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27
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: April 03, 2019, 06:09:33 PM »
The hat is actually feathers. What the heck.
Also that pom-pom growing out of its butt, under its tail - dare I ask how that's attached? Does Honchkrow fly? CAN he, with these malformed wings and tail?
Maybe he'll just use his wizard beard to conjure up some teleportation.
Also that pom-pom growing out of its butt, under its tail - dare I ask how that's attached? Does Honchkrow fly? CAN he, with these malformed wings and tail?
Maybe he'll just use his wizard beard to conjure up some teleportation.
28
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: March 29, 2019, 06:35:41 PM »
The worst part about Ambipom - no seriously, the worst - is that it has all of those weird details, like the bloated, diseased hand-udders, weird grass-hair, a fluffy purple bottom, are brought together into true horror by that frozen, empty smile and eyes. That thing is fucking creepy.
I like Drifloon because it's so unassuming. I think what I like most about it, though, is its Pokedex entries, which imply that it steals children who mistake it as a balloon. Don't worry about me, I'm just a derpy purple balloon with these bright, heart-shaped yellow tags held at child level!
You are indeed correct that Drifblim is a terrible name. I know what they're going for, but jesus stick another vowel in there or something please? Drifoblim? Drifbloom? It's really uncomfortable to say that name. The Pokedex says it carries people. It doesn't say how or where, though. Makes you think. Try not to think too hard, though, there's only one apparent hole in this thing. Well, two, if you don't assume the X-bandage in its face is concealing a horrific tunnel of pointy teeth.
I like Drifloon because it's so unassuming. I think what I like most about it, though, is its Pokedex entries, which imply that it steals children who mistake it as a balloon. Don't worry about me, I'm just a derpy purple balloon with these bright, heart-shaped yellow tags held at child level!
You are indeed correct that Drifblim is a terrible name. I know what they're going for, but jesus stick another vowel in there or something please? Drifoblim? Drifbloom? It's really uncomfortable to say that name. The Pokedex says it carries people. It doesn't say how or where, though. Makes you think. Try not to think too hard, though, there's only one apparent hole in this thing. Well, two, if you don't assume the X-bandage in its face is concealing a horrific tunnel of pointy teeth.
29
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: March 25, 2019, 07:19:28 PM »
Shellos definitely reminds me of those sea slugs, nudibranches. But they're adorable in the same way I'm okay with lobsters being a roly poly of the sea - as long as I don't think about it too hard, it's cute.
They're shell-less gastropods. Shellos. Gastrodon.
... you know, Game Freak, I feel a lot less clever when you just go around and steal real words for your Pokemon. LOOKING AT YOU, EKANS.
They're shell-less gastropods. Shellos. Gastrodon.
... you know, Game Freak, I feel a lot less clever when you just go around and steal real words for your Pokemon. LOOKING AT YOU, EKANS.
30
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: March 20, 2019, 06:16:15 PM »
Okay, so electric rats have electric juice cheek pouches everywhere in the Pokemon world. Still doesn't mean Pachirisu is dumb for having them. Yellow is a complementary color so it's not weird. Also Pikachu's electric juice pouches are red like Dimple's. Maybe he's just possessed by an evil spirit??
--
So I'm always curious how the transition between evolutions is supposed to work. In this case, Buizel has a soda ring trapped around his neck, and then Floatzel has a giant inner tube he's oh so casually wrapping around himself. Did Floatzel shrink? Did the flotation device ALSO evolve? Did he get the old one cut off and found a new one? Or maybe he stretched it out and when he was finally free his body expanded to its natural proportions? When does a Buizel/Floatzel earn more tails? Is Buizel 200 years old???
--
So I'm always curious how the transition between evolutions is supposed to work. In this case, Buizel has a soda ring trapped around his neck, and then Floatzel has a giant inner tube he's oh so casually wrapping around himself. Did Floatzel shrink? Did the flotation device ALSO evolve? Did he get the old one cut off and found a new one? Or maybe he stretched it out and when he was finally free his body expanded to its natural proportions? When does a Buizel/Floatzel earn more tails? Is Buizel 200 years old???
31
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: March 18, 2019, 07:42:04 PM »
Pachirisu has cheek pouches to store its electric juice. It's not its fault that Pokemon nature is uninspired and couldn't think of a better way for rats to store electric power until they got to Hawaii or whatever.
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Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: March 01, 2019, 08:49:25 PM »
I'm glad we've set the bar for "1/5" to isn't vaguely racist, weird fetish material, or looks like it belongs in a sex offender registry. That's about where it ought to be.
And Empoleon still falls below it.
But fair, it at least follows a progression and looks like it's in the right neighborhood with Piplup and Prinplup, even if that neighborhood is due for eradication. (Also I blame you for me now casting these characters in a gritty procedural where Empoleon is the kingpin, Prinplup is the pimp, and Piplup is the... exploited... for lack of a more fitting term.)
And Empoleon still falls below it.
But fair, it at least follows a progression and looks like it's in the right neighborhood with Piplup and Prinplup, even if that neighborhood is due for eradication. (Also I blame you for me now casting these characters in a gritty procedural where Empoleon is the kingpin, Prinplup is the pimp, and Piplup is the... exploited... for lack of a more fitting term.)
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Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew vs Pokemon - DAILY UPDATES!
« on: March 01, 2019, 06:25:58 PM »I’m more baffled at rating Empoleon below Prinplup though. Middle child’s just an insufferable prick right there.
Empoleon is stupidly impractical. Prinplup can at least move without having his vision obstructed by a front-fin-chin-spaulders-tie and a trident glued to his face. Plus he has the eyelet-lacey scarf of a Lord High Judge printed on his chest. Inept palm claw things with minor articulation but swallowed whole by a stiff vambrace-sword-arm combination.
Empoleon looks like Howard the Duck and an Emperor Penguin had a nuclear accident with King Triton and the medieval section of the British Museum.
1/5 is too good.
34
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew versus Pokemon
« on: February 20, 2019, 06:11:43 PM »
Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza: HELLO DIGIMON HOW ARE YOU
I'd like Kyogre a lot more if it didn't have a blunted version of stupid Digimon fingers. Groudon is like a backhoe flatworm and it seriously disturbs me. Rayquaza is one of those Pokemon that look pretty neat at the first glance but then you look closer and you're like "Why is it wearing lipstick badly" and "Are those fins turbines" and no thank you.
Jirachi: Come the fuck on, Andrew, this is Tanabata personified. It's star-shaped and has wish tags. I even looked it up in the Pokedex. It's CALLED THE WISH POKEMON. ... I also don't get the shapes under the eyes, though, so I'll give you that one. If you reaaaaaaaally want to stretch, with the three points of its head/hair, the two drops of hair, and those two under-eye triangles, you get 7. And 7 is important here. But getting there is one hell of a workout.
Deoxys: These forms all speak in μ-No.12's voice.
Linoone: Cute badger but it is not a Pokemon.
I'd like Kyogre a lot more if it didn't have a blunted version of stupid Digimon fingers. Groudon is like a backhoe flatworm and it seriously disturbs me. Rayquaza is one of those Pokemon that look pretty neat at the first glance but then you look closer and you're like "Why is it wearing lipstick badly" and "Are those fins turbines" and no thank you.
Jirachi: Come the fuck on, Andrew, this is Tanabata personified. It's star-shaped and has wish tags. I even looked it up in the Pokedex. It's CALLED THE WISH POKEMON. ... I also don't get the shapes under the eyes, though, so I'll give you that one. If you reaaaaaaaally want to stretch, with the three points of its head/hair, the two drops of hair, and those two under-eye triangles, you get 7. And 7 is important here. But getting there is one hell of a workout.
Deoxys: These forms all speak in μ-No.12's voice.
Linoone: Cute badger but it is not a Pokemon.
35
General Chat / Re: What's for dinner, DL?
« on: February 06, 2019, 01:01:35 AM »
I have not one but two new kitchen appliances since I last talked to anyone about what I was cooking and I can count on one hand the number of times I've used them in the past year. (Okay, to be fair, one is BRAND new, from Christmas, but still - I just took it out of the box this weekend.)
Kidthing and lack of kitchen space are major bummers when it comes to actually cooking, the former due to time and the latter due to mess and storage, but I'm trying to edge back toward cooking at home like a normal human being. Andrew helps with that a lot since he seems to care more, and food really stresses me out. Like, been seeing a therapist because my approach to food is actively dangerous stresses me out.
Suffice to say that we have been pretty low on the "recipe" front. It's a lot more dumping some spices on a basic protein and serving it with a side of a basic vegetable/salad and calling it good. When recipes are called on, it's mostly just to get proportions right, not to try something new. Beef stroganoff in the Instant Pot is one, for example! Andrew wants to try one or more lifestyle diets (e.g., Paleo) and I'm nominally on board as long as I don't have to do too much of the planning. The last time I broke down over food was at the grocery store trying to decide between meats based on whether they had nitrites or not and nothing was labeled and the internet wasn't working so I couldn't check and - why, no, I have not gained any chill since that happened 6 years ago.
But I have an Instant Pot, a food processor, a stand mixer, and a stick blender, and I want to move past simply having the kitchen stocked as if I cook.
Kidthing and lack of kitchen space are major bummers when it comes to actually cooking, the former due to time and the latter due to mess and storage, but I'm trying to edge back toward cooking at home like a normal human being. Andrew helps with that a lot since he seems to care more, and food really stresses me out. Like, been seeing a therapist because my approach to food is actively dangerous stresses me out.
Suffice to say that we have been pretty low on the "recipe" front. It's a lot more dumping some spices on a basic protein and serving it with a side of a basic vegetable/salad and calling it good. When recipes are called on, it's mostly just to get proportions right, not to try something new. Beef stroganoff in the Instant Pot is one, for example! Andrew wants to try one or more lifestyle diets (e.g., Paleo) and I'm nominally on board as long as I don't have to do too much of the planning. The last time I broke down over food was at the grocery store trying to decide between meats based on whether they had nitrites or not and nothing was labeled and the internet wasn't working so I couldn't check and - why, no, I have not gained any chill since that happened 6 years ago.
But I have an Instant Pot, a food processor, a stand mixer, and a stick blender, and I want to move past simply having the kitchen stocked as if I cook.
36
General Chat / Re: What games are you playing 2019?
« on: February 04, 2019, 07:48:14 PM »
Cultist Simulator: Started playing this yesterday. I've now put like 3 hours into it and I'm still not sure if I understand what it is I'm supposed to be doing. It's a found narrative resource management RPG thingy? But it preys on all my worst impulses which is making it hard for me to know whether I'm actually enjoying the game or not. Timers, optimizations, push-pull resource management, serendipities, unfolding narrative - all driving me batty since on top of it I wasted the first 15 minutes of the game not reading any of the prompts (TIMERS!) or understanding there was a pause button or realizing that there were some obvious interdependencies with resources.
I think I'm liking it? It's at least giving me the hate-fuck feel where it makes me actively annoyed and I want to keep going just so I can satisfy my curiosity over whether I even like it.
I think I'm liking it? It's at least giving me the hate-fuck feel where it makes me actively annoyed and I want to keep going just so I can satisfy my curiosity over whether I even like it.
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General Chat / Re: It returns! Random questions with Super in 2019.
« on: January 31, 2019, 06:20:09 PM »
This post makes me very nostalgic for MySpace.
1. A law that raised the smoking and vaping age to 21. Changes nothing.
2. A law that banned home schooling and restricted private schooling. As much as I would DEARLY LOVE TO, knowing what some people use this power for, no. There are good reasons to do it. And forcing people to adhere to state education is icky on the face of it. We should have some sort of nationalized standardized ranked test, though, to... oh, wait. That would be too much like other successful countries.
3. A law that jailed parents who avoided/refused vaccinating their children without medical need (IE children with autoimmune disorders) The crux is always "who decides what is medical need." No. But. Something else is required to make it clear that this isn't just a political stance they're taking.
4. Term limits on congress? Something along the lines of two terms for the senate, six terms for the house. Yes. Though I'd love to encourage more meaningful internships/externships for freshmen Congress people. I don't want to lose the knowledge and experience. I do want to lose the entrenchment.
5. A law that restricts the ability of non US citizens from buying real estate? Yes, with the caveat that I don't fully understand the implications of foreign ownership. But my lived experience says fuck all of these foreign billionaires buying up perfectly good housing in order to demolish it and construct legal shantytowns, or McMansions, or tolerating years of vacancy.
Wheel of morality
6. Would you have any objection to working for a company that did things you found to be morally abhorrant? IE tobacco company, a weapons maker, oil company, a payday lender etc. I work in Marketing so you bet I fucking would. I can't even work for a company I don't like so I don't know how I could support and promote one I found morally objectionable.
7. Have political or moral disagreements damaged relationships with your family and friends in the past few years? If so, how much? Off and on. My mother-in-law is a Trump supporter. Mostly we go on trying really hard to ignore each others' politics (mostly her ignoring mine since I post a LOT about politics on FB). I've definitely lost friends over moral disagreements. I won't apologize for it.
8. What's the last vacation you had? Did you enjoy it? Uh... ... ... a sadly long time ago. Small child = no money, no time. Sad. I'm currently in the mode where I'm looking forward to using a PTO day so I can go see Endgame and such. So glamorous.
9. When you travel, do you prefer to fly, drive, or go by some other means? With the childthing, the shortest possible travel time is preferred. Since I have to worry about work I also don't like losing vacation time to travel. Ignoring all that, though, I love to drive. I have fond memories of road trips.
Home
10. Does where you live have a homeless problem? Do you ever give money to the homeless? Yes, and yes. I buy them meals sometimes. Sometimes I give them groceries they can use (pre-packaged snacks, bread and peanut butter). Sometimes I give them cash. Depends on what I have on me and how much of a rush I'm in.
11. Do you have a strong opinion on gentrification? I live near Oakland, of course I do. It fucking sucks. It's easy to dismiss as a side-effect of progress but there are too many unnatural triggers making it way worse than it needs to be (artificially supporting certain types of business, landlords gouging out existing residents in order to take advantage of influx of monied new folk, etc.). I don't have an answer for it, but I certainly have strong opinions about it.
12. Could you live without a car/rides from family? Would you want to move to an area where you could give up your car if so? No and no. I would try to use public transportation more but I'm frankly too protective of my time. Public transportation takes 2-3x longer, and it's a pain to carry anything with you. I walk whenever I can but it doesn't get me too far.
13. Do you live close to where you grew up? If not, do you want to move back home? Ish? I live near where my parents grew up/I spent time as a kid, and I'm still in my 'home state.' I like being where I am but I do miss being near family.
14. Are you currently a homeowner? If not, do you plan on buying a home in the forseeable future? No, I wish. And I'd love to but my options are 90% condos and I DO NOT want to get stuck sharing walls with neighbors and paying to own the privilege.
Entertainment:
En
15. What book/game/TV show/movie are you excited for next? Game of Thrones, Endgame, I'm sure there's more but those are the ones at top of mind. I'm otherwise randomly browsing books so serendipity will have to fill in that blank for me.
16. Do you watch TV? Do you watch any video streamers? Not, like, cable TV. I have Netflix and Hulu and I watch shows that would have been/are modeled after TV shows. I don't watch streamers, but I do watch YouTubers in general, anything from sociopolitical video essays to speedruns.
17. Do you play any board or card games? If so, what is your favorite? Not much anymore which is fucking tragic. I really like Euro-style strategy games (not the military or abstracts, but the politics and resource management) and wordplay games.
Long term:
18. Look at back at your life 10 years and 5 years ago. Are you where you expected to be? Nah. I do have a kid, which is something I wanted to do, and I have a stable career, which is boring but great. I'm not doing cool things which was one of my primary criteria for life. But I'm not hating every moment, either, and I'm making enough money to have these idle philosophical problems.
19. Do you worry about retirement/career stuff long term much? Are you happy with where you are in this regard? Retirement, yes. I don't know what I'm going to do about it. Similarly, I don't know what my PARENTS are going to do about it and that's a more immediate concern. Career-wise, I think I'm in the mode of giving up on it mattering much and I seek what I would have sought there elsewhere.
20. What is one thing currently about you that would surprise the 18 year old version of yourself? I work in analytical marketing. I'm not writing, I haven't published anything, I didn't join the military, I'm not in a science career, I own a motorcycle. The thing I think would surprise younger me most of all, though, is that I'm still alive. Words cannot express how existentially distraught I was and how seriously I was considering/planning suicide. To think I'd make it another 15 years and not even feel like that any more? Laughable.
1. A law that raised the smoking and vaping age to 21. Changes nothing.
2. A law that banned home schooling and restricted private schooling. As much as I would DEARLY LOVE TO, knowing what some people use this power for, no. There are good reasons to do it. And forcing people to adhere to state education is icky on the face of it. We should have some sort of nationalized standardized ranked test, though, to... oh, wait. That would be too much like other successful countries.
3. A law that jailed parents who avoided/refused vaccinating their children without medical need (IE children with autoimmune disorders) The crux is always "who decides what is medical need." No. But. Something else is required to make it clear that this isn't just a political stance they're taking.
4. Term limits on congress? Something along the lines of two terms for the senate, six terms for the house. Yes. Though I'd love to encourage more meaningful internships/externships for freshmen Congress people. I don't want to lose the knowledge and experience. I do want to lose the entrenchment.
5. A law that restricts the ability of non US citizens from buying real estate? Yes, with the caveat that I don't fully understand the implications of foreign ownership. But my lived experience says fuck all of these foreign billionaires buying up perfectly good housing in order to demolish it and construct legal shantytowns, or McMansions, or tolerating years of vacancy.
Wheel of morality
6. Would you have any objection to working for a company that did things you found to be morally abhorrant? IE tobacco company, a weapons maker, oil company, a payday lender etc. I work in Marketing so you bet I fucking would. I can't even work for a company I don't like so I don't know how I could support and promote one I found morally objectionable.
7. Have political or moral disagreements damaged relationships with your family and friends in the past few years? If so, how much? Off and on. My mother-in-law is a Trump supporter. Mostly we go on trying really hard to ignore each others' politics (mostly her ignoring mine since I post a LOT about politics on FB). I've definitely lost friends over moral disagreements. I won't apologize for it.
8. What's the last vacation you had? Did you enjoy it? Uh... ... ... a sadly long time ago. Small child = no money, no time. Sad. I'm currently in the mode where I'm looking forward to using a PTO day so I can go see Endgame and such. So glamorous.
9. When you travel, do you prefer to fly, drive, or go by some other means? With the childthing, the shortest possible travel time is preferred. Since I have to worry about work I also don't like losing vacation time to travel. Ignoring all that, though, I love to drive. I have fond memories of road trips.
Home
10. Does where you live have a homeless problem? Do you ever give money to the homeless? Yes, and yes. I buy them meals sometimes. Sometimes I give them groceries they can use (pre-packaged snacks, bread and peanut butter). Sometimes I give them cash. Depends on what I have on me and how much of a rush I'm in.
11. Do you have a strong opinion on gentrification? I live near Oakland, of course I do. It fucking sucks. It's easy to dismiss as a side-effect of progress but there are too many unnatural triggers making it way worse than it needs to be (artificially supporting certain types of business, landlords gouging out existing residents in order to take advantage of influx of monied new folk, etc.). I don't have an answer for it, but I certainly have strong opinions about it.
12. Could you live without a car/rides from family? Would you want to move to an area where you could give up your car if so? No and no. I would try to use public transportation more but I'm frankly too protective of my time. Public transportation takes 2-3x longer, and it's a pain to carry anything with you. I walk whenever I can but it doesn't get me too far.
13. Do you live close to where you grew up? If not, do you want to move back home? Ish? I live near where my parents grew up/I spent time as a kid, and I'm still in my 'home state.' I like being where I am but I do miss being near family.
14. Are you currently a homeowner? If not, do you plan on buying a home in the forseeable future? No, I wish. And I'd love to but my options are 90% condos and I DO NOT want to get stuck sharing walls with neighbors and paying to own the privilege.
Entertainment:
En
15. What book/game/TV show/movie are you excited for next? Game of Thrones, Endgame, I'm sure there's more but those are the ones at top of mind. I'm otherwise randomly browsing books so serendipity will have to fill in that blank for me.
16. Do you watch TV? Do you watch any video streamers? Not, like, cable TV. I have Netflix and Hulu and I watch shows that would have been/are modeled after TV shows. I don't watch streamers, but I do watch YouTubers in general, anything from sociopolitical video essays to speedruns.
17. Do you play any board or card games? If so, what is your favorite? Not much anymore which is fucking tragic. I really like Euro-style strategy games (not the military or abstracts, but the politics and resource management) and wordplay games.
Long term:
18. Look at back at your life 10 years and 5 years ago. Are you where you expected to be? Nah. I do have a kid, which is something I wanted to do, and I have a stable career, which is boring but great. I'm not doing cool things which was one of my primary criteria for life. But I'm not hating every moment, either, and I'm making enough money to have these idle philosophical problems.
19. Do you worry about retirement/career stuff long term much? Are you happy with where you are in this regard? Retirement, yes. I don't know what I'm going to do about it. Similarly, I don't know what my PARENTS are going to do about it and that's a more immediate concern. Career-wise, I think I'm in the mode of giving up on it mattering much and I seek what I would have sought there elsewhere.
20. What is one thing currently about you that would surprise the 18 year old version of yourself? I work in analytical marketing. I'm not writing, I haven't published anything, I didn't join the military, I'm not in a science career, I own a motorcycle. The thing I think would surprise younger me most of all, though, is that I'm still alive. Words cannot express how existentially distraught I was and how seriously I was considering/planning suicide. To think I'd make it another 15 years and not even feel like that any more? Laughable.
38
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew versus Pokemon
« on: January 23, 2019, 05:20:49 PM »Since talking to my wife is a challenge,
I am going to assume you are referring to the fact that you posted this after I went to bed rather than implying something else BUT
Anyway, kudos to Game Freak for successfully conveying their intention through design I guess. I stand behind what I said regardless.
I want to like Latios and Latias, but they feel like Japanese product mascots that got a little too literal while still trying to be clever. It's not just a cute plane, it's a cute plane that looks like a DRAGON! And it comes in two colors! Does anyone explain why they have geometric shapes on their chests? Also: they have fiberglass feathers and I'm going to be really disappointed if they don't have needle or glass-themed move sets despite being Dragon/whatever.
39
General Chat / Re: Movies
« on: January 22, 2019, 11:14:25 PM »
Oscar noms are out.
Best Picture (and other top noms)
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman (Directing, Writing - Adapted, Supporting Actor)
Bohemian Rhapsody (Actor)
The Favourite (Directing, Writing, Cinematography, Actress, Supporting Actress x 2)
Green Book (Writing, Actor, Supporting Actor)
Roma (Directing, Writing, Cinematography, Actress, Supporting Actress)
A Star Is Born (Writing - Adapted, Cinematography, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor)
Vice (Directing, Writing, Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor)
Roma is a Netflix original. Black Panther is the first superhero flick to get a Best Picture nod. BlacKkKlansman is an early favorite because Spike Lee managed a Best Director nomination for it, too. Roma's also notable for being a Best Foreign Language film nominee on top of it. Black Panther is also the only Best Pic nod without any other top award nominations.
Best Animated Picture (studio)
Incredibles 2 (Pixar)
Isle of Dogs (irrelevant - a Wes Anderson pic)
Mirai (irrelevant - Mamoru Hosoda pic)
Ralph Breaks the Internet (Disney)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Columbia/Sony)
So Spider-Man won at the Golden Globes which is a pretty good sign, but there are not 1 but TWO Disney/Pixar movies in the mix. They've won most of the time they're nominated so that's a pretty big nod to tradition. Still, by all accounts those two pics just weren't as strong as previous Disney-Pixar entries have been. I am happy to push Mirai for the sake of it, because it's anime and because I like the other stuff Hosoda's done, even though I've never seen it. Isle of Dogs is Wes Anderson so that's got its own cult, too, nevermind the film itself. But after all that... Spider-Man was just really, really good. I hope it wins.
In other news, the U.S. government is still a flaming pile of shit and it makes it hard for me to care too much about this and consider it a lot more of a pointless distraction or highlight of our Hollywood-centered lives and attention spans than a celebration of the arts but, well, here we are.
Best Picture (and other top noms)
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman (Directing, Writing - Adapted, Supporting Actor)
Bohemian Rhapsody (Actor)
The Favourite (Directing, Writing, Cinematography, Actress, Supporting Actress x 2)
Green Book (Writing, Actor, Supporting Actor)
Roma (Directing, Writing, Cinematography, Actress, Supporting Actress)
A Star Is Born (Writing - Adapted, Cinematography, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor)
Vice (Directing, Writing, Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor)
Roma is a Netflix original. Black Panther is the first superhero flick to get a Best Picture nod. BlacKkKlansman is an early favorite because Spike Lee managed a Best Director nomination for it, too. Roma's also notable for being a Best Foreign Language film nominee on top of it. Black Panther is also the only Best Pic nod without any other top award nominations.
Best Animated Picture (studio)
Incredibles 2 (Pixar)
Isle of Dogs (irrelevant - a Wes Anderson pic)
Mirai (irrelevant - Mamoru Hosoda pic)
Ralph Breaks the Internet (Disney)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Columbia/Sony)
So Spider-Man won at the Golden Globes which is a pretty good sign, but there are not 1 but TWO Disney/Pixar movies in the mix. They've won most of the time they're nominated so that's a pretty big nod to tradition. Still, by all accounts those two pics just weren't as strong as previous Disney-Pixar entries have been. I am happy to push Mirai for the sake of it, because it's anime and because I like the other stuff Hosoda's done, even though I've never seen it. Isle of Dogs is Wes Anderson so that's got its own cult, too, nevermind the film itself. But after all that... Spider-Man was just really, really good. I hope it wins.
In other news, the U.S. government is still a flaming pile of shit and it makes it hard for me to care too much about this and consider it a lot more of a pointless distraction or highlight of our Hollywood-centered lives and attention spans than a celebration of the arts but, well, here we are.
40
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew versus Pokemon
« on: January 22, 2019, 10:36:14 PM »
These are all really uninspiring Pokemon. They don't exactly look like knockoffs, which is suprising - I'll have to have a deep think about what could possibly be so consistent amongst 700+ designs as to constitute a "style bible" strong enough for me to casually retain it - but they aren't shining beacons of design meeting purpose or anything.
The things that are contiguous may be even more confusing and upsetting. Why does Bagon's head thingy become the entire shell for Shelgon and then reduce itself down to a belly plate for Salamence? What's the significance of that? I'm assuming the lore behind Beldum, Metang and Metagross is they're some conglomeration of the creatures, as that's what the design progression suggestions (arm, body + arm, four arms + body), but does that actually suggest that Metagross is some final evolution wherein the anima of the previous creatures is subsumed in some rock/metal tomb and donated to the greater glory of the parasitic diamond they now find themselves enslaved to?
Also why does Metagross just have a metal X whanged onto his face. why.
The things that are contiguous may be even more confusing and upsetting. Why does Bagon's head thingy become the entire shell for Shelgon and then reduce itself down to a belly plate for Salamence? What's the significance of that? I'm assuming the lore behind Beldum, Metang and Metagross is they're some conglomeration of the creatures, as that's what the design progression suggestions (arm, body + arm, four arms + body), but does that actually suggest that Metagross is some final evolution wherein the anima of the previous creatures is subsumed in some rock/metal tomb and donated to the greater glory of the parasitic diamond they now find themselves enslaved to?
Also why does Metagross just have a metal X whanged onto his face. why.
41
General Chat / Re: Good Morning 2019- Glow Up Edition
« on: January 02, 2019, 07:25:11 PM »
I've gotten a lot more outwardly chill as I've gotten older, and especially after having a kid. It's not that I'm any more calm or existentially secure -- pretty much the opposite -- just that I've turned it inwards since I am keenly aware that no one else gives a shit and it makes you look ten times cooler if you pretend to have everything together.
I of course have none of my shit together and fret incessantly, something which Andrew is keenly aware of. I'd like to stop doing that but it's kind of my thing and no amount of therapy or drugs has yet been successful at shaking me free of that survival instinct. I get it from my mom. (I distressingly recognize too much of myself in her which is ridiculous because my whole life no one would ever have doubted that I was her daughter and the resemblance was uncanny growing up. Why not mentally, too?)
Anyway, that's a long way to saying I am not bothering with resolutions or anything because I accept that I'm shit at keeping them and making them only causes me more anxiety because of the pressure to meet them (and in response to the inevitable failure to keep them).
But I am taking steps to be more conscientious of my relationships in the form of acknowledgments. I want to send cards for occasions, buy gifts for anniversaries and birthdays and holidays, and otherwise directly express my appreciation for the people in my life so that I can continue to keep them there, and maybe quiet that shrieking voice in the back of my head telling me that I'm running on thin ice because people only tolerate me for the things that I can give them and that's why there are so few people still around.
Still going to therapy because in order to accomplish the above I've needed to write myself a whole new journal that has specially designed pages to cover the months of the year, the year on a weekly basis, lists of birthdays in order, backdated entries telling me what the mailing deadlines are to reach those birthdays, gift lists and ideas for everyone, backdated entries telling me what the ordering deadline is to meet the mailing deadline to reach those birthdays, a place to list all the books I finish reading even though I know I haven't finished more than 20 books in the past year... and also piled up a shitton of anxiety for 2019 in advance thanks to having already failed to create 90% of that journal I've planned out in order to keep myself "sane."
Fucking bang on entry into 2019. 10/10 for sticking the landing, Ashley. Nothing if not consistent in this event.
I of course have none of my shit together and fret incessantly, something which Andrew is keenly aware of. I'd like to stop doing that but it's kind of my thing and no amount of therapy or drugs has yet been successful at shaking me free of that survival instinct. I get it from my mom. (I distressingly recognize too much of myself in her which is ridiculous because my whole life no one would ever have doubted that I was her daughter and the resemblance was uncanny growing up. Why not mentally, too?)
Anyway, that's a long way to saying I am not bothering with resolutions or anything because I accept that I'm shit at keeping them and making them only causes me more anxiety because of the pressure to meet them (and in response to the inevitable failure to keep them).
But I am taking steps to be more conscientious of my relationships in the form of acknowledgments. I want to send cards for occasions, buy gifts for anniversaries and birthdays and holidays, and otherwise directly express my appreciation for the people in my life so that I can continue to keep them there, and maybe quiet that shrieking voice in the back of my head telling me that I'm running on thin ice because people only tolerate me for the things that I can give them and that's why there are so few people still around.
Still going to therapy because in order to accomplish the above I've needed to write myself a whole new journal that has specially designed pages to cover the months of the year, the year on a weekly basis, lists of birthdays in order, backdated entries telling me what the mailing deadlines are to reach those birthdays, gift lists and ideas for everyone, backdated entries telling me what the ordering deadline is to meet the mailing deadline to reach those birthdays, a place to list all the books I finish reading even though I know I haven't finished more than 20 books in the past year... and also piled up a shitton of anxiety for 2019 in advance thanks to having already failed to create 90% of that journal I've planned out in order to keep myself "sane."
Fucking bang on entry into 2019. 10/10 for sticking the landing, Ashley. Nothing if not consistent in this event.
42
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew versus Pokemon
« on: January 02, 2019, 07:05:43 PM »
Snorunt is criminally underrated. It's a little ghost child who brings good luck! It's an adorable little candy corn shape! It does have a parka 'cause it's cold. It has a simple design that does not have any excessive detail or extra frill, just clean outlines with small touches that give it texture and depth. It clearly has a face and there aren't any hidden "haha, you thought that was a mouth" moments that a ridiculous number of Pokemon seem to have. Yellow/orange cloak and black/teal eyes are a good pair and it's well balanced. It has ghost snowball hands!!! It deserves at least a 4/5.
Spheal is also adorable but I have no idea whether it'd pop if I tried to squeeze it so ultimately I think it gets the score it deserves. Spheal -> Sealeo -> Walrein is just disappointing. What a boring line. The fractal/haha just kidding not fractal snow-inspired beard & hair for Walrein just does not fit in with the rest. Sealeo sprouts a frayed white snow moustache, and then it goes fuckin' nuts all over its head in Walrein? Is Walrein's throat cartilage escaping out of its neck? Did it get caught in a soda ring as it evolved? What the hell, Walrein?
Spheal is also adorable but I have no idea whether it'd pop if I tried to squeeze it so ultimately I think it gets the score it deserves. Spheal -> Sealeo -> Walrein is just disappointing. What a boring line. The fractal/haha just kidding not fractal snow-inspired beard & hair for Walrein just does not fit in with the rest. Sealeo sprouts a frayed white snow moustache, and then it goes fuckin' nuts all over its head in Walrein? Is Walrein's throat cartilage escaping out of its neck? Did it get caught in a soda ring as it evolved? What the hell, Walrein?
43
Discussion / Re: An Aesthetic Discussion Spanning 17 Years - Andrew versus Pokemon
« on: December 26, 2018, 05:57:23 PM »
The detail choices on Banette are weird, but face it: if that thing were to rise from a pile of stuffed toys, it would still be ~super effective~. I think the zipper mouth is what really gets me. What are you hiding, Banette? WHAT ARE YOU HIDING.
In other news, Castform is a tragedy as Djinn says. It's a neat concept, and you even get to start with something as simple as a cloud. Why did you have to fuck it up, Game Freak?
In other news, Castform is a tragedy as Djinn says. It's a neat concept, and you even get to start with something as simple as a cloud. Why did you have to fuck it up, Game Freak?
44
General Chat / Re: Books
« on: December 19, 2018, 10:42:45 PM »
Red Queen, leading up to its sequel Glass Sword.
Post-apocalyptic teen fantasy with the expected elements of romance, slightly less expected elements of magic + tech. The romance is prevalent but it's not a centerpiece, if that makes sense? The main character - who is female - is presented within the confines of heteronormative female romance, in fact it's a major plot point that she's unceremoniously betrothed to the younger prince who she must Learn To Love. At the same time, though, her life ain't about that. It plays second fiddle (though definitely part of the same concert). Instead we get to focus on intrigue, and a character with relatably real flaws like selfishness and cowardice in the face of awesome power and terrifyingly sadistic machination.
By the end she's developed into having those Main Character Hero moments of selflessness and sacrifice for the greater good, but even still she keeps a practical point of view and isn't willing to throw herself away just for the sake of honor or whatever.
So, yeah, I enjoyed it. I'll drop my caveat that I have really forgiving taste in pop literature so long as it entertains me (see: any review I've ever written, ever) so it might not be your cup of tea if you're looking for more of that idealistic hero stuff.
Just started Glass Sword this morning and I think it's going to pull a Catching Fire on me and go SUPER political + romance, but we shall see.
Post-apocalyptic teen fantasy with the expected elements of romance, slightly less expected elements of magic + tech. The romance is prevalent but it's not a centerpiece, if that makes sense? The main character - who is female - is presented within the confines of heteronormative female romance, in fact it's a major plot point that she's unceremoniously betrothed to the younger prince who she must Learn To Love. At the same time, though, her life ain't about that. It plays second fiddle (though definitely part of the same concert). Instead we get to focus on intrigue, and a character with relatably real flaws like selfishness and cowardice in the face of awesome power and terrifyingly sadistic machination.
By the end she's developed into having those Main Character Hero moments of selflessness and sacrifice for the greater good, but even still she keeps a practical point of view and isn't willing to throw herself away just for the sake of honor or whatever.
So, yeah, I enjoyed it. I'll drop my caveat that I have really forgiving taste in pop literature so long as it entertains me (see: any review I've ever written, ever) so it might not be your cup of tea if you're looking for more of that idealistic hero stuff.
Just started Glass Sword this morning and I think it's going to pull a Catching Fire on me and go SUPER political + romance, but we shall see.
45
Discussion / Re: Is there a politics thread? Guess I'm making one
« on: November 14, 2018, 12:11:40 AM »
Recap on California's props and the results:
No huge surprises, though the rent control one was sorely missed by some, the EMT one is a bitter example of what happens when companies punch down, the gas tax one was despicable because it had supporters (actual politicians!) on record as saying they backed it because it was divisive and more likely to pull out the conservative vote. The one about old people moving/fixing Prop 13 was a very good example of how screwed up direct democracy is because it is precisely the sort of thing we hire legislators to handle. I mean yeah, sure, help people move instead of punishing them for staying! Except, wait, no, we're "punishing" them with an insanely good benefit they don't want to lose when they sell their house at 5-10x as much as they paid for it? Fuck those guys.
We really need to fix Prop 13 though, omg. Someone with a winning answer to that problem is going to become the President. It's incredibly unlikely they're going to touch Prop 13 directly - it's actually known as California's "third rail," as in it will destroy you if you touch it - but the side effects definitely need some alleviation, because property tax contributions to local initiatives is huge and hugely affected by what date your property tax was pegged into.
--
I've also been complaining repeatedly about democracy in general on Facebook. I've been reading articles, forums, speeches more than I've done work lately. I feel so powerless and I hate it.
- Give veterans stuff out of the general fund - Yeah, sure
- Make millionaires pay for mental health services and homeless shelters - Yes! Please.
- Do some stuff to fix the water problem out of the general fund - No...? What was the question again?
- Borrow more money to build more children's hospitals - It's for the CHILDREN.
- Amend the comically disastrous Prop 13 to alleviate old people trying to actually go somewhere else - Fuck this attempt to give the landed elite any more breaks.
- Rewind that 2017 tax increase on gas stuff, whoops - Fuck this attempt to legitimize partisan fighting.
- Live on DST permanently (if the feds decide to allow it) - I still have a hangover from this change.
- Make dialysis clinics stop gouging the fuck out of their patients - Oh wait, look who was funding this one. And they're trying to punish 2 specific companies. This is not a state issue!
- Repeal that old rent control thing and LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED (let localities set their rent control parameters) - Nooooooo. Rent control bad! This one says rent control! Therefore, bad.
- Force EMTs to never take breaks, but it's cool we will also mandate that they get some mental health coverage - Brought to you by the companies that now don't have to pay as much.
- Raise animals humanely in size-based pens, not chickens-walk-in-circles pens, or else you can't sell those products - We fucked up with the previous version of humane farming, let's do this one!
No huge surprises, though the rent control one was sorely missed by some, the EMT one is a bitter example of what happens when companies punch down, the gas tax one was despicable because it had supporters (actual politicians!) on record as saying they backed it because it was divisive and more likely to pull out the conservative vote. The one about old people moving/fixing Prop 13 was a very good example of how screwed up direct democracy is because it is precisely the sort of thing we hire legislators to handle. I mean yeah, sure, help people move instead of punishing them for staying! Except, wait, no, we're "punishing" them with an insanely good benefit they don't want to lose when they sell their house at 5-10x as much as they paid for it? Fuck those guys.
We really need to fix Prop 13 though, omg. Someone with a winning answer to that problem is going to become the President. It's incredibly unlikely they're going to touch Prop 13 directly - it's actually known as California's "third rail," as in it will destroy you if you touch it - but the side effects definitely need some alleviation, because property tax contributions to local initiatives is huge and hugely affected by what date your property tax was pegged into.
--
I've also been complaining repeatedly about democracy in general on Facebook. I've been reading articles, forums, speeches more than I've done work lately. I feel so powerless and I hate it.
46
General Chat / Re: 2018 Miscellaneous Links: It's an Albany expression
« on: November 09, 2018, 12:43:29 AM »https://theslot.jezebel.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-democratic-primary-opponent-w-1827540576
So the house Democrats should basically strip this dude of seniority and demand his resignation, but instead we're probably gonna tip one of the bluest districts in the country to whatever nazi the RNC sent in because he was deluded enough to think he could pull it off. Because god forbid anyone over there try to rebuild bridges between the Democrats and the left, gotta burn the ashes harder and put one more nail in the coffin of humanity.
I know we've had our differences, but I agree with this 100%
Neat!
Turns out Ocasio-Cortez got 78% of the vote, and Crowley a mere 6.6%. Is it the effect of party association? Good campaigning? Crowley's continual fuck ups? Who knows! But at least we don't have to think about him anymore, just the abstract concept of what-the-fuck-was-he-thinking.
47
Discussion / Re: Is there a politics thread? Guess I'm making one
« on: October 30, 2018, 11:43:48 PM »
Election is coming up. Things are getting tense. Again, I live in the brightest fucking blue spot in the country so it's a little different here, but people are angry and depressed and just so beat down. It's really awful to see. Every time a new story comes up, there is really impassioned arguing that fades in the face of both "you already know, you think the same way" and "the people who don't aren't listening."
It's just... really ugly. And I can't wait to see how this year's slate of "popular vote decides the constitution" goes for California.
The current General Fund spends about $138 billion. What's another billion dollars here and there anyway, right?
It's just... really ugly. And I can't wait to see how this year's slate of "popular vote decides the constitution" goes for California.
- Give veterans stuff out of the general fund
- Make millionaires pay for mental health services and homeless shelters
- Do some stuff to fix the water problem out of the general fund
- Borrow more money to build more children's hospitals
- Amend the comically disastrous Prop 13 to alleviate old people trying to actually go somewhere else
- Rewind that 2017 tax increase on gas stuff, whoops
- Live on DST permanently (if the feds decide to allow it)
- Make dialysis clinics stop gouging the fuck out of their patients
- Repeal that old rent control thing and LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED (let localities set their rent control parameters)
- Force EMTs to never take breaks, but it's cool we will also mandate that they get some mental health coverage
- Raise animals humanely in size-based pens, not chickens-walk-in-circles pens, or else you can't sell those products
The current General Fund spends about $138 billion. What's another billion dollars here and there anyway, right?
48
Discussion / Re: Is there a politics thread? Guess I'm making one
« on: October 22, 2018, 11:07:08 PM »
I live in a big ol' activist blue bubble so it's hard for me to get a good picture of what the rest of the country is doing, but I've heard a lot about Republicans showing up in droves in early voting tallies. I would not be too shocked to find that was true. I'm still puzzled by the blue side being disinclined to participate in the democracy part.
I am and have nearly always been registered No Party so I worry at how much stock is put in the "Democrats/Republicans do a thing" dialog when there are, I know, plenty of people like me who don't register within a party but tend to vote for the same one and their particular issues in every election.
I am and have nearly always been registered No Party so I worry at how much stock is put in the "Democrats/Republicans do a thing" dialog when there are, I know, plenty of people like me who don't register within a party but tend to vote for the same one and their particular issues in every election.
49
Discussion / Re: Is there a politics thread? Guess I'm making one
« on: September 28, 2018, 07:57:04 PM »
What the fuck was the conclusion of the hearing today? Seriously. What the fuck happened, none of the people in the room seem clear on it.
50
General Chat / Re: Good Morning 2018: 3 More Years...
« on: September 26, 2018, 05:15:36 AM »Congrats, Tide!
I knew you were engaged, but that seemed to sneak up on me. I don't even know how you met this person. Tell us stories~!
Yeah, what he said!