#the last caption is apt

[skitskatdacat63]

I feel weirdly compelled by this

[annecoulmanross]

So I clearly have normal feelings about the John Irving playlist.

This unholy blend of selected lyrics and other scraps is what my brain has been doing for the last several hours. Sources below the cut.

Lyrics pulled from songs off the Irving playlist are colored blue, and Bible verses from the King James Version (KJV) are colored red.

"For the way is straight and narrow," from "You Must Unload" which appears three ENTIRE times on the playlist.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate," from Matthew 7:13-15 (KJV).

Image of a copy of the Holy Bible found by the McClintock Search Expedition in an abandoned boat at Erebus Bay, King William Island, in May 1859, now in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

Screenshot ("Turn your wolf's ear to me now,") from "The Ladder," the third episode of The Terror (2018).

Screenshot ("or the next piece of counsel,") from "The Ladder," the third episode of The Terror (2018).

"I give you hard felt reliquary," from "Come and See" by Fox Apts.

Engraving from an 1890s broadsheet, captioned "The Cases Containing the Franklin Relics."

"Love is blindness," from "Love Is Blindness," by Jack White.

"Stop staring at the waves," from the musical Swept Away.

"This magnanimity in your sacred Majesty," from Oedipus Tyrannus Or, Swellfoot the Tyrant, a Tragedy in Two Acts (1820) by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Screenshot from "A Mercy," the sixth episode of The Terror (2018).

"Some say I got devil," from "Some Say I Got Devil," by Morrissey.

"Should the ice not clear away," from Lieut. John Irving, R.N. of H.M.S. "Terror" in Sir John Franklin's Last Expedition to the Arctic Regions: A Memorial Sketch with Letters (1881) edited by Benjamin Bell, digitized by Arctonauts here.

"Who shall separate us," from Romans 8:35 (KJV) engraved into the grave of John Irving in Edinburgh, Scotland.

"Now I've left my teeth marks," from "Phantom Of My Organ," by Slowblow.

"Then you die first," from the musical Swept Away.

"Who's seen Jezebel?" from "Jezebel" by Iron & Wine.

"Grave of Lieutenant John Irving, R.N., and Relics of H.M.S. Terror (1847), with a view of Victory Point, King William's Land," an engraving made from a drawing by Henry Klutschak, printed in The Search for Franklin (1897), pg. 51.

"And they went to bury her," from 2 Kings 9 (KJV): 35-37.

"This relic at once identified the grave," from The Search for Franklin (1897), pgs. 53-54.

"'Unto others...' scribed," from "Come and See" by Fox Apts.

"And the flood was forty days," from Genesis 9 (KJV): 17-18.

"A small Bible contained numerous marginal notes," from The Voyage of the 'Fox' in the Arctic Seas: A Narrative of the Discovery of the Fate of Sir John Franklin and his Companions (1859) by Leopold McClintock, pg. 295.

"God, he called for rain," from "The Ark" by Dr. Dog.

Screenshot ("It is no accident") from "The Ladder," the third episode of The Terror (2018).

"Feathered friend, dig up and resurrect me," from "Old Note," by Lisa O'Neill.

[fayewongfuzao]

“Long Time No See”: Tony Leung, Faye Wong’s IG Reunion Has Fans Reminiscing About Chungking Express

We're all California Dreamin' now.

by Jonathan Fam

We so were not expecting this. Carina Lau set IG ablaze this afternoon (Oct 25) when she posted a photo of her husband Tony Leung with — wait for this — Faye Wong.

Her caption? A succinct and apt “Long time no see”.

If there’s anyone more low-key than Tony, it’s the enigmatic Faye.

The last time the 54-year-old pop diva was photographed in public was in April, when she was seen, um, roughing it out with other travellers on a crowded airport shuttle in China. Hardly glamorous stuff.

Faye is one of Carina’s closest pals and longtime mahjong kaki. Stories of their mahjong sessions are part of pop culture folklore, with Carina, 57, once saying in an interview that she can easily tell when Faye has a good or bad hand.

Tony, 61, and Faye have starred in three movies together: Chungking Express (1994), Chinese Odyssey 2002, and 2046 (2004).

Their pairing in Chungking Express — he as a lovesick beat cop, and she, a quirky snack bar worker — one of the most iconic in Asian cinema.

Fans, of course, took to comments section to rave about the meetup and share screengrabs of the stars in Chungking Express.

“I wanna cry. Eating chef’s salad and fish and chips to celebrate,” read one comment, an obvious reference to the items Tony’s character Cop 663 orders from Faye’s snack bar.

There were also references to 'California Dreamin'', the Mama and the Papas song that Faye's character listened to repeatedly in the movie.

Most netizens were excited to see Faye on Instagram, with a number of comments praising her for looking as gorgeous as ever.

We don’t know about you, but we’re definitely rewatching Chungking Express after this.

(SOURCE)

----------------------- Legendary actor Tony Leung and singer Faye Wong reunite, capturing the hearts of fans with iconic photo

By Dimsumdaily Hong Kong

25th October 2023 – (Hong Kong)

In a long-awaited reunion, renowned actor Tony Leung and legendary singer Faye Wong recently came together, sparking excitement among their fans.

The elusive Faye Wong, met with Leung, her frequent collaborator, in a gathering that delighted onlookers. In a heartwarming photo, Wong can be seen holding onto Leung’s arm as they lean against each other, both wearing radiant smiles. Despite the passing years, their timeless beauty remains unchanged.

The release of this iconic photo instantly stirred up a frenzy among netizens, evoking nostalgic memories of their previous collaborations in films such as “Chungking Express” and “Chinese Odyssey.”

Wong appeared in a vibrant red top, paired with a denim jacket, exuding a sweet and enchanting aura. Her light makeup accentuated her rosy complexion, while her fresh and breezy short hair added to her overall elegance, earning her widespread praise as a true ageless goddess.

(SOURCE)

----------------------- 'I never thought the day would come': Netizens reminisce over Tony Leung and Faye Wong's reunion

By Syarifah Nadhirah Nearly two decades after their last movie together, Hong Kong veteran actor Tony Leung and Chinese diva Faye Wong have reunited.

Tony's wife, actress Carina Lau, uploaded a photo of the duo today (Oct 25) in a joint Instagram post with Tony.

The iconic reunion comes 19 years after 2046, the 2004 film Tony and Faye starred in together.

"Long time no see," wrote Carina with a heart emoji.

The pair could be seen standing close together, with Faye, 54, leaning her head towards Tony, 61.

Tony, as usual, had a slightly awkward smile.

Besides 2046, Tony and Faye also co-starred in the 1994 hit film Chungking Express and 2002 movie Chinese Odyssey 2002.

Netizens in the comment section reminisced about the past, with many bringing up Chungking Express where the pair played onscreen lovers.

"Chungking Express couple pairing… I looped the movie so many times because of you two" said one netizen.

"I never thought the day would come when I could see the two of you together!" commented another.

Another pleaded: "Please post more videos and photos. It's been a long time since I saw Faye."

Others remarked how Faye looked like she hasn't aged and that the two are "still elegant and charming."

(SOURCE)

[tabsters]

okay I watched episodes 15-17 of s4 last night and all I have to say is WHAT THE FUCK ZEKE (this is not, in fact, all I have to say, but I’d like to hear your thoughts first)

OH I HAVE THOUGHTS I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS

S4E15

"zeke. we need you to save everyone." THATS A CHILD THATS A FUCKING CHILD

grisha you are a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE FUCKING FATHER

THIS IS A CHILD THIS IS A CHILD I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD THIS WORLD IS SO FUCKING CRUEL

"his best isn't enough!" WHAT THE FUCK THATS YOUR SON GRISHA

"compared to the titans, hatred and war seem awfully trivial." 

OH MY FUCKING GOD THATS YOUR CHILD 

YEAH THE WORLD IS SUCH A SICK AND TWISTED PLACE BUT IT WONT BECOME ANY LESS SICK AND TWISTED IF YOU FUCKING SCREAM AT YOUR CHILD

"even when i'm a titan, i'll cherish those memories" IM GONNA FUCKING CRY

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST 

"you're a smart kid. a good kid." IM IN PAIN

wow this is 

oh god

OH GOD OH FUCK OH FUCKING HELL

"i looked for my dead son in you, zeke." MY GOD NOBODY REALLY EVER SAW ZEKE FOR WHO HE IS

EUTHANIZATION IS A VERY APT TERM FOR THIS

HE CALLED KSAVER FATHER

"now you do look a bit like our father" AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"this world was never our birthright. it's a hell we needed saving from."

HE GAVE HIM THE BASEBALL HE GAVE EREN THE FUCKING BASEBALL

"the only way to save us eldians is to put us out of our misery."

HE KAMIKAZED HIMSELF ZEKE BLEW HIMSELF UP FUCK FUCK FUCK

—

S4E16

oh god niccolo really did love sasha

what on god's earth is yelena's goal in all of this she has too many masks and layers

PIECKS HERE PIECKS HERE FUCK SHIT FUUUUUUUUUUCK

OH MY GOD HES LITERALLY PUTTING HIS HEAD TO THE BARREL FUCK SHIT JESUS CHRIST

"you made the world your enemy. you wouldn't have done that unless you knew you had a chance at winning, right?"

GABI PUT THE GUN DOWN PUT THE GUN DOWN PUT THE GUN DOWN

"they will put us down like animals before they ever set us free." 

"you'll fade away. peacefully." good fucking lord

HISTORIAS KID IS BORN?????

OH MY FUCKING GOD THE JAEGER BROTHERS WILL BE KNOWN AS GODS

FALCO FUCK FALCO WHATS HAPPENED TO FALCO

FUCKING HELL OH GOD

GALLIARD ATE EREN'S LEG I THINK???

OH MY FUCKING GOD

—

S4E17

IS THAT LEVI?????

FUCKING HELL THATS LEVI THAT IS LEVI ZEKE KAMIKAZED HIMSELF

ZEKES STILL ALIVE??????

the closed captions on the site i'm watching this on are screwed up i think

everything is going to shit

i am in pain i am in so much pain armin is in denial he is in so much denial armin please its time to let go thats not the eren you knew please my sunshine boy please please please

[musicarenagh]

Logica Abstracta's "Amber": Shimmering Ambient Drift So, Vadim Militsin’s Logica Abstracta project delivers “Amber”. Four tracks of pure ambient drift. No rhythmic anchors, just textures that shimmer and dissolve like heat haze off distant tarmac, or maybe the condensation trail of a plane miles overhead. They call it ‘sonic jewelry’, which feels strangely apt. These aren’t grand, sprawling statements; they’re intricate little things, polished smooth, catching the light in unexpected ways. Compact, yes, but hold one up to your ear and you might just hear the quiet hum of the cosmos. Or perhaps it’s just the refrigerator. The line blurs, delightfully. https://open.spotify.com/album/037AFOsQ0iYkxlzgWPcW2K The sounds themselves? Granular bits float alongside these long, airy tones that feel… clean. Almost clinical, but in a strangely calming way, like the air after a really intense spring clean you didn't even know you needed. There’s a definite nostalgic undercurrent running through it, but it’s not saccharine; it’s more akin to suddenly recalling the precise scent of beeswax candles from a childhood church you barely remember attending. One track momentarily gave me the mental image of sunlight filtering through the dusty stained glass of a forgotten train station where time simply… stopped. It's that sort of oddly specific peace. It’s pitched for relaxation, meditation, yoga mats unfurled. Fair enough. But there’s a subtle undercurrent that tickles the mind differently. The complete lack of percussion creates this peculiar suspension. You’re floating, certainly, but without the gentle nudge of knowing which way is downstream. It fosters less ‘inner peace’ and more ‘inner quiet vastness’, a subtle but crucial distinction. There’s a definite magnetism here, pulling you into these miniature, self-contained sound-worlds. [caption id="attachment_59377" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Logica Abstracta's "Amber": Shimmering Ambient Drift[/caption] You drift through the four pieces, each distinct yet part of the same carefully curated collection, like strange, luminous minerals laid out on dark felt. Each refracts the sonic light slightly differently – one cooler, aqueous; another carrying a deeper, almost geological resonance. They don’t shout for attention, but they certainly reward it if you lean in close, quiet your own internal chatter for a moment. What are you left holding when the last shimmer fades? Not answers, certainly. More like the lingering feeling of having cupped something small, bright, and beautifully unknowable in your hands for a short while. Follow Logica Abstracta on Website, Facebook, Twitter(X), YouTube, Instagram

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] MS Dhoni for CSK in the IPL 2025 (PC: CSK/X) This is that time of the year when flowers bloom at Semmozhi Poonga (a botanical garden) in Chennai. Colours tempt your eyes, marigolds touch your senses, while roses live at your knee, oozing resplendence. This is also that time of the year when MS Dhoni dusts off his cricket kit and hits the Chepauk nets. It’s an everlasting love affair – Chennai Super Kings and their former captain. It has never been like an employer-employee relationship. To judge it from the fans’ perspective, you are allowed to paraphrase The Police song that topped the Billboard charts in 1983 – every game he plays, every night he stays, they will be watching him. Dhoni was born two years before Sting became a household name through that number. He will turn 44 on July 7. He is an occasional cricketer now, who can still clobber Matheesha Pathirana, a death-over specialist, at the CSK nets while braving a dodgy knee. After the customary year-long hiatus, Dhoni will play competitive cricket again, against Mumbai Indians at Chepauk on Sunday. For how long will he continue to play? This correspondent had asked this to CSK supremo and former BCCI president N Srinivasan a few years ago. “As long as he wants to,” replied the veteran administrator. Confirmation came from Dhoni himself ahead of tonight’s game. “I can play for as long as I want for CSK,” he told JioHotstar. “This is my franchise. Even if I’m in a wheelchair, they will drag me.” For the Latest Sports News: Click Here MS Dhoni in the IPL 2024 for CSK (PC: X) The BCCI bringing back a rule that allowed Indian players who haven’t played international cricket for five years or more to be retained as “uncapped” helped continue the love story. CSK retained Dhoni for Rs 4 crore. In 2008, Chennai didn’t have an icon player. Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Delhi revelled in their own icons – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag respectively. CSK bought Dhoni for $1.5 million. From proposing a ‘Big Three’ model in world cricket to picking up Dhoni at the inaugural IPL auction, Srinivasan has had a habit of staying ahead of the curve. A Ranchi boy becoming Chennai’s ‘Thala’ defied common logic. Even Srinivasan had to search for an answer before coming up with: “Maybe, the way he showed his eagerness to know and understand the local culture right from the first season. He would go out on a motorcycle and engage with the fans.” Success played a huge part. Rohit Sharma, too, led Mumbai Indians to five IPL triumphs. But Dhoni remains the tournament’s OG – the captain’s captain. On Saturday, CSK put out a video on their X (erstwhile Twitter) handle – Hardik Pandya, the MI skipper, approaching Dhoni and giving him a deferential embrace, as the two teams trained at Chepauk. The caption was pretty apt: “The Hug In H-D!” The Hug In H-D! #CSKvMI #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/9HKXiPSJAx �� Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 22, 2025 Only a while ago, Ruturaj Gaikwad, the ‘chosen one’, was giving an insight into his predecessor’s batting/netting approach these days. “It is pretty much very simple,” the current CSK captain told reporters at the pre-match press conference. “(He is) focused on trying to hit as many sixes as possible, trying to get the right swing and trying to be in the best shape.” Last year, Dhoni batted low down the order, at times at No. 8 or even 9. Some pundits questioned it. Later, during a promotional event, Dhoni spoke about the rationale behind his decision, that he wanted to give opportunities to those who were in the reckoning for last year’s T20 World Cup. At this stage of his career, Dhoni is not going to play a long game. Maybe, he will look forward to batting for a couple of overs and throwing the kitchen sink. But there’s a bigger picture. The famous spin-choke with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmed is expected to be CSK’s go-to template, especially at home. Gaikwad will be the captain. Dhoni will continue to be his on-field mentor and the sounding board.

Also Read: Spin gives CSK the edge against MI missing Pandya, Bumrah The post MS Dhoni calls CSK ‘my franchise’, good to go again at 43 appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] MS Dhoni for CSK in the IPL 2025 (PC: CSK/X) This is that time of the year when flowers bloom at Semmozhi Poonga (a botanical garden) in Chennai. Colours tempt your eyes, marigolds touch your senses, while roses live at your knee, oozing resplendence. This is also that time of the year when MS Dhoni dusts off his cricket kit and hits the Chepauk nets. It’s an everlasting love affair – Chennai Super Kings and their former captain. It has never been like an employer-employee relationship. To judge it from the fans’ perspective, you are allowed to paraphrase The Police song that topped the Billboard charts in 1983 – every game he plays, every night he stays, they will be watching him. Dhoni was born two years before Sting became a household name through that number. He will turn 44 on July 7. He is an occasional cricketer now, who can still clobber Matheesha Pathirana, a death-over specialist, at the CSK nets while braving a dodgy knee. After the customary year-long hiatus, Dhoni will play competitive cricket again, against Mumbai Indians at Chepauk on Sunday. For how long will he continue to play? This correspondent had asked this to CSK supremo and former BCCI president N Srinivasan a few years ago. “As long as he wants to,” replied the veteran administrator. Confirmation came from Dhoni himself ahead of tonight’s game. “I can play for as long as I want for CSK,” he told JioHotstar. “This is my franchise. Even if I’m in a wheelchair, they will drag me.” For the Latest Sports News: Click Here MS Dhoni in the IPL 2024 for CSK (PC: X) The BCCI bringing back a rule that allowed Indian players who haven’t played international cricket for five years or more to be retained as “uncapped” helped continue the love story. CSK retained Dhoni for Rs 4 crore. In 2008, Chennai didn’t have an icon player. Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Delhi revelled in their own icons – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag respectively. CSK bought Dhoni for $1.5 million. From proposing a ‘Big Three’ model in world cricket to picking up Dhoni at the inaugural IPL auction, Srinivasan has had a habit of staying ahead of the curve. A Ranchi boy becoming Chennai’s ‘Thala’ defied common logic. Even Srinivasan had to search for an answer before coming up with: “Maybe, the way he showed his eagerness to know and understand the local culture right from the first season. He would go out on a motorcycle and engage with the fans.” Success played a huge part. Rohit Sharma, too, led Mumbai Indians to five IPL triumphs. But Dhoni remains the tournament’s OG – the captain’s captain. On Saturday, CSK put out a video on their X (erstwhile Twitter) handle – Hardik Pandya, the MI skipper, approaching Dhoni and giving him a deferential embrace, as the two teams trained at Chepauk. The caption was pretty apt: “The Hug In H-D!” The Hug In H-D! #CSKvMI #WhistlePodu pic.twitter.com/9HKXiPSJAx — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 22, 2025 Only a while ago, Ruturaj Gaikwad, the ‘chosen one’, was giving an insight into his predecessor’s batting/netting approach these days. “It is pretty much very simple,” the current CSK captain told reporters at the pre-match press conference. “(He is) focused on trying to hit as many sixes as possible, trying to get the right swing and trying to be in the best shape.” Last year, Dhoni batted low down the order, at times at No. 8 or even 9. Some pundits questioned it. Later, during a promotional event, Dhoni spoke about the rationale behind his decision, that he wanted to give opportunities to those who were in the reckoning for last year’s T20 World Cup. At this stage of his career, Dhoni is not going to play a long game. Maybe, he will look forward to batting for a couple of overs and throwing the kitchen sink. But there’s a bigger picture. The famous spin-choke with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmed is expected to be CSK’s go-to template, especially at home. Gaikwad will be the captain. Dhoni will continue to be his on-field mentor and the sounding board.

Also Read: Spin gives CSK the edge against MI missing Pandya, Bumrah The post MS Dhoni calls CSK ‘my franchise’, good to go again at 43 appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[buzz4ai]

Top Brother and Sister Captions for Instagram: Best Quotes for Every Sibling Moment

Brother-sister love will always remain as a bond infused with laughter and at times rivalry as well. Whether you find a funny moment, an emotional one, or an inspiring one, the best captions can make any Instagram post more outstanding. Now, this will help you explain your brotherly love if you've compiled a few of the best brother and sister captions for Instagram that will help convey your desires - something funny, sweet, and deep in between.

Funny Brother and Sister Captions for Instagram:

With brothers and sisters, laughter is also a vital part of sibling bonds. The funny brother and sister captions for Instagram will show these playful and funny moments that may make your relationship so different.

"Siblings: partners in crime, always causing chaos together."

"My sibling knows how to make me laugh, mostly at his expense."

"We may fight like cats and dogs, but at the end of the day, I got your back."

"Life is too short to take seriously—unless you're fighting over the last piece of pizza."

These captions are apt for the light-hearted expression of sibling relationships.

Sweet Brother and Sister Captions for Instagram:

If you have that sentimental feeling, here are some sweet brother and sister captions for Instagram when you want to express how much your sibling means to you during such moments.

"You're not just my sibling, you're my best friend forever."

"No matter how old we get, you'll always be my favourite person."

"Brothers and sisters are the best friends you didn't get to choose, but you're glad you got."

"A sibling is the one person who would still be standing by your side when others are walking away."

These captions express the profound bond of brothers and sisters, making them great for those warm nostalgic moments.

Inspirational Brother and Sister Captions for Instagram:

Sometimes, brothers and sisters motivate and inspire each other in ways that no one else can. Here are brother and sister captions for Instagram to show off the strength, support, and inspiration you find in each other.

"A sibling is someone who believes in you, even when you don't believe in yourself."

"We rise by lifting each other up—thank you for always being my strength."

"Through every challenge, my sibling has always been by my side."

"A true sibling bond is unbreakable."

These captions are perfect for expressing the inspiring ways your sibling has helped you grow and face life's challenges.

Cute Brother and Sister Captions for Instagram:

Brothers and sisters have some of the most adorable moments together, and these brother and sister captions for Instagram are perfect for those cute and heartwarming photos that depict your bond.

"You may drive me crazy, but I wouldn't trade you for the world."

"No one can make me laugh quite like you can."

"We are the perfect combination of chaos and love."

"Brothers and sisters: the best kind of troublemakers."

These adorable captions exemplify the amusing, quirky, and sweet moments that siblings experience.

Conclusion

No matter what kind of relationship you have with your sibling, there is always a perfect brother and sister caption for Instagram to match your vibe. From funny to sweet to inspiring, these captions will help you share your unique bond and make your special moments unforgettable on Instagram. So go ahead, post that sibling photo, and use one of these captions to make it unforgettable!

[latent-thoughts]

(This is apt for so many captions. 😂)

When Thor has come up with yet another dumb plan but you have to go along with it because you want to be free.

When you have to save Asgard because Odin has lost his marbles.

When you realize that you have to rule Asgard in disguise as your craggy old (not)father.

When Thor tells you "no killing" but he has been all about killing and war for the majority of the last millenium.

When your brother tries to use your own tricks on you.

[jessisart]

momoko 🤍🍑🤍

[fatehbaz]

Headline: Kent Driscoll. “High Arctic Protest: Inuit blockading Mary River Iron Ore Mine since Feb. 4.” APT News. 8 February 2021.

Community members across Nunavut came out in peaceful protests Monday [8 February 2021], to show solidarity with a group [...] who continue to blockade the Mary River iron ore mine on North Baffin Island. Protesters at the blockade from Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Arctic Bay say Inuit harvesting rights are being ignored in the company's bid to expand the mine. Demonstrations started in Pond Inlet last week. New protests were held Monday in Iqaluit, Igloolik, Naujaat and Taloyoak. Elder Annie Nattaq called for the protest in Nunavut's capital. Around 30 people gathered at the Iqaluit seniors centre. [...]

Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation wants to double its annual mining output to 12 million tonnes. To do this, it would build a railway and increase shipping through its port at Milne Inlet. The waters surrounding the port are a crucial habitat for narwhal in the Canadian Arctic. [...]

The remote mine takes days to travel to by snowmobile from Pond Inlet and surrounding communities, so the group at the blockade remains small, around 10 men as of Saturday, though more were joining with supplies. [...] "We are thinking about our younger generations. We want a clean environment and healthy food. This is everyone's responsibility," he said in Inuktitut. "We don't want our wildlife and land contaminated." [...]

-------

Headline, photos, captions, and text published by: Beth Brown. “Mine blockade sparks solidarity protests across Nunavut.” CBC News. 8 February 2021.

-------

Since 5 February, seven hunters have created a makeshift barrier of snowmobiles and sleds to block the airstrip and service road of the Mary River ore mine, halting operations. Temperatures in recent days have dipped to the low -30sC. At issue are controversial plans drawn up by the mine’s operator Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation to double output. To bring 12m tonnes of iron ore to market, the mine has said it needs to build a railway to a port near the community of Pond Inlet. [...] “Baffinland is making money and we are given very little money and we know that money will not bring back wildlife,” Tom Naqitarvik said in an Inuktitut language video posted to Facebook, reported CBC News.

-------

Map and text published by: Leyland Cecco. “Inuit hunters blockade iron mine in freezing temperatures ...” The Guardian. 9 February 2021.

-------

Inuit protestors blocked the airstrip and access road of the Mary River iron ore mine in North Baffin Island on Feb. 4, forcing a stop to mining [...]. Inuit in the two closest communities – Pond Inlet and Arctic Bay – have said they are joining the protestors with supplies.

Baffinland, the owners of the mine, have been seeking to double production from six to 12 million tonnes annually and put in a railway to aid shipping. They have been applying to the Nunavut Impact Review Board [NIRB] to make this move since 2014, when the mine opened for business. 

Many Inuit in the area say that since more mine ships started arriving, whales and seals have been harder to find. Near the mine site, bright red iron dust makes clean snow look like a Prince Edward Island dirt road. Many fear that the proposed railway will scare off caribou, which are already very hard to find on Baffin Island even with strict quotas in place.

While the protestors held the mine in lockdown, their community members made their case to the three person NIRB panel. Caleb Sangoya [...] has been writing down his observations about wildlife around the Mary River since 2009, when the idea of a mine was proposed. “Baffinland says no drop has taken place,” said Sangoya in Inuktitut. “From our observation, no way. When there’s ship traffic, mammals start to move away.”

-------

Photo and text published by: Kent Driscoll. “High Arctic Protest: Inuit blockading Mary River Iron Ore Mine since Feb. 4.” APT News. 8 February 2021.

[neocatharsis]

NCT’s Taeyong on Roses, “Love Theory,” and His Solo Artistry

Roses adorn the tapestry of Lee Taeyong’s work. As a member of SM Entertainment’s multi-unit boy group NCT, whose social media makes a point of representing individual members with specific emojis, his photos are often succinctly captioned with a single red rose. Over the six years of his career, the 26-year-old leader of NCT 127 has come to embrace this symbol with increasing enthusiasm, and roses are now an integral part of his artistic identity.

They're the subject of “Rose,” a song released last year on his SoundCloud that he wrote in collaboration with Red Velvet’s Seulgi. A few months later, NCT 127’s vampire-themed comeback, “Favorite,” featured roses as a central motif. More recently, the visuals for his latest single with singer-rapper Wonstein, “Love Theory,” are similarly littered with red roses throughout.

When asked in 2019 to describe his performance style in one word, he chose the word “rose” accordingly, explaining that, on stage, he wants to be “as beautiful as and leave as strong of an impression as a rose.” It’s a bold statement of what the symbol means to him as an artist, but it didn’t always have this kind of significance.

“To be honest, I wasn’t so fond of roses in the beginning,” Taeyong tells Teen Vogue over Zoom. “First of all, I had a scar, it’s like that,” he says in English, as he turns his face to reveal a small scar next to his right eye. It’s the result of over-scratching as a child with atopy, a genetic immune response that makes him more likely to have allergic reactions. 

After he debuted, fans noticed that this small bloom on his face looked like a rose and compared it to his artistic style, calling him “대장장미 [dae-jang-jang-mi]”, or “boss of the roses.” “I really like that nickname, because it means that on the stage, I’m like a big rose,” he says. “Coming to understand that even my scar is something that our fans like, and packaged in a beautiful way by saying [it] is like a rose, was very meaningful for me.”

The metaphor is so apt that it is almost poetic. After all, roses continue to be celebrated in popular culture not just for their outward beauty, but for their complex duality. They have gorgeous, delicate petals, which express fragility and a desire to connect with the world, but also sharp, hardy thorns, which express strength and a desire to keep the world away. Their contradictory nature feels like a reflection of our own multitudes as human beings, and so we find roses enduringly beautiful precisely because they have both of these elements.

For Taeyong, the duality of this flower maps perfectly onto the stark contrast between his artistic persona and his day-to-day personality. On stage, his moves and gaze are sharp and refined to an extreme. In daily life, however, he is gentle and affable, and to a similar extreme. As NCT 127’s leader, he is professional, resilient, and grounded. Meanwhile, as a solo artist, he reveals a quietly sensitive and romantic side. The more you learn about him, the more these petals unfurl.

“When I’m on stage, in performance mode, I think I am good at expressing that kind of duality,” he muses. “But when I’m off stage, I think I’m actually kind of more like the petals of the rose. I’m mallang-mallang [soft, tender] and a bit more of a soft kind of person so… I think I have a vibe off stage which people would never think of when they see me on stage.”

Certainly, if you were to observe him solely through his performances, you might believe that only someone with a similarly sharp personality could possibly play this character so convincingly. But in fact, Taeyong has a surprisingly childlike side to him.

He’s known for being a homebody, and NCT’s YouTube content features him tending to plants on a rooftop farm and feeding his pet fish and shrimp while naming them after various fruits and Pokémon. His favorite color is pink, and he can regularly be seen sporting pink hair and fashion choices. He has a persistent sweet tooth, and can likewise regularly be seen with snacks of various kinds in hand.

There’s also a general sense of romanticism emanating from his entire demeanor. “I think you’re right in that… I think I am always imagining things,” he says, when I suggest this about him. “I have a lot of romantic dreams about life, and I’m always imagining how things could unfold in an interesting way whenever something happens. It’s like… I do have the feeling that I’m always dreaming. But a lot of that, the place where it happened was on stage, I think.”

Taeyong’s romantic view of life is neatly summarized in his love for Studio Ghibli movies. The Japanese animation studio is beloved for its ability to mix magical fantasy with deeply human stories, which celebrate the innocence of childhood and beauty of everyday life, while also embracing darker themes of pain and suffering.

In an interview with Nylon Korea, he compared himself to a Ghibli protagonist, explaining: “The main characters always seem to be a little different to other people, spending their time lonely and alone, but if you get to know them, they’re actually all good people. I’m talking about characters like Howl in Howl’s Moving Castle — I think I’m that kind of character.”

He’s similarly introspective in the way he approaches songwriting, which he compares with writing in a journal. He asks himself questions — many questions — about what he’s thinking, how he’s feeling, and why he’s thinking and feeling those things. His 2021 song, “Swimming Pool,” literally opens with a question: “What am I?” Likewise, “Love Theory” was born from conversations with Wonstein about what love is, and whether they’ve experienced it.

He’s also increasingly unafraid to grapple with his own darknesses. Songs like “Dark Clouds” and “Blue,” released on his SoundCloud last year, explored feelings of loneliness and being lost with more honesty and vulnerability than ever before. “They are songs that I made because I wanted to overcome those things,” he explains. “There were also a lot of songs that I made while thinking of words that I wished someone could say to me. I think I’ve made a lot of songs hoping that, through my lyrics and music, I could give comfort to the people out there who have been thinking the same thoughts that I have.”

It’s not surprising that someone with Taeyong’s kind of romanticism and introspection suffers from feeling lonely and lost in life. However, it’s also because this inner world is so rich that people like him revel and excel in exploring alternative forms of self-expression. For him, this has meant actively trying to grow as a multi-disciplined artist: creating personal spaces for experimentation, proactively taking on new challenges, and absorbing wisdom from the people around him. Slowly, these projects have given us a glimpse of the dreams and inner world that he is trying to bring to life.

He created his SoundCloud last year and followed it up with a YouTube channel this year, on which he uploaded a performance video for his self-written track with singer-songwriter Suran, “Lonely.” He also took the initiative to choreograph “Zoo,” a collaboration track between NCT and aespa, into a full dance performance, and its dance challenge has subsequently gone viral. Recently, Taeyong featured on Suran’s “Diamonds” with a Ghibli-inspired verse, and for “Love Theory,” he immersed himself fully in the creative process by helping to write the song, come up with ideas for the music video, and choreograph the dance.

All of the challenges that he’s taken on have helped him find joy and growth. “The more that I can do, the happier I feel,” he says enthusiastically. “So, because I felt a lot of happiness from doing these projects, I’m very much looking forward to being able to use what I’ve learnt to do even more things... And then in the process of doing those things, I hope that I’ll feel that happiness again.”

It’s this kind of self-initiated drive that helped Taeyong evolve from a trainee with zero dancing or singing experience at 18 years old, who by his own admission could not dance a single move properly, into one of the central figures of NCT’s debut lineup at 21. The group’s pioneering subunit, NCT U, arrived on the world stage six years ago with “The 7th Sense,” a slow, eerie, hip-hop-influenced track which remains to date one of NCT’s, SM’s, and the entire K-pop industry’s best. In it, Taeyong, Mark, Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Ten sing about waking up from one dream, as a new and different one approaches.

Since then, NCT’s trajectory has been fascinating. Having struggled to gain momentum in their early years due to their uber-futuristic sound and the complexity of their multi-unit concept, 2020 finally saw the group make a monumental rise to become the second-most mentioned K-pop group on Twitter. NCT 127’s martial-arts-themed “Kick It” went viral, and their three subunits, NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV, were also united for the first time with NCT 2020’s album, Resonance. The group now regularly sees album sales break millions.

“To be honest, just like how people found NCT’s concept difficult to understand at first, we also experienced difficulties, but… I think it was also the reason that we were able to really come together as one,” he says, reflecting on their journey. “I feel like, along the way, what we want to do and the goals that we want to achieve together also became a little clearer to us. For a long time, even before debuting, I always dreamed of being part of a team that could last, and I feel like we are doing really well right now, so I’m very satisfied… I think we’ve all arrived at a point where we feel stable.”

Looking back on “The 7th Sense,” it’s hard to reconcile 20-year-old Taeyong — a boy with a gaze as coolly intense as the ice-blue light which illuminates him — with the bright-eyed, innocent 26-year-old of “Love Theory,” draped in pink with a rose in hand, who wants to understand what love is. Most artists demonstrate the opposite trajectory, shifting from innocence towards strength, but Taeyong’s form of maturation is no less meaningful. In accepting himself for who he is and letting the world see it all, vulnerabilities included, he is also showing us that he was never just a thorn; he is, and always was, a rose.

That process of blooming is a work in progress. Five years ago, when he was just entering his twenties, he told Nylon Korea: “It’s a dream of mine to collect many different experiences and build up my knowledge of various things, so that I can become an adult who is like an adult.” Now that he’s approaching 27, those feelings are a little more complicated.

“I’ve always lived thinking that I want to become a good adult, but… I feel like I still don’t think of myself as one,” says Taeyong, hesitantly. “My personal greed doesn’t seem to want me to become a good adult, so... How do I say… I know that if you want to become a good adult, you have to give up a lot of things, and I think it’ll take a little more time before I am able to do that.”

He means that there are still things out there that he wants to pursue, or perhaps things inside him he doesn’t want to let go of. He calls it greed; they sound like dreams.

© Teen Vogue

[anniestvramblings]

Soooo, I think I’m gonna just go through Episode 4′s Mira scenes. Most of them, anyways. Part 1 is gonna go over her conversations with Zelda, then her conversation with Regina.

Basically going over how deep Mira’s frustration runs, her “release” through Irma Vep & how all this is reflected through the use of callbacks and via the soundtrack, as well as how Regina supports and functions as a rock to these insecurities.

Part 1 | Part 2

This scene is pretty candid! It’s a clear representation of Mira’s dissatisfaction with hollywood life and her desire to feel something deeper, which she believes is coming toward her in the form of Irma Vep - she just isn’t sure when or if it will make her satisfied. But at this point, it’s the best chance she has.

Specifically, she’s discussing whether she’s going to be caving in and playing the Silver Surfer.

The fact that she’s already in the suit as the scene begins signals that she’s made up her mind. But why put on her suit at all?

To feel secure during a conversation that has happened time and time again, but one where she continually feels ignored and condescended to by her agent?

Because just thinking about this conversation is triggering the feelings of dissatisfaction and desires to break free that she knows embodying the role of Irma Vep will help her to suppress?

Maybe Mira doesn’t even really know.

We see her still admitting her lack of awareness over what she wants and how Irma Vep will give it to her. As discussed in earlier analyses - she’s just feeling things out right now. Doing whatever resonates as right instinctively.

She even has this little moment of self-reflection in the mirror as she puts on the mask.

(Smol head tilt.)

I’d also like to draw attention to the music here? Which I don’t normally do-

Mainly because...music is very sparse in this show. It’s only used for in-universe scenes of the film, and for particularly emotionally intense moments - usually centering around Mira as Irma Vep. This is one such moment.

The captions describe the low clicking tune as she suits up as “dissonant electronica”, which feels pretty apt. I’d argue that the use of electronica is perhaps representing the phone conversation she’s just had - since soon after, very high bells are heard chiming methodically over the beat. It sounds like, EXACTLY like that sound effect they use for a text message popping up in movies. Just those perfect little “dings”.

And if together they represent her text conversation with Zelda, perhaps representing the larger obligations she has to the outside world and her responsibilities to other people, then it’s only fitting that electronic beat and those high bells begin to fade to the background as we see Mira suiting up. The bells disappear altogether. Instead being replaced with these fast-paced acoustic guitars; the signature Irma Vep “sound” for this show, most obviously heard in the intro.

It plays as she sneaks down the stairs.

A shot that’s very similar to her first time suiting up as Irma Vep - where she was sneaking up the stairs.

The music here consisted of these long drawn-out notes played by soft strings. Something that felt a lot emptier, a lot more mysterious.

I think the score for the initial suiting up signals an “emptiness” and lack of familiarity with the character of Irma Vep, thus it shifting into something more unique and “full” represents a change in Mira’s relationship with Irma Vep. She’s now becoming more comfortable with the role, and a bit more aware of what it means to her.

Enough that she’s no longer simply sneaking through a purse for a visa, but literally breaking into someone’s room.

...At least, that’s what we’re led to believe. We don’t even know what she does in there when she does.

But the fantasy can only last so long. Eventually we cut back to Mira, the next day, discussing real life again with her agent, Zelda. Specifically the details of her trip to China in order to finalize her role in advertising the Dreamscape perfume line.

“Three days, four max.”

“Yeah, and then I’m....done.” (Short laugh.)

She looks very distraught throughout it. She’s dismissive, says she doesn’t wanna be pampered, etc. - just not at all feeling satisfied. I mean, even the way she’s sitting is weird - kneeling on her floor hunched over her table drinking coffee.

(I can’t get over how much she looks like a sad puppy dog through all of these adjhskdhskd :(.)

“Gautier will throw you a party in Paris. He’ll show you off to his investors. All you have to do is flash your smile, make them happy, and then, you’re out of there.”

“Thank god.”

This line in particular jumped out to me. And the way Mira looks so unsure after Zelda says it. Perhaps being reminded of how she paraded herself to Laurie.

“They’re looking at me.”

“I like when they look at you.”

Who she’s currently convinced was playing her for a fool their entire relationship.

“Laurie doesn’t have a submissive bone in her body.”

“And if you believed otherwise, you were so naive.”

(More sad puppy dog Mira........)

I think Mira’s still feeling really insecure about having been duped by Laurie. Feeling like she’d surrendered control, and had that vulnerability used against her (more on that here.)

And so when Zelda asks if they have a deal, that Mira will similarly surrender herself in the name of capitalism to Gautier’s project - become a “face” once again, have her autonomy taken away to fulfill her celebrity image...she just looks, so so sad throughout it. To the point that it pains her to answer what she knows she has to answer.

(And now I present to you...the ultimate sad puppy dog Mira.)

“Okay, do we have a deal?”

(Mouth twitches open and close.)

“Sure.”

(🥺)

This all relates to the way she behaves around Zoe later in the episode, I think - but we’ll get to that.

Afterwards, she goes downstairs for some breakfast and talks with Regina.

Regina is just - super supportive. I wondered in this post whether Regina’s supportiveness and understanding of Mira and her issues was a result of her wanting to do her job, not wanting to upset Mira, etc. - but I think as the show goes on, it’s really proving Regina does genuinely care about Mira. Like it’s just - so adorable to see.

For one, she immediately can tell when Mira’s upset.

“Ah, morning.”

“Good morning. Looks like a bad day?”

And she quickly references the fact that she’d advised Mira to stay away from this Dreamscape deal, acknowledging that stuff like that makes her miserable. Which, as we’ve seen earlier - it clearly does.

“Thanks. Uh, spoke to Zelda. She closed the Dreamscape deal.”

“I told you to avoid that shit. It makes you so miserable.”

She even knows when to call her out.

“It’s part of my job.”

“Yeah, it’s not the most ethical part.”

“Oh, spare me.”

Also, just look at the way Regina gets all weird when Mira touches her??

asdhkjdhsd I’m sorry they’re just too cute.

But either way, Regina says Mira can do “whatever she wants” because she’s a big star - but Mira pushes back by arguing the only reason she’s a “big star” is because she does this “luxury brand”-type shit.

Next part I wanna talk about Mira’s convo w/ Rene, and then her interactions with Zoe.

[vadergf]

Desis, please forgive me for these sins I'm about to commit

And the last one

That caption is so so apt.

[nutty1005]

The new and starstudded “A Dream Like A Dream”, is the starting point, not the ending point, of Xiao Zhans

Original Article: https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_12542131 Original Author: 程辉剧场手记 The author published this in Pengpai News and shared on his Weibo Post on 6 May 2021.

Andante Cantabile, my most beloved music by Tchaikovsky, came from his String Quartet No. 1 in D major, every time it would painfully touch my heart, poet Xi Murong also used this to caption a melancholic poem. I thought, using it to sum up Lai Shengchuan’s representative work, “A Dream Like A Dream”, would be most apt.

“A Dream Like A Dream” lasts for 8 hours, this is something rare in Chinese theaters. Using the doctor as the first person, Patient No. 5 recalled and narrated in his narration, a surreal stage arrangement, emotions, life, fate, culture and societal upheaval, bringing tears to fog up your eyes. After 9 years of continued changes in the crew, Yanghua Theater brought in a new version with actors such as Xu Qing, Feng Xianzhen, Ge Xinyi, Xiao Zhan, Yan Nan, Zhang Liang, Huang Lu, Kong Wei, etc. The new version rivaled the quality of its predecessors, but yet bestowed a new presentation and expression.

A unique city was the backdrop for its first showing and the chance fate of the characters within the play allowed us to truly understand the nature of impermanence. In the play, there was an important term called “self-exchange”, which was said to come from an ancient practice from South Asia, by “breathing” with the others, so as to gift health and happiness, and remove his pain and misfortune. “A Dream Like A Dream” was a play that spoke of the search for the meaning of life, did it also deliberately “self-exchange” with the audience then? Once we understood the concept of “self-exchange”, we could also see that it was also a request to communicate with the reserved hearts of the contemporary person.

The fates of Gu Xianglan and Patient No. 5 were the two main timelines in “A Dream Like A Dream”, and the other timelines served to supplement or trigger the former. Patient No. 5’s motive came from “searching”, Gu Xianglan’s came from “chasing”. The chaser is the key to enlightening the searcher, the searcher became the resolution for the chaser, although they had different obsessions in their lives, they both came together in the end. Gu Xianglan’s deathbed confession to Patient No. 5 was not simply just an apology in her dazed state, but also her most unforgettable, wonderful and romantic memories of love; Patient No. 5, with his concern, consideration and inquiries, was like the listener from heaven, the guiding light to aid the soul in letting go of her regrets.

The 2021 Yanghua version of “A Dream Like A Dream” maintained its previous feature of multiple actors to one role, and multiple roles to one actor. Xu Qing, Feng Xianzhen, Ge Xinyi acted as after going abroad, old age and before going abroad versions of Gu Xianglan respectively. From the “peerless beauty” socialite of the brothels in Shanghai Beach, to the Baroness of a French Ambassador, to an artist, then to a maid, a sweeper of roads and alleys, to the lonely elderly in the hospital, she went through indescribable ups and downs.

Xu Qing had acted as Gu Xianglan since the play’s debut, and in the new version, her portrayal had already been exquisitely refined, the Gu Xianglan in her prime is lovely and graceful, but yet proud and wild, sensitive and emotional, as though Gu Xianglan’s soul had fully occupied her body. In addition to the true to form portrayal of the amorous nature of Gu Xianglan, her performance was exceptionally focused on the details of the silent scenes. When she and Xiao Zhan’s Patient No. 5 gazed at each other, when teary eyes met with clear eyes; from afar it seemed like she was looking at her younger self about to go onto a journey of no return, the resigned helplessness and the restless hope looked at each other; when realizing that the lost Baron had once returned, her astonished and sharp glares of anger; when Wang Debao found the tiny loft she stayed in by chance, her stealing glances were surprised and flustered… They were all full of the character’s aura and emotional tension, and the pain took the audiences by their hearts.

Senior actress Feng Xianzhen’s portrayal of the elderly version of Gu Xianglan was quite different from the version by the previous actress Lu Yan, which allowed the audiences to experience the wonder of plays due to different characterization. Lu Yan’s version was one that remained elegant and proud despite her tribulations, there was more calm and temperance, which would make the audiences respect the tenacity of this legendary lady. Feng Xianzhen’s version was a Gu Xianglan who went to France from Shanghai, and back to Shanghai from France, twice she found freedom and twice she fell. The cruelty of fate had ripped away all of the pretentiousness, the charm of her past had been lost, she was like every ordinary person. She would scheme cigarettes from strangers, curse as she liked with phrases such as “bastard”, “no good-doers in Taiwan”, mock those relatives who came to look after her as those who came for their inheritance. She fully portrayed the effects of her unfortunate life and her bitterness at the world, which made the audiences sigh in sadness.

Facing these two powerful actresses in portraying the same role, Ge Xinyi as the young Gu Xianglan, had a lot of pressure. Her performance was more inclined to a lonely beauty, the purity despite her circumstances, so as to provide a solid motive for the Baron and Wang Debao’s unrestrained infatuation. As a newcomer to the theater, her steady control was not an easy task, and should be praised for it. If she would be more open, layered and flavorful in her portrayal, the characterization would be better. After all, Gu Xianglan was the top courtesan within the midst of love and affairs, and the quiet and calm of a learned lady would be quite different from that.

Patient No. 5 was a journeyman of life. In the beginning, he suffered painful setbacks from the death of his child and the loss of his wife, and started a self-exiled wanderlust. His marriage came by mistake, almost like a replacement for his wife’s frustrating relationship. Fate caused him to lose his spirit, but he was unwilling to give up, hence he wanted to search for his wife, as though he wanted to search for himself. His encounter with Jiang Hong, was the wanderers’ sympathy for each other and to rely on each other. Only when he walked into the French castle and saw the tranquil and woeful eyes of Gu Xianglan, he seemed to see himself at the far coast of the lake, the cumulative rage and sorrow in both their hearts, their collective unwillingness to concede suddenly exploded, and he decisively dropped everything to find the lady in the painting. He did not know what question was ignited then, but he started his search for the dream of life.

In terms of the control of this character, Xiao Zhan and Yan Nan definitely put in a lot of efforts, they were highly immersive. What was even more rare was that, although their performances had different focuses, but they were both very united in terms of aura, body language, speech, pace and habitual actions, as though the two actors in the same stage were truly one character. For such a complete creation, you need not only tacit understanding.

Xiao Zhan’s performance exceeded my expectations. Despite it being his debut in a play, his performance was not even the least bit disjointed, and he was even able to merge his own personality characteristics with the role itself. His actions, pace and emotions gave a smooth interplay between tension and relaxation. The portrayal of innocent, naive, youthful, kind and fragile Patient No. 5, his unpreparedness in matters of love, was especially suitable as a youth who just joined society. It made the random encounter in the cinemas as the prelude of love more believable, and also gave a firm foundation to his actions later on, the multiple setbacks in later on, his wanderings, and his endless searching. With his wife and Jiang Hong, he had different relationships, the former was a budding first love, the latter came from empathy, Xiao Zhan had slightly different portrayal for the different phases of space and time, the cycle from simple to confusion, from searching to questioning, there was careful understanding and detailed handling. After discovering Gu Xianglan’s tracks, the clear longing that Xiao Zhan gave off collided with the layered longing from Xu Qing after her tribulations, was like the undercurrents under a calm lake, it drew in the rousing emotions, and became the strong force that pushed the story forward.

Xiao Zhan has the ability and the reason to achieve much better results in future theater stages. With time, if he could become even more at ease with the control of his body, if he could be even more accurate during the changes of character condition, I trust that he could achieve another breakthrough, and create even more challenging characters.

Reprising Patient No. 5 after many years, Yan Nan was obviously even more in-depth with his understanding of the script and character, and gifted the character a melancholy aura similar to those of an ancient poet, the quiet tones and deep glances became the key feature. The sense of accumulation of the vicissitudes, merged with Xiao Zhan’s portrayal, realized the continuation of the character’s fate. His performance on the hospital bed contrasted with Gu Xianglan on her hospital bed in a different time, and manifested Patient No. 5’s enlightenment after his miles of wandering, the person on the bed is awake, but those not were instead still dreaming. His calmness held the strings of every timeline together.

Zhang Liang’s portrayal of the Baron was the surprise of the show. If the old version’s Baron and Gu Xianglan was like the contest between eagle and the wild pigeon, the huge difference in power created the tragedy that made the audiences sad. The 2021 Yanghua version’s Baron and Gu Xianglan was like a pair of heavenly cranes, but they sang different notes as they flew to each other, and became a pair of lovebirds who hurt each other as they fell. The Baron became more romantic, more gentle and loving, but he remained prideful as he was still a noble beneath that amicable exterior, this was Zhang Liang’s new expression to the character, this also elevated Gu Xianglan’s difficulty in her choice, and even more so contrasted Gu Xianglan’s “evil” in her woeful revenge, and also left a branching point to the remaining love. His love for Gu Xianglan was true, it was not possession, but he loved the Oriental beauty, the caged Gu Xianglan, not the wild and free Gu Xianglan. Letting go and abandoning was his hopelessness for his lover, he felt that Gu Xianglan was letting herself go, she was betraying and depraving her beauty, he felt that his efforts were painfully wasted, it was not an attack on an escaped prey. This kind of portrayal made us wonder – love, was it to love a person, or was it to love an ideal? Love was to give or to receive? Was the ultimate goal of giving receiving?

The tragedy between Baron and Gu Xianglan became a tragedy of conflict between culture, social status and ideals. The difference between Baron and Gu Xianglan, did not merely exist on levels of culture and artistic ideals, but it was down to different life goals due to different cultural influences. It was hard for Baron to understand that his love only moved Gu Xianglan from a smaller cage to another bigger cage, even if he loved her deeply; Gu Xianglan who struggled for survival in a twisted environment, simply wanted to escape her cage, even if it meant poverty. This type of tragedy could not simply be explained with the character’s personality. The energy from repeated characterization is evident.

Huang Lu as Jiang Hong was a character that was rather difficult to grasp in “A Dream Like A Dream”. In her portrayal, Jiang Hong was an ordinary girl, who went through multiple troubles but was always chosen, besides her strong sense of survival, I almost could not see more personality. I remembered that I had brief flashes of a parallel universe while cooking eggs one morning, that was the state that she could not find herself or her position in life. She claimed herself as “the original Jiang Hong was dead, the Jiang Hong who arrived in Paris never existed” wanderer, her “relationship” with Patient No. 5 was merely a chance encounter in life, both of them were scared and questioning whether they should “fall into another relationship”. Huang Lu’s performance was very restrained, controlled, and tried hard to make herself not stand out, to do it to this extent was quite difficult. When she was talking about her stowaway escape, there was a point for emotional explosion, but yet she had to control it within the fine line between “surviving the calamity” and “unable to calm herself”. For this actress who was nominated multiple times for international awards and also won a national acting award, this was a rare stage experience.

Kong Wei, who just took off her costume in “Thunder Rain”, portrayed Shi Li Hong, the Mama-san of “Fairy Court”, in “A Dream Like A Dream”. Scheming and cunning in worldly matters, but yet she maintained her own sense of righteousness with Gu Xianglan and her sisters, fleshed out the character with even more emotions. Especially when the drunk professor professed his love for her, her teasing and forced calmness was mixed with surprise and shyness, as every emotion came at the same time, she managed them with ease, not only was the set brightly colored, there was also the sudden exposure of the character’s personality. Wang Peiyu who acted as the young Wang Debao, also showed the character’s clumsiness and stubbornness, his portrayal of passionate love was on point, which was just as brilliant.

There were many characters in “A Dream Like A Dream”, the group’s shared brilliance could not be forgotten, many actors who acted as multiple roles displayed exceeding energy. This came down to the Yanghua creativity production team, lead by Art Director Wang Keran, who had astute senses in actor selection as well as careful detailing in every part of the creation.

Luo Yongjuan, who portrayed a puppet in “Jewish City” and Li Zonglei, who had many important roles in many dramas and plays, both portrayed over 10 characters, and outstandingly completed the character creation for all of these different roles. Ruan Li, who portrayed the cousin, the dancer, the child, etc, also contributed multiple talents. Wang Weiqian, who portrayed Aunt Jin, the tourist, etc; Sun Zhongyi, who portrayed the professor, the old servant, etc, they all left deep impressions.

To display the characters but not to display themselves, this was the forefront of all theater actors, this was done by Xu Qing and Xiao Zhan, Zhang Liang and other stars, this was the respect they gave the play, the stage, the audience and themselves.

When the first kissing scene appeared for Xiao Zhan, part of the audiences were controlled but there were still some excessive “fan” reactions, but this did not interrupt his performance pace, this reminded me that Xu Qing and Hu Ge version also had the same situation many years ago. We could see that the actors were immersed, they prepared mental homework for every segment and detail, this was the hard work and the goal of both the production and the actors. Putting in efforts into acting and solely seeking the effects of celebrity, these are two totally different things after all.

When rehearsing or refreshing old classic plays, most of the time, methods such as subversion, recreation or simple replay were used. 2021 Yanghua’s version of “A Dream Like A Dream” is a case of production relying on the new cast to continuously discover deeper understandings, to recreate, and then to give audience a new icing on the cake while ensuring the quality of the play.

I was interviewed after the debut showing and said that this play was the Xiao Zhan’s starting point and not his ending point, and I also hoped that more capable actors would come to the theater stage, focus on the creation of art, and from that we could forge our own generation of quality “full celebrities”, such as Jin Shan, Shi Hui, Bai Yang, Zhang Ruifang, Shu Xiuwen, Laurence Olivier, Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, etc, of China. On the international theatrical stage, this is just commonplace.

[taylizmasterpost]

Reconciliation and Late-Stage Tayliz (September 2014 - Present)

Despite not seeing each other for a while, Taylor and Liz clearly still hold a soft spot in each other’s hearts.

During the Secret Sessions for 1989 in Nashville, fans took pictures in Taylor’s home, and you can clearly see she has photos from Charleston displayed:

When it came time to mend the fences between Taylor and Liz, Claire Callaway was the one who ended up doing it:

2 October 2014 - Claire tweets a TBT to the Charleston trip. Liz responds to it:

That seems to get the ball rolling, because when Taylor drops Out of the Woods as a single, this happens:

14 October 2014 - Taylor and Liz tweet about how much they miss each other:

Then, when Taylor walks the runaway with Karlie at the VSFS, this happens:

Taylor is with Karlie at the time, and obviously nothing romantic is happening on Liz’s end either, because...

20 December 2014 - Liz gets engaged to Bryan Brown and has dinner with friends:

16 February 2015 - Liz tweets that Taylor is badass

8 April 2016 - Liz makes this gay post on Facebook that I’d like to think is a response to Style, since the MV had come out a few months before:

And Liz seems to have found a group of gay friends...

Although, that could just be a typo.

15 July 2015 - Liz posts on Facebook that “Thanks to some really talented friends, I got to record something beautiful today. Can’t wait to share this one.” The picture she attaches definitely looks like Taylor:

Liz also tweets this:

We do NOT know where Taylor was that day. However, she performed in DC on the 1989 tour on the 14th and was papped in NYC on the 16th so it’s not impossible she was in Nashville working on something with Liz. Unfortunately, whatever they worked on has yet to surface (unless you subscribe to the theory that Liz is WB...)

3 August 2015 - Shawn Brooks releases a song called Matter of Time that was written sometime in 2014 by Liz.

Notable lyrics include:

She’s got me lovestruck, crazy Going out of my mind She’s got me lovestruck, crazy But sooner or later, she’s gonna be mine It’s just a matter of time

Don’t know what this means for Liz or TayLiz, since Liz has been with Bryan since early 2013 at the latest, but this is very gay and fun.

27 August 2015 - Thirst tweet:

31 August 2015 - Liz calls Taylor sexy in response to the Wildest Dreams MV:

15 October 2015 - Liz tweets about Better Than Revenge:

28 October 2015 -  Liz quote tweets Taylor about OOTW acoustic:

11 November 2015 - Liz responds to Caitlin’s tweet tagging Taylor about nostalgia:

9 December 2015 - Liz congratulates Taylor on her Grammy noms:

13 December 2015 - Taylor’s birthday. Liz wishes her HBD:

29 January 2016 - Liz says her favorite song from 1989 is This Love:

15 February 2016 - Liz and Taylor both attend UMG’s Grammys afterparty at the Ace Hotel Theater :

26 February 2016 - Liz posts a TBT to Charleston:

16 April 2016 - Liz and Taylor both attend Coachella:

6 May 2016 - Liz tweets about This Love:

10 May 2016 - Liz possibly writes STFU and Hold Me (likely about Bryan, since he’s out on tour with the woman he’s going to leave Liz for, signaling to me that their relationship is on the fritz):

4 August 2016 - Liz posts a throwback to the Vogue photoshoot at the Bowery.

3 September 2016 - Liz and Bryan’s last interaction on Twitter:

(Bryan had been on tour with Jillian -- who he’d later marry -- and tweeting at her all summer, much more than he’d been tweeting with Liz). It’s important to note the way their relationship ended for when we start studying who Liz’s songs are about.

26 November 2016 - Liz tweets about Clean, possibly signaling her and Bryan have broken up by this point:

13 December 2016 - Liz wishes Taylor happy birthday with a post about Charleston (captions vary based on site). This also signals to me that her and Bryan are over, since she’s reminiscing on Taylor picking her up off the ground after her breakup with Jason:

11 July 2017 - Liz tells a fan that You Are In Love and All Too Well are her favorite songs from 1989 and Red (guess her favorite song is no longer This Love…):

11 August 2017 - Liz releases STFU and Hold Me:

This MV has a LOT of parallels to the IKYWT video. The lyrics talk about “staring with a bang” (”took off faster than a green light go”?), and reckless abandon (”this path is reckless”). MV parallels are as follows (thank you @mercuryonparklane​ for all the help finding this):

(notice the key necklace?)

So, either Liz is lowkey ripping off Taylor’s work or she’s trying to signal that she was the muse for IKYWT. However, considering Liz is deliberately trying to keep her image separate from Taylor, it doesn’t make any sense that she would try and rip her off. Of course, it could just be a big coincidence...

30 September 2017 - In an interview with The Young Folks, Liz says that STFU and Hold Me is about “getting to that point in a relationship where you’re sick of going around and around talking about the same issue with your partner and it’s time to wave the white flag,” Huett says. “We’ve all been there.”

Of the lyrics “I’m coming from a line of problems / I was born and I became a product” Liz says “I’m not exactly the most polished person. I’d rather be real than perfect and sometimes that means I say things that make people uncomfortable or act out in relationships and test limits, etc… I’m an honest mess but I believe I can and should be loved in light of that. :)”

I still think this song was written about the end of her relationship with Bryan, but it’s still interesting to see how Liz describes herself in relationships.

27 October 2017 - Liz releases H8U

This is another song that I think was written about Bryan. The lyrics reference taking another woman to a Tom Petty concert (Liz LOVES Tom Petty) and generally moving on quickly with another woman, which seems apt for the Bryan/Jillian situation going on.

HOWEVER, the lyrics also reference “our first date two years ago,” which doesn’t make any sense, since Liz and Bryan didn’t break up until 2016 and were together since early 2013. So it could maybe be lyrically about Taylor.

I do think the MV makes a deliberate Taylor reference, though, with the interrupting the wedding scene. Taylor famously had Liz dress as the Bridezilla on the Speak Now album art:

And, at the end of the H8U MV, Liz DOES kiss the blonde bride on the mouth after interrupting her wedding... which is... INTERESTING (especially since Liz is dressed in full RED the whole MV):

I don’t think it’s a stretch to presume Liz could’ve reversed their roles here. IDK.

9 November 2017 - Liz makes her “H8U, love these” playlist on Spotify, which features All Too Well.

1 November 2017 - Liz obsesses over Reputation:

15 November 2017 - Taylor posts an IG story with photos of her Liz and Caitlin in Australia in the background:

13 December 2017 - Liz wishes Taylor happy birthday:

20 December 2017 - In a now deleted tweet Liz obsesses over New Year’s Day

6 April 2018 - Liz releases Don’t LV U Anymore. Here are some interesting lyrics:

I don't steal your chapstick anymore / Don't wake up to your kiss anymore / And I don't have a washer and dryer full of guitar picks anymore / 'Cause you don't come over to my place anymore / Don't flirt with my roommate anymore / And I don't run to your friends / To get them on my side when we fight anymore / And I never say it / I keep it inside / But maybe I'm wasted / Or maybe it's time to get this off my chest, babe / ... / I don't love you anymore / But I don't love you any less / I don't play you my songs anymore / To see if they're good anymore / You don't tell me your secrets / 'Cause you don't know if I keep them to myself anymore / I don't go to church anymore / Don't know what to believe anymore / And I don't remember the beat of your heart / The smell of your car anymore / ... / Two years and counting / Still got all this weight on my chest / Two years and counting / And I can't remember what I can't forget

Based on the “two years and counting” line, as well as the line about a washer and dryer of guitar picks, I’m inclined to believe this is another song about Bryan. 

However, it is a really similar sentiment to that Civil Wars song Liz posted back when her and Taylor first ended things, and the line about running to get friends on a side when fighting is very similar to the “you go talk to your friends, talk to my friends talk to me” in WANEGBT and the image in Battle/Let’s Go of all their friends standing around watching them fight. Could go either way.

9 April 2018 - Liz reposts a Facebook post announcing Dammit that implies it was written a while ago. But we already knew that.

19 May 2018 - Reputation in Pasadena. Liz attends. Surprise Song: All Too Well. Camila Cabello is the opening act.  

27 May 2018 - Liz gives an interview at Bottlerock festival where she says that Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus is a song she used to get over someone (likely Bryan). She also says Havana was the song she last had stuck in her head -- probably because Camila performed it at Taylor’s show the previous week.

14 March 2019 - Liz makes a happy birthday post for Antoni (who’s dating her friend Trace):

27 April 2019 - Bryan and Jillian get married:

3 May 2019 - Liz releases Nothing Personal:

This feels like DIRECT BRYAN SHADE, since she released it right after his wedding. However, you definitely could also read it as being about being let go from The Agency.

Early May 2019 - Taylor shoots YNTCD. Her and Antoni bond over their love of The National (keep in mind Taylor would end up asking a member of the National to work on exile with her):

17 June 2019 - Liz likes Taylor’s post announcing YNTCD is out:

26 June 2019 - Liz posts on IG a video of unreleased song “One of These Days” with the caption “i’m emo” Lyrics:

One of these days I’ll rise above the blue / One of these days when I get sober too / I’ll be flying high you know / Gonna say I told you so / One of these days I’ll rise above the blue / The stars will align / My heart will come back to life / I won’t have to cry anymore / Someday soon, when I / When I get over you / One of these nights I’m gonna get some sleep / One of these nights you won’t be in my dreams / I will lay this love to rest / I will miss you in this bed / One of these nights I’m gonna get some sleep / The stars will align / My heart will come back to life / I won't have to cry anymore / Someday soon, someday / When I get over you

More evidence that Liz does, indeed, struggle with the things that Reddit post suggested.

14 August 2019 - Liz posts on IG a video of an unreleased song called “I Wanted It to Be You” with the caption “I really did” and a red rose emoji. Lyrics:

I’ll find someone else to take your place / In no time at all I’ll be okay / So you don’t have to say it babe / We don’t have to cry / ‘Cause I know you got shit to do / And baby so do I / I’ll find someone else to take your place, hey / I wanted it to be you I’m closing down the bar with / I wanted it to be you I’m fighting in the car with / Who I could push away / Come back and beg to stay / Ooh, I wanted it, I wanted it, I wanted it / I wanted it to be you

Likely for Bryan BUT maybe a red rose grew up out of frozen ground with no one around to tweet it (lol I’m joking the lakes is very likely not about Liz).

22 August 2019 - Taylor releases the Lover MV, featuring the “breakable heaven” board game:

In the bottom left corner, you can spot a blue 0527. May 27th is Liz’s birthday. What does this mean? I don’t know. I absolutely do not know, but whatever it is is driving me INSANE.

28 August 2019 - Liz posts on Twitter a screenshot of her listening to Cornelia Street:

16 October 2019 - Liz comments on a fan’s video of Taylor performing at the NPR Tiny Desk concert saying “she cute”:

19 November 2019 - Liz says on IG that her favorite songs from Lover are The Archer and Cornelia Street:

22 November 2019 - Liz releases That’s What You Get. This is the one late-stage Liz song that I FULLY BELIEVE is about TayLiz due to a few very specific lyric parallels:

“That’s what you get when you recklessly fall in love” >> “This path is reckless” from Treacherous

“That’s what you get for keeping your armor up” >> “You come around and the armor falls” from State of Grace >> “I would put my armor down if you said you’d rather love than fight” from Story of Us.

“And all your friends are lining up to hate me” >> “You go talk to your friends talk to my friends talk to me” from WANEGBT >> “First shot’s fired everybody’s gathered around” from Battle >> “I can't run to your friends anymore / To get them on my side when we fight anymore” from Don’t LV U Anymore.

It also, just from an outside perspective, doesn’t make any sense for Liz to write a breakup song about Bryan blaming herself when it seems very clear to me that they broke up because Bryan wanted to be with Jillian instead. That’s not her fault. So either this is about another breakup (I’d guess Taylor, based on the lyric parallels), or she’s just very very self-loathing and won’t let herself think it’s Bryan’s fault (which both H8U and Nothing Personal don’t suggest to me).

25 November 2016 - Liz posts a video on her IG story about Taylor at the VMAs.

6 December 2019 - Liz talks about That’s What You get with Earmilk and gives an interesting quote: 

Huett explains, “This song is about facing myself after a brutal season of running from it... I made a self-destructive choice that hurt someone I really value. The angle of the chorus is really sort of a letter to me after that first long look in the mirror. It SUCKED. However, in owning my shit (and sharing this song) my hope is that listeners might apply the sad lesson without having to learn the hard way, or, if they’ve ever found themselves in the regretful position I was once in, I hope this song can at least make them feel less alone."

This is SO DIFFERENT fro mhow her relationship with Bryan ended, but matches up so well with Liz getting help and owning her shit after spiraling in 2012.

24 July 2020 - Folklore drops. Two of the songs are written by the mysterious William Bowery. One of those songs is Betty -- a popular nickname for Elizabeth. Liz tweets at Taylor about the 1 because all of Taylor’s exes wanna think that song is about them.

So, IN CONCLUSION: Liz got help and worked through her shit and they’re on good terms now. They were possibly working on something together in 2015, although that never saw the light of day as far as we know. Liz seems to maybe be referencing Taylor in her music and MVs, but there’s no way to know for sure. Better Than Revenge on the Speak Now Tour was an iconic moment of sapphic energy, and maybe, just maybe, when Taylor re-records her masters, Liz will sing backup for her again.

Thanks for reading!