"I See"

If your reflection is missing

1. Do not touch the mirror. If you have already touched the mirror, SKIP TO STEP 15 IMMEDIATELY.

2. First, make sure that your reflection is really gone. Make sure that you are visible. If you are not visible, the lack of a reflection is normal.

3. Check another mirror to see if your reflection is there. If so, the mirror without a reflection is simply broken and needs replacement.

If you have confirmed you are visible and your reflection is gone from all mirrors:

4. Do not touch the mirror.

5. Fill a bowl with water. Overnight, leave it at the base of the mirror nearest to your bed.

6. When you wake, if the bowl is empty, your reflection simply has business elsewhere for a while. You may rest knowing your reflection will return when they are ready.

7. If the bowl is still full, your reflection has been taken.

If your reflection is gone:

8. Be ready. They may come for you.

9. Prepare for a journey. With your reflection gone, you may pass through the mirror, but first, be sure you are prepared.

10. Bring food and water. Beyond the mirror, eat or drink nothing unless it has specifically been offered to you. Dying of hunger or thirst is better than the alternative.

11. Tie one end of a ball of string around your ankle, and the other to something on this side of the mirror, like the foot of your bed. This will not help, but sometimes reassurance is necessary.

12. Do not trust what your eyes or ears show you. Count the number and direction of each step you make. Make no marks. Take nothing with you. Leave nothing behind.

13. What state you find your reflection in will vary. I cannot advise you on this. Trust your instinct. Do not trust them.

14. Follow the steps you made back to the mirror. Do not let your reflection ahead of you. They will be grateful for your rescue, but they may still try to leave, trapping you in their place.

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY TOUCHED THE MIRROR:

15. I’m sorry.

16. Try to wash the chrome off your hands. You will not succeed.

17. Wait. Be ready.

18. They are coming for you. There is nothing you can do.

19. I’m sorry.

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thinking Such Insane Thoughts about gravity falls and parental love and liking your kids like. idk.

filbrick might love his kids in some way but he doesnt really like them. caryn loves her boys but doesnt care for them enough.

soos's dad might have liked the idea of a kid. but he never really loved him. abuelita had to take his place.

dipper and mabels parents probably love their kids, sure, but they fuck dipper up because of their issues.

wendys dad loves her as much as he can but she misses her mom so so much.

gideon and pacificas parents dont really love them. gideons parents fear him and pacifica fears her parents.

bills parents loved him so fucking much. it wasnt enough.

fiddlefords parents loved him enough to let him leave. but they left him with a bone deep fear of the "outside" in his bones.

but.. ford and stan. they arent even the twins parents but oh my GOD they love them. deep in their crazy old man bones they LOVE these kids.

fords angry and resentful but he sees them and he goes SOFT. he watches dippers every move and sees himself. he pats mabels fluffy hair "you're a good person, mabel."

stan loves these kids so much goddamnit. everything he does is for this family. you can see in every inch of him he just wants these kids to be ok. even when hes picking on dipper he wants to help so bad. he dies for them.

they are the best parents in the series and they save the world.

Damon Albarn really was like "what if we made an entire music video in GTA V wouldnt that be cheeky" and we were all like "yes bring us more little songs white boy"

Undeniable multiple-divorce energy. My favorite dynamic.

season 1 of the penumbra podcast

announcer: detective steel was just about to be literally murdered

*knocking* *screaming*

announcer: what luck! it sounds like he’s in

Mike Crew: No more than 5′ tall. 

Simon Fairchild: “Tiny, pink skeleton of a man.”

So what I’m saying is all Vast avatars are tiny and are compensating by having their huge endless patron. 

I love Stan's relationship with the kids so much.

GF emphasizes a lot of very real trauma in Stan's past. Everything from child abuse, homelessness, drug abuse, and survival sex work. And the way that meshes with Mabel being this truly genuine depiction of a weird little girl creates something that is very unique to the series.

It's really touching how Mabel just being Mabel heals Stan's inner child and the way he naturally clicks with her. The weird and creative little boy he used to be, before his father's abuse and toxic masculinity beat that joy and optimism out of him.

It's just damn good. It's a really beautiful depiction of an intergenerational relationship. And I haven’t really seen anything else quite like it. Because there’s also Dipper.

There’s this wall between Stan and Dipper that goes beyond his similarities with Ford and its gender.

Dipper is a boy and Stan clearly doesn’t really know how to handle that. He was taught that boys are raised in a very specific way. And like we see how Stan really struggles with his past, the way he talks about the boxing lessons in particular.

Masculinity is so deeply entwined with Stan's pain and it’s something he can’t easily unravel. How is he supposed to be able to criticize his father for 'toughing him up' when he feels like punching things is one of the only things he’s good at? It's fucking sad.

It is Wednesday, my TMA dudes...

AHHHHHHH-

A friend called me Archivist today, and I think the feeling I got was the closest thing I've ever gotten to ✨pure euphoria✨

So um,,,I hate him so much.

But I just checked and I discovered that I'm not the only one who ears the opening melody of "Do I Wanna Know?" as a nervous response to this particular panel.