On Aziraphale And Insecurity:

I can’t with these reviews:

- “Indulgent, Romantic, and an Ineffable delight”

- “The Sweetest Love Story This Side of Heaven”

- “A lovey-dovey shipper’s delight”

Like, these last hours are killing me!!!!

Okay. Time for a hot take.

I’m hate, hate, hate all of the “Midge Maisel is a bad mother” thing being pushed by the fandom and the show.

First of all, plenty of people work nights/ travel a lot/ have jobs in entertainment and spend a lot of time away from their kids. This does not necessarily make them bad parents, just busy ones.

Second of all, this kind of hands-off parenting seems to be normal for the time. We see this a lot in the season 2 Catskills episodes, where various adults simply hand off their children. Later that season, Rose even comments that the children would be confused if she ate with them. And yes, she is instilling unhealthy beauty standards in Esther, but she clearly inherited them in turn from Rose.

Third of all, Midge is seen actively parenting her children to the best of her ability (outside of the stupid flash forwards). Yes Ethan in particular seems to have behavioral issues, but Midge seems unsure of how to handle it. Behavioral therapy is difficult to access today, let alone in the late 50s.

Examples:

- One of the first things she mentions when Joel is leaving her is that they have children. She repeatedly mentions that she wants the separation to be stress free for the children. She wants them to see Joel in a safe environment.

- She repeatedly worries about how her children will be affected by her career choices.

- She’s seemingly the one who takes them to all of their doctors appointments.

- She attempts to find help from Imogene and Dr. Spock when she is unsure, but her resources are extremely limited and don’t help her.

- She mentions specifically wanting to bring Ethan to the record store because she knows he would like it.

- She offers to get Ethan piano lessons when he seems interested.

- She is depicted several times reading to her children at night.

- She planned Ethan’s birthday.

- She is rightfully concerned when Joel is planning to leave for a long time for work on the West Coast, and never see the kids.

- When Abe calls her home in a panic in 2x1, her first thought is the children.

- She’s the one encouraging Esther’s first words.

- She’s the one toilet training Esther.

- She’s open to getting Ethan therapy despite the stigma when he can’t sleep. Joel, naturally, is opposed.

Finally, it is pretty explicitly stated that Midge feels insecure about being a mother during her set at the Vanguard. She explicitly asks if she perhaps “chose the wrong profession” but is now stuck in something she’s not good at. She brushes it off as saying, “women are supposed to be mothers”. She was clearly socialized into being a mother, with her own mother ingraining the necessity of “three before thirty”. Imogene also pushes her to have another baby with Benjamin and Astrid comments during a discussion about her infertility that Midge “did everything right”. It’s implied that if Midge had discovered her career path earlier…she may not have even become a mother.

Midge is not perfect (especially in season 4, where even I- a huge Midge apologist- doesn’t like her), but I don’t think it’s fair to say that Midge was a terrible mother and therefore deserves all of her misfortune.

So, there’s my rant about how Midge, like any parent, did her best as a mother while trying to grow personally, and I’m sick of her being demonized for not being perfect.

Y’all there’s Jazz version of “Uptown Girl” by the Cooltrane Quartet.

The Jedi Fallen Order recap is like:

Trilla: We seek a dangerous fugitive.

Then it hard cuts to a cute ginger with shaggy hair, freckles, and a poncho who has a little smile, a droid best friend, and who gave their lightsaber to a nightsister who was threatening him five minutes earlier.

Incorrect Shakespeare Quotes: Much Ado About Nothing 2

Benedick: Well, if you're not at least a little bit gay for your friends, then what kind of friend are you?

Benedick: Hey Beatrice, can you give me the opposite of these words?

Benedick: Always, Coming, From, Take, Me, Down.

Beatrice: Never, Going, To, Give, You-

Beatrice: The fucking satisfaction.

Benedick, very tired: Can I sleep in your bed?

Beatrice: *half asleep* Benedick, this is a queen-sized bed. That means it’s for *gestures vaguely to themself* the Queen.

Benedick: *venting endlessly to Beatrice about their week*

Beatrice, every once in a while: *in a monotone* Wow, that is so wild.

Benedick: Beatrice, can I ask you a question?

Beatrice: You just did.

Benedick: Okay, can I ask you two questions?

Beatrice: You just did.

Benedick, frustrated: OKAY, CAN I ASK YOU FOUR QUESTIONS?!

Beatrice: You just did.

Benedick: When?!

Beatrice: Just now.

Beatrice, to Benedick: I'll be under the mistletoe when you start feeling desperate!

Benedick: Valentines Day? I'm ready. *Sprays an entire can of AXE body spray on themselves*

Benedick: Tommorrow's garbage day.

Beatrice: I can't believe they made a whole day dedicated to you.

Beatrice: I love the term 'partners'. Are we dating? Are we robbing a bank? Are we the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies and are members of an elite squad known as the special victims unit? Who knows.

Benedick: We have a problem.

Beatrice: No, YOU have a problem. I have an idiot who keeps making them.

Benedick: So... what would you do if you were in bed with me?

Beatrice: Depends. Is your bed comfortable?

Benedick: Yes.

Beatrice: I'd sleep.

Benedick: I left instructions for everyone while I'm gone.

Beatrice: Mine just says "Beatrice no."

Benedick: I want you to apply it to every possible situation.

Beatrice: I want to kiss you.

Benedick, not paying attention: What?

Beatrice: I said if you die, I wont miss you.

Beatrice: A fistfight CAN be romantic.

Beatrice: I've met a lot of pricks in my time, but you, Benedick, are a fucking cactus.

Benedick: You know, when I first met you I thought you were a real bitch.

Beatrice: What changed your mind?

Benedick: Oh, I still think you're a bitch. I've just grown to like that about you.

Benedick: I’m in love with you.

Beatrice: We called off the prank war last night at midnight, dork.

Benedick: I know.

Beatrice: Ah. Okay. Um. Cool. Neat. Very cool. Cool. Cool. Coolcoolcool-

Benedick: Even Beatrice and I have been getting closer. The other day, they gave me half of their sandwich.

Beatrice: I mistook them for a garbage can.

Leonato/Don Pedro: Woah dude, premarital handholding? That’s just not cool or groovy.

Beatrice : Of course I have a lot of pent-up rage, you fool! I've been the same height since I was twelve!

Beatrice/ Benedick: Not to be nsfw but I want someone to hold me while I sleep.

Beatrice : If karma doesn't hit you, I fucking will.

Don John: If I can't cause tiny bits of chaos every day, I think my body will shut down.

Beatrice : I love sarcasm! It’s like punching people in the face, but with words!

Benedick : My heart is guarded but like… very poorly. The kind of guards that would let 3 kids in a trench coat into an R rated movie.

Beatrice : I'm not funny, I'm just really mean and people think I'm joking.

Benedick , at Hero’s funeral: I need a moment with them.

Everyone: Of course. *They leave*

Benedick , leaning over Hero′s coffin: Okay, listen here you little shit. I know you’re not dead.

Hero : Yeah, no shit.

Beatrice , to Benedick : How do you tell someone politely you want to hit them with a brick?

Beatrice : If I may interject...

Benedick : Oh, awesome, Beatrice was eavesdropping.

Benedick: Can I bother you for a second?

Beatrice: You're always bothering me, but go ahead.

Beatrice: Hey, Benedick? I need advice.

Benedick: I’m pretty useless at giving advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment instead?

Beatrice: My hands are cold.

Benedick: Here, let me hold them.

Beatrice: My lips are cold too.

Benedick: *covers Beatrice's mouth with their hand*

I was thinking about Midge and Lenny while working on a new chapter of “Very Blue Lives” (it’s on ao3, please go read and review. I need validation like Lenny and Midge need each other).

Anyways, I was thinking about Midge and Lenny in Miami and why Midge turned Lenny down.

Sure the bs Vegas train wreck just happened, and Carol kind of freaked her out, but those answers are boring.

First of all, he’s weirdly reluctant to talk about her career. In Miami, whether she knows it or not, Lenny’s avoidance to discuss her career is part of the reason she walks away. Flash forward to the blue room, he’s making it clear that he listens to her and promises to take her seriously, and that’s when she decides “yes, okay. Let’s see what’s between us.”

She needs him to take her seriously as a comic, and once she realizes that he does, she’s willing to be vulnerable with him as a woman.

And that’s a great step for Midge, who isn’t taken seriously personally or professionally, especially by people she loves.

Appreciation post for all the beginner artists who work hard despite the AI ​​looming over us. You are fabulous. You are precious. Keep up the hard work, you are needed.

What even. I’m just… it’s YOUR book. YOUR fantasy world. Aren’t you at least… interested in it?

there's a lot to hate but i think my least favourite thing about AI generated images is that now every time i see a really cool artwork on the internet, instead of childlike wonder i experience suspicion

people using generative ai to write fanfiction for them is CRAZY. stay up until four in the morning hopping back and forth between your pinterest boards, a random synonyms website, and google docs where you’re stuck in the middle of a sentence deciding whether to refer to a character by their name or hair colour as the lord intended.