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pinkhyojin · 1 year

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bias game

tagged by @moonflowerglowing (thanks nana!)

pick 10 of your biases (or as many biases as you have and then fill in the rest of the spots with idols you like) and number them 1-10. then answer the questions below. try not to look at the questions before you make your list!

1. Hyojin (onf)

2. Haechan (nct)

3. Yuchan (a.c.e)

4. Kanghyun (onewe)

5. Lua (weme)

6. Mina (twice)

7. Jaechan (dkz)

8. Changyoon (onf)

9. Junghoon (ox)

10. Jaeyoon (sf9)

Questions

1. Between 7 and 5, who did you bias first?

i would assume i biased lua first because it took me a while to learn about the dkz boys but i fell in love with lua at first sight

2. Between 2 and 6, who are you more attached to?

haechan, no question. so sorry to my wife mina, but i’ve been a hyuck stan for much longer.

3. If you were to spend the day with either 3 or 1, who would you choose and what would you do?

oh my answer might shock people. i think i’d want to spend the day with chan🫣 just because i feel like he’s a lot more like me in a way? and i feel like we’d have a lot of fun together! i would want to go to an arcade or an amusement park i think that would be so fun. like with hyojin it would be fun but i get the vibe that it takes a while for him to open up around new people, do you know what i mean???? i totally overanalyzed this question lmao i’m sure i’d have a good time with either of them💖

4. what is your favorite physical feature about 9?

CHIN FRECKLE

5. What is your favorite part of 6’s personality?

i first thought mina was super quiet and shy but i love when she just blossoms around people she loves (and becomes the weirdo she really is).

6. If you were to tell 8 anything you wanted, what would you tell them?

i would tell changyoon that he is such a star, he truly shines so incredibly bright and he brings a light to everything he does. i would tell him that i appreciate how much effort he has put in to his craft and that his voice is so beautiful that every time i hear it my spirits are lifted. and that he’s funny as fuck and needs to keep being his changdol self because i love him just as he is.

7. Between 1 and 2, whose closet would you raid?

what awful choices honestly… clearly fashion isn’t something i consider when choosing a bias. i feel like both of their closets just contain lounge wear which! i love! but it wouldn’t really be much different?? i’ll go with hyojin for no other reason than i think he probably has more green things.

8. What is a style that you want to see 3 try?

a.c.e has done sooo much. like. futuristic techno to historically accurate gays. i just want to see what his styling would have been in the take me higher era bc that was such a golden era for a.c.e styling and he MISSED it!

9. Between 5 and 4, who are you closer to in height?

Lua!!! we’re the same height:’)

10. Between 10 and 9, whose music do you like the best?

Gotta go with Omega X on this one. I’ve never been super into SF9’s music unless it’s like one or two specific songs and those stick with me! I want to like it, but something about it has trouble clicking with me🤷‍♀️

i’ll tag @moviestarmijoo // @minkyunmonet // @twoset // @mkscatgirl (only if you want to though!)

#thanks again for tagging me nana:)#honestly coming up with a list of biases was hard i really don’t have that many #tag games #hi nana🪷

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original-idiots · 4 years

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Batfam Social Media: Waynes’ World YT #1

A peek at the Batfam’s Youtube Channel

Feat Adri Verold (OC)

- the channel is full of the dumbshit they get into, vlogs and random videos

- Dick likes to upload his acrobatic and aerial workouts sometimes. The one time he had Damian on with him, Damian got tangled up in the aerial silks. They didn’t include the last 5 seconds of him flailing before pulling a knife and just cutting himself down

- Adri uploads videos of her practicing piano and at some point she got to collaborate with her favorite musical Youtubers (Twoset)

- Jason is in all of Adri’s vlogs, even the ones that start out without him, he’ll pop up at some point. The tea time episode where he was the guest is the most viewed and liked tea time vid, almost solely because of how much of a flirt he was being.

-Tim is in almost every video too, though he’s more like a ghost in the background and it’s honestly a thing to put in a time code and say “Tim Spotted!”

- Bruce is always in their vlogs too, they make it a point to go into his room or office to make him say hi to the camera. It took FOREVER to convince him to sit down for a Q&A with them

- Alfred is in every tea time video, serving or teaching something about it. Piano practice and tea time, are the chillest and most normal videos on the channel.

- except that time Steph and Dick decided to start twerking to the Beethoven piece Adri was practicing

- Damian uploads a lot of animal videos, giving them baths, grooming, care and spending time with them. At some point they agreed to advertise for a non profit animal sanctuary in Gotham who reached out.

- in the IKEA unspervised video, they lost sight of Damian but by the end of it, he had one of every animal plush available and had them gathered up at the counter, standing in front of them trying to look dignified.

- on the way home the giraffe plush’s head was sticking out of the car.

- Tim is in every latenight fast food run, coffee run or any video where none of them should really be awake. All the comments wish him well and tell him to sleep.

- Steph dances in every video. Fortnite dances, tiktok dances, kpop dances and even does ballet with Cass sometimes but the time she tried rhythm gymnastics with Dick, she knocked one of his teeth loose.

- they once uploaded a video of them sparring. They had a fake instructor (played by Roy in a mustache) in the background to make it seem like they were being taught. They had to retake a lot of it because they kept forgetting to hold back.

-Cass doesn’t like being on camera much though when she is, all her reactions and faces get turned into viral gifs. Duke is the same, though he’s seen even less because he is often the camera man and editor.

- sometimes in their videos people will see a random dark shape or shadow moving in the back, especially when Adri’s on camera and while it scared some people at first it soon got disregarded as just Tim or Cas lurking in the background again

- They once livestreamed being taken hostage, I shit you not, and Steph and Dick wouldn’t shut up about how bad their equipment looked until Adri took the camera and they thought she’d shut it off but instead she points it right at the hostage takers and tells them (politely) that their outfits are ugly.

-Dick actually vlogged being saved by Batman once and even jumped into the Dark Knights arms and yelled “my hero!”

-vigilante sightings are rare in their videos (for obvious reasons) but when they do get caught on camera they always wave, wink, or pose and it leaves people to wonder if the bats know the Waynes. It drives Bruce nuts.

Part 2 Part 3

#batfam #batfam social #batfam youtube #onlyingotham #only in gotham #batman #bruce wayne #alfred pennyworth #dick grayson #ric grayson #jason todd #tim drake #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #duke thomas #damian wayne #adri verold #batfam oc

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writingsfortwoset · 3 years

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two am twoset convos; - a breddy (friend)ship fic

it’s past two o’clock already in singapore. two violinists at the age of twenty-nine and thirty were snuggled under a comforter on a large, single king-sized bed in their condominium bedroom. there was only one lamp on, their eyes stinging every few minutes because of the light radiating from both of their phones. the taller one was laying on his right side and was facing the shorter one, who was laying on his back.

eddy was scrolling through his instagram feed, checking up on his mates after a long day of filming and planning with brett. their channel was continuously growing after eight years of long hard work, and after playing a piece from tchaikovsky, sibelius, brahms, bach, and mendelssohn to celebrate their subscribers count milestones, they were now preparing for the seven million mark.

how time flies.

he was skimming through posts when something mostly black and white caught his eye, and he focused on it. a gasp was emitted from him as shock and amusement turned his eyes from being droopy to widened.

“what is it?” brett turned to look with inquiring eyes at his bestfriend, whose mouth was agape and was slowly turning into a grin.

“ray, freakin’, chen,” the light emitted from eddy’s phone screen is now turned to brett’s face, “is now married! damn, how’d he hide that from us?”

“what? seriously?” brett single-handedly cupped eddy’s hand to stabilize the phone, and lo-and-behold. the violinist groom was smiling at his beautiful wife as the people in the background threw petals toward their way.

brett beamed out of amusement. “wow, i didn’t even know he had a fiance! i thought we would all grow old together as single, greasy violinists playing smash bros for life,” he chuckled. eddy responded with a ‘yeah,’ retreated his phone from brett and started typing a congratulatory message to ray.

a bunch of breaths were inhaled and exhaled amidst the silence. their minds were both working on what to text ray, thumbs pausing every now and then. brett was still composing his own message when...

“brett, do you think we’ll still see each other when we’re married?”

a pause. “duh? you said it already, when we’re married. so we’ll be in the same house, you idiot,” brett decided to joke, still alternating between typing and backspacing on his phone.

eddy chuckled lightly. “no, seriously though...”

it’s at this that brett’s typing halted. he turned his head towards eddy, who now had his phone down, and whose eyes were unreadable and focused on him. brett thought that his tone was too soft to be ignored, too vulnerable. maybe it’s because it’s two in the morning and the tiredness is kicking in, thus eddy’s voice seemed a bit sad.

“of course, bro,” brett offered a small smile while setting his phone down on his chest. “we’ve been inseparable ever since we met. when we do separate, it’s not like we don’t do video calls,” he chuckled as he remembered the video messages they’ve sent back and forth during the few years before twoset. that was their way of updating each other. “and it’s been, what, 16 years now...? no marriage can stop us from hanging out every now and then, right? plus, i bet you’d be the favorite uncle of my future kids, hey.”

eddy lightly snorted at this, “well, duh. that’s eddy chen for you, world’s best uncle, lah!” he imitates an asian mother’s accent at this.

brett took this as a cue that everything was fine, and went back to his phone, oblivious of eddy’s lingering stare. eddy wasn’t the type to be dramatic and full of feelings, but... brett is the other half of his soul. the best-est human being in his life. it was always different with him -- vibrant, happy, safe.

home.

he bites back the urge to sigh deeply as he takes in the sight of his best friend, albeit a little blurry because his glasses were taken off. brett’s at the marrying age now (at least, for most of their friends) and though quite difficult, the shorter violinist has been going on undercover dates with a lady named vivian, in spite of their busy schedules. eddy just knows she might be the one for his best friend, judging from how he talks about her as if he still had that big crush on vivian 6 years later.

he bites back the urge to get envious of the time he spends with her, the latter sometimes being the reason why they have to adjust the filming schedules (’maybe i just need my own girlfriend, ugh’).

he bites back the urge to ask about the channel. they’ve been filming a lot for the past eight years, and had three world-tours already. after the marriage of one, what then? will they contin--

eddy stops himself. let’s just focus on the seven million mark now, shall we?

“i’ll always be here for you brett, you know that, right?”

brett can’t help smiling at the cheesiness. “you always were, so i guess you always will be,” he snickered. he set his phone under his pillow, and then lied down on his left side to face eddy. his left hand was tucked beneath his head. “you sound so sad bro, what’s up?”

eddy shrugged and averted his gaze. his next words were more of an evasive lie, but still kind of true, so...

“nothing, i’m just tired. first time for a nocturnal like me.”

brett recognized eddy’s (kind of a) liar voice, of course. after almost two decades of being soulmates, bestfriends, brothers, co-creators, and basically the best partners in crime, how would he not know? he had an idea of what eddy was thinking. after all, the latter wasn’t quite an expert at hiding the sad puppy eyes he does sometimes when brett says his goodbyes before leaving for a date.

nevertheless, he chose to keep quiet about it, and just arched his eyebrows at his bestfriend. it was followed by his smile and gaze which emitted nothing short of endearment. brett’s face was illuminated by the warm, orange light from the lamp on eddy’s bedside table, creating small yellow gleams in each of his eyes.

eddy always felt loved by those eyes.

“you do know that i’ll always do the same for you, right?” brett asked softly. “always, even when i get married. until you grow bald,” he added, chuckling.

eddy smiles warmly at his best friend’s words amidst their locked gazes. “you’re the one who’s growing bald,” he rolled his eyes. “but yeah, the greasiest best friends.”

i’m just certain that i’m going to miss you so bad, bro.

#breddy #twosetviolin

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imchiareyy · 3 years

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;two am twoset convos; - a breddy (friend) ship fic

how time flies.

“what is it?” brett turned to look with inquiring eyes at his bestfriend, whose mouth was agape and was slowly turning into a grin.

“ray, freakin’, chen,” the light emitted from eddy’s phone screen is now turned to brett’s face, “is now married! damn, how’d he hide that from us?”

a bunch of breaths were inhaled and exhaled amidst the silence. their minds were both working on what to text ray, thumbs pausing every now and then. brett was still composing his own message when...

“brett, do you think we’ll still see each other when we’re married?”

a pause. “duh? you said it already, when we’re married. so we’ll be in the same house, you idiot,” brett decided to joke, still alternating between typing and backspacing on his phone.

eddy chuckled lightly. “no, seriously though...”

eddy lightly snorted at this, “well, duh. that’s eddy chen for you, world’s best uncle, lah!” he imitates an asian mother’s accent at this.

home.

he bites back the urge to ask about the channel. they’ve been filming a lot for the past eight years, and had three world-tours already. after the marriage of one, what then? will they contin--

eddy stops himself. let’s just focus on the seven million mark now, shall we?

“i’ll always be here for you brett, you know that, right?”

eddy shrugged and averted his gaze. his next words were more of an evasive lie, but still kind of true, so...

“nothing, i’m just tired. first time for a nocturnal like me.”

eddy always felt loved by those eyes.

“you do know that i’ll always do the same for you, right?” brett asked softly. “always, even when i get married. until you grow bald,” he added, chuckling.

eddy smiles warmly at his best friend’s words amidst their locked gazes. “you’re the one who’s growing bald,” he rolled his eyes. “but yeah, the greasiest best friends.”

i’m just certain that i’m going to miss you so bad, bro.

#writings #breddy #twosetviolin

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thedragonwriter42 · 4 years

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7: What’s your strangest talent? 13: What’s your religion? 18: Do you believe in karma? 19: What does your URL mean? 21: Who is your celebrity crush? 42: Do you like the smell of gasoline? 48: What’s your sexual orientation? 47: Do you have any obsessions right now? 57: How many relationships have you had?65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

Omg so manyy 😮

7 strangest talent: I'd say probably the ability to immediately forget everything that happened during a test or an exam as soon as I leave the room. I literally cannot recall a single question so I can't worry if I got stuff wrong unless I hand around people who fret about it. Btw worst experience ever: feeling good because finally the last exam is over and hearing your friends get anxious about what they would have done differently and comparing their answers and realizing maybe it didn't go well. Existential dread right there.

13 my religion: I used to be a catholic, went to a preschool runs by nuns for a year, went to catholic classes for years but now I'm agnostic. I have fond memories of cath classes because they were pretty open minded except some of the songs which creeped me out.

18: Do I believe in karma: Yes, I suppose I do. When I was a teenager, the belief that for every sad moment I had, someone somewhere was really happy kept me going. I know it's not what karma means but that's what I believed.

19 what does my url mean: my url is a pune or play on words 😜 I am a writer, and I am obsessed with dragons, and combing the two sounds like dragon rider so I'm actually quite proud of it. And thedragonwriter was actually already taken so I decided to add the answer to the question of the universe, life and everything else afterwards because when in doubt, answer 42.

21: my current celebrity crush is Katie McGrath. I would like her to become my wife please.

42 do I like the smell of gasoline: absolutely not that is terrible. I want to smell grass after a storm not human industry.

48 what's my sexual orientation: HA if only I knew. I identify as bicurious for now, until I figure out what exactly I feel towards women.

47 do I have any obsessions right now: probably Spirited Away. I rediscovered this gem recently and I love the ambiance and the soundtrack calms me pretty well.

57 how many relationships have I had: one long very toxic relationship, one sort of teenage exploration which never lead anywhere, one that lasted two weeks and almost didn't affect me at all, and one vacation thing that lasted three days. Not in that order. In short, I have no idea what a sane relationship is.

65: top five favorite blogs on tumblr: @raidesart always makes me dream with their drawings. I swoon every time. @sirussly and @asktheboywholived are two very talented human beings with extremely creative minds. "Watching" them get together was like witnessing the best romcom come to life. What a blessing they are. @alessiajontrunfio has incredible artwork. I love her style, the colors she uses, the expressions the characters have, it just melts my heart everytime. And of course @babinicz who created the twoset group chat and made me feel included even though I don't play an instrument. Also I love your aesthetic.

99: if the entire world could listen to me right now, what would I say: omg so much pressure. Okay here we go.

People of the Earth, please listen. I'm going to ask a lot because a lot needs to be done. Let's stop bigotry in every way. Let's stop imposing our judgements on other people and let them live as they are. Let's stop any form of hate and oppression everywhere in the world. Let's actively start working, all humans around the world, towards saving this planet we live on. Let's respect animals and humans better. Let's share our ressources to others less fortunate. Let's work towards equal opportunity and towards a world where people don't have to fear for their lives. What we are doing right now is not enough.

I probably should be asking all of this in a more charismatic way but I'm tired already so there.

Thanks @babinicz for asking!

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dearlazerbunny · 5 years

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The Ouran HSHC as Art Students Headcanons

Haruhi Fujioka: visual arts

- Sketching is what she started with as a child because it’s the cheapest; all you need is printer paper and a crappy pencil

- Never walked into a proper art store until her uni classes required it: “You want how much for this sketchbook?!??”

- Has access to fancy charcoal pencils and whatnot at school now but secretly still feels more comfortable using cheap drugstore mechanical pencils since that’s what she taught herself to draw with

- She thinks the paint and sculpture students are a bit pretentious, but she can appreciate the ceramics because they have a useful purpose (she takes pottery as an elective).

- Do not even THINK about fucking with this girl’s portfolio, even as a joke. Saying that she guards it with her life is an understatement

- Hidden in a drawer is an unfinished, photorealistic portrait of her mother. Something about it is never quite right; she’s not sure if it’ll ever be truly finished

Tamaki Suoh: literary arts

- Specialises in poetry, particularly romantic poetry, because obviously

- Literally cannot write nonfiction to save his life

- Idolizes the Bard and has multiple, incredibly expensive editions of his complete sonnets. If you pressed him to name a favorite it’d be #19

- Will spend days staring at something simple (a rose, a necklace, etc.) and finally emerge with a poem that is either incredibly poignant and beautiful or laughably bad, no inbetween

- He has a diary full of very personal poems that are only for himself, all written in French

- Despite being a literary arts major, he’s constantly being conscripted by the theatre department to play parts like Romeo and Orsino because he’s just too perfect for it

Kyoya Ootori: instrumental music/performance track

- Here is where I’d put what instrument he specializes in but uh... he literally plays all of them

- I’m not kidding. Hikaru once bet a large sum on money that there was no way Kyoya could play every instrument. He smirkingly threw an ocarina at Kyoya and the bastard just raised an eyebrow then casually played a gorgeous 30 minute rendition of the Song of Storms

- Was playing a Stradivarius at age nine

- Personally, he prefers woodwind instruments the best, followed by strings, piano, and then brass. His conductors have to bribe him to play any sort of brass instrument

- Will disappear for days into a practice room until whatever piece he’s studying is p e r f e c t. If you’re looking for him and he’s not answering his phone, that’s where he is. Will sleep in there so no one steals his room; has passed out in there from dehydration/lack of food and been carted out by medics too many times to count

- Secretly a huge fan of twoset violin

Hikaru Hitachiin: theatre/acting major

- Did you really think this Dramatic Boi(TM) would be anything other than a theatre major

- Despite his IRL demeanor, he’s incredibly serious about his acting. Professors who expect him to be a slacker are consistently surprised by his dedication

- Excels in the classics and absurdist theatre. He can be a little too intense for some of the “slice of life” modern plays

- Could probably pull off a Lear monologue flawlessly at age 12

- Always requests two scripts in any production he’s cast in: one that he can scribble on, rip up, lose pages in, etc. and one that is kept in sheet protectors in perfect condition

- He’ll be cast in a musical here and there. He’s got a decent voice and can carry a tune with a bit of coaching, but he’s got two left feet and therefore is usually put in the back in dance numbers

Kaoru Hitachiin: instrumental music, double major in music performance and music education

- Cello is his main. He was drawn to it as a kid because it’s mellow and calm; a mirror to Hikaru’s spastic tendencies

- I can also seem him liking bassoon for the same reason

- He’s quietly spectacular. You never see him practice, brag about his instrument, etc. but will somehow miraculously show up to every rehearsal with most of their pieces memorized

- Prefers ensemble and orchestral work to solos. Gets a little uncomfortable being the only one solely in the spotlight

- Has STRONG opinions on all the classical composers and one of the few times you’ll see him red-in-the-face shouting is when he’s expressing his extreme hatred for Flight of the Bumblebee

- He’s double majoring in music ed because while he loves performing and wants to work as an instrumentalist for a few years, when he’s done with that scene he’d love nothing more than to have a classroom of his own, teaching six year olds how to hold their bows and leading them through their first rendition of Hot Cross Buns

Mitsukuni Haninozuka: vocal performance

- Ya boy has RANGE. Can go from a gorgeous countertenor to a lovely baritone/high bass.

- His countertenor is his specialty though. Choir conductors across the world will literally fight over the chance to feature him as a soloist or special guest

- Is mostly fluent in just about every language, thanks to the wide variety of languages choir music features. Italian is his favorite, especially the operas

- Always has to stand in the front row of the risers and sometimes on a special-made block so people can see him amongst the other singers. His concert dress always has to be custom made for him as well

- He’s very careful to not abuse his voice, and has eliminated vocal fry in his everyday speech, though it helps that his normal speaking voice is pitched higher naturally

- Though he’d never admit it to his choir peers, he can sing pop and even rap with the best of them, though it’s saved for karaoke nights with his best friends. His favorite things to sing are holiday carols.

Takashi Morinozuka: dance major/ballet track

- He’s been in ballet classes and kendo classes since age four, and refused to give either of them up as he got older

- To him, both ballet and kendo are very similar. They both require strength, grace, and discipline. He attacks the discipline part hard. He’s the epitome of dedicated

- His height and strength makes him a perfect duet partner. All the girls pray they’ll get paired with Mori in partnering class because they know he’ll be a perfect gentleman the whole time and never, ever drop them

- Looks damn good in a pair of tights, and is never self conscious about it

- Keeps a strict athlete friendly diet 90% of the time, but occasionally allows himself a cheat day and will steal a piece of Honey’s cake out of the fridge (because of course they’re dormmates)

- Would definitely be one of the rare guys who practices pointe because A) he finds it a beautiful art form and B) he doesn’t think it’s fair that the women go though the pain of pointe shoes and he not know what it feels like

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angeme8een-blog · 4 years

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Casualties and Survivors

CHAPTER 1: AIRPORT LOUNGES AND FIDGETING LEGS

The romanticisation of airports has made life more difficult for travellers. It has permitted such overwhelming, not to mention unnecessary, public display of affection that inconveniences those who just want to methodically get from one country to another. Case in point are the hipster lovers who refused to detach their lips from each other, causing quite a ruckus at the drop-off lane. The already noise-polluted terminal air got more chaotic as several cab drivers started honking and yelling expletives at the tanned brunette and her blond lover.

“These young people know no manners anymore, aist!” Mr. Yang expressed his irritation as he scratched the side of his head. Brett wanted to give a cheeky response but he caught himself in fear of being given a proper lecture. Showing your dad how sassy your mouth is on a terribly hot day is a formula for disaster, and Brett knew well enough not to further rile-up his dad when his Chinese accent has already come through. Besides, he was just 30 seconds away from getting out of his dad’s 1997 Toyota Corolla. Might as well keep his thoughts to himself.

“Bretty boy, where is Eddy, huh?” his dad asked as he parked the car on an open drop-off spot and turned on the hazard light. Brett unlocked the passenger’s seat and began collecting his things while responding “he’s probably near. He told me his mom wanted to personally see him leave, unlike the last time we went on tour.” Mr. Yang helped Brett carry his luggage to the curb and onto a trolley before giving his son a hug.

“Now you go with my blessing. Be very good and kind, especially to Eddy. Call your mom from time to time, okay?”

“I will, dad. Thanks again for dropping me off. You should go back to the car before security decides to clamp your tire”

“Aist! I’m an old man, they should show respect!” Mr. Yang scratched the side of his head once more before going back to his car. Brett waved a final goodbye before he pushed his trolley towards the entrance. Once inside, Brett brought out his phone to check-up on Eddy.

“Bro, where you at? I’m already in line for security”

“Bro, please don’t kill me but I’m going to have to take the next flight out tomorrow morning. My sister went into labor five minutes after I left my house. We had to go back home to fetch her because no one else could drive her to the hospital. So now I’m here with Ma and we’re rushing to Queen Elizabeth’s” Eddy explained.

“It’s been 9 months already!? Damn, I totally forgot that Belle was pregnant” Brett slapped himself in the forehead.

“Dude…how could you have forgotten? Have you seen her tummy? It’s like she swallowed Pluto just after NASA announced it’s no longer a planet”

“I fucking heard that Eddy Chen!” Belle’s voice erupted in the background, prompting Brett to move his phone away from his ear.

“I’m sorry” Brett heard Eddy whisper to his sister. “Just hang in there, we’re about 10 minutes away from the ER. Now shush”

“Anyway, bro, so yeah. I’m really sorry about this” Eddy said.

“No worries! Just be there for your sister. Also, tell Belle I said goodluck! Wait, is that the appropriate thing to say to someone who’s about to give birth?”

“I’m not really sure but I think that kinda works. Update me when you’ve landed, alright? Don’t have too much fun without me. Also, practice!” Eddy said before hanging up.

Brett gave a small chuckle as he pocketed his phone. Leave it to Eddy to still be roasting his sister while she’s already in labor. The man’s sense of humour and quick wit are truly remarkable, not to mention unparalleled. Even Brett recognises the indispensable role of Eddy’s creativity in the growth of their channel. He concedes that most of the comedic content in their videos are products of Eddy’s ingenuity. There’s never a dull moment when Eddy’s around, and that’s why Brett is slightly disappointed that he would have to fly solo in his trip to the States. Just thinking about the long hours of sitting down and getting arse cramps every hour or so is already enough to bring Brett to a state of despair. Country hopping is fun, going from one city to another is too, but the actual travel is what really takes a toll on Brett’s energy and mood. He hates every single minute of it, especially the long wait in the airport. There are always way too many people, way too much noise, and way too much walking to do. He’s a musician, for Pete’s sake. His physical activities are limited to five minute walks (usually less since he spends most of his time indoors anyway) and the occasional Lingling workouts that push him over the edge. Just getting through security was enough for him to break a sweat.

After passing through the first round of metal detectors and the x-ray machines, Brett proceeded to the check-in counter of Qantas. It was a long wait before his turn so he decided to check on the ticket sales of their tour. Only two performances in the last city in their itinerary have not sold out yet, but he’s positive that it will eventually. TwoSet’s popularity suddenly grew during the first two weeks of January which the pair did not really expect. The abrupt spike in the number of views per video, not to mention reaching 2 million subscribers much earlier than expected, made the duo ecstatic and grateful beyond words. But their growing fame was a double-edged sword for it meant more work for both of them. It didn’t help that Eddy made a promise to their fans that once the channel reached 2 million subs, Brett would drop his Tchaikovsky recording. And so he had less than a month to perfect the popular piece before he finally performed it during the livestream they did last February. More than a million of the Lingling wannabes from all over the world watched him play the same piece he performed during his debut in 2012. It was nerve wracking, but it was pretty exciting too. Performing for his fans have always brought Brett so much joy, and he will gladly do it until the time when he physically can’t anymore.

“Sir? Please” the voice of the ground stewardess urging Brett to come forward to the counter broke his stupor.

“Sorry” Brett apologised as he handed his ticket. He was loading his luggage on the counter when he heard a pleading voice at the counter next to his. He decided to get a glimpse at the commotion, noting how disheveled and desperate the woman looked and how equally impatient the ground stewardess was becoming. Brett then abruptly withdrew his stare when he and the woman accidentally caught each other’s eyes. Brett continued to load his luggage so it won’t seem too obvious that he was eavesdropping.

“I’ll take any open seat. Please” the woman begged. The fatigue in the woman’s voice was evident, and Brett could not help wondering if she was hungover or she just came from baby-sitting seven toddlers all at once.

“I’m sorry, madame. But so far the flight is fully booked. If you want, there’s another plane coming in at noon. I can book that for you” the passenger service crew explained.

“No, no. That would be too late. But please, if ever an opening comes up, please do notify me. I’ll give you my number” the woman said as she started scribbling on the piece of paper that the lady behind the counter gave.

“Mr. Yang, here are your boarding pass and your luggage tag. By the way, you received an upgrade courtesy of the airlines. You can use the Business Class lounge while waiting for your flight” the lady smiled at him as she handed Brett everything he needed. Upgrade? Brett thought to himself. That’s weird, specially since the other lady just said the flight’s fully booked.

“That’s generous, thank you” Brett said gratefully. “Oh, by the way, my friend Eddy Chen was supposed to fly with me but he won’t be able to make it because of a family emergency” he added before leaving the counter. Brett internally cringed at what he just did. He knew for a fact that the airline could not possibly use that information. They had protocols to follow when it came to cancellations. Aside from that, it was a really random thing to do.

Well, not random. Brett thought. You just wanted to help the panda-eyed woman without being to obvious. Damn she was tired. And damn, was I really obvious though.

Brett decided to shrug off that awkward incident by texting Eddy while he walked towards the lounge. He did not get any reply right away so he figured that his best friend was probably still attending to his sister. Upon arriving at the lounge and finding a spot to sit in, Brett decided to do some work. After he finished, he went to the bar to get something to drink and eat. He was munching on his crisps when he got a text from Eddy.

Bro, update our fans. Was supposed to do it but I totally forgot. And I reckon they’re not really interested in seeing a bloody head emerge between my sister’s legs yeah?

Jfc Eddy, you could’ve spared me the mental image. But yeah, yeah. I’ll do it.

Brett opened their instagram account and started going live. He once again thanked their fans for all the support they have shown, and then proceeded to update them about why Eddy was not with him at the moment. He was doing a mini Q&A when it was announced on the PA system that his flight is going to start boarding passengers in 15 minutes. Brett bid their fans goodbye, pocketed his phone, and left the bar to go back to where he sat before. He was ten steps away from his seat when he noticed that someone else was occupying the chair near the window. It was the same woman from the other counter, the one who was desperately pleading for a ticket.

Lucky her. I guess she did get what she needed after all. Brett muttered to himself as he sat himself in the sofa facing the woman. He placed his violin on his left and his carry-on luggage on the floor before bringing his eyes back to the girl near the window. She was holding a book open in front of her, though it appeared that she wasn’t really reading it. Her hazel eyes stared blankly at the pages of Sara Borjas’ Heart Like A Window, Mouth Like A Cliff as she bit on her left thumb.

Is she nervous? Brett wondered as he continued observing her.

He brought his eyes to her hair and noticed how it was haphazardly wrapped around a bun on top of her head, and it seemed like it would unravel itself at any moment. She was pale for a person who lived in Australia (summer is just about to end after all), but her cheeks had a little bit of red in them.

Is she ill? Has she just cried? Brett pondered. He continued staring at her as if she was a specimen in a laboratory.

Brett noticed that her right leg, which was crossed over her left, would not stop fidgeting. It would slow down from time to time but the shaking did not cease. Sometimes her free hand would slide down to her lap and she would start tapping it in sync with her fidgeting leg. There were instances when she’d bring her head up from her book and her eyes would almost lock with Brett’s, but he was quick enough to avert his stare whenever she was on the verge of moving her head. It was as if they were playing a game of hide and seek, except that no one was really seeking because only one was playing and he wasn’t even playing it well. He was just there, in plain sight, in open space, staring and ogling with no particular purpose. Just staring. And wondering.

Like a creep. Aist. Brett huffed as he realised how wrong it was to be people watching. Well, not people watching in general. Just the one. More aptly put, person watching. Or stalking he thought if I’m going to be honest with myself.

Brett’s slow descent into his own thoughts was interrupted once again by the PA system. His flight number was called, and its passengers were informed that they were to board in Gate C7. Since Brett got an upgrade into business class, he had the privilege of being accommodated first. Not to mention not having to walk all the way to Gate C7 because the airline lounge had a direct jet bridge that connected to the Boeing 787-9 which would carry hundreds of passengers from Brisbane straight to New York. Brett collected his things and walked towards the airline staff who collected his boarding pass and assisted him to the plane. He was greeted by the plane crew once he entered, and was directed to his seat.

“Would you like me to put that away for you?” The stunning flight attendant gestured to his violin.

“Would it be possible for me to keep it on my side?” He asked.

“Of course, Sir. I’ll just fetch some straps to keep it in place. I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable” she smiled before leaving for the cabin.

Brett immediately took a selfie and posted it on instagram. He messaged Eddy about the upgrade and teased the latter of leaving the duo to become a soloist. Eddy immediately replied with a picture of him with tears in his eyes. This made Brett laugh but also feel a twinge of melancholy at the same time because bantering with his best mate was way better in person than doing it digitally. Moreover, Brett started engaging in creepy recreational activities because of Eddy’s absence, and it was so out of character for him that he gave an internal scream.

Thank god that’s over Brett told himself as he inhaled deeply and settled himself in the plush window seat. He sent last minute text messages to his friends and family before he turned off his phone.

“Excuse me sir, here are the straps for your violin” the flight attendant from earlier returned with a pair of 13 inch black straps which she handed to Brett. He gave a slight nod and mouthed a thank you while receiving the straps. He then proceeded to secure his violin to the side. Brett was about to close his eyes when the woman from the lounge entered and stopped at the chair beside him. She whispered something to the flight attendant who was assisting her before she took her seat.

Not again. Brett muttered to himself as he once again stared intently at the woman. He couldn’t take his eyes off her and he did not know why. She wasn’t exactly a head turner, but she had this aura about her that piqued Brett’s curiosity.

Curiosity. That’s it, I’m curious. That’s exactly the reason why I can’t look away. Brett thought.

There’s a story, surely there’s a story behind those tired hazel eyes. There must be because no one looked like that, like she carried the weight of the entire world on her shoulders, but at the same time radiate (but only minutely) a different, more positive energy.

Independence?

Brett guessed.

Gratitude?

Fulfilment?

Success?

It’s like he was playing charades with Eddy again, only this time the other person was a complete stranger and he can’t communicate, much more confirm, his guesses. He looked at her more intensely as he searched for more clues about the type of person that she was. First, he looked at her hands to check if she might have callouses similar to his. She had some, but it was on the wrong places. She was not a musician. Maybe she was a writer, or an architect. Brett was not able to come up with a proper conclusion as to her profession, but he decided that whatever she did had something to do with using her hands.

Second, he considered what she was wearing. She was just wearing tight jeans, black boots, and a plain knitted white sweater. She had no accessories nor any other apparel that would help her battle the weather once they land in New York.

Unless she has one in her carry-on. But I highly doubt that. Brett thought. He did not see her with any luggage at the check-in counter, nor in the lounge. She only had a big tote bag with her which she also declined to be placed in the overhead compartment. Brett inferred that this trip was a product of spontaneity, or panic. It really could go either way. But what was obvious was she did not plan this through.

Brett slowly lifted his sights up to study her face once more. But what happened next caused him to feel a rush of blood to his cheeks. She was staring at him. She saw him staring at him. And now their eyes were locked at each other and Brett did not know what to do.

Fuck.

#twosetviolin #brett yang #eddy chen #fanfiction

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straydogsandsaranghaes · 4 years

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Tagged by @dramavixen. I love these! Thanks for tagging me! Sorry it took so long, I’ve been preparing for a vacation and a very long flight but now things have settled down and I can do this. Yay :) Also, I’m always so happy to talk to my mutuals but I’m bad at starting, so this is perfect.

Rules: tag 9 people you’d like to get to know better

Top 3 ships: hmm, that’s tough. Well, of course at the moment 1) Wangxian, as is clear by my blog, but honestly the other two will be hard. Since I started with a cdrama ship, I’ll go with other top cdrama ships as well. 2) Ning Yi x Feng Zhiwei from Rise of Phoenixes and 3) Si Tu Mo x Gu Wei Yi from Put Your Head on My Shoulder (which I watched semi-recently and thought it was adorable.

Last Song: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77...but that was just because I was listening to a TwoSet Violin playlist at work. It’s a fantastic youtube channel btw, if you haven’t heard of it.

Last Movie: Birds of Prey, saw it in theatres a couple days ago. It was fun and I’m always here to support the ladies!

Reading: We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. It’s a really cool concept set in ancient Arabia fantasy book, though I’m having a bit of trouble getting into it. Although, I just finished rereading Fireborne, which maybe one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a long time and it only took me a couple months to go back and read it for the second time. There are dragon riders and kingdoms at stake and tragic flawed heroes, pretty much everything you could want from a dragon book. Also, I have the second Poppy War book, The Dragon Republic, queued up to read next! Phew!

What food are you craving right now?: Honestly, I want a chimichanga, or potatoes too. Potatoes are always good. Or pizza, I always crave pizza too, lol.

Tagging (if you want :D): Let’s go with more than 9! I should actually speak to people on tumblr lol. @dangermousie @thingskateknows @honeyedmilks @iamtheonethinginlifeicancontrol @wullu / @applepiips (because she literally saved my life the other day (digitally but still) and we just started talking!) @yeo-rims @pedagogicalpaprika @natstarbuck @whythursdaynext @swordsandparasols @glimmeroo @scoundrels-in-love Also, feel free to not do this, but thanks for being a good tumblr friend regardless! I love seeing people in my notes and hope you don’t mind how often you may see me in yours :)

#me #I forgot what my tag is for this #chat #?#let's go with it #also this was fun! thanks so much for tagging me!

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i-think-2-much · 5 years

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Voltron Orchestral AU

So I wrote this awhile ago and I’ve really looked at it since but figured I’d post it. Disclaimer: I am a band kid, not an orchestra kid

Lance is a trumpet (loud and proud)

Hunk is a tuba.

He met Lance through marching band and they’ve been inseparable since

There’s also a clarinet named Pidge that they’ve befriended.

First time they saw her they though she was a boy which was very awkward. Pidge never lets them live it down

Shiro is a flute (I feel like he saw the girly stereotype and got really angry and so he decided to learn flute. That and the flutes I know tend to be very good leaders)

Keith is an oboe (temperamental instrument, just like the red lion. Also, knives are involved)

Allura is a first violin (Hates the viola with every bit of her soul)

Zarkon is a viola because according to twoset and my violin friend everyone hates viola

Coran is the band director and Allura’s uncle

—————-

Lance, Hunk, Keith, and Pidge are freshman joining their college’s orchestra

Shiro and Allura have been in the orchestra for awhile and have entered a lot of competitions with each other as a flute/violin duet (usually with Shiro’s music)

Coran loves Shiro’s music and insists that he pushes Shiro out of his comfort zone and has him write music for a weird combination of instruments

Shiro, knowing that Coran will put together an ensemble to play the piece puts an oboe part specifically so his little brother Keith has to play in it (as he’s the only oboe)

Coran puts team Voltron in an ensemble that’s playing Shiro’s new music in some competition

Lance and Keith share a very similar part and Lance accidentally reads a note wrong

This spawns a rivalry

Lance and Keith end up competing (musically) until their faces are red and blue, earning them their nicknames

Unfortunately, Zarkon and his goonies decided that they have to win the ensemble competitions and do everything they can to sabotage the other group

They eventually go so far going into Pidge’s and Keith’s cases and breaking all of their reeds/stealing Keith’s reed knife/snapping Allura’s strings/having Lance’s mouth piece mysteriously go missing

They can’t prove anything and so Zarkon’s ensemble keeps getting away with it

Voltron ensemble puts aside their differences, CHARACTER GROWTH, and beats Zarkon in competition and yeah

#band #orchestra #full orchestra #ensemble #oboe #clarinet #tuba #flute #violin #trumpet #competition #voltron #vld #klance #voltron legendary defender #au

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pianoperson · 5 years

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Get to know me (if you want)

No one asked for this. Questions are from @chvmpagne-and-gasoline so if you wanna answer them, feel free to.

1. 6 of the songs you listen to the most?

La Campanella by Liszt, Humoresque by Dvorak, Rolling Girl by wowaka, Servant of Evil by mothy (?), Circles by Kira (?), Comptine D’un Autre Été (yes I don’t give a damn about pop culture)

2. If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Brett and Eddy from TwoSet

3. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

“1997—X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter” from Armada by Ernest Cline

4. Who do you think about most?

My real life friends because they’re great, and IkeRev guys (especially Jonah)

5. What does your latest text message from someone else say?

Asking them where they are

6. Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

With. How do people sleep without clothes?

7. What’s your strangest talent?

Having random thoughts enter my mind that actually predict the future (but I never really tell anyone so)

8: Girls are cool; Boys are cool. (everyone is cool period)

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Nope, well at least I don’t think so. But I did write a poem about someone (it was never meant to be a roast poem, just a poem that was meant to be an outlet for my sadness, but it was accidentally written in such a way that it can be interpreted as one)

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?

Bold of you to assume I ever played guitar. The closest was ukelele but that was for school.

11: Do you have any strange phobias?

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

No, unless your finger counts (hey, it gets bothersome sometimes to feel something within your nostril)

13: What’s your religion?

Roman Catholic

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Either I’m going out to eat or exercising

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

Behind, but I always end up in front of it

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

I don’t have a favorite band.

17: What was the last lie you told?

It was probs a yes to a question I no longer remember.

18: Do you believe in karma?

I joke about it, but honestly, no.

19: What does your URL mean?

I’m a person who likes piano. That’s it.

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

My greatest weakness is being too cautious to the point I get tense due to fear of failure. My greatest strength is probably scrape by school with grades 90 and above without putting in my best.

21: Who is your celebrity crush?

Bold of you to assume I even have one.

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

Nope, never

23: How do you vent your anger?

If I want to rant, I either rant alone or with people who think alike. But that’s with really shallow stuff. If it’s really bad anger, I tend to keep it to myself because I feel like I’m gonna waste people’s time and my own energy.

24: Do you have a collection of anything?

None

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

Depends. But I’ll go with talking on the phone.

26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become?

Nope. Not yet.

27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?

I hate Edgar Bright’s voice the sound of a spoon or fork accidentally scraping against the plate. I love the sound of pianos and flutes.

28: What’s your biggest “what if”?

What if I screw up so badly that I’ll end up a failure, a loser, and a loner for the rest of my life and end up dying in pain alone?

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

Ghosts, no. Aliens, a bit.

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

With my right, I touch air. With my left, I touch the TV screen,

31: Smell the air. What do you smell?

Nothing

32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to?

If it smells like garbage, then automatically, it’s the worst place for me. And I’ve been to a number of places like that so I can’t specify.

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?

West Coast just because I’ve been there

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Does Jonah Clemence count? He sings lol But in all seriousness, none.

35: To you, what is the meaning of life?

Life is like a Pokemon game. You’re not going to win all those battles, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give up. But if your life is Pokemon X and Y, you’re lucky.

36: Define Art.

Art is something universal yet personal.

37: Do you believe in luck?

Yes. Of course, you need to work hard, but you still have to hope that things go your way.

38: What’s the weather like right now?

Pretty cool since it’s nighttime. Clear skies too.

39: What time is it?

10:07pm

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

Nope.

41: What was the last book you read?

Armada by Ernest Cline. It’s a great read, especially if you read Ready Player One by the same author.

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?

Yes. Everyone around me finds it weird.

43: Do you have any nicknames?

Yeah

44: What was the last film you saw?

Infinity War

45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?

When I was grade one, I fell and hit my head.

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?

Never had, never tried.

47: Do you have any obsessions right now?

IkeRev I guess

48: What’s your sexual orientation?

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?

Yep. Quite a bit.

50: Do you believe in magic?

Nope. But I wish I have.

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

Nope, because that’s a waste of time and energy. Also, I tend to forget they even did anything to me lol

52: What is your astrological sign?

Sagittarius

53: Do you save money or spend it?

For school and food, spend. Otherwise, save.

54: What’s the last thing you purchased?

Takeout from a restaurant because there was no food at home.

55: Love or lust?

Love

56: In a relationship?

Nope

57: How many relationships have you had?

Was single, has been single, always will be single

58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

I think I used to, but no.

59: Where were you yesterday?

At home

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

Nope

61: Are you wearing socks right now?

Nope

62: What’s your favourite animal?

Idk. My dog I guess.

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

I don’t even try.

64: Where is your best friend?

At home

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.

@just-shower-thoughts @extramadness @laineclemence @theundyingskeleton @valkryie-nyte

66: What is your heritage?

Filipino with a bit of Chinese and Spanish

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?

Answering some questions on Tumblr

68: What do you think is Satan’s last name?

He doesn’t have one.

69: Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

Sorry, what does that even mean?

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

Considering I talk to myself a lot, yes.

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

Go to work. I don’t think I can save that dog.

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

Yes I will tell my family and friends that I will die. Yes I will be very afraid. I will go to confession as soon as possible and perhaps try to do some stuff before I die.

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

Trust

74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

The One That Got Away by Katy Perry just because nostalgia

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

My lips are sealed about that.

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

Being great friends grants a great relationship.

77: How can I win your heart?

You can’t.

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?

No, but it can make you do the things you want to do by removing all insecurities and inhibitions preventing you from doing those things.

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Staying alive

80: What size shoes do you wear?

If we’re talking about closed shoes, size 5

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

Never thought about it

82: What is your favourite word?

Right now, it’s Queen.

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

Jonah Clemence (ok how many times have I said his name in this post)

84: What is a saying you say a lot?

“Lol”, “nice”, “I wanna die.”, or “Patayin mo na ako.”

85: What’s the last song you listened to?

Melt’s cover of Rolling Girl

86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours?

Blue and black

87: What is your current desktop picture?

A galaxy

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

I don’t want to have that on my conscience and my record so nope.

89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

Do I have a kink?

90: One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?

Clutch my blanket and stay still, trying to think of a way to get them out without inadvertently causing my death.

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

Psychic powers

92: You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

That one time I touched a thermometer that wasn’t supposed to be touched in grade two. Everyone got mad at me for it. It took me three or four years to get over the shame from that incident.

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

2016. What a time waster.

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

That’s uncomfortable...

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

Iceland just because it sounds great

96: Do you have any relatives in jail?

Nope

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?

Never, which is great

98: Ever been on a plane?

Yep

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

Jesus is the answer.

#asks #personal

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phgq · 3 years

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Pandemic inspires Pinoys to take up musical instruments

#PHnews: Pandemic inspires Pinoys to take up musical instruments

MANILA – It was only during the pandemic when junior high school student Hazir Brina realized he wanted to learn a new activity besides playing Mobile Legends.

Brina, who loves listening to classical music, decided to learn playing the violin.

Inspired by Taiwanese-Australian violinist duo “TwoSet Violin”, Brina was elated when he received a violin from his mother for his 16th birthday.

“I dreamed of having my own violin at 11-years-old, but we couldn’t afford one at that time. Playing the violin is my stress reliever during the lockdown,” Brina told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

As a self-taught violinist beginner, Brina now uploads videos of himself playing the violin on social media, covering songs such as Edward Elgar's “Salut d'Amour”, which was even included in video game Fallout 4 as part of its "Classical Radio Station" songs.

Hazir Brina, 16, learned to play the violin after binge-watching videos of Taiwanese-Australian violinist duo TwoSetViolin on YouTube. (Contributed photo)

“Unlike other teenagers, I appreciate classical music than modern music. Whenever I have a problem, I listen or play Salut d'Amour because it helps me relax and focus,” he said.

Brina is only one of many Filipinos who decided to learn a musical instrument during the lockdown. Being stuck home has provided plenty of time to learn something new.

“My piece of advice for those who want to learn playing an instrument during the pandemic is to never allow anyone from stopping you from doing what you want to do,” he said.

Reigniting your music spark

Realizing that playing the flute shouldn’t be limited to being an activity done in his elementary and high school music classes, Jayson Real, 30, decided to pick up the woodwind musical instrument after a decade of not playing.

“I used to play the recorder flute in my elementary and high school days but stopped for a decade. I just came back to playing again this quarantine,” he said.

Jayson, a pharmacy assistant, said playing the flute has helped him deal with pandemic uncertainty since adopting a new hobby helped him focus on the good.

“It helped me cope with my depression and stress from the pandemic,” he said.

Jayson Real, 30, took flute lessons in elementary and high school, then stopped for 10 years. When the pandemic struck, he decided to give playing the flute another go. (Contributed photo)

As a self-confessed romantic, Jayson said he enjoys playing love songs like Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On and David Pomeranz’s Born For You on the flute.

“Flute players are unique because you won’t see them often unlike guitar players,” he said.

Although he describes himself as an amateur flutist, he is hoping that with enough practice and dedication, playing would soon be a lot easier.

“Learning to play any musical instrument is quite difficult at first, but when you love what you’re doing it will be a lot easier in the long run,” he said.

The more the merrier

Jezreel Ian Manuel, 26, an instructor at the University of the Cordilleras in Baguio City, is not new to playing instruments. In fact, he could already play at least seven instruments before the lockdown was imposed including the guitar, lyre harp, harmonica, melodica, drums, keyboard, and kalimba.

During the pandemic, Manuel said he learned to play another string instrument -- an acoustic violin 4/4/-- after purchasing one from a local shop in Baguio City.

“The pandemic really gave me an opportunity to pursue and learn the violin,” he said, adding that playing musical instruments has helped him become more “focused” and “disciplined.”

Manuel said another benefit from learning a new musical instrument is being able to share his talent to his friends and family. After all, he was once part of a Christian band in their church.

Jezreel Ian Manuel, 26, can already play around seven musical instruments but decided to still learn to play the violin. (Contributed photo)

“I mean look, there are only a few violin players out there. So being one of them really makes my family proud,” he said.

He takes pride in being productive during the pandemic, encouraging others to develop new skills or improve current ones rather than wasting hours scrolling in social media.

“Learning a new instrument will require a lot patience and practice. There may be times that you want to quit because you might feel like you are not having a progress. The only thing you have to do is to keep motivating yourself. Focus on your goals and of course, never give up,” he said.

Aside from playing musical instruments and uploading his arrangements on social media, Manuel is also passionate about painting, photography, video editing, animation, and graphic design.

Time to practice

Spending more free time at home has given Cath Garcia, 20, the chance to relearn to play the ukulele after encouragement from her friend.

Garcia, a college student taking Information Technology (IT), said that prior to the pandemic, her two-year-old ukulele was gathering dust in her room since she would only play ukulele intermittently.

“To be honest, even though I had it for a long time, I'm still at the beginning stage. Prior to the pandemic, I wasn’t able to practice every day because I had a lot of school-related activities to prioritize,” she said.

She said playing the ukulele was especially rewarding because it helped boost her confidence.

Stuck home for the most part of the pandemic, Cath Garcia, 20, has more time to for her new musical pursuit: The ukulele. (Contributed photo)

“Nalaman ko na I can sing pala (I found out that I could actually sing) even though pangit yung boses ko (if I don’t exactly have the best voice) and I develop my confidence,” she said.

Admitting that she has yet to master “fingerstyle” or the technique of playing a ukulele by plucking the strings directly with fingertips, she said that relearning the musical instrument taught her to appreciate herself better.

“Araw-araw ay (Every day is a) discovery, you need to put some time, attention and effort to grow. Being a ukulele player hindi sumagi sa isip ko pero yung best part nito yung natuto ako at nakilala ko pa yung sarili ko (never crossed my mind but the best part about this is I learned something new and I learned more about myself too),” she said.

When she’s not attending online classes, Garcia would immerse herself in ukulele tutorials and covers.

Sometimes, she would upload cover videos in social media with the goal of getting other ukuleleists to give her tips on how to improve. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Pandemic inspires Pinoys to take up musical instruments." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129106 (accessed February 01, 2021 at 12:11AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Pandemic inspires Pinoys to take up musical instruments." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129106 (archived).

#Philippines #News #Filipino #Pinoy #Tourism #Politics #Culture #Editorial #Environment #Society #History

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bananban-feature · 3 years

Text

Why Do I Like BTS

I wrote this on my other blog before I decided to make this special feature blog where I would put all of my interests.

On 31st October 2020:

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It’s been exactly one month since I became a BTS fan. And my obsession has just become crazy recently, despite deliberately trying to avoid thinking about them. So I wanted to dig deep on why this group had this much effect on me, despite being an unlikely music choice against my taste.

I absolutely did not expect for this post to be so long! I guess I just had a lot to say, and I have to let it all out. That’s why I’m going crazy. Hope my brain gets better after writing.

How I Got Interested

I will never forget this video because this is the one that got me really interested in BTS (and Kpop after): Live performance of Dynamite - Bedroom Remix (https://youtu.be/liyn48Amjdw). I was just so impressed by a few things in this that I watched it so many times!

First of all, it was my first time listening to this song as a whole. First time listening to it live, too. It’s a very catchy song! This is my jam.

Jungkook’s whole intro - 1) His stable voice while doing the moonwalk and all that dancing. I knew Kpop artists can sing, I knew Kpop artists can dance, but to do both at the same time that well? It was very obvious that this was live singing, and yet his voice was so clean while dancing, and easy to listen to. (Tbh, I wasn’t all that impressed by the vocal line’s singing aside from him and Jimin, and surprisingly - Jhope, who is actually not part of the vocal line.) And 2) His stage presence. I really enjoyed watching him go through his whole part because it really seemed like he was having SO MUCH FUN!!! It just changed my view of kpop idols that screamed they are manufactured and they are stressed. Jungkook just really seemed to genuinely enjoy performing. Maybe his smile, as a handsome person, was also a slight factor, but I really think it was the energy he gave off. Tbh, this goes for all of them!

Subsequently after that, the members stood up one by one. RM impressed me with a rap that’s well done, particularly the way he said “this beat chaching like money” with a wink. (He’s was charismatic!) I don’t know, it could be just the song writing. Or it could be him. Again, the fun energy!

J-hope was next, and I was impressed by the way he delivered his part, especially the high pitch in “I’m diamond” and the riff in “you know I glow up.” I thought, wow, they’re all doing their parts so well, I did not expect this. (Also, RM’s “hey, so let’s go!” idk it’s so good.)

In fact, as the video progressed, you can see that it was not just Jungkook who was enjoying but all of them. All of the members did (except for SUGA and his constant poker face, even though I’m now a big SUGA stan). The way the members looked at whoever was performing was a look of great delight. And they supported each other’s lines with nice adlibs. It’s such a very positive fun, friendly, and brotherly energy.

Jimin’s solemn part came and it was just simply angelic. I have another note on this - Jimin. He was the only BTS member I knew of before this! I know him because I once saw a video on a guy spending thousands of dollars to look like him, saying he had the most perfect face of all. I was like, “Huh? He’s not even that handsome!” I also know him because he was mentioned in a TwoSet violin reaction video (me as an absolute TwoSet fan). Eddie is a Jimin fan! Anyway, Jimin’s part was absolutely angelic, and I didn’t expect it. I used to dislike the idea of being a fan of Jimin, cause he was being idolized for his visuals when he actually wasn’t the best in it (this was me before becoming a BTS fan), but I suddenly understood when I saw him perform. He was ADORABLE. It’s hard to hate him. Plus, his cute dance at the end.

The video just kept getting better with Jungkook’s high note. (I gotta say, Dynamite was really JK era.)

Anyway, I was so impressed by this performance. The caption of the friend who posted this was about “Taehyung” and I wanted to know what part of the video she was talking about. Who is Taehyung? On top of that, I wanted to know what Jungkook’s name was (and they look incredibly alike if you don’t know them), cause he was obviously my favorite in this video, so I tried to know all their names!

I googled all of them and Jin and V’s visuals were making me blush!!! That’s when I started to really try to get to know them by reading “BTS 101″ articles and watching more performances/music videos. SUGA’s part in the article was interesting, seeing how he went through financial struggles, and how he’s very vocal about society’s issues and his mental illnesses. It struck a chord in my heart.

I also looked out for their dance moves (in true kpop fashion) in their performances, and I was just blown away by the fact that it’s so well choreographed and well-performed, and they’re singing live on top of that. “ON” in Grand Central Terminal? Crazy! I personally liked Mic Drop too because it was my favorite from Sunny Funny Fitness’s Zumba (even though I didn’t know who BTS was). Also knew Boy With Luv from Zumba, so it wasn’t hard to listen to the song. And Spring Day was just familiar (probably from TwoSet violin).

Oh, I forgot, I’ve already seen their Carpool Karaoke with James Corden (as a carpool karaoke fan) a few times way before I knew them. I watched it more than once cause they’re so funny and it’s just interesting to see a kpop group in there.

Now that I’m looking back, I’m surprised to know I still remember this much detail about that fateful hour that got me into BTS mode.

It’s crazy cause now, I’m less focused on their performances, but on videos that show their personality and relationships.

Having Biases

My bias keeps changing: Jungkook (a charismatic performer) > V (as a good-looking cool kid, who apparently is an actual baby) > Jin (the good-looking, loving/kind, and crazy hyung who is also a fake maknae) > Maknae line (crackheads, fun and talented/aesthetically-pleasing bunch, including Jin) > Jungkook (idk he’s just cute, and considered golden maknae) > Suga (cool rap lines, wonderful opennes, hard work, talent, wisdom, etc) > RM (genius and best leader of kpop) > Rap Line (the OG writers that give depth to BTS songs), OT7 (they are all special in their own way), etc

Overall, I personally relate the most to Suga and Jungkook. Suga in his openness about mental issues and being a tired old man. Jungkook in having many interests and hobbies, also shyness. I am also not sure why but I definitely resonate with Jin’s personality too (definitely not the looks though, I’m not that gorgeous.)

The Effect

I want to talk about the effect of BTS on me, healthy and unhealthy:

The good thing they’ve brought me is my interest in exercise the week I became a fan. Suddenly, exercise became fun because it was dancing to their songs (Zumba) and listening to their songs while jogging.

Me comparing myself to them, but with a more positive effect - Seeing how they’ve achieved so much despite being young, I keep telling myself, I want to achieve more, too, and work hard like them. The truth is, I also think that if BTS meets me and sees my situation as a bum who just keeps watching videos all day long, it sounds really pathetic.

I am so inspired by their personality and friendship. Everybody appreciates and genuinely loves the others, with no competition. They’re all very humble, very honest, and very caring. It makes me want to be kind and love other people like that too.

I just keep watching their clips and Youtube videos about them. As I said, I love watching things showing their character and relationships. It’s a waste of time, really, but I can’t help it. I want to watch all of Run BTS, but now I’m trying not to. There came a point where I can’t work if I’m not also watching their clips in the background.

The obsession - I have been thinking about them a lot these days, especially Jungkook. It’s very weird. “What would Jungkook like?” It’s a very weird situation in my head. I started thinking what kind of girl he and the rest of BTS would like, and would like to ship them with the best and most talented girls in the world, if not me lol.

The negative side of comparing myself to them is wanting to be as talented as them or noticed by them, and focusing my thoughts around that, I guess. This includes wanting to live in a first world country like Korea, where life seems better and easier.

The Unlikely Music Choice

I’m not a Hip Hop fan! Anyone can tell, my vibe is mostly on the acoustic side. I am very much impressed by Suga’s rap and I love him for that, but the truth is, I don’t exactly know what good rap sounds like, because I barely heard any rap. The sound of BTS songs (both old and new) isn’t exactly the type that I would intentionally listen to (aside from the non-hiphop sounding ones). In fact, I only began to like Hip hop because of BTS.

I am also not a typical Kpop and dance fan. As I said, I’m more of an acoustic gal. I don’t value dancing skills as much as other people. I would put kpop in the lower part of my “upbeat songs” folder, which I would listen to for jogging. Again, I would never have intentionally listened to songs like Black Swan, Fire, and BST. Not my jam. But look at me now, impressed with them and I just don’t know why.

I said all these gaps in my interest, but now I started to genuinely enjoy the hip hop and kpop genre. I’ve even explored other groups.

Vocals - I am saying I don’t give a lot of value to dance, so I look at singing. But even in singing, they aren’t the best either. I don’t like Jin and V’s voices to be honest, I really mistook them for visuals who were just forced to sing. (It’s true for Jin. Hearing V’s opera voice changed this view, but I still don’t like his ordinary singing voice cause it sounds so muffled.) Jungkook is a great singer, but there are also guys better than him or at the same level as him in other groups, also good-looking, also good in dance. (Not sure about the dance part, cause I haven’t really seen other people’s performances, but I’m sure there are a lot more power vocals out there, like Exo guys or something.)

Talent (Instruments) - I’m totally an instruments person! I am always most impressed by singers/performers who are multi-talented, and play their own instruments - like Henry Lau (talent genius, I love him), and I know there are a lot more who aren’t noticed. But none of BTS are really all that great in instruments, though they’re starting to learn. Suga plays the piano, but he never really uses it in performances, so it is yet to truly impress me.

In terms of friendship, I haven’t seen other groups, but I heard they’re also close. IDK.

So why do I like them?

The Possible Reasons

I guess it’s that they are my first serious exposure to excellent dance performances in kpop. (I know now there are also other groups with synchronized and difficult dances, but back then, kpop groups’ dances that I know of did not make my jaw drop). Seriously, ON was so good. I guess it’s also the type of music they have that accentuates their incredible choreography and intense performance.

Their relationships with each other - Their brotherly love for each other is just so cute. From friendly banters, crackhead crazy moments, supporting each other (physically, mentally and emotionally) and even showing all their affection physically and verbally - it’s all very heartwarming. They truly love and appreciate one another and their togetherness.

They are crackheads and they all are genuinely nice people. I just love their stupid antics, Jin’s dad jokes, Jungkook’s banter, Maknae line’s mischief, and all their BTS craziness even from the hyung rap line.

On top of this, as it manifests in their relationships, they are really good-hearted men. They care about others, and are humble enough to talk issues through. Their synergy is really cool, seeing how they are all different people, but they work so well together, and I personally believe it’s because of their character.

Songwriting - I am a fan of actual artists - performers who make their own music, write and produce their own songs. Suga and RM’s (especially RM) writing makes BTS songs deep and speak volumes to people. The others have learned to create music too, so that’s nice. Honestly, I didn’t realize this until I heard people talk about this in the many comments I read. I didn’t know their songs had a lot of meaning. And I didn’t know they had that much involvement in their outputs. I just appreciate the idea that it has a lot of meaning, especially that they apparently speak about social issues that other kpop groups won’t talk about.

They’re good at other things too, like sports. Jungkook is just so fit. Suga is good in basketball. Jin is good in cooking. RM has a high IQ.

I guess they’re just so charismatic! Both on stage and off-stage!

Other people’s good word. A lot of promotions. Their personalities are also easily accessible. IDK.

Thinking about this and considering the possibility (and the fact) that there are many kpop groups and other musicians that are more handsome than them, more talented than them, and are also friendly with each other, I don’t know why I’m just that interested in checking them out. I guess I’ve filled my cup with a stan. Or maybe BTS has become too familiar, that they’ve become my comfort. Maybe getting to know other groups seems like another wave of extreme efforts, especially after seeing the effect it has on me.

I am a natural fan girl and addict. But I don’t think many musicians have impacted me like BTS did. (Even CN Blue, who fits the talent checklist in terms of instrument and songwriting, didn’t make me this obsessed.)

Oh well. It must be the promo being done by Big Hit. (I still like Bang PD for being a great CEO, giving the artists musical freedom and having more loose conditions for the idols than other companies.)

I sincerely hope writing all this quiets down my brain.

Nov Update: I’ve began to realize that the power of ARMYs are that strong because they are so effective in building a deep emotional connection to them. They have shown a lot of themselves in their different reality shows, and even in the way they are interviewed. Bighit really knows how to highlight one strong point about them - their great personalities. Getting to know them is both like becoming closer to friends and getting inspiration and learnings from icons. You get to have access to their inner thoughts and creative space. The way they speak and the message they put out also touches the hearts of many. On top of this, because they now work on a big budget, all their performances and productions are next level! Our jaw just drop because of the stage set ups and all that.

Additional observation: Upon watching other groups’ clips, I feel like BTS has a different kind of relationship with each other compared to them. While other groups obviously have fun and are very close, BTS are like family. They also have fun, but they are very expressive of their affection towards each other, not just verbally but also physically. They hug and touch each other randomly all the time, but I haven’t exactly seen other groups do that. So I guess there’s that.

Seven members is a good number - there is enough variety in personalities, but not too many that you don’t get to know each one enough/deeper. I feel like BTS members are a perfect fit for each other, each person has their own type of appeal. Other groups tend to have members that have similar vibes. But in BTS, there’s no duplicate, each one is so unique. RM is the charismatic, intelligent, socially-relevant leader, well-respected by everyone. Suga is the cool swag rapper with tsundere vibes, who also acts like a tired old man. Jhope is the fashionable dancer knows all the latest trends, who also brings a different flavor of rap. Jimin is the petite, “effeminate”, loving, angelic character with intense performance duality. V is the 4D personality who acts like a baby but gives a high fashion smize on stage/photo shoots. Jin is the super handsome and incredibly funny guy, but also acts like a mom to them. Jungkook is the youngest who beats his hyungs physically and is good at everything. There’s no duplicate! And what can I say, they really have the visuals!

#BTS #kpop #music

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