Musings of Melis

Happy Valentine's Day!

melisus — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:49:37 GMT

I regret nothing with this. It's kinda slashy, but that's okay. Or not, if that's not your sort of thing. I need to do a complete overhaul of this blog. I need to come back to it. I will, I promise. I have not forgotten you, LJ.

THE STREAMS ARE CROSSING

melisus — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 01:19:57 GMT

THREE OF MY FAVOURITE LEAFS ARE HARRY POTTER FANS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACT.

February 28th, 2010

melisus — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:11:08 GMT

One year ago, one of the most exciting hockey tournaments I have ever witnessed came to a brilliant end. And oh, was it one heck of an end.

I won't say a lot about it here, because I know that no one on my LJ friendslist gives a damn about hockey. That's totally okay. But watch the video. It's just really something to see an entire nation leap to its feet.

I wish Canada would act this united more often. I really do.

Art: You've just been Phaneuf'd

melisus — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:42:30 GMT

I have a backlog of art from the past few months that I need to get around uploading. Don't worry, you're not looking at a massive art dump, but there will be several entries in the coming week (hopefully) of various things I've completed.

Like the following, which was actually done before the year ended as part of that weird hockey/Quidditch series I was doing... and have yet to complete like just about everything else in my life, lol.

Name: Dion Phaneuf
Born: 10th April, 1985 (Red Deer, Alberta, Canada)
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 214 lbs.
Position: Beater

Known for his intimidating presence in the air and aggressive play, Phaneuf is a strong and accurate Beater. Picked up by Calgary in the 2003 entry draft, Phaneuf is a two-time NAQL All-Star and has represented his home country of Canada three times at the international level - winning silver and gold at the Junior League Quidditch Championships (2004, 2005) and gold at the Men’s International League Championship (2007).

In early 2010, Phaneuf was traded by Calgary to Toronto. Despite seeming to struggle early on at settling into his new team, Phaneuf showed great promise and brought a healthy positive attitude and work ethic to his new club. As such, at the beginning of the 2010/2011 NAQL season, he was named the 18th captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

There are things I both love and hate about this drawing. First of all, drawing Dion Phaneuf is probably now my favourite thing in the world next to drawing John Lennon. They're both just so ANGULAR and sharp and I dunno, that just kind of gels with me. I also originally had the robe open, but then realized it obscured the "team patch" too much and I needed that visible in order to properly reveal some sort of captain insignia (which is really just a C in the middle of the maple leaf). It's a lot of fun, really, because as I go along in this series, my idea of the uniform slowly evolves... and I'm actually quite keen now to finish the team and maybe even move on to others. Trading cards might even be a neat idea.

This entry was originally posted at http://melisus.dreamwidth.org/6352.html. You can comment here, there, and everywhere using OpenID.

melisus — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:53:51 GMT

What's Happening in Libya

What's Happening in Bahrain: Explained

I don't think this needs commentary.

Art: His signature move is the Kessel Run

melisus — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:36:07 GMT

I think up the weirdest crossovers. That really seems to just be my thing.

Anyways, in honour of the release of the first film for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the mere coincidence that the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL's 50,000th game tonight... I ended up drawing an answer to a question I was asked: What if Quidditch was hockey? Or hockey was Quidditch?

Name: Phil Kessel
Born: 2nd October, 1987 (Madison, Wisconsin, USA)
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 202 lbs.
Position: Seeker

A graduate of the Salem Academy for Magical Minds as well as the United States Quidditch Development Program, Wisconsin native Kessel was picked up by the Boston Bruins in the 2005-2006 NAQL* entry draft where he stayed until being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009. In 2010, he played as a representative of Team USA at the 260th International Wizarding Games where his team brought home the silver medal.

Easily the team’s top Seeker, Kessel has been known to catch the Snitch in less than twelve parsecs.

* The North American Quidditch League or NAQL is a professional Quidditch league overseen jointly by the Ministries of Magic in both Canada and the USA. While Quidditch itself has been a sport actively played in North America since European settlers first arrived (although it has historically been overshadowed by the popularity of Quadpot in the United States), the League itself was founded in 1917 after pressure was placed on the Canadian Ministry of Magic to limit the number of active teams for fear Muggles might begin to notice. The NAQL has since grown from six teams to a current thirty which has brought it - and its high commissioner - under frequent scrutiny. While the global magical community has been eager to see the growth of its most noble sport in traditionally non-receptive markets, there is fear that the number of Quidditch clubs and matches could be getting out of hand again, particularly as the NAQL has spread into more southern, densely-populated centers where permanent pitches away from prying Muggle eyes are difficult to come by. Quidditch in North America is generally a rougher game with greater contact between Chasers (though most European fouls do still apply).

This is Phil Kessel. And the above is Phil Kessel if he played Quidditch instead of hockey (okay, okay, I know he's probably too stocky to be a Seeker but I really wanted to make that Star Wars joke).

As for the art itself, I kind of love it and it kind of bothers me. It resembles Kessel as much as I could go while still being animated/toonish (which is how I roll) though his eyes are still not… as sunken(?) as I’d like…? The design of the robes was simple and easy, though I had originally altered the crest patch on the front to be more wizardly… but it ended up looking too cramped in the tight space (originally a blue maple leaf on a black background, with crossed broomsticks behind it and a Quaffle underneath… maybe we can just say that’s the logo of Quidditch Canada). And yes, Kessel’s broom is striped with tape just like his hockey stick.

I am pleased with the colouring (I played around with some new brushes in Photoshop and like what I see), and this has been a good effort to get me back into the swing of things in order to complete my Yuletart gift this year.

I've been asked elsewhere if I'm going to do more, and I do plan to at least finish the Toronto team. I don't know how far I'll get with any other clubs, and yes, for kicks I might turn these into mock Quidditch trading cards when I finish the team (hence the above flavour text).

This entry was originally posted at http://melisus.dreamwidth.org/6121.html. You can comment here, there, and everywhere using OpenID.

An open letter to my LJ

melisus — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 04:24:47 GMT

Dear Livejournal,

I'm very sorry for neglecting you. I just haven't had time for much other than microblogging on other sites. I did actually have a big update for you today on a number of things, but then my dad sprung Leafs tickets on me and my evening was occupied.

I'm so sorry. I'll do better tomorrow.

But hey, we ended our losing streak! And Steeger scored two goals, and Kadri got his first point as a Leaf. So that's good news.

Art Entry for Star Trek Big Bang (2010 Edition)

melisus — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 07:04:27 GMT

Fic Title: Speak of Me in the Present Tense
Author: laughinggas13
Universe: Original Series/Alternate Original Series AU
Pairing: art is gen like most of the fic itself (though the fic contains subtle Kirk/Spock)
Rating: art is G
Featured Characters: Kirk, Spock, and McCoy
Medium: ink, copics, and Photoshop
Notes: The moment I saw this fic was a WWII AU, I knew I had to jump on it, and it was an absolute pleasure to read combining all my favourite things (the Trek trio, Kirk and Spock banter, Bones and everyone banter, WWII) and I knew from the getgo that I wanted to draw the boys in their fatigues. Now, overall, I'm quite content with how the art turned out, particularly the positioning (to me, at least, Kirk looks almost gung ho cowboy), but while I wanted to try and make a further blend of the Star Trek uniforms with your traditional Allied WWII uniform the colours were not blending well and instead turned the art into a disgraceful eye sore, so it had to be scrapped and started all over again from the beginning. But enough babbling on my part. Onto the art.

I say again, laughinggas13's fic is a unique and delightful read. I had a fun time with the story and you will too.

melisus — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 23:06:29 GMT

Has anyone checked out Google today?

You really should. And click on the graphic. It's... it's just... wow.

Hockey season is back

melisus — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:33:01 GMT

I stopped watching hockey when I was seventeen. I don't know why. I just kind of drifted away from it, and it just turned into, "Well the Leafs are a disappointment, I hate that talented bitch Crosby for being more successful than me, and jocks are sooooooooo beneath me anyways!" There were brief moments of renewed interest, but they were quickly quashed.

Then Vancouver happened and I reexperienced all the excitement and joys I did when I was younger. And I determined that the sport of hockey might have my interest again. So I sat through the rest of the season, followed through the playoffs, and over the summer concluded that hockey had won me back fair and square.

So I'm probably far more excited than is normal for the start of the season. Because aside from the Winter Classics, I haven't done this in a while. So I trundled around on Tumblr before the game, and got myself psyched up for it with the following...

Now, I am absolutely sick of this song. I STILL hear it on the radio all the time and it drives me nuts. Also, the notion of unity and cultural identity through sport and sterotype is rather problematic. And noticing that all of our winning athletes are white, therefore do they really represent the country as a whole? Or just a specific notion of Canadian? (Most of them are actually French-Canadian so...) I mean, that's not the athlete's faults because they didn't pick the skin tone they were born with... but I think as a video montage made to inspire patriotism it becomes rather problematic.

I still absolutely love it for Alex Bilodeau and the hockey, and all the people cheering. Those moments will forever bring tears to my eyes as they cause me to relive my own experience of those events, just like what happened to me when I rewatched the game at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

And then there's this beautiful recap played at the conclusion of last year's Stanley Cup Final. Because if there's one thing CBC does better than any other channel, it's beautiful montages that show you just how much of an amazing, intense, exciting, and beautiful sport the game of hockey is.

Then the game started, I sat down in front of the TV with my dad, and watched the Leafs game.

Oh hey, Toronto, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE WITH THE WATER AT CENTER ICE AND ALL. Nice counter to Montreal's fire on ice. ;)

OMFG JOHNNY BOWER!!!

We come out to Metallica. BECAUSE WE ARE JUST THAT FUCKING BADASS.

VERSTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEG!!!

FELIX POTVIN!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! MY CHILDHOOD!!! ILU!!!

I still think Nazem Kadri should be on this team, not putting around on the Marlies.

Tazer's new Canadian Tire commercial! Boy, you are melting my heart as much as Crosby's Tim Horton's commercial. I think it's the little children. THE LITTLE ADORABLE CHILDREN DREAMING BEAUTIFUL ADORABLE HOCKEY DREAMS.

What happened to all the Platinum people behind the benches? Lol, the seats are all empty now! WHERE DID ALL THE RICH PEOPLE GO?

WE'RE THE NATIONAL TEAM. DEAL.

The Ovechkin commercial terrifies me.

TOO MANY MEN? SUCH BULLSHIT.

Person 1: PK GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ARENA NOW. DON'T TALK TO MY PLAYERS. IT IS NOT ALLOWED.
Me: Lol, PK. Crosby wouldn't touch you in the playoffs, but Phaneuf will fuck you up.

GODDAMN HABS. YOU JUST CAN'T LET US ENJOY YET ANOTHER GOAL AGAINST YOU LOT, CAN YOU?

NO. NO NO NO. COME BACK, PHANEUF! COME BAAAAAAAAAACK!!!

Phaneuf is back on the ice! Yay! Crisis over!

LAST MINUTE OF PLAY IN THE GAME

AND WE WIIIIIIIIIIIN!!! LEAFS WIN!!! OMFG GIGUERE, I FUCKING LOVE YOU!!! THAT LAST MINUTE WAS AWESOME!!!

Though on a more serious, far less emotionally driven note, I thought it was a good game. I'm not going to jump too far in and start thinking about the playoffs or anything, but I will say that our goaltending was great, our defence was on for the most part, and they seemed cohesive. We are at least better put together than we were last season, and we are off to a better start than last season.

Now let's hope for a win against Ottawa this Saturday!

What a bargain!

melisus — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:42:48 GMT

Just a quick note, in celebration of Valve's release of the Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2 DLC campaign The Sacrifice, Steam is having a sale on the Left 4 Dead games.

You can get either Left 4 Dead or Left 4 Dead 2 for only $6.79. Yes, that is purposely less than the cost of the DLC content alone on the XBox 360.

Both games are also now available for Mac users!

Personally, if you're going to get one of the games, I'd recommend Left 4 Dead 2. The game is an absolute STEAL at that price (it's usually around $50 - $75). In it you get all five original game campaigns (Price Chopper, Dark Carnival, Swamp Fever, Hard Rain, and The Parish), as well as the bonus downloadable content campaigns of The Passing, The Sacrifice, and the port of L4D1's first campaign No Mercy.

All of that for $7! Plus, on Steam, all future additions to the game are free!

And you can find me on Steam under the same username I use for LJ.

OMG OMG

melisus — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:08:27 GMT

NOOOOOOOOO!!! BIIIIIIIIILL!!!

But seriously... as far as video game trailer's go... how is that for epic?!

melisus — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 02:54:48 GMT

Dear Harry Potter trailer,

Please stop looking so amazing. You're making me really want to see the movie and I know it'll just end in tears and disappointment like all the other ones!

Except for Ralph Fiennes being epic. Oh Voldemort...

-Me

PS: Rumoured Black Widow movie? WILL THERE BE WINTER SOLDIER?! Because if so, I AM TOTALLY SO THERE.

Last one for the night! I promise!

melisus — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:30:36 GMT

While I was playing with my Sims tonight, a couple of things occured. First of all, Jonathan Toews finally made enough money to move out of his crapshack in the swamp! Yay! He now lives in a house that is equally ~~cramped~~ modest, but at least it's in a much nicer area of town.

Also... he's lonely. I don't know if he actually is, but he looks DEPRESSINGLY lonely.

LOOK AT HIM. Is that not the saddest lonliest thing you've ever seen? Poor guy needs a friend!

You know what that means?

~~I HATE YOU SO MUCH, SID.~~

...The answer I'm looking for is, "Time to bring in that Crosby Sim."

Of course, I don't REALLY want to make just another boring athlete Sim. (Though I'm told Sid loves kids... so there'd at least be that difference between them.) But Toews leads a pretty boring life compared to the other Sims I've made. I mean, Paul McCartney is a firefighter! George Harrison gardens and investigates crime! (And might meet aliens one day if he keeps looking through that telescope.) John Lennon is a ghostbuster! (And painter and musician!) And Ringo's going to be the freaking president! So I'm not really keen on making Sidney Crosby play sports... JUST LIKE TOEWS, WOOHOO. So... I have a clicky poll. Behold!

View Poll: #1615452

For those of you not familiar with the game's options, there are a few part-time job options:
Bookstore employee
Day Spa Receptionist
Day Spa Specialist
Grocery Store employee
Mausoleum caretaker

Full time careers are as follows:
Business
Criminal (leading to either a Thief or an Evil Villain)
Chef in the Culinary track
Journalism
Law Enforcement (leads to either Forensic Expert or Secret Agent)
Medical (expanded to include a more interactive Doctor profession)
Military (ultimately resulting in becoming an Astronaut)
Music (either in the symphony or becoming a rock star)
Political
Professional Sports
Science (culiminating in becoming a mad scientist)

There are also professions which are much more interactive and exciting!
Doctor (ties into Medical career)
Architect (design homes!)
Educator
Firefighter
Ghost Hunter
Inventor
Sculptor
Stylist

Beatles Sims were not enough

melisus — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 22:08:01 GMT

I don't know if I mentioned anything here or not, but when I was making/upgrading my Beatles Sims from TS2 to TS3 and I showed my completed project to my sister, she asked me if I could make both a Jonathan Toews and a Sidney Crosby Sim. Not that she actually plays The Sims and could therefore make use of said Sims, but I said why not. After all, I really enjoy the Create-A-Sim in TS3 – it's probably my favourite part of the game! (Except for being a firefighter... FAVOURITE.CAREER.EVER.)

Over the course of this experience, I have learned a few things.

First of all, that there does not exist a single base game hair style that I like. And satisfactory short male styles are very difficult to come by.

Secondly, Sidney Crosby was made to be a cartoon character. The boy's eyes are huge like his ass!

And last of all, that if I keep taking my sister's requests, I am going to have the entire NHL inhabiting my Sims game.

Today I would like to introduce you to the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks and the man my sister dreams of marrying every other week... Jonathan Toews.

Aesthetically speaking, I suppose I'm satisfied with this Sim overall. Sometimes in the game the nose looks a little too plain and not at all distinctive, but the eyes are good. They're dark, endless, and incredibly creepy as the Sim stares deep into the pits of your soul... much like Jonathan does in real life. The hair is what I'm really hung up on, though. Stupid boy still has to do some sort of pseudo-geno flick and I can't find any similar hair styles. Woe is me. It's like... I play with the Sim, and everything's good EXCEPT FOR THE HAIR AND IT DRIVES ME CRAZY. (And I'm not even a Toews fan!) I mean, I tried a different hairstyle that I thought might work... but he ended up just looking like the lead male from Glee. (Which you will see in one photo.)

Now... gameplay or Sim-wise, Jonathan is... not a very interesting Sim. Unlike the Beatles where I know enough about them to break each individual Sim into interesting yet accurate charicatures, I know pretty much fuck all about Jonathan Toews other than he's a very serious man and, to quote my sister, “hates children, old people, and dogs”. So his Sim is athletic, has no sense of humour, and can't stand children. Most of the Sims I've seen him meet have found him to be insufferably boring. (But he's still managed to make some friends at work.)

Tazer also lives in a crap shack in the middle of a swamp. Unlike the base game's neighbourhood, Twinbrooks does not have a single nice starter home. They're all out in the swamp.

In a swamp and by a questionnable water source. Water should not, under any circumstances, be glowing green.

Also, all the appliances were leaky, and Jonathan moved in to discover a flooded house. At least it forced him to develop some handy skills quickly.

And a neighbour stopped by and helped him repair all the leaking and crappy appliances for free.

But that's about all the excitement there is in Jonathan's life.

He loves to read books apparently. And while he hates children, he's read this children's book about twice now... in the matter of only a week.

He also likes to work out a lot. That's not surprising... and it does lend some amusement to see him flex his muscles and strike a pose randomly every so often.

Kind of like this.

The boy also loves mac and cheese. (No, I did not select it as his favourite food.) At first I thought that maybe it was just because Kraft Dinner is about the only thing he can successfully cook. But then he went out for dinner one night to a very nice bistro... AND ORDERED MACARONI AND CHEESE.

...Classy.

But this is what he likes to do the most... lounge around in bed, reading books in his underwear.

Jonathan Toews... the least interesting Sim in the world.

As for Sidney Crosby, I haven't built him yet. The observation on his eyes was from gathering reference pictures on Tumblr. And while I was doing that, my sister said that if I was going to really make a Crosby Sim then I needed to make an Ovechkin Sim and have them be roommates.

I suppose there is a Sim sitcom there...

But I still love the idea of an awkward one-sided bromance between these two.

Vegetarian Firefighting Musicians!

melisus — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:23:48 GMT

I said I hadn't abandoned my sims trundling along in TS2, but since TS3 is new to me I'm enjoying playing around with it (and am liking what it has to offer more and more), so while I probably will get back to the fun stories of the Liverpool lads and their adventures with wizards, werewolves, and the like, I'm continuing the new upgraded versions in a new seaside town with... well... while there isn't any magic, there's still a lot going on! And so, without further ado...

Sim Story Theatre proudly presents...

...The Ongoing Adventures of the Beatles Version 3.0

Part the First: In which Macca begins an exciting career with the fire department

This is James Paul McCartney. He's a virtuoso which means he has a talent for (and love of) all manners of music. He loves to sing in the shower and will hum or even sing himself a tune while he's walking about. He's also very family-oriented and loves children, as well as being a hopeless romantic so he's been known to swoon from time to time. He's also brave and will defend himself and others from the hazards of living such as burglars or fires. In addition, he's also a vegetarian (and will actually become physically ill if he consumes any meat) so it shouldn't be much of a surprise that his favourite meals are veggie burgers (but he's also quite partial to tofu dogs and fruit parfaits). Even though he loves all manner of music, his favourite is pop and his favourite colour is blue.

Paul dreams of one day successfully raising five children. But he's still a young guy, so there are plenty of other things to keep him busy...

Now while Paul may be whimsical enough to find complete contentment in mucking about the house all day whilst listening to the soothing chimes of his music box, that isn't going to pay the bills.

And so, being the brave soul that he is, Paul opts to join the local fire department. Now, you might think this is an intense job, full of harrowing feats of danger and near death experiences...

...like this!

But the truth is, the town's finest and bravest boys really just sort of hang around and do this.

All.The.Time.

I mean, even during emergencies, Paul's head wasn't really in the game.

You might think that Paul is breaking down this door like a truly heroic badass to rescue this poor confused sim from the raging inferno of his house, right? If you are, then you're about half right. The house was on fire, and this sim did need to be rescued.

But Paul's mind was on other things the entire time.

Maybe it was the influence of his colleagues that turned Paul into such a careless slacker in such an important profession. I mean, most of them were nice enough and Paul even got on very well with Beau here. But when Artie's playing fooseball all the time, Beau's being a couch potato, and Tina's busy spying on the neighbours... well... what exactly is going to get done around the place?

For the sake of the community, some shake-ups had to happen and sadly, that meant that some of Paul's fellow hose hounds had to go. I don't know who managed the station, but one day Paul turned up to work and Beau and Tina were gone. Artie was still kicking around, but he was soon let go as well, replaced with a new team of firefighers, all seemingly more qualified than those Paul previously knew (except for maybe Melody who runs around making faces in the mirrors all day). And Paul, who had somehow still managed to work his way up through the ranks (probably for being the brightest idiot in the box) suddenly found himself demoted to the bottom rung again.

But his new fellow firefighters are people who seem like they'll help Paul along the right paths. Grant here is a qualified firefighter who is exceptional at his duty... but he's a good guy too and he and Paul have seemed to take quite a liking to one another. And while Paul still has his opportunities to play around at work (like here), he is put on more important duties...

...like maintaining the truck. Paul works hard to keep the station's main engine in top shape. He's even begun to make some upgrades to the engine. A faster truck means a faster response time, which means Paul hopefully won't have another burning oven explode in his face.

So now we see less of this...

And more of this.

And Paul, who has managed to work his way up to the full rank of fireman (through actual hard work this time), has learned that while there is always time for fun and music... it's probably better done off the clock.

Next time on Sim Story Theatre, we can take a look at the budding and certainly interesting career of George Harrison, P.I.

I'll tell you right now, it involves a lot of rooting through other people's garbage.

Sims Stories... In Which We Go uh... High Def!

melisus — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 04:41:23 GMT

Ever since The Sims 3 was first announced I kind of went back and forth trying to decide whether or not I'd buy it. While I liked the idea of the open neighbourhood and more things to do, and I LOVED the greater level of customization when it came to designing Sims... I didn't like how my "god role" was taken away from me. No longer could I really build a town populated with various characters from various fandoms and do with them exactly as I pleased as unless I had them all living in the same house, they'd go off and do their own thing (including getting married and quite possibly even dying) while I was playing with someone else.

The Sims made me a digital control freak, I guess.

There was also the fact that I'd spent the years since The Sims 2 had been released, amassing all the expansion packs and stuff packs as well as a large collection of various downloads, hacks, etc. And, you know, I'm still quite attached to that game because it has all sorts of fun things like aliens (and alien pregnancy can really splice up the gene pool!), zombies, vampires, werewolves, plant people, and wizards. There's so much more to DO. And I didn't want to abandon the little Sims I'd grown so attached to.

So while I may have recently finally made the "upgrade" to The Sims 3, most of the Sim stories I post and all will be from the previous game. I mean, Ringo can't even become a drummer in The Sims 3 yet (the Late Night expansion pack promises more instruments) let alone become a wizard!

But I had to at least give the new game a try, especially when it came to testing out my Sim creating abilities. And so I present... a little interim between my little uh... Sims Stories and whatnot.

Beatles Adventures... The Intermission

Once upon a time there were four lads from Liverpool trying to make it big in this crazy world.

There was John, who in adddition to his quest for musical glory was apparently an aspiring doctor as well. He also loved to paint and collect butterflies, hobbies which (in addition to his meditation) allowed him to retain some sanity after his apartment was repeatedly robbed.

John's bestest best friend was Paul, who lived on the top floor in their little complex and lived and breathed for music. He happened to be quite good at composing, and he knew it... and knew he was awesome because of it.

Through Paul, George was brought into the picture who happened to be one of the best damn guitar players the world has ever known. He also enjoyed walking around in wetsuits and yoga.

Lastly, there was Ringo, who really was just happy to be there and having fun.

Then they all got face-lifts and more extensive personalities for play in The Sims 3...

John Lennon is a heavy sleeper, charismatic, ambitious, insane, and a virtuoso. His favourite food is dim sum; he enjoys roots music and his favourite colour is lime. His dream in life is to master the guitar/musical skill and charm the rest of the world with his musical abilities.

Paul McCartney ~~needs better hair~~ is a virtuoso as well. He's also vegetarian, a hopeless romantic, brave, and family-oriented. His favourite food are veggie burgers; he enjoyes pop music, and his favourite colour is aqua. His dream is to raise five children... but he wouldn't mind joining John in that band either.

George Harrison is frugal, a virtuoso, genius, loner, and has a green thumb. His favourite good is fish and chips; he likes any sort of music really (sadly, the game doesn't offer something like "International" as an option), and his favourite colour is orange. His lifetime goal is to have the greatest and most bountiful garden ever.

Ringo Starr is the luckiest man in the world, easily impressed, inherently good, a bit of a virtuoso, but unfortunately a coward. His favourite food is stew surprise (or beans on toast), he loves kids music, and his favourite colour is red. His dream in life is to become president. I'm serious. RINGO FOR PRESIDENT. It's gonna happen.

Fic (and Art!): The Band Plays On

melisus — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:06:03 GMT

Title: The Band Plays On
Fandoms: The Beatles and Harry Potter
Characters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr with mentions of/appearances by... well... the Marauders, and other characters of their generation.
Rating: G
Words: 1,212
Notes: This was inspired by fab art created by glockgal who has been kind enough to give permission for me to repost it here. Thank you again for the lovely muse! Feedback on her art can be left here!
Summary: Everyone thought that when the 60's ended, so did the Beatles. But in 1971 they turned up again... the muggles just didn't know it.

Lion

Paul McCartney is the one who seems the most natural in his new setting. It doesn’t hurt that both the wizarding and muggle girls alike are quickly quite taken with him. Some of the older students find him a bit juvenile, as Paul often prefers to teach through song. Or at least, he attempts to teach that way, though sometimes his lyrics become a little less about defensive spells and creature concepts, and more about love and holding hands.

Most of the professors find him to be rather silly and the Slytherins absolutely despise him, but Paul is a hit with most of the first year classes. When a young ginger girl in his Gryffindor group shows up one day and shyly asks if he’ll sign a record for her, he’s a little taken aback and a little disappointed that it’s a Beatles album and not the solo LP he’s put out recently. But she blushes as vividly as her hair and Paul isn’t one to crush the hopes of little eleven-year-old girls, so he autographs the sleeve for her and watches in amusement as the wizarding children around her look at the album in puzzlement.

He treats his class to Patronus spells that day, and although they’re all far too new at magic to successfully conjure anything beyond a few weak sparks or wisps of grey fog, the class enjoys having a great silver sheepdog bounding around the room, playing fetch and doing tricks for the rest of the period.

Badger

Ringo isn’t meant to teach. He’s too used to sitting in the background, following along with the others and just trying to enjoy himself along the way. So it isn’t a very good start to things when he walks into his very first teaching session and asks his students what it is they feel like doing that day. Most of the kids are all too happy to have a professor they can dictate to and push around, but the overachievers are not happy without a regimented curriculum.

When Ringo’s teaching, his classroom is usually empty with students coming and going as they please. When the weather is nice he usually has his class out on the grounds, students sprawled out on the grass or nestled beneath a tree. When it’s raining he’ll beat out a rhythm to go along with the pitter-patter of raindrops on the windowpanes, his desk serving as a drum kit. The only consistent part of Ringo’s method is his pot of tea, which is always boiling and always filled with enough to go around no matter who shows up or stops in for a visit.

Sometimes the others will drop in on Ringo’s sessions though never at the same time and never managing to be of much help. George usually helps himself to the tea and then chats with Ringo for a while, but Paul has a tendency to hijack his classroom and conjure cheap magic tricks, and John will only busy himself writing rude messages and strange graffiti all over his blackboard. But at least the squabbling has ended, and the castle is big enough that they don’t have to be around each other all the time.

Eagle

George Harrison no longer walks. He prefers to levitate himself and float along the corridors. With his feet decidedly not planted on firm ground, he finds his mind is clearer and free. At first it was a little disconcerting for the students in a place where ghosts are usually the only ones drifting along. But they eventually get used to it, and sometimes George will allow himself to remain stationary and grounded on his desk, quietly meditating and whispering mantras while the class completes the work they’ve been given.

One of his first year students appears to take an interest in George and his mantras, approaching him one afternoon after the rest of the class has moved on. He is small, pale, and a bit peaky, and fidgets nervously as he tries to ask George about his meditations.

“Do they work?”

Of course they work, George thinks, though he isn't sure exactly what it is the child thinks they're supposed to be working against. The boy's answer is a little scattered and evasive, but George manages to work out that the lad is interested in trying to find some sort of inner balance or at least get pointed in the right direction. He's a little taken aback, to be honest. There aren't many eleven-year-olds who have even the slightest ideas about universal harmonies and inner peace, but the kid seems earnest enough, so George suggests a few simple mantras and sends the boy on his way.

To further help along the tranquil environment, George decides to decorate the classroom, primarily with plants from the Herbology Greenhouses. Some are colourful, some aromatic, and some are simply leafy and green but possess magical or healing properties that George believes lend a more relaxing atmosphere to the class. At first he worries what the other three might think about his decorating and then secretly hopes one of them will say something and goad him into a quarrel. But George doesn’t receive any angry messages or overturned plants. Instead he finds a simple note nestled near one of the flower pots on his desk:

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green.

Snake

John Lennon is barely a teacher and little more than a troublesome student. One of his favourite past times is to make rude faces behind the other professors' backs when he thinks they're not looking or deface school property with nonsensical and sometimes rude drawings and charicatures. Professor Slughorn is his favourite target and indeed his loudest detractor which only serves to encourage John all the more.

Student opinion is divided on John. Some love him, some hate him, and still some are simply terrified of him. His favourite topic in class is dark creatures, and whether or not anything he teaches them is rooted in an ounce of fact is irrelevant, as John is much more focused on presenting stories of wayward vampires and rogue werewolves in the most dramatic way he can, even if his acting is far from Shakespearean.

You can tell John has been in the classroom by the general level of disarray and the confusion of chalk lines that litters the blackboard. He will often burst out into prose in the middle of class if the muse hits him, and appears far more keen on drawing cartoons of goblins and walruses drinking tea or scrawling “Paulie is a git” than looking after a room full of children. His classrooms are therefore always absolute chaos, with students chatting, exchanging notes, and enchanting paper planes to soar about the room all while John remains wrapped up in his oblivious artistic bubble. There are only two students who appear to watch him with rapt attention no matter what he may be doing, two dark-haired boys who seem to shadow his every step and analyze his every action very closely.

They're not, however, interested in anything about fighting boggarts or countering curses, and while John's drawings eventually become less grotesque and his poems less offensive, he's left two of Hogwarts' most terrible troublemakers in his wake.

This entry was originally posted at http://melisus.dreamwidth.org/5750.html. You can comment here, there, and everywhere using OpenID.

It's been a long time... but here they are again!

melisus — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:41:52 GMT

Remember my Beatles SIMS? Remember how I was having a ridiculous amount of fun playing with them and documenting all the weird stuff happening? But then remember how I kind of stopped because university crunch time happened?

Well, I picked them up again, probably due to a renewed interest in my ongoing debate of whether or not I should make the crossover into The SIMS 3 territory. Either way, here we have more SIM stories.

Beatles Adventures Part Three: The Summer of I Don't Know What

When we last left our lads (or you left them because I've still been playing with them for a while) much of nothing had gone down. Paul was and still is weird, John was and continues to catch fireflies and butterflies, George was betrayed, and Ringo was completely oblivious to everything.

This week we continue to see Paul and John frolick about in a way that is TOTALLY MANLY, OKAY!?! George takes a liking to wetsuits and odd jobs, and Ringo is... well... Ringo.

Ringo – sick of apologizing – tries to ambush George with the apology cake once again.

George is flattered this time. Because really, who in their right mind can say no to cake? And if it comes with an MP3 player as an added incentive... well... who'se really keeping track?

It appears that everything's finally coming up Ringo! Aww yeah!

Except for the part where he still has to work as a mime. We've all got to pay the bills somehow, right, Ringo?

Ringo's the lucky one, however, as the others (namely John and Paul) seem to be having their problems. Now, the good news (for Paul, at least) is that he's POPULAR. Women passing by him on the street are always checking him out and fawning over him. He even decided to bless one townie by taking her out on a date! His reward? You bet he got lucky! In a photo booth, no less! Macca sure is classy when it comes to the ladies.

And he needs a woman, as it's become quite obvious that Paul cannot cook. This is Paul's kitchen. Yes, that is the stove which is on fire. Paul was trying to make a Pop Tart and instead SET HIS HOUSE ON FIRE.

It's a good thing the super awesome firefighter chick is there to save the day!

Paul stares forlornely at his burnt toaster pastry. Looks like he'd better stick to cereal from now on.

And yet he eats it, even if he almost pukes while trying. Don't say this man isn't determined, folks. At least he ends up as good gossip fodder. I didn't get any pictures, but I caught George and Ringo whispering and giggling about Paul setting his apartment on fire for a couple days after the incident.

They also gossiped about John, though that was a bit meaner because while John didn't set his flat on fire...

A burglar DID break into his house. Here we see him stealing his television away in a magic sack. He also stole John's chess table and almost all the chairs in his house. BUT HE DIDN'T TAKE THE GUITAR, SO WE'RE STILL GOOD.

John broke down and cried after it happened. But in all fairness, it was a frightening experience! Good thing he called 911, but unfortunately the police were lazy and the robber got away. I know, Johnny, he's still out there somewhere... lurking... keeping you in fear...

John decides to take up meditation in order to calm his nerves. He's not going to let an incident like this keep him living in fear for the rest of his life. But apparently he doesn't like my camera, and so chooses to meditate facing the wall.

Ah, that's better.

He also paints. Llamas are a deep and emotional subject. Or maybe it's an arctic giraffe seeing as how its long neck makes it taller than that tree. I don't really know... this IS, after all, John Lennon we're talking about.

So that just leaves us with George. In addition to being an increasingly badass guitar player, he's been around the neighbourhood doing... I dunno... stuff. He has a LOT of hobbies.

Like gazing at the stars.

Yoga. (No, I don't know why John's the only Beatle who can meditate.)

He even tries to take advantage of the nice weather to do some fishing! Unfortunately, it's a spectacular failure at first.

But he eventually manages to catch something and is extremely pleased with himself! Hurray, George! He later cooked it up for dinner that night. I guess he hasn't gone vegetarian yet. (I maintain that FISH IS A MEAT.)

While he was out, he also met a witch. WHAT AN INTERESTING TURN OF EVENTS. Is there some magic in George's future, perhaps?

But all this running about has worn George down, and he developed a terrible cold.

But with a little less running around and a little more of this, he should be fine in no time at all.

Robins Robins Everywhere

melisus — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:51:54 GMT

It was unsightly hot outside with little to no breeze, but I made the walk up to Wal-mart and picked up a copy of DC's latest addition to their animated universe (though I don't really know if the recent years of films are considered part of the DCAU). Now, I have not read the comics this film was based around, "A Death in the Family" and "Under the Red Hood" but I'm familiar with these important stories and was quite eager to see how the film turned out.

My spoiler-free opinion would be that Under the Red Hood is one of, if not the best animated feature DC has put out to date. The story unfolds in a way that leaves an audience familiar with Jason Todd's story hooked, but also allows an audience unfamiliar with his story to understand everything in the same order of revelation that Bruce undergoes within the film. The voice acting is great, and the ending is so tragic it borders on heart-breaking. I purchased the Blu-Ray version as well, which comes with enough short bonus features to further familiarize the audience with the character of Robin up to the point he appears at within the film (in other words, it's all about Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Sorry, Tim fans.) I recommend this to any Batman fan, no matter how passive you may be - whether you're into or familiar with the comics or just know the character through film and television franchises, you will enjoy this film.

The movie begins with the crack of the Joker's crowbar as he beats Robin mercilessly. I find it interesting that Jason is dressed in the costume given to Tim Drake in the Gotham Knights era of the Batman Animated Series - perhaps to create anxiety with audience members only familiar with the animated universe. You could, potentially, assume this Robin was Tim, but then as Batman pulls the lifeless body of Robin out of the rubble of the warehouse, he whispers one name: "Jason..."

Thus does this solve my confusion in the first episode of the Gotham Knights era where the Robin costume Tim was looking at in the bat cave looked absolutely nothing like the attire worn by Dick. Of course, I'm probably thinking too hard about that because DCAU Tim is kind of like a combination of Jason and Tim, so technically this film seems like it ought to be in its own animated continuity, but whatever.

Either way, the opening of this movie was strong and tragic. Even if you've just met the character, you feel Batman's loss. After all, this is Robin. 1960's camp and suggestive jokes aside, this is the young bright protege essential to the Bat Family. Robin isn't supposed to be allowed to die. But he does, and we watch it all unfold before the opening credits even begin.

The subtle nods to comic continuity contribute to the strength of the movie as well, while also allowing an unfamiliar audience to understand more about the story. As the Joker taunts Jason before his death, he refers to Jason's predecessor letting you know that this is not the original Robin. Minor characters also refer to this, particulaly when Nightwing first appears, making sure everyone is up to speed on what's been going on in the Bat Family. There's even a small reference to Batgirl towards the end of the movie, when Jason confronts Bruce about everyone the Joker has hurt - the innocent people he's killed, the friends he's left crippled. At least, I took that to be a nod to Barbara.

One of the things that really makes this film is also the voice acting. Now, I'm faulted in commenting on these things usually, because I'm of the opinion that there will never be a Batman better than Kevin Conroy, nor will there ever be a Joker better than Mark Hamill. However, the choice of voices in this film were wonderful. Bruce Greenwood does a Batman that manages to capture the essence of the dark voice while being something completely his own and not just someone trying to be either Kevin Conroy or the incomprehensible growling of Christian Bale. And I like John DeMaggio as the Joker for the most part. His laugh was extremely akin to Mark Hamill's, and at times when he took on the light-hearted voice he sounded like someone trying to be Hamill's Joker which I both liked and disliked at the same time. More often than not, he sounded more like Bender from Futurama, but overall I think I liked him and if this is the Joker we're going to have for the next few years, I am all for it.

Jensen Ackles as Red Hood!Jason Todd was kind of strange, just because of how much Jason seems to change in the timeline. There are flashbacks to when he was a child and brand new to the role (in Dick's old costume), and then the flashbacks (and opening) where he's in a more Tim-like costume and an older person and has a more mature voice. Then five years later he suddenly drops down several octaves to Ackles' voice. It's a little jarring, but at the same time I think I like how Jason's voice is gruff and deep in contrast to Dick Grayson's more playful and higher tone. Which brings me to Neil Patrick Harris as Dick Grayson which is a lot of fun. He's well suited to Dick's cheekiness and playful banter. One of my favourite lines was as Dick asks if they're going to further investigate the Red Hood and he turns to see Bruce has disappeared and the batmobile is already idling: "For once, would it kill you to just say 'Get in the car'?"

The only disappoinment when it came to Dick was his abrupt exit from the action midway through the film. Granted, the story is really about Bruce and Jason, but the way they passed him on was a little abrupt and... lacking. (He sustains a knee injury during their confrontation with the Red Hood and so Bruce tells Alfred to take him home.) But I guess he's really just there to build on the family dynamic around Bruce.

Also, Jason Isaacs was Ra's Al Ghul. Perfect.

And the climax of the film... it's heartbreaking. As someone only vaguely familiar with Jason's story, I never really understood how or why he went from "tragic death at the hand of the Joker" to becoming this troubled villain/anti-hero angry at Bruce. I really did think all his rage against Bruce was because he had failed to save him, but I was wrong. And Jason tells Bruce this. Jason doesn't carry any ill will towards Bruce for failing to rescue him, but he can't forgive Bruce for not punishing and killing the Joker for what he did. And in that moment, I can see this young child, confused and hurting because nothing has been done to make the man who killed him pay - his father, who is supposed to be Gotham's vengence in the night did nothing, and to Jason that tells him that he didn't matter. We know why Batman did not and will not kill the Joker (and he tries to explain this to Jason), but the whole thing still tugs on your heart strings a little. Everything Jason has done as the Red Hood (and even probably his selection of that particular identity) is not to get back at Bruce, but to lure out the Joker and make him pay.

If I can just go off on a bit of a side note here for a minute, Jason's wish to see the Joker suffer for what he did to him - to see that someone out there actually cared about him (in Jason's mind) makes me smile a little at the brother dynamic of the Robins in the comic continuity. I do know that some time after Jason's death, it was Dick who went after the Joker and beat him mercilessly for what he had done, and in the recent issue of Batman and Robin where Damian meets the Joker for the first time, he even feels the need to make the Joker suffer for what he did to Jason, adding a sense of poetic justice to it by using a crowbar. I've seen mixed opinions on this, but in a way it wins me over to Damian. Because the kid is an arrogant little shit and he's met Jason all of once (when Jason tried to kill him and Dick), but discovering that the Joker beat and murdered one of his brothers causes Damian to feel the need to exact revenge for it.

Like I said, I love the Robins. And these moments that show Damian warming up to the family and wanting to be a part of it little by little are winning me over to his character.

Anyways, back to the film! Flashbacks pay an important role in the film as well. One of the concerns I remember seeing raised about this film was how the shocking reveal of Jason Todd as the Red Hood would work if we saw that Jason had died and suddenly this mysterious person was back in Gotham. Well here's the thing - it's not all that much of a mystery as to who the Red Hood is. The audience is only given as much knowledge as Bruce is, but after his first encounter with the Red Hood, he has his suspicions almost immediately. So we (and Bruce) know through most of the movie that Jason is the Red Hood, but it's the how and the why that Batman is left to figure out and then what to do about it - how to make things right. And it is after Bruce figures things out (or has his first suspicions) that we get to learn more about Jason through Bruce's flashbacks. These flashbacks tell everything from his origin, to how he developed into a rather aggressive young man (and a dangerous Robin), and even points out the similarities between Jason in the past and the Red Hood now for the audience to say, "Ah, so it is Jason."

And finally, it all comes together for a tragic ending. That's right, there's no "and they lived happily ever after" here - not in the slightest. Bruce manages to stop Jason from killing the Joker and survives his suicide mission, but Jason is gone - disappeared. Bruce must now go back to "business as usual" but with the knowledge that his lost son is out there somewhere. I liked the ending as it shows the remaining family: Jason has disappeared, Dick sits alone atop a building on his own independent night patrol, and then there's finally Alfred. Alone in the bat cave, it is Alfred who gives us the final and truly most saddening flashback as he remembers Jason's very first day as Robin - his first moment in the costume. We see this cheeky but bright and eager boy, ready to prove himself to Bruce and get out there and fight crime. As he jumps around in his outfit and urges Bruce to hurry up, he stands on the roof of the batmobile triumphantly, and as Alfred watches, the young Jason beams and utters the last line of the film: "This is the best day of my life!"

Cue the waterworks.

Under the Hood also completes the package by a small set of excellent bonus features for comic book fans and non-comics fans alike to get to know the characters so quintessential to this film and its story: the Robins. The first short feature, "Robin: The Story of Dick Grayson" tells the story of the character's creation and evolution, the purpose and importance of Robin, Dick's relationship with Bruce, his growth into Nightwing and... the idea that he might one day be Batman (which we know is current canon right now). The second feature is actually a Blu-Ray exclusive entitled "Robin's Requiem: The Tale of Jason Todd" which goes over the character's origins, why they created a second Robin, how Crisis on Infinite Earths allowed them to reinvent the character from scratch, how this sort of failed and the infamous phone in campaign killed him off, why DC decided to bring him back, and the debate over the villain or anti-hero angle. Both of these bonus features probably don't have that much to offer to die hard comics fans already familiar with the entire development of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, but they are a great set of supplementary features to give those not as familiar with the franchise a better understanding of these characters.

There are also four episodes from the original Batman: The Animated Series, picked by Bruce Timm as some of his favourites. Not surprising, two of these are the two-part serial "Robin's Reckoning" which has always been one of my favourite episodes - important viewing for new fans as it details the animated origin of Dick Grayson. The other two serials are "Mad Love" and "The Laughing Fish".

In conclusion, an extremely well-done film, integral for any Batman fan and especially fans of the Robin "brotherhood" and the evolving Bat Family. Probably the best animated movie DC has put out to date.

Still need convincing to see this movie? Watch this video (sorry, embedding is disabled) - it's the opening scene of the film, right before the credits. If those five minutes don't convince you then... well... what can I do?

Haha, zombies!

melisus — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 05:10:22 GMT

I'm only making this post because it's the full moon, I'm still wound up from seeing Ringo Starr, and I need to expell energy so I can get some sleep.

Yeah... so coming home on the train, I noticed it was the full moon. And where did my mind go?

It went here.

As eileenthepeach said to me: "I SAW LUPIN IN HIS TIGHTY WHITEYS. LIFE = COMPLETE"

So remember! Stay safe tonight on this here full moon, and watch out for gremlins, vampires, and that other savage lunar beast... the infamous Hogwarts jaguar!

And if you got all of the references in this post, congrats!

Oh, if only I didn't have to spend tomorrow working hard on my MMT vest, I would so be spending it doing A Very Potter Sequel art. REMUS AND UMBRIDGE ARE SO AWESOME. AND I WANT A PICTURE OF REMUS AND SIRIUS FLYING AWAY ON THE FIREBOLT WITH RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS.

Fic: As We Grow, Bucky & Robin, PG-13

melisus — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 22:08:54 GMT

Title: As We Grow
Fandom: Marvel/DC
Characters: Dick Grayson and Bucky Barnes, with appearances by Bruce Wayne and Steve Rogers
Rating: PG-13 (there's a war; it could scare children)
Length: 3,949 words
Summary: Two boys, two different sets of adventures, and yet so similar in the end.
Notes: The world needs more Barnes and Grayson adventures.

Dick is just a child the first time they meet – they both are, although looking at Bucky Barnes you wouldn't know it. He crouches in a foxhole beneath a makeshift cover of sweet-smelling pine, eyes glinting dangerously beneath his helmet. The only hint of boyhood from the mud-caked boots to the stoney face is a rose flush in his cheeks, and a smile that is impish as can be – when he chooses to show it. As Dick takes in the sight of the boy's blue coat and army gear, he knows the get up is designed to show that he means business. Looking down at his own uniform, Dick begins to wish for the first time that he looked a little more intimidating and less pixie-like. Having something to cover his legs would be nice at the very least. It's beyond cold hiding in the snow.

He has no idea how he ended up where he is. One minute it was Gotham and Hugo Strange, the next he's stumbling through a cold dead forest. Thank goodness for this other kid who seemed to spring out of nowhere and dragged him into the hole they now huddle in. He didn't say much, only that his name was Bucky and Dick had somehow wandered into a warzone.

“Aren't you a bit young to be in a war?” Dick's voice finally breaks the silence between them.

“Not when you've spent your entire life around the army,” replies Bucky. “Besides, Nazis don't care how old you are. They just want you dead.”

Dick still doesn't know how he ended up here, but he's beginning to suspect time travel was involved, and that thought fills him with a cold dread. Mishaps in time and space are a lot of trouble to fix.

“Anyways,” Bucky continues, “what are you doing out here on your own and uh...” He looks Dick over, one eyebrow arching curiously. “Not fond of pants?”

Dick blushes, embarrassed, and draws his knees tighter to his chest. He doesn't get the opportunity to bite back at Bucky's remark though, as the two boys are suddenly interrupted by close rumblings that Dick thinks sound like thunder. Bucky, however, knows better, and sinks down as far into the dirt as he can.

Suddenly, the world around Dick explodes in a din of sound and blinding light. The ground around him shakes, and before he realizes it, he’s thrown himself in the dirt at the bottom of their pit, hands over ears and eyes shut tight. It’s a warzone, he should have realized shells would fall, but things had seemed so quiet.

Dick is afraid. Everything he’s ever experienced in Gotham at the hands of some of the worst villains he’s known does not compare to the forest exploding into splinters around him. He’s going to die huddled in this hole, he’s absolutely sure of it. At any moment a mortar will come crashing through the cover of pine branches and blow him to pieces.

A whimper escapes despite Dick trying to hold it in, coming out a little strangled. But as his mind becomes more and more frantic at his surroundings, Dick becomes aware of a warm hand holding his shoulder gently. With a reassuring squeeze, Dick comes back to the present, chancing a look up at Bucky. The boy is smiling – a look that manages to be both amused and concerned.

“I think of them like fireworks!” he shouts, though Dick can still barely hear. Fireworks from hell, maybe. But before he can say so, one explodes too close and the lights go out in Dick’s world.

There is an unbearable pressure upon him when Dick comes to. He can smell smoke and pine, and tastes dirt. He’s buried under upturned soil and Bucky, and is relieved when the latter shifts and starts to struggle out of the dirt. It means he’s alive. As Bucky gets up, Dick is able to shift the loose dirt aside and raise himself to his knees. They look at each other, both boys now nearly identical, caked entirely in black dirt. The forest around them is now mostly silent again, the rumbling of shells now only a sound of distant thunder.

“That was a close one. They’ve moved on to a different part of the forest now.” Bucky’s face is grim, his brow furrowed. Under all that dirt it makes him seem so much older, and for a moment Dick forgets that they're both only boys.

“Is that where the rest of your outfit is?” asks Dick. Even though the shells sound far away, he still finds himself shivering. It isn't far enough. “You ended up separated?”

A blush creeps into Bucky's cheeks and he sinks back down towards the bottom of the hole. He's silent for a moment, staring moodily at his boots. “This doesn't happen. Ever.” There's frustration in his voice. Dick thinks he's struck a nerve. “I'm not lost. I know exactly where I am.” He looks up and glares at Dick. “And at least I've got pants on instead of looking like some sort of pixie.”

“My outfit suits my line of work just fine,” Dick counters. It isn't a very good comeback, and he's not so sure he likes Bucky all that much at the moment, but the last thing he wants to do is get into a fight – especially in a place like this. If he really has ended up in World War Two, he's extremely lucky to be sharing a foxhole with one of the good guys. He could have just as easily walked into the other side, and Dick doesn't want to think about what might have happened then. What he does want is to go home, eat something hot, and for the world to be right and normal again. So he backs down from the fight Bucky seems to be trying to instigate. At this point he doesn't really care if the boy thinks he's a wimp or that he hasn't got any pants or even tights to go with his scaly green bottoms.

“Well I'm lost. I don't know where I am...”

It takes a moment, but Dick's words seem to take all the fire out of Bucky. He pauses, appears to consider something, and then his expression softens. When he speaks, his tone becomes gentle, sympathetic. “Look, you stick with me and we'll figure it out.” The impish smile is back. “I have friends who can help. If anyone will know what to do, they will.”

It isn't much, but it is some hope, even if Dick isn't too keen on the idea of leaving the safety of the foxhole. They won't though, at least not immediately. Bucky says it isn't safe with night approaching. There's too many trees and too many places for unfriendly eyes to be hiding. Dick shivers at the thought of armed soldiers lurking about. He's seen a lot of things that would give any child nightmares – he still has some of his own sometimes, but while Dick's world is full of killer clowns and violent madmen, there's something about a large army of trained and organized killers that manages to unsettle him.

It isn't long before the cold begins to gnaw away at him either. He tries rubbing his arms and legs, but it just won't work and soon he's lost feeling in his toes. Bucky watches him for a while, and Dick realizes that maybe pants wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. The pine cover above grants them some insulation, but it isn't a lot and certainly not enough.

“Wait here,” Bucky says suddenly, and before Dick can ask him what he's doing or where he's going, the boy is gone. Dick sits very quietly, hoping his teeth aren't chattering too loudly. He can hear Bucky's footsteps fading away and for the moment he's alone, Dick has to work very hard to keep himself calm. But then Bucky's back, dropping back down into the dirt and offering Dick an overcoat that smells off and is spattered with stains he's better off not thinking about. “Just... try not to think about the cold, okay?”

Dick does try, wrapping the oversized coat around him and concentrating on things like tropical beaches, roaring fires, and hot soup. It helps to pass the time as Bucky doesn't make a whole lot of conversation, but Dick finds they're both too busy listening to the sounds around them to say much to each other. A few times there are voices, foreign and unfriendly, causing Bucky to hold his breath and clutch his weapon tightly. But they pass by, and though the darkness above continues to light up with the flashing of shells, they remain distant and don't disturb them.

Dick eventually falls asleep though he isn't aware of when it finally takes him. But eventually it's morning, and Dick can hear the crunching of snow beneath someone's feet. The footsteps are approaching, and at first Dick doesn't think much about them. But then his senses come back to him and he realizes where he is and what that sound could mean. He shakes the sleeping boy next to him, startling Bucky awake. He doesn't say a word; he doesn't have to, as Bucky instinctively listens and nods. Weapon at the ready, Bucky creeps forward to peer out of the hole though he's still frantically trying to scrub the sleep from his eyes. Dick isn't sure how good one kid with a gun is going to be against an army of trained Germans, but there isn't much else either of them can do. But Dick can see Bucky suddenly grin, and it isn't cheeky, or coy, or grim in any way. It is unabashed happiness, and he lets out a long and loud whistle.

The next thing Dick knows is that he's being helped out of the foxhole by a group of American soldiers being led by someone who Bucky claims is his partner: Captain America. Dick isn't too sure what to say to the man. He's a legendary war hero (though that might not be true just yet), and Dick is certain Bruce will never believe the man exists if Dick ever gets back home to tell him about it.

Dick does eventually get back home, and though Bruce listens patiently to Dick's story about the kid in the foxhole and the legendary hero, the smile on his face tells Dick that – sure enough – he doesn't believe a word of it.

Dick is a little older the second time he meets Captain America and Bucky, and it's in his own timeline. As Robin, Dick is used to Gotham's eccentric villains, but one day a man wearing a hideous red skull mask appears. Unlike the villains Dick's used to, this masked man isn't interested in contorting Joker gas, or grand theatrics with him and Batman. He works with guns only, and as Dick watches his mentor work on tracking the criminal down and unravelling a motive for his crimes, he discovers they're all ethnically charged.

One night as he and Bruce are meeting with Gordon, the commissioner introduces them to a man newly arrived from New York. He knows their target well and has come to lend a hand. Dick can hear Bruce make a displeased noise in the back of his throat as two figures step into the open, and Dick is startled to discover that he's once again meeting with Captain America and his sidekick, Bucky.

Dick can't help but notice that there's something not quite right about the pair. The Captain looks just as he remembers, though Dick is left wondering how a man from World War Two hasn't aged a day. But it's Bucky that really grabs his attention and how different he looks. He's slimmer than he was when Dick met him in the foxhole, and his hair isn't as brown as it should be. It's a tad lighter which most people wouldn't notice, but you don't grow up with Gotham's greatest detective and not learn the value of details and acute observation. This Bucky is also too cheerful. As Bruce begrudgingly accepts the star-spangled Avenger's help, Dick ends up spending a lot of time with this Bucky. He's cheeky and impish, but that's all there is to him. He's too much like a child, and there's none of that grimness lurking underneath that Dick saw when they first met. He's too much like him, Dick realizes, cheerful and upbeat like he hasn't actually been through a war.

And then it hits him. This is the same Captain America, but a different Bucky. At first he can't figure out why, but then it dawns on him. The original Bucky must have grown up. “Bucky” isn't a name, so much as it's a title or a code name just like “Robin.” Does it mean they're replaceable? Does it mean he's replaceable? At first Dick is frightened by the idea that Bruce could simply replace him with some other kid. But when he thinks about it a little more, he realizes that he's not going to want to be the Boy Wonder for his entire life. Buckys grow up... and maybe Robins will too.

Robin does grow up, and Dick spends his adult years under a new identity in a new city. He becomes Officer Grayson by day and Nightwing by night, and is all too glad to be rid of the pixie boots and cape. Capes were never very practical for an acrobat, and Dick finds that without it he's a lot more graceful and certainly freer.

He finds himself still returning to Gotham every once in a while, usually to help out Bruce when things get a little too hairy. This is one of those instances, though it isn't exactly Batman that needs help this time. It was Barbara who gave him the information, explaining that a Russian operative was supposedly on his way to Gotham and had Bruce Wayne and his captialist empire set in his crosshairs. He and Bruce argue about the danger. Bruce doesn’t need Dick's protection, and the younger man knows full well that he's quite capable of handling himself in almost any situation. But the persona of Bruce Wayne is of a carefree haphazard playboy, and playing that role does put Bruce at some risk. Dick says he concedes, but he'll be damned if he's going to sit by and do nothing.

As Dick sits on a rooftop, overseeing one of the Wayne Foundation’s many benefits (and the lavish parties that always follow), he's certain his mentor suspects he hasn't left Gotham. But if something were to happen, Dick wouldn't be able to forgive himself. And sure enough, the assassin makes his appearance as little more than a swift shadow moving through the darkness across from Dick. Even though his eyes are sharp, he probably would not have seen a thing but for a brief glint of metal as something catches moonlight.

Dick is on his feet in an instant, moving silently in on his target. The figure doesn't appear to have seen or heard a thing, as it crouches down and takes aim. Simple amateurs, Dick comments in his mind, and makes to pounce. But as he does, the assassin turns at the last second and Dick is stunned to find himself slammed into the ground by something hard. It appears the assailant wasn't so oblivious after all. Dick struggles to catch his breath and scramble back as a gun fires. He manages to get himself back on his feet, dodging the bullet just in time.

As he rights himself, he's able to get a good look at his opponent. They are about the same height and build, but everything about the assassin says that he clearly means business. The rifle he had been aiming to take Bruce's life with lies on the ground discarded, but two handgun holsters and their weapons remain. But guns can be neutralized if Dick gets in close enough, though the cybernetic arm could be a problem. Dick moves in and attacks low, tripping up the Russian's feet. He expects him to go down hard, but it appears his enemy knows a little bit of acrobatics himself and manages to roll away and get back on his feet.

As they exchange blows, Dick taking care to avoid anything the metal arm tries, his mind concentrates solely on the fight, trying to measure and anticipate his opponent's move and counter accordingly. But as one well-placed (or simply lucky) kick sends the assassin to the ground, Dick sees his face suddenly revealed by the lights of taller buildings. It's the eyes that get him, reminding Dick suddenly of a face caked with mud and dirt peering at him from beneath a helmet. He doesn't know why it makes him freeze, but suddenly he's recalling the cold of winter and eyes that glint with a hidden impishness from beneath the protection of pine branches.

The lapse in concentration almost costs Dick, as he comes back to reality and finds himself pinned and staring down the barrel of a gun. He hears the weapon click, and his assailant smiles as he says something in Russian that Dick can't understand. The smile bothers Dick. It doesn't seem right, as if it belongs on a younger, friendlier face. Dick shuts his eyes, so that he won't see his death coming and to block out the smile that bothers him so much. He holds his breath and waits for the tell-tale bang.

Like an explosion, the gun goes off, and Dick's ears are left ringing. But he's still breathing, still alive, and when he dares to open his eyes again, he sees no one is pinning him down anymore, no gun, and no disturbing smirk. Instead, the Russian is sprawled on the ground not too far away, a dark bat-like shadow lurking above him. Bruce and the assassin glare at each other for a moment, before the Russian chooses his move, charging Batman and making his escape across rooftops and into the night.

Dick hopes that Bruce will give chase. But he doesn't, instead coming back to Dick. He doesn't offer his hand or pull the younger man to his feet, only looks at him in silent disapproval. Dick knows an argument is coming – they seem to do a lot of that lately, but for now he doesn't care. For reasons he can't quite explain to himself, he's just glad that Bruce isn't smiling.

The last time they meet Dick is in a cape again. Bruce is gone and Dick finds himself tasked with stepping into his father's very large and heavy boots. But, he reasons with himself, if he hadn't done it, who would? Who could? Still, he doesn't like being Batman very much, nor does he like having the responsibility of cultivating a Robin. Damian is moody, arrogant, and challenging, making Dick wonder if he ever taxed Bruce like Damian taxes him. But at least Damian can be left behind in Gotham, like he is right now with Dick on the road trailing after drug trafficers. Gotham has enough problems with violence, drugs, and crime within the confines of its own city limits; it doesn't need outsiders coming in and pushing their own wares. For this reason, Dick finds himself further east in the heart of New York City.

It's tough to be Batman in New York. There are too many lights and not anywhere near enough shadows to travel in. Anyone will be able to see him coming a mile away, and he's not able to look quite as menacing or terrifying as he hopes. He also knows the criminals in New York are different – they don't fear the dark or the rooftops, most likely because there's never been anything around to make them afraid. Costumed vigilantes run rampant in the city, but they stand out in bright colours like Superman and don't bring with them any sort of terror.

It all makes Dick moody and uncomfortable, and causes his concentration to lapse. He should hear the figure coming up behind him well before he reaches him, but he doesn't, and is only able to hear the whistling of something flying through the air in time to barely dodge aside. There is a thunk as it misses its target, and Dick is able to see it's a round disc decorated in patriotic colours. Dick knows that shield – everyone in America has always known that shield.

“Captain America?”

“Glad I got your attention.”

The man in question steps from his hiding place, scrutinizing Dick. He should recognize Batman, he thinks, after all they have worked together in the past, but then Dick notices the gun strapped to his leg. The Captain never used guns. His voice is different too, not at all like how Dick remembers. And in the light, Dick can see that the costume is all wrong. There's an almost liquid nature to the cowl, and while the wings and the letter and the white star on the chest are all there, the stripes are wrong, and the costume is mostly black.

“I didn't know the old Cap retired,” says Dick. It's both an observation and a challenge.

The new Cap frowns as he picks up the shield, looking troubled for a moment before he replies. “Haven't you read a newspaper lately?”

“I've had my hands full,” Dick confesses. He feels a bit sheepish inspite of himself. Evidently any Captain America will still make him feel like a small boy.

“Well I'm the new guy.” Dick can clearly hear the “You've got a problem with that?” intended in the following silence. “Funny though... I remember you being taller.”

Dick glances at Cap sharply. As far as he knows, Bruce never met with this man, so how would he know? Cap's eyes are studying him carefully, but Dick shrugs it off.

“You said you wanted my attention.” There's something about this Captain America that bothers Dick, and he'd rather get down to the man's business and be on his way.

“It looks like we're tracking the same target,” Cap explains. “Honestly, I haven't been much of a team player in a while but...”

“I work alone,” would be the sort of thing Bruce would say. But Dick isn't Bruce, and he realizes he isn't really interested in being Bruce. He ought to be his own sort of Batman, just like the man next to him is clearly his own sort of Captain America, though Dick can't tell if it's the right sort of Cap yet. But he concedes to his help anyways. Being Batman is still too new to Dick, and it would be a bit of a comfort to know someone out there had his back. Not to mention the sooner he gets back to Gotham, the better.

Slinging his shield onto his back, Cap gives Dick the briefest of smiles but one that causes Dick to pause. Though the posture and voice tell Dick that the man beneath the cowl is rough and not to be messed with, there is still something young and impish in the smile and eyes - something Dick recognizes though he can't quite believe his mind isn't messing around with him. He doesn't know what to say or if it's even possible that this man is who he thinks he is, but as he vaults over the edge of the roof into the alley below, this strange metallic Captain America manages to answer it all in one simple sentence.

“Good to see you're wearing pants this time.”

This art was originally posted at http://melisus.dreamwidth.org/5502.html. You can comment here or head over there and use OpenID.

143!

melisus — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:29:28 GMT

Canada aka The Little Country That Could is 143 years old today! (I think I did my math right.) And I have to admit that while I'm not one of those people who's all doe-eyed over the Royal Family and all, I think it's pretty awesome that our head of state is actually here for our national holiday.

That's right, the Queen of England is in Ottawa today, joining in the Canada Day celebrations. And by the end of the weekend she'll be here in Toronto. I kind of want to go out and see if I can catch a glimpse of her. It's not every day she visits your country.

But enough about the Queen. IT'S CANADA DAY TODAY. (Though for some reason, the government decided NOT to give everyone tomorrow off so... no long weekend for most people.) And it's not a big secret that I get pretty patriotic about my country, even though I'm not quite sure what patriotism MEANS in Canada. (Probably just celebrating your awesome national stereotypes, as portrayed in ads for Molson Canadian beer.)

I'd like to think that overall it's been a good year for Canada. Our government's crap, and our nation is always grossely uncaring and unmoving when it comes to addressing any issues or change but we do have two things going for us: free health care, and same sex marriage.

And, for the first time ever, WE KICKED ALL YOUR ASSES AT THE OLYMPICS.

This is a "Fuck Yeah Canada" moment if ever there was one.

Okay, that was kind of mean. So to make up for it, have a look back at all these wonderful videos I posted back in 2008. Hurray for national stereotypes? Speaking of which... this:

The best part is when Mr. Lahey from Trailer Park Boys appears. And the guy parodies those Heritage Moments from television. Which led me to finding this... OH RICK MERCER, I LOVE YOU.

I never thought I would support Twilight but...

melisus — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:00:04 GMT

So tomorrow (or... well... technically today now) is July 1st. Now for most people in my neck of the woods, it's not a day to go out to the movies. Instead it's a day to go outside, maybe to a barbecue, eat and get drunk, and then light explosives.

But not everywhere is Canada. So for tomorrow, not everywhere is going to be Canada Day. Some of you may go to the movies. As it happens, The Last Airbender opens up tomorrow. And you know what? You really should go see Eclipse instead, or enjoy another helping of Toy Story 3.

I could try and tell you everything that's wrong with The Last Airbender, but I won't. We'd be here for too long, and there are so many more people out there on the internet who can and have explained it all better than me. Because I'm not what you'd call an Avatar fan, at least I'm not a fully discovered one yet. I saw an episode once and it wasn't enough to really get into it. But the controversy surrounding the film is something close to the hearts of several of my friends, and it's because of them that I took a closer look and ended up coming to my own conclusions about what was and was not happening with Paramount's production (spoiler alert: NONE OF IT WAS GOOD).

I will, however, tell you why you shouldn't see it, and if you DO give Paramount your money for the film, why you should feel bad for doing so. The Last Airbender comes with a clear message that minorities just aren't good enough to be the hero. If you're not the evil villain, then you're standing around helpless in the background while the whites come in to save the day... because apparently, according to the studio, audiences will ONLY respond to white characters. And if you see this film - if you go and put down money towards this piece of cinematic trash - you become an enabler. By seeing The Last Airbender, you say that what Paramount's done is okay. You enable the invisibility and villification of the Other, even if you yourself identify as the Other. That's right, even if you're not white, if you go see this film YOU ARE ENABLING ITS RACISM.

Anthropology has taught me that popular culture is a hegemonic discourse. It remains a site of debate, negotiation, and change. In other words, it's not static. This means that you don't have to tell Paramount that their racebending and racism is okay by giving them your money. You have the ability to choose not to see the movie, and by doing so you DO send the message that what they've done is not, in fact, okay. And that's the beauty of it - as consumers, you have the ability to select what you do and do not want, or what you do and do not agree with. So save your money. Go see something else, or better yet, just save your money for something better. There are people out there who are going to go see this movie anyways, but if enough sensible-minded people refuse to give it their money, then maybe when the box office returns come in the studio might finally begin to see the bigger picture.

Also, I finally got myself a Tumblr. You can check me out here, though the only thing there right now is... well... this post.

Merlin's beard!

melisus — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:57:18 GMT

WOW.

So the trailer for the Deathly Hallows movie came out.

Look, it's no great secret that I've never liked these films. I think it's been a terrible series of adaptations of brilliant and wonderful books. But this? Holy crap, IT LOOKS FREAKING EPIC.

I am SO STOKED for the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort. MY GOD. Just... that scene where Harry walks into the clearing in the woods and he looks so tired and wretched and... THAT SCENE! You know what that scene is! AND CASTING RALPH FIENNES AS VOLDEMORT WAS THE BEST IDEA EVER.

Of course, the movie better have the scene where Neville goes all badass on Nagini.