#you know writing it all at makes me realize just how batsh*t it all sounds

[jade-nargacuga]

Actual AU Ideas

So besides all of the backstory from the previous post and the confrontation between the MC/Dawn/Akari and Volo and Giratina, here are a few of my ideas for the story proper:

EDIT: Some/most of this is retconned. too lazy to go through it. What’s changed is mentioned in later posts

- MC is part of a race a sort of meta ‘spirit’ being that exists outside of time and space and the world the games take place in proper. The person you play as in every game(May/Dawn/Serena/Akari/Gold) acts as an avatar for these beings and every past life can be connected to in order to keep pokemon partners they had even when those pokemon literally can’t be found in those regions

- Again, this is a very meta thing and I’m just trying to make pseudo canon about how the mc/self-insert remembers all of those past adventures/did all of those things even tho by the Legends Arceus timeline those things haven’t happened yet

- Time outside the ‘games’ isn’t linear like it is inside of the games, so MC going from the future to the past isn’t weird

- Arceus(coughgamefreakcough) is in charge of these beings, and sends them to each world to so they can save the world from disaster. They technically are all born and raised in the world they go to, but their lives go by in the blink of an eye until they reach the point they need to for the story of the game, and their lives technically continue after they withdraw from that time

- Sometimes these ‘players’ lose or even abandon their connections to their past lives, and even if they don’t they aren’t always allowed to recall their old pokemon into their current possession until after the danger has been dealt with

- The Sinjoh event in canon where you make one of the creation trio isn’t making a second copy of them, but is actually making the original and the same one that appears in all game. These legendaries are like the player and are not bound by the game world’s linear timeline, so they can technically be created within the universe they would later help to create

- Wibbly-wobbly something meta, it’s all canon, you get the idea

- Anyway, MC gets request from Arceus to go to ancient Hissui. Only this time instead of being given the task to seek out all pokemon, they are asked to right a wrong from their past

- MC had lost her connection with her old past self and genuinely has forgotten everything from before that point, but slowly remembers as time goes on

- Story goes as normal until MC encounters distortions which bring back a few of her old lost pokemon and pokemon from different regions that AREN’T supposed to be appearing in Hissui. A shiny Weavile that was an old friend, and other pokemon like Venipede and Furfrou

I just like the idea of really messing up established canon and feel like Distortions should break reality more. That being said, I don’t know how much of the actual story of Legends Arceus to focus on or manipulate since right now the Giratina conflict is my main focal point. Do I do a long build up to it, or rush to it? What’s the story after?

#Wayward son au #you know writing it all at makes me realize just how batsh*t it all sounds #I will definitely be mulling it over more so these points are subject to change #I just want Akari to know who Giratina is even tho technically Lyra helped make him #you know #in the future #not confusing at all #Wayward Son #Wayward Souls AU

[d-criss-news]

20 Questions With Darren Criss: How Acting Has Helped Him Make New Music

While Darren Criss has graced our TV screens with a range of characters, from high schooler Blaine Anderson on Glee to serial killer Andrew Cunanan on The Assassination of Gianni Versace, he was last spotted just being himself, on our For You Page on TikTok. “I’m walking to rehearsal with a guitar on my back with a Trader Joe’s bag ... I did not bring an umbrella because I forgot that it was raining. I’m rocking that NYC musician life,” the Glee alum explained in the hilarious clip posted three days ago.

While Criss’ acting work has earned him acclaim and stardom, he leaned into making music during the pandemic. On Aug. 20, he dropped a new EP, Masquerade, featuring five new tracks that Criss says were inspired by the different characters Criss has embraced throughout his career. After Criss wrote songs for his musical comedy web series Royalties and Apple TV+’s animated sitcom Central Park before the pandemic struck the United States, he then used those experiences as a precursor to his new EP. As Criss continues to promote his new music, he answered 20 of Billboard's questions – giving us a peek into how his new EP came together, and how growing up in San Fransisco shaped him as an actor, singer and all-around artist.

1. What inspired your latest project, Masquerade?

Although I would have preferred that it come at a far less grim cost, I finally had the time. Before the pandemic, I had written 10 new songs for my show Royalties -- along with an original song for Disney and another for Apple’s Central Park. These were all assignments in which I was writing for a certain scenario and character. Go figure. It was the most music I had ever written in a calendar year. This really emboldened me to rethink how I made my own music— to start putting a focus on “character creation” in my songs, rather than personal reflection. The latter was not proving to be as productive. The alchemy of having this time and having set a new intention with my own songwriting and producing made me put on a few of my favorite masques and throw myself a Masquerade.

2. How do you think your background as an actor complements your music?

They are one and the same to me. I treat acting roles like musical pieces— dialogue is like scoring a melody; there’s pace, dynamics, cadence, tone. Physical characterization is like producing -- zeroing in on the bass line, deciding on the kick pattern. Vocal characterization is like choosing the right sonic experience, choosing the most effective snare sound, and mixing the high end or low end. It goes without saying that it works in the complete opposite direction. Making each song is taking on a different role literally and employing the use of different masques to maximize the effectiveness of the particular story being told.

3. On Instagram  you wrote that “Masquerade is a small collection of the variety of musical masques that have always inspired me.” Which track do you identify with most in your real life?

Everybody absorbs songs differently. Some key into the lyrics, some into the melody, some the production, some into vocal performance. When I listen to songs, I consider all of their value on totally different scales. So it’s hard to say if there’s any track I “identify” with more than any others, since I -- by nature -- identify with all of them. I think I just identify with certain aspects more than others. If it helps for a more interesting answer, I will say I enjoy the slightly more classical, playful -- dare I say -- more Broadway-leaning wordplay of “Walk of Shame,” but that’s just talking about lyricism. I enjoy the attitude of “F*kn Around,” the batsh--t musicality of “I Can’t Dance,” the relentless grooves of “Let’s” and “For A Night Like This.” All have different ingredients I really enjoy having an excuse to dive into.

4. What’s the first piece of music that you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?

Beatles audio cassettes: “Help” and “Hard Day’s Night.” I just listened on repeat on a tape-playing Walkman until my brother and I got a stereo for our room with a CD player in it, which was  when I just bought the same two albums again, but this time as compact discs.

5. What was the first concert you saw?It’s hard to say, because my parents took us to a lot of classical concerts when we were small. But I guess this question usually refers to what was the first concert you went to on your own volition, and that my friend, was definitely Warped Tour ’01. My brother and I went on our own— two teenagers going to their first music festival, in the golden age of that particular genre and culture. It was f--king incredible.

6. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid?

My dad was in private banking and advised really, really wealthy people on how to handle their money. My mom was, by choice, a stay-at-home mom, but in reality, she was my dad’s consigliere. They discussed absolutely everything together. They were a real team, and I saw that every single day in the house. They both had a background in finance (That’s how they met in the first place.) and were incredibly skilled at all the hardcore adulting things that I absolutely suck at. They were total finance wizards together. So of course, instead of becoming an accountant, I picked up playing the guitar and ran as far I could with it. Luckily, they were all about it.

7. What was your favorite homecooked meal growing up?

My dad was an incredible chef. For special occasions, I’d request his crab cakes. They were unreal. I’ve never had a crab cake anywhere in the world that was good as my dad’s.

8. Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?

I don’t know if I’ve actually realized that yet.

9. What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?

The specifics change every day, but the core idea at the top is to continue being consistently inconsistent with my choices, and to keep getting audiences to constantly reconsider their consideration of me. But I mean, sure, what performer doesn’t want to play Coachella? What songwriter doesn’t want to have Adele sing one of their songs? What actor doesn’t want to be in a Wes Anderson film?

10.  How did your hometown/city shape who you are?

San Francisco. I mean, come on. I was really lucky. The older I get, the more grateful I am for just being born and raised there. It’s an incredibly diverse, culturally rich, colorful, inclusive, vibrant city. By the time I was born, it had served as a beacon for millions of creative, out-of-the-box thinkers to gather and thrive. I grew up around that. The combination of that with having parents, who were unbelievably supportive of the arts themselves, laid an incredibly fortunate foundation to consider the life of an artist as a legitimately viable option. It’s a foundation that I am supremely aware is not the case for millions of young artists around the world. I was absurdly lucky.

11.  What’s the last song you listened to?

I mean probably one of mine, but not by choice. I know, lame. But I’m promoting a new EP, what’d you expect? But if you wanna know what I’ve been listening to, as far as new s--t is concerned: a lot of Lizzy McAlpine, Remi Wolf, and Charlie Burg.

12.  If you could see any artist in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?

The Beatles is an obvious "yeah, duh." Sammy Davis, Mel Tormé, or of course, Nat King Cole. I would’ve loved to see Howard Ashman give a lecture on his creative process and his body of work.

13. What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen happen in the crowd of one of your sets?

I feel like just having a crowd at all, at any one of my sets, is pretty wild enough.

14. What’s your karaoke go-to?

The real answer to this I’ll write into a book one day, because I have a lot to say about karaoke etiquette. I have two options here: I can either name a song that I like to sing for me, for fun, or I can name a song that really gets the group going. The answer depends on what kind of karaoke night we’re dealing with here. So I will say, after I’ve selected a ton of songs that services a decent enough party vibe for everyone else, then I would do one for me, and that would be the Beatles’ “Oh! Darling.”

15. What’s one thing your most devoted fans don’t know about you?

What I have up my sleeve.

16. What TV show did you binge-watch over the past year?

Dave is a stroke of genius. There are episodes that I believe are bona fide masterpieces. Also, My Brilliant Friend is a masterclass in cinematic television.

17. What movie, or song, always makes you cry?

It’s A Wonderful Life.

18. What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

Get used to sharing everything about yourself and your life now, or more astutely, to the idea that you don’t necessarily get to control how your life is shared. I know it’s not really your thing, but you’re gonna have to get used to it, so start building up those calluses now. And don’t worry, all the stuff you love now will be cool again in your mid-thirties, so keep some of those clothes because you’ll be a full-blown fashion icon if you just keep wearing exactly what you’re wearing. Oh nd also, put money into Apple and Facebook.

19.  What new hobby did you take on in the last year?

I’ve always been a linguaphile. My idea of leisure time is getting to study or review other languages. This past year, I took the time to finally dive into learning how to read, write, and speak Japanese. Other than making music, it was one of the biggest components of my 2020-2021.

20. What do you hope to accomplish or experience by the end of 2021?

I hope I get to play live shows again.

#darren criss #billboard #masquerade ep #press #sept 2021

[abigailabbyallen]

(sorry- i accidentally hit “publish!” on this post a bit prematurely earlier today, and failed to realize it, until now! how humiliating! whoopsie-daisies! awwPhooey. Blastitall. to hell with it.

anyhoodles! :) THIS post should be at least comparatively less-incoherent. It is also WAY longer. epically so.

so HOOrah! oh horay, how splendid.

gargh. sorry for the mishap, you silent in-cognito shadow people/friends, you…)

HERE GOES-IT. AGAIN. visit my sister’s blog please. link at the end. thanks!

The End.

ha! tricked ya! no it’s not “the end,” geezlouize,

…so gullible.

ahem! let us BEGIN….

Please, go over and ogle, with eyes agog, jaws agape, soul astirred, palm upon, a gasp inhaled inheld, halted to inhabit the espirit in-being before returning the fast-flitting spirit of my big sister’s brilliancy,

and i know- you could hardly forsee that seemingly rando twist coming, , but quickly catch-up cuz this wordsmithin’ ain’t pausin,’

the truth is my Sister my SiBling is Miss King of the Ling- she being linguistically quite limber and a short-Fiction Lit Writer who is Literally Lit-up like pure ether light as an quill-pen feather untethered she’s leaving earthbound bloggers beneath her, because Seriously,

Melanie Allen is my Kickarse sister, a burning solitary cinder a Wordsmith of incandescent imaginative capacity that’s the real incendiary envy of the whole smoked-screened-in Lit Fiction choked Biz,

Because Matherton’s Magic Vapor is the one Phoenix Rising from all that creatively choked burned up ash and smoke,

and longing for the light my big sib heads straight-up and out to incense and infuse and write to blaze a tale that burns a trail of literary synaptic sparks that recharge and invoke that spirit of creative tenacity.

ok i know, i am officially OUT of all possible puns, metaphors, rhymes, similies and adorable “sounds-like? sorta?.” half-formed ideas concerning the topic of light, being like light and bright and “Lit” like “Literally” and! genius i be, “Literary, i.e. Literary short creative fiction is my bigsib’s preferred written-word specialty.”

Also the whole luminously “incendiary sparkplug of synaptic short-circuitry” as a metaphor attempting to illustrate Mysib’s Creativity, admittedly, didn’t get the first necessary charge of passionate inertia, that extra lil’ “oomph” of “go-get-em-tiger!” that all epically charged Phoenix/Lightning/Synaptic-Fired-up Central Nervous System metaphors (which, now, retrospectively, is perhaps slightly intense on the neurological descriptive accuracy … but oh phooey)

regardless, without that extra spark of a true writer’s elemental  “oomph” of initial inertia or that “go get’em,” cheer that every sentence  needs to perpetually maintain that light-speed that is simply unfeasible for certain individuals who lack that particular knack for these very same word-smithery feats of linguistic magical wizardry of which i speak,

for i, abby, mere Lil’Sib underling to my meta-Esteemed Ethereal Ember of Amber Hued Sentient pulsating Light-Living Being, the Big, the Elder, the Sisterly Cinder of incensory like a sixth-sensory wordly “Wowza” that truly IS Melanie Allen i.e. my BigSibling’s wisdom and capacity to imagine, express, and capture in words by transcending their form to truly bring life and depth to her creative Intelligence.

BigSib (unlike moi, which begs the question, “why, then, does she not simply STOP this horror wordBlitzkrieg she insists on consciously inflicting upon us unsuspecting readers? WHY, lilsib, why.”

(Shrug), i honestly don’t know. and it confuses me too. i feel your pain, but like- really. i do. and i’m sorry for all of this glossolababbling that is an insult to the english language and to my sister too. let’s just try to wrap this catastrophe-up as quickly as humanely possible, shall we? ok. ok, just gotta keep-on keepin’ on…we’re almost done. i swear…

so Melanie. my sister. the one with the effortless grace in her grasp on language’s positive features, such-as its unique usage as a convenient tool for human-to-human communication of various feelings, thoughts, and other stuff.

for all that, i’ve managed to get by with the expressive use of shadow puppets.

…sometimes interpretive dance. Drawing pictures with a notepad i wear draped around my neck attached to a sharpie- this has sometimes proved useful, particularly in frantic, wildly desperate situations of a fiasco-like nature.

but the capacity to use words like my sister, is something that not only folks such as myself, (those who seem somewhat incapacitated and non-linguistically degenerate) should seriously admire if not visciously envy like some feral, wild nocturnal critter who gnaws on garbage all night whilst they plot increasingly batsh&t crazy-cray schemes to steal my sister’s god given and hardwon way with the written word and with her boundless imagination, in all its wildness, weightless light that seems held aloft on black winged shining that spreads to silently embrace and enrapture so much seemingly infinite capacity for wonder.

even the most communication wordy-abled don’t have that unknowable something thst somehow has this transformative necromancy over the essence and composition of words themselves. it is an alchemical “Hutzpah” that somehow infuses words with dynamic life and deeply invoked dimensions of innate truths and reverberations of all-too-human universal knowing, truly talented writer extra-enervating all that fire-fueled comparative imagery (despite being absolutely appropros and dead-on in describing my sister’s genuinely brilliant and inspired body of writing with total accuracy)

and i think, at longlast! i have blessedly, for the love of good-god finally. just. puttered-out….fffbbptz.

see?! yay:)

so anyhoodles Melanie allen, at her blog, athertons magic vapor, (see and CLICK below please) is seriously KILLing it like blitzkrieg–world-war-Lightning at this Blogging A-Z Challenge aforementioned. (note: it is tots apropos to be awestruck  gobsmacked mind boggled body-clobbered aghast agog aghape etcetera at the big sister’s luminous brilliance and magical way with words and telling riveting transformative tales that have a depth and meaning balanced with a seemingly ungraspable lightness brightness, humor and an effortless grace,

so not to get too worked-up but last of all! try to imagine standing on tiptoes, tethered to Stone and Ascending-to-Star…

that kind of longing, it exists inside all of us. somewhere, i’ll betcha…

bye:) and holy jeez, DO go see melanie’s words please.

Source: Archives – Atherton’s Magic Vapour

Atherton’s Magic Vapour! Stop Reading this insane incoherent gobbilgook of sounds that sometimes sound sorta-like-words, and GO READ actual words that not only make sense, but glow with the rare brightness of insight that is truly beauty illuminated, and quite honestly brilliant. (sorry- i accidentally hit "publish!" on this post a bit prematurely earlier today, and failed to realize it, until now!

#"athertons magic vapor" "melanie atherton allen" #horror #illustration #literature #post #writing