#like... i spend my life seeking out fan art

[londonfoginacup]

I see you! Lighting up my likes and reblogs.

<3 your artwork. Who are some of your favourite artists here? I would love to look them up.

Take care and enjoy your day. w

Ohhhh I have put this off for so long because naming favourite artists feels like such a big responsibility!! But I will name some I've been especially fond of lately, at the very least! Here's a selection of just twenty amazing artists/creators that I've been admiring in just the last few weeks:

@90snoe 💖 @cherrrysthings 💖 @thetriangletattoo 💖 @369sec 💖@cerulou 💖 @wendersfive 💖 @specklelouis 💖 @bi-80-s 💖 @lebesyej 💖 @bluewinnerangel 💖 @moon-sun-thyme 💖 @harrysmaison 💖@evenasyoungastheyare 💖 @handgf 💖 @harryshandbag 💖 @pridesobright 💖 @swimmingleo 💖 @ladychlo 💖 @whatagreatproblemtohave 💖

And the thing is, is I could also easily draw up whole paragraphs of why I love each of these artists, but then I get very worried that I am going to make it look like I love some artists more than others, and then I get very stressed so I'm not going to do that, at least not this time around.

Also please know that I could easily name another thirty that I love at least. There are so many great artists in this fandom and my terrible short term memory gave me these names first! But my fanart, edit, manip, and fan comic tags are full of them! Also twitter is very very scary but my twitter is almost exclusively retweeted fanart. ALSO also everyone in my following tab on my instagram are or have been at some point 1D fanartists!

#hahhahahaa happy 28th! #what a coincidence i forgot it was the 28th #literally I could spend a week creating a list three hundred names long between tumblr twitter and instagram #like... i spend my life seeking out fan art #it's so beautiful and passionate and made with such joy #all of it #I could organize it by era #like rockitrocket and karukara #and then the australian squad #and the solo louies and harries #and the underappreciated instagram comics!! #GAH its all so good #and MANIPS there are such GOOD ONES #and edits are underappreciated of course but 100% some edits just hit RIGHT

[sixthwater]

Hello! Due to a change in my life I've become quite busy, but I'll try and get some pacs out every once in a while. Also working on a few projects (with and without people), so look out for that! I've wanted to do this one for some weeks now, but it's just short messages that your guides or angels wanted to deliver to you, pretty straight-forward haha.

(Left → Right / Pile 1 → Pile 4)

Decks Used: Trickster's Journey, Tarot Familiars, Arcana of Astrology, featuring Sea Melodies & Language of Flowers

Disclaimer | Pinned | Tip Jar | Paid Readings

Pile One

Cards: X of Cups, The Lovers, Trickster Rx, II of Wands, IV of Swords, Ace of Wands, Ascendant, Pallas Athena

I can’t ignore the song that popped up. It reminded me of fan-art that a friend made decades ago for hxh; it was for the chimera ant arc from Killua’s ‘perspective’ and how, despite how much pain each side was going through, he would stay by his side as long as he could.

This pull is hinting at you being in a position of looking at your life and the possibilities ahead of you, but not authentically. Resembles someone quadruple checking their path or getting someone to tell them what to do with their life. The message here is not ‘just go out and live your life’ — while that is inherently true, it’s more along the lines to have a breather and take it day by day. They want you to find yourself, and through finding yourself you will find your path. I don’t know why I keep wanting to bring in The Magician, but this pile has undercurrents of its energy as well. It’s not so much manifestation, but it’s not giving up on your dreams or your desires — they’re on pause until you can figure yourself out. I wanted to cry as soon as Shake It Out started playing, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a lot of pent up frustration here. There is a rebirth coming for you guys, the timeline is going to be different for all of you. However you cant be born anew if you aren’t being authentic. Some advice/help might come from friends and family, but it’s all about exploring externally and internally. You might have been searching for this for quite some time...and honestly no amount of astrology or pick a cards will give you a definite answer, but spending time with yourself and figuring out what brings you joy will give you the direction that you need. You might be annoyed hearing this, but don’t rush the process and enjoy the ride, Sure Fire Winners is your end result after this frustrating trip.

Songs: Figure 8 – Ellie Goulding, Twin Machines – DBMK, What We Life For – American Authors, Shake It Out – Florence + The Machine

Pile Two

Cards: Death, VII of Wands, Wheel, III of Coins, Queen of Cups, VII of Wands, Eros, Pallas Athena, Third House

Interesting set of cards. I’m also having difficult describing your energy. You’re not being stubborn or combative, but you feel like people aren’t giving you the time of day or listening to you, which causes you to be stubborn or a solitary individual which makes people believe you’re not co-operative — is the best way I can describe it. A little of it feels reminiscent of being a push-over, but that’s sprinkled in?

Regardless, good news is on the way, but you have to meet it halfway. This is a learning experience for you, whatever it might be (work or higher learning). It’s definitely one of those lessons that will keep repeating until you learn it, so pay attention when it pops up. You need to sort what topics or issues you legitimately care about and refuse to budge on, and what can be sacrificed. This is a key element when working with others, because it’s a quality that is often balanced when dealing with others. People seek you out because you bring something to the table for them, but if you’re going to be stubborn or not shine to the point that they can simply find anyone, then you lose out. That’s where your double Seven of Wands comes in. This could manifest in people either questioning why they’re working with you, commissioning you, or you not budging for what you want to keep within a project. This could also be you proving some people wrong? Either way, it’s a message to stand your ground and not be overwhelmed by those trying to knock you down. There’s also a high chance that there will be a nurturing mentor to help you through this or they will give you some advice that you’ll carry with you long after this. With the owl staring at me on the Queen of Cups I’m moved to think this’ll be a figure that comes in. I think they’ll probably remind you of third house themes which is to balance listening as much as you’re talking. Sometimes what you’re so frustrated by or trying to figure out will be answered before you even have to ask it. Or maybe someone has a good idea that you haven’t thought of and you should give it a shot before brushing it off. The main message here is collaboration and working with people, knowing when to stand up for things and to just let things go, and becoming a new person after this. The skeleton in Death is holding an old skull and even on the Seven of Wands it’s a little chick that just hatched; there’s a lot of beginnings after this uncomfortable period but you will learn a lot about yourself and possibly learn a lot of new skills! (From all the songs, maybe this is your first job?)

Songs: Something Good Can Work – Two Door Cinema Club, It’s Time – Imagine Dragons

Pile Three

Cards: X of Swords, Page of Swords Rx, X of Wheel Rx, Empress Rx, Queen of Wands Rx, VII of Wands Rx, The Sun Rx, Mars, Waning Gibbous Moon, Eighth House

It’s pretty obvious where you are right now, so I’m not going to get into it — I don’t believe you want me rehashing it either. You are being urged to rebuild your confidence little by little and push for what you want in your situation. I think a good portion of this though is sharing how you feel. Being comfortable with expressing your emotions or your darker issues with others instead of trying to hold onto all of this. It doesn’t feel like a shadow trait, more like bad news/a situation, but you need to lean on someone to help you. I’ve been re-watching Regular Show and this is similar to the episode where Skips was ignoring his stress killing him and everyone had to force him to deal with it and let them help. Usually I see The Sun reversed as shining too bright to the point of exhaustion or just being a little gloomy but it’s resembling The Star reversed, which worries me. You just need to take it slow and work on yourself, but absolutely you need to rely on others and don’t feel like you’re too much or you’re not meeting standards that society or you set for yourself. We all need breaks or we all get tired, it’s impossible to be in top shape all the time, so give yourself some time to get back up there. Yes, sitting in your sadness is not helpful, but you need to be able to go through it’s motions so you know what you’re purging in the first place. I’m going to pull some more clear advice/upbeat cards for you guys:

Reflect, Optimism, Azalea, Jonquil

Reflect: Peer into the endless ocean and see what peers back  Optimism: After each rainstorm, there will be clear skies  Azalea, Temperance: Find balance and be centered  Jonquil, Power: Take hold of what you know is yours

Songs: Fall to Pieces – Avril Lavigne, Love Die Young – Eric Nam, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Grip! – Every Little Thing

Pile Four

Cards: VI of Wands, Strength Rx, IV of Wands, VII of Cups Rx, King of Pentacles, The Hierophant, Solar Eclipse, Chiron, Leo

Experiencing impostor syndrome right now, or not wanting the spotlight on you despite...accomplishing something worth celebrating honestly. I’m weirdly taking strength quite literally, like feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders and being crushed by it. The imagery looks as such and its between two celebratory cards — or ones that can show being celebrated or being in high regards in immediate surroundings. I know you want to, but don’t run back to a ‘shell’ or what’s safe. Try and make new safe spaces or make a routine to soothe yourself, because you should embrace your wins and take pride in what you did. I don’t know what you guys did, but more opportunities are coming your way, so embrace the new and change. It might keep coming or it might just be some fun new experiences for this time in your life. Make sure to tread carefully and whatever you say yes to; you want to say yes to. Don’t just agree to whatever. There are signs of looking for a community or mentor to lean on or stick by, and it’s encouraged as well. There’s a mix of taking on this new energy because it’ll be good for you or your future (experiences or just in general), and grounding yourself because you’re in a flight reflex right now. This might be due to a past scar, because the wolves look as if they’re protecting something but ready to hurt me, and I love wolves as well as this card. Either way, you should be celebrating with everyone else the milestone you accomplished, being mindful of your next steps, being open to change, and I’m wishing you the best.

Songs: When the Levee Breaks – A Perfect Circle, Raging (ft. Kodaline) – Kygo, Have Faith In Me – A Day To Remember

#pick a pile #pick a card reading #pac #tarot #tarot reading #tarotblr #mysticalcreations

[jamiesfootball]

Please tell us more about your original works!!

Honest to God, I was thinking of your stories earlier today and thought how lucky we are you spend any time writing fan fiction (and for the show that is my hyper fixation! How did I get this lucky?) because you’re so fucking talented you should writing real books.

you are always far far nicer to me than i deserve and I LOVE IT! (I LOVE YOU!!)

The wonderful thing about fanfiction is that writing for Ted Lasso has full-on cured my years-long writing slump. And I am looking at all of these book ideas, some of which have been kicking around in my brain for going on 10 years, and i'm like....yeah, yeah. I am going to work on those :D

So these are the ones I'm working on. They are in various states of progress.

My Babies! If any of these are getting finished first, it will be one of these three!

Barnacle - the placeholder name for my DETECTIVE STORY. A woman who has recently left a troubled marriage, our main character is a shell of the person she used to be. Wanting to put as much distance between her and the California life she left behind, she's rented a cabin in the middle of a small tourist town in the northern cold. When a man in the neighboring cabin is murdered during the night, she finds her mind stirred to action as the pieces of herself that she thought lost slowly come back to her. (And then she becomes a private investigator because I love detective stories and she solves crimes and makes friends and this is just the first one and I'm like. super excited about it.)

A Robot Named Future - this one is my long-brewing wip. It's about an AI robot from the not-to-distant future that gets rebooted ('wakes up') in a junkyard the very far distant future. Lots of scifi tropes, lots about the erosion of history and humans always being humans, and of course, food. Like a lot about food in this one.

Chasing Whispers in the Canyon (Western (sort of)) - Injured and AWOL military soldier Joanna is on the brink of death in the middle of the desert when she is saved by a tall, pale stranger. Her and the stranger -- an offputting, odd woman who's absolutely lethal with a pistol - hunker down together in a small town that seems on the verge of its own small war. When trouble comes for Joanna, the stranger risks drawing the attention of her own complicated past to save the woman who is possibly her only friend. (yes, the placeholder title is a song title. One song spurred all of this. I regret nothing)

The ones I'll get to one day!

Boots and Babes on the Boardwalk - I don't know why I titled it this way other than the alliteration (needs a new title). This one is about a partially closeted, mentally ill, middle aged gay man who's running his conservaative family's shady business. He just fell head over heels about another man, and that's serving as an impetus for him to actually look at his life. On temporary hiatus because the plot is a little wobbly

The Lens - Guy who recently went blind and had to drop out of an art program accompanies his still-seeing friend to a museum exhibit. Due to the awkward tension their circumstances have put between them, neither notices when his friend proceeds to lose the camera equipment he'd checked out from campus. With the museum closing in an hour and his friend's final grades on the line, these two piece together where in the museum his friend lost his camera. (this one is more like a novella or a long short story)

The Hoard - One night. One party. Five thieves. One pile of dragon treasure. (Think leverage but the treasure they are stealing belongs to a corrupt government via dragons).

Hawaiian Shirts and Bruised Eyes - A butch, lesbian stuntwoman who broke her arm on a motorcycle meets a nurse at the hospital who may just be the love of her life. The love of her life may also be a serial killer. It's hard to say.

The Frog Witch - vengeful disgraced witch lady seeks revenge against the people who wronged her with the help of a prince who has been cast out from his people. References to Euripedes' Medea.

#ask box is always open #THANK YOU FOR ASKING #original works

[kabillieu]

Buckle in because this is an insane and meandering mini essay about my feelings of confusion regarding tswift. Cut for courtesy.

I have spent an outsized amount of time thinking about Taylor Swift over the past several weeks. First, the success of her Eras tour caught me off guard. While I understand she's a giant pop star, I had still underestimated how massive her pull and popular appeal is. Then I read a couple of really good essays about her appeal, especially as it regards to girls and girlhood, and the way she positions herself outside the male gaze. One of the essays is by my friend Elizabeth, and it's a letter-based email that I don't know that she would be comfortable with me sharing, so I won't, and the other one is this NYT essay that is hilarious and wonderful that I recommend reading.

I'm loosely a Swift fan in that every time she drops a new record I check it out, and I usually end up liking some of the songs on it. I found Evermore and Folklore largely boring, but I enjoyed big chunks of Reputation, Lover, and Midnights. What I don't understand is the big portion of her fanbase that follows her every move obsessively, and I don't especially get the way it seems she at least partially feeds into that. The current fascination with her new relationship is deeply weird and reminds me, to a degree, of the toxic paparazzi culture of the early and mid-2000s.

But even aside from all that, something about her bothers me, and that's what I'm trying to understand. I'm old enough to have observed her entire career, and I'm old enough to reconsider the way pop culture has negatively positioned many female artists and celebrities, including Swift. I'm also able to question my own internalized misogyny, and I think a lot of my dislike for Swift comes from that misogyny and, if I'm being very honest, jealousy.

Oh man, jealousy is such an ugly emotion. I have a theory most of us try to deny we feel jealousy and envy, even to ourselves. I've started naming that feeling whenever I feel it, and miraculously, it makes me feel 100% better because I'm not trying to deny it or cover it up. I'm just admitting it and then--to the best of my ability--letting it go. So, yeah. I have felt jealous of Swift's privilege, talent, work ethic, and beauty over the years, and that's partly why I haven't liked her very much. But there's something deeper at work, which is that Swift is a woman who has the audacity to be obviously ambitious. She's the most try-hard of try-hards. She cares so much about her success and what you think of it. Our culture hates women who are outwardly ambitious. Even in my very small corner of the art world, I have felt others' distaste for my own ambition, as if it makes my poetry less pure somehow. Men don't suffer from this sort of censure, btw. Men are expected to be ambitious by default.

I also have thought a lot about Swift's bald need for others' approval, and at first I thought I couldn't identify with it at all. I have mostly gone through my life without letting what others think of me change my actions. I do what I want to do, and I have felt proud of that. But then, I reconsidered what I feel to be a foundational value (the fact that I don't seek approval) in context with my identity as a writer, and more specifically a poet, and like DUH I spend nearly all of the time I'm working on publishing (which is different from writing) in search of others' approval. I want approval from literary journals. I want approval from presses. I want approval from gate-keeping literary and academic institutions. I want approval from readers. I want readers period. I constantly work for approval when I try to publish my writing.

This is not a deranged mini essay about how I'm like Taylor Swift. But it is a deranged mini essay about how I understand her better as an artist because I relate to her as an artist (on an obviously much smaller scale). I respect her hustle. I respect her desire for institutional approval. I respect her drive to always write a better song.

But at the end of the day there's this essential Taylorness to nearly everything she does that I find sort of baffling. Like she's stuck in an adolescent gear even though she's a 30-something woman. Part of my confusion is that I'm older than her and have left my girlishness behind most ways. And sometimes I wish I could have that girlishness back. I've been married 19 years. I have children. I have these brutal caretaking responsibilities (that I signed up for!) that cause me to decenter myself from my own life. Swift is a main character, and good for her! But a lot of the time I feel like a supporting character in my own life. And now we're back to jealousy and envy here. Naming these emotions helps!

Anyway, this is all to say that I came across this twitter exchange recently that crystalized my feelings toward Swift. I have mad respect for her, and I'm glad I've done all this deep thinking about creative longevity and female ambition and living an art-centered life, but these are my feelings about Swift boiled down to their essence:

[brasideios]

Hello!

If you’re new here, welcome! You can call me Jenn. This is my personal and fandom blog.

What am I fan of and what will you see here? Well.

In no particular order:

Music posting. I love the Black Keys and Pink Floyd and heaps of other bands across multiple genres.

Fanworks related to my fave videos games such as Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla, Ghost of Tsushima, Stardew Valley, Spiritfarer, and all the Supergiant Games games;

Minecraft posting - I spend too much time playing it (I’m a builder-explorer) and am unfortunately addicted to Hermitcraft and certain other associated YouTubers;

Ancient History, especially Spartan history (not the pop version, don’t get me started) though I post most of the stuff related to this elsewhere.

Art (fine art to amateur and everything in between) and photography, especially landscapes flowers and light.

Talking about mental health and meditation.

Poetry and literature (english major) and writing (creative writing major). I’m a published author, I write a lot, and I like to talk about it. It can’t be helped.

I avoid any and all discourse. I’m not here to wallow in misery over the state of the world or politics or fandom bitching or anything of that kind - there’s quite enough difficulty in my real life without seeking that out online. I’m highly defensive of my peace. I will block without batting an eyelid if necessary.

I have side blogs to keep my creative work (visual art and writing) and history stuff seperate to the - well, red hot mess I have going on here 😆 You can find a list below the cut.

Toodle-pip!

PS. My asks are always open. Feel free to talk to me 😊 I like tag games too, so tag me if you want! 🤍

@jpdoingart where I post all my (mostly digital) art, both fanart and original.

@jpdoingwords. My writing blog for both fanfic and original fiction.

@jpdoingvp where (when I remember) I post some of my virtual (gaming) photography ​

@the-good-spartan​ for Ancient Greek history, mainly focussed on Sparta

@domusplautii focussed on Ancient Roman History.

@ancientprettythings dedicated to Greek & Roman Antiquities with a handful of other cultures thrown in.

#masterlist #jpdoingwords #behold the field in which I cultivate my vibes #history #writing #writeblr

[midnight-in-town]

Shonen no Abyss (Boy's Abyss) by Minenami Ryo

(I usually don’t make rec posts for emotionally dark stories, but I’ve been unable to stop reading until I finally caught up in 24 hours, even though I’m in harsh exam week and I really have other things to do, so here goes nothing :))

Before we begin, I should warn: even though the art style initially appealed to me, as I was reading the first few chapters I just thought it was going to be yet another random, plot hole filled, badly written story that’s just ranting about how shitty life can be. How emo.

Well, how wrong I was!

In a little town filled with nothing extraordinary, 17 year old Kurose Reiji spends his life going to school, hanging out with a few friends and mostly helping his mom at home, with a bed-ridden senile grandma and a shut-in brother to take care of. Even though he wonders about maybe going to the university after high school, his family needs him to work as soon as possible, so he’ll probably never be able to leave his hometown. 

As he goes on with his life, one evening he randomly meets Aoe Nagi, a recently retired Tokyo idol he’s a huge fan of. As he shows the newcomer around town, Nagi suddenly mentions to Reiji that there is a hidden place in this town called “the lovers’ abyss” where two people go when they want to die together. Meeting Nagi leads to Reiji realizing that he’s got nothing he wishes to live for in his current life and he seeks a way to attempt suicide along with her.

(At this point, I gotta be honest, I was here like

._.)

I know what y’all are wondering. How and why the sudden arrival of a retired idol in this little town suddenly instilled the wish to die in Reiji? Is it fate...? Or is it a curse from the past? 

Follow Reiji, Nagi, Gen, Chako and Kazu (because on this blog, we #ProtectTheChildren) as they evolve through a carefully weaved web by emotionally manipulating adults and find out !

Who tells lies and who speaks the truth? Who can help and who will destroy? Who’s the dead teenager in star author Esemori’s “Spring’s coffin” book who also committed suicide in the town’s river around 30 years ago?

Who’s the evil demon who instigated despair in their lives? 

Watch out ~ the culprit(s) may not be who you initially think they are... :D

(Rapidly, I ended up like...

:))

Before anyone starts reading though, very heavy warning that it’s a pretty dark and emotionally unsettling story, with a lot of suicide mention but also dark twists about emotional abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, manipulation, blackmail, anorexia, etc.  Also some female nudity from time to time (mostly in the beginning), but far from the most distressing part of this manga. 

No my poor boy, it’s not on you. 

The last thing I can say is that if you enjoyed Oyasumi Punpun, this is a title you might want to try! While in no way a masterpiece, it shares similar themes with it. Also while the beginning seems, as you may have understood, incredibly cliché, it’s a far more mysterious and deeper story if you give time for the plot to kick in. 

About 120 chapters up as of now. Let me know if you beat me by reading them all faster than in 24 hours. xD Going back to my exam week now! Hope the start of the year was kind to y’all!! :D

#boy's abyss #shonen no abyss #shounen no abyss #minenami ryo #kurose reiji #tw: suicide mention #tw: abuse mention #why you should read or watch #it's a horrible storyyyy and by this point i'm not even sure we can be sure of who the evil one truly is but #it just strikes me so badly how we went from 'the beginning' to where we slowly arrived #GET OUT OF MY FACE KITTY I DON'T SEE WHAT I'M TYPING

[olderthannetfic]

À propos OCs: Do you or your other followers have original characters that exist outside of the context of a specific story you are working on? And if so, do you talk to other people about these characters often or at all?

I have approximately 100 OCs that exist within different universes (2 to 20 characters per universe). I occasionally doodle some if them and rarely ever write anything about them down, but I spend a lot of time watching them act out their lives and/or major plot points in my head. When I was younger I did original RPs, wrote a webcomic and some web serials, and would talk to my readers or other authors/artists/RP partners about the characters and their stories, but nowadays I pretty much never mention them. I might post art of them and caption it with “drawing [name] for once lol” and I’ve recently started tagging posts with my OCs names or their canons, but that’s it.

One time, a very nice person on here found one of those tagged posts and asked me about the OC and I was seriously stumped because I didn’t really know what to say.

I guess that’s another question: If you ever ask people about their original characters, what kind of responses are you looking for?

I eventually gave a quick rundown of his background and life and how it related to the post, but despite being asked for this information, and then some, I still felt like I was being annoying and embarrassing myself. I’m not used to people caring about my characters outside of a specific story they are reading (and I’m admittedly a lot more insecure about my creative work now than when I was a kid/teenager).

I say all this as someone who loves seeing other people’s original work and standalone OCs, so I understand that the interest can absolutely be genuine. Personally, I prefer reading public posts and meme fills, looking at OC-centric meme/aesthetic collections, and buying OC “merch” and art books to private conversations about them, so I don’t have much experience in the latter.

In a recent ask, an anon mentioned buying fanart; do you guys buy more fan art (if any) or art of original characters (if any)? If you buy OC art, is it usually just for aesthetics or are you interested in the characters themselves, even if they aren’t part of a story you are a fan of?

While writing this ask, I was mainly thinking about OCs in original works or RPGs, but my questions apply to fan characters too. …Wait, do people still differentiate between OCs and FCs? Or was that never even a common practice in the first place?

Lots of questions from me today, lol.

--

I tend to make characters in the context of a particular story, though if I like them, sure, I might rework them for other things. RP isn't really my thing. I do daydream, but that tends to be either very private and raw or the step before writing a story or making a specific concrete artwork with those OCs.

OC vs. FC was only in certain parts of fandom. I'm vaguely familiar with it existing, but it isn't something I've usually encountered.

For me, an interest in OCs is exactly equivalent to an interest in asking some published author about a character in their work. If someone's good enough, I may even like their OC better than the canon characters and go seek out fic in other fandoms where they used that OC. Any artwork is a chance to fall in love with new characters... But for me, yeah, it's very much about that work.

I don't find character creation sheets interesting or useful, including when I develop characters for something I'm writing. Even if one isn't literally using one of those sheets, you know what I mean: some people develop characters a lot and see where the characters take them. I see a plot I want and make characters who would naturally fit in it. I create only the level of backstory I need for that work. Maybe one or two stray details don't make it in, but I don't know what my characters eat unless it's relevant. I don't know what their first pet was called. Yadda yadda. I find that knowing all that makes the characters feel flatter in the final work than if I knew only "The one in blue who likes martinis" or some other couple of characteristics they need to stick in the mind in the scene where they appear.

I don't think in that RP way where the character is a separate entity from the artwork containing them.

--

I buy art that I find pretty and want on my wall. Now and then, it's from something specific and I do like showing off that I'm into that thing. The aesthetic might imply things about my tastes or values. It might be more than just "this object is abstractly nice looking in a way with no cultural connotations". But art is definitely for decoration for me. If I don't have wall space or it doesn't go with my decor, I don't get it.

[laura-de-milf]

Doom Patrol. A Eulogy

*inhales deeply*

This. show.

It isn't really a show about superpowered people. I think it's actually a show about underpowered people who, sure, can occasionally pull off a cool stunt, but for the most part are so broken that they can barely function. With such a strong focus on character, personal growth and The Human Condition- this isn't just something I haven't seen in superhero media; it's something I haven't really seen in all of television.

Shall I list all the ways that this show has improved my outlook on life? (ok, not all-)

The queer rep. Need I say more? Genuinely though--I can't recall ever watching a show where I trusted so implicitly that the queer relationships would be a) intentional, b) integrated into the plot naturally, and c) handled well throughout the show. Looking back on my Doom Patrol experience- not once did I worry about queerbaiting or the queer rep feeling tokenistic. I never worried that the queer storylines would be unceremoniously written out to "improve mass appeal". The queer themes were there, intentional, and unique. We have the classic repression/acceptance arc with Larry, but we also have the slow-burn courtship arc with Jane and Shelley (Jane's block being her personal trauma rather than shame for being queer). Characters like Cliff openly accepting the queer relationships to the point where Jane feels completely comfortable opening up to him--and only him--about her and Shelley. Rita and Laura might not be a canon romantic couple, but those two forged a deeply loving bond faster than you can utter the phrase "uhaul lesbians" and have had a tumultuous relationship that is entirely different from Jane x Shelley. Absolutely magical. There's nothing formulaic about The Gay Plot here: the queer relationships (plural!!!) are unique and explored, given just as much importance and screen time as any of the heterosexual relationships. (I know there is still time to fuck this up but the point is: I have trust in this show in a way that I don't normally for most shows. That's really special.)

The Sisterhood of Dada. I know they weren't everyone's cup of tea, but personally I cared less about their plot relevance and more about what they represented: the pure, wholesome and shameless creation of art. Literally any art. Film. Interpretive dance. Sculpture. Spoken word poetry. Bent paperclips. Don't "choose a niche" and pigeonhole yourself as just A Filmmaker or just A Writer: try whatever you want because it's fucking fun. You'll learn something. Shit doesn't even have to be good; it doesn't have to make sense. It just has to empower you against the forces which seek to hold you down. Maybe Dada is nonsense, but it's subversive nonsense. Most of all, though, I loved the found-family aspect of the Sisterhood: a safe place in which one could experiment creatively without fear of judgement from the outside world. I'll probably spend the rest of my life trying to cultivate elements of this in my real world, even if I can't necessarily build myself a secret teleporting salon out of fog where I can be weird and free with my 6 eccentric pals. The world needs more room for creative experimentation.

Lastly but so very not-least that it's actually the most important point of all: this show gave me Laura. I'm admittedly not as well-versed in the DC/Marvel universes as most fans, but I can't tell you how floored I was to find such a captivating mature female superhero. I've finally started to understand the appeal of having a fantastical super-powered person to look up to--even as a grown-ass adult. She's not a 25-year-old in a latex bodysuit with a physicality I'll never be able to (retroactively) attain. She's not here to be a looker for the boys. She's real. She's fucked up. She's incredibly intelligent, street smart, competent in her ability, and benefits from a wealth of wisdom forged in life experience. She deals with intense trauma. She struggles. She's made huge mistakes. But she's trying her best and she's genuinely growing. Probably most importantly of all, she reinforces how, contrary to what society will lead us to believe, a woman's life, growth, wisdom, wit, accomplishments--and, hell, beauty!!--are only just getting started, even as she turns 40. And that she's so heavily queer-coded?? Sublime. We need people like Laura. I need people like Laura.

So...yeah. I am SO grateful that a show like this exists and that I found it. Thanks for the good times.

🖤

...now all that being said- Doom Patrol has nothing to lose now. Go ahead. Give us the Rita x Laura smooch. As a treat. 😇

#or better yet: canon Laurita #it's fine; you don't have to worry about the angry homophobes on twitter now #80% canon queer doom patrol let's gooo #i'm kidding. #kind of- #doom patrol #thoughts.txt

[yallcantread]

I am not going to delete this blog because I believe in maintaining accessibility to sources. In the future, I might use it to discuss situations involving other artists or actors, but that’s uncertain for now. If people come across this blog and I seem to attain a following, I’d use it to correct common misinformation. There’s nothing else I can contribute to towards this app.

I want to emphasize that celebrities don’t owe us anything. They don’t owe us their political views, their time, or personal details of their lives. They create art, and it’s our choice to consume it. Similarly, it’s their choice to create art. Both parties benefit in some way, whether it’s success for the artist or enjoyment for the fans and consumers.

Being a fan by listening to the music is enough. There’s no need to engage in fan wars with other fandoms or obsessively follow every aspect of a celebrity’s life. Unless they’re involved in illegal or harmful activities, it’s not our business to know who they’re dating or why. We often spend too much time invested in other people’s lives.

With this blog, I aim to promote genuine care and fact-checking. I encourage you not to blindly trust TikTok users seeking attention through likes and views or Twitter users parroting others’ opinions. Have a mind of your own, even if it means facing potential backlash from the online world. The internet may seem important, but it ultimately doesn’t define our lives.

Sadly, it seems like genuine care is lacking on the internet. So, I hope I’ve inspired or encouraged you to fact-check and be mindful. My intention was never to dissuade anyone but to provide factual information. However, I urge you to stop wasting your life on trivial matters. Many of us, myself included, are in our late teens or early twenties, and we witness people wasting time arguing with strangers from different fandoms across the globe, people we’ll likely never meet, all because they criticized our favorite artist’s singing abilities.

Instead, focus on meaningful activities. Write a book, go hiking, learn a new hobby, reach out to your friends or family and express your love for them just because. Get that tattoo you’ve been contemplating, text that person you’ve been thinking about, or head to the park and play fetch with your dog. Engage in activities that bring you joy and are centered around you. Making music may seem insignificant compared to other pursuits, but it’s the one thing that brings me joy and motivates me to get up each day. It makes me proud of myself to even know I created a piece of art. The only reason why I’m proud of myself. I cringe when someone asks to hear my music, and I struggle to share it, even though I want to be known for my art. It’s a peculiar situation.

Life is undeniably short, and at times it feels like we’re living in a dystopian movie, experiencing one tragedy after another. It can be overwhelming and exhausting. However, I believe we should strive to make our time on Earth meaningful. We should try something, take risks, and contribute positively to the world. Aging is a privilege, and how we spend our lives matters. It’s a reminder to live authentically, focusing on ourselves and people like us. How do you want to contribute?

As corny as this may sound (and trust me, I’m quite nihilistic and tend to avoid these types of things because they make me cringe), I still believe it needs to be said: You don’t need a lover to live. You have yourself, and the love you have to give can be directed towards the person who deserves it most: you. It’s essential to prioritize self-love and self-care because, at the end of the day, you are the most important person in your life. Remember, a celebrity isn’t the center of your world; you are. You are more than your love for an artist.

Anyways, that’s enough of that for today. Thank you all for reading and sharing the blog. And if someone tries to engage you in endless arguments about this situation, simply send them the thread to this post and leave it at that. No need for back-and-forth exchanges. They can choose to read it or not.

#matty healy #taylor and matty #taylor swift #the 1975 #stan twitter #twitter #tiktok #celebrities

[theolddivorcedzukka]

Jinzula 1 haha jk unless

when I started shipping it if I did: i think i saw some art from it and it made me think “hmm what if??” and then i started thinking about post canon azula and it kinda ended up mixing with “what if she met jin??” and then shira said she considered jinzula because of me and that put me back into the jinzula zone and i still haven’t gotten out

my thoughts: i think…i think a lot about them. azula has never really had a real friend (mai and ty lee could have been her friends as kids but it wasn’t a healthy friendship and they were scared of her) or known genuine affection, always feeling like the “love” she got from her father and friends was earned by being the perfect child or through fear. and jin doesn’t fear azula, she’s her friend because she WANTS to. jin gives azula her affection not because she’s earned it but because she WANTS to. and azula realizes she can give that affection back freely and it won’t be turned away. and jin is obviously not here to be azula’s therapist or fix her but she does motivate azula to try to be a better person (also azula quickly learned that jin might be sweet but she doesn’t take her shit so she’s gonna be nice or she’s gonna be nice she has no other options). azula learns to let go of perfection thanks to jin and realizes that all she really wants is a normal life (with jin!!) and yeah….

What makes me happy about them: oooh they’re like (as lucy once said) just some girls. together. as some girls. also this is just both of them healing together from what the fire nation did to them and u know how i feel about people healing. together.

What makes me sad about them: ahem ahem so have u considered azula’s past coming back for her? have u considered azula keeping secrets from jin about who she is because she knows jin will see her differently? have u considered the moment where azula looks into her eyes after doing “a thing” where she goes back to how she was before and seeing the fear in jin’s eyes? have u?

things done in fanfic that annoys me: i haven’t read any fic yet!! i barely read any fic anymore but uhh something that would annoy me is the woobification of azula. jin having to take care of azula and protect her all the time. the fanonzukkaification of jinzula

things I look for in fanfic: umm i’m a big fan of angst with happy ending 😳😳 but yeah something regarding them post canon and azula almost combusting because “how is jin so perfect at everything? she’s better at everything i do, she’s a better artist, a better cook, a better friend, she has better hair, better eyes, better lips, bette— wait??????”. that might be incredibly specific but i’ve got fic scene in my brain

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: i like jin/song but not a crazy amount and no one else with azula?? cause i feel like with the other people i see her shipped with it would be more complicated since she did a lot of harm to them and in my opinion, they wouldn’t seek a romantic relationship with her. or something

My happily ever after for them: FAR FAR AWAY FROM THE FIRE NATION, they live together in the earth kingdom or ba sing se maybe and they just have a simple life. big fan of simplicity

who is the big spoon/little spoon: tbh i’m not really sure because with little spoon azula/big spoon jin, it’s azula receiving the affection she never got in her life and with big spoon azula/little spoon jin, it’s azula realizing she can be gentle and knowing that jin TRUSTS her enough to sleep next to her and let her hold her. so maybe a little bit of both (in that order)

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: azula is a big fan of trying to outdo jin at everything she does cause jin is perfect (azula’s words btw) and she has to be better but jin just thinks azula wants to spend time with her. okay okay kidding (not really) but i think azula takes up pottery and jin likes drawing so they’d just do their little activities together in the same room. azula’s making her a little bear and jin is drawing azula. love ❤️

#did u know i’m normal about them #asks #raii

[doved-icelebrity]

I often wander around exclusively to strength-train my perception, picking up on street art / bumper stickers / interesting examples of lives lived. This week’s exercise spoke to my soul in this way. I find the power of a passing image to be often unspoken, only finding those that seek it out specifically or come across it on accident. As an artist, I am well aware and in awe of the ways in which beautiful images and thought-provoking words can revolutionize one’s state of mind, alter the course of a day, and perhaps even inspire a newfound passion. Consistently, I find myself so grateful to live in a city that is so rich with life in these ways. Every walk to the train can lead to a discovery of something unexpected, profound, and hidden in plain sight. I believe that what you seek is seeking you, and when you search for beauty, you can find it almost everywhere.

Aside from all things lovely, street art is so often multidimensional- speaking volumes, making impacts, diverting attention towards what must be said. Art and culture should be made as widely accessible as possible, and everyone should have access to expression and enjoyment within these realms. This method of artistic expression brings art and commentary into the everyday world, where it belongs and is constantly being reborn. When the goal is to spread a message and raise awareness, the practice of breaking down the gates preventing a piece from being seen by absolutely everyone possible is both brilliant and crucial. Being surrounded by vibrant displays of care makes for a neighborhood that feels truly cared for.

The images of street art I have included express messages of everyday motivation, encouragement, and support, with touches of humor. I am struck by the concept of an artist spending time / energy / art supplies to spread a selfless message. In a world run by advertisements and promotion, this act of anonymous art feels contrary.

I have been a fan of these “PMS” tags for a few years now. I see it as a proud display of feminism and Queer sexuality. I am not sure who or what is behind this initiative, but I have seen a variety of pink “PMS” paintings across Brooklyn. The idea of something a fact of life for so much of the population that is usually shamed and silenced being highlighted in hot pink makes me laugh. I am sure it can be a bit jarring to some, though I believe this would be the point. It seems like an iteration of the classic “girl power” with a gay twist. I find the implied conflation of menstruation with womanhood to be a flaw in this artwork’s message, but I can appreciate the overall artistic intention. I would love to see a trans-inclusive take on this, as many individuals get their period and many individuals don’t, and gender is unrelated. In spite of this, I can also understand that an artist’s personal goal is not always a wide reach of relatability. This brings up the point that art being put into the world widely and freely opens it up to a more expansive sphere of criticism and varied reactions. Constructive criticism is a critical part of the artist’s journey.

It reminds me of the movements taken on by a modern period care companies (I think of a popular brand that seeks to do good around this issue called August specifically) with the goal to destigmatize menstruation. The fact of the matter is that menstruation affects a significant portion of the world and everyone that requires access to period care products deserves them, without shame, guilt, or tax. Like any health concern, treatment and awareness is essential and should never be looked down upon. Though it is done in a cheeky way, I do believe that Premenstrual Syndrome is a serious mental and physical health concern that is not as widely understood, acknowledged, or treated as it should be. The shame around menstruation prevents people suffering from symptoms to seek help. If in some world, someone sees these paintings, googles the acronym, and learns about PMS in a sincere way, then it is a success. If someone sees this while suffering from period related bodily pain and mental anguish and chuckles, then it is a success. Art can be so many things, why not make some of it about PMS.

Without traditional guidelines and rules to adhere to, the subversive nature of the content created is limitless. An artist’s freedom of expression results in the creation of a discourse that need not fit into any sort of specific box. This makes for unparalleled levels of radical honesty and authentic engagement. Giving voice to artists that otherwise may not have the access to express themselves in this way is inspiring to all artists following a path of change making, empowerment, and expression. The world is our canvas during this lifetime, making the city in which one resides being a studio/gallery/feast of inspiration being a very natural progression. Breaking free from the borders in which art historically is sheltered behind makes for a complete disruption in the art world and an opportunity for an audience to expand beyond tradition and engage in an equally unique way. The accessibility of street art makes the overall influence on public culture vast and powerful. Seeing inspirational messages surround you seeps into your psyche, causing this inspiration to be a part of your every day path.

This method of inspiration, activism, and expressions of emotion is a blessed transformation of our daily lives. A way to make important messages known, revolutionize public spaces, spread joy, and call attention to the community and culture.

[darlingpoppet]

What's your favourite thing about patrochilles?

Sorry for taking a while to answer this one anon but I was very grateful to receive it so I wanted to think about it verrryyy carefully lol!

It’s hard for me to pinpoint one thing in particular because I don’t know if I can talk about my favorite thing without talking about everything else, haha. So please bear with me for a moment as I tee this up: for me, Patrochilles is a ship with tropes I’m naturally extremely attracted to, such as: a king & lionheart dynamic where fierce loyalty, trust, respect, & affection for one another transcends differences in social status/rank; one character who is antisocial/difficult to deal with but shows their tender/soft side with the other character; the deeply compelling tragic love story where one dies and other avenges them/loses the will to live and dies themselves soon after (whether presented as romantic or otherwise, it hits so hard!)

So I say all of this because maybe my favorite thing of all is the fact that Patrochilles is probably one of the oldest extant examples of these tropes (predated perhaps only by the Epic of Gilgamesh which itself was a direct influence on the Homeric epics and Patrochilles story)… and idk to me there’s just something SO COOL about the fact that I can be emotionally affected by this story that people 3000+\- years ago were compelled by, and in all the years in between it has been depicted, discussed, debated over, remixed, & retold by countless people… which means seeking out more Patrochilles reveals everything from plays to paintings to pottery to essays to music to novels to film to animations to video games!!!?!, not to mention of course all the contemporary fan art and writings that are being created all the time by people like me who just love the story & characters and are compelled to share their love with others & create. There’s SO MUCH Patrochilles out there and it feels really special to actively participate in such a historically & artistically rich tradition and to work with what has survived & been passed down, because even separated by thousands of years of time & cultural differences, human pathos is still the same <3

Because the story is so old it’s easy to see them as merely an archtype, in a Romeo & Juliet sort of way—invoking them as a shorthand for the kinds of tropes and dynamics they embody for a different, contemporary ship, which is completely fine & valid of course! But also I find the more I read about them & think about them, these characters themselves & their relationship are so rich and nuanced on their own, and surely that is what makes the story so enduring, so I encourage everyone who sees Patrochilles in their own ship to come over and join the Patrochilles party as well! They’re such a rewarding and inspiring ship— like this is not at all a ship where you gotta dig for crumbs or squeeze blood from a stone because there is SO MUCH TO WORK WITH! The Homeric version alone you could spend the whole rest of your life thinking about! People get whole doctorates so they can do exactly that! Wowee!! Concepts that exist in our cultural consciousness like the idea of “soulmates”, Patrochilles are near the original scene of the crime!! (Plato’s Symposium) and there they are held up as the highest ideal of love!! WOAGH!!!!

So anyway yeah, I feel like there’s so much more I could talk about but I hope this manages to convey even an iota of the passion I feel, and why it’s them in particular I feel passion for. Thank you so much for your ask <3

#emica chat #this week was my two-year anniversary of finishing TSOA and falling down the Patrochilles rabbit hole #you know when you’re late to a fandom but there’s joy in discovering all the works that came before your time #we’re all 2800 years late to Patrochilles fandom but it’s ok because we’re just in time for the new Renaissance #I’ve already published more than 100k words about Patrochilles in two years and it still isn’t enough #ITS NEVER ENOUGH #WILL IT EVER BE ENOUGH??

[sunnydaydevs]

PINNED POST 🌻

Hey, I'm Sunny and I am a slowly budding indie game developer and long time tumblrite - though most of my time on Tumblr has been spent in Fandom places, of course my works here may be influenced by games I have played and novels I have read (aren't we all?) but they will be 100% original in as much as anything can be.

The blog is still WIP as far as hard coding things in; real life is a bit of a trial at times but I'm working around it as best I can.

If you want an in depth run down of my current works, you can check it out here, and if you'd like a quick overview to know what I'm about feel free to click the read more below or hop into my askbox or messages. I can be slow to respond, but always eager! Can't wait to get to know some more people who share my interest.

(And now, a little bit about my current projects -- this may change over time.)

Twine IF: All the Queen's Men

My main project, currently getting a ground-up overhaul to implement more details and ideas as well as futher fleshing out characters. It's going to be a lengthy project but I'm really invested in writing it. All the Queen's Men sits where a dating sim meets strategy rpg, (If any of them become a VN, it will be this one.) The premise is that a war has been dragging on for years and the Queen of Etheria (player character) was widowed without an heir not so long ago. The royal council sees this as an opportunity for her to remarry not just for an heir, but to strengthen Etheria's position in the war. The choices made by the player Queen will have global influence, but she will also have to live with it personally. What is the price of peace? How many paths could lead there?

Twine IF: The Crown Will Fall

Formerly laid out as an RPG Maker game, The Crown Will Fall quickly became something I realized needed more description and detail than I could properly provide with RMMV. The story remains a fantasy rpg, character driven and of course strongly dependent on player choice. The premise is that the once kind and just ruler of the kingdom [player] lives in has grown cold hearted, cruel and dangerous in his paranoid assumptions, and started turning against his own people. In the grief-stricken aftermath of the destruction of your hometown, you make a vow to see justice once more. Whatever that means in the end.

Twine IF: Rewind

Rewind is a story I almost wrote as a novel before realizing what I really wanted to do with it was explore the reader's decisions and choices - something I'm seeking out now with Twine, though it's currently down the line on priority. You play an amnesiac, nonbinary person who has only the barest snatches of potentially unreliable memories and a slew of notes with no context. But with undeniable power under your skin and a world in crisis, it looks like you're going to have to take a chance.

RMMV: Homesteader

Homesteader might well be the prelude to a larger game down the road but it does stand alone. The difference being that Homesteader by itself is more of a farming / crafting sim and the full thing would be RPG meets strategy game. As it stands, your parents have been called out of retirement to aid the king once more. As your training is incomplete, you're left to finish it when they drop you off at an old fortress they'd served at. Being given the land they had left behind, it quickly becomes clear that there are going to have to be a lot of renovations and hard work to pay them off while spending time on your training, in hopes of reaching full knighthood under the guildmaster's guiding hand within three years.

Pixel Art: Farm Assets

So I am a huge fan of the farm sim genre. I've been playing Harvest Moon games since the days of the Gamecube and GBA (my favorite remains the GBA's A New Beginning though MFOMT gets a shoutout for nostalgia and DS Cute is really good) and I have logged... a lot of time on Stardew Valley, even more since I discovered mods. So I decided I would make some assets for people to enjoy, They may or may not go up on Itch depending on how happy I am with them and if I make a cohesive set.

Godot 4:

No project here -- yet! Still working on learning the program. I'd like to do some basic stuff first? minigame type things, puzzles, things that test the logic of the system against the logic of my brain.

#sunnydaydevs #about me #my work #twine if #rpg maker mv #aseprite #godot 4 #ren'py #tools of the trade #twine interactive fiction #rpg games #pixel art #visual novel #all the queen's men if #the crown will fall if #rewind if #homesteader rmmv #pixel art assets

[feministfocus]

Stress on Steroids: High School Edition

by Crystal Fan

Pulling all-nighters for exams. Dark eye circles. Classmates who are half asleep in class. My senior year of high school has been more hectic than I could have ever imagined. It seems like everybody is suffering from a concoction of feeling overwhelmed, senioritis (burnout), and a terrible case of stress. Looking around, the senior year has decimated us, with things coming at us a thousand miles per hour. For starters, there's academic pressure. Then there are extracurriculars, family life, friends and relationships, cats on the internet, and the black hole that is social media. The cherry on top is college applications. Senior year is a never-ending to-do list requiring a NASA-level scientific and precise approach to time management and perfection. In short, it's impossible. There is no human way to juggle everything. There are too many balls in the air. 

Eventually, something gives. We sacrifice things. Sleep. Mental health. Not to mention sanity (some of which I'd like to keep in case I need it one day). It is almost as if we live in a never-ending cycle of to-do lists, exams, and the pursuit of accomplishments. This quickly becomes exhausting. 

In short, high school, especially senior year, is a breeding ground for stress. Stress multiplies and feeds off of everybody in a frenzy. The statistics speak for themselves. Approximately 45% of high schoolers report experiencing stress daily (CrossRiverTherapy). Roughly 61% of teenagers between the ages of 13-17 admit to feeling pressure to attain high grades.

Generally, there are two types of events that cause stress: external and internal. External event-driven stress typically dissipates after the event is over. Internal event-driven stress is caused by thoughts and things we say to ourselves. 

While some stress can be beneficial and acts as a motivator to prepare us for events, too much stress leads to unhealthy short-term repercussions such as fatigue, insomnia, unhealthy relationships with food, trouble focusing, and becoming overly anxious or depressed. But chronic stress? A whole different ball game. According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic stress holds severe consequences such as muscle tension and pain, headaches, weight gain, and even heart attacks. 

Stress is a fact of life. It is inevitable. There is no way to avoid it; once you get comfortable, life throws you another curveball. So the question is: do we manage stress so it doesn't take over our lives? 

Well, here are some stress management tips Harvard University has for high schoolers: 

Keep a journal

Download a mindfulness or meditation app

Eating healthy meals

Exercising regularly 

Getting plenty of sleep

Limiting caffeine

Reaching out to family and friends for support

Making time for hobbies

Some tips that have worked for me:

Start a gratitude journal. Spend 5 minutes daily jotting down things, events, or people you feel grateful for. Even something that brings you the slightest amount of joy counts

Establish a meditation routine that works for your schedule, and meditate for at least 5 minutes daily. 

Talk to someone. You don't need a therapist to feel better. You can talk to a trusted confidant about your worries, concerns, and challenges. You are not alone. There is always someone willing to listen. 

Additionally, you can try:

Volunteering in the community. Science has shown that giving back makes people feel better. 

Finding ways to laugh more. Spend time with people who make you feel good, watch a comedy, or find memes online. 

Seeking professional help through counseling or therapy. Mental health services can be highly beneficial. 

Citations:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

#young writers #stress #exam stress #finals #studentlife #mental health #burnout

[psitrend]

Interview with Gia Wang, Musician & Vocalist of Hang on the Box and OV

New Post has been published on https://china-underground.com/2020/04/27/interview-with-gia-wang-vocalist-of-hang-on-the-box-and-ov/

Interview with Gia Wang, Musician & Vocalist of Hang on the Box and OV

She is a musician: the guitarist, and vocalist of Hang on the Box. Gia is constantly involved in many musical projects.

Gia is the singer of China’s first all-girl punk band Hang on the Box, who battled Beijing’s sexist rock norms. Hang On The Box was formed in the summer of 1998 in Beijing China. At that time Vocalist Gia W (Wang Yue), guitarist Yang Fan, bass player Yilina and drummer Shenggy (Shen Jing). The band is wildly regarded as one of the most popular and well respected bands in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China Mainland. Gia moved into fashion becoming a fashion designer, but her true love for music drove her back in search to try and new and different sounds. She is running many musical projects, she plays Electronic orchestra with a group called “OV” and makes new songs with “Punkgia” and “Gia Wang”.

Instagram

How and when did you develop your passion for music? Did your family support you when they knew you wanted to start this career?

They understand me now and support me very much. It can be said that without my parents’ support, I could not keep going on it. It is very difficult in China. Of course, at first, when I was in high school, they didn’t understand. In their opinion, choosing to start a rock band was very risky. You couldn’t get a stable job and life security. And of course, I think that’s true in this sense, that if you choose a career that you love, you have to sacrifice. From 2011 to 2016, I was engaged in the fashion industry. At first, I started a fashion brand with my partner Adong. Since 2013, I started my own brand Gia Wang as a designer. But I found that I still belonged to music, so I went back to music, and if you say passion, I discovered that music is the greatest gift God has given me.

You are part of China’s first all-girl punk band, Hang on The Box, that smashed the gender barrier. What was the best goal do you achieved at the beginning of your career?

The gender barrier was a problem in China 20 years ago, but now it is not a problem in the world, even some feminism has gone too far. At first, I just wanted to have an all-girl punk band, that’s all. If there is a goal, I think it is to find the truth and the meaning of life, but I found it.

Gia is the guitarist, and vocalist of Hang on the Box an influential band from China, that toured in China, Hong Kong, but also in the US and Japan.

What are the major influences on your music? How did your sound change from your earliest records?

First of all, I think I’m a person who doesn’t stop improving, and I’m curious about music. For example, 3years ago I started to listen to Chiansmokers, Troye Sivan, Billie Elish, Lil Peep, and Joji. I’m found out that indie music and rock music moves slowly, I now spend more time listening to future bass and trap, while I also listen to classical music and experimental music. I like Nils Frahm very much. Now into the next 100 years, the history of music is changing, and this is a normal evolution.

Punkgia recently released a new song on Spotify, which is rooted in indie rock, but also has a trap influence .that I’m trying to explore. At the same time, I started electronic orchestral composition, as well as my own projects Gia Wang I worked with sound art and artists together.

What are the ideas behind your music? What do you want to tell? What keep you inspired?

“On the cross” My father told me he did not forget my dream A sign of freedom On the cross Peep through the blanket of dark The fire burned red Walk on the edge of life Dawn of despair “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”

From their beginning, HOTB was one of the most influential bands, one of the best and brightest bands to emerge from China’s growing rock scene.

Can you tell us about your main music project Punkgia?

Sorry, my main project is Punkgia/OV/Gia Wang is 3. Punkgia is freer, cuz Hang on the box have a long history, people’s fixed impression of HOTB is stuck in the early punk era, especially in China, and it’s hard for them to accept your change. In addition, I think the music style I want to make it more personal. Of course, my music key partner is my guitarist, whose acceptance of music is very high. We have no differences and his steps can keep up with mine.

Gia with OV

Where did the idea for your Electronic Orchestral Experimental music projects with Over Voltage come from?

Last year I started using logic to make music. When I was doing a lot of practice works, I really enjoyed using brass and woodwind instruments, and also strings, such as the cello. Then, last summer I started to write a ten-minute piece on the cello, which was divided into three parts to express three different scenes. This piece is called “The fate”. I and OV’s Julian, we know each other because of their work in the fashion industry. he is also a musician. Last year, we often have coffee together and learned and exchanged about the arrangement of logic music software and the use of various synthesizers and effects.

Then we naturally started to try to combine the orchestra I played with the structural part of the Moog he played, and then my guitarist Yang Pippi, he plays noise and ambient with guitar, so we completed an album with three electronic orchestral tracks in almost two months. , and , OV is totally different from Punkgia and Hang on the box. OV only has music and does not sing. Our style belongs to contemporary classical, electronic orchestra and experiment.

The all-girl band HOTB became a target for some Chinese netizens when an image with the girls lifting their shirts and showing their bras start to circulate.

Gia with OV (from left Yang Pipi,Julian ,Gia)

What are the main challenges that you face as a woman in making music in China? What changes in the industry, compared to when you start to play music?

The situation of the Chinese music industry is very bad now. Of course, on the surface, there are many music festivals. The market can sell a lot of tickets and it is economically successful. But the standards and values here are very poor. You can hear this tragedy from the works. For example, most of the bands are still imitating the European and American rock bands of the last century.

There is even a band that directly copied Einsturzende Neubauten’s a song from the ‘90s, they not only reproduce European and American bands. For example, if a Taiwanese band is very popular to sell tickets to the mainland, you will soon see a lot of reproductions bands, just change for lyrics and chords. Such an environment is really not conducive to the development of real music and art. I studied the history of western music, including classical music. They are not satisfied with the traditional image and creating a new history.

There were not many bands 20 years ago, but they all have their own characteristics. Now I can say that the Chinese rock band industry lacks works with their own style. Their values are affected by the market, making it difficult for people who really want to create to survive. China, this is the biggest challenge. Maybe money is their only belief.

Is there a song or more that you are particularly connected to? Are there any music dedicated to someone or to related to a moment that marked a significant change in your life?

I have a lot of favorite music and singles. Too many. I ca n’t just choose one or a few songs. If there is a single song that has a huge impact on my life, it is Jesus, God, Let me see the meaning of life, and the wonderful gift of music from God.

HOTB Chinese female punk pioneers that were the new face of alternative Chinese youth. The band usually sings about sex and relationship issues in a forward political manner.

Can you share with us any meaningful story from the backstage?

See the pictures below.

Playing music in China and abroad, what are the main differences? Does this affect your way of creating music?

I think I have answered clearly in the challenge, for what concern China. I have not had the opportunity to perform in the United States or Europe in recent years, but for me, I need to go to New York to meet some musicians and try to play and communicate with them.

Of course, there are some uncommercial performances in Beijing, most of which are experimental music circles. They are not affected by the market. These artists can create purely because this circle does not have many benefits.

Photos courtesy of Gia Wang

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