#we don't have to dance sf

[works-of-heart]

A thing of secret, lovely beauty.

I've seen so many points of the SF BC being mentioned at how it's the end of E/riel and the start of Gwynriel and Elucien. E/riels say that the rose Az gave described Elain so well, using the phrase "a thing of secret lovely beauty" and that it's foreshadowing e/riel.

Sarah said she left breadcrumbs, to read the chapter closely. There's so much foreshadowing to the end games and this single BC has been broken down so many times! However, I'm just going to point out one. The main GLARING, biggest breadcrumb out there.

Yes, this is the necklace Azriel picked out for Elain. But the focus here isn't him at all, it's the rose and what it symbolizes.

Elain is constantly being seen as ordinary and plain. Sure she's beautiful, but so many of the characters (and fans) are quick to dismiss her and think she's boring. "Pleasant enough company" really comes to mind there. She generally makes herself small, not being the main focus between Feyre and Nesta.

However, it's this line: "It was a small, flat rose fashioned of stained glass, designed so that when held to the light, the true depth of the colors would become visible. A thing of secret, lovely beauty."

That phrase "A thing of secret, lovely beauty" is used to describe the necklace when held to the light. What has Elain constantly been craving? Sunshine. Light. She sits by the sunniest windows, chasing away the shadows. She kept all the curtains open to fill the void that existed where all of that light had once been. Light and Sunshine is a theme with Elain, and not just a theme, it's what she NEEDS. It's what she needs to thrive, what she wants. Not shadows and darkness.

Who then, fits that description? Well, Helion does yes. He is the sun personified. But we KNOW that Helain is not a thing. (Not in a romantic sense, but I think he'd dote on her like a father would!) No, it's Lucien! His name literally meaning light. He's the son of Helion, the heir to Day court. We've already seen some of his day powers and HL markers being shown.

(And don't let e/riels come for you and say that "How is Lucien related to the sun at all?" The same ones who will say they don't see his relation to spring court...)

The rose is described in the sun, where it's true depth of colors would become visible, and I think that was forshadowing that with Lucien, Elain's true colors would become visible. She'd be able to grow and thrive. Lucien would allow Elain to be herself, to show her true colors, and it would be a thing of secret, lovely beauty. Mates who come together and bring out the best in eachother.

Then we have this for Gwynriel.

"But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face. Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly. A thing of secret, lovely beauty."

Here, we're not talking about the rose necklace anymore like e/riels will claim. Yes, he gave it to Clotho to give it to Gwyn, but it's not the necklace that's the focus here, it's how Gwyn's teal eyes might light upon seeing the necklace.

He tucked away the thought, buried the image (of her teal eyes lighting up) down deep, where it glowed quietly. And IMEDIATELY after that, the phrase A thing of secret, lovely beauty is used.

We can talk about how Azriel's shadows dance for her, how they sing in answer to silent music. How they were content to lounge on his shoulders as something restless settled inside him. We can talk about how they hadn't warned him of Gwyn being in the ring, making him stay to chat. We can discuss how he left Elain upset and left Gwyn with a slight smile. There's honestly a WORLD of foreshadowing there with them.

But this one phrase that was used to describe this plain rose coming to life in the sun, this phrase that was used to foreshadow Elucien, a mated pair, is now being used to describe the thought Azriel had of Gwyn.

E/riels can shout their lightsinger/ Azriel being lured against his own will theories all they want. It does not CHANGE the canon, it does not CHANGE the intent. It does not change that the words describing his thought of Gwyn, "A thing of secret, lovely beauty" are the same words that described The rose being held to the light, directly hinting at Elain and Lucien.

SJM isn't some overly cryptic writer where her breadcrumbs need fine combing through the books to find the smallest, obscure details. Her hints are glaring, blinding neon lights. She uses specific words and phrases and themes. Sure, she'll try throwing red herrings and redirects, but her clues to the truth are glaring and lead you to what her true intentions are.

e/riel is that red herring, but she left clues, breadcrumbs as she said, to show us exactly what she's planning.

So don't let the e/riel theories that constantly switch, change, (I'm looking at you 4 books of build up to now 3! xD) and constantly dismiss actual canon get you down. The books are law, and just because she has been building tension doesn't mean they will never come to pass, it just means their HEA will be of epic proportions!

[discluded]

It's a good thing they have a professional team handling Mile and Apo's work life because their personal life seems chaotic and a little naturally incompatible but like all good relationships it's about the amount of work they both put in together that keeps them going and helps nurture their bond.

That being said OMG APO having to wait until Mile is asleep so he can meditate and go to sleep...Mile who is up at 3 am posting random updates on social media....no wonder they keep accusing each other as the reason they can't sleep THEY ARE BOTH SLEEP DEPRIVED. NO ONE IS GETTING ANY SLEEP. A mess 💚💛

ajdsfkajs;jfkla;jsdjal;sf Y'ALL. 🙈 pretend to DO NOT SEE IT

@nattaphum put together a good explainer here, but there was SO MUCH of this floating around today, so I will summarize MORE of it

us: okay well they did mention many of those times were during kpwt mileapo: I don't think we've been clear enough. E V E R Y N I G H T

But the host caught them so 🤪

So you're telling me of one those days you spent sharing a room on KPWT Mile stumbled back drunk, and the rest of those days he collapsed because he was so tired, but he also still found time to create a routine where you knew he listened to dharma every night before he goes to bed?

I spent a week with a friend in London in March and had three other friends stay 3-7 days in a row with me all in the last 2 months and I could not tell you a single thing about any of their bedtime habits

DON'T LOOK TOO CLOSELY, LOOK AWAY!!

OK handsome 😔

And finally, but not least:

OK we know Mile can keep rhythm if he's playing instrument, but not if he's dancing and Apo can't keep rhythm when he's dancing, so i'm gonna have to blame Apo. Sorry. I'm picking sides.

In conclusion,

feeling unhinged in this chili's tonight....

[honeyjars-sims]

Roy G. Biv's V2 (Revamp of old lot) Lot Type: Nightclub Lot Size: 40X30 Location: Built on Rippling Flat in Newcrest

Roy G. Biv's is a club for the LGBTQIA+ community. RGB's has something for everyone, whether you want to dance the night away on the dance floor, croon your heart out on the karaoke machine, or simply relax in the hottub. Don't forget to check out live music on our spacious but intimate patio. We also have an expansive VIP area upstairs for up-and-comers.

Screenshots were taken with a lighting mod (sunblind by softerhaze).

Packs used: Get Famous, City Living, Get Together, Get to Work, Dine Out, Spa Day, Vintage Glamour, High School Years, Eco Lifestyle

1 or 2 Decorative items from: Island Living, Seasons, My Wedding Stories, Jungle Adventure, Moschino Stuff, Fitness Stuff, Bowling, Backyard, Perfect Patio, Luxury Party, Blooming Rooms, Industrial Loft, Courtyard Oasis, Holiday Celebration, and Desert Luxe

Download: Patreon | SFS

Also available on the gallery: username simstrashkingdom

Enjoy! And please feel free to tag me if you use this lot!

[yesloulou]

Hi friend.

Actually just today, my friend and I was talking about Daniel after the race. He’s been watching F1 for way longer then me. I expressed my concern over the last two weeks even though this is only the beginning of the szn. He said and I summerised, currently DR can only be in midfield teams is cus while he dose have the skills, he’s too unserious for like SF or MER, but his unseriousness brings great publicity for midfield teams.

I think in some aspects this may be true. But It’s just, like, idk, thought of this hits me. I know this jester aura (?) often surrounded him and people saying it’s great for marketing and stuff, but isn’t that a bit unfair tho? Maybe DR is always DR, way before F1 he is DR, and now all of a sudden his a publicity stun.

(feel sad for millionaires)

Idk what will happen after this szn but I really hope he keeps racing.

You know when you look at someone and look at what they do, you just go like, yeah for sure that’s what they do? I look at Daniel and I have this feeling. He’s a racer, always have been and always will, maybe he’ll go to Indy or some other competitions if this doesn’t work out, but in heart he’s a racer, he belongs to the track and the speed.

That’s just how I feel, and don’t really know who I can say this to, so thank you for letting me vent.

Wish him all the best for home race.

this is so sweet (the way you worry for daniel's prospects) and '(feel sad for millionaires)' got me irl lol 😭 your friend sounds like he's watched f1 for a long time but i would disagree with his conclusion. i provide that:

allegedly ferrari decided to not go for daniel after seeing him dance with daniil kvyat in the pit lane to entertain fans during rain delay at usgp 2015. the situation first of all was fortunately and unfortunately more nuanced than daniel being "unserious". the ferrari at the time was also run by arrivabene during bernie ecclestone's f1 reign. the ferrari today, two team principles later and after liberty media's f1 takeover, has changed in many ways. for example, in 2022 they had charles and carlos do this tiktok trend which definitely, definitely flirted with "the boundaries" (whatever that means) way more. so no, even tho daniel doesn't drive for ferrari, i wouldn't say he is "too unserious" for them.

merc is considered a more "corporate" environment in f1, example is valtteri's change in public image after leaving mercedes. however given that at the end of 2022 toto went as far as literally wearing daniel's merch in an attempt to reserve him for mercedes, i'd say obviously they don't consider daniel "too unserious" either.

publicity in f1 just generally cannot be a bad thing. more people interested in watching a driver means more sponsors willing to pay $$$$ to put their names and logos onto their livery. and more $$$$ means better chances at making a faster car, which is a goal of every team's. one can argue that a successful and financially secure team like red bull or ferrari might not be attracted to the benefit of a driver's popularity as much. but again, sports rely on viewership to sell broadcasting rights and ad spots, and publicity just generally can't be a bad thing.

i know the first two races were not great but this season literally just started. nothing is real yet. and daniel at least ended this week on a positive note so even more reasons to look ahead. the thing about f1 is that there is one winner and nineteen others. so as long as you're watching you're basically guaranteed more bad days than good ones. we can't all be watching bc we all believe our blorbos will be wdc, right? we watch and hope that something good might just happen. like if you think about it even though daniel has been out here causing us stress all these years he still manages to pull off minor to major miracles every year or two. this hopefulness is very precious so i say we watch it for that.

anyways. i hope this made you feel better and more excited about the season ❤️❤️❤️

[jeannereames]

Hero Alexander vs. The Real Alexander

Moving to the second half of a recent question:

And if I'm not wrong, you mention at one place that you don't "heroize" Alexander. That's interesting, since he's often worshiped as a mythical hero. Why did you move away from that?

As a writer (and a reader), I’ve always been intrigued by the challenge of humanizing the “inhuman” (which can also include the ridiculously talented).

When I fell in love with Tolkien as a girl, I wanted to know what it would be like to be an elf, to have magic, to live that long, etcetera. Maybe that’s also why I always preferred Marvel superheroes over DC. Their hallmark was to make the fantastic (mutants, etc.) more human.

Now, I love me some traditional mythopoetic fantasy, but I’m no good at producing it myself. What is mythopoetic style? Peter Beagle, Patricia McKillip, Nancy Springer, C.J. Cherryh’s sidhe novels, my friend Meredith Ann Pierce … and of course Tolkien himself, where magic is real and magical creatures are…well, magical. Inhuman. Elves … not hobbits. Like a fairy tale…a myth (hence “mythopoetic”).

Anyway, I love reading that, but can’t write it to save my soul. When I write epic/historical fantasy (and I do see SFF as my home genre), it’s closer to anthro SF than to any mythopoetic style. My current MIP (monster-in-progress) is a 6-book series set on a secondary world where two branches of humanity survived, one of which, the Aphê, have super-convenient prehensile tails. 😊 The character journey for one of the protags across the first three novels is to recognize the Aphê as human and fallible rather than as a “noble savage” wise people. (Yes, questions of “What does it mean to be ‘civilized’?” are among the series themes.)

When it comes to historical fiction, I take the same tack. Alexander is interesting to me because he was a real person who accomplished extraordinary things.* What might he have been like in real life?

Making him too perfect—good at everything, no/few mistakes (just misunderstood), always honorable, etc., bores me. That’s the Alexander of his own marketing campaign. (laugh) It was adopted and refined by some later historians such as Arrian, and Plutarch in his rhetorical pieces (less in the Life but still there). That’s why I’m not a huge fan of Renault’s Alexander, and generally prefer her other Greek novels. Manfredi and (sorta) Pressfield do the same. Tarr and Graham also keep him deliberately at a distance to allow him to remain heroized, but it bothers me less because he’s at a distance. (Btw, I do not dislike Renault's ATG novels; they're just not among my favorites, either on Alexander, or of hers.)

Yet I’m not a fan of the other approach, either: to “humanize” him by taking him down a notch—making him NOT all that, just lucky (Lucian, and Nick Nicastro). Or by upending the heroic narrative altogether and turning him into a megalomaniacal “wicked tyrant” ala Pompeius Trogus/Justin or Seneca (and Chris Cameron).

I want something (and someone) more relatable, even while letting him remain truly astonishing. To humanize the “inhuman.” I realize that’s a challenge as, the moment we do humanize him, it removes him from the realm of the hero, which in turn makes it harder to allow him to be “all that.” For some, any fault is “too much”—the proverbial clay feet—because they’re desperate to have an idol, a hero…not a person. So the haters come out when, for instance, Simone Biles pulled out of the Olympics for mental health and the Twisties. How dare she!

I’m interested in the person. Even if Alexander wanted to be Herakles Take II, he wasn’t inhuman (divine). He was just a guy, and for me, the fact he was “just a guy,” yet still accomplished all those extraordinary things, is the most remarkable part.

I’ll conclude with what I wrote at the end of the author’s note in the back of Dancing with the Lion: Rise (also available on the website):

In the end, whatever approach one takes to Alexander, whatever theories one subscribes to, more or less hostile to the conqueror, we are left with the man himself in all his complexity and contradiction. The phenomenon called “Alexander the Great” has evoked vastly different interpretations from his era to ours. It’s tempting to seek internal consistency for his behavior, or to force it when it can’t be found. Yet no one is consistent. Even more, history itself is distorted by those recording it in order to serve their unique political narratives, whether then or now. Conflicting politics create competing narratives, and histories of Alexander were (and are) especially prone to such distortions. That, in turn, brings us back to where we began: history (like historical fiction) is about who we are now, and what it’s possible for us to become. So Alexander was neither demon nor god, whatever he wanted to believe about himself. He was a man, capable of cruelty and sympathy, brilliance and blindness, paranoia and an open-handed generosity. As remarkable as he was, he was human. And that's what makes him interesting.

--------------------

* That some of these extraordinary things would be—and should be—reviled by modern standards is part of the uncomfortable contradiction, and legacy, of the ancient world. This is something I also try to depict in the novel. So there is never a “simple win” in a battle. There’s something ugly shown in or as a result of every single one. On purpose. Battle is, and should be, deeply disturbing.

[acourtofthought]

Me again and on the same day, so... I hope I'm not being annoying...

But what do you think about ccity3? (if you have already read it)

I may end up releasing some spoilers, so if you don't want to risk it, don't continue reading!!

I mean, more specifically what do you think about the shadows of Az, Ruhn and Comarc?

Today I saw an E/riel girl saying that the shadows disappear when they (Ruhn and Comarc) are comfortable, so they insisted again that Az's shadows disappearing with Elain is a good sign... I don't believe it's the same thing, definitely.

(But I don't have much context from Ccity, I haven't read them yet. Well, just the third one to see my girl Ness and Az)

And if you've already read it, what did you think of the Bryce&Az&Ness extra, the ending in particular; from shadows dancing to Az humming; of the exact words "could have sworn" being used in both of Az's extras twice;

And the song "Stone Mother"; Do you think it has a "meaning" for the future? I've seen people saying this is about Elain, I particularly agree with something I read about it having some connection to his mother (who was briefly mentioned during the extra)

They distorted a part claiming that the shadows danced with Bryce's cell phone, but that doesn't happen. I've never met an Elriel who played fair, they're always trying to change what was said. (Some said they were very confident after Ccity3, and I honestly didn't understand why)

Well, maybe I'm just super paranoid, looking for a little Gwynriel in every line... lol

I actually feel special to have gotten two asks in a day from you so thank you!!

I think if we were to compile a list of everything Az's shadows have ever done from start to finish in series, we'd find conflicting information.

I imagine there was a time where SJM did not truly know what she was doing with Az's shadows or what she wanted them to do for a particular love interest because she wasn't even sure that Az was getting a book early on.

And I think it's also a bit difficult for us to compare them to Cormac because the way Az's shadows came to him is unique. We're told that they came to Az while he was born in the dungeon, an airless, light-less prison where he learned the language of the shadows and it's difficult to say if the relationship he developed with them is equal to that of those with similar powers. Ruhn and Rhys share similar powers however it's evident that Rhys is by far and away much more powerful.

Az's shadows aren't exactly "him". They seem to be a bit sentient when you consider that he tells us they keep him company, that they whisper to him. He is not fully in control of his shadows at all times, they told him to sleep and he thought on how he wished he could.

I'm not saying we'd want Az's shadows to be swarming and ready to strike like snakes at all times, that's clearly not a good thing for either Az or the shadows. But having them tend to vanish around someone when he tells us they've been his companion would be like a friend who you grow up with start disappearing anytime your girlfriend came around. Wouldn't it be better if his shadows remained but were at rest or calm?

That's not the narrative SJM put out there for his shadows around Elain in SF though. They skittered away from her, he says they tend to vanish when she's around. It's clear that in SF Az is not in a great place so for E/riels to say they disappear around her because he's calm and that's a good thing is a complete contradiction to him thinking on how he's been ignoring her because he's bothered by her bond. She clearly does not bring him peace.

In the same book we're told that his shadows are afraid of the Sun and in HOFAS, we get more evidence that they don't hold up to light very well.

When you consider how SJM often connects Elain to light and sunshine it seems pretty obvious that she's telling us Elain's penchant for those things is not going to compliment what we know of Az's shadows.

She also could not have made it more clear that the shadows responded to Gwyn in a way they never did with Elain. They danced and twirled with her breath, they were content to sit on Az's shoulders and watch when before the shadows were trying to get him to bed, they sang in response to her song (just as they sang in response to Az's humming). Saying they vanish around one female while having them curious and a bit playful with another, even if it's only in relation to her powers (as E/riels like to claim) is still better for the shadows......which are a part of Az but not fully him. They don't need to love Gwyn because the shadows are not possibly mated to Gwyn. But if Az is mated to Gwyn and his shadows have a bit of a thing for her song then is that not an extremely symbiotic relationship for all parties involved?

I'm not even sure Azriel understood the lyrics of the song because Nesta says she couldn't understand them so maybe it was truly just the melody that captivated Az. And the way the melody was described is a lot like the music of the priestesses service.

As likes music.

Gwyn is a singer.

Az himself began humming once the phone stopped playing.

They share a common interest and that's a valid thing to comment on in regards to a ship.

If Az was aware of the lyrics and the lyrics had to do with the Stone Mother legend than I'd hope no one would be trying to turn the words into anything ship related as the legend is Native American and Elain and Gwyn are white. But to your point, it could have something to do with his mother as she is Illyrian.

[catblackard]

THIS WEEKEND (Thursday Aug 8th - Sunday Aug 11th) the annual Worldcon (aka The World Science Fiction Convention) hits Glasgow, Scotland - but you don't have to be in Scotland to attend!

Omniverse will be there, represented by myself, @cthulhumystery and @gbresurrection's Doug Banks, and @mothershewrote's @cmdrjessie, along with Tess Tanenbaum who you'll meet in an upcoming Surprise RPG project. (Tess is in-person in Glasgow, while the rest of us appear online.)

We're all taking part in a number of panels about all sorts of things: JRPGs, food in anime, horror podcasts... but the big ticket Omniverse item is on Friday at 12:30pm EST / 17:30pm BST:

Surprise RPGs: Interactive Storytelling on the Bleeding Edge Or… How a Back to the Future RPG Changed My Life

Gathering around the table to tell stories is a powerful experience - powerful enough to fuel new innovations in storytelling and even therapy. Actual play pioneers Cat Blackard and Doug Banks (The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program) take you down the rabbit hole of Surprise RPGs and "The Omniverse Method". Their experimental roleplay techniques pull players and audiences into the game like never before, opening hearts and minds and offering bold new storytelling opportunities that blur the lines between fiction and reality. They're joined by interactive narrative scholar and game designer Dr. Theresa Jean Tanenbaum and game master Jessica Mudd to share stories, findings, and advice for bringing your games to life.

We're discussing the methods of play we've developed for Surprise RPGs in a large public forum for the first time. This method began in concepts first tested in Ghostbusters: Resurrection and The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program and came to fruition in K8 Was Here, The Extermination, City of Daemons, and our upcoming shows A Walk in the Park and Étude of the Storm.

There's more info on all the other panels we're a part of below!

You can get online (and in person) tickets to Worldcon here* and if you can't make them live, your ticket gets you access to video replays.

*Not gonna lie, Worldcon's sign up/ ticketing is obtuse and not user friendly at all, but if you read the above linked page and follow the directions therein, you'll manage. I believe in you. 

OUR PANEL SCHEDULE:

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Let Them Cook - Food in Anime - 08:00 EDT / 13:00 BST (In-Person and Online) 

Omniverse personnel: Jessica Mudd 

We've all wanted to take a bite out of a gorgeous piece of animated food: the hearty and comforting bacon and eggs of Howl's Moving Castle, the explosively flavorful wagyu of Food Wars, or even the dubious treasure bug sorbet of Dungeon Meshi. Come find out with us how anime can create connections between food, the audience, and cooking - but bring your own snacks!

Friday, August 9, 2024

Predicting the Shape of Things to Come  - 05:00 EDT / 10:00 BST (In-Person)

Omniverse personnel: Tess Tanenbaum

The panel discusses how ideas from the past – whether presented as science fiction or factual predictions – have stood the test of time. Which have come true, which were way off, and which are still future possibilities? And who proved better at predicting the future? Was it the scientists, mathematicians and engineers… or the science fiction writers?

Sci-Fi and Fantasy Musicals on Stage -  09:30 EDT/ 14:30 BST (In-Person)

Omniverse personnel: Tess Tanenbaum (moderator)

Return to the Forbidden Planet rocked our spaceship. The Rocky Horror Picture Show had us dancing the Timewarp. The Little Shop of Horrors, taught us botany and Young Frankenstein put on the Ritz. The panel will talk about the best and worst SF musicals, originals versus adaptions, and why we should have more of them.

Surprise RPGs: Interactive Storytelling on the Bleeding Edge Or… How a Back to the Future RPG Changed My Life - 12:30 EDT/ 17:30 BST (Online)

Omniverse personnel: Cat Blackard, Doug Banks, Jessica Mudd, Tess Tanenbaum (moderator)

Gathering around the table to tell stories is a powerful experience - powerful enough to fuel new innovations in storytelling and even therapy. Actual play pioneers Cat Blackard and Doug Banks (The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program) take you down the rabbit hole of Surprise RPGs and The Omniverse Method. Their experimental roleplay techniques pull players and audiences into the game like never before, opening hearts and minds and offering bold new storytelling opportunities that blur the lines between fiction and reality. They're joined by interactive narrative scholar and game designer Dr. Theresa Jean Tanenbaum and game master Jessica Mudd to share stories, findings, and advice for bringing your games to life.

Saturday, August 10, 2024

The Return of the Witch to A Hostile World - 05:00 EDT/ 10:00 BST (In-person)

Omniverse personnel: Tess Tanenbaum

In recent years, fictional witchcraft has seen a large resurgence, both in online communities and in contemporary horror. How does this interact with the rise of real practitioners? Who are some of the great new witches of speculative fiction? What is it about the idea of witchcraft that appeals in these times of uncertainty, as queer/trans rights are being rolled back and abortion access denied?

Diversity in Tabletop RPGs - 08:00 EDT/ 13:00 BST (Online)*

Omniverse personnel: Cat Blackard (moderator)

Roleplaying games can provide players the opportunity to embody a diverse range of characters with different backgrounds, gender identities, sexualities, abilities, and more. Our panelists will discuss the importance of diversity in tabletop RPGs, introduce audiences to a wide variety of decolonizing and inclusive game systems, and look at how players can push beyond stereotypical representation.

*There are two versions of this panel, an online one and an in-person one, with different panelists. There is a chance that this one may be re-titled "LGBTQIA+ Representation in Tabletop RPGs"

The Immersive Possibilities of Horror Audio - 14:00 EDT/ 19:00 BST (Online)

Omniverse personnel: Cat Blackard

Eerie, unsettling, and spooky tales are a perfect fit for audio dramas. Our panelists converse on modern horror audio dramas, like The Lovecraft Investigations, The Magnus Archives, and Old Gods of Appalachia, and how they use clever sound design, ambient audio, and other audio techniques to immerse their audiences in the world of their stories.

 Sunday, August 11, 2024

Podcast Production: Audio Recording and Editing - 05:00 EDT/ 10:00 BST (Online)

Omniverse personnel:  Jessica Mudd, Cat Blackard (moderator)

How do you make sure your podcast audio is clean, professional, and appealing to the ears of your listeners? Join us for a deep dive into the audio recording and editing process, showcasing strategies for gracefully integrating music or sound effects into your podcast, integrating multiple audio files into a balanced and unified whole, improving the quality of sub-standard audio, and output formats appropriate to your unique circumstances.

Let's Kill and Dethrone God: the History of JRPGs - 08:00 EDT / 13:00 BST (Online and In-Person)

Omniverse personnel: Jessica Mudd, Cat Blackard (moderator)

Japanese Role Playing Games have developed relatively independently to their western counterpart, evolving their own unique tropes, mechanics, and worldbuilding staples. In this panel we will discuss what makes a JRPG, trace its history, and shed light on some hidden gems of the genre - it's not all just Final Fantasy!

[shadowetienne]

So, for those interested, overview of the SF OnlyOneOf concert experience for me.

@redeim and I started this adventure with driving down from north of Seattle. We left midday Friday, got to the place of the friend we were staying with in the Bay Area in the morning, ate, took a nap before heading to SF for the concert.

We had VVIP which meant fansign, hi-touch, group photo and first pick of seating.

Fansign Highlights

I mostly forgot how to do the talking thing, but I had half of Redeim and my stack of letters to hand to them (Rie, Kyubin, Mill).

Nine was first, and he was just sort of wiggling a little in his seat and clearly excited to be greeting people as they came through the line. He was very cheerful with his hello and thank you, I don't know that I actually succeeded at words.

Next was Kyubin, I handed him the letter, he complimented my outfit, I managed a thank you. I am really glad that I had the letter to hand him because definitely full of jitters.

I legit have blanked on my interaction with Yoojung. It was quick and was overwhelmed by others. He's so pretty in person.

So Rie, Rie is apparently an absolute menace when he knows he's your bias. Fansign is only the start of this. I hand him his letter, manage to get out "You're my favorite" and this menace of a man blows a kiss at me and says it back at me. I am startled that I didn't like squeak or trip or anything. He is way more pretty in person than in pictures (I didn't believe people, they were right), and his focus is very intense.

I manage to hand Mill his letter and thank him, and he said something sweet, but I was still reeling from Rie interaction.

Junji was the end of the line. He was very smiley and full of energy, and I managed to mumble out a thank you, and he grinned, said thank you, then like looked at me, and did big grin and two thumbs up and just said "shirt" so I'm assuming he liked the outfit. It was adorable.

Redeim and I had letters for all of them, handwritten in English by me and translated and handwritten in Korean by Redeim. We also put a bracelet for each of them (rainbow leather strands with silver letter beads PRIDE strung on them that I found in Cap Hill - Seattle's gay district) and some rainbow stickers in each envelope.

Hi Touch and Group Photo

The hi touch was fun, but had a few highlights. It was fun seeing which of them were actually taller than my 177 cm. Kyubin's a little taller than me, Junji is more noticeably taller than me. Nine is my height or a hair shorter (it's a little hard to tell because he's in constant motion). Yoojung is a touch shorter than me. Rie and Mill were notably shorter than me but not super short.

It was fun noticing Mill notice that my hands are significantly smaller than his.

Rie continued to be a menace. All the others did nice normal high fives that I'd expect. Rie does a little smirk and squeezes my hand slightly. He clearly enjoys clustering his fans and is very good at it.

For the group photo I got to stand behind Junji. He was like looking around at all the fans and smiling excitedly. Also his earrings were very pretty.

Concert

They are so incredibly good live. Their voices, their dancing, their stage presence -- everything! We will have to wait on Redeim's videos for me to remember the whole set list, but it started with seOul drift which is an intense dance and really fun to watch.

With VVIP we managed a seat in the 3rd row over to one side. The venue is tiny and fully seated, but it was amazing being so close to the stage. There was so much interaction from the members.

During one of the ments they asked about food in SF, people yelled about clam chowder and they got really baffled by chowder as a word. The translator tried so hard to help. Also, Junji kept pretending to be a crab during that ment.

During another ment, when they were talking about what they liked to do at the ocean, Junji had been pretending to be a shark (?) and going around and grabbing Nine's ankles to surprise him. Rie then was like "I want to go fishing so I can catch Junji." And they mimed this whole thing out. They were so chaotic and delightful.

With the solos, we got because (I'm thrilled) and begin.

Yoojung is an incredible dancer and begin was so gorgeous. Kyubin dipping him is such a cool moment in that dance. I loved the performance, but again Rie being next kind of overwhelmed my attention.

Rie performing because was incredible. He sounds so good, the dance was so sharp and interesting and matching to the song. The interactions with Junji were on point and amazing. Redeim apparently filmed the entire song knowing that I'd want to revisit the moment. At the end of the song, Rie basically launched himself into hugging Junji, which was adorable (sadly Redeim didn't catch that on film and I really hope someone did).

During one of the later ments they sang bits and pieces of songs that weren't on tonight's set list and they all sounded so good. Rie and Junji harmonizing and just all the singing without backing was probably one of my favorite parts.

The last two songs were angel (there was a fan project banner for it) and time leap (they asked us to sing along and it was really touching honestly).

Member interactions throughout were so good. All of the members got over to our part of the stage and waved at our section of the crowd. Nine and Yoojung both pointed to the little rainbow flag I was waving around in lieu of a lightstick and then waved excitedly at different points.

Rie continued to be a menace when he knows he's your bias. He interacts with the crowd really well in general, but like every time he was over in my area, I got to get the eye contact brain short circuit moment again. Also the him making a heart back when I made a hands heart.

They got so many flags at the end (including a trans flag from us). Some fans also brought them a bouquet of roses which was so sweet.

I vaguely regret waiting to long to get a snapshot because they'd sold out, but also, Rie would probably have continued to be a menace.

So many lyOns were lovely and wonderful to interact with. I got so many compliments on my outfit, and I gave a bunch of people little rainbow flags to wave, and a bunch of people rainbow stickers, and got a bunch of freebies that were lovely. It was such a good crowd to be a part of.

[bookofmirth]

When people say Elain is an introvert (and it’s why she’s well suited for Azriel) and is currently thriving/happy…it makes me laugh a little and it’s kind of annoying. Compare ACOTAR & ACOMAF Elain to ACOWAR - ACOSF Elain and there is a massive difference. She is traumatized. In the beginning, Elain is described as laughing, talking, interacting and dancing with multiple people at parties. She personally greets them. She can convince anyone to do anything with a few smiles. In the human lands she was happy and the farthest thing from introverted. After being turned by the Cauldron, she becomes quiet. She has unresolved trauma. I think in SF, it’s stated that Elain is overwhelmed by crowds and she didn’t use to be that way; she loved balls and parties. That joy was taken away from her. Elain in the Night Court seems out of place. Shippers argue we’re being “anti-feminist” (or that we hate her) when we say Elain shouldn’t be in the NC (or with Azriel) even though she has became friends with the wraith twins and is making a home there for herself. Elain doesn’t seem like herself and as if she’s not happy. How can someone read SF and conclude that she’s fine and is meant to be in a court that “sucks the life from her.” Also adding, shippers say we really don’t care about Elain because we say she should choose who/what she wants and when she chooses to kiss Azriel we don’t agree with it. Well, we don’t know if she really wants him, because it wasn’t in her pov. She wanted to kiss him, yes, but is it only lust or is there romantic feelings? For Az, I only picked up on jealousy and lust.

Honestly some people learned about feminism from wikipedia and it shows. That's a rich criticism coming from a fandom who can't extend that same grace to other female characters, though. Just saying. Everyone is a feminist when it comes to Elain, but Mor? Nesta? Feyre? They forgot how to read.

Elain in acowar-acosf is a shell of who she used to be. in acosf it's described a couple of times that she is starting to seem more like her old self, but that old self goes away so quickly. She's being sly about something, we just don't know what. She has zero relationship with Nesta, whom she was closest with before. She's trying to help the IC when trouble comes, but gets shut down. She's not friends with anyone in the IC, which is weird to me considering how much time she spends with them. Something isn't clicking in the Night Court!

In fact, sjm said in an interview (in the back of the paperback of acofas, I think?) that Elain has been having nightmares about vines choking her. We haven't read about those in canon yet, so where are they? I assume she's still having them because we haven't had her story yet. We haven't even had a chapter that tells us her thoughts yet, like you mentioned.

I've never seen anyone argue that Elain shouldn't have tried to kiss Az - not saying it's never happened, I just can't speak on it. Personally, I've even said that I don't really care if she was hurting Lucien's feelings by doing so. Be messy, do what you want, follow your heart or vagina or whatever Elain, do it. But like you said, we don't know how she actually feels. There's nothing wrong with her (or Az's) sexual desires, no one has ever said that that in itself is a problem. It's the utter lack of romantic feelings that is putting us off, when paired with the idea that supposedly, they are in love? I can accept that they are sexually attracted to one another, but chafe at the idea of them being so in love when Az couldn't think of a single positive thing to say/think about her beyond that physical attraction.

[the-fiction-witch]

White Jacket

Media Nowhere Boy

Character Paul

Couple Paul X Reader

Rating Sweet SF

Requested: 

hey fiction witch Ik that u r making several stories, but I have a request, so y/n is the sweet and kind sister of John and y/n and Paul r dating. One night at the little pub the boys perform at they are performing and y/n is there to support them. But a guy is there and won’t stop hitting on y/n so Paul and John get into this guys face and the problem is solved, but then Paul got so jealous bc he loves y/n so much and does sm special 🤭🤭 it’s just sm that I thought of and I would love her u to create it! Thank u so much!

I sat in my little vanity chair, watching my own reflection as I pulled the brush through my curls. I set my brush down picked up my powder puff and added the dust to my nose, under my eyes and the tip of my chin making sure my contour was as it should be. I heard the familiar knocks on the front door. 

"I got it!" John called from his own bedroom beside my own he came out of his bedroom and stuck his tongue out at me as he passed my door and headed down the stairs, opening the front door "Ahh there you are. You're late." 

"I'm on time. Dead on time." Paul spoke up

"The shows at eight"

"The show's at nine. We always tell you it's an hour earlier or you'll never be ready in time" 

"Ohh then I have time for a cigy"

"One." He warned, 

"Where are you going?" John asked

"Where do you think?" Paul chuckled 

"We ain't got that much time Mcharmley" 

"I'll make time" 

I heard footsteps up the stairs and soon enough Paul looms at my bedroom door dressed and ready for the boy's show tonight the same as John, 

"Hi" I smiled fixing my blush 

"Hi" He smiled "You look beautiful" 

"Awww thank you" I smiled blowing him a kiss which he caught playfully "I'll be done, just a few more minutes"

"Take your time. John doesn't even have a shirt on properly"

I finished up my make-up and had my perfume and spritz and I got up and did a little spin "How do I look?" I asked fixing my little sky blue and white striped dress 

"You look beautiful" he cooed resting his hands on my waist "I don't know how you do it"

"Do what?"

"How you make me feel like this" He smiled giving me a sweet kiss 

"Magic" I giggled wrapping my arms around his neck 

"Humm you must be a little witch" he smirked as we shared little kisses 

"Oi! I thought I was your favourite in this house?" John complained at my door 

So we moved apart

"John we both know out of the three people who live here you're at the bottom of the list"

"You are so cruel" he pouted playfully "Come on I need my bandmate"

"Alright I'm coming" Paul sighed "You ready?"

"All ready" I smiled getting my bag and his hand as we headed down with John 

"We're off Mimi" John called 

"Don't be too late. Either of you" Mimi glared at him 

"We'll be good" he smirked

"See you later Mummy" I smiled giving her cheek a kiss before all three of us headed out and started on the walk down the street John and Paul talking about the show tonight, their plan, their songs, all sorts of their jokey business as usual until we reached the pub the show was to be at 

"You gonna be okay?" Paul asked

"I'll be fine" I smiled giving him a little kiss "Break a leg"

"Just for you, I will happily" he smiled rubbing his nose on my own

"I'll make sure you get you boys some drinks once you're finished" I giggled

"You're too sweet," He smiled "Blow me a kiss?"

"Always" 

He went to the back with the other boys to set up and get organized for the show so I found myself a spot small high table close to the dance floor to leave my bag and have myself a drink 

When the boys came on I gave them as much applause as I could, many others gathered to enjoy the music, and many girls rushed to the front excited to listen and get their attention but I stayed back given I was lucky enough to hear such beautiful music.

Often from my own living room, through the wall and the end of my own bed. 

I had a little dance, and had fun of course and when they finished one of my favourites I smiled and blew Paul a kiss and he happily smiled at me catching my kiss secretly, As they finished up I returned to my seat. 

"Hello little lady" A voice spoke up and I turned to see a man with a drink 

"Hello" I smiled not wanting to be rude to him as he took a seat with me 

"Shall I buy you a drink?" 

"Ohh no thank you" 

"Come on. I'll get you something strong darling" he smirked 

"No, thank you I'm alright" 

"I want to buy you a drink, christ what a nice guy got to do?"

"I don't want a drink. And I have a boyfriend so?"

"So what?" he smirked "I bet I give you a couple more ciders you'll open your legs all nice for me" he smirked trying to kiss me but I moved away

"I said no. Leave me alone" I told him trying to get away 

"Hey! I wasn't finished-" He began grabbing my am

"Let go!" I complained 

"Hey!" John yelled as he came across the pub

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Paul yelled the two coming and getting between this man and Me John pushed back the guy and Paul pulled me into his arms to back me away from him "She said No."

"We were just talking man" He began,

"She said no. So hop it" John told him 

"Look I can do what I want-"

"I'm her boyfriend! So get lost." 

"And she's my cousin so if he don't knock your pearl teeth out I will" 

"Whatever" he said going to chase some other girl

"You alright y/n," John asked

"I'm fine" I nodded

"Come on I'm taking you home," Paul said keeping me close as we headed out and began to walk down the dark streets I knew he was nervous, he was angry, as we went through the park I spoke up

"I'm sorry Paul-"

"sorry." he stopped "What are you sorry for?"

"I don't want you to be angry, I must have done something wrong?" I sighed sitting myself on the swing 

"You didn't do anything wrong y/n I'm not angry at you I promise" he reassured 

"Then what's wrong?"

"I'm... Worried."

"About what?"

"Y/n. I don't think you realize how worried I am, I'm always worried, You're an amazingly beautiful girl, you're gorgeous, you're smart, and you're talented. And that makes me so worried. Because... I am so, so deeply in love with you. That I barely understand how you want to be with me. And I end up worrying constantly about, the feeling that I'm not good enough for you" he said leaning on the playground equipment "I worry every time I see another man near you, I get so jealous and scared thinking that... if every guy in the world sees you the way I see you, and I know they do. They'll all fall as in love with you as I am. And I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Ohh Paul" I blushed getting to my feet and facing his face in my hands "Why would I ever want to leave you?" I asked "You clearly don't see yourself the way I see you. You're a genius, you're handsome, you're amazing in so many ways, and I know you're going to do great things and I want to be there for all of it because I love you so so very much, more than anything," I smiled "Because you love me endlessly, you think I am so beautiful and magical, I love you paul because no matter what you love me. And a girl wants nothing else in the world than to be loved"

"Really?"

"Of course" I smiled pulling him into a sweet kiss "I'm not going anywhere. I promise"

"I love you so much" He smiled

"I love you too"

"I'm sorry for getting so jealous"

"I'd rather you get jealous and protective"

"Maybe next time we do a show I should give you my jacket so everyone knows about us"

"I'd be more than happy to wear your jacket every show" I giggled 

he happily took his white jacket off and offered it and I happily took it slipping it over my shoulders 

"There, Can you walk me home now?"

"of course" he smiled taking my hand as we headed off on the way "Will I get a kiss?"

"Of course" I smiled "and Maybe something else for saving me" I smiled squeezing his hand 

"I look forward to it" 

[works-of-heart]

I don't get it.

Like seriously, I honestly don't understand it.

Sjm says that Elain was someone who she and Lucien didn't see coming. She had always envisioned him with Nesta, but realized they'd tear each other apart (not in a good way, as she loves that kind of banter, but theirs would be awful). She mentions 'without getting too spoilery' that and I quote:

"there was actually a great deal of tension, growth, and healing to be found for both of them (together)"

You mean to tell me, that she says there is a great deal of tension (which we've all been seeing between them), growth and healing for them TOGETHER ONLY to have Elain break her bond with him and leave him to suffer a broken bond?

You want to tell me that SJM planned to have Elain become Lucien's mate, so they could grow and heal together, only for her to dump him and choose Azriel, and leave Lucien alone with a broken bond?

This woman, who has written Lucien as kind, patient, understanding, and truly concerned for Elain, is planning on making his mate turn away from him? This man who is said to be fiercely loyal, who could have ANY woman in Prythian he wanted but has no interest in any females, who has suffered physical and emotional trauma to help his friends. You think Sarah is just going to be like "Yeah, I'm going to put Lucien with a girl who is all around perfect for him and just take her away so she can run into the arms of another man!"

Look, I torture my precious babies too, but that?! That's INSANE to me that anyone thinks Sarah planned to set him up with a mate and said all those things if she planned for it to be a failure.

Especially since she made a comment, unprompted mind you, about an Elucien date where they go visit the gardens in London, before heading out to the countryside, stating that they're BOTH happy in nature. So she's going to talk about Feysand, Nessien modern dating, and just throw in Elucien even though she doesn't even plan for them to be together?

it simply doesn't make any sense to me.

Like take a moment, to actually sit down and think, why would this author say those kinds of things if she as some had said "planned Elriel since MAF" when she literally states the opposite. She confirmed Nessien in that same moment as well, because the series was originally supposed to finish. Az and Elain didn't have anything together, they were never planned. She didn't change from that trajectory either (as stated in her interview that I guess people want to misquote, forget, or take her words completely out of context).

SJM did say there were SMALL changes, like some characters had been added (which I suspect are Gwyn and Em), Mor's sexual orientation, but the overall arch was still the same.

Honestly, here's what I think about that.

Azriel was always meant to have a mate. A lot of people pointed out that in MAF there was a lot of Moriel hints and they were meant to be endgame. When she got backlash for lack of LGBT representation, she just decided to have Mor's preference shift. I think it left Az without a mate, but by the time SF came around she began to leave breadcrumbs for who he'd end up with. That being Gwyn.

I personally think SJM wants Gwynriel so much so, that she retconned Az's backstory so he was the one at Sangravah. That he killed everyone in site, leaving none left alive (completely OOC for Az, yet fitting with mate behavior). Like if she had no intention for Az to be connected to her in such a way, why actively make HIM the one to save her? Why make it so that Az killed everyone and left not a single person alive?

Why did she have his shadows react to her in a very specific way, a way that's calm and happy? The way they sing and dance to her, reaching out to her in a playful way. Why would she change history and put attention on these things, if there was never any future for them? What, so we can see Az fall for Elain? You mean Sarah went out of her way to change parts of Az's story and how his shadows react specifically to Gwyn, just so he can turn from her and rush into the arms of Elain? Why bother?

And before anyone says "lightsinger" and Gwyn's 'evil powers' are causing Az's shadows to dance and sing... there's a whole bonus chapter where Az's shadows dance to Azriel's singing. Gwyn isn't even there, so that's debunked.

That's all, I just had to get that off my chest. I keep seeing so many people rant and say that SJM's old editor pushed for Elucien and her new one is pushing Elriel because it's more 'popular' and she's going in this new direction now. I have no idea where that came from when she said that nothing's changed from her drunken rant, so we'll see I guess.

[kuwdora]

tagged by @poetikat ! ❤️

Currently Reading: I recently finished Defekt a sci-fi novella by Nino Cipri. A queer anti-capitalist adventure taking place inside a fictionalized IKEA with some world-hopping elements and other SF elements. The main character is Derek and he finds out he is not as alone as he thought and finds community and discovers some interesting things about himself. It was sweet and cute. Definitely made me want to punch management in the face. Great story. I'm gonna go and read the first novella in the series now.

Last Song: Oh, whatever that RuPaul song is from that improv dancing video I've seen on my tumblr dash several times this week.

Currently Watching: I recently finished Midnight Mass. I'm also watching Only Murders in the Building, Ahsoka, Nailed It! Baking Challenge. Star Trek Lower Decks!!! And the occasional Suits episode.

Current Fic: Currently in the middle of reading several long fics. 😍 And So We Fall Together (The One With The Unicorn) by galeaspida, AMAZING Yennefer/Tissaia story. I'm also rolling around my Ciri and bandit feelings with @poetikat 's At Another Time. I've also got @dragneto 's Midnight Mass fic ...in vitam aeternam in my to-read queue this weekend while my religious horror feelings are still fresh. I'm just CHOMPING on those tags. I have a few other stories I need to pull out of my saved tabs this weekend.

Writing: Going to be working on my Vilgefortz fic edits. I'm also trying to make headway on some yennskier/geraskefer stuff and a smattering of other witcher wips.

Next on watchlist: my to watch is so long, I haven't picked anything out yet. Probably something from my horror list since I'm behind on horror films from the last six years. Or maybe John Wick 4.

Current Obsession: I'm still rolling around in a variety of witcher feelings for all the canons. It doesn't want to let up. I have so much fic and many vids to make and try to finish. uhhh I don't know who to tag for this round so if you want to do it!! do it! and tag me please so I can read. ❤️

[cyanocardiotype]

Moderately questionable character summaries by AU

SCOUT

.mm: Imagine if your Dad ditched you and wasn't even sorry about it so you had to deal with your flesh just melting sometimes on your own

.sf: Any further allegations of this guy smelling like the ONE werewolf who HASN'T taken a bite at him will result in a lot of yelling and several deaths, even though it's 100% true

.ks: Oh good god the fae genes have made him worse. I didn't know that was possible without making him completely unbearable

.9: Local idiot runs a successful business getting paid to fistfight people in the street; uses proceeds to buy batteries and eat them

.rs: When you think about it a rocket launcher is a lot like a baseball bat and a rocket is a lot like a baseball, except for everything about rockets and rocket launchers, but if you ignore that they're basically identical. Yeah. Do you think we can yell the enemy to death

SOLDIER

.mm: Eight thousand identity crises in a metal box

.sf: Area werewolf gets entangled with local vampire; drinks unusual cocktail; fails to identify flowers he is allergic to; attains magically-mandated fursona. He is inordinately pleased with this

.ks: I don't know what you mean by 'Godly', ALL Americans of any good standing can run on pure patriotism! AMEN!

.9: Do you want to be a vet, just like the rest of all the honourable citizens of this country? Great! Injecting rats with steroids is an excellent way to get started in the profession! You'll have an army in no time :)

.rs: Fire is the greatest American invention, which is why it burns in Red, White and Blue. If you're cold, it's cold; put it on your jacket!

PYRO

.mm: At a certain point you have to accept that there's just no way to prove that you're actually real, and all you can do is move on and do what you feel is right for the situation

.sf: Living for 700 years is really boring. You know what isn't boring? Setting things on fire when you yourself are extremely vulnerable to fire. And grabbing people to yoink their blood but that's a given yknow

.ks: Just because the dragon is DEAD doesn't mean you have to give up on draconic activities. Good grief, what are you, a quitter?

.9: Area man might actually develop pyrokinesis out of sheer frustration if his best friend/longtime crush doesn't stop dancing around the problem and just buy him the goddamned flowers

.rs: 'I am going to cause problems on purpose'

DEMO

.mm: At a certain point destroying yourself will stop being worth it; the only question is whether you've overstepped that point already. Probably. Perhaps it's best not to think too hard about it.

.sf: There are many benefits to being a marine vampire, even if objectively speaking the sequence of events that leads up to such a thing really really really sucked

.ks: Being the only son of a long-standing vampire clan means a lot of things being handed down - traditions, the habit of stabbing other vampires, cool swords, and beef with the Vatican

.9: Guy who kind of longs for the adventure of his youth gets his wish granted when his fertiliser business spontaneously combusts

.rs: You know that comic about the guy who made a sword and was really smug about cutting himself on it because it was so sharp. Yeah

HEAVY:

.mm: The deep-rooted dread of knowing you've surpassed your family completely and utterly and your struggles exist on a scale they can't hope to fight is only matched by the relief that at least you're not an absent father lol

.sf: Once upon a time there were a lot of very evil baby men and then a vampire bird came along and ate all of them. The end

.ks: Come closer. I promise I won't do significant damage to your skeleton with my trusty dwarven tools. I promise I won't tunnel under your house and make the foundations collapse, killing you instantly. I promise my skin is soft and human. Pleeeeease

.9: Imagine you're the only literature teacher in a small town and you're just trying to have a nice day and pretend the Incident didn't happen and then you find out that not only is your brother in law breeding an army of megarats, your boyfriend is the one supplying him with rat steroids

.rs: You know what's good at killing bears? Improvised mega bear traps. You know what's good at killing mercenaries? Improvised mega bear traps also

ENGINEER:

.mm: The flesh is delicate and weak but good lord no I'm not going to upload myself to the cloud, that'd be reckless and stupid. I'm just going to weld some metal onto my skin instead, which is normal and safe

.sf: As per tradition, the Conagher family will now turn its latest scion and hope this one doesn't get staked. Again.

.ks: World's shortest elf (well, quarter-elf) goes into the oil business; decides that the homeland is Texas and promptly gets sort of high just from being in Texas

.9: Area farmsteader has absolutely no bodies buried in the backyard, and absolutely has never asked anyone to help burying any, and absolutely is not guilty about it. He will shoot people over this argument

.rs: Do you ever get the weird feeling that you lucked out tremendously in this world despite not really doing much that's unusual. Weird huh. Anyways who wants a ride with the lasso medigun

MEDIC:

.mm: Unsurprisingly, fucked up robots tend to act a little bit fucked up. Whoops! Better luck next time you bui- oh you're dead. Ok then. Go have fun fucked up robot

.sf: Experimental Log 18 - Five different types of vampire blood and one of werewolf is an acceptable number to have in a human's system, but I do feel like my blood is made of bees

.ks: Have you ever wanted to be Frankenstein AND his monster at the SAME TIME? Or are you a MASSIVE COWARD? That's what I thought

.9: Did you know you can pass off a driver's license with Sharpie corrections off as a medical license around here? Yeah, weird huh. Hm? No, no, you can trust me. I'm a doctor. Here's my medical license

.rs: Be unprofessional enough and it loops around to being efficient again.

SNIPER:

.mm: Area man finds out he's got meat inside him, freaks out, finds out he has metal inside that meat, freaks out, finds out there's meat mixed in with that metal, etc.

.sf: Many things in this world are very obvious, but not worth bringing up when you've finally got a decent number of people who don't mind you chewing on them

.ks: Surely being bitten on the butt by a dingo on a full moon night will have zero lasting consequences. Definitely not worth writing home about. Hahahahahahhaaaaaaaaagh

.9: Guy moves from small town in AUS to small town in the US, swaps bog spiders for mysterious miasma that makes your skin feel like it's being sandpapered off. Is that what they call regret?

.rs: Professionalism is very important when your entire mode of operation involves grabbing someone really close and strangling them. Or maybe just shoot them idk

SPY:

.mm: Man trapped in cage that's like 40% his own making. With pissed off estranged son

.sf: Imagine the biggest asshole you've ever met. Now imagine they ate a god once and won't shut up about it

.ks: Guy who is incapable of lying but so good at twisting the truth that you may as well just give up when he says "Good Morning"

.9: Mentoring the son you ditched while not actually telling him who you are and getting him into the small-town business of causing unsolved crimes is perfectly normal and acceptable behaviour, shut up

.rs: Old man takes advantage of tech to go beyond the speed records of his youth and generally just cause problems and run away from them

[whoregaylorenzo]

f1 gifmaker ask game

thank u for the tags besties @iguessricciardo @mickbetsch <33

1. which drivers do you mainly make gifs for?

Daniel and Charles are my main muses <3 also some Lewis, Kevin, Seb, Val and occasionally others!

2. out of the above (if more than 1), who’s your fav to make gifs for and why?

obviously Danny is my fav baby boy my absolute beloved, nobody gets him like I do, his face is perfect, his antics are funny and cute, he is my wife, etc etc

3. link the fav gif set you’ve made and tell me a lil about it

I lit can barely remember shit I made and I don't really make many like fancy edit gifs I leave that to the talented people so uhh let's go with lil dude dancing it just makes my heart happy to see him carefree u know? (honorable mention to the roscoe cam, it's so precious how bono looks at him)

4. link your fav gif set from another creator

like I said my memory isn't the best but this fucking banger by nadia @formulaonedirection comes to mind!

5. off the top of your head!! tell me about the most memorable tag you’ve received recently

off the top of my head? have we learned nothing from question 3 and 4? I don't think there have been any memorable tags lately tbh....where's the passion?

6. which f1 media source (post race interviews, sf full accesses, no brakes, sharl’s vlogs, tiktoks, etc) is your fav to make gifs from?

I do like a good no brakes <3 also charles vlogs yes yes thank u joris <3

7. tag someone else!!

I think a lot of my gifmaker mutuals have done this already? idk uhhh @dilfcrowley @userhamilton @andreagrimes and anyone else who wants to

[acourtofthought]

No one spoke, though shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like snakes preparing to strike.

“There are plenty of other unspeakable things that could be happening to her,” Cassian said, voice thickening. “To Emerie and Gwyn.” The shadows deepened around Azriel, his Siphons gleaming like cobalt fire. (happens after Solstice but used for comparison purposes as Az and Gwyn only had their first interaction about halfway through the book meaning there were less examples to choose from before then).

Azriel offered her a small smile that Elain quickly looked away from.

Cassian could only assume she was watching his brother, who had given Gwyn a small smile of greeting upon arrival. Gwyn hadn’t returned it.

Elain just linked her arm through Nesta’s and led her toward the family room, where Azriel stood in the doorway, monitoring them. As if he’d heard Elain’s sharp laugh and wondered what had caused it.

Gwyn let out a high-pitched noise that was nothing but pure excitement. Azriel, on the other side of the ring with the rest of the priestesses, half-turned at the sound, brows high.

Then his gaze shifted to Elain, and though it was utterly neutral, something charged went through it. Between them.

He nodded to Gwyn and Emerie, the former glancing toward Azriel, who watched in silence.

Gwyn again glanced to Azriel, who drifted closer.

SJM really put a lot of E/riel versus Gwynriel interactions in SF. I don't think it was meant to pit the two females against one another so much as show where Az is headed in terms of love interests and where those very similar interactions led him. The Elain interactions took us to Solstice where we get confirmation that E/riel are physically attracted to one another but Az notes that his shadows disappear around her, that she still doesn't fully know him and that he's not thought of being together beyond his sexual fantasies. The E/riel moments led Az to feelings of rage, regret, and unease.

Those same interactions also brought us Gwynriel at Solstice, after which Az felt calm and a sense of peace.

And that's where E/riels interactions cut off and there are no further ones to be found.

There are Gwynriel moments, however:

Cassian glanced over at Az, but his attention was fixed on the young priestess, admiration and quiet encouragement shining from his face.

Az’s shadows danced around him. “Since there’s no chance in hell any of you will finish the course, we didn’t bother to get a prize.”

Gwyn threw Azriel a withering stare as she strode past him. “See you tomorrow, Shadowsinger,” she tossed over a shoulder. Az stared after her, brows high with amusement.

Az angled his head, hazel eyes narrowing as Gwyn reached the archway.

She wanted to be the first. Wanted Nesta and Emerie and her to be the ones who wiped the smirks from Azriel’s and Cassian’s faces. Especially Azriel’s.

And when Gwyn reached the finish line, bloody and panting and grinning so wildly her teal eyes glowed like a sunlit sea, she only extended her battered hand to Azriel. “Well?”

There is nothing between E/riel after Solstice. No longing glances, no brush of their fingers, no communication at all. SJM doesn't even have them standing in the same group at Starfall. Even if Az was staying away at Rhys's orders, you'd think we'd see some sort of pining that they were unable to hide (as Lucien couldn't hide his, as Cassian couldn't hide his). Or some moment that the characters couldn't pick up on but the readers might. And as for the forbidden love some believe E/riel will have, nothing can be hidden when Nesta is around. Tamlin could not glamour her as a human, she fought against Rhys's commands, she's able to read Az extremely well, and she somehow knew Feyre slipped into Lucien's mind so it seems unlikely she wouldn't sense something going on especially when she already picked up on his "secret" at Solstice.

And if we only ever saw Elain and Az spending a few scenes chatting, leading to a mutual physical attraction that only amounted to glances, lingering touches and a failed kiss, then why can't Azriel's admiration of Gwyn, their teasing banter, his believing in her ability to make it through the Rite, and the thought of her happiness bringing him joy eventually lead to something too? Maybe even something lasting? Sure, he liked Elain or the idea of Elain but that can change, can't it? There's nothing that says he has to always feel that way.

Az and Feyre saved Elain from Hybern while at full capacity but didn't he again risk his life shortly after while injured, even after Rhys told him to stand down? Does it honestly seem like Az cares who he's saving so long as he can be the hero? And he offered Elain TT but.... what does that mean? TT is a weapon, a material thing. Regardless of what attachment he has to the weapon he uses to torture people, offering it to Elain is.... what? Showing us a desire to protect her? (Tamlin wanted to keep Feyre safe. Amren also offered Feyre jewelry that she typically hoards in order to help her feel brave). Is it somehow symbolic of himself? If that's the case, then it's also symbolic that Elain "returned it and didn't look back".

Az may have lent TT to Elain but what would have been more symbolic is offering his truth to her. You know, his thoughts, his emotions, any guilt he might feel. Instead we get that she doesn't know him and he's not interested in helping her do so.

But regardless, all of those E/riel moments culminated in an extremely uncomfortable interaction on Solstice which then morphed into a really hopeful one after leaving Gwyn in the training ring and from there on out, it's only Gwynriel.

I feel like SJM is headed in a certain direction though I don't know. But where it took "multiple books of buildup" to get to where E/riel was on Solstice, Gwynriel seems awfully caught up after only half a book.

(and no, I'm not suggesting Az and Gwyn are ready to hook up, I'm simply pointing out they seem to already share a healthy connection and are more playful than E/riel ever were after only half a book which could easily lead to more when they're ready).

[whatqueen-wildcats]

Answer the evens for the music ask 🤪

Here u go finally hahaha

2: A song you like with a number in the title

6/10 - dodie

4: A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about

Sweater weather - the neighborhood

6: A song that makes you want to dance

Beyoncé RENAISSANCE, just all of it lol listened to it a lot this past summer

8: A song about drugs or alcohol

Idk uhh Juice - Lizzo also a very dance-able choice

10: A song that makes you sad

Wolves - Jensen McRae

Don't think I've ever heard this song without crying

12: A song from your preteen years

Stars - Switchfoot (any early sf qualifies tbh, but got to dance and scream to this one live last year with a couple of fellow ex-youth group queers in one of the weirdest and most healing concert experiences I've had yet lmao)

14: A song that you would love played at your wedding

I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston haha every time I hear this song I just picture the reception dancing and singing along with a room full of people I love and my brand new spouse and it being such a moment of joy

I don't have super significant ones I want for ceremony or first dance or whatever cause i feel that's very dependent on the relationship, but this tune is a Must at some point on the dance floor

16: One of your favorite classical songs

Mmmm idk which individual piece would be my fave but i do love to listen to Chopin (To be a bit pedantic, he's a Romantic period composer, not properly Classical period, but in the Colloquial Sense of Classical it counts 🤣)

18: A song from the year that you were born

*hastily googles songs released in 1994*

Basket Case - Green Day

Very strong memories of hearing it for the first time about 10 years after its release from my cousins shiny new mp3 player and being SUPER jealous

20: A song that has many meanings to you

Twenties - Semler

Always a bit of a mindfuck to listen to honestly -- lmao press X to skip this monolog but please do listen to the song, it's excellent.

cause I so easily could have (and indeed for most of my life thought I was going to) follow the path of the ex-friend in the song, the good Christian girl just looking for any nice guy to settle down with and meet all those traditional expectations... it's what I thought I wanted. I'm sure if the first boy I wound up dating had actually been a good person and didn't fully shatter my entire already-fragile sense of self, I would've stayed on that path for decades and a couple of kids before even getting close to figuring out why I was so miserable. It's all I knew. And I think of all the people I know who did take that path, the friends i grew up with and no longer speak to... the repetition of the line "how long will you live until your life is your own?" I think of my mother and grandmothers. I hope they're all happier than I would have been had I stayed. I think of all the ways I still people please, and think with gratitude for all the ways I no longer do. I could go on but I won't lol.

22: A song that moves you forward

Idk what exactly this is even supposed to mean? Like, motivates me? Gives me hope? Who knows but youre getting

City - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

24: A song by a band you wish were still together

tbh I can't think of one? I'm sure there are some, but several that I would've said a few years ago have either come back already or I no longer care for them lol. And of course there's plenty of Before My Time bands that would've been cool to be around for but feel like that's not the point of this question.

Idk, what keeps coming to mind is Foo Fighters - they aren't actually broken up but Taylor Hawkins, their drummer, passed suddenly last year. For the song I'll pick "But, Honestly"

26: A song that makes you want to fall in love

So maaannyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ughgh

If We Were Vampires - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Makes me absolutely SICK that I haven't met the love of my life yet and every day that passes is one less that I get to spend with them in this mortal existence 😫

Addendum: I've taken so long to finish answering these that I've found a new answer in the meantime that I'd like to share, Kevin Atwater, several of his songs apply, but going with My Blood is Your Blood *foaming at the mouth*

28: A song by an artist with a voice that you love

Probably the best and most ENCHANTING voice I've had the joy of getting to hear live so far in my life is Florence Welch of F+TM, I'll pick the song Cassandra

30: A song that reminds you of yourself

Okay this would be SO EASY but i really don't wanna pick a sad or self-deprecating song. Those have their time and place but I'm practicing them not being my default lol.

Gonna answer with one that, maybe doesn't exactly *remind* me of myself? but helps me embrace myself: Hit or Miss - Odetta

Thank you, as always, for facilitating my long-winded nonsense! 💖