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error-pleaseleaveamessage-error · 1 year

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Guess who's becoming obsessed with lego bricks. Yes, it's me, you are correct. Now here are some Lego Movie tickle headcanons because I've personally found none. (This is mostly Emmet and Rex with some Lucy sprinkled in there.)

Of course, in the beginning with Emmet. I firmly believe Emmet is very happy and open about tickling because it's a great way to bond with his friends!

(He's never really had any, none that are this close to him.)

I think affection is difficult for him. Not so much because he's afraid of what others think, but because he doesn't know how to engage it. That's why tickling is more natural!

What comes after is especially great, because he'll gladly take some cuddles after everything he's been through. Stopping and reforming President Business? Dealing with a time-traveling hard-shell future version of himself combined with miscommunication from an entire planet? Being so giggly that he can't open his eyes anymore? He'll take a nap with extra pillows.

What's not to love about being a giggly mess? Emmet loves laughter, it's a telltale sign that everyone is having a good time!

I strongly believe that, when Emmet is being tickled, he'll compliment his tickler.

"Thahat spot reheally ticklehes!!" He will point out the obvious, he can't help it!

He's not a very hysterical laugher, he gets very loud but he's still coherent through it all. Even if he's got little mirth tears and a dazed look, he's as happy as can be.

"That was so much fun!" He will ask to be tickled again if it stops too soon.

Though, he's all about giving too! He enjoys tickles and wants his friends to be happy too.

As a ler, he's so sweet. He will use compliments more often than not, and he's known for gentle tickles - which can be equally as ticklish as fast ones, and very flustering for whoever his victim is.

He will point out everything, even if he doesn't mean to be teasy.

"Hey, don't cover your face!"

"Awww, I think I see a smile!!"

He's also ticklish just about anywhere, but I'd vote anywhere on his torso is especially sensitive. Specifically his sides!

Now... while Emmet is carefree, Rex is more on the defensive side.

(Also, in a universe where Rex gets redeemed and is very much alive as well as staying in Emmet's timeline.)

Rex will deny being ticklish. He claims its childish and he gave that up a long time ago.

Emmet doesn't believe him, and gives him pokes more often than not.

The sibling energy between Rex and Emmet is off the charts with tickles.

Emmet unlocks a more teasy, sneaky side of himself whenever he tickles Rex.

Rex is a fighter, he will not feel bad if he kicks somebody while trying to escape.

Ironically, Rex is more ticklish on his lower half rather than his torso. But I believe his neck, and ears if we go a more human route, is very susceptible to tickles.

Rex is touch-starved. He was touch-starved already when he was known as Emmet, but being isolated for who knows how long really messed with him.

Emmet, knowing a little too well what it's like to be alienated, helps whenever he can. Such as leaning against Rex, poking him, side hugs - and sometimes gently socking him in the shoulder.

Rex has no problem pulling people into a headlock, ruffling their hair. He'll lean against people but more in a, you-are-my-new-personal-head-rest way. He started punching Emmet in the shoulder first, and like the bad influence he is, Emmet started doing it back probably even more affectionately.

Rex gets very strong tendencies to destroy things. It's as easy as breathing, far more natural than building. That's where stimming comes in, he already stimmed before the whole time-traveling thing. It turns out, tickling someone is a great way to stim...

Emmet is the easiest target, a willing target if anything. Which Rex once upon a time did understand, but refuses to acknowledge.

Rex appreciates doing the tickling rather than being on the receiving end. It's hard to get him laughing anyways.

But when he laughs, boy, does he laugh.

It's loud and chaotic and hearty. He actually has a ha-ha-ha laugh. It's as deep as his voice.

He does have a giggle spot but he will guard it will his life. It makes him sound like Emmet too which is even more bewildering.

When he's being tickled, he can block it out. Sorta. But keep it up, keep him guessing, he'll break in no time. He tries to hold it in, and it's wonderful to watch red blush bloom across his face and his whole cheeks puff up. And then woosh, the laughter pops out and he can't stop.

He cannot admit to enjoying it. He cannot and will not.

Emmet apparently has made it a mission to get Rex to admit it. Because Emmet knows Rex used to love it just as he does, so he knows what buttons to push. He can guess what compliments get him more than others.

Rex's revenge is a million times worse. He will seriously wreck anyone who dares to even try to tickle him.

He won't stop until the victim begs for mercy, and even then he only stops when he truly believes they're sorry.

"Oh? What's that? I can't hear you over all that laughter!"

"You really do snort a lot."

"Oh, this spot must really tickle."

He's got these grins that make you wanna giggle on the spot.

Speaking of killer, Wyldstyle - or who I'll refer to as Lucy - will utterly annihilate you.

Rex will not go anywhere near her. For this reason, and because he's awkward around her. It's Lucy, after all.

Lucy usually treats Emmet nicely, because how could she not melt under his smile?

With Rex, she wants the guy to loosen up. She doesn't like to compare the two, but if Emmet loves this as much as he does and Rex used to be him then... she puts the two together.

But she doesn't push it, she's aware of how her presence makes him feel and she doesn't quite know where to start.

Emmet is a great catalyst and luckily pulls the two closer together.

When the first poke lands, a battle has begun. A very playful one.

Rex and Lucy spend more time poking each other than full on wrecking, but they've had their moments.

Such as when Lucy positively fell flat on her ass trying to build something. Rex laughed, because it was hilarious. Lucy was very quick to keep him laughing if he thought it was so hilarious.

Or when Rex leaned against a bike Emmet made, and it collapsed as soon as he touched it. He hadn't meant to destroy it but there he was in a heap of parts. Lucy was not sympathetic, proven by her snickers. Rex glared, and pounced. That'll teach her from laughing at Rex!

Lucy still struggles to be herself. She's had to be rough and tough for so long. She's seen growing up as mostly a negative thing, and she admires Emmet so much for his constant openness...

...And Emmet pokes, because yes he does poke Lucy too.

Lucy is ticklish and is embarrassed by it. She used to be all about bonding but it's very hard to trust people.

Emmet hates to see her frowning, and always tries to lighten the mood.

Even if that means sneaking in a few scribbles when it's least expected.

Emmet always pretends to be innocent, and accidentally has started a few tickle fights between Lucy and Rex because they think one of them did it.

When they find out it's Emmet, they absolutely double-team him in a temporary truce.

Emmet is proud of both of them and losing it a wee bit from their conjoined efforts.

Lucy begins to enjoy tickling, but she doesn't openly broadcast that either.

She pretends to know what she's doing, but she is rusty.

Laughing out loud without control is very flustering, and she certainty has a sweet laugh.

I have many more thoughts about them but here are some things for now!

#lego thoughts #lego movie tickles #pandas speaks #i welcome anyone to talk to me about lego brick people

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thebluenebula · 4 years

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The 2nd part to my New Bat story which I am totally most likely going to keep writing for the forseeable future.

Masterlist

Day 1

Day 3

A New Bat: Day 2

When I woke up, the sun was shining through the window. I sat up on the edge of my bed and checked my phone. The screen displayed the time, 11:23, and a text from an unkown number.

"Hey Ash, it's Dick. I got your number off B. Whenever you wake up you can head down to the kitchen and Alfred will make whatever you want, it should be quiet as Alfred generally keeps us out of the kitchen."

I saved the number, got dressed, then headed out into the hall. I couldn't see anyone but I could hear a voice in a nearby room. I quickly navigated to the stairs and headed down.

Once I got to the first floor I managed to find my way to the kitchen without running into anybody. I knocked as I opened the door.

"Hello, Miss Ashleigh. May I interest you in some scrambled eggs?"

"Hi Alfred, yeah if you wouldn't mind." I glances around the kitchen to see if anyone else was in here but it was just me and Alfred.

"Of course not, Miss Ashleigh, it's why I'm paid to be here."

I giggled. I could hear the faint whispers of an argument happening somewhere else in the manor. "I would have imagined a family that fights crime dressed as bats at night would sleep during the day."

Alfred grabbed a nearby pan. "If I only I were that lucky."

"Were you a chef before working here? The dinner yesterday was amazing."

"No, but when you been working as a butler as long as I have you are bound to acquire a few skills."

I nodded. "Makes sense."

Alfred handed a plate of eggs to me. "Indeed, Miss Ashleigh. Master Bruce has asked me to inform you that he will be attending a Wayne Enterprise meeting for a large portion of today. It was unavoidable I'm afraid."

I swallowed the piece of egg I was chewing. "Oh, do you know when he will be back?"

"He should be back sometime this evening."

Alfred went over to the sink and began washing the dishes. "Have you met any of the other children?"

"I met Jason last night." I waved my fork around. "He seems... brash. Is brash the right word? What does brash even mean?"

"While Master Jason may seem brash, as you put it, at first when you get to know him... well he will still seem brash but he does have a kind side."

I finished my eggs and brought the plate over to the sink. "It was dark last night when I met him but does he have some kind of streak in his hair?"

"Yes a white streak right the front." Alfred took my plate and put it in the sink alongside the rest. "Its quite a notable feature of his."

I took a seat back at the table. "I always thought it'd be nice to dye my hair."

"Typically when the children want to dye their hair they go to Harper."

"Do a lot of the kids dye their hair?"

Alfred chuckled. "They rarely dye their own hair but often time one of the boys will wake with some kind of brightly coloured hair, unknown to them of course."

I giggled and stood up. "I'm going to head back up to my room."

"Oh I almost forgot. A package came in for you. I believe Master Bruce put it in his office for safety. I can retrive it and bring it up to your room if you would like."

"If you wouldn't mind Alfred. There's no rush on it."

Alfred nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you." I left the kitchen and headed back up the stairs.

I had just reached the second floor when I heard a voice. "Hello."

I looked over and saw a blonde girl standing by the map on the wall. "Hello Stephanie, isn't it?"

She gave me a curious look. "Just Steph will do. How'd you know?"

I pointed to the map. "Dick told me your the one who makes the maps."

"Ah yes. One of my greatest ideas." She laughed. "Your Ashleigh right?"

"Bang on."

"Nice to meet you. I'm heading to join Cass in the library. Maybe you wanna come join us?"

"Uhh" I thought for a moment. "No thanks. Maybe another time though."

"Okay that's fine but you know where to find us if you change your mind." She giggled. "Just check the map."

I nodded and began climbing the stairs to the third floor.

"Ashleigh."

I stopped and turned. Steph was standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Welcome to the family."

I stared at her for a second then I smiled. "Thank you."

She ran off down the hall and I headed up to my room. I managed to not run into anyone else before reaching my room.

I lay into bed and put on my headphones and just got lost in the music for what felt like hours until voices in the hall caught my attention. I stood up and placed my ear against the door.

"What's in the box, Dick?" I heard a voice ask.

"None of our business." Dick replied.

"It sounds like it's broken." Another voice said. It sounded like Jason.

"It sounds like Lego." The mystery voice said. He sounded confused.

They have my box. Alfred must have asked Dick to bring it up.

"Into to toys now, Dickie boy." Jason remarked.

"Lots of adults collect Lego, Jay." The mystery voice sounded offended.

"Would you two shut it." Dick groaned. "The box is Ashleigh's."

"Aww, Dickie. The new girls already got you wrapped round her finger." Jason teased. "I thought it was only redheads-"

I could hear the wack of a hand hitting the back of a head then the clatter of a box of small plastic bricks hitting the ground. I flinched knowing that I would have to reconstruct whichever of my poor sets were in that box.

I heard a groan from Dick and lots of laughter. I figured I should go out and get my box before anymore damage is done. I stepped out in to the hall to see Dick picking up the box, Jason was on the ground pissing himself laughing, and the third guy just looked like he was wishing he hadn't been adopted.

"You okay?" I asked them.

All of them stopped and looked at me. Dick stepped forward and handed me the slightly dented box. "Im so sorry. Jay dropped your box."

Jason, who was now on his feet, feigned offense. "ME! You dropped it."

"But it was your fault." Dick shook his head. "We can play the blame game later." He turned to me. "I'm sorry if anything is broken."

I smiled at him. "Nothing I can't rebuild."

"So it is Lego." The third guy jumped in.

I looked at him curiously. " Yes."

Dick pointed to the man. "Ashleigh, this is Tim. Tim, this is Ashleigh."

Tim outstretched his hand. "Nice to meet you."

I nodded to him. "Likewise."

"Well now that everyone is introduced," Jason interrupted. "I have to go. I promised Alfred I'd help with dinner."

Jason walked off. Dick looked at me and handed me the box. "Bruce should be home soon. Alfred said dinner should be ready about ten. You can come down or if you don't feel like it, text me and Alfred will bring it up."

I nodded. "Okay, thanks."

Dick nodded. "I'll talk to you later, I think Babs is coming around for dinner today so I should probably tell Alfred."

Dick walked off leaving me and Tim standing there. "Well I should go put this box down my arms are getting tired."

"Mind if I come in for minute?"

"No, you can come in." We both went back to my room and set the box down in the corner.

"So you're into Lego."

"Yuuup." I opened the box to inspect the damage. The set was completely smashed. I'd have to rebuild it from scratch.

Tim was looking over my shoulder. "I could help you with that if you want."

I stood up and faced him. "That's okay. I find the building quite enjoyable."

He nodded. "Okay cool. It's nice to have a new face around the manor."

"Thanks." I smiled at him.

Tim looked at me for a moment. He looked as if he wanted to say something but didn't. "No problem. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay see yah."

I watched curiosly as Tim left the room then I sat down on the bed.

A moment later I heard a voice outside my room. "Hey Tim." It sounded like Bruce.

"Bruce, what's up?"

"I'm looking for Ashleigh, is she in her room?" I heard Bruce ask.

"Yeah I was just talking to her." Tim replied.

"You should head down. Alfred said dinner should be ready soon."

"Gotcha."

I heard Tim walk off down the hallway as Bruce approached my room. "Hello."

I looked up from my phone to see Bruce standing in the doorway. "Hi."

"Can I come in?"

I nodded.

He came in and sat on the bed beside me. He looked around the room. The room was empty bar my single bed, an old dresser, my suitcases, and the box. "I didn't think there was a room this small in the mansion." He laughed. "I can get Alfred or Dick to bring you furniture shopping one of the days. If you'd like."

"Yeah that'd be okay." While both Dick and Alfred were practically stranger's to me, I felt close to them. I felt close to some people very easily. All it really takes is one good moment between us and I'd basically trust them with my life. One of my many bad traits.

"Or," Bruce continued. "You could wait till the weekend and I could bring you."

I looked up to his face. "Really?"

He smiled. "Of course. I have to work most weekdays but im free on the weekends." The smile disappeared off his face. "Look I know it's gonna be difficult for you to adjust to this family but-"

I wrapped my arms around him. As silly as it may be, I mean I've only known Bruce a couple months, but he already feels like family to me. Bruce embraced me.

We sat like that for a while until he let me go. "Dinner must be almost ready." He stood up. "I can have Alfred bring yours up, or you can come down." He offered me a hand up.

I took his hand and stood up. "I'll come down. I gotta get used to everyone eventually."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded

We headed down to the dining room amd stood outside the two doors. "Everyone will be in here are you sure you're ready?" Bruce asked me.

I nodded and gulped nervously.

"I asked Dick to keep a seat between me and him for you, or you can sit in another free seat if you feel like it."

Bruce stepped forward and opened the door. We walked inside. I had been told how many people would be here but seeing them, it seemed like so many more. My heart began to race and I froze. It felt like an eternity, though it was only a second, as I took I'm the vast array of people at the table. Most looked up from their meals to see who had just entered the room, some were too occupied eating whatever food Alfred had prepared. I felt Bruce's hand on my shoulder and I snapped out of it. He guided me towards the head of the table. I could feel the eyes on me. We stopped and I sat at the chair in front of me as Bruce took a seat at the head of the table just beside me. I looked to my right and Dick was sitting there just as Bruce had said. Across the table from me was a small child and beside him was Tim. I looked down at my plate as to avoid the gaze of the people I could feel looking at me.

"I hope this meal is of sastifaction Miss Ashleigh." Alfred asked.

I looked up to see Alfred standing beside my seat. "Of course, Alfred."

He nodded and turned to Bruce. "I asked them to wait for you before beginning."

Bruce smirked. "I see, then it should be no surprise they started without me then."

Everyone seemed to have gone back to their own conversations amongst themselves.

"Ashleigh." I heard Dick say beside me. I turned to him. "I'd like you to meet someone." He slid his chair back so I could see the girl sitting beside him.

The girl smiled at me. "I'm Babara, but you can just call me Babs."

"I'm Ashleigh."

"That's a lovely name." Babs looked to the people behind her who were deep in conversation then she looked back to me. "You can come to me if any of these smucks are getting on your nerve. I've got blackmail on all of them."

"Wow." Dick quickly butted in. "What blackmail?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, Discowing." Babs teased.

I looked at Babs. "Discowing?"

Dick quickly slid his chair inbetween me and Babs. "Its nothing."

I saw Babs laughing the other side of Dick as his face went red. I looked down at my food then up again. The small boy across from me was just staring at me. Tim elbowed him and they immediately started into some kind of whisper argument.

"That's Damien." Dick said. "He can be a bit... intense sometimes. Don't worry he'll warm up to you quickly."

The rest of the dinner went by without much interesting happening. Though I could have sworn Damien was attempting to stab Tim under the table at one point. Dick and Babs were completely enthralled in a conversation that they both seemed to have forgotten I was there. Bruce would occasionally glance up from his meal to me and smile but he didn't appear to be able to think of anything to say. I just tried to focus on my food for the most part and not all the other people at the table.

I had almost finished my plate when Bruce finally spoke. "It's probably best I introduce them all to you."

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

I nodded then he stood up. He gestured for me to stand up and I did. He tapped a spoon on the side of his glass. Everyone stopped talking and looked up to us.

"It's not too often we're all here together." Bruce began. "Certainly not as often as I'd like-"

Bruce voice faded away, all I could focus on was all the people in front of me. I could feel the panic setting in.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard Bruce's voice. "Ashleigh?"

I looked up at Bruce. He nodded his head towards the table. I looked towards the table. Everyone was looking up at me. Was I supposed to say something? I gave a weak smile and waved. It's all I could do, I don't think my voice would work if I tried.

I felt Bruce hand on my shoulder gently pushing me down. I took my seat and so did Bruce. I felt Dick's hand on my back. I kept my eyes on my plate then looked up to Bruce. "May I be excused?"

Bruce nodded. "Of course."

I stood up and quickly walked out of the nearest door, making sure to avoid looking at anyone at the table. I ended up in the Kitchen. Alfred was standing by the sink. "Miss Ashleigh, are you alright?"

I nodded but I could see myself shaking.

Obviously so could Alfred. "Take a seat Miss Ashleigh, I'll get you a glass of water."

I took a seat at the counter. I heard a door open behind me. "Alfred is Ashleigh here?" Bruce noticed me and rushed to my side. "Ashleigh are you okay?"

"I'm so sorry." My words were shaky. I was holding back tears.

I felt Bruce's arms wrap around me. "You don't need to be sorry. It was just too many people, I understand."

I began sobbing. "I thought... I could..."

"Ashleigh, this won't go away over night. No one is expecting it to."

Alfred stood on the other side of me and handed me a glass of water. "Drink Miss Ashleigh it will help."

I sat there sipping the water for a couple minutes until I had calmed down. Bruce and Alfred never left my side. I giggled a little while sobbing. "A great first impression."

"No one will judge you. I promise." Bruce reassured me.

I nodded. "Is it okay if I go up to my room?"

"Of course." Bruce took his arms from around me. "Do you want someone to come up with you?" I shook my head. Bruce nodded. "I'll come check on you in a while."

I nodded and walked towards the door. I headed up to my room. Everyone must have been still eating cause I didn't run into anyone on my way up. I locked myself in the room and began piecing together the set the boys had broken.

Some time passed when a knock at the door startled me out of my building trance. How long had I been at this. I stood up and opened the door. Bruce was standing there. "Hi, I just wanted to check on you ." Bruce glanced around me at the mess of Lego across the wooden floor. "You collect Lego?"

I looked back at the mess. "Yeah."

"Some of the others buy the occasional ones but I don't think any are into collecting it." Bruce commented.

"Oh cool." I smile at him.

His smile faded. "I want to apologise about this evening. I'm so sorry about that."

I gave Bruce a small smile. "It's okay. I'm okay."

Bruce sat down on the bed beside me. "Seeing all those people would be intimidating at the best of times. Under your circumstances I-" He stopped himself. "I'm sorry. Take things at your own pace, however fast or slow that is."

I leaned into him and place my head against his shoulder. "Thank you."

He place his arm around me and we sat like that for a while.

Eventually I spoke. "I really should probably get to sleep."

Bruce nodded and stood up. "If you need anything you know where to find me."

I nodded. Bruce hesitated for a moment then left. I locked the door behind him and checked my phone. 22:36. I pushed my mess to one corner of the room then hopped into bed. It wasn't long before I fell asleep.

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niqhtlord01 · 5 years

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Welcome back Rooster Teeth Fighting Fans! It’s been a bit of a break since our last match but the fighters are now either well rested or drunk off their asses enough to want another round! Joining the competition is the lovable doctor from the Planet Chorus, please give a warm welcome and a safe distance for DR. GREY!!!!!! ----- Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* Ruby: Was that an important call? Dr. Grey: Only if your blood type is O-. No need to answer, I can test it after the match is over. Ruby: *Twirls scythe* I am now both intrigued and disturbed; bravo. ----- Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* Sarge: Still waiting for my robot arm doc. Dr. Grey: We’re having some difficulty fitting the mini shotguns into the fingers. Sarge: *Cocks shotgun* Just picture it Doc, when I go to shake Grif’s hand I’ll shout “MAGIC TOUCH* then vaporize his entire arm! ----- Julian: *Hologram appears* Dr. Grey: When you have some time I’d love to dissect you. Julian: Sorry Doc, but this is just a hologram. Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* Oh don’t worry, I’ll be visiting your body three floors down after the match for the procedure. ----- Salem: *Grim part and Salem walks through them* Dr. Grey: Looks like someone is in need of dire medical attention. Salem: Human science can not save me foolish mortal. Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* Who said anything about saving you silly? I’m here to put you down. ----- Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* Tucker: Hey doc, I need you to come look at something really hard. Bow c- Dr. Grey: If you finish that sentence I will cut it off and sew it back on to your shoulder. Tucker: *Draws energy sword* I have never been more terrified in my life than I am right now. ----- Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* US: Why do I feel like you’re a bad doctor? Dr. Grey: Probably the same reason I feel like you’re a terrible spy. Haha! Just kidding, we all know you’re a terrible spy. US: *Coin flips then turns into nano tech* I’m going to kill you now. ----- Blake: *Swings in through window and rolls on to the floor* Dr. Grey: You know some people have said we sound alike. Blake: Honestly, I can’t hear it. Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* I know, right? Clearly my voice is the better one. ----- Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* Caboose: Hello nice Dr. lady. Thank you again for saving Freckles. Dr. Grey: My pleasure, just remember what I told you. Caboose: *Pulls out Freckles* “A cookie for every injured bad guy brought back for parts.” I won’t forget nice lady, I would never give up on cookies. ----- Nemesis: *Nanotech cloud appears and forms Nemesis* Dr. Grey: Ooooooooo; alien technology, my favorite. Nemesis: You think this is a gamamamameee? Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes, serious voice* Everything is a game once you’re bored enough. ----- Roman: *Slow walks in twirling cane* Dr. Grey: You missed your last checkup appointment. Roman: For the last time lady, there is nothing wrong with this pinnacle of perfection. Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* A deep rooted sense of narcissism says otherwise. ----- Simmons: *Walks in taking notes* Dr. Grey So are you opening up for the real fighter whose behind you? Simmons: No! Why? Am I not interesting enough for you? Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* Truthfully you are the least interesting person of your group, and I’m including the gold one that sits around all day eating Cheetos. ------ Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* Rufus: Ah, another intellectual mind to cross philosophical swords with. Dr. Grey: I was able to transplant a sentient AI program into a gun in an afternoon while it took you four years to do the same with a human, so you might want to check that “intellectual” status of yours. Rufus: *pushes glasses up bridge of nose, Caliban steps in next to him* Well now that was just uncalled for. ---- Yang: *Drives in on motorcycle before flipping off and landing* Dr. Grey: I must say that that is some sloppy arm work. Yang: Excuse me, but this arm can punch through a wall just fine. Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* And yet can still be popped off like a lego brick by just about anyone. ---- Sheila: *Rolls on to the stage* Dr. Grey: Been a while since I dissected a tank. Sheila: Funny, since it has been a while since I cleaned the human remains from my treads. Dr. Grey: *Headpiece flashes* Oh, I will enjoy finding your funny cortex. ---- Dr. Grey: *Walks in talking to data pad before throwing it away* Valentina: Is there a reason the crazy people from your world all wear purple? Dr. Grey: Says the woman in purple. Valentina: *draws knives* I’m afraid of catching the crazies myself.

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takerfoxx · 5 years

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So...I saw the Lego Movie 2 recently. And it’s...been kind of on my mind ever since.

See, there’s something in it that really, really bothers me, but like my issue with Deadpool 2 it seems to be something that only bothers me as I haven’t really seen anyone else mention it, but it just so happens to be my biggest personal pet peeve so whenever I see it happen it bugs me even more.

But to talk about it, I kinda need to go waaaaaaaay into spoilers. As if in, talk about every plot twist in the whole damn movie. So before I get into that, let’s just get this out of the way.

Is the movie good? Hell yeah. Actually, it’s kind of great.

The animation? Just as awesome as ever. I mean, it doesn’t have that fresh smell that the first one did, but c’mon. We’re four movies into this franchise. And it still is pretty spectacular. There’s one character who does this cool shapeshifting thing, and what they do with her is just insane.

The writing? Just as sharp as ever. Phil Lord and Chris Miller should be in charge of all the projects, and the mix of comedy, fourth wall leaning, character moments, drama, and a gazillion pop culture references is as great as ever, and I found something to make me laugh out loud every few minutes.

The songs? There’s more of them, enough for it to qualify as a proper musical, and they’re insanely catchy. I mean, one of them is literally titled, “This Song’s Going to Get Stuck Inside Your Head!” And I’ve been singing one or another under my breath for the last couple days.

The message? Pretty damn good! They revisit the themes from the first film but with a fresh spin on them to say something pretty relevant to young LEGO fans, and the way the connect what’s going on the real world and what’s going on in the LEGO world is insanely creative.

Unfortunately, there is what I feel is a major misstep in conveying that message, and to talk about I need to go into super spoilers. So this is your last chance to bow out if you haven’t seen the movie yet, because under the cut I’m going to be giving away EVERYTHING!

Okay, ready?

Here goes.

Okay, so the main conceit going on here is that we pick up pretty much where the last movie left off, with Will Ferrell’s character loosening up and letting his son play with his LEGO world, and inviting the little sister to play too. At first the brother is welcoming, but quickly grows frustrated when his sister won’t play “the right way” and keeps sneaking in to steal the bricks he’s using for his (admittedly really cool) post-apocalyptic setup to make her own LEGO world, as well as take his figurines and whatnot. Things come to a head when she takes five of his favorite characters (specifically Wyldstyle, Batman, Benny, Metalbeard, and Uni-Kitty), cover them with colorful paint, and stage a wedding between the queen of her world and Batman. He snaps and crushes her wedding set, which sets off a fight, which causes their mom to burst in, get frustrated with their constant bickering, and make them put ALL of their LEGO creations away in bins. This causes them to regret how they’ve treated one another, make up, and take the LEGO’s back out and start playing together.

This is translated to the meeting between the gang from the first movie and the DUPLO aliens going south pretty quickly, and Brickburg finding itself under constant invasion from the Systar System (ha ha ha), which leaves the city in ruins as the Systarians steal anything bright and colorful, forcing them to create their Mad Max-esque society. At one point they send of their greatest heroes of the Justice League (because apparently Marvel won’t return their calls), but they never return.

Then the Systarians invade again and kidnap their leaders, the aforementioned main supporting characters, motivating Emmett to go out to save them. It’s revealed that this was set up by the Systarian Queen, who wants to marry Batman, claiming that it’s to bring their two people together but it’s implied that the marriage will set off Ourmamageddon (ha ha ha), so Emmett teams up with a super-cool badass named Rex Dangerfield and his crew of raptors to stop the wedding and save the day!

Anyway, there’s this whole hubbub about everyone but Wyldstyle seeming to get brainwashed by the Systarians through bribes and really catchy music, it’s shown that the reason that the Justice League never came home is because they got brainwashed too and joined the aliens, the Queen convinced Batman to marry her with one song, and things look dire.

However, it’s revealed that it’s a whole great big misunderstanding. The Systarians were never really hostile but merely misinterpreted the gang’s behavior and didn’t understand how they were hurting them. And the whole wedding thing was a genuine attempt to make peace, and all those gifts and whatnot were sincere. So much like the brother and sister need to work out their differences and start getting along, the two LEGO societies also need to come to an understanding and work together to escape from...whatever the LEGO bins represent in their world.

Okay, all well and good. Nice message, and creative way of telling it.

Except...

Except there’s never any sort of realization on the Systarians’ part about how much damage they had done to Brickburg and its residents.

Except that they did legit kidnap all of Emmett’s friends.

Except they did kinda sorta brainwash both the Justice League and Lucy’s companions. I’m sorry, but they did!

Except the queen did prey upon Batman’s insecurities to manipulate him into marrying her. I know they did the whole thing where they actually did click as a couple and were really happy together after, but c’mon, she totally did!

And all this...is just let go. While the heroes have their big horrible realization (symbolizing how the brother realized how he had pushed his sister away and was being pretty mean to her), the inverse never happens. The Systarians never have their own epiphany, despite being portrayed as the invaders. And I’m sorry, but that’s a big problem! Misunderstandings go both ways, and just as the brother needed to learn to treat his sister better, she needed to learn that taking her brother’s toys and forcibly changing them isn’t cool. Furthermore, it would have been so easy to pull this off too! Just stick a few seconds where like General Mayhem has a “Oh my God, was this what it was like for you?” after her world is destroyed and they’re all in the bin together. Like, so having their world destroyed is just the worst thing ever, but when you do it it’s okay? Just...acknowledge it, okay? Have them realize it. It wouldn’t have taken long.

...

Okay, so maybe I don’t know how to better work the whole Batman thing, but the other stuff still stands.

And yeah, I know this isn’t something that other people consider a problem, but like I said, it’s my pet peeve, and every time I see it it just bugs me more.

...

Also, the whole wrapping up the Rex Dangerfield could have been handled better. Yeah, what he was doing was terrible, but he had a really good reason for feeling the way he did and that should’ve been addressed, so yeah.

And WTF Justice League? Okay, so you find out that the Systar System is awesome and you decided to stay, but did it never occur to you to go back and try to smooth things over with your friends? Become ambassadors? Bring the two systems together? No? You’re just gonna stick to your Stepford Wives/Wrinkle in Time neighborhood and let everyone you cared about continued to suffer in Post-Apocalypticburg? Okay then.

...

I think that’s everything.

So...that’s my little rant about an otherwise really good kid’s movie. Hopefully now that I’ve gotten it off my chest I can go back to liking it without that asterisk hanging over it.

#the lego movie #the lego movie 2

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singledarkshade · 5 years

Text

First Steps

Summary: Now a single father living in one time period for the rest of his life, Rip has to find his son a proper home, get him educated and learn to be part of the family who has adopted them as one of their own. Which is not something that is coming easy to him. Author’s Note: This is the sequel to Small Miracle. Enjoy.

*********************************************

Part One Rip eased his sleeping son out the back of Joe’s car while Cisco gathered up the boy’s things and the gifts he’d got at the zoo that day.

“Daddy,” Jonas moaned softly.

“Hush,” Rip soothed rubbing Jonas’ back in slow circles, “We’re home now.”

Jonas mumbled something wrapping his arms and legs around his father as he fell asleep again against Rip’s shoulder.

“Thank you for taking us today, Joe,” Rip said to the man driving the car.

Joe nodded, “Iris and Barry always loved the zoo. I’m glad Jonas enjoyed it too.”

“See you later, Joe,” Cisco called as the car drove away and they started up to the apartment.

Rip took Jonas into their room and quickly changed his pliant son into his pyjamas settling him under the covers, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead.

This was the end of their second week here, the first full one since the Legends had left him. Rip was still trying to get his head around living in one time period but at least Jonas seemed to have settled in.

Tidying up the room he was currently sharing with his son Rip stopped for a moment and just watched the child sleep. Cisco was ordering dinner and then introducing him to another ‘classic’ movie. It had become a ritual over the past two weeks that Cisco would pick a movie for Jonas to watch then after the boy went to bed would pick another for Rip.

His reasoning was that he was educating them in pop culture which apparently Rip’s knowledge of was ‘woeful’.

Despite protesting every so often, Rip actually enjoyed the evenings watching movies especially when Jonas would sit cuddled up against him occasionally asking questions.

Returning to the lounge Rip frowned as he realised Cisco was arguing with Gideon. He’d used the transport discs to allow her access to the apartment. Unfortunately for Cisco this meant she had control over his TV and other media devices.

“Gideon,” Cisco stood in the centre of the room, arms folded in annoyance, “Just play the movie.”

“I find it offensive,” she replied.

“What’s wrong?” Rip asked.

Cisco waved his hands in annoyance, “She’s refusing to play the movie.”

“Gideon?” Rip called.

“The movie that Mr Ramon has chosen is insulting,” Gideon replied.

With a long sigh Rip rubbed his hand across his eyes, “Why?”

“It is a film about an Artificial Intelligence who is killing people,” Gideon told him sharply.

“Like you couldn’t take over the world if you wanted?” Cisco called at her before turning to Rip, “Terminator is a classic movie and one you need to know.”

Rip rolled his eyes at his friend, “Gideon, we are guests here. This is Cisco’s home so he can watch whatever he wants.”

“Captain...”

“When we move you can have a say then,” Rip promised.

The silence that answered made him smile slightly.

“Gideon,” Cisco spoke up, “Try not to think about the devices used for the storytelling and instead pay attention to the story. You might enjoy it.”

Rip dropped onto the couch trying not to smile too much.

*********************************************

Cisco checked his watch, if he was right then the train got in about ten minutes ago so their guest would be here soon. Rip was working on completely integrating Gideon into the Star Labs systems. She was currently running the building’s security as everyone agreed that was needed first and, despite the occasional disagreements over his film choices, Cisco was happy to have her there.

Jonas was currently in the small room just off the one Cisco was sitting in they’d set up for him. The boy was playing with the masses of Lego that Joe had given him. Rip protested that they had to stop buying the boy things only to be told it had once been Iris and Barry’s Lego so was simply being passed on.

“Mr Ramon,” Gideon told him, “There are two visitors at the main entrance.”

Checking the screen Cisco smiled, “That’s who we’re waiting for though one more than I was expecting. Let them in, Gideon and tell Rip they’re here.”

“Should I add them to the list of accepted individuals?” Gideon asked.

“Definitely,” Cisco called as he headed to meet their guests. The elevator opened and he grinned at Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen, “Hi guys, welcome back.”

“So,” Felicity said, “That was different. Have you finally upgraded your security?”

Cisco chuckled, “Oh we have. Just wait, you will be supremely jealous.”

“Where is your time traveller?” Oliver asked as he followed on behind them.

“Former time traveller,” Cisco corrected, “And he’s going to meet us in the lab,” he stopped and turned to Oliver, “He’s safe, he’s not going to hurt any of us and he is trying to raise his son. This is us trying to help him. Okay?”

Oliver held up his hands, “I promise to be nice.”

Felicity chuckled following on to the control room.

Cisco took his seat and watched their friends as they looked into the room where Jonas was sitting with his father. If anyone had any doubts about Rip and his intentions they were always dispelled the moment they saw the man with his little boy.

“Gideon,” Cisco said softly so the others didn’t hear him, “Let him know we’re here.”

Rip glanced up when Gideon advised him they were waiting, he quickly kissed his son’s forehead settling him back down with his toys.

“Mr Queen, Miss Smoak,” Rip greeted as he entered the room, “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Cisco looked up at him mischievously, “So you’ve not met them in their future and your past?”

Rip frowned at him as Oliver then Felicity shook his hand.

“Okay,” Felicity grinned, “Ray asked me to set you up with a bank account, but we still have to work on an identity for you before I can give you access. That is what I am here to do.”

“I’m here to keep her company on the journey,” Oliver added, “Is that Lego?”

Rip smiled, “I’ll introduce you.”

“I could have done this for Captain Hunter,” Gideon stated as Felicity and Cisco set up.

Felicity stared at her friend, “Who? What?”

“You remember Gideon from the Waverider,” Cisco grinned, “She decided to stay here with Rip and Jonas so she’s taking over Star Labs systems. And we know, Gideon but this allows us to set up something we can connect with us as well.”

“That is so cool,” Felicity said, glancing over she watched Rip introduce Oliver to Jonas.

Oliver sat down beside the boy and started building with the bricks assuring Rip they’d be fine.

“Let’s get this over with,” Rip sighed dropping into a seat where he could keep an eye on Jonas.

Cisco clapped his friend’s arm, “You need an identity to get a house as well as a car and get Jonas a proper education.”

“Mr Ramon is correct, Captain,” Gideon noted.

Rip rolled his eyes, “Thank you, Gideon.”

Felicity took a deep breath and opened the file she had prepared, “Alright. Let’s start with the easy questions. Name? I’m assuming you will be using the surname Hunter as that is the one your son is used to.”

Rip nodded.

“What about your first name?” Felicity asked as she typed, “Because I don’t know many people called Rip, is it short for something?”

“It’s not actually my name,” Rip replied wincing at the looks he was being given, he sighed, “Time Masters chose a name to hide their identities so that someone can’t target their ancestors.”

“I do need a name for your identity,” Felicity told him.

“Captain,” Gideon’s voice came before Rip tilted his head in the way Cisco had learned meant she was speaking to him privately through the communicator Rip kept in his ear at all times.

“Are you sure that won’t be detrimental to the timeline, Gideon?” Rip asked softly before nodding, “Michael,” he told them quietly, “The name I was raised with is Michael.”

Felicity and Cisco shared a quick look realising how personal a piece of information the man had just given them even if he phrased in a rather bizarre way.

“Michael Hunter,” Felicity smiled, “I like it.”

Cisco suddenly leaned over and added a detail.

“Michael Ripley Hunter?” Felicity asked, “Really?”

Cisco rolled his eyes, “Well if someone wants to know why we call him Rip then we need to have a reason.”

“And that is a reason?” Rip asked confused.

“When you were at school there were so many Michaels in the class that you all got a nickname,” Cisco explained, “You were called Rip from your middle name and it stuck. Does that make sense?”

Rip frowned, “Strangely, yes.”

It took them about an hour to go through details for Rip’s background which once they were in the system would allow him to finally start looking properly for a home for them. Rip glanced over to his son’s playroom watching the legendary Green Arrow building a Lego tower with Jonas. Glancing to the side he saw Felicity was watching as well with a smile on her face.

“Okay,” Cisco said bringing their attention back to work, “I think this is finished. What’s the next step?”

Felicity started to type quickly, “I am connecting with the ARGUS system now and Lyla has promised this will be as if it was a real identity.”

“Thank you, Miss Smoak,” Rip told her.

Cisco rolled his eyes, “Come on man, we have gone over this.”

“I have just met her,” Rip retorted, “And she hasn’t given me permission to use her name.”

Felicity looked at them completely confused, “What are you talking about?”

“We’re trying to teach Rip that family use first names,” Cisco explained while the man in question rolled his eyes, “Can you just give him permission to call you Felicity so we can move on?”

Still a little bemused she nodded, “Of course.”

Cisco smiled smugly at Rip who simply sighed.

“Okay,” Felicity said, “Now we’ve sorted that, we need to go over the accounts Ray set up for you. Cisco, go away.”

“What?”

“This is for Rip only,” Felicity waved him away, “Out now.”

At her order Cisco muttered under his breath heading to his lab to check some things.

“Okay, Rip,” Felicity brought up the accounts Ray had asked her to set up for him, “Here they are. This one is for Jonas, by the time he’s ready for college this should have at least doubled if the investments go as Ray predicts. I’m currently the other trustee on the account but if you want to change that let me know.”

“You obviously know what you’re doing, Felicity,” Rip told her, “I’m happy for you to remain the trustee.”

“Okay,” Felicity smiled at him, “Your other account.”

Rip eyes widened when Felicity brought up the second bank account Ray had set up. Despite the others teasing that he wasn’t well-versed in normality Rip was well aware how much money Ray had given him.

“Is that right?” Rip asked softly.

Felicity nodded, “He wanted to make sure you had enough to get a good place to live.”

“I could buy three houses with this,” Rip whispered.

She smiled, “Then you should start looking.”

Rip smiled at the tower Jonas and Oliver had built, watching Oliver lift the boy to finish it.

“Wow,” Rip made them both turn, “That’s amazing.”

“It’s bigger than me,” Jonas grinned running to Rip when Oliver put him down.

Rip chuckled, “I can see that. It’s very impressive.”

Jonas beamed.

“How about we go and get some lunch?” Rip asked glancing at the other man, “With our new friends?”

Oliver nodded, “Sure.”

“Yeah,” Jonas grinned.

Rip knew his son liked how many people were in his life these days. It was one thing both he and Miranda always felt guilty about was how much they had to keep their son secreted away. At the time they thought that keeping him hidden would keep him safe from the Time Masters.

How wrong they were.

Now however Jonas had plenty of people who were willing to play with him and Rip was grateful for how they all took the little boy as part of their family.

“Come on,” he held his hand out to Jonas, “Let’s go get lunch.”

#fic #legends of tomorrow #rip hunter #jonas hunter #gideon #the flash #cisco ramon #with special guests

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leave-me-darlin · 6 years

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delicate: a personal response

Earlier this year, my class was told to write a personal response on any text. You can bet your bottom dollar I chose the delicate music video. I ended up getting excellence and those credits are what got me over the line to get my academic year endorsed with excellence !! I’m posting this here because I wan’t people to understand the deeper meaning of the video, who maybe don’t already, I also want to share my personal response to the video 💘 (also um hehe if @taylorswift read this it would be pretty gosh darn amazing !!)

‘Delicate’ portrays the intense pressure celebrities face being constantly in the public eye. It follows Taylor Swift, as she she suddenly turns invisible, and is allowed to be herself, without the impending doom of a false news article, or being insulted by people who don’t even care enough about her to know who she really is. This allows her to experience what it’s like to have the freedom of expression and be your sincerest self without consequence. In the music video, this is shown by dancing, and how it creates the sense of being truly uninhibited. The text urges its audience to never judge a person based on their reputation, to be yourself, no matter the circumstances, and to find solace in the people, places, and things that make you happy.

A theme in the text that can relate to today's society is how a person’s reputation can affect their relationships, self-esteem, and happiness, and create a deep prejudice of who they are as an individual. Often, when we read an article online, or hear a news report, we automatically assume that it is correct, and forget to question the possibility that there is a chance that it is false, or written from the perspective of somebody who doesn’t like, trust, or support the person or topic it is about. We take in the information, and much of the time, let it affect our personal view, perspective, and prejudice of the subject. This scenario can cause us to judge a person purely based on what we have heard about them. Therefore, if millions of people are judging one person on the basis of what they have heard, the emotional and social effects that it can have on that individual can be devastatingly immense. For example, depression, anxiety, anorexia, developed phobias and other mental illnesses can be outcomes of the pressure celebrities face as a result of being consistently scrutinised by people who have been lead to believe that a person’s entire personality can be determined by a news summary. In extreme cases, the consequences of a falsely bad reputation can drive a person to physically hurt themselves, stop caring about their wellbeing, and even commit suicide. This is an issue that is rarely talked about. I believe this is because many people are too coward to admit that they have judged someone based on reputation, whereas, in reality, we all have at one point or another. We shy away from the fact that we all play a key role in the major and negative social construct that is, reputation. This is where I can relate to the theme. I have grown up in a society where the most private details of a person’s life are broadcast worldwide. Where people who want nothing more than to live a happy life, are driven to suicide because of the media. Where I, as a still-maturing person, have been brainwashed into thinking about certain people, in certain ways. I will not deny that I have judged people on what I have heard about them, because I have. I know that on many occasions I have been just another lego brick, building the false image of a person. However, by creating a music video that so forcefully drills this message into our heads, it has the potential to change the way people view other people, and that is something truly powerful.

I like the way the first and last shots contrast with each other. The video begins with a close up of Taylor, as she stares blankly at the sea of reporters, camera flashes, and security. The scene is unnatural, and you can tell by the look on her face, and the fake smile she gives a reporter, that she would rather be anywhere else. Whereas in the final shot, she has become visible again, and sees the person that makes her happiest. You can see that see is genuinely content and feels comfortable in the situation. I love this idea because it shows the audience that the things that make you the most happy aren’t fame and fortune, but the people who love you. It demonstrates how the things Taylor dealt with at the start, are what we should be straying from, not welcoming with open arms, and demands us to have a deeper appreciation for the people supporting us. It links to the real-life idea of choosing between the superficial, and the real. We often lose track of the things that we should be holding close to us, what we should be accepting, and rejecting. This can often mean that we push away important things such as family or friendships, and demand something such as the latest iPhone, instead. I think we do this because in an increasingly technology-reliant society, we are not judged on how close we are with our family, but on how efficient we are on a computer. Humans as an entirety, have begun to lose a sense of priority. Having the message in the video of surrounding yourself with your actual priorities rather than your artificial ones, is important, as it demonstrates that even people with the most unlimited access to the superficial, can have the ability to acknowledge the line between the two. I can relate to this, because for the past five weeks I haven’t had a phone, and at lunch, when I would usually be looking at that phone, I was looking at other people, using theirs. Seeing that image of everybody with their noses in a screen, showed me how we are increasingly ignoring human contact, and trading it for likes on instagram, or a new streak on snapchat. We cannot continue to act this way, otherwise, we will find ourselves living in a world where eye contact is a foreign idea. This is no good for anyone, as face to face communication is the staple of a functioning society. The message of this in this video communicates the importance of priority, and how we must always value the people, places and things that make us happy, and put anything else behind them.

In conclusion, this music video has many strong messages that are important for people to understand. It emphasizes the impact a false reputation can have on a person, and it demonstrated the difference between superficial, and real sources of happiness, using a contrast of the first and last shots. I believe it is a video that will influence and change many people's ideas and beliefs about people in the public eye, and stress the importance of the line between superficial and real. 'Delicate' is a video that has the potential to change the minds, and possibly lives, of its viewers.

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xb-squaredx · 7 years

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The Lego Batman Movie: The Best Batman Film Ever Made

Reading that title out loud, I know that sounds absurd. How can a film that’s meant to sell toys and stars a supporting character from ANOTHER movie about toys stand up to the Caped Crusader’s other films? Well, I’ve been dying to talk about it (and really missed the boat on doing so!), so if you’ll join me under the break I’ll be happy to explain!

If I can sum up why The Lego Batman Movie trumps all other Batman films in one sentence, I’d have to say that it is the film is a distillation of all of the best parts of the Batman universe. That’s not to say that these other films (with some choice exceptions) are bad and disrespect Batman in anyway, but I’d still put Lego Batman at the top because it acknowledges that Batman is a character with multiple different interpretations and tones, and pays tribute to all of them. Lego Batman is both a parody of Batman, and a surprisingly deep examination of the character that you’d find in more serious Batman stories too, and the crew behind the film was able to do that without making him dark and gritty.

Ever since the days of Frank Miller and stories like The Killing Joke Batman has predominantly been redesigned as a dark, brooding character, with adaptations of him being primarily serious affairs. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that….to a point. But people seem to forget that Batman wasn’t always like that; after all, the campy Adam West Batman show was, at the time, an accurate reflection of what the character was like in the comics. Back in the day ALL superheroes were goofy and campy, especially in the Silver Age of comics. Of course, nowadays this grittiness seems to have bled over to MOST comics, so Batman’s not some exception here. I suppose part of why The Lego Batman Movie resonated with me was because it felt like a breath of fresh air. Batman has been stuck in a gritty, joyless rut for a while and seeing something that wasn’t afraid to be fun and optimistic was a genuine relief.

Of course, even with Lego Batman being probably the most fun version of the character in years, there are still some more serious moments. The crew behind this film found a way to acknowledge some of the darker aspects of the character while still delivering a movie that’s a bright, kid-friendly comedy and they should be applauded for marrying the two tones. A big part of the film is showing just how lonely and vulnerable Batman really is, how becoming Batman is more and more of an escape, but it doesn’t dwell on it for any longer than necessary. The film shows me that the crew totally understands Batman as a character, and they respect his legacy. Basically anything there is to love about Batman is here in full-force, from the crazy gadgets, to the ridiculous supervillains. And then there’s the matter of the Bat Family…

The Bat Family is something we’ve been sorely lacking in a lot of other incarnations of the character lately. The most recent animated adaptations of the character (Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Beware the Batman) focus more on Batman teaming up with lesser-known heroes for the former, and in the latter, takes on the character Katana as a partner, with neither Batgirl or any kind of Robin in sight. And as for movies…well, the less said about Batman and Robin the better, and while the sly reference to Robin in The Dark Knight Rises is nice, it can’t compare to seeing Batman, Robin, Batgirl and even Alfred working together in The Lego Batman Movie. The film takes the idea of Batman working alone and treats it as one big joke, showing that as smart and strong as he is, there are things he can’t do alone. Aspects of Batman’s character get shown off as he interacts with Barbara, Dick and Alfred that wouldn’t be seen otherwise, resulting in some fun character moments and eventually builds up to a pretty heartwarming ending.

Various other darker aspects of the Batman character get explored here, resulting in an incarnation that is deceptively deep. I’m not saying Lego Batman is the most well-rounded or executed version of the character, but there’s more to him than just being a walking parody of Batman. Early in the movie, Bruce Wayne must make an appearance at a party and while it’s funny that Batman throws a childish tantrum over going, it hits on something deeper. Various other Batman media explore the fact that Bruce Wayne gets pushed into the background more and more, with Batman becoming an escape for Bruce, eventually swallowing him up until Batman is all that remains. Lego Batman is throwing a tantrum because he LOVES being Batman and doesn’t feel at home in his own skin anymore. It becomes clear that being Bruce Wayne is an act.

(I mean...c’mon! Can’t even bring himself to remove the cowl!)

Throughout the film, Batman’s loneliness is shown, be it at not being invited to the Justice League’s anniversary party, or the fact that Wayne Manor is located on an island, a pretty on-the-nose metaphor, but one that’s poignant nonetheless. Now, a LOT of Batman adaptations show that he works alone, but few really ever do more than just bring it up. The Lego Batman movie goes a few steps further and weaves that into the narrative. Batman works alone because he’s afraid of growing close to anyone only to lose them again, but multiple characters repeatedly reach out to him, and the film makes a point of showing how this isolation is detrimental to the character. Yes, it sure is fun to be Batman, but when he gets back to his cave and has no one to greet him, it puts things in perspective.

Lastly, as a lifetime consumer of Batman-related media, I was extremely happy to see so much of the Batman mythos referenced in the film. Villains, both mainstream and obscure, make an appearance, with the vast majority being blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. We somehow got a movie with Poison Ivy, Bane, Joker and Condiment King (yes, he’s real) all in the same place, and that alone should be respected. I’m sure there are jokes or references that only ten people will get, but that goes to show that the people making the movie love the character and wanted to convey that. Every movie and animated series gets some kind of a nod, the Adam West series also getting a decent amount of play. While it might be nice to get darker, more introspective looks at the character, it was nice to have a movie that was fun, that reminded me of why I liked Batman in the first place. Sure, you can take a darker, grittier look at Batman sometimes, but we also like him because he has a lot of cool, overly-specific gadgets, wears a cape and always saves the day.

I’ll make it no secret that the “DC Extended Universe” interpretation of the character feels like a slap in the face, so Lego Batman was a welcome relief. It was reassuring that there’s SOME people at Warner Bros. that can make a Batman movie where he isn’t branding people or shooting guns or talking about wanting to kill other heroes. It was refreshing to see a Gotham that was full of color. It was amazing to see the Bat Family fighting side-by-side on the big screen. But most of all, it was surprising to see that a Batman made of plastic bricks could be such a well-constructed interpretation of the character. So if you haven’t gotten the message by now, The Lego Batman Movie is a fantastic distillation of all of the things that makes Batman great, it’s hilarious and blows Zach Snyder’s “Murderman” out of the water, so I give it a hearty recommendation. Until next time.

-B

#xb-squaredx #blog #lego batman #dc comics #robin #batgirl #adam west

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riannagalvez · 5 years

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Hello, dolls!! Hello, #ThrowbackThursday ! 😛 I’ve been getting an extra day with little A every 2/3 weeks and I must say, I don’t know how SAHMs do it without wanting to call anyone for help! lol. My energy is being consumed by 3 major things for the past 7 months — work, my pregnancy, and running after my toddler. I can’t wait to knock down the first two in a month so I can devote my energy to our growing family.

This week, I talked to my employer about my future in the company. It went better than I thought it would. Taking a step back on my career is something I really can’t fully grasp yet. After all, I spent the past 8 years working hard to get where I am now — so it’s a really bittersweet feeling. Though I know it’s for the best reason, the big question for me is “how do people let go of something they are passionate about?”. I know I need this break for my mental health as well. If I am not pregnant, I would probably be overworking myself until God knows when causing me to be toxic to the people around me because I am beyond exhausted — this I have to remind myself over and over.

So let me take it easy today and think about happy thoughts! Like my super cool lunch experience at Brick Burger in Pasig City, Philippines.

My siblings know that A loves legos so much so they suggested going to Brick Burger for the experience and food.

Truth be told, whenever I see concept restaurants like this in the Philippines I kind of doubt the quality of food. A lot of times, restaurant owners spend more time conceptualizing a restaurant that will be “Instaworthy” and fall short on creating a menu that people will come back for. So how did Brick burger fare?

Whoever designed Brick Burger knew what he was talking about. Every corner of the restaurant screamed legos! It felt like we were in Legoland.

I was fascinated with the collection of legos they have in store. Especially this Nike shoe that resembled A’s lol.

Cheesy Nachos for our appetizer. It’s not the “real deal” but if you grew up eating Nacho King, this one is just as good.

Chicken Pesto

Welcome to the Philippines, where protein portions look like they are garnishes. I feel like the lemon slice was bigger than the chicken breast that we got. The pesto was pretty good though!

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger

All the burgers were served on lego buns! Talk about effort.

The burgers did not disappoint. They were juicy and tasty! Definitely an upgrade from Angels Burger and Burger Machine 😛

A tried the Brick Burger challenge but failed! The burger was very big and well, A is not good eating under pressure lol.

Buffalo Wings

Oh how I missed coated fried chicken like this! If there’s anything you can’t go wrong in the Philippines, that would be any kind of chicken — roasted, fried, or grilled!

Brick Burger exceeded my expectations. I thought it was just another Instagrammable restaurant but the food was actually good.

Now I have 2 boys that love legos so much! Been stepping on legos since A let little A play with his collection.

#MyABoys twinning in gray ❤

I am going to end this post with extra cuteness!! I can’t believe this little boy was once this small. Now I can hardly keep up with his energy lol 😛

R ❤

Manila Eats: Brick Burger Hello, dolls!! Hello, #ThrowbackThursday ! 😛 I've been getting an extra day with little A every 2/3 weeks and I must say, I don't know how SAHMs do it without wanting to call anyone for help! 562 more words

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theconservativebrief · 6 years

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A food trend arrived two summers ago in the neighborhood of Toronto where I live that continues to beguile me for its endurance. In an area with several fantastic ice cream options, the longest and most consistent lineups are for a place specializing in charcoal-infused ice cream. It tasted no better than your average soft-serve, it looked like poop and stained your teeth black, and it required a half-hour wait just to get a cone.

The health benefits associated with charcoal-infused foods are dubious quackery at best, especially in ice cream, and yet every day there’d be dozens of people standing outside, taking selfies with their cones, which they took three licks of and promptly threw away.

The charcoal ice cream trend had nothing to do with taste, however. Like its recent cousins the unicorn latte, the rainbow sprinkle cake, or other viral sweets, it was consumption purely as visual entertainment, a food trend tailor-made for Instagram feeds. Similar to shopping for new shoes you don’t need, or buying trinkets on vacation, it is an act of commerce used to pass the time on a sunny Saturday. It also was an act of social bonding, between those standing in line, their friends who had already eaten there, and their followers online, heart-tapping those poop-colored cones from screens near and far.

Why do we buy the things we buy? This simple question forms the heart of a multitrillion-dollar riddle at the core of our culture of consumption. It is studied relentlessly by economists and sociologists, picked apart by sales departments and marketing firms, opined on by authors and experts, and agonized over by everyone working in the world of consumer goods, from local coffee shop owners to retail chain CEOs.

Trends seem to come out of nowhere, blindsiding us each season, in a way that feels unpredictable. That’s because these shifts in the collective appetite (for everything from music and food to clothes and even politics) are driven by a force bigger than we can see: human emotion.

As someone who has been looking at consumer trends and the forces that shape them over much of the past decade, when you step back and try to understand trends, you see that nearly all trends, and the buying that fuels them, are based in emotion.

A trend that personifies the centrality of emotion in consumer trends is the surprising growth of books over the past decade, especially in the United States, despite an avalanche of predictions to the contrary.

Just a few years ago, experts were nearly unanimous in their belief that books and bookstores were certain to disappear. Articles heralded the end of the independent bookstore as Amazon continued its explosive growth, Borders went bankrupt, and e-book sales gained ground. In a 2013 blog post, marketing guru and best-selling author Seth Godin predicted books were “dying” and bookstores “doomed” because of superior technological competition; digital is where we wanted to spend our dollars. Others, like the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, predicted brick-and-mortar retail would be finished.

Based on all measures of logic, their predictions were perfectly sensible. Faced with the growth of e-readers like Kindles and iPads, print books were an outdated and easily disrupted technology. Paper books cost more to produce and purchase, take up precious space in warehouses, stores, and homes, lose their value immediately, and are environmentally destructive (publishing is an industry based on arboreal genocide).

And bookstores? How could a brick-and-mortar space with limited selection and financial resources compete with Amazon, which sells every single book, for less than anyone else, anywhere, anytime — free shipping included? The economics simply made no sense. Just look at what happened with music and photography! There was just no reason for people to buy books.

But they did. According to the American Booksellers Association, as well as publishing industry figures, sales of books and the number of new independent bookstores opening across the country have been growing steadily, year by year, since 2009.

Meanwhile, e-book sales have plateaued (after peaking around 2014), and Amazon has entered the brick-and-mortar bookstore game, driven in no small part by the trend back toward books and bookstores it somehow missed. What changed? It wasn’t economics or any specific industry dynamic. It was the emotion of the consumer, which grew enough to support a trend that brought books back in favor.

Like most successful trends, these emotions were deeply felt, and linked to bigger forces in our culture. At a time when few of us dare to go anywhere without a smartphone, books tapped into a growing desire among many consumers for a sense of physicality and the measured pace it commands.

Like the other analog goods that have seen a resurgence in recent years, including vinyl records, board games, and even film cameras, books promised a slower, isolated experience, free from distractions, pop-up ads, dead batteries, Russians (unless you’re reading about them), and the other byproducts of digital innovation. In an age of noise, they offer the quiet many of us desperately desire. They also offered certain incalculable tangible pleasures for our senses: the oft-cited smell, feel, and sound of books, which book lovers relish with romance.

In a similar way, the bookstore offered the above, in addition to something even more desirable: community. By providing actual places in cities, town, and neighborhoods where readers and book lovers could walk in, hear author talks, get personalized recommendations from knowledgeable staff, and, most importantly, just be around books and other book lovers, they provided a physical space that delivered the one thing Amazon is incapable of: a sense of belonging.

Bookstores and the books they sell bring consumers into a family — a family where you share the same values, based on your buying habits. You see it with men like my father and their endless conversations about road bikes, with kids unboxing their Lego sets on YouTube, and with the kale-eating Prius driver who feels so compelled to tell other kale eaters who they are that they actually go to the trouble of putting a pro-kale bumper sticker on their Prius (as if the Prius itself doesn’t send that message).

We buy as much to belong as to own. And for readers, the value of showing off their Politics & Prose tote bag or proudly holding up their copy of Roxane Gay’s Hunger on the subway is as powerful a symbol you can send into the world that I am book people as any overt declaration on social media (though book-loving Instagrammers abound).

Last year, Harvard Business school professor Ryan Raffaelli decided to figure out why this was, interviewing dozens of independent bookstore owners across America, as well as publishers, authors, and industry experts. Raffaelli, who specializes in the adaption of legacy industries and previously studied the resurgence of Swiss watchmakers and pencil manufacturers, found that it boiled down to the 3 C’s: community, curation, and convening. Bookstores held events. They created safe and welcoming spaces. And they leveraged this into real, lasting relationships with their customers.

“Combined, these aspects … served as important bottom-up processes that reframed the mature independent bookselling industry as a legitimate and distinct form of brick-and-mortar bookselling,” Raffaelli wrote.

Donna Paz Kaufman, a publishing industry veteran whose consulting company Paz & Associates works with independent bookstores, and the people who own them, across America, agrees.

“What is tangible and lasting for independent bookstores is that they are the living room of the community,” Kaufman said. “A place where ideas are welcome, dialogue is interesting, and people can simply be and find other people/books/programs that make life a little bit better.”

Over the past few years, Kaufman’s business has been busier than ever, with more new clients coming to her every day, interested in opening a bookstore in their neighborhood and town. “It’s a little magnet for community, a place you can go and feel safe, encouraged, and feel prompted to learn something new, or you can just be,” she said.

Sure, there are some logical advantages to the trends that take off beyond mere fads. Kale has endured because it’s easy to plant, cheap, and can work in all sorts of dishes. Birkenstocks made a huge comeback because they’re damn comfortable. The publishing industry defended itself better than other media industries against digital disruption because books remain relatively profitable to make and sell, while independent bookstores benefited from the demise of Borders and a defanged Barnes & Noble. But the practical factors obscure the golden rule of consumer behavior, which is that the logic of emotion triumphs above all else.

Some emotions, of course, are more powerful than others. The emotions that draw us to books are strong enough to transform an entire industry. The emotions that draw us to Instagrammable charcoal ice cream, however, seem to be more fleeting.

I remember sitting on a trends prediction panel several years ago at the annual Fancy Food Show with industry trend forecasters, former Food Network stars, and other food journalists, with the goal of zeroing in on the next big thing. As we discussed the green shoots of food trends we’d observed while walking thousands of trade show booths and eating more samples than a human body can handle, activated charcoal foods came up a few times. “Oh, they’ve been saying charcoal foods will be the next big thing for years,” one woman said dismissively. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Even though that charcoal ice cream parlor still has a lineup, the overall trend is limited to a few shops in a few cities; you’re unlikely to see a tub of charcoal vanilla ice cream at Safeway anytime soon.

In the end, we’ll try anything for emotion. But if it doesn’t taste better than Häagen-Dazs, we’ll be backing eating good old vanilla the next hot day.

David Sax is a journalist and the author of several books, including The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter. He is currently writing a book on the meaning of entrepreneurship today.

Original Source -> Why we buy the things we buy

via The Conservative Brief

#IFTTT #The Conservative Brief

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brownboymeetsworld · 6 years

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Challenge #1 : My BORING LIFE

hey world, i am godie. eidog. dogie. iegod. dieeeeeeeeeeego. digo. defuego.

Me gusta la color rojo.

I have no life.

welcome to my bloggo.

It is January.

30th.

not 2017. it’s 2018.

It is a Tuesday.

The night before I was afterschool for a P.I.R (performance in the round - 15th event in the IHSA Speech State Series) in the up till 5:00 am doing APUSH homework and random algebraic equations

Followed by some Netflix watching (One Day At A Time - good show).

I do not know how, but I woke up at 7:20, a good ten minutes before the bus arrived, thank the respected God(s). Took 5 minutes to get ready, and I was my tired self, as usual. Ran down the stairs, grabbed my Iphone 4, NO HONEY NO NOT “4s”, I’m too broke for that Siri stuff. Plugged in my headphones, and did not worry about breakfast, because I do not eat it, until I get to school (as in I get breakfast at school).

As I make my way out the door, me and my dog, Remi, make eye contact (he just woke up, because of my loud self) and then I dash out. Takes a minute to run to the bus stop, but yet I am still out of breathe. I’m not built for winter, almost died. ( i literally speedy Gonzalez down my street ).

This old lady from the condos snitched on me to my Mom telling her I went to school wearing crocs. She’s a snake.

Anyway, I get on the bus at 7:32 am and plop in the seat and sleep. It is now 7:45 when some random kid on the bus wakes me up to tell me we are at the school. He is a big trick for waking me up but it is okay. I’m such a bidget. (big bodied trick).

So I get off the bus, sit next to Bree at the lunch table and set my stuff down and go get breakfast. THIS BIDGET security guard legit wants to fight me asking for my I.D when it was clearly on my neck, and on my way to get breakfast. So I pick up some two apple juices and a hot fudge poptart. Sat back down at the table, and ranted to Bree while devouring my breakfast. I throw away my breakfast at 8:05 and I keep forgetting thats when they dismiss the students from the cafeteria to go towards lockers and classes and what not.

And lets just say a swarm of tricks of the Joliet West population ram into me as I’m trying to get my stuff from the table.

I love my school.

I retreive my stuff and head for upstairs G building and plug in my Spotify on my lego brick phone and drown my feelings into “Halo” by Beyonce. As I make my way up the stairs these bidget freshmen threw a football down the stair well and hit some girl and I’m guessing they are all friends speaking that the girl was not mad and just laughed the whole time, so I just kept making my way up.

I reach APUSH and I open the door to Mr.Lundeen’s class. My friend Trinity gave me a McDonalds hashbrown, and my day was better. So class happened. Decent day so far. Advanced Algebra with Mr.Almon comes next and so I was really thirsty for some reason and I went to the water fountain mid class, and when I came back I just stressed on math problems. Sadly, my life problems aren’t as easy as y=mx+b.

Then I head off the my humble C building, and sing my emotions away in Choir. I pulled my phone out to record a specific part I thought my specific section needed to work on and showed DeBoer, so thanks to me we are now going to concentrate on that tomorrow, and I’m the bad guy for trying to make my section better? @all the groans and glares that they gave me.

After such class, I headed to seek refuge in the little theater for 5A and 5B and drop my stuff off, while I go to the cafeteria before the rush comes, and get a pepperoni calzone with a light purple gatorade, and I guess thats my lunch, I mostly spend my time helping Mrs.Blake, or bothering her with ideas or Speech talks, or I just read off my Tumblr feed and listen to my musicals Spotify playlist. I am on the backstage couch, making myself at home, respectively. She has a study hall that period, so I just come and spread my presence.

6th period came, so I had to go to Symphonic Band and break my mouth and lungs into Slavonic Rhapsody. Totally just go there to my death sentence, numbing my fingers, and stress from the fast chromatic runs we play in that demonic piece. It was fun until it hurts.

7th period Drama 3 in the little theater eventually came and it was a blast. It is pretty much made up of speech kids, so we are talking in weird accents and what not, and my good mother Mrs.Blake tells us the agenda.

My friend gives me some Ramen noodles to eat and (SHE PACKS A WHOLE FRIDGE) a flavored water lemon bottle. She is a good woman. I put my physical energy into our group improv, and even eat my ramen during it. I dispose of the ramen in the garbage and keep the flavored water. I am drained, and now have to walk to English.

It was a typical school day. Class to class, doing my work. To be completely honest, I never use my phone at school for texting or social media unless it’s during 5A and 5B. But, today, I didn’t or Snapchat (SHOOK - MY STREAKS) anyone till the last 5 minutes of 8th. I text my mom telling her I have speech rehearsal, and that settles it.

The only time I do is to listen to so much music possible, in passing periods, when I work in class. I’m not really a big social media addict as I used to or like my many friends and peers.

Suprisingly, I ate alot today, I usually never get lunch, only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and rarely breakfast, and then my friends were nice and fed me. Much love.

Oh, and I still have that flavored water bottle. I then stayed after for a speech rehearsal (@little theater), my last one. It was a workout, but I very much enjoyed it. A progressive season it was. My event (Humorous Interpretation) requires me to cut a 365 character play or kids bop music video into 8 minute performance, and I play all the characters, change my stance, face, and voice. I was kidding about the 365 characters and and kids bop video, but I do have to cut a one act or play of humor and theme into below 8 minutes, memorized, and practice the whole season and compete.

I had the pleasure to choose “Chester, the Boy Who Painted the World Purple” by Marco Ramirez, it was not my best season, but it was amazing. Let me tell you, quickly popping into all the characters, changin my voice, face, and body position, makes me SWEAT. So, this is when I chug the flavored water bottle, and boy I felt good and proud.

I now get picked up by my mom at 6:00pm. YEP, that’s right, from 3:30-6, I’m constantly running or rehearsing, maybe at times going to the bathroom or sitting and breathing and giving or taking notes from other people. So, I get home at 6:15, I sit down and do my homework till 8:00.

I make some MacNCheese and pour some lemonade (MinuteMaid) into a nice mason jar. Concluding with an episode of One Day At A Time.

Again, have not shockingly, touched my phone. Once I finished eating, I wash my dishes, take a quick shower, send my siblings to bed, and I go brush my teeth, and then set my stuff for tomorrow. This was between 9:00pm and 10:00 pm.

It is now 11:30 and I am typing this blog, in my bed, and crying about college and plugged in Ultralight Beam by Kanye West, also thinking about how I will be a senior. Some scary stuff. I am now going to bed. Rest in Peace.

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