#This post is about the world being full of knowledge and creativity and wonder and disgust and activities and missions and whimsy and joy

[bookoramaenderteeth]

Can't even exist in multiple simultaneous contradictory states any more. Because of woke.

[librarycards]

Hello! Sorry if you’ve posted about this somewhere already/if it’s redundant, but I thought your coinage of “transMad” was very cool and I’m wondering what that term means to you? I’m really happy to see other people talking about madness being intertwined w their gender/transness and looking forward to checking out your reading lists :))

thank you so much for asking about one of my favorite things to infodump about!! rather than rehash a bunch of stuff, if it's okay, I'm going to borrow a few quotes from past!me that i've published in different places // offer you some things of mine to read.

broadly, though, i use transMadness as a way to explore the identificatory, epistemological, methodological, and theoretical implications of an orientation (to use Sara Ahmed's term) toward bodymind noncompliance and self/selves-determination. this orientation refuses to delineate diagnostically between Maddened / transed experiences of the world/our many worlds, and instead takes this shared/overlapping ground as a jumping off point for solidarity and speculation - that is, something that allows us to imagine otherwise worlds / make them manifest through creativity and collaboration.

(Ha, and I claimed i wouldn't talk too much...famous autistic last words)

ANYWAY. here are some clips that might help explain more dimensions of transMadness. note that, in my dissertation-in-progress, i'm focusing on xeno/neogender and/as self-diagnostic cultures among queercrip and transMad internet users. i'm interested in the anti-psych liberatory potential of this digital community work, especially as it centers forms of knowledge and scholarship devalued within Academia Proper, especially because so much of it is made by and for disabled, Mad, queer, trans people, esp. youth. Onward to quotes!

On transMad epistemologies: citation/power/knowledge:

I’ll spend most of this piece looking not at what transMad is, but what it does. First and foremost, transMad cites. Even its name alludes to other portmanteaus: neuroqueer and queercrip being the best-known among them. Many people have offered many different (ever-“working”!) definitions of these terms; today, I offer co-coiner Nick Walker’s (2021) definition of neuroqueer: a verb and an adjective “encompass[ing] the queering of neurocognitive norms as well as gender norms” (p. 196). In terms of queercrip, I also return to its coiner, Carrie Sandahl (2003), who for whom the queercrip (as person and as method/movement) confuses the diagnostic gaze, bears sociopolitical witness, and performs glitchful[4], incongruous, confusing in(ter)ventions into possible community. At base, “queer” and “crip” appear as analogous, reclaimed slurs signifying marginalized transgression. When combined, they describe a loop, perhaps a Möbius strip: crip (ani)mates queer, queer tells-on crip. The specter of crip haunts queer—and even more explicitly, as we will see, trans—and the crip(ped) bodymind holds, moves, and fucks queerly. Who knows where “queer” stops and “crip” and “neuro” begin? Likewise, transMad, whose citational style leaves little room for diagnostic clarity amidst a pastiche of noncompliant text.

On transMad epistemologies: multiplicity (h/t @materialisnt):

They encourage us to remove others’ names from our bodies, to reign in unruly citations, to set “boundaries” which violate Mad, crip ethics of care (see Fletcher, 2019). In truth, any framing of individual authorship in which the body text is “mine” and the citations gesture “elsewhere” belie the inherent interdependence of all intellectual life, and particularly of transMad intellectual life. transMad plural scholar mix. alan moss (2022) argues in relation to the pathologization of multiple systems: “all people, indeed all that exists, is a system that itself is constantly enmeshed in several overlapping and interconnected systems.” In short, I am full of Is, and will continue as many more. Just as disability justice helps us understand all life as interdependent and deserving of access, a transMad approach sees our selves as numerous and fuzzy. We have permission to dispense with the need for tidy texts, with our interlocutors, edits, and iterations either obfuscated entirely or exclusively relegated to a bibliography. transMad citation may thus be considered akin to visible mending[6], creating flamboyantly messy, multiplicitous work that does not seek to pass as objective or discrete.

On the value of (crip) failure and/as "virtuality":

Don’t get me wrong: Zoom PhD work is a failing enterprise. That is to say, it is a queercrip, transMad enterprise, which is to say, it is a beautiful, beautiful project. Mitchell, Snyder, and Ware describe such “fortunate failures” in the context of “curricular cripistemologies.”5 Coined by Merri Lisa Johnson, the term “cripistemologies,” refers to “embodied ways of knowing in relation, knowing-with, knowing-alongside, knowing-across-difference, and unknowing,” ways which frequently exist outside the purview of mainstream academia.6 Curricular cripistemologies, then, refer to an intentional, queercrip deviation from normative pedagogical approaches which trades the corrective impulse of “special ed” and other rehabilitative programs, and offers instead a generative noncompliance.7 That is, rather than trying to identify, isolate, and ameliorate difference, curricular cripistemologies lean into difference as it is experienced by disabled students ourselves, querying how atmospheres of in/accessibility shape normative approaches to education and how the embrace of “failure,” not as a last-resort but as a first choice, poses potentially transformative possibilities.

On transMadness and fat liberation: (for @trans-axolotl's Psych Survivor Zine)

A transMad, fat approach to disorderly eating requires making connections with humility and understanding, and, as I discussed above, engaging in compassionate, critical interrogation of our own anti-fatness.

[...]

A transMad, fat, abolitionist politic is one that makes room. We imagine beyond the cage, even if the details of that imagining are not yet clear. Just as we have carved micro-sites of support within violent digital and in-person contexts, just as we have learned to think about our lifeworlds beyond the paradigm of “recovery or death,” we can also reconceptualize fatness not as the enemy, but as another form of bodymind noncompliance in alliance and/or entanglement with disorderly eating practices. For thin disorderly eaters, this requires us to fundamentally challenge the way we view food and embodiment, even while maintaining a Mad respect for alternative ways of approaching reality.

On xenogenders, virtuality, and self-determination:

It is this very “irrationality” –– the “unrealness,” the “you’ve-got-to-be-kiddinghood,” that is most frequently weaponized against xenogenders, as well as their newly-coined sets of xenopronouns. The perceived and actual virtuality of xenogenders is often placed against the notion of “actuality,” in this case, of “real” (or “practical”) genders and pronouns to be used in one’s “real life.” Disabled activists have rightly resisted the distinction between online and (presumed-offline) “real life,” given that this categorically excludes homebound bodyminds, as well as those without IRL social and support circles. That said, I believe the virtual –– as almost, not-quite, proximite, making-do –– is incredibly useful in thinking about xenoidentities as transMad tools –– particularly, as transMad tools of underground collaboration / co-liberation.

[...]

What if gender was a project we wanted to fail? That is, what if trans- was a process not of getting better, not of moving-toward a bodymind more sane, more straight, and more cisheteropatriarchially desirable, but rather a line of flight on a longer trail to illegibility? Indeed, what if we replaced pathology’s narrow “path” with a trail lighted by the language of our comrades, whose linguistic interventions make and break gender in ways heretofore unimaginable? Xenoidentities, both individually and as a trans-gressive M.O., are fundamental to a broader transMad project of crafted, collective illegibility; intersubjective citation (imagine what it feels like for someone to be the gender that you coined!); and collective care that refuses a politics of cure. Crucially both virtual and digital, xenoidentities are furthermore a manifestation of the power of trans, predominantly disabled digital counterpublics, who overturn the hierarchy which places the IRL-real above the digital-unreal, making unruly, Mad space in which (with apologies to Donna Haraway) a hundred xenoselves might bloom.

On Maddening queer "diagnosis":

In her indictment of all “Kwik-Fix Drugs,” Gray further indicates the practice of forced treatment as in and of itself as a project of violent normalization, regardless of specific target or reason. The intentional ambiguity between her narrative of Madness and her narrative of asexuality disrupt mounting demands for a healthy (sanitized, neoliberal, and consumable) queerness. A Mad ace approach identifies these demands as, indeed, comparable with cis heteronormative notions of sexual maturity and responsibility – the idea that participation in culturally-normative sexual practices is a prerequisite for health (Kim, 2011, 481) and thus, personal autonomy (Meerai, Abdillahi, and Poole 2016, 21). By fusing the “lack of sexual appetite” attributed to her medications for bipolar disorder with her asexuality, Gray destabilizes the binary between healthy-sexual-diversity and unhealthy-psychopathology. She is once again disrupting contemporary queer impulses to dissociate from ongoing histories of pathologization. Here, Mad and queer/asexual activism are as inseparable in text as they are in Gray. Gray and her comrades collectively refuse both sexuality-as-“rehabilitation” (See Kim 2011, 486) and asexual acceptance predicated upon normative “health” (Kim 2010, 158) – that is, they Madden asexuality. Twoey, in her own voice, remixes the sources of her own pathologization, staggering the supposedly-divine pronouncement of the DSM across pages and bookending its extracts with her own writing and art. In this undermining of the DSM’s epistemological polish, Gray disrupts the domination of written prose over poetry and visual art, while also critiquing the role of the DSM in commercialized health “care.” Her zine opens with the lines “sex sells and sex is sold / sex was being sold and i didn’t buy” (Gray 2018, n.p.). Gray indicates a pathology perceived not only in a refusal to practice sex, but also in a refusal to buy (into) it. After all, a refusal to buy into existing sexual paradigms is for her also a refusal to buy into a feminized reproductive mandate.

[harleiquina]

WTF?! AKA girl that studied Advertising doesn't understand how this happened.

Sooooo, Neil Gaiman, huh?

Disclosure: I started this in the following 2 weeks after the news broke (maybe earlier than that, I don't remember) but, hey, my job sucks and more often than not my brain was just too dead to even try and get back to this. And then even more claims appeared and Vera Wylde (AKA Council of Geeks) made 2 videos that pretty much alligned with my mindset (fun fact: now there are 3 videos now), still I had a few points that I wanted to address... and life got inbetween yet again... and now I'm done, I need to finish this otherwise it'll sit on my drafts for ever.

Fandom's still ablaze, people asking for more info are inmediately labeled as "SA supporters" other alleged claims surfaced and I wonder why none of the companies associated with the author are saying a thing about it... not even him has stepped foward to say anything and that is super odd.

In case you didn't know I've studied Advertising but decided against following a career in it because 1) my classmates work-ethic (or lack of) traumatized me, 2) I never really liked it (I just wanted to live off my Creativity), 3) because after spending 3 years learning every little thing that can make a person tick to buy something I can see certain patterns everywhere and 4) it is far too easy to make anyone believe anything and the idea of doing it and screwing people's lives as a job does not fit my own moral criteria.

That being said, don't you dare to think that this post is taking any kind of side or that I'm trying to push my career because I already gave you those 4 points of why I am not activately working on this field. All of this will be a head-first delve into how those 3 years in College shaped my way of thinking (basically a "no feelings, just bussiness") and trying to have a somewhat broader picture.

I just have a perspective that most of the fandom doesn't have and I wanted to share it.

Just in case, I am not looking foward to whatever conversations could occur from now on and most likely won't interact with any of them if I sense any kind of bad blood.

Full disclousure: even though I am a casual enjoyer of Neil Gaiman's stories I have zero idea of how he is or was back in the day. Everything I say is based off on my observations both in-fandom and from what I can see from my country (Argentina) that is located at World's End quite literally... we don't get much gossip here unless is something BIG.

First off, lets clear some air:

1. Writing about horrible things doesn't mean that someone a bad person. I mean....

(Disclaimer: even if I do find the meme funny... I have 0 knowledge of anime or how this two artists interact with life and their fans).

But in all seriousness... how many crime shows exist/existed and will keep on existing? How many gory horror movies? How many books, comics, operas, musicals and so on that portray horrible crimes? Do all of those authors have a secret life as criminals? I don't think so.

Yes, having an affinity to the subject might give you a better know-how but is not mandatory... writers investigate a lot as well.

Art is meant to be an exploration and more often than not artists will take universal fears and turn them into something good and innocent or take something pure and turn it into a bloody nightmare... is supposed to show another perspective without any predjudice and allow us play with the weirdest and commonly frowned upon things in a safe and contained space.

If you are not an artist, you can still use the art as a conduit for this... but please don't turn into an Inquisitor, you're no better than us I swear.

2. If a person is anti-censorship... is against ANY kind of censorship. You can't pick and choose what should be "good" or "bad" because that is also a form of censorship. Are there disgusting things out there? Yes. Do any of us have the right moral compass to condemn and/or ban something just because? No. (And even if I'm not very well versed in manga I can tell the difference between a work of fiction that has been drawn and actual p*rn that could've been produced by harming someone. Those things are not on the same level. Sick? Yes, but still unreal just like a lot of the NSFW drawings that I've seen in here).

3. The Zionism: many people came after Gaiman accusing him of supporting Israel because of some letter that was signed right after the Hamas' attack. Siding with the civilian victims is always the first reaction even if as a jewish he is supposed to know better the reality of things, this is not mandatory because maybe he doesn't engage in religion or geopolitics that much. Later he did posted on Twitter (according to some) a few links to assist people in Palestine, I know he did shared one or two Instagram stories with this as well and of course, lately posted about a friend that got jailed for protesting against Israel. However many still support the "he is a Zionist" because he -as many others- said that the solution would be for both countries to live at peace. So... it was an easy neutral response trying not to cater to either side whether if it conveys his real sentiment or if he did it to secure his position among his followers or because he didn't wanted to upset someone he might know/work for that thinks different or didn't wanted to get into a polemic bigger than himself is up for debate.

OK Lets put the little grey cells to work

Many claims that started to populate Reddit (mostly) seem to go all the way back to the 90s where stuff like this wasn't talked about mostly because he was just another DC writer and social media + cellphones with camera didn't existed.

I do wonder how did he presented himself back then.

Even if Sandman was a huge success, both comics and mixing them up with greek mythology makes it very niche (niche is an official Advertising word, I swear). So even if DC properties like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and others were very well known and bought... I don't know how many of those readers jumped into Gaiman's Sandman and stick to it (I've even seen people in Tumblr complaining of "Gaiman's atrocity called Sandman") let alone how many thought of him as a genius.

Apparently he did had people showing up in signature events (were conventions a thing back then? I live in the other side of the world and have no idea) and apparently almost like a rock-star he had groupies following him. I am a rocker at heart, we all know about groupies but I really didn't needed to know that the literary kind existed as well, thank you very much.

There are two things I'd like to address here.

First of all that, given the nature of the movement, these girls were throwing themselves at him. It is still wrong to take advantage of it, but as we know men are needy AF so it only takes for one woman to be kind to them and they'll see how to get her to bed. Manly nature 🙄 That being said, considering that these were basically one-night-stands I don't think that he would've gone too far with any of them. Still...

The second point is... WHAT THE HELL WAS DC DOING? Probably many of you think "well, probably they are all perverts" and yeah, you have a point... but still you need to save face. You can't have one of your key writers (?) picking up girls in official events that you organized and take them to bed. Even with its ups and downs on the industry, DC had (and has) a prestige to keep. If we are thinking about late 1989 and early 90s they were riding the crest with Burton's Batman you can't have a scandal like this about to burst! It was just a matter of time till someone picked up on it and did something about it (think of a girl's family, group of friends, partner, what-have-you).

And even if Sandman was too niche it was still making good money for them... the possible movie rights were probably always in talks back then... and you'll risk that just because "men will be men"? WHAT KIND OF BUSSINESS DO YOU CONDUCT? Even if it is the 90's... you don't want to be associated with a sleaze bag. Not to mention that even with all of this he wasn't perceived as a "winner" among men as well... you know the type "oh, look how viril and manly he is... all the girls want him" kinda thing. So just why?

Did the publishers see it coming?

As I said the Reddit claims seem to be from the 90s (or at least from The Time With No Virtual Fingerprints) I've got yet to read anyone saying that he did a pass on them on a recent Comic-Con or book signing. (N: I started to write this before the third and fourth & fifth women came foward. However, the point sort of still stands)

This could be because 1) technology made it almost impossible to keep a secret or 2) because the publishers decided to open the umbrella before it started to rain.

If his reputation was well known it wouldn't surprise me that other companies might've put a clause in their contracts about his behaviour. Even we, working-class ants, have Codes of Conduct and Ethics in our mundane jobs... so OF COURSE this also exist in celebrities' contracts as well.

A publisher would never want to be involved into a scandal let alone a possible sex scandal with an author that doesn't just write "dark fantasies" but children's stories as well. You can't market a sexopath as a"kind and gentle uncle-like figure" that will read stories to your kids. I mean, with the right Ad team you can totally pull it off but it is A LOT EASIER if he just behaves.

Still you can't control a person's actions outside the professional enviroment AKA their personal life, and even if you must have a Ad team in case of any possible disturbance... they will focus more on the Company's Image than the person's.

In this case, Gaiman should have a personal Publicist. And for what I've seen I do think that he has a team but not necesarily a Publicist ready to tackle on a scandal, just a regular one that "gets him out there" and probably throws some ideas for posts and secures the Ads for any convention or media related project.

When you work with a public person you must work as Communitty Manager as well but the real trick is finding the right balance between your posts and your clients'.

The CM's posts will be very basic info for appearences in different events/media or new releases. What people really wants is a sneak-peak on a person's life and unless you are someone that is with them 24/7, it depends on this person's to do those posts (more often than not those who took those candid videos or photos are either friends/family or a super personal and close assitants). We do know that Gaiman has at least one assitant (plus representation for USA and UK, maybe someone else) how ever I have my doubts about him having a Publicist for his persona. Why would I say that?

Neil Gaiman has no socials

The joke has being going on for ages, regardless of how it was born it tells us that it is him who manages his own socials (at least the most "intimate" posts because with the whole Twitter/X/Xitter fiasco he did established that in that network he'll "be present" either by automated posts that depend on other socials or because someone who works for him will post tour dates on his behalf). The easiest one to pin point is Tumblr... nobody cares about Tumblr.

In light of all that has happened one of the most recent asks came to my mind: Someone once asked him if he was in a kink party some years back. Many rushed into explaining the Rules of Kink to the asker, some nicer than others but what stood out for me was... why answering this? Even with a "not really my thing, I left without participating" it was a lot easier to just leave it unanswered. He has stated that even if he had thousands of asks he'll pick a few of the newest ones and answer only if he thought they deserved to be answered. So why shooting yourself on the foot? Especially under the assumption that someone could say a thing or two about it. Like, fair enough whatever happens in there remains there... but if you are in it and you leave the door open with a half-assed answer... people will talk.

No Publicist in the world would've let that fly (not even in a niche site like Tumblr)... our job is to avoid this kind of loose threads that might be spun into something completely out of our control and opposite to the narrative we are aiming to.

Again...

Was he panicking about someone that saw him many years back in this gathering? Did he thought it gave him "cool points"? Did he thought that it was better to address it than letting the rumor running (and eventually die)? Was he half asleep and thought that he dreamt having answered and then forgot?

Why putting your neck on the noose?

Men 🤦🏻‍♀️

This little slip made me realize that he doesn't have a propper Publicist so the chances of them prepping some letter or statement about the situation are very slim. I'll talk about this later.

The Podcast

I can't really move foward without giving some space to Ground Zero.

But as I was writing this, Council of Geeks, (hosted by Vera Wylde, someone I've been following since long before their comming out and more often than not found to be very like-minded) a channel that I was hoping to tackle this, made a very well thought out video that I highly recommend. There are a few things for which I have my own hypotesis and if I remember, I'll write down in here.

Back to the first podcast I must admit that I did not listen to it because I have no time or will to do it (burnout from work is great!) and I am a better reader than a listener (my mind usually drifts off when I listen to anything even if I'm interested in it -doesn't happen with in person conversations, luckily probably because there is a face attached to the voice-). I did read several posts about it and the Rolling Stone article some cite as well. Aside from some personal observations, the core information remains the same reason why I trust that I can actually talk about it.

I will not discredit the testimonies since I have no reason to do so but I can talk about other stuff like how media dehumanizes terrible things and about some things that do cause some noise to me (noise in Advertising is when something disturbs the message and doesn't make it clear).

I know that all of you are moved by both stories regardless of how they were presented but the True Crime genre is sensacionalist AF and it thrives because people is morbid, and that's a fact.

When I had cable mom watched a few True Crime shows every now and then and I've always found them distasteful. The quick editing with effects, dramatic narration like "When Margaret woke up that morning, she could've never imagined that all her nightmares would come true" *cue to dramatic music* is very f#cked up. These are real cases, with real people involved, with people suffering for their loved ones... but for the networks is just entertainement, hours and hours to fill in their schedule + ad revenue. How many cases were actually solved after being on TV/a podcast? How many more people started to plead for justice after it was aired? These kind of shows are empty and milk on someone's suffering for a few bucks, it is never about justice, is never about exposing something/someone. Is all about money.

And for what I can see... this podcast is no different than others. Even the title "Master: The Neil Gaiman Allegations" is some Fifty shades of Grey sh!t that sounds attractive but considering the content it is in very poor taste to say the least.

When people (and I include myself) ask for a more serious take on the subject is because of this... we need information that is not meant to be consumed while eating popcorn and soda with a few breaks to clutch pearls and then move on with our lives.

If this was the only media outlet that opened the doors to both women they should've done better. It is a serious matter... a special report, lets say a 2 hr youtube video captioned "The True face of Gaiman" or "Gaiman's dark side" (or being 100% honest and title it "Gaiman's victims speak") would've erased any kind of doubt among ocassional listeners but no... they named it "Master" because it conveys BSDM, sex and trivializes the story to make it sound like erotica, not a real story. This wasn't an accident or a bad idea caused by inexperience... the name was chosen on purpose. They needed to get people's attention and get them on this "dark" and "taboo" world where this kind of practices (BSDM) is frowned upon. They wanted to predispose you to start this on the wrong foot.

But the stories are real! Don't try to silence the victims!

I'm not denying this, I'm just saying that Tortoise Media's Podcast doesn't care about the victims as much as you all seem to think.

They saw that Gaiman was involved so they picked up the story because they wanted clout, other media outlets (so far) passed on it because is a he said/she said case that is very hard to prove, reason why the police itself alledgedly decided not to move foward with it either. Does it suck? Yes. Does it mean that Tortoise is brave for bringing it up? No, they could've been... had they not give up to the need of making a freakshow out of it to get people's attention.

And like that Advertising trained me to be a Devil's Advocate.

The easiest way for me to show you how any Publicist out there would get things going to save his reputation is by using the tools that could (or eventually will) be used. So let us begin.

Missing context: Aside from the whole issue with the power dinamics (that we'll talk about it later) we don't really know how any of their first meetings really went. We know that it was the first day of work for the nanny... but was it really the first time they've met? If she was around Palmer, most likely they've seen each other before, maybe they've talked and hit it off... we don't know. Same with the first fan, they were writing each other for a year, we don't know what they ever talked about or how their relationship evolved. And this is aplicable in all cases. We were told the story from the first moment he became physical, not the real first contact. What does it matter? He's still a perv! Yeah, until context can tell you that he isn't... I've seen so many takes that all the sudden turned him into a scary monster lurking in the dark, preying on young little innocent girls... and never before he was ever addressed like that even by people that probably knew about his reputation or just plainly hated him for whatever reason. This is all made up by the narrative shown in the podcast (I mean the editing and narration) and the masses' imagination.

He stops when rejected: Three claims say that he stopped at the moment the woman/girl said no: the fan at the bus (even with his "I can get whatever I want" or whatever he said he did let her go when easily could've forced himself on her), the publisher that got kissed (or almost kissed) and the first fan coming foward that rejected his suggestion of a threesome... that one, yes is the same one with the UTI. I wouldn't be surprised if he convinced her that he would be careful or something like that just to get her on bed. It is very shitty and selfish of him... there is no justification there. Whether this stems from self-preservation (not wanting to be known as a r*pist) or because he does care about consent or maybe because he wasn't *that* horny those times and could let it go... the truth is that he did stopped when asked to.

Mental health. The whole "she's unstable, her memory isn't the best" kind of comment came out of his lawyer (the one that the podcast keeps on mentioning as "Gaiman's side" and probably they knew from the begining what lawyer it was but delivered his name a lot later to shock audiences once more that he has the same lawyer that many other men in the same position hired. As if a lawyer's reputation couldn't grant him a good starting point to get new clients whether they are innocent or not) so it is a case of a lawyer being a lawyer. But yes, people tend to remember things differently, ask any family memeber or friend about something that caused a major shock on you and you'll see that they might not even rememeber it at all, and if they do, probably they'll say that you overreacted or something like that. It sucks, but it happens. There is a possibility that what was perceived as an innocent flirting by Gaiman is also something more sinister by any of those women. Maybe the years changed the light of the events and something that they considerated "ok" back then is a "well... actually" now. People change. One thing I did wanted to bring up was the su!cide comment. It is poorly placed in the conversation (or in the part of the conversation we were allowed to see, again: lots of missing context) and does sound heavily manipulative... until you realize that he has spoken about his su!cidal past any time he got asked in Tumblr, interviews or other... and if he's willing to speak about it with a bunch of strangers online, he has spoken about it with people close to him and if she was going through it he most definetly brought up his experiences to talk to her. Still, we don't really know, maybe is a 50/50 situation. His Autism: I'm not a psycologyst, can't confirm or deny if he has it or not, but as a human (and a Publicist) I can say that is the lamest and worst excuse he could've possible thrown. Is just as bad as anyone excuses their behaviour based on their zodiac sign. Maybe he does struggle to notice tones of voice or intentions behind interactions but acting on those fake cues is a lot more related to being a man than autistic. Man think that if a woman is nice to him is because she loves him, man take the first chance to make a move just because she smiled at him. Let's not mix things up.

The Power Imbalance + Age Gap Let's address the Age Gap first because there isn't much to it either way. I was the kind of girl that would be repulsed at age gaps but eventually I realized that, as long as they are consenting adults and there are real feelings behind it... I don't care. I do feel nauseated when a 20 year old dates or marries a 80 year old "sugar daddy" because I can't conceive in my head the idea of a person wilingly turning themselves into a blow-up doll for a mummy only because the later is richer than God. It is disgusting and I do not endorse it. Any other case... ok, whatever, live and let live. The Power Imbalance is another story. You can't date someone you work with or work for. Every single company has this rule not just to avoid dramas but also to avoid any misbehaviour in the premises. But what about when is not for a private company, like in this case? It is still a no, because the "if you don't make me happy I'll kick you out" ghost shows up creating a hostile enviroment for at least one of you... what kind of relationship can arise from it? (to be fair, some people maybe gets turned on by it, what do I know? I'm aroace). My suspicious mind... I see a pattern in Gaiman's behaviour aside from the one everyone made up in their minds (him preying on any girl close to him, even though two are around his age): The "cool" writer: from his break-out to somewhere into 2010 or so. His "groupie prime" if you will when he could get any girl that was interested in him (students, fans) because possibly considered himself some sort of idol and/or rockstar. This is between his 26 and 50 years old, that check's out, is when men usually think themselves to be the center of the world and the sole desire of any women. The "I need to fly low": in the last 20 years or so, when he already stablished a respectful reputation among peers and fans so he needs to stop sleeping around and be more selective and secretive about his partners because it only takes one tweet, one photo or one video to destroy everything he is. Enter NDAs. I dare to say that being with women from his inner circle (AKA people that either worked for him or some way or another depended on him) was another "brilliant idea" he had to try and keep his image and reputation out of harms way. Still one question remains... what kind of people could he date? Just those on his same circle/league? You could argue that Palmer was some-where there but I don't think that she has as many fans as him and she's nowhere as well known. Maybe other popular author (if any of them fancies him)? An actress? another singer? a politician? Options are quite narrow so he would go to the "commoners" and then, by mere chance, he'll be the all-powerful bestselling author dating a poor woman and some will see a power imbalanced relationship and to others yet another Cinderella story.

Just as The Tortoise Media took the stories, edited them and packed them for your shock and horror... it can be just as easily spun into something else. Anyone could get any of this points I've made and turn him into a misunderstood man looking for a love that would be into BSDM as he is and, unfortunally for him, some of his lovers realized too late that they didn't liked it so now he's seen as an ogre when he did nothing wrong.

Mulder said it first ...

What could possibly happen

Am I reaching the end of this essay today (November 29th, 2024)? Are those angels singing? Please, tell them that I'm Agnostic, but I appreaciate the gesture. (Laurita on December 25th says: Oh! what a lie!)

At this point in time, Gaiman shows no proof of life, and most likely won't for another couple of months (maybe even for another year). His silence is not necessarily an admission of guilt. If he comes foward and gives his side of the story, he'll be the rich-white-author throwing crap at all these women and calling them liars, so he'll be a villain. If he admits that he has a problem (sex-addict or something like that) some people might be a little more simpathetic others will call him a liar and he'll still be a villain. There is no good outcome so, what's the difference? Is better just to remain silent.

We already know that Good Omens has been shortened to a special episode, Sandman was shot and will be released sometime in 2025 (most likely won't have another season not just because of Gaiman but because it was a struggle to secure the 2nd season for starters. The only way we could have a S3 is if the S2 is AMAZING and blows up all the numbers). The Anansi Boys... remains to be seen, supposedly it was shot, edited and is ready to be released so it is a matter of whether Amazon will pull a Warner Bros Vs Batgirl (just scrap the whole thing) or if they will pressure Gaiman to step foward and speak... but I don't think so because they didn't do it for Good Omens which, for what I can see, is a far more beloved franchise that needed to secure its fanbase so S3 wouldn't be a failure.

He did said a few times that he was writing a book, so maybe that's why it was a lot easier to stay away from social media... the thing is... will it be published?

I dare to believe that he is back in social media, doesn't interact but is watching, Hell, maybe he even has a fake account to test the waters! There was a rumour of him hiring a PR team to have bots and alter Google search and bury the accusations... I'd say it is a possibility but I had a client that bought bots and those are not as effective as you may think. They help boost views and such but they easily fade away. Maybe he did felt like throwing money to the garbage, who knows? Maybe it wasn't Gaiman himself but any of his "bosses" (publishers, networks) because it does feel more like a corporate move than a personal one.

The most sensible thing would be to go to Justice, present evidence and then let not just the Court but the Public make a decision (that could or not be aligned). The main issue with it is that many will see it as Gaiman trying to bring down a group of women instead of showing his side of the story, what will keep on adding ink to the stain. Is tricky but is the only way to have a sense of what could've possibly happened (because, of course, the only ones that know 100% what really happened are the parties involved and even that is not a reliable source given that everyone has their own version of the story based in their own feelings, predjudices and emotional baggage altogether).

My personal take

If you are still reading and haven't burst out of anger and left a thousand "k!ll yourself" or "typical mysoginist" or "defendor of SA" comments and/or reblogs, you are probably wondering "ok, I can see your point but what do you believe?"

I'm not surprised... nor heart broken.

Granted I was never a huge fan, just in the last couple of years I started to enjoy the adaptations of his stories more... but still, he doesn't have a huge impact in me. No author or creator has ever had it and I love plenty of artists.

There's something on the way I was raised, I believe, that turned out in me never putting people on pedestals. They are all human and there will always be something that will let you down on them. Most of the musicians and/or actors I love had drug issues, got into fights (some very stupid ones, others not so much), groupies everywhere, off comments that maybe should've never been made, opinions I do not share... I still follow them because sometimes they mature and realize their mistakes and do make a stand about it. And if they don't I can go "yeah, cool thing... but still this other thing still sucks" because I was taught that you can criticize something/someone you like, it is not a sin to do so.

I know that a lot of you think that absolutely all the stories he came up with were deacoys to have free access to girls... but... really? Whether you like his writing or not, he is capable of coming up with good premises mixing up diferent cultural myths and original ideas. The books are well plotted and thought out (nothing is 100% perfect, but that's how things are). Had you tell me that his books are obvious cash-grabs than can be written in less than a month with the premise "Plot? what Plot? this is just smut" I would've believed you. Any of us that loves writing (either original stories or fanfic) know how hard it is to create something half-way decent. Yes, some care about their audience and even go like "ho ho ho they will love that" but others just write because it is fun. Others do a mix of both. Looking at Gaiman's works, I hardly think that his main goal was to attract "goth girls" as someone said. What was the point of writing kids' books then? Get goth moms in the mix too or not losing his female fans just because they have kids now? Also many straight men like his writting too... is it collateral damage?

To me he is just a writer that in the worst case scenario has a dark side (note: not the BSDM part but the way he treats some women). As many others before him and as many others will in the future.

I hope that he does come foward and start to talk about it. But it has to be an honest interview, or better yet a press conference. Not something that anyone could've scripted and rehearse over and over again. People needs to see him either squirm, turn red, be uncomfortable to decide if he is being honest or not.

If it is all true, he has to be responsible for his actions. Undergo a program or something, show signals that he is sorry and is (honestly) trying to improve. Then and only then he can aspire to go back to where things were before all of this.

Even if he's done cameos everywhere, he's not an actor and nobody can fake for so long. I believe that the causes he supported did meant something for him. Many celebrities don't ever take a stand for anything and still have their fans and the money keeps on pouring in... nobody was forcing him into doing any of those campaigns and he had nothing to earn that he didn't already had (his fans would love him a little bit more, but they were already loving him anyway).

Rowling vs Gaiman (This is the end, I swear)

A lot of so called "feminists" are spewing their conspiracy theory of how everyone was dog-pilling Rowling "for just stating the thruth" while many are trying to save Gaiman "even if he's a r@pist".

Presumption of innocence first comes to mind, not to mention that many people saw Gaiman as like-minded, down to earth, good writer. Rowling was thought of as such until she didn't stopped and even doubled down on her irrational hate, amplified voices, donated money and fully supported (and still supports) a train of thought that is causing more damage than good. She could've just been an ideology-blinded author going "trans women aren't women" and called the day... she would've been just another author with a dark side that distresseses some people. But no, she is pretty much the face of a movement that puts people's safety and lives in danger.

The damage an entire movement can do to other group of people has no comparison to what damage a single man can cause in private.

I'm not saying that Gaiman's victims aren't worth a dime... I'm saying that if you care about people for real it doesn't matter if is one, twenty, a thousand or even a million, you have to care for all of them too... and yes, if you are of the religious type you must love and protect even to those that are not like you or share your views.

There's a witch hunt in this site (or at least there was one last time I checked) where if you had in your profile either the rainbow flag, or said that you were trans, your pronuns or anything that would identify you as LGBTQ+ and you were trying to make sense of everything that was going on, trying to figure out how to move foward and even trying to see a larger picture... a screenshot was taken and then posted elsewhere saying "look how the perverts protect themselves" and this blogs were 99.9% of the times RADFEMS.

In "the real world" the one that is away from Tumblr and any social media: Gaiman lost. Big time. It's done, there's nothing left to do.

Rowling is still being published and her properties are still being adapted and comercialized, the park's still thriving and all the merchandise they sell as well. There is no signal of cancelling going on outside of this site. And WB didn't let her go as quickly as they did with Johnny Depp, or Ezra Miller or Neil Gaiman now.

She still has her life, she goes to events, she gives interviews, she still can write and sell a book quite well.

She's not "suffering misogynistic attacks" from a rabid group of "wokes". She's perfectly fine in her castle enjoying her money as she has stated before.

Most likely Gaiman can also live the rest of his days off the money he's got so far. He could disappear forever to a small island in the middle of nowhere and that would be it, aside from the alledged damage he's caused (and he'd be careful not to be caught again, if he has a working brain) his power ends there.

Hers continues.

She is more of an active threat than he is.

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: What We Make of It (Shotgun Wedding)

The important thing, Crowley tells himself -- the most important thing -- is Adam, his brilliant, creative, empathetic nephew. Being fourteen's hard enough; the kid didn't ask to deal with the weight of the world on top of it. And if taking care of Adam means Crowley has to tough it out at a job he can’t stand, so be it. And if Crowley's job means that Adam’s charming English teacher is NOT a romantic possibility, well, that's just how things go. But the occasional drink with Aziraphale proves hard to resist. They frequent the same pub, so who can object to them saying hello? Briefly sharing a table? Perhaps a little conversation? The painful knowledge that it can’t be anything more -- not without somebody getting fired or sued or both -- well, that can't be helped. Until Crowley stumbles onto a terribly reckless idea...

Length: 213,340 words

AO3 Rating: Explicit / Spice Level 🔥🔥

Best for: Safe in Public, Human AU, Slow Burn, Pick-Me-Up

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by charlottemadison

*Minor Spoilers* I was so certain that I had already posted about this one! When I saw I hadn't, well, that just warranted a reread didn't it! This is a very famous fic, so I wouldn't be surprised if you've already read this. But if you haven't, or maybe didn't know if it was worth committing to the length, I'm here to tell you its very much worth your time.

Not only is this an excellent parent story, it's also a fake marriage story! Crowley is a single parent to his nephew Adam who strikes up a friendship with Adam's English teacher Mr. Fell. The problem? The company Crowley works for has a strict rule against dating anyone in the School Industry. You know, it's a tiny bit dramatic, but also one of the cleverer ideas to justify writing a forbidden relationship. Does this happen in real life? I don't know, but the way this is written I fully believe it could! Either way, there's a loophole they can exploit so they can be together, and all it takes is a quick, "I do."

Ugh their relationship is so wonderful here. It's very mature and healthy, the kind of relationships we want to read about because they are just so safe. They're able to talk through their issues and feelings and know they're always going to be supported. The love they have is so heartwarming it’s sickening. A lot is told through letters and text messages, which I personally loved. These are different characters from canon, they've both been changed by their human lives and surroundings, but this story just understands who they are deep down. They're not shallow characterizations.

Who this story really gets right is Adam. I full on believe this is the best handling of Adam in any fanfic I've read for Good Omens. A majority of the plot revolves around him being narcoleptic and epileptic. It has tons of amazing things to say about health care, being chronically ill, and being a parent to a child with health issues. But outside of that it understands who Adam is. Someone who is brilliant, creative, a leader, manipulative, arrogant. And how those traits can be both positive and negative for him. He wants to change the world, but has some learning to do along the way. I loved him, and I love how much Crowley loves being a dad. He even remarks on it, that people don't expect men to love being parents. It's nice to read a story of such a devoted guardian.

A really excellent story, it deserves it's popularity! I would say this is largely safe for public. There are a couple explicit scenes tucked in but they are skippable and a small section of a large story. Which by the way, will fly by! This story does NOT feel like 200K words. If you haven't gotten around to this one, I highly suggest you do!

Read it here, fic by charlottemadison

[kingmakerpod]

A Blorbo Enthusiast's Guide to Making Original Characters for The Kingmaker Histories' Universe

(We loved the post that @starfallpod made earlier and thought it would be fun to make something similar.)

Tumblr user, are you the sort of person who enjoys thinking about that character that you cannot be normal about? Do you enjoy putting your silly little imaginary fellow (gender neutral) in places and situations? Perhaps you have recently started listening to The Kingmaker Histories and you have thought "I wonder how Blorbo would get along in the Valorian Socialist Republic, circa 1911?" Well, ask no further! Whether you're planning to write fanfiction, make a self-insert, or take a pre-existing character and re-imagine them as a Valorian citizen, here's a little cheat sheet to aid you in your creativity!

Setting:

The Kingmaker Histories is set in the spring of 1911, in a world that is very much like ours, with the major differences that A) magic exists and B) there is a small nation in Western Europe called the Valorian Socialist Republic which was the historical location of a bridge between Earth and an alien realm called the Kehrseite.

The VSR is located in what our world is the region of Alsace, so the culture there is generally analagous to Alsatian culture, save for the fact that unlike its real world counterpart, the VSR is predominantly Catholic. German is the national language, with French as a secondary language. German holidays and festivals such as Christmas, Easter, and Carnival season are celebrated.

The VSR's capital is Crystal City. It has a democratic socialist government with dubiously fair elections and a disconcertingly powerful military. The current ruling party are the Feverites (derived from the French name for 'February', after the month when they were founded) who violently took power from the monarchy in a civil war that took place from 1886-1887.

Part of this civil war involved using magic to sever the connection between Earth and the Kehrseite. Even though this connection was sealed, remnants of it still remain in the form of invasive species- magical plants and strange monsters. Most of these invasive species cluster around the Seltsamwald, an enchanted forest full of danger and exceedingly difficult to navigate.

The Magic System:

Magic in the Kingmaker universe is cast with sigils, symbols, potions and hand gestures. It's split into four schools:

Artifice: (represented by the colour green) Magic that deals with manmade objects and materials.

Fleshcraft: (represented by the colour red) Magic that manipulates living cells.

Nature Magic: (represented by the colour gold) Magic that manipulates the forces of nature.

Mentalism: (represented by the colour purple) Magic that manipulates the mind.

Anybody from any background can seek out any of the four schools, but the process of being accepted into one of the four colleges is extremely difficult. Magic in Kingmaker is considered to be linked to science, and the scientific knowledge of the time informs the limits of each school of magic.

If you're making a mage character, they will need to have a grimoire- every magic user has one and it's crucial for being able to cast spells.

The Good Neighbours:

In the Kingmaker universe, European folktales about hidden people- elves, fairies, sylphs, and what have you- are based on interactions with humanoid creatures from the Kehrseite. In the VSR they are more often euphemistically called 'Our Good Neighbours', out of a sense of fear and trepidation. The Neighbours are spectacularly tall- 6 to 7 feet on average, with heightened senses, glowing eyes and a lifespan roughly 10 times that of a human. They generally keep to themselves, and have a passive reality-warping effect on their surroundings. Buildings they inhabit begin to have inconsistent dimensions, time moves differently when groups of them are in a place together, written text that they touch will rearrange itself without warning, and they can teleport to anywhere in their line of sight as long as nobody's paying attention to them. This is different to magic- it is ambient, cannot be learned, and its only real impact is making surrounding humans feel like they're going insane. Intermarriage between Neighbours and humans is rare, but not impossible, the resulting children are known as 'elfenblut'.

When it comes to naming a Good Neighbour character, go nuts. Any word that is sufficiently lyrical and bizarre can be a Kehrseite name- we've named characters after mushroom species, types of bird, Greek theatrical characters, and surgical equipment. There are no rules.

"What if I want to make my character from somewhere outside the VSR?"

You have free reign, in that case! We have yet to fully conceptualise what the rest of the world is like in the Kingmaker world. Are there other VSR-like places where people can pass between worlds? Do different countries have different approaches to magic? The answer for now is "sure, probably!", so if you're less interested in European history than we are and would rather set your Kingmaker fanwork in some other corner of the globe, you have our permission to get totally weird with it.

[jayconner-raisingprivatemoney]

Raising Private Money: Enhancing Real Estate Deals with Subject-To Techniques with William Tingle

In the ever-evolving world of real estate investment, flexibility and innovation often pave the way to success. One such innovative strategy that has gained traction among savvy investors is the “subject to” method. This approach allows investors to acquire properties by taking over existing mortgages, offering a unique blend of flexibility, speed, and opportunity. In this blog post, we delve into the insights shared by real estate expert William Tingle, as he discusses the nuances of creative financing in his conversation with Jay Conner.

What is a “Subject To” Deal?

A “subject to” deal is a real estate transaction where the buyer takes over the seller’s existing mortgage without formally assuming the loan. In this arrangement, the mortgage remains in the seller’s name, but the purchaser takes ownership of the property and continues making the payments. This strategy often bypasses the traditional financing process, offering an intriguing solution for both buyers and sellers facing unique situations.

The Mechanics Behind the Strategy

William Tingle, an experienced investor who has completed over 500 subject-to transactions, emphasizes the simplicity and legal foundation of this approach. These deals hinge on understanding and navigating the due-on-sale clause, a standard component of mortgages since the 1980s. This clause gives lenders the option to demand full repayment if the property is sold. However, as Tingle highlights, this option is rarely exercised as long as the payments are made on time and the loan remains in good standing.

The genius lies in the practicality — investors keep the payments current, ensuring the lender rarely has a reason to call the loan due. This method allows investors like Tingle to acquire properties even when traditional financing would be cumbersome or slow.

Why Sellers Opt for “Subject To” Deals

One might wonder why a seller would agree to leave their mortgage in someone else’s hands. Tingle clears up the misconception that only desperate sellers or those in financial distress consider this route. Many sellers choose the “subject to” method for its speed and convenience. Individuals facing relocation for personal or medical reasons might opt out of the lengthy selling process to avoid holding two mortgages. Others may have unique circumstances, like preserving their credit while avoiding foreclosure, that make this an appealing solution.

The Role of Private Money

Combining subject-to strategies with private money amplifies the financial flexibility available to investors. Jay Conner points out that creative financing doesn’t end with taking over mortgages; it can extend to raising private money for property improvements or bridging the gap between acquisition and resale. This approach unlocks additional avenues for generating cash flow and leveraging opportunities in real estate markets.

Building Trust in Creative Financing

Trust and transparency form the backbone of successful subject-to transactions. William Tingle underscores the importance of clear communication with sellers. By providing reassurance through testimonials and being upfront about potential risks, investors mitigate apprehensions and lay a solid foundation for collaboration. Tingle’s business thrives on its track record and positioning as a reliable problem-solver, helping people navigate the complex landscape of real estate with confidence.

The Bottom Line

Creative financing, particularly through subject-to deals, offers an innovative path in real estate investing. For those equipped with the knowledge and creativity to harness this strategy, it can lead to lucrative opportunities and significant cash flow. William Tingle and Jay Conner’s discussion highlights the potential within this method, encouraging investors to think outside the conventional realm and explore the advantages of creative financing.

As the real estate landscape continues to evolve, strategies like these will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping successful investment portfolios. Whether you’re an aspiring investor or an experienced real estate professional, understanding and utilizing the subject-to method can open doors to new opportunities and growth in your real estate journey.

10 Discussion Questions from this Episode:

How did William Tingle’s career transition from the restaurant industry to real estate influence his approach to creative financing?

What exactly is “Sub To” (subject to), and how does it differ from traditional real estate purchasing methods?

Why might a seller be motivated to sell their property subject to the existing note, leaving the mortgage in their name?

Discuss the potential risks and benefits for sellers who choose to sell their homes using the subject-to method. What assurances do real estate investors like William offer to mitigate these risks?

What types of marketing strategies does William Tingle discuss in his publication “Extreme Marketing, The Ultimate Marketing Guidebook” for attracting motivated sellers?

How does leveraging private money in conjunction with subject-to deals create a profitable and sustainable business model for real estate investors?

William Tingle mentions a “12 house blueprint” model in the podcast. How does this model help create passive income for real estate investors?

How crucial is transparency and honesty in building trust with potential sellers in subject to deals, according to William Tingle’s experiences?

What are some legal considerations and challenges that investors might face when engaging in subject-to deals, especially with the due-on-sale clause?

How can real estate investors balance the risks of subject-to financing with potential benefits, particularly in fluctuating market conditions?

Fun facts that were revealed in the episode:

Real Estate Adventures Abroad: William Tingle retired to Belize in 2010 but didn’t stop his real estate adventures. Even while living internationally, he continues to buy 20-25 properties a year in the U.S., showing that real estate investing can truly be a global endeavor.

Unexpected Seller Situations: Despite common perceptions, not all sellers using creative financing methods like “subject to” deals are in desperate situations. Some choose this route for unique personal reasons, such as relocating for medical care or preventing dual mortgage payments, so it’s not just about financial distress.

Creating Cash Flow with Low Equity: Even properties with low equity can become profitable investments using creative financing strategies. William Tingle wraps existing low-interest mortgages, which often range between 2.5% to 3.5%, and transforms them into significant cash flow opportunities, highlighting the power of financial creativity in real estate.

Timestamps:

00:01 Raising Private Without Asking For It

06:15 Struggling with Mortgage Payments

07:20 Property Sale with Retained Mortgage

11:46 Swift Real Estate Solutions Offered

16:13 Cash Buying Criteria Explained

18:24 Profitable Low-Equity House Investments

22:40 The Rise of Due on Sale Clauses

26:09 Private Lending and Second Position Strategy

27:05 Creative Financing with Seller Partnerships

30:06 Successful Real Estate Strategy

Private Money Academy Conference:

https://www.JaysLiveEvent.com

Free Report:

https://www.jayconner.com/MoneyReport

Join the Private Money Academy:

https://www.JayConner.com/trial/

Have you read Jay’s new book: Where to Get The Money Now?

It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at

https://www.JayConner.com/Book

What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner

https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyPodcast

Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. He maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal without using his money or credit.

What is Real Estate Investing? Live Private Money Academy Conference

https://youtu.be/QyeBbDOF4wo

YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/RealEstateInvestingWithJayConner

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-money-academy-real-estate-investing-with-jay/id1377723034

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jay.conner.marketing

Listen to our Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2025961/episodes/16909145-raising-private-money-enhancing-real-estate-deals-with-subject-to-techniques-with-william-tingle

[hohohoung]

[Week 6] Stylish and Ethical: How to One-Up Fast Fashion devotees ❤️‍🔥

Get on Instagram, and boom! There’s a trendy outfit taking over your feed. You think, "Hey, I’d look amazing in that." A few scrolls later, you switch to TikTok, only to find an entirely different set of must-have clothes. The urge to buy strikes again. Before you know it, you're on a full-blown shopping spree, filling your cart with pieces that will be so last season after three social media posts.

And the best part? You’ve just contributed to world pollution. (Okay, not exactly the highlight I promised you.)

Congratulations! You’re officially a victim of fast fashion!

Still not sure what the fuss is about? In today’s blog, I’ll break down why fast fashion is a problem and, more importantly, how you can rock stylish outfits ethically with slow fashion. Let’s dive in!

💔Why Fast Fashion is a big Nuh-Uh

Domingos et al. (2022) found that fashion brands used to release only two collections per year - now, they drop 50 to 100 mini-collections annually. No surprise, then, that fashion is one of the most polluting industries.

(According to Live Frankly (2024), Zara releases over 24 trend-driven collections and 20,000 designs each year... Who's going to buy all that?)

This rapid increase gave rise to fast fashion, where brands mass-produce and market clothes quickly and cheaply to keep up with trends, rather than focusing on quality and sustainability (Hardy, 2024). 

Still not feeling guilty about hoarding piles of cheap outfits? Here are some facts that might just be your wake-up call!

Igini (2022) highlights some shocking fast fashion facts:

👎 93 billion cubic meters of water are used yearly, enough to build a house out of water cubes (if that were a thing).

👎 60% of fast fashion items are made from plastic-based fabrics, aka pollution's MVP due to its never-ending lifespan.

👎 Less than 11% of brands have recycling strategies, leading to over $500 billion lost from wasted clothing.

👎 59% of fashion brands in Europe make false sustainability claims to retain customers.

Aside from being a major environmental issue, did you know that the stylish clothes you wear may also be the products of unethical labor? Shein, a Chinese fast fashion giant, is said to have employees work 75 hours per week at poor wages (Edwards, 2024). Can you fathom working so hard for so little?

💖Why slow fashion is a big Yuh-Huh

As the name implies, slow fashion contrasts with fast fashion by prioritizing quality, sustainability, and ethical production (Domingos, 2022). The research indicates that as consumers grow more conscious of fair labor practices and environmental impact, interest in slow fashion continues to rise.

Sounds like something a responsible citizen would support, right? But here’s the best part. Investing in slow fashion isn’t just the ethical choice, it also makes you look effortlessly stylish beyond fleeting trends!

According to Weaving Vibes (2024), a textile expert with 36 years of experience, slow fashion isn’t just about sustainability. It’s also an artistic choice:

✨ Express your uniqueness: Ditch fast-changing trends and develop a style that truly reflects you.

✨ Build a timeless wardrobe: Invest in versatile pieces that mix and match effortlessly, sparking creativity in your outfits.

✨ Celebrate craftsmanship: Choosing slow fashion supports skilled artisans and keeps traditional craftsmanship alive in a world of mass production.

So, what’s better than being both ethical and stylish? After all, knowledge is the ultimate fashion statement!

💖A quick guide to getting into Slow Fashion

Now that you've glimpsed the glorious world of slow fashion, you’re probably wondering: How do you actually embrace it? Here are some simple tips to become ethically stylish:

✨ Define your style: Skip fleeting trends and embrace what truly speaks to you. From fairycore to punk, YouTube is packed with guides to help you refine your aesthetic.

✨ Pick sustainable fabrics: Opt for eco-friendly materials like linen, organic cotton, and bamboo to reduce environmental impact.

✨ Support ethical brands: Choose made-to-order or small-batch brands for quality, uniqueness, and sustainability.

✨ Thrift with intention: Shopping second-hand cuts waste, lowers your carbon footprint, and helps you score unique finds—many thrift shops are even online!

✨ Speak up: Raise awareness about fast fashion’s ethical issues and advocate for a more responsible industry.

Wrapping up…

While fast fashion may be trendy, its questionable ethics and poor quality often lead to wasted money. In contrast, slow fashion offers durability and uniqueness. So, as a responsible digital citizen, you know what to do! Start making conscious fashion choices, spread awareness, and consider joining fashion activism online.

References:

Domingos, M., Vale, V. T., & Faria, S. (2022). Slow Fashion Consumer Behavior: A Literature Review. Sustainability, 14(5), 1–15. https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i5p2860-d761810.html

Edwards, C. (2024, May 12). Shein suppliers still working 75-hour weeks, report says. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg67w73nxqxo

Frankly, L. (2023, February 10). How Sustainable is Zara? | Sustainable Fashion. Live Frankly. https://livefrankly.co.uk/sustainable-fashion/how-sustainable-is-zara-and-can-i-shop-there-with-a-clean-conscience/

Hardy, A. (2024, April 24). Everything You Need to Know About Fast Fashion. Vogue; Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-fast-fashion

Igini, M. (2022, June 21). 11 Fast Fashion Facts You Might Not Know. Earth.org. https://earth.org/fast-fashion-facts/

Weaving Vibes. (2024, June 18). The Beauty of Slowing Down Discovering the Benefits of Slow Fashion. WeavingVibes. https://weavingvibes.com/blogs/blog/the-beauty-of-slowing-down-discovering-the-benefits-of-slow-fashion?srsltid=AfmBOop02_kEAqOFrEPhihUiz7b654_ff5BUCV-xU0SnBs4olnyIbgTj

[daniel-rivers]

The Internet

A Failed Project

Oh, the internet. It started off with such promise. Since the early ’90s, we’ve been exploring its commercial potential, opening new worlds of information, self-presentation, and marketing. Shops could showcase themselves virtually, hobbies could be shared across continents, blogs… It felt like the future was wide open.

Things evolved gradually, starting with AOL chat rooms in 1997, where strangers could chat anonymously. Then came MySpace in 2003, laying the groundwork for social media. Facebook arrived in 2004, initially exclusive and invitation-only (because exclusivity always makes things better). Then YouTube and Twitter in 2006, the first iPhone in 2007 (not the first touchscreen, but it redefined smartphones as we know them). Instagram in 2010, Snapchat in 2011, Vines in 2013, each a little more “innovative,” each drawing us in deeper.

It was new and exciting. We could share with friends and family, meet people around the world. Creativity felt limitless, and everything looked so shiny on the surface. But soon, phrases like “Facebook syndrome” crept in. We’re humans; we’ve always compared ourselves to others, and that’s part of how we evolve. But now we weren’t just comparing ourselves to the neighbors or colleagues; we were up against curated snapshots of perfection, endless windows into idealized lives. Nothing quite like being alone with your phone, scrolling through everyone else’s picture-perfect moments, right?

Social media was there, but it wasn’t everywhere. Not yet.

Then came 2016. Meta introduced its infamous algorithm on Instagram, Twitter’s political polarization escalated, and Musical.ly/TikTok burst onto the scene. The dream became a full-blown fever.

The shift from “old” to “new” social media was so subtle we almost didn’t notice. We went from sharing memes, funny videos, and genuine creativity to a digital landscape where self-image is distorted beyond recognition. Teens now reshape their faces to match a narrow beauty ideal that wipes out individuality and makes everyone look exactly the same. Social media has turned into a competition to see who’s the most oppressed, while AI-generated content and bots amplify every trend and opinion until it’s inescapable but dying just a few days later. Outrage has become the new currency, fueling endless engagement and keeping users in a perpetual state of provocation.

LinkedIn became a corporate butt-kissing paradise, where “job opportunities” await, and tearful CEOs with millions boast about the “humbling experience” of firing someone. Facebook and TikTok’s echo chambers feed a steady diet of extreme views, pushing them deeper into isolation. Meanwhile, Twitter has become a breeding ground for hate and bigotry, each post further dividing us, with society splintering faster than a badly built IKEA chair.

Some influencers, always on the lookout for profits, glamorize gambling and promote online games that make high-stakes risks look like innocent fun. Others drive fast fashion, urging us to buy and discard cheap, disposable clothing that exploits workers and pollutes the planet. And let’s not forget the crypto and NFT hustlers, selling dreams of quick riches to anyone feeling the squeeze of rising living costs, only to leave them broke through the latest pump-and-dump scheme.

Even streaming services like Netflix are in on the game, designed to keep us binge-watching for hours on end. As Netflix’s co-CEO once put it, their biggest competitor is sleep. And Google? It doesn’t serve up the answers you need; it serves the ones it thinks you want, pulling you into endless searches, wondering if that weird-looking spot might be cancer. But don’t worry, here are those shoes you searched for last month; they’re on sale now.

Don’t get me wrong, the internet is an incredible tool. We theoretically hold the knowledge of all the world’s libraries in our hands. We can still create, connect, and find community around the globe. Thanks to the internet, we’ve been able to uncover and clarify so much—not just regionally but internationally as well. The #MeToo movement, for instance, would have been nearly impossible without the internet. The same goes for global conflicts and crises. But then, it raises the question—how much information is actually good for us?

Consider local news. Not every incident in a city makes it to print. This isn’t about censorship or cover-ups; it’s just that if every event were reported, newspapers would become books. And if we knew every single tragedy happening around us, would we even want to leave our homes? Sometimes, knowing less might actually help us feel safer and more connected, even if our empathy urges us to learn it all.

Consider human evolution: Humanity has existed for roughly 1.9 million years, but modern humans only for about 200,000. Agriculture was invented just 11,000 years ago. When you think about how slowly we evolved to that point, it’s insane to imagine the mental overload we’ve adapted to in just the past decade. The overstimulation, the flood of information, and the way corporations exploit our attention to keep us hooked should make us ask—how much control do we even have? Of everything we’re consuming, what’s actually necessary and what’s actually good for us?

For those who are now wondering how to counteract all of this: go out without your smartphone every once in a while, be unreachable. Talk to people, get to know them. Call someone for a change instead of texting. Cancel one of your streaming services. Watch regular TV. Delete or hide your social media apps, or, like I did, lock your phone away for a few days until you stop caring about it. And for those who are already doing these things, chapeau.

And finally here’s my question to you, and I encourage you to think deeply about it while taking a closer look at what you’re consuming.

If it truly had only benefits and you knew it would be good for society, could you live without your smartphone and social media? What would it take to free yourself from everything you just read?

P.S. Today I want to share a song, especially with my German readers, which fits the subject perfectly. Ich hasse es by Dota Kehr.

[minghs]

    introspective quiz results ! under the read more are just a couple of results i compiled instead of individually posting them and cluttering the dash !

what color is your aura?

green,    climbing ivy, snake eyes, frogs, rainboots, koi ponds, abandoned places, clovers. your essence is green: you are bright-eyed and cerebral, unearthing questions. you are devoted to your pride; you struggle to feel worthwhile if you do not have any answer for everything. it is hard for you to not fixate intensely and be certain you are not mundane. you are the orator. you are the totem. you find kinship in like-minded individuals of forest, sage, chartreuse, and jade, who share your desire to learn. you are also drawn to the creative souls blue and orange, who will help you grow and know it is okay to stay guessing. however, you may struggle to get along with the bleeding heart personalities of pink and yellow who are too wrapped up in pleasing others.

what kind of love are you?

love as the dawn,    pastel, saccharine and hopeful, your love rises slow to greet the day. it tiptoes on doe feet and blossoms bit by bit, petal by petal. love is new to you, isn’t it? a fresh discovery in a world you do not quite understand. your love loves with bated breaths. your love swoons and sighs and lingers under awnings. your love romanticizes. your love aches as tenderly as a bruise. you’re swollen with desire and idealizations. the perfect kiss, the perfect touch, the perfect partner in life. your love is wide-eyed and innocent, naive and pristine and oh, so very easily breakable. being loved by you is to be loved by a child, by a lamb, wooly-eyed and helpless. oh. i really hope it lasts.

what kiss trope is your narrative?

the now or never kiss,    the last kiss? no, it's not the last, but the characters don't know that. death appears imminent — the temperature is rising, the room is filling up with water, the plane is about to hit the ground, the rope they're dangling from is about to break and drop them off the cliff, the room is on fire and the door's locked, the world is coming to an end… the point is, this is no place for unresolved sexual tension. the not-a-couple don't want to go out without revealing how they really feel. it's now or never. they kiss. this can also be ' now or maybe never ' kiss; one or both are heading into danger, or likely-potential death.

how are you color coded?

green coded,    green, a study in living life, growth, and change. you're one of the people who often find themselves believing that anybody can be better than they are right now, should they put in the effort. you know when to quit, of course, but that tolerance is very high. you know when to put faith in the right people, but that knowledge was earned the hard way. the world is a dangerous place, and you know that. but that doesn't mean that life isn't worth living. the world is a place full of danger, of love, of wonder. you know that firsthand.

[apacentrepreneur-blog]

How working with interns can benefit everyone involved

In this fast-paced world, organizations are looking for various ways through which they can consistently upgrade themselves and stay ahead of the competition.

Hiring new interns and working with them is one way to stay ahead of the competition, Being a part of an internship can offer you many benefits and experiences that are useful for career development, but you might be wondering how it can be beneficial for the organization.  Well, working with interns may provide several benefits, not just to businesses but also to the interns. 

So in this post, we will look into several ways in which working with interns can benefit everyone involved. 

Who is an intern? 

An intern is an advanced student or a recent graduate who is being given practical training under supervision. Most of the time, interns are college students but they can also be adults who are changing careers and gaining experience in the new field that they just entered.

Interns Develop a New Perspective

One of the main Benefits of hiring interns is that they are someone who is fresh out of university and has amazing ideas, as they have knowledge that is up to date from their recent courses. Therefore, interns bring fresh ideas to the table and invent things that will be helpful in solving issues. Since most interns are free from the traditions and practices of the organization, they can help you see the challenges from a unique perspective. 

Extended interview process

The internship serves as a lengthy interview process, permitting managers to gain a general idea of the interns’ skills and talents, which will help them decide who to hire as future employees of the organization. The manager will also have a clear understanding of the strengths each intern can bring to the table.  

This way of doing things saves hiring managers time and money. 

low-cost approach

Another Internship benefits for companies is that hiring interns is a low-cost approach for the organization since interns are usually paid less than full-time employees. Since they can help complete tasks and projects without being paid fully, they are basically the cost-effective choice. 

They are also ready to be paid less and manage short-term initiatives and the workload, which is beneficial for the organization. 

Opportunities to be mentors 

By working with interns in the Internship programs the full-time employees can gain experience too, It is not just interns who gain experience; the managers and full-time employees can gain new skills such as mentoring and managing skills. 

Working with interns gives experienced employees mentorship opportunities, builds leadership skills, and increases overall workplace satisfaction, Meanwhile, the intern receives essential guidance and support.

Enhanced Recruitment Efforts

Your organization can build good relationships with universities and educational institutions by offering internships to students. This can build mutually beneficial relationships and result in an accumulation of possible future workers. The organization can discover future employees through these Internship programs who have developed knowledge about the organization; this will help to save time the organization spends on the recruitment journey. 

Conclusion 

In short, collaborating with the interns can be an arrangement that benefits everyone. The Benefits of hiring interns are quite a few, such as helping save time in hiring new recruiters, reducing costs, and possibly discovering future workers. Accepting interns promotes not just creativity and productivity but also a more promising future for both workers and the organizations that support them.

Visit More : https://apacentrepreneur.com/how-working-with-interns-can-benefit-everyone-involved/

[sleepy-writes-stuff]

DP X DC WRITING PROMPT #1

(I don't know if someone has already written this idea yet. If someone has tho please give me the info/link so I can read it. 👀

This might be the only prompt I do, because my brain likes to keep my creativity behind bars a majority of the time. That and anxiety. I've never done a post like this before. Also, most of my knowledge is from DP not DC. Please forgive me if I get something wrong.)

(#) = Notes at the end of post

(*) = Just me building off of other ideas.

short prompt #1 →

short prompt #2 →

✦

Lair of Mystery

The House of Mystery is Danny's lair or vacation lair(1) and ever since he outlived his friends and family(2), he's been coming to the House of Mystery whenever he needs a break from his kingly duties. Since it's the Infinite Realms, the HoM exists in every universe, but due to it not always being in the form of a literal house and difficult for outsiders to enter, it's never found. At least until now.

One day when he goes to the lair after (insert amount of time) he finds that the Justice League Dark have set up in his home. Initially, the JLD attack him but Danny puts a stop to that fast. It's his house, he can control anything inside it which includes anyone he deems an intruder. An interrogation more or less takes place, both parties are confused by the others presence, both sides get answers and are shocked by them. Danny because the JLD are a subdivision of a superhero agency that specializes in magic/the occult and the JLD because they've literally been using the house of a very powerful monarch without even knowing it.

Danny isn't angry the JLD are inside his house once he gets over the surprise. In fact, he's rather happy to have company of the non-ghost variety and is curious about their world full of superheroes and aliens. He comes to a decision. He will let the JLD continue to use his house as a base of operations if they are willing to agree to a few terms.

1. No one is to touch or use any artifacts they may find inside the HoM without his explicit permission. Some things are too dangerous for human hands to hold.

2. They seek him out of there is anything of the dead/occult variety threatening their world that they are unable to handle by themselves. (The JLD are shocked to learn of the King's past as a young hero as his explanation for this term. He misses those times and helping the JLD will also be another way to fulfill his obsession besides him being King.)

3. They spend time with him. Being the ruler of an infinitely expanding dimension gets pretty overwhelming and lonely at times. Even he needs a break. On top of missing his hero days, he misses the simpler times of being just a regular guy.

The JLD easily agree to his terms. From then on, they peacefully coexist in the HoM for many years to come. Danny is happier than he's been in a long time and so are the JLD because he's a wonderful host and has actually helped them with a few of their personal issues. Danny, having seen straight through his Captain Marvel form, gave Billy a fully furnished bedroom fit for a growing teenager and hidden from the others in the house. Danny and Billy hang out and play video games whenever they need to unwind with someone their age(3) with no secrets between them.

Danny helps Constantine with his soul contracts, seeing how they are fraying his soul and aging him prematurely. They have an easy camaraderie and sometimes share a bottle of whiskey together(4). Etc.

All is good.

Until some world ending threat of the dead/occult variety really does happen and the JLD call for Danny's help. He goes to them in full regalia with chainmail, breastplate with his hero symbol emblazoned on it, billowing, fur-collared purple cape with the cosmos displayed on the interior, a black crown incased in ice above his head with a sword of ghost ice in the hand that wears the newly dubbed Ring of (Peace?)(5). He doesn't even have to do anything. His presence alone is enough to intimidate the world ending threat into complete submission and is easily sent back into the Infinite Realms to face judgement for attacking the Living Realm.

This is how he's introduced to the rest of the Justice League. It's your choice on how they react and what happens beyond this point if you decide to take it further.

✦

This is entirely up for grabs and I wanna read whatever's written.

Notes:

(1) Your choice if it's his original lair or a vacation one depending on if you count Pariah's old castle as Danny's lair or not.

(2) Your choice if any of his friends or family members turn into ghosts.

(3) Danny is able to change the age of his form to an extent, an ability he inherited from his mentor, Clockwork. He uses it when he feels it would make it easier for other people to relate to him. He also has an eldritch form that he doesn't like to use in front of others unless he absolutely has to. You can leave any part of this detail out if you want to. I just thought it would be kinda cool and also a more subtle way of showing how powerful he is now.

(4) He is technically an adult (read several hundred years old) so he can partake if he wants to. Refer to note above this one.

(5) Should the function and name of the Ring of Rage change due to Danny being King or not? Your choice!

(*) Also, I read the House of Mystery is in a place called the Dreaming, a realm ruled by Morpheus the god of sleep and dreams. If this is truly the case, would it be plausible to say that Nocturne is just another one of Morpheus' forms? Would that mean the House of Mystery is in Nocturne's territory? If so, are Danny and Nocturne friends now? 👀

(*) the Dreaming is part of the Infinite Realms.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

BPP, hi

I choose to ask you this because you’re one of the most sane voices here. I got into BTS and KPop very recently (2022 Dec) and was consuming all kinds of available content (Run BTS, fancams, concert videos, shipper narratives) and fell in love with Jungkook and Jimin. You can say I am double bias.

From what I saw in the content I consumed, both JK and JM are very popular but JM was more popular (Idols bible, face of Kpop being some titles given to him). But then, I started seeing him diminish around dynamite era? And I have lurked on few blogs here who think the same. They think that the company forced Jimin to step back.

After what I’ve seen happen to Jimin during and post Face release, I am inclined to believe that the company actually never wanted him but only retained him because they also could see his power. Now that BTS are the best boy band in the world, Jimin doesn’t really matter and it breaks my heart so much to see that. I am Happy for Jungkook getting all these opportunities but it leaves such a sour taste in the mouth because everything evil that was hurled at Jimin is kind of what could apply to JK (I’m really not saying he should be targeted, I love Jungkook. but his fans literally collaborated with pinks to hate on Jimin).

Sorry, this is turning into a long ask/vent post. I have no hope that Jimins second album will get any kind of support and he will still get as much hate and it makes me wish he wasn’t a part of BTS, a group I got to love.

***

Sigh Anon,

You say you're a new fan so I'll skip most of what I want to say and be extra brief. I'll ask you three questions.

Did you know that until very recently, many people in the fandom, solos and not, were absolutely convinced PDogg had it out for Jimin? Yeah, P - "Park Jimin will end k-pop in 2023" - Dogg. They somehow reached the conclusion that BTS's main producer secretly hated Jimin and sabotaged him with hard-to-sing lines or hatefully prevented Jimin from singing at all. You'd often see them cite PDogg refusing Yoongi's offer of gifting People to Jimin for him to sing as a solo track. I've lost count of how many PJMs hated PDogg's guts based on those theories who are now singing PDogg's praises (though a faction still hate him for the autotune use, because we know Jimin had absolutely no say in the creative process and it certainly wasn't his idea, based on his interviews /s). I wonder what you think about that fan theory now and if that tells you anything about how fan theories are made.

With the little you've seen and know of Jimin so far, do you think he would sign up (a second time) for a work situation and relationship which is hostile to his growth as an artist and as a person? You say you've been following the FACE promotions so I wonder if you've watched all Jimin's interviews where he talks about the process and how the company/producers got involved.

Are you old enough to work in a corporate setting? Because even watching BTS's official content might not be enough for some people to get the full picture if they have little understanding of what healthy team dynamics look like in a work relationship to begin with. I think it's unlikely you're in this bracket of people Anon, but I'm asking just in case because most of the questions, theories, or concerns about mistreatment and favouritism in BTS can be dismissed just on the knowledge of how teams work. This ask I responded to on the 2022 Festa Dinner shows as much.

Feeling discontent with Jimin’s roll-out is totally valid. But it’s also possible you’ve found your way into the fandom spaces that traffic in mistreatment theories for the members you bias, typically solo stan and manti spaces, that new fans tend to fall into. I suggest you spend more time listening to Jimin, not his stans and not me. (But if you have follow-up questions I’ll try to answer.)

Goodluck.

[be-my-wingman-anytime]

I saw your post about the top gun ships and I was wondering if I could please get one for top gun maverick? I'm a straight female, she/her and I'm 20! I'd like nsfw to be included please!

Physical description - I'm 5'9 and I have long and curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. I have a fair skin tone, I'm slim and I've got full lips and slight dark circles under my eyes. I wear glasses and I have these dimples that I really like. I dress mostly in relaxed suits, blazers and coats and I love the occasional dress or sweaters layered over a white button down!

Hobbies/likes - I love reading, my favorite genres are poetry, Russian lit, and mysteries! I love learning about new things and knowing a little bit of everything, I'm very interested in psychology, history, mythology and folklore, and fashion! I adore adventures, witty and playful banter, joking around and having indepth discussions on anything and everything! I adore all forms of art and I have quite a few creative hobbies.

Personality description - It takes me a while to feel comfortable around new people but once I do, I become really talkative and outgoing. I love helping out and I'm the therapist friend, people come to me to vent or for advice and comfort. I'm smart and ambitious; I love being the best at everything I do. I'm quite the hopeless romantic and I love being in love! I also daydream a lot and I can get lost in my own world for hours. I can be quite dramatic and stubborn and I tend to be withdrawn and distant at times. I get frustrated easily and I'm a little competitive.

I'm an infp and my enneagram is 4w3. My star sign is Taurus.

Thank you very much! I hope you have a lovely day ❤️

I ship you with….

Bob Floyd

You are within perfect kissing height for him.

That, alone, tells me you’re a perfect match!

Imagine all those forehead kisses

How, all he has to do is, is just dip his head slightly to capture your lips with his…

One swift, fluid motion.

….Puts his stealth pilot to good use -wink-

But I digress – Firstly, he fell for your brown eyes. They are deep. He spends all his time in the blue of the sky that, when he looks at you, he feels grounded on earth with those earthy tones of your eyes.

Your eyes are only emphasised by your long, gorgeous hair. Bob didn’t think he had a type. But you came along and suddenly he felt like no other appearance seemed to give him butterflies. Blonde hair? No. Blue eyes? No. Green eyes? Meh. But they weren’t your brown eyes with brown hair combo.

He noticed your eyes before he noticed your glasses (and not at all because I, the shipper, forgot you wrote you wore glasses, shipped you with Bob and then did a re-read and was like ‘Ohhhh glasses!’)

Glasses buddies through and through!

You both become the couple that breaks that normalises wearing glasses.

Yet you both don’t seem to break the stigma that nerdy people wear glasses because he’s a Top Gun Stealth Pilot who’s studying textbooks and undergoing exams etc. You’re a girl who always has her nose in a book because she either likes reading for pleasure or reading for knowledge. Extremely nerdy BUT IN A GOOD WAY! (Fellow Nerd so I’m not hating)

You’re literally the adorable nerd couple. The ones that others, who feel like no one will love them, look up to. You two set the goal.

Actually – that’s how Bob met you! Your friend stood you up at the bar, leaving you alone. But you’re smart. You bought a book with you. So yeah, here you are… in a bar, with a drink, a book, glasses, your hair down, wearing a dress (because you assumed you were going to have a nice time out).

He had watched you from a distance (not creepily). But he also saw that visible feeling he knew too well; the looking around for someone and the disappointment when you realise you’ve been stood up. Hence why you pulled your book out. You paid for a drink, you might as well sip away at it while doing something productive with your time.

Bob quietly approached you in the old-age move of buying himself another drink and, while waiting for his drink to be served, asked what you’re reading,

You’re not stupid. It’s the oldest trick in the book. Without even sparing him a glance, you stated the name of the book and the author.

To your surprise, he recommended a rare book by the same author, stating it was a good read. It’s not one of the author’s well-known works but it’s the type of book you need to give it a chance and you’ll be surprised.

You glanced up and was taken aback by his kind and humble features. You couldn’t help but match his smile, showing your dimples and making him smile more. You were the first to introduce yourself and he introduced himself back as ‘Bob’.

Simply that. Bob. No boasting that he’s the best pilot, or one of the best pilots, no lame-ass pickup lines following. Just humble Bob who seemed to share the same reading interests.

Your book left forgotten as you both conversed over 1…2…3 drinks, which loosened you up to start bantering and throwing playful remarks every now and then, making the two of you laugh and banter.

It was hours, HOURS, before you both decide to finally call it an evening.  But not without exchanging numbers. With alcohol in his system, Bob actually asked for your number!

Sweet, shy Bob… something about you just seemed to either give him an air of confidence, or perhaps he was actually desperate to get to know you.

You both never run out of conversations. There’s always something to talk about, discuss or debate (friendly debate only).

You’re also both content just being in each other’s company without conversation too. It’s a comfortable silence. Him just quietly vibing or reading a book, you off in your own world.

He gives a small nudge or rub to your arm if he needs your attention for something.

Especially if a look of concern washes over your face, especially if you’re overthinking.

You’re the therapist friend to everyone but he’s the therapist friend to you. You can talk to him about anything and everything and he’ll listen and give the most logical advice without it being biased.

You’ve introduced him to a few new books, he’s introduced you to a few knew things he’s read in the past. He doesn’t have as much time to read nowadays with his Top Gun training since he’s been picked to be part of such an elite squad. But you’re fine with that. He’s either taken it on board or he’ll ask you to fill him in and he’ll happily listen to you.

Hangs on every word you’re saying while giving you his undivided attention. Is it him being respectful or him captivated by your eyes? (Both. It’s both).

Dates with you two are a mix of adventure and romantic. Sometimes it’ll be something outdoors-y. Sometimes it’ll be something arty (like, those coffee dates where you grab a coffee together and then you paint a ceramic mug or something). Of course Bob paints a plane on his. But he gives his to you. He may or may not have tried painting a love-heart in the bottom on the inside of the mug (it came out a little wonky because manoeuvring the brush inside the mug was hard, okay?)

No date like this ever seemed silly to Bob. He loved it. And he appreciated that you didn’t hound him with pilot questions or to go for a ride in the plane (he’d get fired for it!). With you, he gets to be just Bob.

He’s your number 1 fan. He’ll support you in any endeavours you do and is always, always proud of you.

A kiss to the cheek and a whispered “I’m proud of you, darling.” Makes you melt.

He’s always adored the intelligence of your mind. And your ambitious spirit. And the way you just want to experience and learning anything and everything you can.

The pet names for Babe/Baby aren’t used. You’re both too mature for that. It feels too…teenager-y to be compared to a pig (Babe the Pig). So you’re content using ‘Darling, love, hon’ for terms of endearment.

You call him Bobby. But only you get to call him Bobby.

A little competition is good between you two. You appreciate that Bob doesn’t let you win simply for being a girl. Bob appreciates that you don’t hold back. You don’t get fiercely competitive but enough to have fun and make it interesting (mini golf etc.)

Bob is all about the sweet little moments. If he walks past you, there’s always a hand that trails over the lower back (kind of like silently saying ‘Hello. I love you.’). He always helps in the kitchen without being asked.

But it’s sweet because he doesn’t always make the first move, but he looks over and gives that little smile that tells you he really wants to do those kitchen kisses couples do in the movies, but he can’t bring himself to do it (too shy or doesn’t want to bother you).

But you know that smile and you’ll look up and smile back. When you don’t drop your gaze, he knows it’s okay to swoop in for a kiss.

Why did he kiss you? Because you’re adorable. And he loves you.

You could be doing the most mundane thing and it’d still be the most attractive thing he’s ever laid his eyes upon.

Picture this: soft evening, your head resting on the back of the couch, your feet in his lap, one hand gently rubbing your foot, the other holding open a book of poetry as he reads from it. Yes, Bob will read you poetry.

NSFW:

Bob is such a sweet and humble person, that it’ll likely be very vanilla in bed.

I wouldn’t say he’s inexperienced, but he’s just… he hasn’t been with a lot of women. And he’s very cautious with you. Doesn’t want to disappoint you or disrespect you (there’s a lot of stress for men with intimacy too!)

He always checks in with you. Makes sure it’s okay if he does this, or that.

“Is this okay?”, “Tell me to stop, okay?”

But you don’t tell him to stop.

Every soft caress of his fingers, every gentle kiss and tease of his lips and tongues has you withering with pleasure beneath him.

It’s hard to believe he’s not-as-experienced

He spends more time exploring and worshipping your body than he does with letting you do it to him.

He’s awkward.

He loves it when you run your hands over his abs, watching your reaction at how you're amazed by what he has hidden beneath his shirt. But god, does he love it when your fingers get grabby and needy and pull him down.

He loves blowjobs (who doesn’t?) but he doesn’t want to put you in a position where you feel obligated you have to give back what he gave you.

But also who doesn’t love seeing Bob lose control? That sweet, humble boy just moaning sinfully beneath your lips.

His hand lightly gripping your hair because God, isn’t that what long, curly hair is for?

The way his lips part as he lets out breathy little gasps.

You get those gasps near your ear too…

Every single time…without fail…as he sinks deep into you, he watches your face contort with pleasure. He holds back from making any noise until he cant…and that’s when he drops his head and releases a breathy gasp by your ear followed be a moan. You live for that particular moment.

Neither of you ever get tired of that feeling.

He starts of slow.

Pulling breathy gasps from both of you.

His lips hover over yours as both your gasps mingle with each other.

But when he changes pace, without warning, your moan is swept up by him kissing you so you can moan into his mouth.

You cling to him and he loves it when you bite at his shoulders or leave nail indentations around the small of his back.

It’s always romantic love-making. He rarely ever takes you in any ‘dirty’ position such as downward doggy or reverse cowgirl.

But even with his romantic love-making, it’s always rough thrusts in between. The ones that pull the odd curse from both of you.

Neither of you are known to curse but it somehow feels like it’s the only word required with the way Bob sends you over the edge.

You moaning his nickname in his ear is generally what sends him over the edge.

[drabsyo]

I was wondering...I was always confused about Narcissa’s hair. It’s been a while since I read the books. Did she color it blonde to show her now belonging to House Malfoys. Or was it naturally blonde? Movies confused me a bit I guess.

Yes, this had me confused too! I've agonized and toiled over it, more than I probably should, about how I should draw her hair because people have generally different views, which is totally understandable! 💕

And I've always wanted to discuss it, so now that I've been given a reason to... Well.

If you take a look at some of my Narcissa fanart, you'll notice the different ways I'd color her hair. I was so confused. Is she a light blonde? Dark blonde? A mix of raven hair and blonde hair? If she has blonde hair then why does her family have (mostly) dark hair? And WHY does she have blue eyes?! This woman is absolutely confusing! (Which is kind of, you know, fitting because Narcissa always loves to be a mystery to literally anyone lol)

So I did my homework, asked around, and scoured every bit of information, canon or otherwise, that I could find about her. It led me to this:

In canon, this is what the Black sisters look like. You can find the page here. Narcissa is a child here, and already has blonde hair. So we can go ahead and safely assume that she was born with natural blonde hair. But in the films, Narcissa has black and blonde hair. I don't actually know why they gave her that hair color, maybe so that the audiences wouldn't question her blood relations with the Blacks--I don't know. I really don't. But now we have a book version Narcissa, one who has full blonde hair. And a movie version Narcissa, one who has raven and blonde hair. At least, that's how the different hair colors started: a movie version, and a book version.

So... here's where it gets confusing.

To my knowledge, it isn't actually explained why her hair color is the way it is in both the movies and the books. Having blonde hair does raise many questions, how is she the "only" blonde in a family of dark hair and dark eyes? To top it all off, it gets even more confusing, because fanon writes and draws her either as a full blonde or a mix of raven and blonde hair. We just have this large pile to sift through of her having either hair color. No one actually explains anything. She's just... infuriatingly there. She's either blonde or raven haired and blonde. BUT fanfiction writers, as I've observed, give their own reasons why Narcissa's hair color is the way it is in their respective stories. And it's actually pretty creative and interesting! It adds even greater depth to her character, and it fits the narrative of the story even better. Remember, the character we're dealing with is Narcissa Black. One of her main traits is "she won't do anything unless there is a clear purpose behind it." This character is deliberate, meticulous, and she makes sure to plan ahead at all times. And so, some fanfiction writers decide to play on that.

You can skip this part if you want to avoid spoilers but I've compiled a small list of instances in (Cissamione) fanfiction where Narcissa's hair is mentioned.

🔹 In Extinction by rubikanon in Chapter 10: Build and Break, Hermione asks Narcissa about it. Here, Narcissa has black and blonde hair. She explains that she only decided to dye it blonde to "fit in with the Malfoys." We can gather two things from that alone, which resonates with her character perfectly: 1.) Narcissa is loyal and 2.) Narcissa purposefully wants to show the rest of the world how loyal she is by committing to having blonde hair. The woman has some serious commitment, and it shows. But now, the way that it's slowly growing back into her natural black hair color, hints that perhaps Narcissa no longer wishes to fit in with the Malfoys. However, if we take an even closer look, we can safely assume that Narcissa isn't the kind of person to just leave her hair color "unattended" like that. Remember, she's meticulous. And this is a big deal for her, the fact that she's just kind of letting it grow back instead of either fully dyeing it back to black, or dyeing it back to blonde. It suggests that perhaps she's a little unsure this time, perhaps it is her uncertainty that is the reason why it's now a mix of both. Another grey area? Or maybe it's actually something more deliberate? Maybe now, she likes that it's a mix of both. That other half now being solely for Draco, and not to fit in (completely) with the Malfoys any longer. Who knows why Narcissa does things the way she does? We can speculate to the ends of the earth, or be as smart as Hermione Granger (or with the case of Extinction, see Hermione's thoughts), but something tells me we'd still be a good step behind.

"Which one is your natural hair color?" I wondered aloud.

(Narcissa) She glanced up at the unexpected question. I was relieved she hadn't sensed my attention yet. It's not like I meant anything by it, I told myself. She was so beautiful, one couldn't help but notice. And feel physically drawn to her. And want to see her two-toned hair fanned across her back, slipping over the bare skin, silky beneath my fingers...

"Why do you ask?" Her query brought me back to reality, and I hurriedly corrected my imagination to include a pretty dress covering the rest of her.

"I don't know." I chewed the inside of my cheek, suppressing my other thoughts. "I'm just curious."

Her gaze returned to the fire. "You've seen enough of my relatives to guess which color is genetic. The blond is something I added to fit in with the Malfoys, after Draco was born." She was quiet for a moment. "He looks so much like his father. I suppose I wanted to share some resemblance."

🔹 In Killing Me Softly by Looktotheedges in Chapter 4: Nagging, Hermione suggests that perhaps Narcissa is part Veela because of her blonde hair and very attractive features, like Fleur. Which is this whole other theory/plot that's very interesting, but won't be discussed in this post. Narcissa tells Hermione that Sirius has always been blonde, and that it isn't out of the question for her to be blonde either. Sirius Black. A blonde. I know! Maybe it's there because it's funny that Sirius is actually blonde like Narcissa. Prissy, haughty, lady-like Narcissa. Arguably the 'girliest' cousin that he has. No, no, no. He doesn't want to be anything like Narcissa. Anyway, if that's the reason, I think that's hilarious and cute.

Narcissa turns away. 'I am aware my appearance is frightfully drab. Work has been…'

Hermione holds back a disbelieving scoff. 'Narcissa. You always look beautiful. And you’re talking to the witch with grass in her hair who practically lives in her office all week.'

Narcissa just leans further over the crib. 'A blonde little boy. It has been so long since… I can almost imagine…'

Hermione stands next to her. Looks down at the peacefully sleeping Louis. He does look remarkably like Draco. 'Are you sure there’s no Veela blood in you? You weren’t secretly switched at birth?'

'Like a changeling?'

'It would explain your blonde hair.'

'Sirius was also blonde, it is not completely out of the question for us Blacks.'

What?!

(...) 'I know. But it is the truth. He was blond until he was about seven… then it began to darken. Mousy. Dull. He wanted to look cool and brooding instead, so he got his hands on some kind of charm right before he set off for Hogwarts. A new, edgy Sirius. It was around then he forbade us from calling him Siri. Said it sounded too girly.'

🔹 In Fixed in Time by TheWorldsaBeastofBurden in Chapter 9: Sisters and Saviors, it's also tackled a little humorously. Andromeda let's a little comment slip while they're in the middle of trying to heal Hermione. Something funny, something that suggests Andromeda and Bella, when they were children, have always wondered why Narcissa is blonde unlike them.

The first words spoken occurred after they’d risen and attempted their casting. Andromeda’s preparedness to take on their task had been clear in her mind so Narcissa rose with her sister, wrapped an arm around her waist and held her near as the woman raised her wand to draw up the rest of the injury she’d dropped, half a slash across Hermione’s hip bone…

That remained half, as Andromeda growled out, “...it isn’t working.” she looked to Narcissa, “Why aren’t you powering me?”

What nonsense? “I am!” she insisted. She was! Or “I- I am trying to!” Her magic was active and alive, pulsing to rise from her skin and transfer into Andromeda’s but it- it wasn’t working! “Could...could it be that you were disowned?”

“Disowning doesn’t take away the fact that we share blood, our magic is directly related. Ugh, Bella always said you were adopted!”

“Oh ha- oh.”

“...oh?” Andromeda returned.

“...it’s not an issue of power. It is what I intend to aid in casting,” Narcissa slowly worked out. Oh, it was most blessed Mister Goyle could be brought to assist the present Hermione. If her present self had been brought to aid Andromeda? “...I cannot harm Hermione.”

Andromeda sighed with some frustration. “I understand you are so tenderly in love-”

“It isn’t- I’m avowed! I- when we arrived from the future we had to escape Malfoy Manor, I couldn’t bring Hermione through the wards without...I couldn’t add her directly, that would be visible. I had to...attach her permission to mine.”

🔹 In Glass Silence by Zarrene Moss (Menzosarres), which probably gives one of the most interesting backstories for Narcissa's hair, for why it's blonde. I can't put a clip of the scene here without hogging up a huge chunk of space on your dash, so I'll try to explain it as best I can instead.

Understand that these come with serious 🛑spoilers🛑 so please do read it at your own risk.

In Glass Silence, Narcissa's hair and eye color was black at birth. But after an accident with raw magic, something Bellatrix wasn't able to control when they were children, Narcissa almost dies. Bellatrix, using even more raw magic, tries desperately to pull Narcissa's "life force" back, but at the cost of losing the eumelanin that made Narcissa's eyes and hair black. Narcissa survived, but now has very little eumelanin left, which is why she's so pale, blonde, and has blue eyes. Every time Narcissa looks at a mirror, her reflection is a reminder of the day she almost died. Bella, on the other hand, is reminded of that day every single time she looks at Narcissa.

So! These are only a few fanfictions I could think of at the top of my head that tackles the issue of Narcissa's hair. In the books, to my knowledge, she is described as having blonde hair and very pale skin.

But let's take another deep dive, if you're up for it.

These are mostly theories, which are largely unconfirmed, but I think they're interesting to think about.

There's this description in the wiki:

"Narcissa Malfoy is described as tall, slim, "nice looking", and very pale, with blue eyes, long blonde hair, and a clear, cold voice. Her hair colouring thus differs from most of the House of Black, who generally have dark hair, though Narcissa does possess the arrogant good looks characteristic of her family."

There's also this pinterest photo of the Black sisters being compared to each other side by side, descriptively and physically. I'm so sorry, I don't know who drew it, but here's a link to the post on pinterest.

"Narcissa threw back her hood. She was so pale she seemed to shine in the darkness... long blonde hair streaming down her back."

Which is interesting because this hints that she's... different. It's a bit literal in this sense--she comes from a pureblood family, arguably the most influential and notorious one, the Blacks, who mostly have dark hair and eyes, and yet her physical appearance directly contrast that. There's also the matter of her namesake. She's the only Black to be named after a flower instead of a galaxy or a star. We aren't really given any explanation why she's the only one who's different. Even Sirius, who fought and died for the side of the Light, is named after the brightest star in the sky. Even Andromeda. It's been said that this is actually meant to be a parallel of some sort to Lily Evans. Narcissa and Lily are both named after flowers, even Petunia (Lily's sister). And I know there's this thing where it's a tie up to how Harry was ultimately saved by a mother's love: Harry lived at the beginning because of his mother's love, and Harry lives once again at the end of the books because Narcissa, a mother who wanted to save her own son, saved him.

If you read that scene in the books where Harry is saved by Narcissa, the whole scene is actually... pretty soft? There's that sort of disarming softness about Narcissa in that moment, where Harry expected to be callously dragged and prodded for a heartbeat. Instead, he gets a surprisingly gentle touch, a curtain of long blonde hair shielding him from the darkness, and the kind of tenderness he wouldn't expect from his enemies, "Is Draco alive?"

It's almost like Narcissa's appearance is something of a "tell". With Andromeda, she's described to have kind eyes, open, unguarded. She inherited her family's dark eyes and dark hair, and she even looks like Bellatrix's twin. I suppose we could say, Andromeda wants to fight that in any way she can by being openly kind. Narcissa is quite literally the opposite--guarded eyes, stoic expressions, cool and calculated emotions. We're veering into this fine line between fanon and canon in terms of their characterization (but only due to lack of canon materials) but personally, I think Narcissa having blonde hair and blue eyes is somewhat more fitting for her character. Again, this line:

"Narcissa threw back her hood. She was so pale she seemed to shine in the darkness... long blonde hair streaming down her back."

It's like that one glaringly obvious hint that everyone overlooks simply because... because it's the most obvious one. "Me! I'm different! I'm the last person you'd expect, but it really is me!"

Anyway. I've rambled on long enough. Hope this clears up some of that confusion, anon. Hoping it didn't ADD even more confusion... 😂 At the end of the day, this is just me speculating, gushing, and being One Big Fool™. So.

But either way, blonde hair, dark hair, mix of both, I adore her. Pretty much.

[wickedpact]

dear tumblr user crim wickedpact pls write the essay/dissertation about nicky being shakespeare's fair youth (if you have time, ofc!!)

Not To Imply Nicky Was Shakespeare’s Fair Youth But Ive Read The Fair Youth Sonnets & Nicky Was Definitely Shakespeare’s Fair Youth, an essay by me, tumblr user crim wickedpact

background knowledge: our man shakespeare wrote some 120 sonnets about a young man referred to as the Fair Youth during the mid 1590s; there has been some debate among shakespeare enthusiasts whether shakespeare’s interest in the Fair Youth was platonic or romantic (but like. they were definitely romantic). no one knows for sure who the Fair Youth was, but it was definitely nicky and my first and most important piece of evidence regarding this hypothesis is the ‘lmao babe do you remember that guy who had a crush on me?’/ ‘i try not to remember the guy who had a crush on you’ look joe and nicky exchange when Merrick brings up shakespeare during the movie. especially since gina confirmed in a tweet that joe and nicky canonly did know shakespeare

my second piece of evidence is that it just Works (except for a couple small facts like.. the Fair Youth was prolly closer to his 20s than his 30s. and the fact that shakespeare implies that the Fair Youth slept with his mistress at one point. but he doesnt know what hes talking about shhh we IGNORE)

long post under cut

A. The Description Matches

when describing the Fair Youth (who I’ll call the FY from now on), shakespeare says he has a ‘gold complexion’ and ‘beautiful eyes’ and compares him to a ‘summer’s day’. He says the FY has “A woman’s gentle heart" and “An eye more bright than [women’s are], (...) Gilding the object whereupon [they] gazeth”

As much as shakespeare’s perceptions of sexuality and gender are very........  late 1500′s (whoo boy sonnet #20 is a wild ride) ...... the description does match, and also:

  B. The Fair Youth Refused to Get Married

it’s never really said why one way or another (shakespeare assumes it’s because the FY is selfish) but the FY didn’t/wouldn’t take on a wife and have a kid, and this was something that was a real sticker for our man Willy S. because, as he says in his sonnets a million times: beauty doesn’t last forever, but having a child not only passes down the FY’s beauty, but also blesses the woman the FY would have a child with (im not saying shakespeare wanted to bear the FY’s children, but he definitely did)

Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest, Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother. For where is she so fair whose uneared womb Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?

(ie. If you don’t renew yourself/ have children, you deprive the world and deprive a woman from having your child, since what woman out there is so beautiful that she wouldn’t want to bear your child?)

Like.

1.) if nicky is the FY then so many of these poems center around the idea of nicky growing old sometime soon and that must have been pretty funny to Nicky and

2.)  the fact that shakespeare would have been So Desperate for nicky to find a wife must have been the opposite of funny to joe. considering the ease of his and nicky’s relationship and the fact that being gay in late 1500s england was probably not a walk in the park, it is very likely shakespeare wouldn’t have known they were in a committed relationship-- or at least not known how close they actually were. Thus:

  C. The Rival (aka. Joe)

shakespeare mentions having a poetic rival in regards to the FY in several sonnets. In sonnet #21 he talks about how he’s not like Those Other Writers who use grand metaphors to talk about their muses

So is it not with me as with that Muse, Stirred by a painted beauty to his verse, Who heaven itself for ornament doth use And every fair with his fair doth rehearse, Making a couplement of proud compare With sun and moon, with earth and sea's rich gems, With April's first-born flowers, and all things rare,

(ie. I’m not like other poets who, when inspired by a ‘painted beauty’ use heaven and every other beautiful thing on the planet to make a grand comparison to their muse: he specifically lists the sun and moon as examples as well as other beautiful things)

He then goes on to say

And then believe me, my love is as fair As any mother's child, though not so bright As those gold candles fixed in heaven's air:

(ie. my love [the FY] is as beautiful as any other beautiful person, though I wouldn’t compare them to the stars/heavens (which is what he means by the 'gold candles’. those are stars.))

So shakespeare insults poets who compare their subjects to the sun, moon, and stars (amongst other things) and in the comics, Joe does literally exactly that

That man is the stars in my sky, and the sun that lights my days. That man is the moon when I'm lost in darkness, and warmth when I shiver in cold.

shakespeare also goes on to say in the same sonnet “Let them say more that like of hearsay well / I will not praise that purpose not to sell” which is to say ‘let people who like that kind of language use it, I wont because I don’t want anyone else to have the subject of my affections (the FY)’.

(which is a bit of a contradiction regarding his feelings abt the FY getting married, but these sonnets are full of contradictions. shakespeare was a confused dude; man spent the first 100 or so sonnets convinced the FY loved him back only for him to start wondering if the FY ever loved him near the end)

(not to mention Marriage For Love wasnt really.. much of a thing in Ye Olden Times but thats a different conversation. so shakespeare prolly didnt associate marriage with love/competition? anyways)

Shakesy-boo goes on to complain about this rival several times. In #79, he says

Yet what of thee thy poet doth invent He robs thee of, and pays it thee again. He lends thee virtue, and he stole that word From thy behaviour; beauty doth he give, And found it in thy cheek: he can afford No praise to thee, but what in thee doth live.

(ie. everything ‘your poet’ (as the FY apparently favored this unnamed rival) says about you, he takes it from you in the first place. he talks about your virtue, but learned the word from watching your behavior. he calls you beautiful but only discovered beauty by looking at your face. every compliment he gives you he took from you in the first place)

[and, as a smaller example, he also bemoans the fact that people want to paint the FY in #67, saying, “Why should false painting imitate his cheek, / And steal dead seeming of his living hue?”. and yknow. Joe’s an artist.]

And then another example in #86

Was it the proud full sail of [the rival’s] great verse, Bound for the prize of all too precious you, That did my ripe thoughts in my brain inhearse, Making their tomb the womb wherein they grew?

Was it his spirit, by spirits taught to write Above a mortal pitch, that struck me dead?

(ie. he’s talking about how he’s having difficulty writing abt the FY and is rhetorically asking if ‘the proud sail’ of the rival’s verses was the reason his ‘ripe thoughts’ were killed in their ‘womb’. He then asks (again rhetorically) if it was the rival’s ‘spirit’ (or creativity, maybe) ‘’’‘by spirits taught to write’’’’ that killed his own drive to write. none of the analyses I’ve read really explain what shakespeare means by ‘spirits taught to write’, other than maybe being a joke or reference to something we dont know, but... ‘taught by dead people to write in a way mortal people can’t’ very much sounds like a description of an immortal poet, eh?)

Which brings me to,

  D. Willy Boy Thinks There Are 500 Year Old Writings About the Fair Youth

shakespeare talks about people having written about the FY ‘500 years ago’ from the late 1500s in #59 which......................... would have been around 1100 AD. :thinking face:

Oh that record could with a backward look, Even of five hundred courses of the sun, Show me your image in some antique book, Since mind at first in character was done, That I might see what the old world could say To this composed wonder of your frame;

(ie. Oh if I could look back 500 years and see how you were described in some old books so I could see/reference what people used to write about you)

Which again brings me to,

  E. I’m Not Saying shakespeare Stole From Joe, But:

1.) In #22, shakespeare says this,

For all that beauty that doth cover thee, Is but the seemly raiment of my heart, Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me: 

(ie, your beauty is due to the ‘clothes’ my heart gives you-- probably means something like ‘you’re beautiful because i love you’. goes on to say his heart lives in the FY’s chest, and the FY’s heart lives in shakespeare’s chest)

so: shakespeare tells the FY he has shakespeare’s heart. in comparison, Joe calls nicky ‘my heart’ in the comics...... :thinking face x2:

2.) In #109, shakespeare tells the FY ‘thou art my all’,

For nothing this wide universe I call, Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all.

which rings similar to Joe’s ‘he’s all and he’s more’ as well as (from the comics) ‘he is my everything’

and just saying. joe looks pretty #done the mention of shakespeare.

  F. The last One

Despite shakespeare writing 30+ poems about the FY eventually growing old, the very last poem he writes about/for the FY says,

O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power Dost hold Time's fickle glass, his sickle hour; Who hast by waning grown, and therein showest Thy lovers withering, as thy sweet self growest. 

(ie. you [the FY] have power over the ‘mirror’ (fickle glass) of time as well as time’s ‘harvesting’ ability (sickle hour) and as you grow older, you remain beautiful while your lovers [shakespeare] wither and grow old)

The transition from ‘get married and have a baby before you get old!!!!’ in #1-20 to talking about the FY’s presence in 500 y/o books in #59 to admitting the FY isn’t growing old in #126 kinda seems to imply shakespeare learning of/about nicky’s immortality at some point, and this last poem is him accepting it.

TLDR: not only does it make perfect sense if nicky was the Fair Youth from the FY sonnets, but it also makes perfect sense if joe was the Rival from the FY sonnets. its canon nothing will convince me otherwise

[canyouhearthevoices]

‘The Leaders’ Lyric Analysis

Released with ZERO: FEVER Part 2, 1st March 2021.

Once upon a time I saw something online saying that this song’s Korean name was ‘The Student Council’ or something of the like. But when researching for this post, I didn’t find any mention of it. It seems logical because the student council is consistently mentioned in the lyrics, but if it was that obvious, I feel like it would be pretty common knowledge on the internet. 

This song is the first that marks my changed methods of analysis/annotation based on my changing view of the storyline prompted by the Diary entries. In my past analyses, red represented HALATEEZ, blue TREASURETEEZ, and purple traits that were present in both groups and the general story, such as time travel. Now, red will represent Gothic elements, including motifs like fire, fever, illusion vs reality, and so on. Blue will represent celestial and nautical imagery, and the idea of a ‘new hope’. Purple will represent general aspects of the storyline, like time travel. Luckily for me, this new system correlates quite closely with the old one - as HALATEEZ are associated with Gothic imagery, fire and such, and Treasureteez are associated with nautical imagery, light, and colours. This new system allows me to express broader themes about the storyline without shoving songs into tiny boxes.

But let’s talk about ‘The Leaders’.

It’s a very interesting song. Both ATEEZ’s general storyline and the FEVER series discuss rebelling against authority and systems of authority, using music, passion and dance. But ‘The Leaders’ not only takes joy in acts of authority, it supports the systems that authority came from. It comes off as having a duality of ATEEZ showing how cool they are, and them critiquing the system of authority through parodying how that system acts.

Or at least, I hope that’s the case. Because otherwise them bullying kids for their lunch money would be far more cruel than cool.

But other than that, it’s another ‘look how cool we are’ song - as is relatively common with ATEEZ, and especially with this album. They are expressing that they are the leaders of the 4th gen, and of kpop, music, and this rebellion. There’s lots of foreshadowing, lots of Hongjoong being a little odd, and lots of dissing those who aren’t as cool as them in some very creative and actually kind of motivating ways.

Full lyric analysis below the line.

The Leaders

The first verse here is also translated as ‘The leader is here, wait wait, raise your hands. What’s bad is bad man, listen to the new boomers.’

I find it funny that they call the people they’re dissing ‘boomers’ here. It’s a very unusual insult for them to use - since they usually don’t use common insults, and instead use very creative ones, as we will see later on.

It’s also interesting that the whole song has a juxtaposition of us being told to ‘wait’ and then do to something - like dance, raise our hands, sing, etc. I wonder if it is bad translation, bad lyricism, or just ATEEZ trying to further show this duality of good vs bad power and leadership. 

This verse is also translated as ‘wait a second, the breath rises ‘till my chin. My heart aches, you need disinfectant for the pain’.

One translator noted here that this literal translation of the second line would be better translated as ‘breathless.’ I also like the use of ‘disinfectant’ in the alternate translation. It foreshadows THE WORLD, a place where emotions are literally ‘disinfected’ from people, leaving sterilized husks behind. I also like the use of the red pill in the original translation, as the red pill has become a symbol of pulling the wool away from someone’s eyes and making them aware of the true, often horrific, nature of the world.

The first three lines of this verse are also translated as ‘I scream ‘ack’ because it stings. Today as well.’

Alright, it’s going to get a bit complex here.

The last three lines of the first verse are also translated as ‘Stand straight, gather around. Everyone behind me, oohh, quiet, follow me.

The last line of the last verse here is also ‘courage, ambition, fake bravado’. This is interesting because the alternate translation suggests that at least part of ATEEZ’s identity is a mask of confidence over insecurities - kind of a ‘fake it till you make it’ ideology. This is great because it humanizes them and adds a flaw that can be, and has been, manipulated. Their insecurities about themselves, their past, and everything in between make them vulnerable to infighting, self-destructive behaviour, and more.

The alternate translation uses the same third line of this verse, but they included a note suggesting that it is slang. What for? Goodness knows. Is a lollipop like Hongjoong’s staff that he carries in ‘Guerrilla?’ Is it supposed to say that ATEEZ are rich and mature instead of people who carry a lollipop (often seen as children and immature?)

And speaking of Hongjoong - the armband suggests that this verse is talking about him. It could alternatively be a nod to how those in positions of authority often have an armband to denote said authority in general, but the closest we know to this is that Hongjoong has one. 

Also, the last line is alternatively translated as prepare yourselves now.’

This last verse from my king Jongho is also translated as;

‘What should I say, I’m sorry to tell you but you don’t look cool at all, you look like a moody teenager. Clothes that fit on my body.’

I don’t think this translation is as good since it doesn’t include the context that the listener/reader needs to best understand the message. But it’s still pretty clear - the ‘moody teenager’ tries to cover up their body and self in baggy clothes, while ATEEZ express their coolness and their true self through clothes that fit their specific bodies well. It’s a stereotype, but we know that they exist for a reason, and either way, it still contributes to their message. 

I looked up ‘chuunibyou,’ since, when a translator leaves a word in the original language, it usually has a very specific and often long meaning that makes it hard to directly translate. In this case, chuunibyou translates roughly to ‘second-year syndrome’ and is supposed to represent someone in their early or pre teens who has a very grandiose and often unrealistic sense of self and their own coolness. This stage in life is also generally associated with being a moody teenager, and thus with baggy clothes, so clearly ‘moody teenager’ is how the second translator tried to solve the problem.

This one is... interesting, and the reason I talk in the intro of the post about both good and bad authority being portrayed in the song. It may have been lost in translation here, but it sounds like Yunho is bullying some poor kid for his lunch money. And I highly doubt this is something that they would uncritically say in an industry like kpop in a countrylike Korea, where school bullying in idols is a huge scandal. 

ATEEZ are known for critical consumption and creation of media - anarchy, the government, and so on. So I feel pretty confident that this is either 1) a mistranslation, or 2) then critiquing the corrupt and bullying use of power. 

Anyway, the second and third lines are also translated as ‘hand over your debit cards, I’ll appoint everyone right now.’

The second line here is also translated as ‘my surname is extraordinary.’ And this is because my guy Hongjoong has the surname ‘Kim,’ which, for those of you who don’t know, was the name of the royal family in Korea. Hence why, when peasants were able to choose surnames, a lot of them chose ‘Kim’ - making it the most common surname in the country. He’s literally calling himself a rich king.

This verse is also translated as;

‘Your crime is being pretentious, your crime is your words. Before receiving a bonus point, they need to receive a minus point first. This is all for me, teacher.’

This is interesting because, in the original translation, it is suggested that the person is not getting any bonuses, just punishments. But this translation suggests that they get both. I won’t point to which one is more likely valid, since they both have good points - the first has the misuse of power theme, and the second duality. Both of which are key in ATEEZ’s storyline.

The first two lines of this last verse are also translated as; ‘The leaders are amazing, they’re about to explode. We rock this world, lead every day.’

Conclusions

The duality of good and bad leadership is very key to ATEEZ in general, but especially the post-Treasure versions. And, although I like it, the language gap can make it a tad confusing.