. They are real as real can be at that time. After you wake and your brain starts to function normally again, they seem like crazy cartoons. They are often laughable. “Geez, what was I thinking? No more ice cream and pizza before bed!” But the dream didn’t seem crazy at all. The images came right back into my head and were just as real, just as frightening as when I raised up in bed, eyes darting around the room. This was a scary dream. I decided to see what I could do with it. I would add some characters, of course music was a huge part of my life so I structured the story around some of the real situations the band had encountered over the years. Okay, so story had the scares, and now we’ve added some faces. What’s next? A plot would be nice. It took me some time, but a couple of months later, a story called Glasswalker was born. After Glasswalker, I found that I wasn’t finished with this writing thing. Like a vampire tasting the sweet flavor of life for the first time, I wanted more. I started paying more attention to my dreams, writing them down, twisting them around, adding them in. It wasn’t long at all till my second story was underway, “Little Red Socks.” In case you haven’t guess it already, that’s what the title, Nightly Visits means. Nightly Visits are the dreams that visit you in the night, taking you on virtual reality trips to worlds you would never be willing to explore when you’re awake. I have two published books so far, and I have three more that are in the writing process. You may ask why I am working on three books at once. It didn’t start out that way. I never end a story until it tells me that it’s finished. When I start writing those first words, I never know if it’s going to be a short story, a novella, or a novel. Two of the stories that were planned for the upcoming, Nightly Visits III, just didn’t seem to want to end. They were reaching twenty and thirty thousand words and still no happily ever after in sight. So two of the stories broke off and are now going to be novels. Which will come first, who knows? That is up to the stories. As I mentioned earlier, it was that nightmare back in 2001 that really started the writing, however, I have been a Stephen King fan for a very long time. In the beginning I was all about his movies, but it didn’t take long to realize that he had a lot more books than films. That’s not to mention that everybody always told me that the book is better than the movie. I finally decided that it was time for me to break down and see for myself. That afternoon I found myself in a local used bookstore. I picked two books that I had never heard of: “Desperation” and “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon,” After only a few pages, the door into the book world finally opened and I walked in with a mile-of-a-smile stretched across my face. It changed my way of life. I became a reader, and shortly after, I became a writer. Every writer needs one very important thing. They need a door they can close, a separation from the rest of the world. Most of the time I am behind that closed-door when I write. But this is not the only place these monsters in my head are born. Three years ago I moved 600 miles south of my home in northwest Georgia, to Palmetto Florida. I have always loved the beach and living nearly 400 miles from the nearest body of salt water was just too much. At the closing of 2014 I packed what I could fit in my little Nissan and headed south, not only for the winter, but for my life. New Year’s Day, 2015 brought a new start on life. It brought a new job, a new bed, a new office, and new faces, faces that would soon become friends. I consider myself blessed to be here. I may eat those words after I experience my first category 4 hurricane, but for now, I feel blessed. I wake up every morning to the smell of that salty air that I love so much but rarely smelt before. I live minutes away from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, nearly five miles of highway stretched right through the center of Tampa Bay. I travel this bridge twice a day, six days a week, and I still have to pinch myself before I realize that this is now my home. Along with my office, the one with the closed-door, I’ll sometimes find myself, laptop in hand, sitting in my secret spot on the beach. Just like behind the closed door of my office, I can find my zone here. The sound of the waves are tranquil as the silence. When I am deep into a story, it’s almost like I am in a deep sleep. I am only sitting there physically. Mentally, I am far, far away, wherever the story takes me. I never listen to music when I write. As much as I love music, I find that if it’s playing, I am focusing on the music or the story within its lyrics rather than zoning out into my own world. I may use sound effects occasionally when I write however. I call them mood sounds. Much like the stage lights affect the mood of the music when a band is playing, sounds can play a huge roll in the mood of the writing. I have been known to use gentle rain and distant thunder sounds to set my mind into play. I have also used the sound of a slow beating heart to help me sink into the dark, foggy world I am visiting. I can say that I truly love writing every bit as much as I enjoy playing music. They are two totally different worlds, but they are both my worlds. I am happy to breathe the air of both lives and be able to live both dreams simultaneously. I spent more than thirty years of my life trying to become a rock star. In that journey I met a lot of very talented people, musicians who had the same dream as I had, but we could never get past playing the club scene. We had a few big shows outside the club scene, nearly selling out the theater in two of them. Our band, House of Flies, even had a cameo appearance in a movie called Chainsaw Cheerleaders. But the lesson we learned was that if you don’t know the right people, if you are not in the right place at the right time, making it big is a very long and hard journey that very few can make on their own. If I knew when I was a teenager what I know now, would I do it all again? You bet your ass I would! I would do it with a smile! But the same rule seems to go for authors as with the world of music. If you don’t have an agent it’s hard to really be seen. You have to be very good at not only writing, but you have to know how to publish for yourself and market your own books. I am very proud to have Hellbound Books behind me on this journey, but other than my good friends there, I’m on my own in a world I know little about. So why do we do it if it’s so difficult? Why not just work your fair share and live your life rather than spending your spare time hunting for a treasure you may never find? It’s not the love of making it that leads us forward. It’s the love of doing what we do. This is our life. When I cross over into that other world, whether it be a world full of colors or a world of shadows, I feel high as a kite. If I never made it as big as King, Koontz, and Rice, I would be completely satisfied just to be able to pay my bills and live my life writing stories. I’m a writer. I love to write. There is nothing like when my mind takes that virtual reality trip and the scenes start playing out in my head. It’s a lot like watching a movie. It’s the characters who create the story. I’m just the secretary who writes down. I hope you’re ready to enter my world of nightmares, because there’s lots to see. Two books are out and there are lots more books to come. We have only scratched the surface.

You can get your copy of “Nightly Visits” and “From 12 to 6 (More Nightly Visits)” at Amazon.com, or visit us at hellboundbookspublishing.com

LINKS: Nightly Visits – https://tinyurl.com/j8jqu7a

From 12 to 6 (More Nightly Visits) – https://tinyurl.com/h7dpuj8

Stephen Helmes at Hellbound Books Publishing – https://tinyurl.com/jfetdhc My Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/hdof2s8 Facebook Author Page: http://tinyurl.com/j542syo Facebook Nightly Visits Page: http://tinyurl.com/gswtrpe Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/jkvoqah Guest Post at Lisa’s Writobia – http://tinyurl.com/hcdr4hp SPOTS Read yourself at Lisa’s Writobia – http://tinyurl.com/ztotnss

  Some of Stephen Helmes books:

Getting personal with Stephen Helmes My next victim is the amazing Stephen Helmes. He is very smart, funny great to have a conversation with and super passionate about his writing.

[chadpetersondatingblog]

8 Couples’ Halloween Costume Ideas From The ’90s That’ll Give You All The Nostalgia

Oh, the ’90s. What a time to grow up. I can’t be the only one who still has boxes of stuff from this era lingering in the attic. Whether your toy of choice was a Furby or one those Neopets that were fun until they died because you kept forgetting to feed them, the ’90s are the perfect time for you to reminisce on if you’re still searching for the perfect Halloween costume idea. If you and your boo are looking for the perfect ’90s couples costumes, then we’ve got you so covered.

However, be warned: All of these costumes may result in some serious nostalgia. But before you start calling your mom begging her to ship you a care package full of those thick, ruffly scrunchies, take a breath. Although the ’90s may have been super amazing, you most definitely would not be sitting here right now combing the web for costume ideas because the internet was still super weird and way less fun. Plus, it took forever to log onto AOL. Remember that crazy sound that the computer used to make while it was connecting?

But luckily, Halloween is the perfect occasion to get your throwback on, so there’s no need to get too down daydreaming about sippin’ Capri Suns in your Heyday.

1. Reggie And Otto From Rocket Power

Nickelodeon

Few ’90s kid shows will reach the glory of Rocket Power. At the time, it felt like there was nothing cooler than watching this group of awesome kids getting into all kinds of shenanigans. Now that I think about it, this show was also pretty diverse for its time. so kudos to Nickelodeon for that one.

If you decide to show up at this year’s Halloween festivities dressed as brother and sister pair Otto and Reggie, then be prepared because you’re gonna be dishing out some serious nostalgic realness. Naturally, whoever decides to go as Reggie is gonna need a medium-length purple wig. All she needs now is a magenta/pink shirt — brownie points if you have the time to cut out a yellow rocket design to glue on the shirt — red sunglasses, and army printed cargo pants. Otto is definitely gonna need some kind of gingery wig, sunglasses, green headband, yellow shirt, and athletic shorts. If you’re feeling ambitious, then by all means, feel free to grab your skates and spend the evening rolling from venue to venue.

2. Tommy And Angelica From Rugrats

Nickelodeon/Klasky Csupo

Rugrats was the bomb. The best part of this costume idea is that it is hilarious and pretty easy to throw together for all of my procrastinators out there who like to wait ’til the week of to start figuring their lives out.

All Tommy needs is an adult diaper and baby blue crop top. Can’t find a crop top? No worries. You can also just buy a normal light blue shirt and cut it to give it that authentic baby look. Angelica could most definitely use a blond wig — although it’s not totally necessary if you’re in a pinch. Throw on an orange sweater and purple dress over it, and you’re good to go. Just don’t forget the matching purple hair bows for Angelica’s pigtails and baby bottles, which can conveniently be used to hold some of your alcoholic refreshments for the evening. You can thank us later.

3. Corey And Topanga From Boy Meets World

American Broadcasting Company

Who could forget the adorable young lovebirds Corey and Topanga from the ’90s sitcom Boy Meets World? This is another great throwback-inspired costume that requires pretty minimal planning.

First things first, Topanga needs a denim vest if you’re going for the classic girl next door look — although if you want to get creative and spend some time browsing her other looks, then don’t let us stop you. She’s also gonna need a white shirt and a skirt; might I suggest corduroy? Now you have a perfect excuse to head on down to your local thrift store. If the Corey to your Topanga doesn’t have naturally curly hair, then you should probably opt for a dark curly wig; it may give the costume more of a goofy vibe, but it will definitely help with recognizability factor. As far as clothes go, Corey has a ton of artistic freedom. A denim button-down, argyle sweater, or just about anything else will work as long as it’s a bit oversized.

4. The Olsen Twins Then Or Now

Gerald Wu Productions

Nothing screams the ’90s quite like the Olsen twins. For better or worse, we watched them grow up right before our eyes. There are a ton of different routes you can go when trying to emulate these cuties. The easiest way is to invest in two identical blonde wigs to communicate the whole twin vibe. Next, you’re going to need two matching dresses and accessories. If you’re going for a more current Olsen twin look, then keep the wigs, add some oversized black sunglasses and all black clothes, and you’re good to go.

5. Beanie Babies

 WBIR10 News

Who doesn’t remember the bizarre ’90s kind-of-sort-of toy, Beanie Babies? The secret to pulling this costume off is one thing, and one thing only: that infamous “ty” tag that made millions of children’s hearts beat a little faster. Grab some construction paper or poster board, and get to work. Don’t forget to fill in the tag with your beanie name and information about yourself.

6. Wayne And Garth From Wayne’s World

NBC Films

Ah, Wayne’s World — a cult classic. Reminiscing about this goofy duo is just the thing to get all the ’90s kids dreaming of a time when VHS tapes were a life source and Nintendo was your favorite pastime.

If you and your partner would like to pay homage to this super silly film, then I’ve got some really good news for you: This couples costume is available already assembled with all of the necessary costume components. That means you have absolutely zero excuses to not have your life together come October 31. If you’re feeling like putting in the extra effort, then Garth is going to need a grungy white band tee, blue flannel, blonde wig, and large framed glasses. Wayne needs a Wayne’s World hat and black tee — and voila.

7. Your Two Favorite Chipmunks From Alvin And The Chipmunks

NBC

Sometimes, cartoon animals are too cute. Like, straight up, if you look at them too long, you will definitely get weirded out by how adorable and symmetrical they are. Alvin and The Chipmunks were definitely too cute for their own good. That’s why deciding to dress up as two of these little guys is a fantastic idea, and if you’re a couple who loves the spotlight, here’s your excuse to break out into spontaneous song and dance.

All you’re gonna need is an oversized turtleneck sweater to match the color of your chosen Chipmunk — make sure if one of you decides to be Alvin that you spray paint a yellow “A” onto your sweater — and a red hat for Alvin and/or glasses for Simon.

8. Kim And Ron From Kim Possible

Disney Channel

I can’t be the only person who thought that the theme song to Kim Possible was actually a catchy pop song that I wish was a full four minutes. A ’90s inspired Halloween roundup just wouldn’t be complete without these two. Although the show technically didn’t come out until the early 2000’s, I was still all about it.

If either you or your partner is a red head, then it’s settled; they’re playing Kim. For the rest of you ginger-less couples, guess what? There’s a wig for that. Kim is also going to need a black cropped turtleneck sweater and cargo joggers. Ron is also going to need a black turtleneck with matching black gloves and cargo pants.

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8 Couples’ Halloween Costume Ideas From The ’90s That’ll Give You All The Nostalgia

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