Adventures in Imaginary Worlds

I'm a Catholic writer and reader. I like books, TV shows, and movies and I talk about them here, and I'll reblog anything that catches my fancy.

[jimbles-archive]

[flea-palace]

[hannahlockillustration]

Morning Glory

[sailforvalinor]

The more time goes on the more I become obsessed with Islington and Hawkes’ friendship, because imagine you’re just starting college and you see that a fifteen-year-old is also in your year and your overprotective-big-brother instincts go on red alert, so you go out of your way to befriend him only to find out that he’s both an absolute genius and a wonderful person and you become so close that he’s almost like family to you, but then one summer he goes on a trip to Ireland and comes back looking like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders. Something clearly happened but he insists that the kindest thing you can do is not ask. And you watch as whatever is haunting him or whatever purpose he’s been burdened with hollows him out, exhausts him; he starts to keep the people he cares so deeply about at arm’s length and you suspect this is because he thinks getting too close to him isn’t worth the danger it begets. This goes on year after year, gets worse year after year, but the kindest thing you can do is not ask. It hasn’t changed him—he’s still kind as summer, but there is still something very Wrong and still, the kindest thing you can do is not ask.

[modernmusess]

katniss: everyone’s so focused on protecting peeta because they too know how pure hearted he is and believe that he—a boy they’ve never even met before—deserves to survive over them and their friends of literal decades

finnick, to literally everyone else: okay if peeta dies she’s gonna kill all of us and then herself, so hands in, protect bread boy on three-

[sisterdragonwithfeathers]

I love how many people over the years have been like “you know what would make the sky even cooler? Fish”

[ohandalso]

im sorry im sorry orpheus LAUGHED last night before sobbing when eurydice fell back to the underworld???????? oh im sick to my stomach. OH IM SICK. orpehus in shock fully dissociated from the moment just thinking about how absurd it all is. or even a moment of elation that it wasnt a trick after all, that she really followed him back only for it all to crash down on him IM SICKKKKKKKK !!!!!! JACK WOLFE YOU ARE SICK !!!!!!!!!!

[fictionadventurer]

My friend, I have been remiss! I never sent you an ask for the Conversation Hearts Exchange all those months ago, after I got behind. But I fully intended to do it, no matter how late. I wanted to tell you that I read The Romance of a Shop by Amy Levy, and I loved it! It definitely has similar vibes to Little Women. I loved the 1880s setting, in times that were changing but still tied to tradition. Since The Romance of a Shop is short as classics go, and since the writing style is accessible, direct, and smooth, I found it very readable. The book was interesting and truly profound, entertaining in a light and humorous and cheerful way, and fascinating in its portrayal of difficult events and realistic characters that made for a gripping read. The book kept me up late many nights while I became more and more invested in the story that was unfolding. I predicted most of the plot points before they happened, but it didn't feel predictable at all, especially since the events occurred in such an exciting way. The characters were very good and nicely varied. I liked that the sisters each had different personalities, and so did their friends. They seemed like real people. I really felt for the main sister in her struggles and her loneliness and her fight to keep her family afloat. I was very moved by her despair near the end when she believed she would never be happy. I'm so glad the book ended for her the way it did, even after tragedy. I really enjoy reading period books that were actually written IN the period, to see what it was actually like back then and what the real mindsets of the people were. I've read a few from various periods, but not this one, and this fit the bill nicely. (It shed some light on the parts of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion that were accurate and other parts that were anachronistic.) I regret that I never told you how much I loved this book, because I truly did love it! It blew me away and became one of my favorite books I've read this year (and among my favorites from recent years as well). I recommended it to several friends while I read it, and I never breathed a word to you, because I wanted to surprise you with a Conversation Hearts ask. And so...here I am months later, finally telling you my tale. Thank you for such an excellent recommendation! You always have such good taste. I'm so glad I got to read this book.

I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed it! I wish that I had more to add to this, but you've covered so much of what I enjoy about it, and I don't have the brainpower for more commentary. But it always makes me happy when someone loves a book that I loved and recommended, and I'm glad that you found so much to enjoy.

[fictionadventurer]

Didst thou see!! New Christmas Carol adaptation this November. Johnny Depp as Scrooge, Sam Claflin as Fred, Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit and Ian McKellan as Marley. Curiosity bids me watch it

I have seen, but most of the stuff I've seen about it has just been people mercilessly shredding the tagline for implying that it's a prequel. It seems that this might not be the case. I'm weary of internet discourse lately, so I've been afraid to look into it further. But a Christmas Carol adaptation always intrigues me, so I may have to look into it when it gets closer to release.

[fictionadventurer]

I visited the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam a while ago and I had a thought: I think the idea of art being merely expressing yourself and your feelings is a disastrous idea.

All throughout the exhibit they talked about Van Gogh's feelings on his subjects, how he observed them, how he tried to capture aspects of them. Yes he discussed the idea of expressing himself, but in context it felt more like trying to express how he felt about the thing he was showing. The focus was always on the outside world and other people, not himself.

I wonder if artists the art all about themselves is why modern art became so opaque, pretentious, and dull. And given how art tends to reflect us, our emotions, and our thoughts, I suspect the same principle applies to humans in general.

Yes, absolutely. In the age of AI art, we're aware that human self-expression is a vital part of the creative process, but it shouldn't be the focus. A creative work is most interesting when someone is looking at the world and saying, "This is what I see. I want you to see it, too." Pointing another person toward something else rather than at yourself.

[fictionadventurer]

16 and 19 for the simple asks!

16. what's a piece of advice you would give to yourself five years ago?

Start exercising more.

19. Write, type, or speak?

When it comes to text, I far prefer a keyboard to phone text.

[fictionadventurer]

13, 19, 20 🩷

13. what's something you learned recently?

I just watched a video about Annie Oakley's life, and let me tell you, I did not expect to be swooning over her husband. You're telling me that a guy from the 1880s who was working as a professional sharpshooter was beaten by a girl the first time she was ever in a shooting competition, and his reaction was to marry that girl and happily fade into the background as he supported her much more successful career? What a man!

19. Write, type, or speak?

In most daily circumstances, I would far rather speak to a person than try to muddle through written messages.

20. what do you wish someone would ask you?

Since I've answered this question a lot, I'll just answer a question from the list that I haven't been asked yet.

To no one's surprise, the music that's been stuck in my head lately has mostly been the soundtrack of Hadestown. A lot of "Way Down Hadestown", "Wait for Me", "Road to Hell", and most recently "Why We Build the Wall".

[fictionadventurer]

19. Write, type, or speak?

7. what's your favorite way to travel? Is there a mode of travel you haven't done that you want to experience?

5. What's your drink of choice? (Coffee/tea order, alcohol of choice, pop, etc)

19. Write, type, or speak?

When it comes to text, I do much better typing on a keyboard, because my handwriting is increasingly terrible. I can also generally get out my thoughts more clearly when writing than when speaking.

However, I will always prefer a phone call to text or email. You can get everything done in one conversation instead of waiting for the back-and-forth of a million tiny messages, and you can get across all sorts of nuances with tone of voice instead of stressing over how someone might interpret your two sentences of text.

7. what's your favorite way to travel? Is there a mode of travel you haven't done that you want to experience?

I love a good road trip. One day, I'd like to try a train journey.

5. What's your drink of choice? (Coffee/tea order, alcohol of choice, pop, etc)

For tea: A chai latte, earl gray, or various kinds of herbal tea

Alcohol: Whiskey and cola

Pop: Lime Coke is my special treat that I can only get in a Freestyle machine.

[yellbug]

the panel from eloise that i hold in my mind like a talisman whenever i am even a little bit busy

[merefis18]

there’s a huge difference between the “I can fix him” and “I want to change because she inspires me” tropes and I need everyone to know the former sucks but the latter is beautiful

[huariqueje]

Afternoon Sun. - Lars Greger

Swedish , b. 1953 -

Oil on canvas , 95 x 94 cm.

[fictionadventurer]

8, 12, and 20?

8. favorite month of the year and why?

After May, probably October, for a lot of the same reasons,but in reverse. Bright colors on the trees, weather is still decently warm without being too warm. Plus, now it comes with the Inklings Challenge.

12. dishes or laundry?

Laundry, because the machine does most of the work and keeps the water all safely contained within itself.

20. what do you wish someone would ask you?

I kind of wish someone would ask me to join in a collaborative creative thing, because I can't muster up enthusiasm for my own creative projects, but it would be fun to brainstorm something just for fun. (I say this knowing that I can't even live up to my beta reading commitments right now. Which I do need to buckle down and get to.)