Waddle

Just a duck on the internet | Profile picture and banner by sirpuddels on twitter | https://wadddle.carrd.co/

[kewpiekills]

weird autumn is upon us

[waddddle]

Fire Lookouts

Years ago, on february 13th 2016, Jacksepticeye uploaded his first of two episodes on the game "Firewatch". Its beautiful scenery and looming mystery had me hooked. I impatiently waited for the second episode, wanting all the answers and more beautiful views.

Through the years the game slipped to the back of my mind. Not thinking of it much, I went on with my life. Finding other things to occupy my brain.

Until three weeks ago. I was ill with the flu, but finally started to feel good enough to crawl behind my pc again. I caught up with all the youtube videos i hadn't watched yet and played some games I had missed. Clicking through various video essays on games I saw a particular one that caught my attention. It was a video on Firewatch. With my love for the game immidiatly reignited, I decided I needed to rewatch a playthrough. Though not Jack's. No matter how nostalgic it would be I wanted a different perspective.

I settled on Markipliers playthrough, as he is the one I mainly watch nowadays. After the first episode I was hooked, pausing my game every two minutes to pay more attention to the game and it's story. Since it had been years, the story felt new. Not remembering how it ended, only vague random memories resurfaced. But so did another thing.

An interest in fire lookouts. Where I live we do not have them, so I have never seen let alone been close to one. But I enjoy the idea of them. A little hut, high up from the ground you call your home for a certain amount of time. You go on hikes every now and then to fill the time or read a book to entertain your brain. You have a beautiful view of a tree covered mountain landscape.

If done at the right time, the solitude might be a thing welcomed with peace instead of dread.

I would love to stay at a fire lookout for a week to see the views and get a little taste of the peace without driving myself insane.

At the end of the day, I need people. No matter how much I wish otherwise.

[waddddle]

Book Review | The Anthropocene Reviewed

Title: The Anthropocene Reviewed Author: John Green Genre: Non-Fiction Start date: spring 2023 Finish date: January 9th 2024

5/5

The Anthropocene Reviewed is John's 7th book. Unlike the books he is known for, this is a non-fiction novel. Originally TAR was a podcast on which he would rate things on a five star scale. After 37 episodes John stopped making the podcast. Though the concept didn't die. Besides the things rated on the podcast John added more topics in the book.

As stated in the book TAR is a collection of essays about a human-centered planet. In the book John rates things from Diet Dr Pepper to Canadian Geese. Even though you could simply name a subject and say "I think this is worth three stars", this is not what John did. (It would make the book quite boring and a waste of trees, but alas. That is my opinion.) John uses personal experiences to tell us why he thinks of things the way he does. Often through lived experiences that might seem completely irrelevant to the topic at the beginning of the chapter.

Since I gave this book a five star rating, I wouldn't change a thing. John comments that this book is filled with quotes, which he didn't seem too fond of. I loved all the quotes in the book. Even though they are borrowed words, there are quite a few that have stuck with me.

This book is my first Non-Fiction book I actually finished. It is also the first book I ever annotated. Interacting with literature in this way felt refreshing and fun. Like I was truly soaking up the words on the page, instead of moving on from story to story.

Here are some quotes from the book I hope you will like as much as I do:

"We must fight like there is something to fight for, like we are something worth fighting for, because we are."

"With a song like a dying balloon and a penchant for attacking humans, the Canada goose is hard to love. But then again, so are most of us."

"It occurs to me that technology often brags about solving problems it created."

[waddddle]

Book Review | Here's To Us

Title: Here's To Us, Author: Becky Albertelli & Adam Silvera Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance Start date: January 1st 2024 Finish date: January 5th 2024

4/5

Here's To Us is the sequel to What If It's Us by Becky Albertelli and Adam Silvera. In this book Arthur, one of the main characters, is back in New York after two years for an internship. Somehow fate keeps bringing him back to his ex Ben, even though they both want to move on…

I really liked the way the characters have grown since the last book. The dual perspective really helps you understand why both did and do they things they do. The pacing is sometimes a bit slow but if you compare it to real life it is actually very realistic. Same goes for the other characters, they have things going on in the background which affect the moods of the main characters. I saw it as a little reminder that we can get caught up in ourselves sometimes that we forget people around us also have things to deal with.

The sequel wasnt necessary. And I dont mean that in a bad way. The first book just ended in such a way that it really could have been the end of Arthur and Ben's story. But I am glad they continued the story and gave them the end that they got. The epilogue had me freaking out all over the place. I wont tell you in what way.

I don't think there is anything I would change. The book is great the way it is.

My favorite character is Dylan. He is an absolute ICON. A LEGEND. Love him. Best character. Would love a book about Dylan. He is so extra and authentically himself. It is amazing.

If you enjoy contemporary romance I def recommend this book.

Quotes: "It's never 'just' Dylan. Even when it is just Dylan. He's a lot"

"Am I gay if i buy this?" Dylan asks. "What do you think" Dylan pauses "No?" "Exactly"

"She has definitely tried killing someone with a cookie, Ben. Do we report this?" "What do you think?" "…no?"

[waddddle]

2024 TBR

It's the last day of December, and I am still stuck in bed with the flu. Twelve days of lying in bed feeling terrible. The only upside of my bed-bound misery is updating my reading spreadsheet. I bought quite a few books in 2023 and haven't had the time to update my spreadsheet. 

Because of this update I realized that i have 33 unread books on my shelf. That is a lot of books. Leaving these books unread on my shelf forever would be a waste of space, so I have set a goal for myself. Read all the unread books on my bookshelf.

There are 52 weeks in a year. If I were to read one book a week, I would reach my reading goal with ease. To motivate me to read these books I am setting one simple rule: no more buying books until the unread books have been read. Basically just a book-buying-ban. 

So here is a full list of all the unread books on my bookshelf.

Yerba Buena - Nina Lacour

One of Us is back - Karen M. McManus

Paper Towns - John Green

An Abundance of Katherines - John Green

The Anthropocene Reviewed - John Green

All I Know Now - Carrie Hope Fletcher

In The Time We Lost - Carrie Hope Fletcher

Pindakaas en Sushi 2 - Roderick Leeuwenhart

Pindakaas en Sushi 3 - Roderick Leeuwenhart

Heartstopper vol. 5 - Alice Oseman

Solitaire - Alice Oseman

Loveless - Alice Oseman

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburg - Rachel Lippincott

The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood

The Sky is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson

Als het Leven Pijn Doet - René Diekstra

Hoop - Roland van der Vorst

Grote Kleine Dingen - Liane Moriarty

Wild - Charyl Strayed

The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkind Reid

Normal People - Sally Rooney

The Queen and I - Sue Townsend

Bi - Julia Shaw

I am Glad My Mom Died -Janette McCurdy

Howl's Moving Castle - Dianna Wynne Jones

Castle In The Air - Dianna Wynne Jones

Here's To Us - Adam Silvera & Becky Albertelli

More Happy Than Not - Adam Silvera

Five Survive - Holly Jackson

You Will Get Through This Night - Daniel Howell

Legends and Latte's - Travis Baldree

[animentality]

[waddddle]

Book review | Turtles All The Way Down John Green

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Turtles All The Way Down is John Greens sixth novel. Like his other novels this is also a young adult novel. The book is about 16-year-old Aza Holms who struggles with OCD and anxiety. While dealing the the grief of losing her own father Aza is also investigating the dissapearance of a fugitive billionaire who is also the father of her neighbor.

Because of her invesigation she grows closer to the neighbor kid and they form a special bond. The book also shows us the relationship Aza has with her best friend and the difficulties their relationship is put through.

Even though this book is fiction, it is based on Johns personal stuggles with mental ilness. It is the first time he has written anything based on something this personal.

It has been a long time since I first read Turtles all the way down. The book itself was realeased in October of 2017 but I read the book around the summer or spring of 2021. At the time it was a piece of literature that was very welcome in my life. Even though it has been years since I attended high school myself, I still found Aza's character very relatable. Besides the regular struggles of going to school and the ups and downs of best friendships, the way John portrays the difficulties of the mental illnesses I found very relatable.

I do not have OCD or anxiety. So I cannot speak on how accurate the depiction is. Since it is based on John personal experiences I think only he can. But I do know from personal research that ASD and depression tend to overlap with OCD and anxiety. Many things Aza struggles with throughout the book are things that I also have to deal with in my day to day life. At the time of reading this book, it was really a piece of fiction that helped me see my stuggles and het the courage to do something about them. It also helped me be more open about what I was dealing with.

The leaves are gone you should be, too I'd be gone if I were you but then again, here I am walking alone in the fridgid dawn.

[plasticwxrms]

I finally caught up to the DLC and glamrock Bonnie's design is so cool!

[nikoofdeath]

More error art for yall

[waddddle]

My fav au ;-;

[potatowocat]

Mae borrowski? More like ME borrowski

[alleesaur]

new cat alert ‼️🍂

[sapirserket]

Revenant Hill will be to NITW what Deltarune is to Undertale

[inkrabbitartblog]

WIP

[slumberingachievements]

[crumbpigeon]

the return of the nightmare eyes!! i cant wait to meet you twigs! (busted this out in a day because im so excited for revenant hill)

[gatekid3]

My followup to the ruins video. Snowdin pacifist Or at least, part of it. I had a bigger idea I had to cut down on. might finish the full thing when I have time.

[capnhanbers]

🤨 ..you'll? what

(from chapter 137)