A.W. Selby
@awselby.bsky.social
Writer, turbo-nerd and cat dad.
I’ve started to realize that a lot of people don’t know what a plot twist is. A plot twist is when an event subverts your knowledge and understanding of the story. It’s not just something that surprised you when it happened. Stories are supposed to surprise you.
October 2, 2025 at 11:39 PM
I’ve started to realize that a lot of people don’t know what a plot twist is. A plot twist is when an event subverts your knowledge and understanding of the story. It’s not just something that surprised you when it happened. Stories are supposed to surprise you.
Started playing Final Fantasy X for the first time in over a decade. For the record, Blitzball is still random-ass boring bullshit and I hate it.
March 23, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Started playing Final Fantasy X for the first time in over a decade. For the record, Blitzball is still random-ass boring bullshit and I hate it.
Reposted by A.W. Selby
We can beat DOGE, but only if we build a mass movement to keep up the pressure and expose their corruption. Join our call tonight (already 10,000+ RSVPS!) with major union leaders and federal workers to learn how we're going to fight back.
Social Security has scrapped far-reaching cuts to phone services, but the agency will still move ahead with a narrower elimination of direct deposit changes by phone.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Social Security scraps far-reaching cuts to phone services after Post report
The agency will move ahead with a much narrower revision eliminating direct deposit changes by phone amid DOGE fraud concerns.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 13, 2025 at 5:26 PM
We can beat DOGE, but only if we build a mass movement to keep up the pressure and expose their corruption. Join our call tonight (already 10,000+ RSVPS!) with major union leaders and federal workers to learn how we're going to fight back.
The news alerts I get from Huffington Post perfectly encapsulate our current hellscape; half of them are screaming about the latest thing Trump did, and the other half is celebrity gossip and telling me about things Amazon has on sale.
March 6, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The news alerts I get from Huffington Post perfectly encapsulate our current hellscape; half of them are screaming about the latest thing Trump did, and the other half is celebrity gossip and telling me about things Amazon has on sale.
Just saw a fun story about Nintendo replacing a 95-year-old granny’s GameBoy for free, and the replies were packed full of comments saying they’d never do something like that due to their legal crusade against ROMs.
Nintendo might want to consider the impact this has on their public image.
Nintendo might want to consider the impact this has on their public image.
March 6, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Just saw a fun story about Nintendo replacing a 95-year-old granny’s GameBoy for free, and the replies were packed full of comments saying they’d never do something like that due to their legal crusade against ROMs.
Nintendo might want to consider the impact this has on their public image.
Nintendo might want to consider the impact this has on their public image.
Breaking news! Ecco: The Tides of Time is still a ball-buster.
You know, just in case you wondered if the second Sega dolphin simulator revolving around aliens and time travel had somehow gotten easier in the intervening 21 years. Turns out the answer is “no!”
You know, just in case you wondered if the second Sega dolphin simulator revolving around aliens and time travel had somehow gotten easier in the intervening 21 years. Turns out the answer is “no!”
March 3, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Breaking news! Ecco: The Tides of Time is still a ball-buster.
You know, just in case you wondered if the second Sega dolphin simulator revolving around aliens and time travel had somehow gotten easier in the intervening 21 years. Turns out the answer is “no!”
You know, just in case you wondered if the second Sega dolphin simulator revolving around aliens and time travel had somehow gotten easier in the intervening 21 years. Turns out the answer is “no!”
Actual thing I said to my girlfriend during a conversation about story structure and RPGs:
I'm just too used to fighting God at this point. It's like Chekhov's Gun. If you introduce an apocalyptic threat in the first act, you gotta let me punch it in the face in the third act. Them's the rules.
I'm just too used to fighting God at this point. It's like Chekhov's Gun. If you introduce an apocalyptic threat in the first act, you gotta let me punch it in the face in the third act. Them's the rules.
March 1, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Actual thing I said to my girlfriend during a conversation about story structure and RPGs:
I'm just too used to fighting God at this point. It's like Chekhov's Gun. If you introduce an apocalyptic threat in the first act, you gotta let me punch it in the face in the third act. Them's the rules.
I'm just too used to fighting God at this point. It's like Chekhov's Gun. If you introduce an apocalyptic threat in the first act, you gotta let me punch it in the face in the third act. Them's the rules.
Reposted by A.W. Selby
King Charles who loves killing foxes, birds, and badgers has been made Patron of the RSPCA.
King Charles used his power to block a ban on Fox Hunting and to make sure it is the joke ban we currently have.
RT if the RSPCA should remove him.
King Charles used his power to block a ban on Fox Hunting and to make sure it is the joke ban we currently have.
RT if the RSPCA should remove him.
February 27, 2025 at 12:51 PM
King Charles who loves killing foxes, birds, and badgers has been made Patron of the RSPCA.
King Charles used his power to block a ban on Fox Hunting and to make sure it is the joke ban we currently have.
RT if the RSPCA should remove him.
King Charles used his power to block a ban on Fox Hunting and to make sure it is the joke ban we currently have.
RT if the RSPCA should remove him.
Reposted by A.W. Selby
social media needs to be regulated and treated very much like we currently treat drugs.
that's long term. in the immediate term? focus on the 75% of men who aren't voting for fascists. you will have more luck reaching and organizing them than deradicalizing Andrew Tate fans.
that's long term. in the immediate term? focus on the 75% of men who aren't voting for fascists. you will have more luck reaching and organizing them than deradicalizing Andrew Tate fans.
The far-right radicalization of young men (and almost exclusively young men) is a global phenomenon, and no one has any good idea of what to do about it.
Voilà:
February 24, 2025 at 5:22 AM
social media needs to be regulated and treated very much like we currently treat drugs.
that's long term. in the immediate term? focus on the 75% of men who aren't voting for fascists. you will have more luck reaching and organizing them than deradicalizing Andrew Tate fans.
that's long term. in the immediate term? focus on the 75% of men who aren't voting for fascists. you will have more luck reaching and organizing them than deradicalizing Andrew Tate fans.
Started reading the Elric Saga as I’d read it was an influence on Berserk.
First few chapters: “I dunno, I’m just not seeing it.”
Torture scene starts: “Oooh, there it is!”
First few chapters: “I dunno, I’m just not seeing it.”
Torture scene starts: “Oooh, there it is!”
February 14, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Started reading the Elric Saga as I’d read it was an influence on Berserk.
First few chapters: “I dunno, I’m just not seeing it.”
Torture scene starts: “Oooh, there it is!”
First few chapters: “I dunno, I’m just not seeing it.”
Torture scene starts: “Oooh, there it is!”
Just had an ad for Disneyworld pop up on Spotify, and I was struck by the insanity of it. We’re teetering on the verge of economic collapse and they’re blowing money advertising luxury vacations to broke people.
Deck chairs on the Titanic, man…
Deck chairs on the Titanic, man…
February 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Just had an ad for Disneyworld pop up on Spotify, and I was struck by the insanity of it. We’re teetering on the verge of economic collapse and they’re blowing money advertising luxury vacations to broke people.
Deck chairs on the Titanic, man…
Deck chairs on the Titanic, man…
Reposted by A.W. Selby
A coalition of immigrant activists calling itself 'the Community Self-Defense Coalition' says it will alert the community to ICE agents.
Immigrant rights activists vow to disrupt ICE raids in California
A coalition of immigrant activists calling itself 'the Community Self-Defense Coalition' says it will alert the community to ICE agents.
www.latimes.com
February 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM
A coalition of immigrant activists calling itself 'the Community Self-Defense Coalition' says it will alert the community to ICE agents.
Reposted by A.W. Selby
Jews say NO to ethnic cleansing! We’re proud to see so many members of the JVP Rabbinical Council represented among the 350 rabbis who took out this full-page ad in the New York Times today, using their voices in this moment to oppose Trump’s plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.
February 13, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Jews say NO to ethnic cleansing! We’re proud to see so many members of the JVP Rabbinical Council represented among the 350 rabbis who took out this full-page ad in the New York Times today, using their voices in this moment to oppose Trump’s plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.
Got to thinking about how absurd billionaire level wealth is, and did some quick dirty math.
Musk is worth $400 billion. He’s 53 years old. Assuming he’s been working full time since he was 18, if he “earned” that money his hourly wage would be about $6 million.
Is he even close to that good?
Musk is worth $400 billion. He’s 53 years old. Assuming he’s been working full time since he was 18, if he “earned” that money his hourly wage would be about $6 million.
Is he even close to that good?
February 12, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Got to thinking about how absurd billionaire level wealth is, and did some quick dirty math.
Musk is worth $400 billion. He’s 53 years old. Assuming he’s been working full time since he was 18, if he “earned” that money his hourly wage would be about $6 million.
Is he even close to that good?
Musk is worth $400 billion. He’s 53 years old. Assuming he’s been working full time since he was 18, if he “earned” that money his hourly wage would be about $6 million.
Is he even close to that good?
Started a new playthrough of Grandia 2. It’s as good as I remember, and honestly, there are layers to the writing I didn’t catch previously. Great game to revisit during a trying time.
February 10, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Started a new playthrough of Grandia 2. It’s as good as I remember, and honestly, there are layers to the writing I didn’t catch previously. Great game to revisit during a trying time.
Just got done watching Alien: Romulus for the first and only time. A really unpleasant combination of bad modern horror cliches and constant ideas and quotes ripped from better movies I’d rather be watching.
I think I’m done with new Alien movies.
I think I’m done with new Alien movies.
February 9, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Just got done watching Alien: Romulus for the first and only time. A really unpleasant combination of bad modern horror cliches and constant ideas and quotes ripped from better movies I’d rather be watching.
I think I’m done with new Alien movies.
I think I’m done with new Alien movies.
Reposted by A.W. Selby
Happy Friday, here’s a new Penny Arcade: www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2025/0...
Kingdom Come - Penny Arcade
Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.
www.penny-arcade.com
February 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Happy Friday, here’s a new Penny Arcade: www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2025/0...
Unpopular opinion: I love the levels Sandy Petersen designed for Doom 2 and think that American McGee’s levels are kinda overrated.
February 7, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Unpopular opinion: I love the levels Sandy Petersen designed for Doom 2 and think that American McGee’s levels are kinda overrated.
To paraphrase Alan Moore, if current events start to chill you after a couple of moments' consideration, then don't be alarmed. A feeling of intense and crushing terror at these concepts indicate only that you are still sane.
February 5, 2025 at 8:09 PM
To paraphrase Alan Moore, if current events start to chill you after a couple of moments' consideration, then don't be alarmed. A feeling of intense and crushing terror at these concepts indicate only that you are still sane.
Reposted by A.W. Selby
“Democratic Wins”
February 1, 2025 at 9:35 PM
“Democratic Wins”
Just watched the Sonic the Hedgehog movie with my girlfriend and her son, and I have no idea what the hell I just saw. Such a bizarre, uneven movie.
February 1, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Just watched the Sonic the Hedgehog movie with my girlfriend and her son, and I have no idea what the hell I just saw. Such a bizarre, uneven movie.
Serious question: has there ever been a good piece of media released with the subtitle “The Adventure/Journey/Legend/Etc Begins?”
Seems like it’s as much of a kiss of death as “Resurrection” or “Revenge” as far as subtitles go.
Seems like it’s as much of a kiss of death as “Resurrection” or “Revenge” as far as subtitles go.
January 31, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Serious question: has there ever been a good piece of media released with the subtitle “The Adventure/Journey/Legend/Etc Begins?”
Seems like it’s as much of a kiss of death as “Resurrection” or “Revenge” as far as subtitles go.
Seems like it’s as much of a kiss of death as “Resurrection” or “Revenge” as far as subtitles go.
Watched through season 2 of Castlevania: Nocturne last night. Very fun watch, but I was surprised by the number of DBZ homages they snuck into the climactic battle scene.
January 18, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Watched through season 2 of Castlevania: Nocturne last night. Very fun watch, but I was surprised by the number of DBZ homages they snuck into the climactic battle scene.
David Lynch and Bob Uecker in the same day?
Last time we had a rash of celebrity deaths like this at the start of the year, it broke really bad, really fast. This can’t be a good sign.
Last time we had a rash of celebrity deaths like this at the start of the year, it broke really bad, really fast. This can’t be a good sign.
January 16, 2025 at 8:38 PM
David Lynch and Bob Uecker in the same day?
Last time we had a rash of celebrity deaths like this at the start of the year, it broke really bad, really fast. This can’t be a good sign.
Last time we had a rash of celebrity deaths like this at the start of the year, it broke really bad, really fast. This can’t be a good sign.
Maybe I’m cynical, but this last Biden speech would have been more impressive to me if he’d given it on entering the White House instead of when he was walking out the door.
January 16, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Maybe I’m cynical, but this last Biden speech would have been more impressive to me if he’d given it on entering the White House instead of when he was walking out the door.