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rebelwhodoesntknow · 10 months

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I think Sena's voice has really improved over the years but yeah she was really young and inexperienced in Stars, I like her singing but it was definitely a little rough

I always wondered why they didn't release dolls!!! It's not like they releaased figures (except ones that were way too delicate for their target audience + too expensive), they really missed the mark there. Literally I would pay so much to hold a tiny version of the sweet dreams star pr are you kidding me?? 😭💗

Ahhh I actually really like Raki... I understand people dislking her 100000% because she DID like. Personally design her own Jeweling rare which is supposed to be purely made from magic, not designed by anyone, she designed her own star wings which can only be gifted by the system, same with the wings for her zodiac coord like Ichigo gen. So it's not just that she took most of her inspo from existing coords, she just kind of broke all the rules somehow and nobody in-show was like THATS IMPOSSIBLE????

But Idk I like her! I love her design, her voice actor (also voiced Wakaba) is great, I honestly wish she got more songs. I think it just made sense for her to be there. Even if Parade was just meant to get excitement + money back up for Planet's release, there was some love put into it for people who grew up with the series, and everyone kind of takes care of Raki. She's an excited kid obsessed with the idea of Aikatsu in general and tbh I see myself when I was like 13 diving into all of it, she's like a representation for new and old fans that just love it and want to be a part of it. She wasn't supposed to be a super fleshed out character, just kind of a tour guide along the show

OR IM PROJEVTING TOO MUCH AFBKSNDDJF But fr I don't mind her! The first anniversary album actually has her cover one of Mizuki's songs because it was her voice actor's favorite, she was a huge fan of Aikatsu when she was little and she won a singing contest to voice Wakaba in Friends!!🥺💗 Even if it wasn't the biggest role, I'm really happy for her, I feel like even that says something about what Raki meant

I love that kids still write letters about shows, I also follow Super Sentai and every so often the staff mentions kids keep writing to them asking them to redeem the villains because they like the actors too much LOL

Hinaki & Yume's voice actors actually had a unit irl too for a little bit, Min☆na, they've disbanded now and the song's werent my vibe but good for them!!

DONT BUY THE AIKATSU GAMES ITS SO EXPENSIVE + THEYRE REGION LOCKED. You can play them on a PC on Citra though, and if you turn up the graphics quality it looks sol so much better than on a console- basically like you're playing the akari gen DCD!

If you're interested, I can send you the roms, it will take a couple days though I'll have to find my hard drive 💗

I have all of them! Only 2 are worth playing imo, most don't have many songs or coords but these are powerhouses

Aikatsu! My No. 1 Stage features every single Ichigo/Akari gen song up till the last like 15, stages and dances included, it's crazy. It had a good amount of coords for most brands, only a couple for dolly devil and mecha panic but there's a lot of fun mix and match stuff you can do! The dressup system is the same as the arcade game so you can swap PRs and everything.

The gameplay is really simple, short visual novel-style stories to unlock songs, play songs to unlock coord cards. The outfits you use do effect special appeals too!! I play it sometimes, but mostly I mess around with outfits in MV mode and just watch

The other game is Aikatsu Stars! My Special Appeal. This is the only stars game sadly, and it doesn't have a lot of songs, but there's a few cute new animations in the mvs (i.e. in tsu•ba•sa, you can't have just one character, so before the song starts your two backup dancers help you out of the throne, idk its just cute)

It does have 1,000 outfit pieces though...! A lot of the brandless coords were included this time. No berry parfait, but all the other brands before it are included (one PR per brand) and nobody from venus ark (😭) but it looks nice and again, it's fun to play with outfits!

The gameplay is the same as the other game. And in this one you get to make your own character with a few customization options for hair & eyes!

Honestly, I don't think playing to get all the coords is worth it, it really takes a long time and you're just repeating the same thing over and over to get it (and usually get duplicate pieces which don't do anything)

I have a save file for each game, with all songs & coords unlocked though! If you're interested in trying either of them I can send those too with the roms (And if you haven't used citra I don't mind explaining how to add the saves!)

THIS IS A WHOLE ASS ESSAY

ITS OKAY IM HAVING A GREAT TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS and I hope you are too fhfjf

Yeah I’ve seen the figures before and they’re always ridiculously expensive and I’m like ‘oh come on I’m broke and want to be an idol here’ plus they didn’t even have the coords which is like the best part??? Come on???

I think I like ( while knowing very little about Parade) seeing Raki more as a superfan/vehicle for idol display rather than a full fleshed character, although I really wish she didn’t just straight up break the aikatsu system. I saw her star wings outfit and was definitely confused by why the wings were on her in her whole performance. If anything, she should have gotten them when she made her true PR and actually debuted her brand. I do think her va’s origin is super cute though!

Unfortunately I have never used Citra before and am very new to emulators (I’ve used melonDS like three times maybe) so I would definitely need help with whatever rom stuff you’re mentioning lol, I am not good with that stuff at all. I’m not too bad at rhythm games, though, so I think it would be really fun to try the games out! Maybe that’ll be better than trying to teach myself Idol Activity from the stage videos on YouTube lol!

#aikatsu

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softlittleheartsandsparkles · 10 months

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yeah well my parents were abusive so like... if I can have a cg i wanna do coloring for, like i think about them etc then that feels more right. not all parents are perfect sae, i'm glad yours where.

I never said my parents were perfect...? I'm saying parents jobs typically is caregiving/taking care of their kids which means sacrifices. (I.e. your child is suppose to come first, not you or your needs/desires.) which also means not everything is going to be complimentary or about *you*. I also don't give a damn about the idea of coloring something for someone means "caregiver". It just means you wanted to color something. But because you wanna pretend you know my childhood, & be like mines worst... And this isn't a game I wanna play. Here's a new example: Your a caretaker/caregiver of a pet. (your pet, a friends pet I don't care. An animal exists in this situation and your taking care of it.) Your jobs/duties are to feed it everyday, give it water, offer enrichment items (whether they wanna play with it or not or play with you), and bring it on activities (I.e. dog.) or also finding a pet sitter. Other responsibilities include watching its weight, nail trims, noticing things like there teeth/gums and looking for other signs of possible illness. etc. (dang so exhausting. Too bad you can't tap that 'caregiver burnout card' =/ I mean I guess you COULD but it would mean getting pet sitter or rehoming) Eventually there is a point were the pet *has* to go to the vet. For whatever reason and sometimes that also means administering meds after. & this might mean there's a struggle. (animal unwilling/uninterested in meds) =/ its your job to still give them their meds, and some meds also have a window of time when you have to give them (ever so many hours)... etc and well yeah. Its apet, they can't administer it themselves. So it not all "rewarding" and "fun" and "hehe i'm in fucking pet owner space". Its a responsibility & yes there is things that are going to make you feel exhausted or tired& there is stuff that's going to be emotionally hard. But, that's what care giving/care taking actually is. & anon I'm putting YOU in those shoes. So you can't use the excuse "But my parents..." No strawmans. I'm putting you in those shoes in this thought exercise. I do this with my guinea pigs. I make sacrifices, and it is exhausting and i love them unconditionally even if they aren't always interested in being petted, or I experience allergies from there hay etc. So yeah. I don't even view my pet care as that much of a sacrifice but there is stuff I have to do. (I.e. can't go on trips or if I do, I gotta keep in mind of hiring a pet sitter... contacting vet/giving vet contacts incase, etc) Its why I got beef with *pretending* being a "cg" online is the same as being a REAL caregiver. =/ Color for yourself, color for others, let others enjoy your coloring, idk. Have friends you depend on, express struggles, etc. But don't call it being a "caregiver".

#scribbles

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hunxi-guilai · 3 years

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Okay so I know you didn't read the book, idk if you've watched the donghua, but in both of these Lan Wangji has golden eyes. (WWX has grey eyes in the donghua, idk about the book tho) And this is.... not really a meta question? But more like I wanted to ask if you maybe know why giving them these eye colors isn't considered racist? Like obviously chinese people don't all have brown eyes, but the majority does? Is it because they're chinese characters by a chinese author? Or do you know if this is just a trope chinese authors do? I wanted to look this up but all I found is, well, that it's racist to do this with characters of color. I was planning to write a fic and wanted to go with the donghua design, aka golden & grey eyes, but I got unsure because of all the posts saying it would be racist. Like yeah a lot of people in fics go with LWJ having golden eyes etc. but this made me a bit insecure? No matter if you can help, thank you for reading this and for your time ❤

hoooooooo buddy okay anon, there’s a lot, a lot you’re asking here, so let’s take this apart layer by layer:

before we even get into talking about MDZS/CQL, I do want to point out the inherent problem in asking a person whose defining trait on the internet has become, well, being a member of the Chinese diaspora in fandom the question of “is xxx racist (or not) and why?” because I am not and should not be taken as a spokesperson for an entire ethnicity, race, or subculture. Just because I say something is fine (or not-fine) doesn’t mean that it is, across the board, fine (or not-fine!). What reads as okay to me might be mega-not-okay for someone else; what sets me off might be shrug-it’s-fine-I-guess for someone else. Deconstruct the idea of the Chinese diaspora as a monolithic entity! Yeet the idea that you can get a “get-out-of-racism-free” card from one member of a large and diverse group out the window!

next, I think we have to also acknowledge the difference between attitudes towards race between mainland China (where these works are being produced) and the diaspora/Western world (where these works are now being consumed and often taken out of context). If you take a moment to think about it, growing up as part of a minority in majority-minority countries (especially the U.S.) gives you a very different perspective on race and racism in media than growing up as a majority in a majority-Han environment (i.e. mainland China).

(and it’s also worth pointing out that race relations in East Asia are complicated!!! oh my god!!! it’s so messy!!! it’s ongoing!!!)

Overwhelmingly, Chinese diaspora folks are going to be much more sensitive to representational accuracy and authenticity because there is a very real sense of danger when we see misrepresentation in media. We don’t get a lot of representation in Western media, so when Western media gets it wrong, it hits much closer to home.

and on top of all that, MDZS/CQL are particularly complicated by virtue of 1) their genre (xianxia, and thereby unmoored from a strict anchoring in a time or place), 2) the sheer number of different adaptations with different character designs, 3) again, Western reception of non-Western texts/Western fandom interaction with non-Western texts. I’m not going to get into examples of whitewashing or moralization with Western values in this fandom, but I’m sure if you’ve been around long enough, you’ve seen those discussions go by.

Okay!!! let’s talk about the MDZS donghua. Firstly, animated works play by different rules than live-action works in terms of character design. Especially for donghua like MDZS or TGCF, the stylization of characters can be much more fanciful and fantastic (@Ling Wen’s blue hair), and we accept that, because it’s animation, because generally speaking, we don’t watch animated works looking for photorealistic depictions of these imagined worlds. Ethnicity reads differently on heavily-stylized animated characters; physical characteristics that might otherwise give us clues tend to get flattened into the animation style. And beyond that, ethnicity isn’t really... an element of characterization that matters in the MDZS/CQL world because it appears to be more or less homogenous.

MDZS/CQL isn’t concerned with race, ethnicity, or representation, because it’s a story made by and for a Chinese audience; bringing the question of race into the text which otherwise does not even address race reflects Western thoughts and perspectives. The question of whether “it’s racist or not because a Chinese author did this” feels like it’s missing the context in which these texts were written, designed, made, produced--i.e. a context where race is not a question and representation not a concern. Whether or not a character has an unusual eye color isn’t a matter of accurate racial representation to the author/designer/animator since that question is literally not even on their minds.

I’m going to hop over real fast to your question of ‘why giving these characters unusual eye colors is/isn’t racist’ (keeping in mind the caveats from earlier in the post, and not taking my opinions as definitive statement) and try and poke at why changing physical attributes of an ethnicity willy-nilly might alienate people. In a world where, whether we like it or not, beauty standards are often measured by ‘proximity-to-whiteness,’ going in and saying “this character is Han Chinese, but I do not vibe with brown eyes because brown eyes are boring, so I am going to give this character eyes of this exotic color” is playing into that exact neoimperialist mindset of “a person of this race would be more beautiful/attractive/cool if I changed this physical attribute about them.” I... don’t have to explain how alienating that is, right? Because it’s really, really fucking uncool.

“But the donghua does it--” yes, the donghua gives MDZS characters more unusual eye colors, but the donghua is also fundamentally unconcerned with representation or realism. And if we wanted, we could have a longer conversation about the worldbuilding of MDZS/CQL as a whole and where the story takes place (I’ve talk a lot about the temporal unmooring of CQL but I haven’t really written about the spatial unmooring either--the tl;dr of it is that the world does not map onto historical China, nor does it not-map onto historical China, and I think we’d all enjoy things a bit more if we stopped obsessing about historical accuracy!!!), but the point is, the donghua cares more about aesthetics than accuracy. And that’s just fine! It’s an animated show!

I think this post is starting to go in circles, so I’m going to marshal up some bullet points in an attempt to get to a conclusion:

yes, the donghua designs stray from what we might consider ‘conventional Han Chinese traits’

I don’t consider that inherently racist because of the production context

(please take a moment to recall that I am not a representative spokesperson in this matter, and that this perspective is purely a matter of opinion)

changing physical attributes of a character of color is a pretty shitty thing to do

especially if that “unrealistic” attribute becomes the defining aspect of their appearance/beauty/specialness/overall worth

like if a character of color is sexy specifically because of this one (1) imagined trait that makes them ~different~ from other characters of the same ethnicity, that’s kinda yikes

that being said, specifically in the context of MDZS, you’re not doing it out of nowhere; you’re basing this design on an existing adaptation

would we even be having this conversation if the live action didn’t exist, grounding these otherwise nebulous characters on the bodies of Han Chinese actors?

would we be having this conversation if we weren’t taking an Americentric perspective on race and representation?

look, I don’t think you can be faulted if you base your image of the characters on an existing adaptation. if you’re really concerned about it, you can add a note explaining where you got the unusual eye color from. If you’re really, really concerned about it, you can relegate it to the specific fandom tag on AO3 (i.e. the MDZS donghua tag as opposed to the CQL tag).

but the general rule of thumb: if you’re worried that something might come off as racist, then don’t do it! don’t even bother taking that risk (unless the thematic focus of your work is precisely this, at which point, have lots of conversations with many people about this!)! If your heart is uncomfortable with the idea of something, odds are, your heart has something to say about it.

#(flails) does this post even make sense??? does it????#at this point it simply needs to leave my inbox #look I can't give you a 'get-out-of-racism-free' card #I have personal preferences when it comes to portrayal and representation #and they cannot be taken as representative #sometimes we can't point at something and say 'that's objectively racist!' because it's more complicated than that #and when in doubt? just don't risk it #ask and ye shall receive

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chicago-geniza · 3 years

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well i intended to go for a nice evening walk, ended up having a panic attack, ordering a couple of cocktails at the bougie bar, joining a jam session with a bunch of old hippies on the logan green (one of them gave me a handpainted wooden medallion which seems to be carved out of tree bark, strung on a length of yarn???), met a crustpunk train-hopping dude in town for the month (& his dog, in a leather-studded harness) who's lived in 45/50 states & a 44 yr old guy everyone called "the wizard" wearing a tattered, patch-covered robe who shares most of my parents' conspiracy theories & considers himself a latter-day prophet, he bought us sorbet & ice cream, wound up hanging out with them & staying up all night at their indescribably eclectic, cluttered, blood-spattered (!!!) apartment, belonging to 44 yr old guy's art curator father & decorated accordingly, smoking m*th & listening to music & talking (or rather listening to them rant/rave/recount stories from their incredibly wild lives), i gave them advice on applying for unemployment & medicaid & how to appear compliant enough w/ carceral psychiatric intervention so they won't section you without actually submitting to forced medication or institutionalization, especially if they assign you a case worker & do regular "wellness checks." also how to pass off certain aspects of behavioral dysregulation as executive dysfunction, get them to pay for an adhd evaluation, get an adderall IR scrip, sell the 30 mg pills (cite body weight, high doses of other psych meds as reason for higher dose; look sincere; play to systemic biases toward cis white men, unfortunately), & use the cash to buy m*th, if they'd prefer to keep doing that. you can also pass positive psychotic symptoms--agitation etc.--off as severe anxiety, especially if you have a history of trauma, & they will give you benzodiazepines. it is in their best interest to keep you docile, i.e. tranquilized, particularly if your past convictions & involuntary institutionalizations revolve around a pattern of aggressive behavior, & that's On The Record/there's a paper trail. (e.g. one dude got arrested trying to keep cars away from an injured bird on the road, some genre of raptor i think (???) by threatening them with a shopping cart, not hitting them, but like, running at them as if to collide then feinting at the last minute so they'd swerve out of the way. not the safest or most effective maneuver, lotta reckless endangerment, but the motivation was admirable. probably put the fear of god into some drivers, though. he doesn't seem to have, like, impulse control.) it's a lot easier & you have fewer run-ins with the cops if you game the system & appear cooperative. they gave me this coat, which "just showed up in their apartment one day," like i did. 44 yr old guy walked me back to apartment, stole a street sign & tore down a real estate sign en route, lori lightfoot did indeed take down the pride flag in front of her house on july 1st & replace it with an appropriately patriotic american flag, i walked past the idling plainclothes cop car & another marked police vehicle with their Mayoral Guarding Detail inside at like 4.30 am smoking a menthol cigarette (not inhaling), high on m*th, draped in a neon anime jacket, in the company of a visibly insane, unshaven & unshorn middle-aged man in a technicolor patchwork trenchcoat, holding a lit cigarette in one hand & an upside-down traffic cone in the other, which he was using as an ad hoc amplifier for a noise track playing on my phone. he was also carrying the stolen real estate banner &, inexplicably, a stack of mail. i gave him my old backup phone (no SIM card & doesn't hold a charge long, ancient, but still works), since neither he nor the other dude have phones (cops took them), also one hybrid edible for each of them, as a thanks for the m*th & the kindness. their hearts are in the right place but they have some fucked-up beliefs about "reverse racism" being real, while also saying in the same breath that you can tell our country is irredeemable by the way it continues to

treat black people. we were discussing medical weed for seizures on medicaid & 44 yr old guy mentioned one of his close friends, a black epileptic woman, whose seizures were frequent & severe enough they prevented her from working. then he added, in apparent bemusement, they she hadn't spoken to him in some time, & he wondered why. a little while later he relayed their last conversation & i was like "my dude, i can say with 100% certainty she is not talking to you because you said some *appallingly*, jaw-droppingly racist shit & did not even realize it was racist." then i, comma, a white person, explained to this man that he literally thought of their exchange as, like, an abstract argument over insignificant ideas, a theoretical exercise, & therefore considered it simply a smug gotcha to "counter" hotep theories about egyptian origin by claiming that "if that's true, american slavery & the oppression of black people in america are divine retribution for the enslavement of the jews in ancient egypt, an eye for an eye & a deserved punishment." like, first of all, what the actual fuck, if i were that woman i would also never speak to you again, second of all there's the collapse of historical time & mythical time, history & exegesis, an assumption that rests on spurious claims of biblical literalism (zionist colonization logic, btw! him: what's exegesis? what's zionism? me: never mind, not the point. exegesis is the interpretation of religious texts in a religious CONtext, in this case what you would likely call the hebrew bible.)--but most importantly it is 100% irrelevant to this discussion whether or not black americans are Actually Factually descendended from ancient egypt! you just told this woman to her face that the ancestry she claims, of which she's proud, is the reason & justification for SLAVERY & BLACK SUFFERING--not only that, but that if it WERE true, than black people would DESRVE to suffer, by DIVINE DECREE. you are trying to force her to abdicate her claim on this heritage by putting her in a position where she'd be forced to concede complicity in her people's historical & present-day persecution, oppression, & essentially the existence of structural racism. & using The Figural Jew as a rhetorical cudgel to bludgeon her into this corner. what a despicable thing to say. like, he hadn't considered it from her perspective at all, & once he groked why the comment itself was, like, unforgivable (idk, maybe she's more forgiving; she has a virtue-name), i started socratic-method-ing him through why it was particularly unforgivable for *him* to say to *her*--the individual is not responsible for the systems from they benefit, but they are imbricated in them, they are implicated when they actively perpetuate & uphold them, even with speech acts. & finally gave the same "there is no such thing as reverse racism because racism is not an individual act, it is an institutional, systemic phenomenon, & it is an ideology, one which individual acts can bear out or be in accordance with, & to which individuals can subscribe (this bearing it out in their behavior, in their institutional roles, in their interpersonal interactions--here i gave & solicited examples of each) or be subject (also gave & solicited examples). m*th makes me very good at Explaining clearly & he was surprisingly receptive--like, it was astonishing that it had not occurred to him??? but it hadn't, the same way it hadn't occurred to my mother, & she interpreted it as "reverse racist" when their next-door neighbor called her the "white devil" for disputing their property line, & i had to be like "ok but if you called in a random third party to mediate in lily-white [city], oregon, where white supremacists openly drive down the street in pickup trucks with swastika armbands, whose side do you think they would take, statistically speaking, in your property dispute. that's why racism is systemic & institutional, & your rude neighbor calling you a name over a disagreement does not constitute 'reverse racism,' because 'reverse racism' by definition cannot

exist." now this dude wants to like, read books, so i gotta get him some entry-level Intro To Racism primers??? how did i end up here, but better me than his black epileptic (ex-)friend, i guess??? jesus christ. both of these guys have the most chaotic, reactionary politics in a potpourri with these deep commitments to abolition & mutual aid & a kind of proto-anarchist consciousness, none of which would be called by those names, but all of which is borne out in practice & in the politics of everyday life. they remind me a LOT of my parents. i'm loath to imagine how they'd internalize my stepdad's rambling, street-preacher-style libertarian lectures. probably go out & buy guns & invest in gold on the stock market & double down on the conviction that free speech is being curtailed & individual rights are in jeopardy because you can no longer unleash a barrage of harassment against some guy on the street because you think he looked at you funny. these claustrophobic convictions, like the space to express oneself is getting smaller & smaller every day, *other people* are taking it away from you, suffocating you on all sides with their offense demanding your silence, they are *making* the walls close in--when in fact it's more like a holodeck. you're a member of the Hegemonic Group, afforded the privilege of the default, so you don't question the vast verdant expanse that is your domain--ah, Free Speech, the sun never sets on the empire of ~uncensored expression, you can say whatever you want whenever you want without facing consequences because you control all the organs that mete out consequences & you have also determined that those groups who might be adversely affected by your words--emotionally OR materially--are not, well...of consequence. but of course the vast verdant domain is an illusion, photons & forcefields, held together by the all-encompassing TOTALITY of the dominant group's hegemony, power, etc. once that power begins to redistribute throughout the system--however unevenly, however incrementally, however slowly--as even the smallest pieces are appropriated by those deemed inconsequential, who have endured years of systemic, material, institutional violence that allowed the dominant group to become dominant & retain its dominant position--once those 'inconsequential' groups speak up & say "actually, these words bear an indelible imprint of the violence enacted upon us, these words are the legacy of that violence, these words are a tacit endorsement of the ideology behind that violence, which classifies us as subhuman, & even if *you* can't hear those echoes, the words broadcast on two historical frequencies, so now that we're able to broadcast on a frequency *you* can hear, we request you find other language, & consider the implications of the words you've been using for years." well--once The Subaltern Speaks, the dominant group loses its 'innocence,' & becomes aware the vast verdant expanse of language is an illusion of infinite space, aware of the four holodeck walls pressing in behind the simulacrum of the horizon, & suddenly "what one can say without negative consequences"--largely social, sometimes, rarely, if social media goes viral, professional--feels much more claustrophobic. so they get angry. & some of them are just bigots, obviously, but some of them--like my parents, &, even, this weirdly well-intentioned m*thhead who said one of the most shockingly racist things i've heard in my life & *honestly didn't understand why it was racist*, is really riled up about free speech & individual rights, hates the government, hates "FANG" (facebook amazon netflix google) & has a bunch of dystopian conspiracy theories about data harvesting & personal information that only miss the mark in that they get too nefariously biopolitical (billionaires want to put microchips in everybody for surveillance to monitor our movements & sell us more stuff; they don't need to, they already use our phone location & browsing habits to generate the algorithm & sell the information to ad companies lol, it's digital& cast a

single illuminati figure in the role of comic book villain, controlling the operation behind the scenes like an evil puppetmaster (classic conspiracy fare; again, we gotta take that energy, that suspicion, the understanding that they are being taken advantage of & tricked, the idea that power & capital & resources are concentrated among a very small number of people, however it's not an individual wealthy villain with a desire for world domination who wants to turn Free Americans into microchipped drones, it's a *class* of people--or rather several classes, but *who those people are as individuals does not matter*. if you guillotined bill gates, another billionaire would take his place. bill gates qua bill gates is not the problem. it is classes of people who control the means of production & own property & profit enormously from exploiting the labor of a desperate, rapidly increasing underclass, i.e. from the system as it is. therefore it is in their interest to maintain the status quo, because it serves them. 'the rich get richer, the poor get poorer.' the middle class gradually ceases to exist. if you want to compound it by race, consider the GI bill as an example - you learn about it as the leg up that enabled thousands of WWII vets to buy houses, enabling them to enter the middle class. hundreds of thousands of third-gen middle class white americans still reap the structural, socioeconomic benefits of their grandparents' initial upward mobility, including,, very tangibly, those selfsame houses, which can be inherited & then rented out as a second property if the children or grandchildren accrue enough money to buy their own properties. but only about 100 black vets got approved for homeownership loans, despite the staggering numbers of black soldiers who enlisted & applied through the GI bill. anyway! the impulses are there, & they're only being funneled into conspiracy thinking because that makes intuitive sense on a narrative level. these guys have a high school education; so does my stepdad. their reading habits are...eclectic, sporadic, pretty much dictated by occasional recommendations & like, little free libraries around the neighborhood. it's both interesting & frustrating to see like - hey, here are these people, we agree on a lot of things, they're earnest & open & want to learn & would give their neighbor the shirt off their backs as a matter of principle. they'd give a *stranger* the shirt off their backs; they'd share whatever they had. even what chores there are in their collective--they live with two other guys--(dumpster diving, walking the dog, tidying up the apartment) are allocated by ability & inclination. they made advance plans to look after the dog & their roommate with War PTSD on the 4th of july if the fireworks upset them, jokingly called the dog an emotional support animal. you give them the tools, the reading, talk to them like normal people with a stake in society--like, imagine a society that would have a stake in people like you instead of criminalizing you & consigning you to the margins! that's already *political imagination* because anyone who occupies a marginalized position will have their existence politicized, whether they want this or not, so better to become a self-aware, self-reflexive political subject, no?--talk *with* them because tbh i am them, i'm just better at situational masking & also i am very very afraid of cops so i only damage property in groups during planned political actions (not spontaneously, because i feel a flash of rage at my neighborhood gentrifying, & simply do not have a superego, so i tear down the real estate sign for the fancy new apartment complex in a fit of pique, because in this house we believe that spontaneity can & should be developed into class consciousness, again, the seeds of which are there in the initial trigger for the spontaneous reaction, i.e. anger at gentrification. not opposed to a little direct action, but they're just gonna put up a new sign tomorrow, it doesn't advance your agenda or hinder the gentrifiers' progress. now, if

you sabotaged the construction site for the new apartment buildings & painted a few potent symbols + graffiti'd a pithy, written statement expressing your opposition to gentrification generally & these apartments specifically? in a prominent place, large font, eye level, visible & legible from oh, a block away? maybe as a member of a collective, your neighbors, perhaps? & you could sign it "[neighborhood] or [block] residents" to pack more of a punch, the power of a crowd speaking in unison to say "not OUR home, you predatory developers"? that's no longer spontaneous, impulsive, affective violence, & it's also no longer an individual--acting alone leaves you vulnerable. again--i didn't just *intuit* that he tore the sign down because he was mad about gentrification, i asked, in a genuinely curious tone, not at all accusatory, no hint of reprimand or censure, just...interested, "why did you do that?" & he was like "it made me fucking mad." & i was like "what about it made you mad? the apartments? how come?" & he thought about it for a minute & explained. i'm not sure *he* necessarily made the conscious connection until prompted. idk, i know people talk a lot about the fact that breitbart & drudge report are free while NYT & "all the news fit to print" is paywalled, & q-pilled covid hoax sites are free while "reputable" pandemic coverage & public health guidelines & explanations of mRNA vaccines for a lay audience are paywalled & that's true but also We Live In A Society & if you talk to the wingnuts who AREN'T that way because of any far-right ideology, a lot of them are just...autodidacts without much formal education but a lot of raw intelligence that leads to analyzing The Big Picture & trying to deduce a pattern, find a framework that explains why the world is the way it is, profoundly frustrated, deeply aware of American society's, universalized & figured as the world's, exceptional unfairness & cruelty, & *that can be redirected* with reading, discussion, prompting critical thought, introducing community connections, & perhaps most importantly for this genre of person, getting them to see patterns at work in terms of systems & structures rather than individuals, letting go of American individualism's explanatory power & belief in its liberatory potential (see: the sort of ad hoc libertarianism that goes hand-in-glove with much conspiracy thinking, both stemming from 1) mistrusting the government, & 2) ultimate freedom of the individual as the most sacred value, therefore it is what all enemies want to take away), outlining positive, actionable goals rather than just ambient suspicion & anger at authority, & figuring out how those goals can be accomplished more effectively by an organized collective (but this will ultimately benefit the individual). If the world isn't run by a shadowy cabal, if you begin to understand the structures responsible & how they manifest even on the scale of your block (e.g.!!! predatory developers buying up properties during a pandemic, tearing down affordable housing to build expensive condos on the lot, or giving old buildings a "spit and polish" so they can double the rent, pricing all the current residents out, not to mention all the little local businesses, almost all mexican & run by the mexican families who live here, that give our block its culture & will get pushed out by boutique coffee shops & the like, catering to a more affluent & almost certainly whiter clientele)--you can, in fact, change the world, something both of them repeatedly referred to as their purpose on earth. it may not be as a maverick figure, one against an army, but strength in numbers is an aphorism for a reason.

anyway! thse guys were also really weird about jews, in the philosemitic way conspiracy theorists of a certain stripe often are. the itinerant vagabond guy gave me one of his drawings; it's really lovely. i'm going to give them "are prisons obsolete?" & "the wretched of the earth" & some david graeber. 44 yr old guy has this idea that society is atomized & people aren't connected to each other & have lost the willingness or the ability to communicate with each other, also that the overreach of authority has driven some people to violence, & that makes the world feel unsafe to everyone else. he feels guilty because he is acutely aware that language, when wielded adroitly & intentionally, always has the capacity to manipulate; he is afraid of succumbing to the temptation, because he senses the coercive power of language within himself. the other guy was mostly quiet but said 44 yr old guy is one of the best friends he's ever had. he thinks animals are able to sense emotions and to heal, & he thinks they can mediate between people who have become too isolated, who have forgotten humans' innate ability to forge connections, approach others as social creatures seeking to bond instead of mistrustful, apprehensive, rejecting overtures of friendship because they expect subterfuge, or propriety has evolved to deem such overtures inappropriate outside of strictly delineated, artificially orchestrated contexts. deviation from the norm is not permitted. & back again to policing. they have an idea called "the omega family," omega for the end, a group of like-minded people who come together, who encounter each other serendipitously (predicted through auspicious auguries & recognized on sight through a constellation of signs & wonders, because of course we are all psychotic here, it was nice to just be psychotic & discuss these things like they were normal lol), & serve as catalysts to each other's "personal truth." anyway this is why i don't go out when i'm crazy, i always end up in situations like this, see also: the last time i did m*th, in a pizza hut bathroom in tallinn with an art student from glascow named muhammad ali (he went by ali), the son of white muslim converts--we thought it was c*ke but it got lost in translation & that's how i figured out i had adhd. later i got [redacted] by a filmmaker from kazan & he gave me his business card afterward for some reason, which was extremely funny. thankfully these dudes were better behaved. one of them even gave a speech about how men shouldn't rape people??? & also how our society shouldn't construct women as universal victims because in doing so it makes victimhood almost compulsory & shoehorns women into a victim role as part & parcel of womanhood? i was like yes my dude you are almost there, read the essay "abject feminism." (i did not tell them i was trans bc i wasn't sure how that would shake down, to be honest; couldn't get a read on it. did tell them i was gay & they respected it, though one did say he dated a lesbian once, & i explained that many men feel compelled to interject with an anecdote relating an exception to the rule or insist that they will he the exception to the rule, & it's really just bad manners, not even getting into the bad politics. he took it on the chin & talked about how the girl in question came home to find her partner dead of an overdose & his wife had just died of MS, so their relationship was more about grief & comfort than sexual attraction. i was like that's really, really sad, & it's wonderful that you were able to be there for each other at a time of such staggering loss, & i am a person who totally understands what you mean to communicate, but if a lesbian tells you they're a lesbian & you reply that you once dated a lesbian & they get offended & instead of responding with contrition or correction you elaborate on the tragic backstory of the relationship as though that explains the circumstances in which a self-proclaimed lesbian would date a cis man, other lesbians *will* deck you, or at the very least not take you, an unwashed white guy in

his 40s who isn't neurotypical & sits way too close for social convention in a way that could easily be construed as a come-on, in good faith.) tl;dr made some new friends, did some good drügs (i much prefer smoking m*th to snorting it, basically like purer, more potent adderall, & as such will not be doing it again for a LONG time, because i enjoy it FAR too much; slices through the brain fog & the chronic fatigue & the joint/bone pain, makes me able to pay attention, follow the thread of a conversation, actually be *interested* & want to ask *questions* & expand, build, encourage my interlocutor to elaborate, place more kal-toh pieces until the conversation shimmers into a three-dimensional shape, instead of being listless & exhausted & disengaged & *bored* all the time, so obviously i would get addicted immediately if given the opportunity, & i've known this forever lol)--now going to hydrate, refill pill case, write some emails, & meet C at the beach! not how i expected to reboot my brain, but it works! also putting them on limited facebook view because i try to keep some groups of people in my life quarantined from each other & that includes 1) my relatives & my academic ~colleagues (ne'er the twain shall meet), 2) my exes & my family, 3) my relatives, colleagues, & uh. a couple of lovely, but extremely psychotic dudes with very long criminal records i met while doing hard drugs

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years

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Survey #315

“can’t breathe to scream / suffocating in this dream / long way down”

Who was your first big crush? I would probably say this guy in high school named Sebastian. We sat beside each other in Art, and I definitely liked him a lot. Man, my freshman-sophomore years honestly involved a handful of crushes before Jason popped into the picture and I lost all romantic interest in everyone else. Where was the first place you drove after you got your license? N/A Is it a blue sky outside right now? No. All North Carolina has known for weeks on end now is rain. We've had very rare sunny days, but for the most part, it's just gray and gross. Was your last breakup a bad one? Nah, I'd say it ended maturely and with a mutual understanding of "why." When was the last time you were surprised, in a pleasant way? Hell if I know. Is there an ice-cream flavor that you strongly dislike? Which one? Yeah, like strawberry. What was the last sitcom you watched? No clue. ^ Do you have a favorite character in that sitcom? Why is that character your favorite? N/A What does the last group you joined on Facebook concern? I am 90% sure it was this group I joined that is literally just about cute yet dangerous animals lmao, mostly reptiles and invertebrates. "Misunderstood biteybois and where to befriemd them" or some stupid shit like that. Has there been a spider in your house at any time recently? Not that I've seen, no. Do you like wearing make-up? Not at all. I only like wearing it for pictures and then taking that shit off. ^ If so, how old were you when you first started to wear it? I started consistently wearing it my freshman year of high school. Then some time later I just showed up one day without any, shocked all my friends, and then only wore it when I felt like it. What foods are you craving lately, if any? Nothing, really. What were some of your favorite foods as a child? Chicken nuggets of course, as well as spaghetti, peanut butter sandwiches, just the typical stuff that kids tend to enjoy. When you were younger, did you ever have a friend that your parents hated? No. Have you ever talked in your sleep before? That's very normal for me, especially now that I have nightmares like every goddamn night. What was the last song you heard, that reminded you of someone? Well, not a real someone, but "The Ordinary World" by the Hit House is 110% one of Fetch's soon-to-be themes. What has brought you joy today? Nothing brought me "joy," really. When was the last time you won a prize in a raffle? What was it? I actually recently won an art rafle on deviantART hosted by a truly amazing artist, like I thought I had no chance, and she's going to be drawing Moondust!!!! :'''') What is the next non-essential item that you intend to buy for yourself? I'm still paying the bulk of my tattoo in May. Is there anywhere in your town/city that's rumored to be haunted? Oh, I'm sure. When you were younger, did you ever think that a certain place was haunted? Bitch I still do lmao. What were your school meals like? Did you enjoy them? This really depended on the menu for the day. My school lunches were nowhere near as bad as some people make theirs sound, but most things still weren't great. I think school pizzas are the most notoriously bad. What kind of granola bar did you eat most recently? I had a cashew bar earlier today. Do you have any books on your shelf that you've read multiple times? I never reread books. What did your last post on social media concern? That I personally wrote, something regarding subtle racism still being racism, pretty much. How do you feel about people using graphic images as a scare tactic to promote their beliefs? (i.e.: PETA, abortion…) I have mixed feelings on this. Like sometimes seeing the brutal side of certain things is definitely useful in opening someone's mind to things they don't want to see/think about, but then there's that, too: it can just be so invasive and unexpected, and thus very upsetting and even scarring. I'd say I'm most for the "appropriate" social media route: using censorship that the viewer can decide whether or not to remove. But you obviously can't do that in like, a public protest with a sign, so idk. Which is harder for you: writing creatively or academically? Honestly, both are pretty easy for me. I enjoy writing creatively far more, though. Do you think gender neutral bathrooms are a good idea? I think it's fine to have them as an option. When was the last time you voluntarily went outside of your comfort zone? Just talking about stuff in group therapy recently. Would you ever use a dating site that costs money, like Match.com or eHarmony? Have you known anyone who had good experience with such sites? No, and yes. Do you think it’s fair that people are able to make a reasonable salary and live comfortable lives just by making YouTube videos? Yes? It takes charisma and talent in some area (humor, education, etc.) as well as consistency for it to be a reliable career, and just consider how often you hear about creators burning out. That happens for a reason. Entertainment is a valid job category and should not be seen as an unfair joke. Whether you’re in college or not, do you become fearful about whether or not you’ll find a good job? Story of my life. What is something you can only understand if you've experienced it first hand? Deep heartbreak. Do you think it's a double standard that a woman can hit a man and expect to get away with it, but if a man hits a woman it's assault? Obviously. Abuse knows no gender, and hitting another person is just that. I do, however, believe in self-defense, also regardless of gender. In terms of a wedding, put these things in order from what would be MOST important to be perfect, to LEAST important... Engagement ring, dress, hair, venue, ceremony, food, pictures, decorations, honeymoon. This requires too much thinking, haha... but I do know the quality of my honeymoon would be most important to me, given that that's personal time with my new spouse and not a public celebration. I feel like what goes on behind closed doors is more important and heartfelt than how you act publicly. Do you have a go-to small talk conversation topic? Probably video games or music, idk. Define "small talk." Does anyone owe you money? Do you owe anyone money? (Besides credit cards) Mom does. She just a few days ago had to borrow $100 for rent. If someone was going to buy you any practical gift (anything except a house or car), what would you choose? It'd be dope as fuck if someone could pay for Venus' next terrarium, but that's a big purchase that I'd have a hard time accepting. How many people do you know with the same first name as you? At least one, but her name is spelled differently. What in your opinion is the best love song ever written? I'm not sure, but I can tell you that "When It's Love" by Van Halen has always been high on the list for me. Was your mother married when she had you? No, actually. I thought she was until my most recent bday, I think. It was just part of a conversation. How old was the first person you kissed? He was a few months into 18. The first person you were in a relationship with, do you still care about them? Of course, he's a sweet guy. We don't talk or anything, but that doesn't mean I don't care about him. Has anyone ever sang to you? Yes. So, what if you married the last person you kissed? That'd be pretty rad. What are you listening to at the moment? "Long Way Down" from the The Evil Within soundtrack. It's funny, like I've loved the game for many years, but I'm now in a serious semi-obsession phase after watching another let's play of it. Have you read the The Hunger Games trilogy? I only read the first book. I loved it, but just never continued. What is your boss’ (or school prinicpal’s) name? N/A Who is the person you dislike the most? That I personally know, probably a former best friend, oddly enough. Do you text your parents often? If Mom's not home, it's not unusual for us to text. I don't text my dad much because he's not a fan of texting. Do you watch YouTube videos often? Pretty much always. Do you know anyone with celiac disease? Sara, my aunt, and my cousin. Those are the ones I know of, anyway. Do you currently have any alarms set? No. How many cars can fit in your driveway? Barely even two. If someone else is here, they usually just park where the road meets the sidewalk of the cul-de-sac. Do you have the ashes of a family member or a pet? Of my dog Teddy, yes. Have you ever been involved in a car crash? Yes, as a kid. Do you prefer flash or no flash on a camera? Definitely no flash. It's more natural, and especially with people, it obviously prevents red eye. How often do you use hashtags? Just about never. Have you ever had whiplash before? No. Have you ever given another person or an animal a bath before? Pets, yes. I could never bathe another human. Is there a birdbath in your yard? No. Weirdest place you’ve ever had a cramp? Nowhere weird, I think... How many lamps are in the room you’re in? How many are actually turned on? Technically three, if you count my snake's heat lamp. Right now that's the only light that's on. Are there any activities you enjoy doing, but can only do for a short amount of time before you get bored or tired of them? Yeah, reading comes to mind first. Is there anything coming out soon (books, albums, movies, video games) that you're looking forward to? I'm not up-to-date on this stuff at all, not even video games. What is something someone recommended to you that you disliked/hated? I know Girt's recommended me music I haven't been a fan of. We like the same general stuff, but there are specific sub-genres we differ in opinion about. Can you unwrap a Starburst in your mouth? ... There are people who do this to even know in the first place??? What is the last thing you ate? Popcorn. Who is your favorite person to spend time with? Sara. Do you know how to grill a steak? I don't know how to cook, period. Do you have a large dog? We don't have a dog currently, but Mom is looking for one pretty intently. We don't know the size it'll end up being. Do you like walking places? Absolutely not. I can't walk far at all without my legs starting to scream at me because leading such a sedentary lifestyle led to muscle atrophy in my legs. It's incredibly embarrassing. Are you a fan of bands most people don’t know of? That's not uncommon for me. Have you ever sent an X-Rated picture to someone? No. Do you think your voice is higher or lower than average? It's deeper than the average woman's. Do you have a pool? No, but I really, really want one... Given how easily I sweat, I would love to use swimming to strengthen my legs. I could also stop the very moment I feel I need to; it in general sounds like something I could quite easily do. How many times have you been on a plane? Ummm including the trips going back, at least six times. Favorite ice cream flavor? Oh my gooooood, if you haven't tried Ben & Jerry's "phish food"... fucking try that shit. It is innnnnncredible. Do you have a TikTok? Nope. Do you enjoy driving? Fuck no I don't. Your favorite store as a teen? Hot Topic was and still is my fave, ha. Favorite YouTuber? There's this one called Markiplier that I think's pretty cool. How many online accounts do you have? A LOT. My whole life is essentially on the computer, so... .-. Do you tend to always be in some sort of drama? Quite the opposite. Do you collect quarters from every state? No. When was the last time your living room furniture was rearranged? Not since we moved into this place. When you were little did you like watching Cartoon Network, Disney or Nickelodeon more? Disney probably topped Nickelodeon. I didn't watch much CN. Who was the last person to kiss you on the cheek? Either my niece or nephew when saying bye. Have you ever seen a magic show? Yes, as a kid. I even had a magician for my bday once. When was the last time you vomited and why? It's been a year or so. It would've been a side effect of starting a certain med that I didn't stay on because it so consistently made me sick. Where do you usually sit when you eat dinner? Either in my bed (I know) or at the dinner table if Nicole is here to eat with us. What time do you usually go to sleep at night? It's typically around 7:30-8:30, occasionally a bit later. I can't believe as a teen, it was my "rule" that I couldn't go to sleep before 10:30 because it was "too early." Nowadays, I can barely imagine regularly staying up that late. Do you avoid using public restrooms? As best as I can. I've seen some nasty shit. What’s your favorite type of cookie? Chocolate chip. How basic.

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''long way down'' - the evil within ost

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rayatii · 3 years

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A (somehow both very biased and not very opinionated) review of the Met orchestra musicians concert “Song to the Moon” from February 21, 2021:

I had been bothering my Tumblr followers with my excitement over this event yesterday, so it felt only right for me to stop procrastinating and give an attempt for a review of the whole thing; I think this is actually my first time writing a lengthy review ever, and it will probably sound naïve and be an embarrassment for me in the future.

It started around 10 PM where I live. I sat in my bed with my computer while eating chocolate in order to stay awake throughout the whole thing, and trying not to spill any pieces on the sheets, excitedly waiting for this event, having actually bought myself a fifteen-buck ticket about three weeks prior with my parents’ credit card (they didn’t bat an eye when I asked their permission), happily knowing that the money was not going to end up in the pockets of the undeserving Met management.

Given the shitty Lebanese Wi-Fi and the fact that this was a livestream, I had been worried that I might miss significant chunks and get upset over the fact. The stream did glitch a few times for me during the first number (mainly because I had my computer on my constantly-moving knees, before settling it down next to me on the bed), but otherwise it never failed me.

But let’s get on with the review. The livestream began with a title card representing an animation of a lunar eclipse, displaying the title “Song to the Moon”. The concert started with a performance of Antonín Dvořák’s String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 77 by members of the Met orchestra. (actually, given that this is a Met musicians concert, I feel that they ought to be rightfully credited; Nancy Wu, 1st violin [for this piece], Bruno Eicher, 2nd violin [for this piece], Désirée Elsevier, viola, Kari Jane Docter, cello, and Leigh Mesh, double bass.)

I actually listened to a recording of this piece in preparation a few days prior, just so you guys know. Obviously, there were a few slightly flat notes that were played, but overall this was quite a pleasant rendition, and I still have the theme from the 2nd movement stuck in my head as I’m writing this. What I also liked was that at one point (i.e. when I was actually paying attention in that area) I could actually hear the notes being played by the double bass quite clearly, at least compared to the other recording that I had listened to.

Next on the program, the musicians were joined by soprano Angela Gheorghiu (i.e. my main reason for actually purchasing the ticket), who performed all the way from the Athenaeum of Bucharest, Romania, [1st instance of Raya uselessly gushing] looking ethereal in that shot that was shown of her just walking inside the building wearing that white dress and flowing cape, before the actual performance. Just a warning for you guys here; I love Gheorghiu (actually, it’s a bit of a celebrity “crush”), so please expect a little bit of somewhat controlled gushing here and there (partly physical appearance-wise, which are indicated by the bold, and which I deeply hate myself for). This part of the review is causing me even more anxiety for that reason.

She performed on the stage of a theater that was practically empty besides the pianist. She sang in two languages I do not understand at all, which helped me a bit with not getting too distracted by pronunciation. [2nd instance of Raya uselessly gushing] Before I get into what y’all actually came for, I just wanted to get it out of my system about how she had this appearance that defined “has aged, aged really well”. She had this kind of mature beauty, especially with her makeup, that seemed to give me the overall vibes of a pleasant middle-aged auntie. (well, this was very difficult embarrassing to write) Even her singing voice had this sound that can be described as having this sort of “mature” quality blended with the whole fact of her overall sound being “hers”. I hope I have made myself clear.

Okay, gushing finished for now, let’s move on with the review!

Apparently the footage taken in Bucharest and the one taken in New York were both filmed separately. I found it really mind-blowing how the audio of both got synchronized so perfectly.

The first gem Gheorghiu sang was an arrangement of “Tatăl nostru”; basically an early-19th-century musical setting of the Lord’s Prayer by Anton Pann that is still used to this day in the Romanian Orthodox Church (totally NOT reading off the PDF for the program notes provided on the website). I had obviously never heard this piece before; I had tried to (VERY lazily) look it up a bit, but to no avail. I unfortunately don’t remember much from this performance apart from everything mentioned before, but what I do know is that was rendered really epic thanks to the participation of principal Met percussionist Gregory Zuber alongside the string players.

Next was performed the aria after which the whole concert was named, the incredibly famous “Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém” (aka “Song to the Moon”) by Dvořák again, from the opera Rusalka. This version was actually arranged by the violist Elsevier, who is among the musicians who retired from the Met during the pandemic. And it was indeed a beautiful arrangement! Now, unlike “Tatăl nostru”, which I virtually knew nothing about, I love this aria and know it quite well, so I did pay attention to some of the pronunciation; but then again, I do not speak Czech, so it didn’t matter much. Overall, Gheorghiu’s rendition was not perfect (I thinnnnnnnnk there were some notes that were a little bit out of tune? but there was vibrato that also touched the right tone and so I couldn’t tell), and I would certainly not imagine it within the full context of Rusalka the opera (see what I noted above concerning the quality of her voice), but that did not stop me from finding it quite beautiful.

It felt so weird not to hear any applause after each number, and so I could not help but clap after each gem, even though no one could hear me.

After the concert wrapped up, the audience got to watch a chat session between Gheorghiu and Met horn player Barbara Jöstlein Currie, where they talked about how this whole thing came to be (so apparently there was Instagram DM’ing between the two that was involved in the preparation?), before the five string players (which actually include two married couples!) whose music we heard earlier joined in. So unlike the concert, which was all pre-recorded, this was a Zoom session being streamed live. [3rd instance of Raya uselessly gushing] Gheorghiu’s speaking voice sounds radically different from her singing voice, and I can tell English is not her primary language, but that’s just something useless I wanted to include, on which I have zero strong feelings. In contrast to the pre-recorded concert, here she was responsible for me writing in The Balcony Seats Discord server earlier today about how “you know you have aged well when you end up looking a bit like Morticia Addams”, especially with the makeup. [gushing done]

The whole discussion hinged on the concept of “Met family”, and I found the whole interaction between Gheorghiu and the musicians just very very sweet, a star singer and musicians in the pit seeing each other as equals, as family. It’s not every day that I see that (but then again, my background is severely limited, so what do I know). Among the relatively unimportant things the convo touched on that stick with me, in no particular order, are:

Gheorghiu apparently married on the stage of the Met because the guy from the City Hall lost their papers and I never knew that??? (but then again, I never directly research info about my hyperfixations because I get overwhelmed) Everyone had a nice laugh at that recollection.

She got into this whole profession mainly to sing at the Met. Also the whole deal of her making L*vine cry and making her debut at a young age for a star singer.

Everyone relating to the feeling of going home at night after a concert, and not being able to go to sleep because you still have adrenaline flowing through you. As someone who does performing arts, I also relate to that on a moderate degree.

Family life talks.

Gheorghiu mentioning how she can’t work with a director who’s like “your character does that because that’s what I decided” because something something harmony? I can’t remember; I’m pretty sure I’m misquoting. But that’s basically the equivalent of “my house, my rules” (”my production, my interpretation” in that case, lol) imo, so can’t object too much.

Something about playing the finale of Götterdämmerung led the musicians to humorously throw in the idea of Gheorghiu singing Brünnhilde as her next role, and she went all “nah” to that, also humorously.

This led to her admitting that she’s not the biggest fan of Wagner’s music (though she would consider singing Elsa); saying that she’d travel back in time to tell Wager to stop writing these interminable phrases, to just get to the point (I’m not really into Wagner either, so I don’t completely disagree). Also, she believes that Wagner is difficult to sing, and that singers who nail Wagner tend to end up singing only Wagner (here, I think it depends, but there is a point somewhere in here).

She doesn’t seem to like singing acapella/without music very much, which also led her to record some sAcRiLEgiOuS versions of Orthodox worship songs, which you’re apparently not supposed to sing with music.

She sang something like “goodnight, goodnight” (idk) at the very end, it was cute.

To go back to the important stuff, Gheorghiu apparently wrote directly to the Met donors, asking to help in any way, because she wanted to set an example for other people by doing the right thing, and to help what she sees as her “family”, as mentioned above. I had heard some stories about her diva reputation (and she does seem to enjoy attention and stuff, from what I’ve seen myself), but overall she seems like a pretty good person. Mainly mentioning that because as y’all know I’m autistic and can’t tell intricate body language and stuff, plus my very strong belief that good person >>>>>>> great performer. (but my dear friends say that loving her is valid, so I guess I’m safe from too much disappointment. what am I even writing).

And that’s it for my incredibly long and uselessly detailed and almost incoherent and somewhat gushy review, which took me nearly 3 hours to write (and for which I may or may not have replayed a little bit of the stream just to get one bit of info right), and which will, again, probably embarrass me for the rest of my puny life, but which I could not not let out into the void of operablr.

(There were also moments earlier today where I was fantasizing about being interviewed on that very Zoom meeting for the scene-and-duet I composed back in January in response to the Met’s poor treatment of its musicians)

I guess what I can take from this post is: never write a review again, Raya!

#sorry everyone!!!#raya writes a review #concert review #opera concert review #angela gheorghiu #(whom i have excessively gushed over)#(but seriously you should count the number of times i have written 'gheorghiu' in this one post!)#(i haven't bc it's late)#met orchestra musicians #song to the moon #song to the moon concert #dealing with part of a current hyperfixation

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dorizardthewizard · 4 years

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TLNM musings, part 1

Okayy here it is!

I enjoyed the movie and am grateful for a bigscreen adaptation, but it still has its flaws and to this day I lament what it could have been. First, some thoughts on parts of the movie!

Live action scene:

The live action sequences were nice but I can see why they didn't work for the movie. Idk they just don't seem to fit? The ancient legend vibe isn't really continued and it still doesn't explain the natural elements in the movie like actual water; before we assumed it was a kid playing with his Lego in the garden but now it doesn't really make sense.

The ninja:

The opening was fun and I really liked the ninja's introductions and title cards! One kinda annoying thing was the animation reuse though I mean... it's a pretty big production to be doing that and most of the ninja don't do that much in the movie anyway so I'd want to appreciate every new shot of them I can get.

Cole probably says the least but he's grown on me, I love his new design and how they at least gave him a more unique personality being the really chill dude who loves music, it's pretty one-dimensional but in the show they don't even know what to do with his character anymore so it was a refreshing change.

Jay’s got all the nervous screaming from TV Jay but is also really adorable.

I like what they did with Zane by giving his “human” design a more android look, and his reactions to everything are just hilarious I still can't get over the little “gasp” :’D They could have done so much more with him though, but more on that later.

As for Kai, he's still a hothead but much more endearing and enthusiastic, it's nice that they tried to bring up the “big bro to Lloyd” part of him too.

I do love Nya's design and the samurai hint but she does look a lot like the other LEGO movie female characters. It's great that she's a badass motorcyclist (heeey we should have gotten some action with that!) but she's pretty much the token strong female character... all the reporter had to say about her was that she was a girl and sure, Nya countered that but I feel like it's unnecessary- having her as a part of the team without having to address the fact she's a girl is enough. In all fairness though, it's tricky to make her less token when none of the ninja except Lloyd get any development anyway.

(Looking back on this review I’ve realised how the movie versions’ personalities have merged into the TV show now, hm. Not sure how I feel about that).

Lloyd and family:

Lloyd's mech was amazing, the shots where Garm's mech grabs the dragon by the neck and when it got thrown off the building had me shook. As for Lloyd himself, I kinda like what they did with his character. As much as I am salty about him taking the spotlight (he even took Jay/ Nya's mechanic role and builds the mechs himself ;; ), I like that we got to see some more emotional struggle with him. TV Lloyd's character and actions always revolved around some external destiny or responsibility forced on him that he just kinda accepted- idk since the earlier seasons it felt like he hadn’t developed much other than feeling a little lost after the loss of his father, and some overdue insecurity about leadership in HoT. He did get some emotional stuff in season 8 but that was after the movie. Movie Lloyd though was more emotional and had to learn from his mistakes, which I personally just found more interesting.

The fact he has no powers is an example of this, because his character and place in the team isn't progressed just by “leveling up” and gaining a new power, it's done through exploring his role in the team and his family, i.e. his own personal actions. I really liked his relationship with Koko and prefer it to Misako; honestly, the scene where she had his birthday cake all ready but he went off to bed broke my heart. As for Garmadon, I miss the TV dynamic but the movie had an interesting take on their relationship that set up for a very emotional journey of reconciliation. I say set up because the delivery is... much more iffy.

Wu was pretty cool too, I like how they made him more wise-cracking and blunt, kinda miss that now that TV Wu is just “*angsty sigh* There’s something I haven’t told you”. It made the movie more self-aware and even poked some fun at the old wise man trope. “He deciphered your needlessly cryptic metaphors” nICE KILL ZANE! Also the choreography of Wu and Garmadon's fight was super cool and creative, wish we had more hand-to-hand combat like the deleted scene with Lloyd and the baby. Come to think of it, they didn't even have their weapons? Like only once did we see Lloyd swinging a sword during the introduction, and even those little shots of the ninja getting their weapons ready in the trailers weren't in the movie????

The ninja's elements and unlocking them:

At least we got some cool elemental powers action, the scene in the temple of fragile foundations was probably the most climactic part and I really enjoyed it- the soundtrack was astounding and seeing Lloyd piecing everything together and fulfilling his role or “power” of pulling the team together was nice. Plus there was a cute little Jaya moment and I liked that Jay unlocked his power first, like how he was the first to learn spinjitsu in the show :3

The whole resolution was lame though, Sensei Wu already told them they have the power inside them and even gave them a physical example of how you can use the elements without weapons, but the ninja are only able to do it once Lloyd tells them the exact same thing? It just ended up being a cheesy "believe in yourself and you'll do it" situation and the whole thing where everyone yells "I've got the power!" made it worse... although the animation and action was fun to watch then, and I laughed at Kai messing it up- classic.

Another thing about the elements though is that for anyone not familiar with Ninjago, they seem kind of... random? Sure in the show the whole backstory to how they have elements wasn't explained until later seasons but there was more buildup to it. Here, Wu just suddenly informs a few high school students that they have super powers, and they all just kind of accept it like “Oh wow really? That's so cool I wanna do that!” without questioning it? In the show we get the “origin story” of the ninja and see how Wu chooses each of them because they have something special inside them, then you start to see it when they learn spinjitsu and unlock their true potential, and regaining their elements felt like the natural next step. In the movie it seems more out of the blue, and granted it doesn't have the run time to create the same buildup as the series, but there could have still been a little more history or explanation to the elements to make up for that.

The finale:

And the elements weren't even important at the end of the movie! They were useful for a bit when the ninja were getting past the shark army generals but that was it... and again for someone who hasn't seen the show, seeing all this stuff about elements in promotional material and the start of the movie, only for them to be pretty unnecessary in the story overall, would seem odd. Sure, they had a role in emphasising Lloyd's role as a leader as he helped everyone unlock them, but this could have been done in other ways without needing something as specific as elemental superpowers. That being said, I loved the animation in that sequence, it's amazing how they can make LEGOs move so fluidly...

About Meowthra, I guess I don't mind the idea too much, I mean it's so silly compared to the show but it fits the LEGO movie universe. Only problem is it doesn't really make sense considering the story is being told, not actively being played by a kid with his LEGO city and cat jumping in to mess things up? It's cool that they subverted our expectations from the trailers though, everyone thought Meowthra would appear nearer the end of the movie and would be the final boss Lloyd and Garmadon team up to defeat, but she didn't actually have that big of a role. I think it was really fitting how instead of fighting her, Lloyd saw himself in her (as ridiculous as that sounds XD) and slowly transitioned from talking to Meowthra to expressing his emotions to Garmadon. It was a really touching scene and the voice actors just freaking nailed it, and it was so good to see Lloyd acknowledging his mother and how much she means to him too, bringing the family together, as is his power. As I said before I liked the revelation about his “power” and how the ultimate ultimate weapon actually hinted towards it I mean... inner pieces being linked together... it's all one big pun. I can see why people were disappointed with the ending though, and I guess I was also left with the feeling that there should have been more action and intensity just before the emotional finale. Sooo yeah, overall it's one of those films I know isn't amazing objectively, but was good fun. Despite this, the critical reception shows the movie isn't perfect, and I’ve got some bones to pick with it myself. But that’s for part 2 :'P

#ninjago #lego ninjago movie #wow i forgot how long this was #feel free to add or discuss anything!#my posts #ninjago movie

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tardigraded20 · 4 years

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Witchy Questions

1. Are you solitary or in a coven? -solitary, you think i have time for humans? 2. Do you consider yourself Wiccan, Pagan, witch, or other? -Idk someone who said fuck other religions and said revive the old gods 3. What is your zodiac sign? -Gemini 4. Do you have a Patron God/dess? -I don’t, but I am open to it 5. Do you work with a Pantheon? -No, but I am looking into the norse pantheon 6. Do you use tarot, palmistry, or any other kind of divination? -tarot and rune stones 7. What are some of your favorite herbs to use in your practice? (if any) -bergamont and I use incense 8. How would you define your craft? -idk i diy religion 9. Do you curse? If not, do you accept others who do? -No, i haven't tried but I would if i was motivated for it 10. How long have you been practicing? -5 years? I guess? I don’t count 11. Do you currently or have you ever had any familiars? -lmao i wish 12. Do you believe in Karma or Reincarnation? -Karma yes, I am not sure about reincarnation 13. Do you have a magical name? -how do you find that? 14. Are you “out of the broom closet”? -Yeah, but im not sure how much my dad thinks im serious 15. What was the last spell you performed? -A positivity jar 16. Would you consider yourself knowledgeable? -about mythology yes but actual witchcraft? Kinda. 17. Do you write your own spells? -im not that original lol 18. Do you have a book of shadows? If so, how is it written and/or set up? -I do but its kinda just a book i occasionally write in 19. Do you worship nature? -somewhat, but its not a focus 20. What is your favorite gemstone? -umbalite and labradorite 21. Do you use feathers, claws, fur, pelt, skeletons/bones, or any other animal body part for magical work? -feathers and naturally fell from a bird 22. Do you have an altar? -yes 23. What is your preferred element? -fire 24. Do you consider yourself an Alchemist? -no 25. Are you any other type of magical practitioner besides a witch? -idk 26. What got you interested in witchcraft? -lmao percy jackson 27. Have you ever performed a spell or ritual with the company of anyone who was not a witch? -no 28. Have you ever used Ouija? -Yup, at school in the hallway 29. Do you consider yourself a psychic? -pfft no 30. Do you have a spirit guide? If so, what is it? -no, but I am looking into it 31. What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started? -Not everything is black and white, you can do your own thing 32. Do you celebrate the Sabbats? If so which one is your favorite? -Yeah, although mildly. My favorite is Samhain 33. Would you ever teach witchcraft to your children? -yes but i would never force it on them 34. Do you meditate? -I try too but not often 35. What is your favorite season? -autumn 36. What is your favorite type of magick to preform? -Nature based magic 37. How do you incorporate your spirituality into your daily life? -Appreciate nature 38. What is your favorite witchy movie? -Kiki's Delivery Service 39. What is your favorite witchy book, both fiction and non-fiction. Why? -The Raven Boys because it is fucking amazing 40. What is the first spell you ever preformed? Successful or not. -some shitty rain spell from a childs book 41. What’s the craziest witchcraft-related thing that’s happened to you? -when i was in Senior Kindergarten I saw a “fairy” 42. What is your favorite type of candle to use? -beesewax 43. What is your favorite witchy tool? -candles 44. Do you or have you ever made your own witchy tools? -I use a rock to grind shit because i dont have a pestle and mortar 45. Have you ever worked with any magical creatures such as the fae or spirits? -I want to try working with fae but I need to learn more 46. Do you practice color magic? -yes, a bit 47. Do you or have you ever had a witchy teacher or mentor of any kind? -No, I think? I have older online witchy people I talk to but no mentor 48. What is your preferred way of shopping for witchcraft supplies? -In person, but somethings you can only get online 49. Do you believe in predestination or fate? -I guess? I think that life has a story that gives you options and a new story starts on what you choose, kinda like an RPG 50. What do you do to reconnect when you are feeling out of touch with your practice? -Read into it and appreciate it more 51. Have you ever had any supernatural experiences? -yes, at my grandmas funeral 52. What is your biggest witchy pet peeve? -”I CAn PrAcTiCe CLoSEd ReligIoNs If i aM rEsPeCtFul” 53. Do you like incense? If so what’s your favorite scent? -bergamont 54. Do you keep a dream journal of any kind? -no but I should 55. What has been your biggest witchcraft disaster? -spilling wax on myself 56. What has been your biggest witchcraft success? -not burning the house down 57. What in your practice do you do that you may feel silly or embarrassed about? -chanting shit in my room 58. Do you believe that you can be an atheist, Christian, Muslim or some other faith and still be a witch too? -yup 59. Do you ever feel insecure, unsure or even scared of spell work? -of course, its dealing with things that dont have 100% safety measures 60. Do you ever hold yourself to a standard in your witchcraft that you feel you may never obtain? -lmao I one day want to be a teacher but I never feel knowledgeable enough for that 61. What is something witch related that you want right now? -my own pestle and mortar 62. What is your rune of choice? - Hagalaz 63. What is your tarot card of choice? -the empress 64. Do you use essential oils? If so what is your favorite? -Lemongrass 65. Have you ever taken any kind of witchcraft or pagan courses? -no 66. Do you wear pagan jewelry in public? -Yup, I have a cheap ass pentagram necklace 67. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your faith or being a witch? 68. Do you read or subscribe to any pagan magazines? -no because I am poor and where would I find one? 69. Do you think it’s important to know the history of paganism and witchcraft? -yes 70. What are your favorite things about being a witch? -those scared looks that karens give you, even though you are eating cupcakes and smiling 71. What are your least favorite things about being a witch? -the amount of people who keep on trying to make you christian 72. Do you listen to any pagan music? If so who is your favorite singer/band? -heatherdale 73. Do you celebrate the sabbats? If so, how? -yes, by lighting candles and making tea 74. Do you ever work skyclad? -I want to be but nooo 75. Do you think witchcraft has improved your life? If so, how? -makes me happier 76. Where do you draw inspiration from for your practice? -other witches and what makes me happy 77. Do you believe in ‘fantasy’ creatures? (Unicorns, fairies, elves, gnomes, ghosts, etc) -The fae yes, but like celtic like ones 78. What’s your favorite sigil/symbol? -I have none 79. Do you use blood magick in your practice? Why or why not? -No, because I am not ready for it 80. Could you ever be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t support your practice? -Hahahaha no, if you dont respect my religion I dont have time for you 81. In what area or subject would you most like your craft to grow? -meditation and divination 82. What’s your favorite candle scent? Do you use it in your practice? -beesewax 83. Do you have a pre-ritual ritual? (I.e. Something you do before rituals to prepare yourself for them). If so what is it? -have a bath 84. What real life witch most inspires your practice? @spellchased 85. What is your favorite method of communicating with deity? -meditation and a yes-no pendulum 86. How do you like to organize all your witchy items and ingredients? -in jars and by aesthetics 87. Do you have any witches in your family that you know of? -my mom is interested in druidry but doesn't call herself one 88. How have you created your path? What is unique about it? -I dont know? I just did what felt right. 89. Do you feel you have any natural gifts or affinities (premonitions, hearing spirits, etc.) that led you toward the craft? If so what are they? -No 90. Do you believe you can initiate yourself or do you have to be initiated by another witch or coven? -with closed practices you need to be initiated, but with open religions thats not the case 91. When you first started out in your path what was the first thing or things you bought? -incense tray and incense 92. What is the most spiritual or magickal place you’ve been? -The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul 93. What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who is searching for their matron and patron deities? -Read. Just read a lot. 94. What techniques do you use to 'get in the zone’ for meditation? -Silence and deep breathing 95. Did visualization come easily to you or did you have to practice at it? -I need to practice it 96. Do you prefer day or night? Why? -night because i dont sleep 97. What do you think is the best time and place to do spell work? -My best time is the full moon at midnight 98. How did you feel when you cast your first circle? Did you stumble or did it go smoothly? -It was okay, nothing special 99. Do you believe witchcraft gets easier with time and practice? -old practices become easy, but you learn more complicated things 100. Do you believe in many gods or one God with many faces? 101. Do you eat meat, eggs and dairy? -I eat cheese, eggs and fish 102. What is your favorite color and why? -purple, blue and yellow because its pretty 103. What is the one question you get asked most by non-practitioners or non-pagans? How do you usually respond? -why dont you respect Jesus? Because he did nothing for me Susan. 104. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? -sight 105. What is a pagan or witchcraft rule that you preach but don’t practice? -Karma, I keep on doing shitty things

@prettyalice13

#witchcraft #questions #pagan #paganism #wicca #105 questions #answers #religon #spiritual

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jul-iet · 4 years

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weird asks that say a lot

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? Coffee mugs

2. chocolate bars or lollipops? Chocolate bars

3. bubblegum or cotton candy? Bubblegum. Cinnamon

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you? Performative, joyful, clever? Haha

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? From soda cans

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? ...

7. earbuds or headphones? Earbuddies

8. movies or tv shows? TV shows

9. favourite smell in the summer? All of it! Seaweed, wind from the ocean, rain on hot ground, thick air

10. game you were best at in p.e.? Most. Running maybe? I enjoyed soccer, basketball

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day? Croissants on the best of days, otherwise— some kind of toast maybe paired with fruit

12. name of your favourite playlist? Nice to revisit ones named after places I went

13. lanyard or key ring? Key ring

14. favourite non-chocolate candy? Sour ones

15. favourite book you read as a school assignment? Catcher and the Rye maybe, at the time? Or Lord of the Flies. I really liked studying Shakespeare

16. most comfortable position to sit in? Criss cross or w my knees tucked up to my chest

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes? White sneakers

18. ideal weather? Sunny

19. sleeping position? Usually on my left side, sometimes on my back in a crescent shape

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? Journal

21. obsession from childhood? Fictional relationships in my teens, the movie Spirit in my early childhood

22. role model? A well adjusted person with creative life and intellectual exertions

23. strange habits? A bunch I’m sure

24. favourite crystal? Don’t know that I do

25. first song you remember hearing? Apart from movie soundtracks, it’s Tiny Dancer whilst driving south through a desert

26. favourite activity to do in warm weather? Swim

27. favourite activity to do in cold weather? Get warm? Maybe read

28. five songs to describe you? Girl from the North Country, Wildflowers, People I’ve Been Sad, Shrike, Come Back to Camden

29. best way to bond with you? Be kind and interested in things

30. places that you find sacred?

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? Tank top wide legs pants and sneakers

32. top five favourite vines?

33. most used phrase in your phone? Probably “haha” :P

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head? NB shoes may b

35. average time you fall asleep? Between one and two, but I’m trying to remedy that

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing? Couldn’t recall

37. suitcase or duffel bag? Suitcase

38. lemonade or tea? Tea if I had to choose, but I love lemonade (could make lemon tea and cool…)

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? Lemon cake

40. weirdest thing to ever happen to you at your school? Maybe the fire alarm fiasco

41. last person you texted? Group of 2

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets? Jacket pockets

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? Cardi

44. favourite scent for soap? Mmm lots

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? Fantasy, maybe? None, really

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in? Shirt knick

47. favourite type of cheese? Brie

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be? A rasp I think? Or a tomato

49. what saying or quote do you live by? This one rings true to my daily thoughts. By Cheryl Strayed: "You go on by doing the best you can. You go on by being generous. You go on by being true. You go on by offering comfort to others who can't go on. You go on by allowing the unbearable days to pass and allowing the pleasure in other days. You go on by finding a channel for your love and another for your rage."

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have? Probably shenanigans w my sister

51. current stresses? Circumstance, school, direction, reflection

52. favorite font? TNR!!!

53. what is the current state of your hands? Fabü

54. what did you learn from your first job? How to make coffee and to serve strangers

55. favourite fairy tale? Don’t know that I do. Is Dumbo a fairy tale? A Little Life is part fairy tale according to Hanya

56. favourite tradition? Cards

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? Lightly, quickly, vaguely: childhood, panic, listlessness

58. four talents you’re proud of having? Painting, writing, smarts, quick reflexes

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? IDK anime

61. favourite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? Recently, from A Little Life:

"“I’m going”, he tells Jude, but then he doesn’t move. A dragonfly, as shiny as a scarab, hums above them. “I’m going”, he repeats, but he still doesn’t move, and it is only the third time he says it that he’s finally able to stand up from the lounge chair, drunk on the hot air, and shove his feet back into his loafers. “Limes”, says Jude, looking up at him and shielding his eyes against the sun. “Right”, he says, and bends down, takes Jude’s sunglasses off him, kisses him on his eyelids, and replaces his glasses. Summer, JB has always said, is Jude’s season: his skin darkens and his hair lightens to almost the same shade, making his eyes turn an unnatural green, and Willem has to keep himself from touching him too much.”

62. seven characters you relate to? I feel that I’m more able to understand than relate to characters, but… the way Patti Smith expresses herself in her biographical books, Little Creek, Willem for how he deals with other peoples’ pain… I think I don’t encounter enough characters for this

63. five songs that would play in your club? Waterloo, Right Down the Line, Nobody’s Diary, Cringe, Take Your Mama

64. favourite website from your childhood? Haha freearcade for wiz 3 maybe

65. any permanent scars? From trips falls cooking singes

66. favourite flower(s)? Wild! No one particularly

67. good luck charms? I feel like my rings are good luck. I’ve had good luck symbols that have come and gone in time

68. worst flavour of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? I think root beer is rank

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? I know there’s a bunch but they come up by chance not choice

70. left or right handed? Right

71. least favourite pattern? Houndstooth?

72. worst subject? Maybe physics

73. favourite weird flavour combo? Idk if I have a favourite… dipped digestives in tatziki recently and it wasn’t bad

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? 7 maybe

75. when did you lose your first tooth? In kindergarten

76. what’s your favourite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? Salt and vinegar chips

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill? I’d say herbs for cooking… thyme, basil, rosemary, mint

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Gas station coffee

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? School ID

80. earth tones or jewel tones? Earthy

81. fireflies or lightning bugs? Fireflies

82. pc or console? Beyond me

83. writing or drawing? Writing usually

84. podcasts or talk radio? Pods

84. barbie or polly pocket? Neither

85. fairy tales or mythology? Mythology?

86. cookies or cupcakes? Cookies

87. your greatest fear? Balding unfulfilled potential infection insanity

88. your greatest wish? Romantic love

89. who would you put before everyone else?

90. luckiest mistake? I feel like the way certain trips fell together was lucky

91. boxes or bags? Bags

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? Sunlight

93. nicknames? Jet yetti jules julio

94. favourite season? Summer

95. favourite app on your phone? Spotify, duolingo, YT… soft spot for all my old travel apps

96. desktop background? Lake water

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized? I think around 5

98. favourite historical era? Don’t have one

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zefforuins · 4 years

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Tagged by @leffjynne thanks! :)

Rules: Answer 10 questions, tag 10 people, and create another 10 questions

1. How do you feel about sweaters? They’re good and soft! Very comfortable but usually they don’t have pockets which isn’t ideal.

2. What's a movie you find yourself watching often? I’ve watched Captain America: The Winter Solider probably too many times khhfdss

3. What's your favourite image on your phone and why? It’s either one of my cast photos from the shows we’ve done at school or this very cursed photo of my friend that I edited to look even more cursed

4. List the top 3 songs you never get tired of.

1. The (Shipped) Gold Standard by Fall our Boy (it’s been my fav FOB song for a while now I really love it)

2. Cards from American Psycho the musical (I’ve listened to that song so many times now & I swear every time I listen I re-fall in love w it)

3.Mr. Brightside by the Killers cause who doesn’t love that absolute banger

5. Are you a generally clean person? Yeah? I think so? I’m not like the cleanest ever but I’m kinda a clean person

6. Biggest pet peeve? Oof idk...maybe people who walk really slow in front of you or something?

7. When was the last time you hung out with a friend? Like forever 😔, it’s been probably 3 or 4 months

8. Have you ever had a pet that wasn't a cat or dog? If so, what was it? We’ve had a few fish over the years!

9. Using a common object, how would you describe your favourite colour? (i.e. the blue of your baby blanket or the white of your mom's flowers) Purple violets or the color of this text :)

10. When it comes to shading in a drawing, do you like the look of stippling, hatching, or cross hatching more? I appreciate stippling cause that takes forever but I like cross hatching

Questions: 1. Name the first song that comes to your head. 2. What’s your least favorite color and why? 3. What was your favorite game as a young child? 4. Pencil or pen? 5. It is 2012, you now must make the decision. Are you a Hipster blog? Or a fandom blog? 6. Did you get into the Dystopian Novel trend, and if you did which was your favorite? 7. If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, which would you choose? 8. What’s your favorite thing in the room you are currently in? 9. Sun or moon? 10. Aesthetically, which decade do you vibe with the most?

Tagging: @princessmuk @noiwascrying @icantthinkofamajesticusername @amplespace and anyone who likes the questions khjjgfffd

#:) hehe thanks #this was fun!#my post

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haku-kirin · 4 years

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My bf's mother wants to try and make us separate, because I hurt her pride. It is really pissing me off and I don't know where I should put these feelings. A week ago she promised that she loves me as family and the moment, I get into an argument with one of her friends (who stole three Boyfriends from her within 40 years of friendship), all of this 'we are family'-bull is dropped by her. What is the best course of action for the MIL? Cursing her or sweetening her up? The friend I already cursed

This is where one's ethics and morals come into play. It's something I valued already long before I began cursing (it was also ingrained in me and I was taught to have them from Buer, Odin, King Paimon, and others those are just the few I can list currently), it was also bought up by another well known black magickian; V.K. Jehannum. He reinforced the things I learned before I even knew others had like.. The same mentality(?) in regards to drawing a line and when you don't curse over cursing. I really respect V.K. for that.

When we get into cursing, we need to know who needs to be cursed and what one needs to do to be cursed.

Due to my ethics and morals, specifically regarding mother figures or parental figures and people in general, I would choose to do neither. This is because in a situation like that - I will walk away. Why? Because when i look beyond the mother, I see the damage the curse can do to others because of the ties she has.

Curses have a possibility of spreading to others who are in the same family as the poor sap who's being effected. (This I also learned from V.K. he's actually a destroyer so he specializes in cursing) now I go on to say:

When you curse this mother there is the chance it will end up reaching and harming your boyfriend, maybe something traumatic will happen to his mother and it fucks him up emotional/mentally. Who knows. Due to my code of morals/ethics I refuse to curse the mother, therefore I will say for you not to as well. But if you feel she deserves it and she checks off everything on your list for a good reason to get a good ol black cursing, do it.

I will not sweeten her up either simply because I hate fake people and I won't feel as if I gained any justice from just... Making her like me. Idk. I'm weird okay and it makes me uncomfortable lol but if you choose to sweeten her up I have written a simple spell, it is something I have not done yet but perhaps you can tell me how it goes. It's harmless anyways.

Make a voodoo doll of the mother(I have a video I made to guide you in making a homemade, beginner doll, I'll reblog it for you)

Get honey

Get ginger

Get a bowl (a disposable one preferably)

Get the 10 of Cups Tarot card (you can print it out if you don't have a deck, if you don't have a printer, draw it)

Pour the honey in the bowl and pour in some ginger. You don't need a ton, just enough so you can soak the voodoo doll in.

Place her inside the bowl, put the 10 of Cups in front of you and the bowl. Close your eyes and begin to chant:

"May harmony come between us both

May harmony bloom for us and more

May our family unite together again

And leave behind hurts and pains

(Evoke whatever higher beings you believe in here that share associations with family i.e. Hestia)

Family we all are and strong we will be

Me and You (BF Mom's name)

Our bond is healed and our love is real

(Say all you need to the hearth being you evoked and give them thanks, ask for their blessings)

My will is true and my might is real

My power is true and with my words

Let it be done."

Say the chant as many times as you see fit.

Alternatively, add in a mother deity like Hera, Lilith, the Empress tarot, Frigg, anyone you associate with motherhood.

Now we need to leave the bowl with her somewhere our animal friends can't reach.

Let her stay in the bowl for a month - after a one week begin to really pay attention to any noticeable behaviour changes directed towards you and how she treats her family.

I say one week so it can take effect, you're at the stage where you're not seeing what you hope to see - things are really happening at that period and will then on.

You can leave her in the bowl for as long as you like, the longer she stays, the stronger the spell, the more it has a hold on her.

If you're done with sweetening her up and had enough take the doll out (if you can at that point)

Good luck! ✨

#sweeten up! spell #love spell #family harmony spell #harmony spell #answered ask #ethics and morals

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joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh · 4 years

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Cardcaptor Sakura episode 44 was great! With the knowledge that episode 46 is the final episode of the second season (and I’ll be watching 45 and 46 today anyway bc I’m behind again) we’re actually getting into something that feels close to a proper finale, which the first season didn’t really do and that was still fine, but hey this is looking great too. So we’ve got cute slice of life in the form of Sakura, Tomoyo and Syaoran watching Yukito’s archery tournament, Mizuki also being there to participate and Touya working some jobs as well just so he’s in there, and that’s all balanced with a more serious than usual Kero-chan looking kinda cautious about all this power he’s feeling, and actually talking to Mizuki about it. He calls Mizuki “nee-chan” and I don’t know if that means she’s not really human and is a creation of Clow Reed in some way, maybe even a descendant which would make her I guess related to Kero-chan the creation (I actually just realised that technically makes Kero-chan related to Syaoran, since Kero’s a creation of Clow Reed and the Li family descend from him as well) or maybe they have a more business relationship and aren’t related but like, something idk. Kero-chan also talks about Yue a little bit, who he’s namedropped before but here we learn it’s Chinese for “moon” and that Yue is the other guardian of Clow Cards created to serve opposite Kero-chan? I don’t know what that means, I mean Yue’s a guardian of the Clow Cards, but serve opposite Kero-chan I’m not sure about, like does that mean he literally serves someone opposite from Kero-chan i.e. the pair are rivals or opponents? Or like do they both serve the one person? Who knows. All that matters is that Kero-chan feels the power of the moon and that’s related to Yue and we’re getting an epic finale, and that’s pretty epic. Preview actually tells us that Sakura’s getting the final Clow Card next episode, or encountering it anyway, and suddenly I’m really curious about what the 3rd season’ll be like with no more Clow Cards to collect. Only way to find out is to keep watching. So let’s do that.

Naturally, episode 45 is next, which is another great one. Sakura was able to seal the Earthy card with relative easy, and in doing so, every Clow Card has now been collected. And because Earthy and Firey are now both here, Kero-chan gets to return to his real form! Yeah “Beast of the Seal” is an apt title, dude’s like this fucking winged lion with badass armour and shit, I love it, and someone that’s not Aya Hisakawa voices him, though still with the Kansai dialect. That’s great. Interestingly, the first thing he does in entering this form is apologise to Sakura, saying how he could have been more helpful had he arrived to this form sooner. For someone who talks himself up so much it’s interesting that he had this insecurity at all, but I think this is a pretty good time to reveal it, you know keep things climactic. Also makes you wonder just how powerful this form is, but we’ll leave that for another day. Sakura of course, immediately comforts him, saying how his advice is the only reason she’s been able to capture any Clow Cards, and god what a sweet girl, the dynamic between these two specifically is like my favourite magical girl and talking animal partner pair I can think of. And following that we get to learn who Yue is and what the Final Judgement is all about. So, Yue is Yukito. Or rather, he’s been masquerading as Yukito for some undisclosed amount of time, totally hiding his powers so he wouldn’t be detected. Now totally hiding his powers could suggest that he like, actually possessed Yukito or something and repressed the knowledge of the real Yue form? I have no idea. Cause when he turns into Yue it’s not like Yukito is left behind, so I mean, I don’t really know. There’s also the fact that, and I probably should’ve drawn the connection sooner, but Yukito’s surname is Tsukishiro - white moon. We’ll see what all of this means, particularly for Yukito, because I fuckin love that dude and I don’t want him to not be in the show anymore. As for the Final Judgement, in order to be accepted as the I guess sole owner of the Clow Cards, one has to fight Yue with all of their Clow Cards, which Syaoran does first and fails (he’s not killed or anything though, but he does have his cards taken) and then Sakura is about to do next episode. So now we’ve got more to speculate, like is the disaster that befalls the world something that literally effects the world as a whole when someone fails to pass the Final Judgement? Kero-chan said it’s not something like the world blowing up but like, if you fail do the cards just fuck off somewhere else for a bit? Does “the world” even mean the world here? And then there’s the fact that Kero-chan believes Sakura will be able to do something about Yue, which to me means that he expects her to do something more than just win. Yue’s not really evil or anything but maybe that means some sort of redemption type thing? God I, I really don’t know. All I can say for sure is that hey I liked this episode a lot and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this all goes so I’mma watch the next one right now!

And yeah I just watched episode 46 and it was great! Real brilliant ending to this second season. First of all I was right that Yukito didn’t know about Yue, dude ties his connection to the host or something, however, as the end of the episode reveals, Touya knew about Yukito, kinda. We know him to be able to recognise spirits and ghosts and general inhuman shit, so actually, he’s known this whole time that Yukito’s like, not strictly human. And also now more than ever he knows all about Kero-chan and the card capturing and Sakura being a magical girl and all that other stuff, though they don’t know that he knows, only Mizuki does. That’s all pretty cool I’ll say. Anyway we learn that the tragedy that’ll befall the world is that everyone will lose their feelings of love towards the person they care about most, and yeah that is a fucking tragedy, this is a magical girl show! We absolutely cannot have that! And when Sakura, who refuses to hurt Yue because yeah, gets like entangled in Yue’s reversed vines from the Woody card, she gets to see what that world would be like, and it sucks. The entire sequence of this world is just, it’s off. Everything’s normal in some way but like, Tomoyo isn’t super eager to see Sakura, that one couple in the class of Chiharu and the liar dude, they’re not really friends, girl with a crush on teacher doesn’t have a crush on teacher, Yukito’s not on the way to school, Sakura’s dad doesn’t have a photo of Nadeshiko on the table. It’s all, like it’s the same world and no physical tragedies have occurred or anything but it just feels so wrong, the whimsy cuteness of the world isn’t like, there in the same force it usually is. And Sakura, realising the utter bullshittiness of this outcome, like breaks free from the vine cage, with a little help from those bells Mizuki has because Clow Reed himself wanted to give the Masters one last chance (makes me wonder what happens if you beat Yue legit) and then her wand fuckin transforms and she persuades Yue that hey that world would suck and Yue should understand because he loved Clow Reed. I think that’s a really great ending for this little arc to have, like I’ve said “epic finale” a couple of times in this post, but Cardcaptor Sakura really doesn’t need something like that, I think this sort of thing works way better as a way to give a story a climax, like the stakes can be high, but not in a destructive way, and we don’t need a giant explosive battle, maybe just have our magical girl get a new staff. Which Sakura does by the way, or rather, the current wand transforms into this one that’s got like, a cool star in it. And after Final Judgement’s complete, Sakura gets to talk to like, the ghost of Clow Reed, who tells her that it’s a wand she created with her own power, the power of her own Stars (haha hence the star) and not the Sun nor the Moon. That’s great, that’s really really sweet. Our girl really is a star after all. Just a fuckin, brilliant finale all around. Also once that’s all happened, Kero-chan tells Yue they should return to their disguised forms for a little longer, and they do, so like I wonder if Yukito in season 3 will know about the Yue stuff because it’s not really made clear if he does from now, we’ll see though. Also it’s not clear if Syaoran’s cards that Yue took went back to him or if Sakura’s got them all now. All questions for the next season.

So that’s season 2, once again not a separate MAL entry from the product as a whole so no score, but it was damn good. Felt really short, and I mean I guess it was 11 episodes, plus I think I watched like 4 of them in one day and these 3 today, so like I covered this in less sessions than usual, but still. I don’t mind though, I think the pacing was still really nice. And then aside from that it’s really just, more Cardcaptor Sakura fun, but with a final boss that’s a bit more like what you’d expect from a magical girl show, cause you know this is a slice of life as well as a mahou shoujo. Fuckin, can’t wait to watch season 3. Well actually I can and will, I’ll see it tomorrow, but you know.

#cardcaptor sakura #16.12.19

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surveysonfleek · 5 years

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1485.

On Saturdays, I like to… hang out with my dad then go out at night.

Where would you like to be a missionary to? probably the philippines.

What’s better — toilet paper rolled over top or underneath? over the top.

Which Scooby-Doo character are you most like (Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Fred, Velma, the monster, Scrappy?) velma haha.

If you had to endure one natural disaster (i.e. hurricane, tornado, etc), what would you pick and why? a hurricane i think. they’re bad but i think i’d still be safer than withstanding a bad earthquake or tornado.

What movie or TV show do you take guilty pleasure in watching? the bachelor.

If you had to describe your day as a traffic sign, what would it be? green.

What traditional stereotype would you classify yourself as? none. i never really fit into one.

What “group” did you belong to in high school? the group that was friends with everyone.

If you wrote a book about yourself…what would it be about? my life.

If your house were burning down, what would you take and why? my laptop and my perfumes.

Describe your favorite pair of PJ’s. all of mine are quite comfortable. loose tees and sweats.

How many handbags do you own? one main handbag then a couple of small clutches for going out.

If this were your last day alive, what would you say to your friends? i’d tell them i love them and share our best memories together.

What is your very favorite part of your day? going home from work.

What is your best scar? Tell the story of how you got it. best? haha i only have one main one, it’s on my left hand after i got bitten by my grandparents’ guard dog. i was only 2.

You win a million dollars, but you have to give half to a charity. Which charity do you pick, and what do you do with the rest of the money? not sure tbh. i would have to do a ton of research before i choose the right charity. with the rest i’d give some to my family, save, invest.

Describe your dream wedding where money is no option. i’m not super fussy but if there wasn’t a budget i’d go all out. i’d make sure there were a fireworks show specifically done for us too.

What kind of deodorant do you use? dove.

If you were a spy what would your alias be? no idea lol.

Do you have a birth mark? Where? Does it look like anything? yes, on the side of my waist. not really, it’s just a small line.

You are planning the most awesome dinner party of your life. Which 3 celebrities/historical figures (past or present) would you add to your guest list to keep the dinner talk interesting? beyonce, frida kahlo and kobe bryant lol.

What is your favorite sport, and which team of that sport do you cheer for? basketball. i’ve been a lakers fan since i was a kid. can’t say i love their team too much these days but i’ll always support them.

Which would you rather have a kiss or a hug? Why? hug.

If you could be a pair of jeans what style would you be? Why? black skinny jeans. idk i just prefer them over the others.

You have multiple personalities, describe some of them. i don’t.

What is the best thing you have done in your life? travel.

If you were blind for the rest of your life… what would you miss seeing the most? my family and friend’s faces. colour in general.

What household chore do you hate the most? vacuuming.

What is your most disappointing moment in life? losing friends in stupid ways.

When have you laughed the hardest? Cried? i always laugh at everything. not sure about the crying part.

If you had a “theme song” that played whenever you walk into a room full of people, what would it be? idk.

What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? face.

What time period from the past would you most have liked to live in and why? i’m happy to be born in the 90s and seeing how much the world has changed since then.

What is the best reward anyone can give you? loyalty.

If you had a band what would you name it? no idea.

Do you like fruit? Vegetables? both!

What can someone do to encourage you? just talk me through things.

If you could be one for just 24 hours, what cereal box cartoon character would you be? Why? toucan sam lol.

What was the best thing that happened to you this weekend? i went to an african restaurant for the first time. the food was so good!

What is your favorite animal? List three adjectives to explain your choice. panda. black, white, cute.

What is your favorite color? List three adjectives to explain your choice. turquoise. cool, bright, pretty.

It’s a very hot and muggy day. You desperately want something very cool and refreshing to quench your thirst and revitalize your body. What would you drink — either make your own or store-bought. ice cold water.

You discover that the person you’re head-over-heels interested in loves a good homemade & handmade dessert. What will you concoct when you have this person over? brownies.

What would you leave in your will for the person you care about the most? all my personal belongings.

What do you consider to the most valuable thing you own: when you were a child/teenager/now? my cabbage patch doll, phone and phone lol.

What’s the kindest act you have ever seen done? just people giving back. being selfless.

If you could have any job in the world, which one would you want? travel vlogger.

What are your best/worst subjects in school and what subjects would you want to learn now? best was visual arts and worst was maths. i’d learn history now tbh.

What are you most talented at? idk lol.

What is your worst nightmare today? today is overrrr.

How often do you clean between your toes? every time i shower.

What is your favorite way to waste time at work without getting caught? just sitting there pretending to do shit when i just travel plan.

If you could have had the starring role in one film already made, which movie would you pick? mean girls.

If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do? nothing haha.

If you could eliminate one thing you do each day in the bathroom so that you never had to do it again, what would it be? if it didn’t affect my health, pooping.

You were just given a yacht. What would you name it? sky.

If you could have been told one thing that you weren’t told when you were a teenager, what would you like to have heard? don’t get a credit card.

You’ve just been hired to a promotions position at Kellog Co. What would you put in a new breakfast cereal box as a gimmick? gold flakes.

Just like “Everybody Wang Chung tonight!”, what action would your name be if it were a verb? idk.

Name your favorite song. i have way too many.

#survey #surveys #quiz #bored #questions

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