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[tinkaton]

Post-Christmas update... It's been very chill here, both at work and home. I had a couple days off for Christmas while the library was closed, but the following couple days was also very slow which was good because a bunch of people took off the whole week haha. I hate how slow it is around the holidays, I wish we could all just take off the last couple weeks of the year sjhdfksjfs Thankfully I made it through and now I've got a 5-day mini vacay because I took off Monday/Tuesday + we're closed Wednesday for New Year's.

Christmas was good! My parents gave me and the sibs money and I gave the parents a gift card to a restaurant so they'd have to use it for themselves lmao. We're not a very gifty family, which is fine with me now I don't feel bad about going overboard buying myself all that stuff this month. But I still haven't made or bought gingerbread cookies!!! Perhaps I'm cursed. (The curse is my own fault.) We've got plenty of candy though, my mom did give me one of those giant Ferrero Rocher boxes so I am living large now.

I already feel productive with my time off too, I finished reading a super long book I'd been hoping to complete before the end of the year! I think I owe this blog a two month reading update post, then I may do an end-of-year reading meme for 2024, either find a new one or just copy the one I did last year. If anyone has any saved, link me!


My first yuletide was a success, I'd say! I got nearly 10k of The Last Binding fic featuring pretty much every character (I let my creator pick whoever they wanted from the tagset) and it was super sweet. And my giftee seemed to like their fic so hey \o/ I also ended up writing my friend the world's stupidest Jayvik fic for Christmas, so this has been more writing than I've done in a while haha, I'm hoping to keep my momentum and maybe write some more Jayvik or Last Binding fic... Once Yuletide reveals happen I'll just post links to everything at once, I still need to browse more of the collection and see what else looks good.


Oh, I also watched the newest (last?) season of The Dragon Prince! tl;dr I liked it, though I think, like the whole arc overall, the pacing was a little all over the place. I feel like they dragged things out over the last few seasons and then crammed the entire actual final confrontation into what, 4 episodes? They're clearly setting things up for a potential third arc with that ending, and while I'd happily watch more (really curious to see what they'd do with a 7-year timeskip) I don't think they're going to get renewed...

But! Specific spoilery ramblings on S7:

• Runaan and Ethari reunion!!! Finally after so long... They were sooo cute, Ethari got a real glow up with the longer hair lmao. Him not believing Runaan was really back at first was so sad though 😔 Love me a man so consumed by grief he has hallucinations! Also I can't get over the wedding art from the credits, thank you for the emotional damage that caused me. Every time they showed up on screen holding hands or whatever the hell I was like that's my dads... I also loved getting to see Runaan/Ethari/Rayla/Callum family time even though they probably should've been doing more important things jshdfkjfs


• Claudia... I love her a lot and I enjoyed her initial descent into "villainy" but it feels like they just threw their hands up with her motivations at this point and were like, yeah, she's just doing this because she can. Like WHY was she helping Aaravos once she discovered what his real plan was jhksjdfhsf girl you can't say you're nice and then plunge the world into eternal darkness and torment for zero reason. Like her doing everything she did previously for her dad makes complete sense. Does she agree with Aaravos that everyone deserves to suffer? Why??


• Speaking of Aaravos, 10/10, no notes, love him. Hated every moment he wasn't in his sexy star elf form. He's absolutely allowed to plunge the world into eternal darkness and torment. I thought maybe they'd be able to bring his daughter back and he'd chill out?? But I guess whatever they killed her with made her un-bring-backable I don't quite remember what the details were there lol. I do miss the Aaravos/Viren weirdness though, that was always fun.


• We should have gotten Soren/Corvus, they already act married... But it's okay I know the truth in my heart. Nobody but Corvus could deal with Soren sjhdfkjsf


• Wish Janai and Amaya had more to do than deal with Janai's brother lmao. Also it's so funny that Gren is always with them. Like not just for work-related purposes. Does he stick around for date nights. Do they ever let you go free, Gren.


• Ezran and Zym also got kind of the short end of the stick I feel, I know they can't really do much because they don't fight but Zym could've like, electrocuted Aaravos or something idk. What was the point of finding the sword if it wasn't going to be useful lmao. I do like Ezran as a character though, they clearly were trying to do something with him in the aftermath of Katolis's destruction + confronting his dad's killer, but it all got wrapped up kind of fast.

But yeah, I'm sad it's over because it was a fun show with a lot of great characters. I think they did a good job for a kids' show touching upon more serious topics, but of course the double-edged sword there is that it's a kids' show so, you know. It can be a little dumb at times lmao. I'd still recommend it though for anyone who enjoys diverse fantasy that's more on the lighthearted side.

Comments

[ai]

The gift card for restaurants is the only way we're able to ensure my roommate's parents use the gift on themselves. Folks are so quick to dunk on giving gift cards, but something about saving money at a restaurant works for parents haha.

Enjoy the vacation. This is the best time of year to have one since everyone else is just coasting by.

I really gotta watch that show. It's been on my radar for a while, but I never get around to it. Maybe it'll be my "goal" for 2025.

[tinkaton]

Yeah honestly as long as you know it's a store/place they'll actually buy stuff from, gift cards are just better for some people lmao. Enjoy your child-mandated date night, parents!!

Thanks! These last couple weeks really do suck all the energy out of you, especially when it comes to work. All last week I just kept being like "I don't want to do anything it's Christmas" jdhfksjds

It's a pretty quick watch since each season is only 9 episodes and they're 25-minute eps, so you could definitely give the first few episodes a try and see if it's up your alley.

[sushiflop]

I should look into getting my parents restaurant giftcards LMAO. That might stage them into going out to restaurants more than like four times a year, and there's an Italian place here my mom loves.

I got both parents 2 CDs each (I'm getting more into physical media again) and my mom a pack of Nike athletic socks that we both like. I got cash too. 💸 Can't argue with its utility.

Hmmm TDP spoilers...

question

1. Does Aaravos die? I'm assuming yes but bummed out if so, he was a real scene stealer. I knew his motivations had to be more than were initially revealed but the reveal sadly sounds pretty boring jfdjgdg

2. Does Claudia die? :( They really dropped the ball on her.

I feel like people dunk on villain redemptions now, like it's no longer trendy after Steven Universe or sthn. Bums me out because I love a good heel face turn or the depowered villain just bitterly hanging out with everybody!

[tinkaton]

I used to try to get everyone actual presents, but everyone except my one brother is impossible to shop for so I was just like 😑 fine. restaurant gift card time. I hope your parents enjoyed their presents though!

how do I do this spoiler dropdown uh...

i figured it out

1. He does, technically, die, but being a Startouch elf he isn't actually dead and can just re-manifest when his stars align which for him is apparently in 7 years. So they clearly want to do a third arc with a timeskip where Aaravos returns. honestly, "guy really mad the Space Elf Government executed his apparently otherwise immortal daughter" is good enough motivation for me, I'd be mad too!

2. She does not die! She escapes in the end and is off doing who knows what. We sure don't. I wouldn't have mind if they redeemed Claudia and tbh I thought they were gonna go that route but apparently not in this season! Maybe they were holding out for the hypothetical next arc idk. I really cannot tell what they wanted to do with her and I don't think they really knew either jshdfkjs

[lavendre]

Congrats on Yuletide wahooo! I still need to browse the collection myself and see what's looking good hehe. It's so rare that I have obscure fandoms that I'm really craving fic for but I should dig around.

Your Christmas sounds like it was really nice and lowkey, that's great! Mini-vacays are also the best.

I'm looking forward to your book post!!

[tinkaton]

I basically just scrolled down the fandom list and opened anything that I recognized to see if it looked interesting. I know it's a small fandoms exchange but I was surprised how many things there were I'd never even heard of before haha.

I managed to get out my Nov/Dec book review post before the end of the year whooo. Now I just need to do my yearly review...

[lizardjay]

Ferrero Rocher 😍

Glad your holidays were good! I took off last week and now I'm sitting at work very disoriented from being gone for ten days. My emails....

[tinkaton]

I have to keep stopping myself from just eating a ton at once jdhjkfsdfs they're sooo good.

Oh nooo, not the email pile up. I kinda like that though it gives me an excuse not to do any real work, just sit and sort through emails for a while lmao.

[22]

Yay!!! I'm glad to read you had a great Christmas. Congrats on the Yuletide!!!

[tinkaton]

Thank you! :3 I did see your photos from the holidays, I'm glad things look like they went well!

[22]

Thank you, love!!! I'm so glad!

[svgurl]

Glad to hear that you had a good Christmas and your first Yuletide went well! :)

[tinkaton]

Thank you! I hope you had a good holiday/new year too :D