[Macros]

I've found a shift in myself overall upon reflecting on this thread.


Unrelenting grim was never for me, but grim for the sake of grim has also lessened in its.... Appeal?

But football. I used tow watch every Liverpool game I could, I've traipsed around Europe to get to finals even when I didn't have a ticket.

Now ill watch a game if it coincides with me sitting on the sofa or being in the pub. I still support the club, love tk see them do well and play good football, and the atmosphere at Anfield can still give me shivers.
But

Football has become so blatantly about the money, it's been getting worse since... Well since the premiership and CL restructuring, money money money.
If the Saudi prince or Qataris bought Pool like was mooted earlier this year I'd say it would be the final nail in the proverbial coffin. When men kicking a ball about a pitch earn more in a month than a nurse earns in their entire career?
Blegh

[the broken]

The thing I had with the First Law trilogy is that the characters felt like they were 'subverted tropes' over people, the characters felt like they were built out of 'stock fantasy trope, with a TWIST' rather than 'how would this person act'? If you've read 'Empire of the Vampire' with Jay Kristof, it feels kind of similar (I do not recommend doing so.)

With Robin Hobb or Erikson, the grimness is an aid to telling the story. They're subverting tropes or sometimes leaning into them for a narrative reason, not just 'hey, look, I'm subverting tropes!' Say, Malta's story or Althea's story, are him, but have a point. And her character work is so good that it ends at 'yep, this is how that person would act.'

[Macros]

Oddly, today was the first game I got to watch in a long time.
Enjoy the hell out of watching football, I scorn players from all teams that roll about like a cut pig.

And I understand mob mentality, Jota scored at the death and all I could do was shout at that turkey necked wanker Richarlson. Maybe this post should be shifted to the politics/popululist thread.

But before that. I watched the first half in the bar I watch a lot of what football I do watch in. The GAA was on as well and it was just noisy, like total discombobulated noise, with one wanker very loud, and I left at half time and crossed the road to a quieter place
I know people become more conservative as they get older is this my beginning?

[Maark Abbott]

For me personally, overt hope comes off as unrealistic given the state of the world, and it causes a disconnect / damages suspension of disbelief. Sure, an uplifting escape from the drudgery of real life can be nice but if it's so obviously fake that it feels fraudulent, my ability to enjoy it becomes strained.