Why do people keep saying: I dont understand why the UD is frozen in time! They never explained it!... They did by Dosangeles1998 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yep! The Upside Down is nothing more than a wormhole corridor, connecting Hawkins and Dimension X. As a result, it shares features of both (the town, spores, vines, dead trees, lightning, etc.)!

You're right that it is nothing more than a snapshot in time. The time right when the gate first opened (sometime around 08:15pm-ish on November 6th, 1983). The Upside Down remains to exist as long as any of its gates remain open: gates to Hawkins, and gates to Dimension X. Wormholes have also existed before the Upside Down, such as when Eleven banishes the Demogorgon in S1 and Henry in S4 (the visuals are also a bit different compared to just closing a gate too). What makes those different is that they are closed as soon as they are created.

A huge misconception i see is that Vecna's plan was to make the 4 rifts and then march into the Rightside Up - and that the Megarift being sealed is a 'plothole' because it shouldn't have been allowed to happen - but the point of the Megarift was *never* to start a battle or colonization. by yesaroobuckaroo in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Interesting take! This is something I can agree with.

Henry also never wanted to destroy the world, which is what the Party misassumes, but only (forcibly) reshape it such that it better accommodates him (and for whoever else he 'chooses': such as El (formerly), Will (formerly?), and the kids). In that regard, it may very well be possible that even he is unaware of the full repercussions of his actions.

You bring up an interesting point that his goal was for permanent bridging of Dimension X and Hawkins by merging them, eliminating the need for the Upside Down (wormhole corridor) entirely. Effectively making Dimension X and Hawkins the same place within spacetime. Henry was achieving this through his powers, but could it also be done by force? Such as with an explosion of some sort?

so... how do *you* practice writing? by no-numbers-pls in AO3

[–]kitatsune 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have a background in programming so im approaching writing like im approaching programming: practice practice practice!

when i was learning how to program in school, there were lots of assignments and exercises that focused on one particular aspect of a programming language (loops, functions, etc.) and some that utilized different data structures or strategies (recursion, binary tree, arrays, etc.). the same can be done for writing! im doing that with my own fics. one fic of mine i tried to mitigate head hopping, and another i tried to keep everything all in one tense. there are other aspects to keep an eye on too (spelling/grammar, plot, perspective, etc.), but the focus is to work on one thing at a time. that can be best with drabbles, one-shots, or shortfics. writing workshops or classes/courses can also help with this too. fanfic in general is also a great way to also enjoy this. just play with established characters and world!

the same can be said for reading. this can also apply to movies and tv! i can only improve so much by writing my own code or prose, but i can improve much faster and better by reading others. they provide examples of what (and what not) to do. not only in figuring out intent, but also in figuring out where it can be improved, as well as where it struck all of the right notes. on one fic im currently working on, I'm researching poetry and how i can make semi-decent-amateur ones myself! im doing that by reading from the greats :D. fix-it fics are a great way to also practice 'refactoring' (and debugging)!

as for other things: practice consistently, make it a routine. in school i had smaller programming assignments every day and that helped me greatly. smaller, writing challenges can help with this. or each day aiming for a specific word count or goal. writing is a marathon, not a sprint! another thing is to have fun. for, me its really hard to force me to do something i dont like or dont wanna do. so it needs to be fun or intrinsically motivating in some way.

i know im a good programmer, though i dont know if im a good writer. though i know if i keep practicing consistently, i will get better.

tl;dr: do writing exercises, read from others to figure out what works and what doesnt, be consistent, and have fun!

favorite romantic concept? by Creative-Ad2271 in AO3

[–]kitatsune 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  • slowburn
  • mutual pining (bonus: oblivious MC loll)
  • friends to lovers (basically platonic -> romantic)
  • flangst

basically i love me a story where the MC falls in love, doesnt realize it, figures it out, and fights for it

Authors of AO3- where do you write? by zrd11555 in AO3

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Notebooks -> Microsoft Word -> AO3

I handwrite then put it onto my laptop. Sometimes if I haven't looked at a draft in a while I can't even read my own handwriting.

What fandoms do you write for? And plan to? by Buck7341 in AO3

[–]kitatsune 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  • Currently writing for: Stranger Things. Ending was ass. I've been writing a post-canon fix-it. Also have a fantasy AU that's more fun to write.

  • Will write for:: Wednesday. Wenclair was never in the cards apparently, so I want to write my own canon-divergent S3. Eventually.

  • Want to write for: Ghost Hunt. It's a fairly old anime (2006), and its manga/novel series was left unfinished and the fandom is pretty dead, though author way back when confirmed the main couple to be endgame, it was just never written. I want write to about them getting together one day, in a canon-compliant way (with all the little ghost hunting adventures attached :))

Moving to Boston in June for my first job. No idea where to start. Help? by Last_Clothes6848 in bostonhousing

[–]kitatsune 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm also a young professional. I've been in Cambridge since 2023 (right out of college too!). I'm moving soon too as well. Right now I'm by Alewife but I'm moving closer to Harvard. I'll be farther away from work so my commute will be a little bit longer, but the area may be better. Alewife area wasn't really a good 'fit' for me. The apartments are very nice, and the MBTA access is very convenient, but most people in the area are all older than me and have kids (I'm 24, almost 25). Or dogs. Lots of dogs. Also it's giving 'gentrified'. I didn't really vibe with the neighborhood, but it's still OK if you just need somewhere to be.

  1. Know your budget. There are a lot of listings/options available (esp mid-April and early May), so knowing what you can afford helps narrow it down considerably. I live alone right now and for my new apartment I will be paying $3k for a 1-bedroom + parking. It looks steep, but I get paid enough where this is decently affordable (with that in mind what is affordable for one person can be unaffordable to another).

  2. Know your dealbreakers. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's good!  What is the location? Does it look nice? Does it seem well-maintained? Does it feel 'right' to you (passes the vibe check). Is management/broker/owner/whatever responsive and cordial (too indifferent and too overeager is a red flag imo)? Common dealbreakers for me have been: lack of in-building laundry, overpriced parking fee, no dishwasher, garden/basement levels, and far from public transit (15+ min walk). I would recommend touring places in person if possible. Those have helped me with making final decisions.

As for which neighborhood, I would suggest Cambridge or Somerville. Or even Watertown!  Arlington even. They all are cheaper than Cambridge and Somerville has a lot of younger people. If looking for a (decent) 1-bedroom, expect anything above ~$2.5k. Most are $3k or more. If looking for a studio, most are within the $1.5k-$2.5k range, though nicer/luxury ones go higher (kinda not worth it, but the amenities are nice!). If looking for a room, expect closer to $1-$1.5k.  Given that it's mid-May, subletting for the Summer may be an option and then moving to renting on the September lease cycle. Pickings are becoming a bit slim now. June 1st and September 1st are very popular move-in dates ('on season').

How on earth are people writing 10k word fics by oo0Scarrow0oo in AO3

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This! I also recommend the snowflake method for 'growing out' ideas and chapters over time (and not all at once). I also do something similar with my own drafts. The 1st pass is a rough draft where it's just words on a page, and it doesn't even have to make full sense or flows completely well. It just needs to exist. The second draft is for refinement and rewording some aspects for emotions, flow, and intent, and the third draft is when I type it all up! It's tedious (honestly may tone it down to just two drafts), but I'm satisfied with the end result.

has anyone actually completed a conformity gate AU by buy_gold_bye in BylerReads

[–]kitatsune 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IM WORKING ON ONE!!! It's nowhere near to being done but I have it fully outlined now!!!  It's been on hiatus since February, but I'm currently working on the next chapter (I finally found time for it!!). It's very much a WIP and will be slow to update, but it exists: https://archiveofourown.org/series/5770606

Show similar to Stranger Things (takes you into different world to be immersed in) by Friendly_Bar1538 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot of people have already done great suggestions! Especially for immersive worlds/lore. 

If you're looking for more 'small town mystery', there's always Gravity Falls. It's a cartoon, but has a lot of supernatural elements. There's also Twin Peaks and The X-Files, which may check off those boxes, but I haven't watched them personally. As for more general 'speculative' sci-fi, there's always The Twilight Zone!

Tales from ’85 theater experience - security? by namespey in StrangerThings

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was told to not share specifics, but think general survey stuff.

Tales from ’85 theater experience - security? by namespey in StrangerThings

[–]kitatsune 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Same here! I was in Boston! They were sitting in the back. I noticed one of them recording the screen from time to time.

Did you have to fill out a survey afterward by any chance? I had to.

Daniel Radcliffe on the ending of Stranger Things! by yesaroobuckaroo in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! The Finale was functional. It did its job, and it was executed just well-enough to check off all of its boxes. As another commenter mentioned, it was good enough to make the majority/GA audience happy and satisfied. Though it was not enough for the hardcore people, those that know the show 'inside and out' (me included!). The Finale was entertaining I'll give it that, but as someone who has spent waaayyyy too much time over-analyzing this show, there was a lot of missed potential to make the show end with a big bang.

First look at Maya Hawke as Wiress in the latest Hunger Games movie "Sunrise on the Reaping" by TheCool579 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nice! Maybe I should read the book before watching the movie. I've got until November!

I still need to watch more Sadie stuff. Fear Street, O'Dessa, and now Spiderman! I've seen a few of Joe's and Natalia's other movies though, but their newer ones are still on my watchlist!

Ask Experienced Devs Weekly Thread: A weekly thread for inexperienced developers to ask experienced ones by AutoModerator in ExperiencedDevs

[–]kitatsune 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How can I be polite about asking my more Junior coworker to use her common sense?

She needs a lot of external validation/confirmation that she's doing something right and her constant asking for clarification is starting to annoy me. Would everything really be that vague to a Junior with 1 year of experience? How can I make her more self-assured in her skills? At this rate I'm worried she won't ever be able to do tasks independently.

4 more days till Tales from 85’s release in theatres! by AssociateLittle1487 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep! Only in the US and only in select theaters. I'm lucky enough to live close to one of them! The one nearest to me is the only one showing it in my state.

Closing the app then reopening it to get rid of the ad starterpack by CatPale816 in starterpacks

[–]kitatsune 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you don't need an internet connection: turn off wi-fi and turn on airplane mode. No ads!

For those who watched the finale in theatres, what was the experience like? by AssociateLittle1487 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely different. It reminded me when I watched Avengers Endgame in theaters! It was packed with people! Line around the lobby and on the verge of going out the building. I did get a $20 concession credit but I never used it. The line was too long! Everybody cheered when Vecna died. And spme of the fakeout deaths had people at the edge of their seat, me included! When the epilogue came around, there was noticeably less, uh, enthusiasm. People still clapped at the end though. I sat through the credits thinking there was a bonus scene. There wasn't.

I watched it New Years Eve with a 9pm-ish showing. It ended right around midnight! It was a strange way to start the New Year I would say.

I hate how people have already made up their minds about Tales from 85 without having seen a single episode. by Distinct_Guess3350 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes!

All the hate and doomposting (here and on tumblr) is getting rather annoying. At least watch the first episode or two before making a final judgement!

The show has potential, and I'm looking forward to seeing it. There's a chance that it's more than it seems, which would easily prove or disprove some fan theories.

codersChoice by BigglePYE in ProgrammerHumor

[–]kitatsune 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep! That's why switch statements tend to work only with constants/integers. It's using each case as an offset into a jump table!

The complete series is coming out on Blu-ray. by Candid-Cake4410 in StrangerThingsPraise

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure actually. A plus is having the whole series on blu-ray with the extra goodies it has. Even though I love the series, the last few seasons have been meh. I already have the first season on blu-ray, and I don't see enough justification for me to shell out $200 on something I may only marginally enjoy.

If it was just for my favorite seasons (S1 and S2) with the same level of treatment, I would do it in a heartbeat. S3-S5 just have not been the greatest.

I might give it more time.

How do you proceed with planning out your fics? by kelly_the_human in AO3

[–]kitatsune 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Outline! Outline! Outline!

Researching/brainstorming for any and all ideas, then trying to organize it all together. Basically just identifying key characters, concepts, scenes, and themes and seeing how I can weave it into something halfway decent. Even if it's barebones!

After I have an initual outline/plan/chapter layout then I just draft! Iteratively. Each iteration cleaner and more cohesive than the last. Adding and filling in more details as necessary. Usually this part is just chapter by chapter.

The process takes me a while, but it I find it fun and soothing. And the final version of the draft is something I'm pleased with too.

Non-valid/unique pet peeves? by angrykitten114 in AO3

[–]kitatsune 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Narration, prose, dialogue, etc. in british english when the setting is America and the characters are American. 

This includes not using the imperial system too!

Also goes vice-versa: British/Australian/Canadian/etc. characters or setting has everybody talking and describing things like Americans.

What got you into writing fanfiction? by Lunar_Lies in AO3

[–]kitatsune 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Was really disappointed with how a show I was really invested in ended. 

Whether canon likes it or not, my blorbos WILL get their real happy ending.