#the analogue book

[katapotato55]

How to write good horror.

1- DON'T EXPLAIN WHAT THE HORROR IS. DON'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING. no context = more scary. "oh but it is just a ghost- " YES. you know that, I know that, but things are way more scary if you don't explain it. let your audience scare themselves trying to figure it out! the first FNAF game didn't explain anything it was just "ok these machines are kind aggro". that is part of what made it popular! (And truthfully this reason is why i dislike the other games in the series) i can't name how many horror movies i immediately lost interest in because it was explained. "oh no! there is blood dripping from the walls! " its demons or ghosts or whatever. you explained it. it isn't scary now that you explained the joke. if you have to explain what it is, explain it at the END of the story or near the climax at best. (or better yet, don't explain at all) 2- restraint is key i know it is tempting to show organs and blood dripping from the walls and someone eating out a corpse or whatever but don't outright show that kind of stuff ALL THE TIME or else your audience becomes desensitized to it, and if horror fans are reading/watching your work, chances are they are going to think this is weaksauce. you need to be SUBTLE when building up suspense in your story. don't show the real scary bits until the end of the buildup/ 3- normalicy and familiarity is key i am going to use bugsnax as an example. bugsnax has no gore and can be considered child friendly, but what made bugsnax scare people is that it has the facaude of a cutesy little game. doki doki lit club has a simmular principle where its like a normal dating sim but you are caught off guard and things feel off. this is a valuable tool. 4- be original and understand why the more popular ones are popular in the first place everyone has done analogue horror. why ? because we are all so used to modern technology that older televisions and tech seem kinda creepy. Blue_channel by gooseworks is one of my favorites. It gets right to the point, and while it DOES explain what the product is, it doesn't go "oooh death and scary!!! oooooooh!" it lets the audience make up their own horrifying reason as to what is happening here. saying "oooooooh look murder your parents ooooh!" isn't scary, and putting a glitchy tv filter over it isn't going to make it more scary. and finally 5- describe the unfamiliar i know i just said familiarity is key but that is only 1/2 of the equation. Everywhere at the end of time depicts the sounds of memory degrading in an alzheimers patients. this is an experience that no one could relate to except for those who are experiencing it (and sadly, those people are either dead or mentally comatose) this is also why lovecraft horror is loved, because we can only imagine so much before the lack of understanding drives you insane. hope this helps, for the love of all that is good, please stop writing bad horror.



[krinskrans]

changer l'eau des fleurs/fresh water for flowers

[sevenofdeers]

swim swim swim as fast as you can

[wonder-worker]

Within this broader condemnation of [Alice Perrers'] behaviour, a number of specific themes can be identified. These include sexual immorality, political influence, and [...] numerous and repeated references to greed and avarice. This is particularly striking in two literary representations which may have been inspired by Alice: Chaucer’s Wife of Bath and, most compelling, William Langland’s Lady Meed in his allegorical poem Piers Plowman, a character whose name has become a byword for venality. Meed, like Alice, established her presence at the royal court and acted as a counsellor to the king, but was eventually banished on accusations of being a whore and undermining the workings of law and justice. In particular, in introducing Meed to his audience, Langland describes her hands as covered with rings of the “purest perreize,” a word meaning precious stones or jewels, which would seem to be a play on Alice’s surname, Perrers, and thus directly identifying her with Meed. Chaucer also notably named the wife in the Wife of Bath Alisoun, raising the possibility that she was in part based on his direct contemporary Alice Perrers. The Wife had a husband named Jankyn, similar to the name of Alice’s first husband, Janyn, and was a businesswoman with a mercantile and urban background, echoing Alice’s own early life in London. The Wife was notoriously prolific in her lustful desires, but invariably they had a financial motivation, fusing, in the words of Paul Strohm, “the categories of economic and sexual assertiveness into a single epitome of contemporary male dread.”

-Laura Tompkins, '"Edward III's Gold-Digging Mistress": Alice Perrers, Gender, and Financial Power at the English Royal Court, 1360-1377", "Women and Economic Power in Premodern Courts" (edited by Cathleen Sarti)

[pamietniko]

Shakespeare a Synové

Prague, Czechia

[convexly]

Morning light by Oriana Nicolaiciuc

[essektheylyss]

I gotta do some editing because I've been putting it off for WEEKS but also I did read about the current nuclear armament climate and I need to lay face down in moss until the forest takes me.

[prolibytherium]

The thing about 'alien invasion because the home planet is doomed' media is I always just feel like a civilization who has attained interstellar travel and associated technologies would probably have more pragmatic options than an invasion of the nearest inhabited planet. Like it just feels unlikely that the Earth is the only reasonable option worth all the additional effort of a hostile takeover at that point. And that's just based within the presumption that spacefaring civilizations would be colonialists who think nothing of genocide, which really isn't a given.

[isfjmel-phleg]

I finally put my finger on why a lot of adaptations and retellings of The Secret Garden feel thematically off to me.

So many of these interpret it as a story about healing from grief and loss. Which is very true of Mr. Craven’s subplot, but not for Mary and Colin.

It’s about healing from emotional neglect.

This is mirrored in the neglected garden and how the children’s restoring it--giving it the love and care and attention that they themselves have lacked--heals them in turn. Forming emotional connections is the first step in Mary’s recovery, and the Sowerbys are crucial to the plot because they’re the first people Mary has known who take an interest in her emotional well-being. Colin meanwhile has his turning point when Mary confronts the root of the emotions he’s never been able to address to anyone. These are very different issues from those surrounding loss of a loved one. In fact, these children are the way they are because they’ve never had loved ones.

So to rewrite the story as centrally a tale of overcoming grief recontextualizes everything about the protagonists, and the characterization either makes less sense or needs to be altered accordingly.

Nothing wrong with stories about overcoming grief, of course. That’s just not the story Burnett was telling, and I’m not sure where the shift in interpretation comes from, or why it’s so prevalent.

[circusmania]

SIN Chapter 6

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘ Notes: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

⚠️ TW: Religion (Christianity) and manipulation at its finest ⚠️

♡

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I'm always going to be there,

Even if you don't want me to be.

That night was more so a blur, although I remember crying in Marcus's arms. I remember him softly brushing my hair as my tears poured down. Oh… Judy, Judy, Judy.

Saying your name sounds so foreign.

Going back to school was hard without her. I kept expecting her to run up to me or for me to wake up, but… I never did. All the promises we had made over the years still roll around in my head. Her voice keeps repeating itself over and over.

Omar's hand draped over my shoulder. We were all still grieving… Vanessa was sitting at my side as well. “Have they started planning her funeral yet?” Vanessa asked as she dabbed a napkin on her lower eyelid. “Don't know… I think her parents are making it a private funeral.” Omar replied.

“Oh… I see.” Vanessa's voice wavered. I couldn't blame her, I would've wanted to attend her funeral as well. However, I don't know if I could keep my tears from spilling if I see her again.

It hasn't been a long time since Judy's death, but the talks seem to have died down. Everyone has forgotten about her. No more staring or whispering when I walk through the halls. It all must seem like yesterday's news to them.

“How could they have forgotten her so easily?” I retorted.

“Must be all the disappearance that's been happening. People have learned to move on quickly.” Omar whispered, his hand still on my shoulder.

“Disappearances?” I stop.

How come I haven't heard of any disappearances? I swear I check the news daily, it couldn't have gone over my head.

“Yeah, disappearances. I think there's been 9 in total, and the police have been undergoing numerous investigations. Must be why they dismissed Judy's case so easily.” Vanessa slumped. Her eyes stayed on her used, crumpled napkin.

“But that's not right! Judy was pressured by the fucker who sent out that video!!” “It was a suicide, that's all they needed to know.” Omar sighed.

“Why are you two dismissing this so easily!? Don't you care about Judy?! Don't you want to know who took that video!?” I stood up abruptly.

Omar's hand slipped off my shoulder, and he and Vanessa exchanged a sorrowful look.

I can't believe them.

“We do care… it's just…”

“Just WHAT Omar!? Vanessa, Judy was your friend!”

Vanessa stayed quiet. She rubbed her arm and avoided eye contact.

“I think you should go out for a breath of fresh air.”

“What!? No! I'm letting this go, I-”

“Please…”

Why did Vanessa remind me so much of Judy?

I sighed and complied.

“Okay…”

I took my bag and walked off. Even if I had my back turned, I could still feel their burning stares from behind.

₊˚⊹♡ 🚶🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️♡⊹˚₊

Maybe this is what I needed. I enjoy walking around town and seeing other people live their lives. They seem all so peaceful… It's crazy to think about the fact that there might be a killer on the loose that's causing all those disappearances. It could just as easily be a wild animal… maybe both.

I wonder why it hasn't been broadcasted on the news.

A sudden yell made me snap out of my thoughts. Not far from where I was heading was a man dressed in a white robe in front of a church. The local church was located far from the school and the park I came from. I must've been walking for some while now.

“Repent! Repent! The Lord is coming! He sees your sorrows! He sees all! Repent!”

What a nut job.

I walked closer, it seemed he was passing out Bibles and pamphlets. I walked close enough to catch his attention because in a moment his whole body turned towards me.

“Young man! Oh! The Lord has seen your cries! He listens and watches! Repent, and he'll save you from the claws of Satan!”

Alright, this man was good.

“Alright… uh… is there a sign-up sheet or-”

That made him chuckle.

“No, no son. Every Sunday come to our church, in fact, come whenever you please. Open your heart to God, and he'll save you from whatever grief and pain consumes you.”

He passed me a Bible and a pamphlet.

“Will do… uhm, my name is-”

“I know what your name is, son. The Lord has spoken to me through a dream, he told me to guide you and let you see the light.”

“Uh-huh…”

“My name is Father Pierre. If you have any questions, please, come see me.”

And with that, he turned and went back to yelling in the streets. I put the Bible in my bag and opened the pamphlet.

As I was walking back to Omar and Vanessa, reading through the pamphlet put my mind at ease.

A God who hears my cries and pleases.

A God who'll listen and save me.

I am in need of saving.

“Omar, Vanessa? I'm back.” They turned towards me with a small smile.

“Oh? Back so soon?” Vanessa smiled before noticing the pamphlet.

“What's that?” Omar shot me a glance.

“Oh, I've decided to join the church... or something. I think it'll be good for me to believe in something... have a little hope, you know?”

Vanessa and Omar looked as if they wanted to say something, but they were interrupted by a low voice speaking from behind me.

“You joined the church…?”

I turned around, and of course, it was Marcus.

“Oh, Marcus. Yeah, I have.”

Vanessa and Omar squirmed behind me, I could hear them whispering and imagine them sparing glancing between themselves and between Marcus and me.

“Christians are liars. They manipulate believers into thinking they're worshipping a God. But in reality…” He leaned in closer. “You're just worshipping them.”

“Uhm… like I said… I'm just giving it a shot.”

“You always just give it a shot,” Vanessa mumbled.

“What's that supposed-”

“Point is… I don't think it's good for you to put off all your problems on some God.” Omar interrupted.

“I'll be the judge of that.”

It was silent for a bit before Marcus spoke up.

“Who gave you these?”

I looked back at Marcus, and he was holding the pamphlet and the bible.

“How did you- … erm… It was Father Pierre… I think that's what his name was...”

Marcus, Vanessa, and Omar's faces shifted.

“I heard that he's crazy… people are conspiring that he's the one responsible for all the disappearances,” Vanessa said.

“What-”

“Not only that… he's known for being rather… touchy,” Omar added.

“How would you-”

“Not to mention, he has a past of perjury…” Marcus smiled.

“Stop it! It's my choice to make, not yours! Not too long ago, you two were so dismissive of Judy's death. Well, you two can grieve in whatever way you want! Just let me grieve my way.”

“It's not that… it's the church we have a problem with.” Vanessa advanced towards me with her hand on her chest.

Omar's eyebrows scrunched up, turning his face into a frown. He walked over to me before putting his arm around my shoulder. He turned us around and began walking away.

“Why don't you just sleep on it? It's been hard for you… well, all of us… People tend to go overboard when trying to crawl their way out of a ditch.”

“I know, Omar… but, nothing is set in stone yet. It's good to try new things.”

I stopped and so did Omar. He sighed before taking my hand in his; his thumb caressed my hand gently.

He leaned in and hugged me.

“Just be careful, okay? So many things are going on and… I'd hate for you to make a decision you'd wind up regretting later on.”

“Don't worry Omar. I'll be fine.”

“I hope so.”

He gave me one last smile before he left to go back to Vanessa.

I turned around, and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. Right across the street stood the church with Father Pierre out front. He wasn't wearing his white robe… more like a traditional priest robe. He waved at me, and I couldn't help but wave back.

He had such a gentle demeanour that I couldn't resist.

However, one thought throbbed in the back of my mind.

That church…

It moved.

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[kirbyddd]

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

What do you think of the theory that Dazai’s ability is unusual in terms of having no conditions and being always on because it was given to him via the Book?

To be honest, I don't know. I think any idea on the potential origins of Dazai's ability are possible at this point, and there must be some kind of connection to the Book... he just seems to know too much about it.

At the same time, I honestly kind of like it if his ability is just weird and there is no real explanation for it. We know abilities can result in some weird expressions, and that odd instances due to them occur every once in awhile naturally. Plus, in a series that emphasizes the unpredictability and absurdity of the universe, I think it's kind of neat if Dazai's ability just came about naturally. Sort of like a rare mutation irl. (I know there will probably be something special about it tbh but I think it's just a neat idea).

I mean, to be quite real here, we still don't know how abilities come about in the first place (they're likely triggered by stress or trauma, but how does one end up with the potential to develop one in the first place?), or what they are really. I personally feel it fits more with the themes of the story if they are random and spontaneous, and it is the people within the world who assign value to them (whether for good or for ill).

...did this... actually answer your question?

[terraoliveira]

Very excited that my photo book, The Road Is Long & Beautiful, is now available to order! The Road Is Long & Beautiful is a collection of 35mm color photographs from my 570 mile walking pilgrimage along the Caminho Português (The Portuguese Way). This 200 page experiential photo book walks with you through 58 days, one and a half million steps from Lisbon, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, through farmland, olive groves, mountains, towns, monasteries, and train tracks. This pilgrimage meant so much to me to meet the land, people, & language of one of my ancestral countries for the first time. The route I walked: the Caminho Português from Lisbon to Porto, the Senda Litoral Coastal Route, crossing to the Central Route from Caminha to Valença, the Central Route, the Variante Espiritual, and ending in Santiago de Compostela. You can get your copy for $25 here ❤️

[kazz-brekker]

just read this excellent article on tor about the problems inherent in not acknowledging large aspects of american history in urban fantasy rom-coms and just spent the whole time nodding my head in agreement

[aaa-stammtisch-rhein-main]

Recommended book:

Gideon Schwartz's book covers the history and cultural influence of turntables.

Interest in turntables and records has soared in recent years. Revolution is the follow-up to the popular book Hi-Fi: The History of High-End Audio Design by Phaidon. Revolution is a must-have book for audiophiles, collectors, and design fans that presents the fascinating history of the turntable and vinyl technology from the 1950s to the cutting-edge designs of today.

This book contains approximately 300 illustrations from the world of turntables, from affordable to high-end equipment. A book for analog lovers, but also for music and design lovers.

[pamietniko]

Photo Diary: The last 100 days

Day 12

Went to Virginia Highland Books after work to see if they had any of the titles I’ve been eyeing for my autumn reading selection. Bought two books: My Body and Pastoral Song - A Farmer’s Journey. Not quite October theme’d but I was happy with my purchases.

Afterwards I went to the park and took a nice peaceful stroll where I enjoyed listening to all the different creatures sing and hum throughout the forest. 

Back at home I calendared out my days ahead. I hope to take advantage of the beautiful autumn days and do all the October activities before the reclusive nature of November sets in.