#why force myself to play a game when i can watch a movie of someone else playing it you know?

[notthewriteryourelookingfor]

Listen: School forced you to read books you didn't want to.

Don't continue that shitty practice.

If it does not spark joy, do not force yourself through it.

If you need to know the ending but hate actually reading it go online & see if someone wrote out a full synopsis.

people will read books they Do Not Like™ and then wonder why they hate reading

[seokmn]

OPTION ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

pairing: wonwoo x gn!reader wc: 1.8k words warnings: reader wears earrings; mention of ways to die (in a “comic” way)

“lucky i’m in love with my best friend”

If there was something you never gave up on was to find love. From toxic relationships to pointless dates, you never thought that love wasn’t for you, it was probably because you always thought that the Universe was on its way to finally make you meet your soulmate.

Someone followed you closely during this journey, your best friend, Wonwoo. You always counted on him for everything and vice versa.

You both had differences, but the most important one was the fact that you were constantly trying to find your soulmate, while Wonwoo seemed to not even try. You lost count of the number of times you went clubbing together and you kept pointing at pretty people, telling him to make a move on them, just to have a ’Nah, I’m good’ as a response.

“Alright, what do you think about this outfit? It’s nice, right? Not too much to not make him think that I’m desperate to show myself off and not too little to make him think that I’m being forced to go on a date with him and I’d rather be at home eating lamen.” You positioned your phone on your desk and took a few steps back and gave a little spin to show your outfit to your best friend.

Wonwoo’s gaze left the computer and went to his phone, analyzing your outfit. “I guess it’s fine, you know I’m not the best person to ask about this. To me, you’re fine.”

“But do I look just fine or do I look fine fine?”

“You look fine fine, Y/N,” Wonwoo chuckled and looked at his computer once again. “By the way, where is he taking you?”

“You know that small and cozy restaurant near a private school? My date will be there,” you said as you put on your earrings. “People say the food there is delicious, maybe you should go with your date one day. Oh, wait, you don’t have a date!”

“Ha ha ha ha, very funny. I can go by myself if I want to.”

“Right, Mr. Lonely. I’m gonna go now, wish me luck!”

Wonwoo looked at his cellphone screen and gave you a small smile as he saw you all dressed up and excited for your date, waving at him before ending the FaceTime call. He sighed and looked back to his computer screen, getting his attention back to the game he was previously playing.

You probably went to more dates than an average person with the same age as you, but all of them were purposeless because of your high standards. It’s not a bad thing to have high standards, you really should have the love that you think you deserve and do not settle down for less. But your standards were very specific when it came to how the guy should treat you and how he should see life. You didn’t even realize, but Wonwoo made himself your standard over the years, and it was extremely hard, almost impossible, to overcome him.

This date wasn’t different, you found yourself bored and wishing that a piano would fall right on your head just so the date was over. The guy in front of you clearly didn’t meet your standards, in fact, you bet he didn’t meet anyone’s standards.

You excused yourself and went to the bathroom. You took your phone out of your purse and called Wonwoo.

”Hey, you busy?” “Yes,” you could hear a background noise. “I’m watching a movie. Why? Weren’t you supposed to be on your date?” “So…” “Let me guess, he’s a dickhead, isn’t he?” “Everytime he opens his mouth I wish someone would shoot me in the head with a bazooka,” you sighed. “Help me out, Wonu, please.” “What do you want me to do? Just say the word and I’ll do it.” “Call me in ten minutes, okay?” “And say what?” “Anything, you can say anything or even nothing at all, I’ll handle it. Just call me, please.” “Got it. See ya.”

You hung up, changed Wonwoo’s contact name to ‘Auntie 💞’ and left the bathroom, getting back to the table you and your date were. You kept pretending to be interested in him and in his jokes that hid a hint of misogyny, just wishing that those 10 minutes would pass in a blink of an eye.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, your phone rang and the name Auntie 💞 was on display. You frowned, faking surprise and worry.

“It’s my aunt, sorry, but I gotta answer.” The guy just nodded with a smile on his face and kept looking at you while you picked up the phone.

“Auntie? Is everything alright? I’m actually in the middle of something… What?” You shifted in the chair, your face darkening even though there was a complete silence coming from the other line. “You fell? No- it’s okay, where are you?”

“Meet me at our favorite convenience store.” The silence was finally broken, Wonwoo’s voice was low and calm as always.

“Okay, I’m on my way. Don’t you dare move a single inch, auntie.”

You hung up and looked at the guy with an apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry, my auntie fell off the bed and she has no one to help her, she hit her arm and-“

“It’s okay, we can continue our date another day, right?”

You gave him a small smile, little did he know that the first thing you’d do after getting back home was to block him on every social media. “Right, thanks for understanding. We’ll talk later and thank you for your time, it was really good getting to know you.”

And with that, you left, letting out a deep sigh as soon as he wasn’t able to hear you anymore because of the distance. You smiled to yourself, feeling free that you were far away from that guy, and walked towards the convenience store you and Wonwoo love.

Getting there, you found Wonwoo sitting by himself with two lamens, one he was already eating and the other was closed with chopsticks on top.

“Is it for me?” You smiled and sat beside him, already taking the chopsticks and opening the lamen, only to find out it was actually ready.

“Since your date ended earlier than expected, I thought that you might be still hungry.”

“Well, you were right. I’m starving! Thank you for the food~” You started to eat, not caring about Wonwoo watching you.

He watched you eat for a few seconds before looking at his own lamen and eating it as well. The only thing that could be heard was your humming, signaling that you were finding the lamen delicious, and the noise from other clients.

“Hey,” Wonwoo finally broke the silence. “I have a question.”

You looked at him, waiting for him to keep going and ask his question.

“This might be the seventh time I help you to leave a boring date. Why do you still try so hard to go on dates?”

You nodded and placed down the chopsticks, your arms rested on the table as you looked at him with a small and hopeful smile on your face. “Because I still believe in love. I still think there’s a guy out there that is my soulmate, that is the one for me, and if I don’t go after him, I will never find him. You can’t find your soulmate if you don’t go out and meet new people, Wonu.”

“You’re saying like I don’t believe in love.” Wonwoo chuckled and shook his head before eating again.

“And do you believe in love? I never saw you going on dates or trying to pursue someone.”

“I do believe in love and try to pursue the person that I have feelings for, but the person is quite difficult.”

“What?!” You shouted and soon lowered your voice in a whisper. “You like someone and I never knew about it? Who is it?”

Wonwoo ignored you and kept finishing his lamen.

“Jeon Wonwoo, who is it?”

“Guess.”

“If you don’t tell me I’ll delete all the progress you made in that silly game at my place.”

Wonwoo looked at you as if you threatened him to kill his entire family. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“You know I would. Now tell me who you like, please~” You pouted and looked at him with shiny eyes.

“I’m looking at them.”

You laughed. “Yah! that’s not fun-“ you stopped laughing and your expression turned into a serious one. “You’re not joking, are you?”

“Why would I joke about such a thing?”

You swallowed hard and started to think about your best friend’s words. Everything started to make sense, there was a reason behind all of his romantic yet very subtle gestures that you were only able to see that they were romantic at that moment.

“For how long have you been liking me?”

“For quite a while now. I’ve always tried to look available to you, but you never chose me. I didn’t want to be bold because I don’t know how you feel towards me, so it’s better to have you beside me as my best friend than not having you at all.”

“How could I ever choose you if I never knew you were an option?! Ya-“ you groaned in frustration. “You could've flirted with me or something like that!”

“I did, but in a subtle way.”

“Well, but now I know! What are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know,” he looked at you, his eyes held so much love and hope that was almost overwhelming to look at. “What do you want me to do about this?”

“Ask me on a date?”

Wonwoo smiled and cleared his throat. “Y/N, do you want to go on a date with me?”

“I mean, I guess so. Maybe you’re my soulmate, who knows.” You tried to act cool.

“Great, I’ll think about some good date ideas and I’ll let you choose which one you like the most.” He sighed happily and took your lamen from you, using his chopsticks to eat it and ease the tension. “Wah, why is yours better than mine?”

“Asshole, you ate yours and now want to eat mine?!” You tried to take the lamen away from him, but he didn’t let you and laughed while eating it. You stopped trying and looked at him with a frown. “If you don’t give my lamen back, I won’t go on a date with you.”

Wonwoo’s laughter died and he immediately pushed the lamen to your side. “I- huh.. I’ll buy myself another one then. Wait here.”

You smiled and got back to happily eating it, you glanced at Wonwoo trying to pick a lamen and your smile turned into a grin. You felt your heart getting warmer and you felt a feeling you’ve never felt before.

Maybe your soulmate was right in front of you the entire time, but you were too blind to see it and were looking for affection in all the wrong places, forgetting about the only one that felt like the right one, emotionally and rationally speaking.

[fir-fireweed]

Hi Fir! :D

Thanks for giving advice, I really do appreciate it. Though, please don't feel pressured to answer anything I ask. Writing should be fun and with you writing Cantata and answering RO reaction asks, I don't want to add unnecessary stress by thinking of answers to my questions too! Apologies if that comes off as me being overly worried, I just legitimately don't want you to get worried over a question for advice when you have other things on your plate!😅

That said, here is question numero uno :)

How do you write when you don’t have people to bounce ideas off of? It’s just me, myself and I over here and, uh, that doesn’t seem like it’s going to change anytime soon lol. And I’m sure that other people also have that experience of writing alone for one reason or another. Not just for IFs but for their own original books and fanfictions too (not me looking at my pile of ongoing and abandoned WIPs, haha). Like many things, writing is something that is much easier when you have someone else there with you that's invested.

As you said, writing in a vacuum is really hard! Not impossible, but hard at times. Do you have any ideas as to what people can do when they don’t have that sort of support? Something to make things just a little easier.

Thanks again and I hope you’re doing well! <3

Hi Blue! Ooh, starting with the big questions. Okay, long post incoming!

My knee jerk reaction is to say “Are you sure there’s no one else?” But that doesn’t help you. I volunteer myself as tribute, but no pressure, and as you say, many people simply write alone. So here’s some tips that help me brainstorm ideas when my cohorts are unavailable.

People Watch

I have a small journal I always carry in my tote and I jot down little scenarios I see or conversations I overhear. Make up stories behind the people you see. Who are they? Why are they there? And be granular—why are they there on that particular day? I once wrote an entire short story around a snippet of conversation I overheard on the L on my way to college in Chicago.

Consume Media

Read, read, READ!! And watch movies, documentaries, broadway, listen to music, get lost in a rabbit hole on Wikipedia. But especially read. If you discover a book you like, read more from that author. Read everything you can.

Write What You Know

And by this I mean you personally. Write about something that happened to you or you witnessed. We tend to think our own lives are boring but even the small moments make good fodder for stories or character studies. One short story I wrote was about a time my parents accidentally locked themselves out of the house at night. They managed to wake my younger sister through her window and were trying to get her to wake me to open the door, but she was afraid to wake me up. Don’t know why, I was an angel. 😇 Ahem.

It’s a small instance but it makes for a great character study. You don’t have to write that exact moment truthfully, feel free to embellish—whatever helps generate ideas.

I am an awesome big sister, btw. Just ask me, I’ll tell you. 😉

Avoid Scope Creep

I’ve seen mixed opinions on tumblr when it comes to the scope of your writing. I’m on the side of keeping things small. I’ll preface this by saying I have a professional background of project management, creative briefs, and business proposals. I’ve been trained to keep my scope manageable, but I honestly do think it’s best. Set real expectations, small goals, and write short dabbles.

And if I may add, this is a skill that will help you professionally.

Don’t Force It

This is another I’ve seen mixed advice on. Many people will say push through the writers block and write what you can, even if it’s a few sentences. I say close that laptop, iPad, phone, whatever and go for a walk. Watch a movie. Play a video game. If you don’t write for 2 weeks or 2 months, that’s fine. If you’re not enjoying it, forcing it will only make it worse. You’ll start second guessing everything you’ve already written. Step away, go do some people watching at the park, then return when the inspiration strikes.

These are all tips that helped me, but of course everyone is different. My sister likes using writing prompts when she’s short on ideas, but I personally have never been a fan. They feel like homework, lol.

However, I do 100% recommend taking creative writing workshops at the local college if you can. It’s a great way to generate and share ideas; not to mention nothing helps you accept criticism better than having a dozen of your peers absolutely demolish your writing. 😭

I hope that helped, and I’m honored that you’re seeking advice from me! ❤️

[changingplumbob]

Nonsims interests. list 5 (or more, or less) of your nonsims interests. These can be hobbies, shows, books, other games, etc

Tagged by @finchfin, @onestormeynight, @sanitysims , @eljeebee and @pralinesims

I tag @simmerbeans, @matchalovertrait, @abbysimsfun, @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants, @hashimasims, @elderwisp, @sleepyselkiesims, @deardiaryts4, @ruthplaysthesims, @paracosmic-sims (forcing myself to stop at 10 because I could tag so many of my lovely moots)

I have a lot of special interests, which to pick...

1. Cats. Love me some chats about cats. Especially the formerly feral ones. I watch the cat rescue TinyKittens daily even though I have a cat in my house because kittens! And seeing a feral cat go from ferocious to accepting and even requesting love from humans is such a rewarding journey to watch.

2. Forspoken. I love the game from the depths of my soul. I do believe that if you complain about Frey being grouchy and a reluctant hero you are actually being racist and holding her to a higher standard as a black woman. She has been alone her whole life. Are you seriously telling me that when she gets to a world where mutant beasts are trying to kill her and the populace imprisons her, she should risk her life without hesitation for them rather than wanting to get back to her only family, her cat? The spell selection is beautifully simple, the landscapes are breathtaking and as someone who has battled mental illness Frey's mental journey resonates.

3. Supermassive Games. Seeing a YouTube video of Until Dawn being played made me want to get a PlayStation. I'm hanging out for being able to afford the remake. I can't do big horror movies, will never ever get me to watch saw, yet Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology are games I love. When the Quarry came out I kid you not I would play it 7 to 8 hours a day for weeks. And they had the nerve to say I'm not autistic.

4. TV shows. I have a bunch that I love so I'll stick them together. Once Upon a Time, Downton Abbey, Grimm, The Librarians, Ghost Whisperer. I have all the seasons on DVD, I rewatch them constantly. For the ones I've seen most I'll know what the characters are going to say, and wonder why a deleted scene isn't in an episode because I forget it's a deleted scene I've seen it so much.

5. Labyrinth. Yes the Jim Henson movie with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly from 1986. It is my comfort movie. I love the music, I love the costumes and I love the puppets. I love it, that's really all I can say.

[lannisterdaddyissues]

1, 13, 15 for the mi ask game!! <3

@airlocksandaviaries @sevenseasofyeet @guidonian-hand

1. What is your favorite M:I movie? I change my mind every time I watch one, but overall, I think 4. It's the one I rewatched most when I was younger!

13. If you were a member of the IMF, who would you be? A field agent? Analyst? Director? Serious answer: I'd probably be a nurse hired to treat injuries when the field agents come back from their missions, since that's my job IRL. Fun answer: Analyst, because I want to be Brandt. Pay me to complain about how people do things and contribute nothing of value to the team otherwise <3 oh wait that's already what I do online-

14. Do you have any M:I headcanons? YES but they're all fluff and shitposts I'm so sorry guys I forgot all the serious ones so I'm just going to throw a bunch of bricks through your window one by one:

Ethan:

Secretly loves bubble baths but rarely indulges in them unless forced

Watches Benji and Luther play video games a lot despite understanding none of it, he has fun anyway

Back when Ethan and Julia were married he used to make themed lunches for her every day 🥺

Draws caricatures for fun

Benji:

Auteur cinephile and really annoying about it oh my god shut up we're watching a movie we don't care shut up <- Brandt

His secret side job that funds his phat pro gamer rig in Rogue Nation is drawing furry porn commissions for people on Twitter I'm sorry for this one I really had to post it I'm sorry I truly think I'm right though I'm so sorry please block me

Luther:

If he weren't an agent this man should have been a restaurant critic because boy howdy does he have opinions about everything he eats and everyone else will hear them

He and Brandt go fishing together in their downtime. They bicker the whole time and catch nothing because they both suck at it. It's enrichment for them

Ilsa:

She's the one who collects souvenirs from their trips around the world. And those souvenirs? Cool rocks. She has a cool rock collection and she is very proud of it. I cannot stress enough how important Weird Girl Ilsa is to me, you simply must see my vision on this one

She would love Furbies sorry I'm being cursed again but you know she would

Brandt:

He likes birdwatching, which sounds like a really boring milquetoast "if beige was a guy" hobby and it is which is why I gave it to him but he's actually really passionate about it and he accidentally gets everyone else into it too, so they'll be out on a mission and Ethan will randomly be like "whoa, a yellow-crested sparrow!" and Brandt will be like "what where. Show me the sparrow. Yoooo that's nice!" (The squad needs to slow down for five seconds and appreciate some wildlife ngl. I think it would be better for them than therapy <3)

He can rap like nobody's business. You wouldn't think this man has ever listened to a Kanye song in his life but he has the Monster rap tattooed behind his eyeballs

His movie taste is so bad though oh my god Brandt why is your most-watched movie on Netflix Gnomeo and Juliet. Brandt

This guy is so sucks but I love him so much god I love him why do I think about him so much. @parlaypeach this is your fault

Jane:

Animal lover but really weird about it in the way that she loves the cute ones and the weird freaky ones equally

She will belt out the entirety of Hamilton in the shower if you give her enough time (she's terrible at singing though. Narrative foil moment with Taylor Swift I mean Taylor Swift no wait I meant Taylor Swift I mean. Sabine Moreau)

Hunley:

This man is so obsessed with cat videos, someone stop him

Goofy boss of all time TO ME. Proud owner of no less than 30 #1 Boss mugs courtesy of the squad, and he loves every one of them

He did not die because I miss him :'(

Grace:

Grace is the name Ethan and Julia would have given to their daughter if they had children. It's not Grace's real name but it still feels important for some reason

🥲 I made myself emo guys

Oh also she never learns how to drive. She graduated from the Ethan Hunt School of Clown Car Tomfoolery and is never getting that second degree

The only person on the team she's never lifted anything from is Paris because she's afraid to get her fingers cut off

Halloween lover. She's not a big holiday person but she LOVES Halloween

Paris:

Not a headcanon but do you guys think she would like Hello Kitty. Do you think Paris Missionimpossible would fw Hello Kitty. Please say yes this is extremely important to me

(She likes Hello Kitty)

It takes her a while to find hobbies she likes because her brain isn't wired for it since she's only ever had to do things to survive, but I think she would be really good at origami. She gets completely absorbed in it and no one is allowed to talk to her while she's doing it because it helps her concentrate. Everybody has received little origami gifts from her at one point ;w;

Alt fashion queen but we all knew that

Degas:

If Ethan is Grace's spy dad and Benji is Paris's spy dad I have decided Donloe and Tapeesa are now his parents :') He calls them regularly on a burner phone and has to join them for dinner every few months :'))))

Knows lots of pop culture. Grace and Paris know nothing about pop culture so he takes it upon himself to teach them about it. He and Benji go head to head at bar trivia night and it's always a toss-up who wins on a given evening

15. What's your favorite M:I ship? Ethan x Julia <3 followed closely by Ethan x Ilsa. But really I don't know they're both everything to me ;-;

20. In which M:I movie do you think Tom Cruise's hair looked the best? Objectively Fallout, subjectively Rogue Nation because I like his anime boy fringe.

[freakenomenon]

Why do you like Ellen so much? /Genq

jesus christ this is a loaded question uuhhhh well. first of all. when i first drew ellen after reading the story and watching her playthrough. my immediate thought was "shes the nicest, i like her the most" and " i feel so bad for her " which. is generally the most you can get out of someone these days when talking about ellen. but because my stupid autistic ( not in a derogatory sense, i am autistic ) ass couldnt just fit in and leave it at "poor ellen!!" my brain latched onto her. and then i realized, shes the only character ( in the game ) that they didnt go out of their way to make an even more terrible person. which made her unique from the others. i found that interesting. and then i started noticing all the holes in her character. at least in the game. picking out, plucking away and putting my criticism of her treatment in the game, especially with how they handled her assault story, really kind of. made me attach to her? because, while i did find a lot that i thought was rather unnecessary.

i found it much more fun for me to explore the obscure bits of her character and flesh them out more. which made my attachment to her even stronger. and after finding out about the manual, i found more aspects of her character that i resonated with. its hard for me to explain, but ill put it in bullet points.

im black myself, and even within the flaws of harlan ellison trying to make ,, SOME kind of statement back them with her character as a black woman. i think that aspect of her ( growing up in "the ghetto", having to deal with racism even as a little girl, having nobody to attach to in the end except for the people who dont even view you as a person outside of your body and skin color. ) made her more. relatable to me.

her sexual assault story was something i latched onto, finding solace in a character who also struggles with attachment due to sexual trauma. and i found it cathartic to be able to project my hypersexuality onto a character who i view as,, kind of in the same pit as me

she struggles with her arrogance, ego, being blunt and often times being rude or offensive without meaning to be. and even sometimes with the intention of doing so without realizing the level of what you're saying. and struggling with social connection in general despite being labeled as one of "the best friends a person could have" which i also resonated with, as an autistic person.

lesbianism. not even gonna sugarcoat it here i want this woman BAD. i dont know man something in my brain saw this older woman with emotional attachment issues who would definitely not treat me the best and began nesting and laying an alien parasite between the slimy spots of grey matter that grew into a monstrous beast that would take over my body and force me to draw her putting cigarettes down peoples throats. I NEED IT. I NEED IT IMA EAT IT AHHHHH. i also just think shes really pretty, thats my wife we are married and she loves me and not you she loves ME.

I DONT KNOWW. I DONT KNOW MAN, THE AUTISM JUST LET HER CHOKE ME WITH THE CREVICE OF HER ELBOW AND IM STILL HERE MAN. I CANT BREATHE MAN.

i also feel like its important to note that even within male / man focused books, shows, movies, media in general. ive always been more drawn to the female characters. no matter how expanded on their stories are. so that also probably played a role in my attachment to her. i. feel like even all this isnt enough to express how much i like her and why. i just. hhghgdsjhgfdghjhgf eelleeennn,,,,,,, thats it thats the tldr; ellen

[pizzabox-box]

I needed to force myself not to write this until you posted the next DMW part lol, I love this story but I feel like it's going too fast

Blind Man's Bluff, Part Four

Theirs was the last car left in the drive-in theater. The movie was turning out extremely well, and they were on the final three scenes. Doise had thought WAR would be the most stressful scene to film, but oh boy, had Pizzascare given him anxiety. At least they were at the home stretch now.

He stared blankly at the laptop he had on the dashboard. Since Fake Peppino was out of the picture, or at least hadn't shown his face since his restaurant burned down, Doise had to put some serious thought into how this boss rush was going to play out. He sighed and looked over at Noisette. She had fallen asleep in the passenger seat about fifteen minutes before the film as it stood had ended. He knew Noise was lurking somewhere nearby, watching her like a hawk, but he hadn't felt Peddito anywhere all day. That made him nervous.

He noticed the light of the full moon dim and immediately went on edge. He barely had time to spin around before he heard a door creak open and saw a tall, skinny figure backflip onto the car. Oh boy. It was the beanpole. This might actually be trouble.

Doise shot an accusing finger at Pizzahead. "Look pal, I'm not in the mood for your games! Now get your dirty boots off my paint job before I get not so friendly with you!" The mascot giggled. "Ooh, aren't you a feisty one! It's nice to not know what to expect from someone for once. Well, you can relax now, buddy!" Doise decidedly did not relax. "What do you mean?" Pizzahead laughed and pulled out a remote control. "Well, let's see!"

Gesturing to the screen, he rewinded to the fight between the two gremlins. Doise immediately tensed up, and Pizzahead put his arm around him in a gesture of familiarity he had no right to have. "When my cameras showed me what you did to that freak's pizzeria, I admit you caught my interest! For once, I had to really do some pretty significant research to figure out what was happening." With a click of a button, the camera zoomed in on the combatants' faces as they grappled. He paused on the very frame one man got yanked backwards by a barely perceptible pink smudge, so barely present that even on film, its existence was easy to question. The dust-covered, bloody man's eyes practically glowed a vibrant red, and his expression was filled with a bewildered, abstract terror. Pizzahead whispered in the terrified Doise's ear: "You're not quite mortal, are ya?"

Doise looked into his eyes. "So now what? Are you going to tell everyone who I really am? Let me get mauled by the mob?" Pizzahead shrugged and waved one hand in a dismissive manner. "Why would I? The show's only just getting good!" He grinned wickedly and looked at Noisette, still fast asleep and dreaming sweetly. "In fact, it would be a lot more exciting if you weren't constantly chained to this doll's side, don't you think?"

Noise and Noisette twirled beautifully across the dance floor. She giggled happily as he dipped her. He danced with a passion she had never known, which was impressive given the feats they had preformed at their wedding. He stared at her with the deepest love a man could ever feel, though Noisette thought she could see a trace of sorrow in his eyes as he danced and sang.

You can dance every dance for the one who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight, you can smile every smile for the one who holds your hand in the pale moonlight, just don't forget who's taking you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be, so darling, save the last dance for me!

With that, he swooped her up and kissed her with a deep passion. As she closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, she thought she could hear the priest's voice leading the ceremony: "...in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" They came up for air, and Noise gently caressed the side of her face. "Hazel, my love, my life, I won't ever stop loving you, even after my heart stops and turns cold as stone," he told her, staring in her eyes with a love that couldn't be described, though it was tainted by heartbreak.

Noisette was suddenly filled with a sense of extreme dread. Something wasn't right. She clung close to her husband, chilled by a fear she couldn't explain. Without warning, he shoved her backwards, knocking her on her back. She sat up, incredulous - just in time to see Noise get splashed with a strange substance from overhead. It had the consistency of thin mud, and looked like blood mixed with a blue-gray plaster. Noise fell to his hands and knees, inexplicably weakened.

Noisette reached out to him - then scampered backwards as she saw the clay start wrapping itself around him, swiftly enveloping him in the otherworldly slime. He struggled against it, seemingly trying to escape, but his eyes were filled with a knowing despair. He had known this was going to happen. He stared at her mournfully.

Noisette started forward again, determined that time. "Theo!" she called, stepping forward. Noise put a hand up. "Hazel, stop. I need you to listen to me carefully," he said. She stopped. He had never sounded this serious before. "Don't get close to me. Be wary of anything I do for you. I will love you for eternity, but you can't trust me anymore. It's way too dangerous for you to be near me. And whatever happens." He almost looked like a statue now. His mouth was covered by the clay, but his scarlet eyes stared into her soul, grieving as if he was the widow rather than the deceased. His voice seemed to come from her heart.

"I'm. Not. Me."

The blue-gray figure rose to its feet and approached her, blood red cape fluttering despite the absence of wind. Blue and pink lights flashed furiously around her before fading into yellow and orange, the screaming void behind the mask seemed to be calling her name, drawing her in to her destruction -

She awoke with a scream, looking around her at the unfamiliar surroundings. A hand gently grabbed her own, and a voice attempted to soothe her. "Hey, hey, hey, what happened? Are you ok?" She turned and saw Noise in the driver's seat beside her. That's right, they were at the drive-in theater. So had it all been a dream? She sobbed her sorrows into her husband's chest as he rubbed her back. He reassured her it was all going to be ok.

Later that night, she rolled over to look at him, fast asleep in the bed beside her. She fidgeted with the new necklace he had given her, making her promise never to take it off. She felt horrible about it, but something about Noise was making her feel like something was wrong. She tried to push those thoughts aside. You mustn't think things like that! He's been so devoted to you, and anyway, it was just a dream, right?

"I'm. Not. Me."

...right?

previous part

Another part already??? 👀👀👀👀

The dream sequence was genuiely heartbreaking :( You nailed Pizzahead's character very well! Wonder what he's planning , also the necklace seems deeply suspicious .

Either way, I'm excited to see where this will go 👀 keep cooking!

Once again, thank you so much for continuing this series :D

[jessequinones]

Writing Advice: Getting Over Writer's Block

It seems like every writer has talked about writer's block at least once, and I’m surprised, at least from what I could tell, that I haven’t spoken about this. The truth is that I don’t know how to get over writer's block, at least not regularly.

Writers' Block differs from person to person, and what helps someone might not help you. The least I can do is talk about some of the writer's blocks I go through, hoping that some of the stuff I do might benefit you.

Why am I not writing?

This is the first question I ask myself. Is it because I’m dealing with trauma and burned out? Is it because I’m creating a new story and don’t know what to put on paper? Is it because I’m distracted by a new video game? Whatever the reason, figuring out why I’m not writing is the first step. Below are some common reasons why I stopped writing and how I handled them.

I’m depressed!

A lot of my writing slumps are because I’m either depressed or dealing with trauma in a way that prevents me from writing. Some people say writing is an excellent way to deal with trauma, and for that, I agree...it just doesn’t work for me all of the time.

If I’m going through a depressive episode, I can’t write. No matter how much I want to. Instead of forcing myself to push through this, I need time to recharge and relax.

I play video games, watch shows or movies, just do something for a week or two and just recharge and deal with my depression and trauma in a healthy way. I know I haven’t written anything in two weeks and want to, but once I get myself out of this cycle, I can get back to it.

I never found that pushing through my slump and just writing for the sake of writing was helpful. If anything, whenever I try to push through my depressive episode and write, I often get mad at my writing, which only makes the situation worse.

If your body tells you to take some time off and relax, I find it best to listen. Don’t fight your body; take a holiday, relax, and do something fun. Do whatever you have to recharge; when you feel better, you can return to your writing.

I just don’t know what to put on my paper!

I get this. Whenever I start a new story, I go through this a lot. Writing is hard. Creating ideas, stories, and characters is difficult when starting at square one. I’m writing this instead of my newest book simply because I don’t know what to put in it.

Authors create many different ways and techniques to help them escape this struggle, but writing something completely different often works for me. If I don’t know how to start a story, I fill out some character bios or do some world-building. If I don’t know what to put in this chapter, I go to the next one and move on. Suppose I’m having difficulty creating a new story from scratch where I don’t know the characters, world, lore, or anything. I often make a folder and put down straightforward things. Character A, B, dragons, fighting, and just leave it like that. This way, I can trick my brain into saying I’m working on this story; I know I don’t have much, but at least I have something.

Within those folders, I also just start putting random things in every once in a while, such as Character A...happy...short...something...it’s not much. Often times, Character A ends up becoming none of those things, but by putting even the randomness of things in a folder, I tell myself, yes, I’m writing, even if it’s by small amounts, I’m still writing.

Other times, I get upset if I haven’t written anything down for a while. To mitigate this, I write something that’s not related at all to what I want to write about, like creating writing advice articles! Or I might write a stupid letter to no one or express that I’m angry in a poem. I write for the sake of writing. Sometimes, if I struggle to write a story, writing something completely different helps my brain. How does that work? I’m not sure, but all I know is that it does.

Creating a little side project, something you can jump to whenever you’re stuck with your primary goal, helps me. Honestly,it’s why I created writing articles in the first place. Sometimes, your little side projects might take over your main writing for the next month or two, and honestly, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. If you need to take a break from your main writing project, you must take a break. If creating something on the side will help you with your creativity, go for it.

Other times, if I’m struggling, and it’s been like 1-2 weeks of not writing where I can’t seem to put anything down on paper. I write a simple word. Maybe it’s one word in the chapter I’m struggling with or one word in a character's bio. However, I’m telling myself I’m doing my best. It may be slow, but I’m doing my best, and when I’m ready, I’ll figure out more words to put down later.

I’m not good enough!

Sometimes, I get discouraged from writing when I notice others who seem to be achieving so much. My imposter syndrome often makes me hard on myself, and I believe my words are pathetic or cringe-worthy and that I should give up.

It’s challenging not to compare yourself to others, especially if you view them on a much higher pedestal than you. At times like these, I often reflect on where I came from. I kept a lot of my old writings from when I was young, and I chuckle as I try to figure out just what I was saying in those stories.

I look at the past to see how far I came along in the present, and while this doesn’t get rid of my imposter syndrome, it sometimes gets me out of it for just a moment to get me back into writing. If you can look back at your old writing and believe it’s horrible, then you know you’ve improved along your journey, and that’s great. You might be stuck now, but you’ve improved once, and you’ll do it again.

Writer's block is different for everyone, and you might experience writer's block in a way that I haven’t mentioned. If you’re struggling with this, I can give you one more piece of advice: simply chat with others. I’m a part of several writer's groups, and I enjoy talking with them or getting others to read my stories. And they could inform me what things they liked and didn’t like about my stories, and sometimes that might help me get out of my writing slump.

I engage in friendly conversations or debates. And sometimes, I chat about nothing in particular. I know we all write alone, but it’s good to know you're not alone in writing. Others are creating their stories alongside you, and cheering you on while you cheer them on is one of the greatest motivators I discovered. And I get that you might be an introvert and not want to socialise, or socialising takes a lot of energy. Many writers are introverts, so we understand the struggle of talking to others. Good writing groups won’t pick on you for not socialising. Good writing groups will encourage you to keep going. I know writing groups have their clicks and dramas, just like every online space, and talking in a place where there may be hundreds of people is scary. But if you can find a few people you click with, speak with them privately. Having a writing buddy and writing friends, even if it’s one or two, is a great way to get out of writing slumps.

That’s all I have about getting over writer's block; it’s a topic that doesn’t have a concrete answer because what works for someone might not work for you, and what does work for you one day might not work a second day. Just know it’s okay if your writing takes longer than you thought. Even professional writers struggle with this; you’re not alone. Take your time, take a breath, and I’m looking forward to seeing what you create in the future.

[pestorik]

can you please expand on deuce/riddle ??? im rlly curious abt them tgt in your AU,,,,

(if you have the time i would also love to read abt azurid & mallerid :D ! no pressure though! im mostly interested in deurid ^^)

the riddle ship trifecta...

i enjoy them bc i think riddle really needs a calm presence in his life that makes him feel like he can act in ways he never had the freedom to do before, without feeling judged or made fun of. whether that is acting childish and silly or just expressing emotion freely. he's obviously really sensitive to being teased so he needs someone who is ok with that and just finds joy in his joy.

i relate to this a lot bc i myself am a very sensitive person, and get emotional really easy but im also very cynical and dry, so i think ppl see that contrast and find it funny. which is fine, but i get hurt or annoyed really easily by teasing bc i think what i really want is for someone to see how easily i get emotional (like crying at almost every movie i watch) and rather than seeing it as smth weird and funny, they recognize my empathy as something good. i want someone to see the value and worth in my emotions, no matter how trivial they seem.

and i think riddle needs that too. deuce isnt super smart but i think he's really earnest and riddle would appreciate that about him. he shows a lot of self awareness in recognizing how his past actions hurt his mom, and realizing he needs to be proactive if he wants to be a better person. very few ppl are willing to admit when they are the problem. he's just a very soft guy, but like, passionately soft. he wants so bad to be good. and i think he would want so badly for riddle to be happy, it would become really important to him just like his mom's happiness.

malleus is super honest about his intentions, which i think riddle needs bc his lack of social skills leave him anxious. he probably would get too frustrated having to play games and guess feelings. malleus just has a super calming presence and riddle needs that so bad. i think they are both pretty awkward bc of their upbringing so maybe they could find comfort in each other, knowing there's no judgement.

azul is none of these things lol 😂 i do NOT think these 2 would be a perfect healthy couple but i enjoy their dynamic. riddle is sensitive ofc but hes also super smart which is why i like the thought of them together. the two top students, not really in a competitive way, more like they recognize each other's weaknesses but also highly respect each other. to the point that they wouldnt ever make a move against the other. i could see them having a more loving relationship but in my mind they are more like a power couple lmao. like two powerhouses joining forces. i do think seeing riddle trying to overcome his own trauma and be a nicer person could inspire azul to do smth similar, realizing that if he likes and respects riddle, there must be some value in kindness without reward.

none of these would be canon in the AT au unfortunately, at least not in my mind (you can do whatever you like with it tho, it also doesnt mean i wont still talk/draw about it). there would definitely still be interactions among them with plenty of room for interpretation. obviously the most between deuce and riddle bc they are both HL.

i could see an episode where riddle recruits deuce to help him repair one of the elephant guardians (since deuce is good at repairing stuff) and they become closer. bc deuce used to get up to a lot of trouble he also has a lot knowledge of some of the rougher parts of the kingdom (im referring to deuces former crew as the spoiled fruit gang) and probably accompanies riddle when he needs to go there. riddle might sometimes go to deuce for advice on his relationship w his mother, since deuce is close w his mom. it would be cute if deuces mom came to really adore riddle and gave him a lot of the experiences he didnt get w his own mother.

[last-of-the-jaded]

A letter to the Uncharted Series

I remember being being eight years old, and watching my brother play through Drake's Fortune on our brand new ps3 on our fancy new projector-screen-tv and just being astounded by the animation and story at the time. I specifically remember complimenting the water animation (ha) and hating Elena (I'm so sorry my queen, I think I saw too much of myself in you and therefor hated you for it).

I remember being ten years old, and begging my brother to watch him play through Among Thieves because I adored that first game so much. That opening train shot took my breath, and proved to me how much camera angles can increase tension in movies. Snow scenery has always been my favorite and I genuinely believe it's this games fault for rewiring my brain so young. That introduction of the Yeti creature still haunts me, and the puzzles and scenery were gorgeous. I taught myself how to play just so that i could do the online portion and have more content (didn't realize the controls were inverted until I was hours in and finally realized that up was down and left was right and that was why I sucked so much ass ha). I remember playing the online multiplayer for hours, forcing my school friends to come over and double-team the story-mode co-op portions over and over until we had them all memorized word for word.

I remember being twelve, and buying the art book for Uncharted 3 before it even came out, and reading it page by page, just to pause before I was spoiled to the plot for the next one. I remember begging my brother to buy it for me, and he did, and by that point I had replayed the 1 and 2 campaigns multiple times, and taught myself my inverted controls and being so freaking ecstatic. I remember there being this Uncharted 3 Sponsorship with Subway back in the day, and casual cosplaying Chloe to go get a marinara sub, which looking back is pretty cringe, but like I was so happy because I got to keep their plastic cup with the cover artwork on it. I remember loving that you could now throw the grenades back. That feature in itself changed the multiplayer experience so much---I remember grinding my way up to level 75 online even through I was still shit at it, but I just played it that much. I would spend hours of my life on it after school. Get two or three matches in before dinner.

By the time the fourth one came out, my family didn't have the money for a PS4 and my brother had long since moved out for college. I didn't have a way to really play it, so I just waited. Avoided spoilers like the plague, and somehow managed to avoid everything except Drake having a kid (because someone shouted it at a Drake cosplayer at comic-con back in like 2017).

Today, eight years late from when it came out, I just finished watching a play-through for A Thief's End and all the emotions are hitting. I'm so glad that Nathan Drake got a satisfying end. A happy end. That character meant so much to me growing up and while the writing quality of the older games is certainly a little flat looking back, they were so important and life changing to me.

I guess I just wanted to like say thank you Naughty Dog for giving me that infatuation with a game series when I really fucking needed it. Nostalgia for childhood and all, I hold it in my heart with such fondness.

[xshybutdeadlyx]

Questions for the demiromantic and demisexuals out there

Ok, so I've recently found this term thanks to an aroace character from a show I watched. I knew of the sexuality but I didn't really know the specifics because I always thought I was bi but now looking into it I didn't know how aroace was like a literal umbrella and there was so much more to it then meets the eye. Which I'm 30 I feel like I should know more than what I do. But with doing research into it trying to understand it better, I learned about all the terms, and I learned about demiromantic and demisexual and it really resonated with me. But I wanted to ask for advice, I guess? Like I like romance I love reading it seeing art and what have you but when it comes to romance for myself I'm not a big fan? And maybe it's because I literally have to unlearn so much romance equals a, b, and c when that's not really true. I literally been in only one relationship in my life and it consisted of hand holding small kisses (no tongue, honestly I have an ick with spit and the only reason I "wanted" to do deeper kisses with the boyfriend I had at the time was because I felt like it was a requirement) but I honestly didn't feel attraction towards him until after getting to know him and being friends with him for months well into almost a year. And he's the only one I ever felt that way for I hardly ever had crushes or when I did I almost kinda forced myself into having them if that makes sense? It was "natural," and every kid was supposed to have crushes. Nothing ever came from the "crushes" though.

Now, like I said, I'm well into my 30s, and the relationship I just mentioned was the only relationship romantic wise I've ever had. I have had strong feelings for two of the friends I have but one friend is straight as they come and the other is married lol the one that is married though we have a strong bond that I wouldn't trade anything for. She tickles my hand, and she lets me cuddle her all the time, and we just spend nights just playing games together, just like when we were in high school. I love her so damn much, and I'll cherish what we have even when we are both dead and gone. She is my forever person.

Sorry, I went into a mini rant about my platonic love, but she's the best, and when I start talking about her, I have to gush lol, but anyways back to my sexuality crisis

So anyways, when there is even a chance of someone having an interest in me, I honestly kind of freak out. Or like if someone tries to set me up with someone, red neon flashing warning signs pop up for me. I don't know that person, and honestly, I get put off by big romantic gestures. Like, I appreciate it, but I don't think it's necessary? Can we just go get McDonald's, sit in the parking lot, and just shoot the shit? Play some games? We can watch movies or shows too.

I've also been on the dating websites and such as well, and I'm just always immediately put off. "Hello beautiful," ugh. "Insert pickup line here." please God why. "Unsolicited romantic or sexual advances right after a day of talking." Haha, no. There was literally one guy I thought was cool and we kinda flirted but it was really just talking everyday about the games we were playing I feel like if given time a connection could of been built but he ended up finding someone else immediately. Which honestly was fine I was kinda bummed but like if he wanted romance immediately, I wasn't gonna be giving that to him. I wanted to still be friends, but apparently, we had "too much history," so he ended up blocking me. lol oh well.

I've also literally only have had two "crushes" in like in a 5 year time span (only because this is what I can remember lol) one of em was so goofy and seemed so fun but then it seems like they turned out to be very self absorbed instantly done the other had baby mama drama wasn't into that. Honestly, those things seem to be things that could be worked through? Maybe? But once I just see something off-putting, it's all I see, which seems more like a personal thing because of past traumas.

As of now I'm honestly content with no romantic relationship but I feel like I do want one but I don't want one with just anyone and it just doesn't seem like many people out there are willing to wait or willing to be friends first and want to hop into relationships immediately when I very much don't. It takes me a while to be comfortable with people, and I want to get to know them as a person.

For a long time I felt like I just wasn't doing things right or that I had to actually change something that I was doing. I thought I was wrong or that I should just force myself into the uncomfortable situation of being someone's girlfriend immediately but then if it turns out I just don't have those romantic feelings then there the whole process of hurting them which is just anxiety inducting.

Also, with all that I'm saying, it does go into the demisexual portion, too. I've still never been with someone sexually because even in the one relationship I have had, I haven't met someone I've trusted to give myself to. The thought of one night stands or anything of the like just makes me wanna crawl into myself. I don't mind anything sexual but I want to be with someone sexually that I trust and care about with my whole being, not some dude Craig or some chick Wendy from Tinder. I'm content with that, but a lot of the times, I'm almost made to feel bad because I haven't done anything sexual. But boy, can I read all the smut on Ao3. Like it all in theory, but dunno about in practice lol I just don't have much of a drive in general, but I don't know if that's just because I've never been with anyone before? I keep getting told, "As soon as you're with someone, your sex drive changes," and like, does that shit really happen? Lol

All in all, I really feel connected to the terms demiromantic and demisexual. Even when I just said I'm bi, it just never felt right, but for once, I feel like I finally found something that I felt connected to and finally found me. But I guess I also wanna feel like I'm right in assuming so? I dunno I feel like it'd be disrespectful in using a label that isn't really you? Which doesn't sound right because everyone has the right to find themselves, and sometimes people go through a list until they finally find themselves, which is what's happening to me right now. But my feelings also just get jumbled up and I have a hard time distinguishing what's been conditioned in me, like how you date, you get into a relationship, ya do couple things, then you get married ect. When all I wanna do is get to know you, really know you, then actually date but even then I feel like a lot of my stuff is more on the platonic end? Like, I like cuddling and kissing, and I do like romance but on a more tame level? I kick my feet when reading "he bought her all these extravagant gifts then he swept her off her feet and dipped her into a kiss" so cute but like if I was actually in that situation like bro put me down for real and I'm so awkward when given gifts lol

I dunno I'd just would really like to discuss this with others who have found themselves because I don't really have anyone else to talk to about this. I've talked to my friends and they of course support me and love me but I feel like they don't really get it? And my family just chalks it up to " Ya just don't have a lot of experience it'll all change when ya get out there and mingle with people"

Thanks in advance for reading all this if ya made it this far I know it's a lot of word vomit as I like to call it but I don't have very organized thoughts and I just kinda write what I'm thinking in the moment lol

[ordinarydoodles]

We don't talk about that

Maybe you'll be okay with it now People change, after all. Everyone changes. But I remember how I saw drag queens for the first time on some dumb daytime talk show And I remember thinking "That's weird but as long as they're happy" Until you sat down and calmly told me that they were not evil, but what they were doing was a sin Talking in your teacher voice I was confused, but I nodded anyways Wasn't a sin supposed to hurt someone? I remember how you watched the Oscars in a furious rage the year Brokeback Mountain came out Curled stone-stiff like a gargoyle at the edge of the couch, And how you sat back with a satisfied huff and said "Good, that's the way it should be" when it didn't win Best Picture You don't even care about the Oscars It wasn't even a good movie, it was just boring and sad and no one got a happy ending But, like, it's not about sad films about men kissing, or sins that don't hurt anyone It's not about women in wigs It's not even about hate It's about the ones called the fathers going out and living lives and the ones called the mothers saying home and getting fucked It's about the boy cousins getting multitools and girl cousins getting bath sets It's about me cracking a joke in first grade and the teacher going "quiet!" And a boy two seats over cracking the exact same joke five minutes later and the teacher laughing It's about someone taking you and forcing you, step by excruciating step, to recognize dirt and clean it, anticipate hunger and feed it, see a grown-ass adult man and know that your five-year-old child self is responsible for his care and upkeep whining and fighting and complaining every step of the way (while the boy cousins play Nintendo) and then later they have the nerve to tell you that women are naturally caretakers. It's about how I'm still not exactly sure if the devil scooped out my brain and stuck a stranger behind my eyes, someone who would adorn themselves in long lashes and hunger pangs, if you would even notice It's about how, until I was 19, the only words I had to describe myself were "girl, but wrong" It's about this guy randomly telling me he had feelings for me and me not feeling anything at all towards him, not one thing, not love or curiosity or boredom or disinterest or pity not one thing and I said "okay" because I didn't know what else to say (turns out that was the wrong thing to say) It's about being body-checked out of the way when some guy lurches forward to pull open the door that I was just about to open and he holds it open like he's announcing the fucking pope and he's half blocking the doorway and then he kind of glares at me when I sort of awkwardly wriggle past him and don't make eye contact and don't say thank you I didn't ask to play a bit part in your street theater improv I definitely didn't ask to be typecast It's about how being a woman makes you less of a man And you can always be less of a man But you can never be less of a woman It's about a game that isn't fun and no one wins and everyone has to play it forever And no one is willing to admit it's a stupid game And the people who do, the people who realize that it can be fun, all the players who say it's not a game want to kill them Like actual death I don't know if I'll ever tell you I never talk to you anyways and I'm pretty sure that if we went to some gallery that was unexpectedly displaying Electric Fan (Feel It Motherfuckers) That even if I explained the story behind it, the deliberate disregard, the lovers torn apart and denied a final comfort, the history of all the people who were erased by their families, (the unspoken question of what you would erase-and-replace on my gravestone) you would still wonder why I was making a scene crying in front of a stupid box fan You're embarrassing yourself Thank goodness we don't have any of that in our family

[albertserra]

hii bc i’m really curious and would love to engage more deeply & widely with cinema myself… can i ask how you got into film as an art form and how you cultivate your relationship to it? bonus if you could share (i’m sure you have before) what are the things you look out for in a film that makes it both good and a personal favourite. and how/where do you keep discovering things to watch (aside from the obvious like mubi and criterion collection)!!

I’ll start with the finding things to watch because that part is easier. You obv touched on the easy ones - though I’ll say some online ‘film festivals’ are more niche and also really good. My friend told me about this one and there’s some interesting stuff in it. There’s also kanopy which is free with a library card. Solidarity cinema’s archive is also great! Other sites for stuff you can’t find on these ofc. Then with all this access it comes down to actually picking what to watch. At this point I just kind of have things I gravitate towards - actors, directors, themes, etc. and the people I follow on here/letterboxd also introduce me to some really cool stuff. To just get your feet wet though I get it can be overwhelming! I’m happy to help with recs if you give some criteria or things you like. My letterboxd account has helped me a lot in terms of not only keeping track of what I’ve seen and my thoughts on them but also finding things to watch through lists or other people. I started with the imdb top 250 when I was in high school which wasn’t necessarily bad but my taste has changed drastically since then lmao. Which kind of gets into the other part of your question

Like I said I started in high school idk why I think I was just bored of the video games I was currently playing and had a lot of time since I couldn’t find a job for a summer. Ended up deciding to get into movies and started an imdb account and scrolling through the imdb top 250. I liked thrillers and crime movies a lot, then I got really into Kevin spacey because I thought he was hot (LMFAOO) which led me to watch se7en, which lead me to David fincher. Stuff like that. But my enjoyment was still mostly superficial. It’s only when I had the opportunity to take film electives in college that I really started thinking about film seriously as art. It exposed me to a lot more and I learned the basics about film language/techniques-mise en scene, editing etc. inwhat was essentially a ‘film 101’ class which was a prerequisite for the more interesting classes. Then in those I got exposed to more world cinema and film theory (two highlights were classes that mixed the domain of film theory with other disciplines, one for queer theory and another for feminist theory). Reading and watching all this and being forced to write long form for assignments helped me develop my appreciation for what I was watching as well as the language I could use to talk about the films. My personal taste developed kind of alongside all this and is of course still developing. Jeanne dielman is how I learned I loved slow cinema, a Soviet cinema class got me to think about political messaging in film, stuff like that. But even then these were still just seeds I think. I was too young and inexperienced to really appreciate some of it but looking back I see how valuable it all was. Someone like you would def have an advantage starting out with a literary background, so I think a lot of the skills are transferable

Good and personal favorite, for me, don’t have much difference. But I think that’s me just being spoiled from having seen so many “classics” that a really well executed film doesn’t do much for me if it doesn’t do something new/different that excites me or doesn’t trigger any kind of emotional response in me. Good example of this would be the brutalist recently - undeniably well made, but narratively and technically not really anything special or fresh, not to mention the murky politics. Something like “the white silk dress” / áo lụa hà đông on the other hand- it’s not as pretty to look at, it’s not as polished, but it’s so much better imo. Heart and soul and a real driving force instead of empty aesthetics and an Oscar bait narrative.

I’ve never liked the idea of a film “canon”, especially because of how much it tends to leave by the wayside when I much prefer “third world” cinema, films that fall through the cracks, etc. But I can understand the importance of films like citizen Kane and breathless and the rules of the game even if on an enjoyment level idrc about any of them. But I think they’re a good base to then branch out/away from.

This was really long sorry…. Ummm. Feel free to ask more or dm or whatever!!

[mysticstarlightduck]

Playlist Character Personality Tag!

Let's go with some of the cast from What Lurks In The Hollow for this one!!!

Rules:  You choose a character that you want to talk about, then from your playlist, or even from the songs you know, you choose a specific song that most relates to your character and explain why you think that this song reminds you of that character by analyzing the song.

WHAT LURKS IN THE HOLLOW

Zach Taylors

"Please Don't Go" - Joel Adams

Nobody ever knows Nobody ever sees I left my soul Back there now I'm too weak Most nights I pray for you to come home Praying to the Lord Praying for my soul

Now please don't go Most nights I hardly sleep when I'm alone Now please don't go, oh no I think of you whenever I'm alone So please don't go

[...]

'Cause I don't ever want to know Don't ever want to see things change 'Cause when I'm living on my own I'll wanna take it back and start again

Dylan Millihan

"Children's Work - Dessa"

I grew up with a book in my bed I got these dark circles before I turned ten Heard my mother with her friends worry it was something she did To get such a serious kid

But I've learned how to paint my face How to earn my keep, how to clean my kill Some nights I still can't sleep The past rolls back, I can see us still

You've learned how to hold your own How to stack your stones But the history's thick Children aren't as simple as we'd like to think

[...] Tried to tell the grown-ups About the storm clouds, the weather in my head Hadn't heard the word for melancholy yet

Amy Millihan

"Seventeen - Heathers The Musical"

Fine! We’re damaged Really damaged But that does not make us wise

We’re not special, we’re not different We don’t choose who lives or dies Let’s be normal, see bad movies Sneak a beer and watch TV

We’ll bake brownies or go bowling Don’t you want a life with me?

Can’t we be seventeen? That’s all I want to do If you could let me in I could be good with you People hurt us

Or they vanish And you’re right, that really blows But we let go Take a deep breath Then go buy some summer clothes We'll go camping

Play some poker And we’ll eat some chili fries Maybe prom night Maybe dancing Don't stop looking in my eyes

Savvanah Hahn

"Complicated - Demi Lovato"

It's time for me to take it I'm the boss right now Not gonna fake it Not when you go down 'Cause this is my game And you better come to play

I used to hold my freak back Now I'm letting go I make my own choice Bitch, I run this show So leave the lights on No, you can't make me behave

Uh, huh, huh So you say I'm complicated That I must be out my mind But you've had me underrated Rated, rated

Uh, huh, huh What's wrong with being What's wrong with being What's wrong with being confident?

Liam Steele

"Cradles - Sub Urban"

I live inside my own world of make-believe Kids screaming in their cradles, profanities I see the world through eyes covered in ink and bleach Cross out the ones who heard my cries and watched me weep

I love everything Fire's spreading all around my room My world's so bright It's hard to breathe but that's alright Hush

Shh

Tape my eyes open to force reality (oh, no no) Why can't you just let me eat my weight in glee I live inside my own world of make-believe Kids screaming in their cradles, profanities Some days I feel skinnier than all the other days Sometimes I can't tell if my body belongs to me

Tasha Strikehart

"brutal - Olivia Rodrigo"

And I'm so sick of 17 Where's my fucking teenage dream? If someone tells me one more time "Enjoy your youth, " I'm gonna cry And I don't stick up for myself I'm anxious and nothing can help And I wish I'd done this before And I wish people liked me more

All I did was try my best This the kind of thanks I get? Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah) They say these are the golden years But I wish I could disappear Ego crush is so severe God, it's brutal out here

I feel like no one wants me And I hate the way I'm perceived I only have two real friends And lately, I'm a nervous wreck 'Cause I love people I don't like And I hate every song I write And I'm not cool and I'm not smart And I can't even parallel park

My Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3,

@thepeculiarbird

@the-golden-comet, @urnumber1star, @ominous-feychild, @anyablackwood, @amaiguri,

@lyutenw @finickyfelix

@thecomfywriter, @the-letterbox-archives, @differentnighttale @wyked-ao3

@thelovelymachinery @an-indecisive-nerd

@zinabug-writes @dahliaontherun

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[tmbatcat]

YEAH!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!! TELL ME ABOUT YOUR SKILLS!!! :D!!!!!

HEELL YYEE!!! Let me just spill my guts out !!

This may be a little long :]

(You may know this but is good to recap)

Ok, small story time! Basically I drew them becourse I read spilledkaleidoscopes works and in the second part Kim gets his own skills and there are only 8 and I was like "Fuck, If I were to make my own skill I am not forced to the albatrairie number 24 and also not forced to include all of physique and motorics gangs and i could just mix and match and nobody would care." so that's basically what I did

i took me 20 hours to figure their designs out (I am not kidding btw, i looked through the ibispaint recording) and 10 more to render them out to a point that i would say it's acceptable (i would have stayed longer if i wasn't physically and mentally tired of this little project and i also told myself that they will never be perfect and that OK)

more drawings for your pleasure (some not posted yet)

Ok now let's actually talk about the 8 dummies: (i will compare them to Harry's skills and other stuff for better understanding)(also I will includes an edgy description) [anything in square brackets are just my notes over the skill]

DOUBT - LOGIC + anxiety + masking - Logic tainted by how many times you got burned. You now know what to hide; all your cracks and imperfections. Your mask won't peel from your face, you forgot to take it off at some point and now you don't ever remember what you look like. Good luck with that, people would hate you more without it and you know it; I bore that though your head everyday.

[The little Jean in all of us. A strung up anxious mess that can't understand that people actually like you and that perfection is impossible. A lil hater.]

MECHANICAL HEART - EMPATHY + video game/movie logic - Understansing through empathy and pattern recognition. Don't understand someone? That's OK, use your vast knowledge of media to put them into little boxes and label them. People are more complicated than that but I am just a tool. I tune in on everyone and everythings frequency and if you don't understand something you look through the file drawer of your mind.

[My internet riddled brain can only understand tropes. I have so much brainrot that it can not be contained, it spreds to everything]

SENSOR - ENDURANCE + PERCEPTION + INTERFACING + autism - Caretaker of the temple. For other people it's automatic. Sadly, yours isn't. You forget to eat if nobody reminds you. So that's why I'm here. Your nerves are also more sensitive than most. It doesn't help that the world has so many textures and hard edges. I relay all the info as soon as I get it, though it's late most of the time.

KNOW-HOW - ADHD info dump (basically ENCYCLOPEDIE) - Keeper of the librarys. You know, your mind is like a library, but without any of the labeling a normal library would use. More of a big collection of storys and fun-facts you know. When you don't ask them for a piece of information in particular, they chime in with something that is vaguely connected to the conversation.

WILLPOWER - VOLITION + a crumb of SHIVERS - Makeing peace with it all. I am silent most of the time but not, because I don't care. I talk only to remind you of the world's humanity. When you are at ypur lowest. You need to go on. You can take a break, maybe cry a little, but never actually give up. The world doesn't end with you, and it's worse without you in it.

[they don't talk a lot cuz I am a depressed lil bitch]

DAY DREAM - INLAND EMPIRE + VISUALIZATION + CONCEPTUALIZATION - Close your eyes and see other worlds. Colors, characters, ideas, scenarios; all swirling in that little head of yours. They just make the puppets move for your own amusement. They unfortunately play with your puppet too, making you watch scenarios wherein you die a lot, but what can you do? You can't stop it. It has it upsides through, mainly escapism.

CHASE - ELECTRO-CHEMISTRY + ADHD hyperactivity + autistic hyperfixation - Longing for paradise and ambrosia. Comfort over anything else. They love to indulge and party. Not actually party. You know, more like watching youtube alone or with friends while eating chips at 2 AM. That is your type of party. Your batteries run low most of time, so a good game and a snack also work.

[ELECTRO-CHEMISTRY but a bit chiller, no drug related stuff, if sugar doesn't count. They just love good brain juice]

FLARE - HALF LIGHT + PAIN THRESHOLD - The fire that burns within us all. A caged animal that hisses at anything that comes near. In general it sits in corner, waiting, only popping it's head out to shriek profanities at whatever rattled the cage. All bark, no bite. A problem that you have is that you forget how people wronged you, but I'm here, I remember. Only emotions, but that is enough. You shouldn't give out so many second chances.

[stressed out little creature]

They also hate each other so fucking much AAAAAA I have a headache

I also wrote a small story with all of them in another post... I want to write some more small storys of mine if i could think of anything funny that happend and that would work in the Disco Elysium dialog style

you can also make your own skills if you want, i may be annoying but I believe in you <3 don't know what else I could add

[lifeafterpsychiatry]

hi kat, i want to ask about an outsider's view on things concerning my partner and i. i feel like i lean a lot on my friends during times like these and i dont want to bother them again anymore, currently, about these issues.

my partner and i recently have been fighting a lot, about mundane things, usually stemming from me being pushed a little. i do agree that i may be a little too sensitive about certain things, and sometimes i become selfish. my familial relationships are rooted in emotional abuse so i had been closed off my whole life. sometimes i drop everything on him about things and he has his limits. this is because i often feel like if he likes me he will do anything for me even though theyre out of line.

his part of the family isnt great either, he had been exposed to physical abuse disguises as love afterwards, and he wants to leave as soon as he finishes his degree.

we have broken up before, due to miscommunication, he wants to sleep things off before talking and i take that as a personal insult when i cant help my emotions, i want to solve things before bed. however we have compromised sometimes, and things have been great.

the thing is i am half positive that we are often fighting recently due to us missing each other, we havent met each other in a month now, and it is the longest we have not seen each other in person. however, since he is still staying at his parents' house and hes not allowed to leave for trips unannounced unless he wants to get the consequences, we havent been able to cope well this vacation period.

i never mean to start a fight but recently everytime i say my feelings he has an issue with it. one time we had a plan to watch moviws together online, so i asked him to set a plan. and he did, however he turned up 35 minutes late and it greatly upset me. he informed me after we cooled down that he had been lectured by his parents and he couldnt message me during it. i understand that i had a fault in not perceiving things a lot, however i think the whole fight could have been avoided if he apologized and told me immediately afterqards the reason why. he had told me that i was too sensitive about it and that it wasnt his fault. i had let it pass because i do think its also true, given that i myself am also late sometimes.

yesterday, we had spent the day together playing online games and watching movies. however, by the time it was nightfall, i had felt down and i told him that i feel like the love i had received for the day wasnt enough and that i dont mean it as an offense to him. he said he loved me a lot the whole day and i should think back and cherish the moments we had. i dont even rememver what happened after that but we got into a huge fight, i just feel like i want some love and he should have just given it? instead of trying to tell me that im being ungrateful, because i dont think i am, i appreciated the whole day i just wanted to be cuddled to bed too, and i feel like we didnt connect a lot. he said i can never be content and will always want more than he can give, and then he had slept.

i understand that im sometimes asking for too much, but then again. i cant helo it sometimes and i dont mean to. i also dont want to accidentally start a fight every single time i feel a negative emotion.

i dont know what is happening to us and i just want someone to shine a light on what is happening. sorry for the long ask, i hope you have a good day. thanks for listening

There are no obvious red flags here in the sense that I don't get the impression that you OR your partner is doing something inherently abusive towards the other. But it seems like you both have your fair share of emotional issues and related trauma, and that you have a tendency to talk past and trigger each other. And the key to resolve it isn't in you forcing a discussion when he's asking for space, just like he doesn't get to just tell you to feel differently when you communicate unmet needs. So you have to decide whether there is still something worth fighting for in this connection, and then you both have to be willing to work on yourself and compromise and communicate. Because maintaining a relationship is hard work, especially during less than ideal circumstances, and whether you're both able to put in the work it would take to change this pattern is worth thinking about