#Ft. Amazing visuals (Only 3)

[mylifeisruined69420]

Hm hclw au where everybody is a pirate 👍 very long text beware its a bit messy but its rlly cool i think

idk i just thought itd fit tbh and also Armes conceptual magic? spell? skill? is the santa maria so why not starting off strong constant would like steal ethan (Ethan is very angry) and keep him on his ship up for the sole purpose of protecting him

and then a kraken pulls up to his ship (its called the tongue of judas named after his jinn cuz thats too cool of a name to pass up)

and hes like nvm its not safe with me so he just casually returns Ethan to the Santa Maria 2.0 (will explain) and everybody (Armes, Master Swordsman, Choco Bibi maybe they merge with Grass roots too so Drip Soup and Tempest and Cocomori too) is like ??? (Ok editing this nvm I want grass roots to be seperate from Zara but they are tight asf) and then he insists on staying and something happens idk what so now hes just chilling with gang i think constants betrayal in this au when he was a little green dude he like picks up a cursed sword and it was ultra powerful and all but then wuh oh sword evil and then ship sinks and constant gets pulled outta there by giga and everybody else needs to get around ig anyway back to like main timeline nathan realise constant hasnt returned and then this dude is like where my mf dog go and hes really pissed so he sets out to find him but then he like gets caught up in a storm and he gets cooked so now hes a scary burnt Nathan. A scary burnt evil nathan and now hes extra pissed so idk he will do evil things ig here very sad backstory nathan han died again like in og and pyo just takes over his identity and gets really mad at the world he obviously still has the 13th squad I think the Giga empire they got a fuck ton of treasures and all they always hog everything and they sink any boat they come across I think Yopi land would be kinda chill tourist place they have this little island and its like one of the main trading areas or whatever idk people do lots of business there elixir plant elders? I genuinely dont gaf abt them so no Zara Guild has a massive fucking boat and obviously its the Santa Maria and for Nightmare I think it should just be a bunch of weird sea creatures maybe like sirens or mermaids or monsters maybe all of them Zero and No Name are like sirens ig but ultra powerful ones or something and then Roy Han is like the greatest pirate in history of the world and he hid his treasure so the whole Han family is after it

Dark would be with Heart Heater, Rim, Chota, Fengxiao and the weird yellow cat girl and theyre after Roy Hans treasure or atleast helping Dark out (I might change this idk I mean I might change a lot cuz Im just making shit up as I go) Sora would be tight with the Dragon Of Evil and they would have a quest to taste all the foods in the world and Ik I said Idgaf about the elixir plant elders well Stone is there with the Dragon Of Light and Stone just wanna be the best and obviously he should have an awesome fight with Sora I think the Dragon Of Light would just hand Stone some insane treasures cuz Stone a noob that cant do nothing himself

Anyway thats all I hv also wish I had more drawings and I will 👍 but anyway yeah Ill see if I can come up with more

Ill make some drip for everybody tomorrow when Im bored in classes

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Station, 3/1/2025 Issue ft. No.1 Sentai Gozyuger Cast Members (translation below)

Publication: February 26, 2025

Fuyuno Mio x Suzuki Hideharu x Kanda Masakazu Matsumoto Jin x Imamori Maya

Fuyuno: While Hoeru has a foul mouth and gives off the impression of being unapproachable, he's occasionally kind, and has a cute side that makes him a character who's prone to being teased.

Suzuki: Mio's normally like Hoeru, don't you think?

Kanda: He's quiet and cool. His way of speaking is abit blunt, which seems to also be similar.

Suzuki: He also has a pure heart, so his kindness can come out at any given moment.

Kanda: He and Hide are the same age, and they're always flirting with each other. Occasionally, the distance between him and us feels off (laughs). However, that changes drastically when it comes to his performance.

Fuyuno: I'm trying to be positively influenced by the atmosphere of the scene, and to react accordingly to everyone's performance.

Suzuki: Rikuo's a former super idol with an overconfident side. He's also putting in the work to justify that, and has a good side to him, that being his kindness. I try to be conscious of my idol like behavior, facial expressions, and speaking patterns.

Kanda: From his vibes to the way he speaks, everything about him is soft and gentle.

Matsumoto: It made me think that such good looking nice guys do exist. He's committed to listening to what others have to say. He's overflowing with kindness.

Kanda: It's amazing that we've gotten this far without him getting cocky over those visuals of his!

Suzuki: Thank you!

Kanda: Ryugi's an out of touch freak, and the only one who's a "Tega Sword follower." He's the oldest of the five, and although he's strong willed, he also has a mischievous side. I hope that I can find just the right balance in expressing that gap without overdoing his character.

Matsumoto: Kanda-san's like a leader. He invites us all to go out for meals together. I feel like we're more of a team now, and I'm really grateful that he creates such opportunities like that for us.

Imamori: He usually pulls us along and is reliable, but……he's abit of an airhead, isn't he?

Kanda: How did you know? I've always kept that hidden (laughs).

Imamori: It felt like you were doing your best to hide it.

Matsumoto: Kinjiro's a 17 year old high schooler. At his core, he's a serious person, but his goal is to become a "party person." It's interesting to see how his values don't match up with those around him. Since there's no character among the five of us who restlessly moves around, I thought I'd take charge of that position.

Imamori: He's surprisingly cool for someone with a cute face.

Fuyuno: I was gonna say the same thing (laughs). The composure he has makes it hard to believe that he's 19 years old, and he's also very good at giving compliments.

Matsumoto: I think I'm just conscious of trying to put my thoughts into words.

Imamori: Sumino-chan is cool, but she's a "high class detective" who'll use her cunningness as a weapon when she needs to. To create a gap between the two, I took it upon myself to play the role more characteristically. I'll watch anime and idols in order to study their cunningness.

Fuyuno: Maya-chan appears more mature on screen. She's always full of energy and makes the atmosphere around her pleasant.

Suzuki: The way she switches from her normal self is amazing.

Imamori: I'm just going along with the fun vibes everyone else helps create.

Fuyuno: Although the five members have widely different personalities, you'll be able to see each and every one of their human dramas. Enjoy this festive program, which also features tons of previous Sentai Reds! _

Sleeping Conditions on the Location Bus

Suzuki: Everyone has a particular way of sleeping, don't they? Masa-kun will lean forward with his neck bent at a 90 degree angle, while Mio doesn't sleep.

Fuyuno: It's true that I don't sleep.

Suzuki: Maya-chan tends to lean against the window, while Jin's head pokes out into the aisle (laughs).

Matsumoto: Something like that happens.

Imamori: Hide-kun's mouth hangs open.

Suzuki: Don't say that. I end up showing off a stupid face, huh?

Fuyuno: Everyone's probably looking at you.

Imamori: Kanda-san brings his own pillow, right?

Kanda: I get motion sickness easily, so if I look around for even a moment, I start feeling nauseous. That's why I use a pillow to keep my neck in place.

Suzuki: I'm the same way, so I get that!

[fishyingrn]

Swap AU Aleheather post!!

I love love LOVED (agh I can't say it enough sorry!!) @swinginspaceagebachelorette 's au of TDWT (≧∇≦) ʃ♡ƪ !! It's specifically a swap au between Alejandro and Sierra, and the way she writes Alejandro is just so endearing to read! He's like a golden retriever that has random knowledge! The fact she lowered the psycho-stalker quality is what helped endear his swap personality especially!! I think I already pestered her in her comment section about his personality and appreciating the heck out of her writing there 😹 I doodled a bunch since I just loved her au sm!!!

But before I start dumping doodles I made from the fic, the link to her fic is here ! Make sure you have an AO3 account before you read of course though!!😸

NOW FOR THE DOODLES MAUHAHAHAHHAHA

This is a scene from the fic ♪(^∇^*)! It's from one of the most recent chapters (chapter 29)

Zoom out of the scene lol

I still find it funny and shocking that Heather is able to support the weight of a man over 6 ft on her head 🙀Her head's gotta be made of STEEL! Super scary just how strong it is! Steel is my only conclusion for her head strength.. (Yes I'm not going to acknowledge the shocked Gwen, her issue of the day! she partook in cheating like a gross person and in great irony considering her s1 ordeal with Heather & Trent (* ￣︿￣))

ANYWAYS ONTO THE HC SECTION!!

These hcs are Aleheather centric like the one above since they're cutie patooties in the fic AND it's an Aleheather fic what do u want from me..(～o￣3￣)～

I think it'd be a nice off screen past time that Alejandro info dumps to Heather and she's at least partially listening! The dynamic kind of reminds me of Phineas and Ferb's parents in a sense where the dad infodumps to the mom and she just listens + enjoys it(❁´◡`❁) I LOVE that dynamic btw! It's such an endearing dynamic that to find it in my fav tdi ship is so sweet (to me at least!)

Onto my next hc!

Since Alejandro is taking the place of Sierra in this au, I thought it'd be sweet that he also adopted her hobby of glitter glue crafts. You know who also has a hobby of glitter glue crafts?! HEATHER💥

I'd think in one of Alejandro's off screen infodumps, he talks about his hobby of glitter glue crafts, the techniques and brands related to the aforementioned to Heather! She'd slip out some of her knowledge and love for it, OR she immediately starts rambling back about glitter glue crafts!!

THAT'S RIGHT BABY ( •̀ ω •́ ) !

Swap!Aleheather bonding over GLITTER GLUE CRAFTS 💥💥Ugh just how much more cute can you get with that headcanon?!

Another hc incoming!!

Since Heather always has her hair up in a ponytail in the main series, I thought a nice way to show her trust is with her hair! In general her hair has always been something special to her, that's why she fought for a wig in season 2. Since an AMAZING amount of value is placed on her hair, her showing her trust to Alejandro through her hair would be a nice way to visually show she trusts him! Alejandro basically the only genuine bond she's shown to make in the series, canon and in the fic, so I think the swap hcs make it just all the more sweet (/▽＼) !! In a way, since to Swap-ejandro Heather is just a celebrity crush, this sort of interaction deepens their relationship and his feelings beyond just a celeb crush (❁´◡`❁)

NOW FOR THE LAST HC!

This one isn't an Aleheather hc, but moreso a hc focused on Swap-ejandro's appearance! I think that as a trade off, he's not as physically built as canon Alejandro but instead taller compared to him (which is scary considering canonically Alejandro is 6 ft..) Since he's in the place of Sierra in this AU, he probably has enough strength to fight off baboons, he probably just has a hidden build! In general, Sierra and Alejandro in this AU had their skills and personalities swapped, so as a result their backstories technically were too with some small tweaks! I think this AU has been fun to make a bunch of hcs in, congrats if u got to the end of me convulsively info dumping about my hcs on the awesome au (lll￢ω￢) !

Full credits to the author man! She's mega talented! Please support @swinginspaceagebachelorette's work and any future works from her! o(〃＾▽＾〃)o

Signing off, hope this reaches the right audience!

[slayerkitty]

Narrative Frameworks in Only Friends

So here we are, the finale of Only Friends and not a framework in sight. Would the last half of the show worked better in some respects if we had the frameworks come back? Would we understand more about why Boston's friends hate him? (Did they ever like him? Ray seemed to, but Mew and Cheum...)

I wish we had gotten more frameworks toward the end. I wish the voiceovers had come back for the last episode if nothing else, because I would have wanted one from each character. It would have maybe solved some of the narrative issues (re: Boston).

I also wanted to thank everyone who liked, reblogged, commented or otherwise interacted with me and these posts on a weekly basis. Your feedback, discussions and general love made watching Only Friends an amazing experience each week and reminded me why I love being in fandoms.

Shoutout to the amazing members of the Ephemerality Squad who made this ride fun and thought provoking: @lurkingshan, @waitmyturtles, @wen-kexing-apologist, @chickenstrangers, @ranchthoughts, @twig-tea, @clara-maybe-ontheroad, @distant-screaming, @thatgirl4815, @elizabethsebestianhedgehog

I've gone back and added things to earlier episodes that weren't there before, so make sure to read through the whole list! Please let me know if I missed anything - I will edit this post based on suggestions.

Frameworks:

1. Voiceovers: gives the audience specific insight into a characters thoughts and feelings; also a great way to provide exposition. It’s more of an audio than visual framework, as we don’t always see the character doing the voice-over because it plays over other scenes.

2. “Talking Heads”: The characters talk directly to the camera, interview/documentary style. We get to see exactly how they feel about a given moment because they are reacting to it at that time. Audio and visual. Homage to Love8009 (per P'Jojo).

3. Social Media (ft The Artist Formerly Known as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook): Not as insightful as the other two frameworks but does give context and a way for interaction, commentary, and exposition on a given plot. Visual. Probable homage to Together With Me, one of the first spicy BLs starring our kings, MaxTul.

(Side Note: I was re-watching some scenes from Never Let me Go and realized P'Jojo uses yellow text on the screen in it too. So maybe he just likes the yellow text or maybe it means something, idk, idk.)

Episode 1

Framework: Voiceover

Title: What’s Your Role in a Bar?

Narrator: Mew

Visual Moment: Yellow title cards listing everyone’s “roles” as well as the month and days of the week

End Credit Shot: Mew sitting on the floor in front of his fish tank

Episode 2

Framework: Talking Heads

Title: M.F.M. My Favorite Man

Narrator: Everyone

Visual Moment: The talking heads scenes; SandRay smoke kiss; Boston's dark room; Photo Boston takes of Nick post sex; Photo of RayMew from wakeboarding

Audible Moment: The songs Ray plays during his scenes with Sand

End Credit Shot: Ray driving

Episode 3

Framework: Social Media (Twitter and Instagram)

Title: What Am I to You?

Narrator: Nick and Boston

Audible Moment: The thunder rumbling ominously over everyone's bad decisions, Nick listening to the TopBoston sex audio

Visual Moment: Top's Instagram (with all of Boston's comments); Photo strip of TopBoston from their hookup in the photo booth; Photo of the Fab Four in Boston's room; Nick watching TopBoston have sex; Photo of RayMew kissing

End Credit Shot: Nick listening to TopBoston sex audio

Episode 4

Framework: Voiceover

Title: Emergency Contact

Narrator: Ray

Visual Moment: The flashback of RayMew is in 4:3 ratio (meaning it looks like recorded footage versus a memory); yellow text onscreen indicates flashback

Audible Moment: TopMew at the silent disco (both moments of silence but also them singing); SandRay listening to music at the record store

End Credit Shot: Ray driving (repeat from episode 2)

Episode 5:

Framework: Voiceover

Title: The Extra Hour

Narrator: Sand

Visual Moment: Intro and Outro are animated; black and white (made me think of the Take on Me MV by A-ha but I’m open to suggestions on what this might be referring to), "Ray o'clock/Alone o'clock" appearing onscreen in white letters (not yellow!); TopMew going Instagram official; The blind dining scene

End Credit Shot: Sand driving his motorcycle

Episode 6:

Framework: None

Title: Happy Fucking Birthday

Narrator: None

Audible Moment: Ray listens to the TopBoston sex audio; Mew plays the TopBoston sex audio for Top

Visual Moment: Top draws Mew sleeping/gives Mew a book of drawings he did of Mew; BostonNick selfies

End Credit Shot: Top in his bathtub alone looking angsty

Episode 7:

Framework: None

Title: After Effect

Narrator: None

Visual Moment: Mew setting the drawing on fire; Boston’s sex tape; the “super zooms”

End Credit Shot: Mew sitting on the floor in front of his fish tank (repeat from episode 1)

Episode 8:

Framework: None

Title: Save Me

Narrator: None

Visual Moment: Facebook party invite/everyone’s reactions to the invite; Everyone’s costumes at the party

End Credit Shot: Boston looking angsty at the hostel

Episode 9:

Framework: None

Title: The Return

Narrator: None

Visual Moment: Boston’s photo of Atom; Top recording SandRay kissing;

End Credit Shot: Top in his bathtub alone looking angsty (repeat from episode 6)

Episode 10:

Framework: None

Title: Redemption

Narrator: None

Visual Moment: The “I will never leave you”/“I will never love you” neon sign; Boston’s photos of Atom; Nick’s photo as Boston’s lock screen; Boeing’s Instagram

End Credit Shot: Ray driving (repeat from episode 2 and episode 4)

Episode 11:

Framework: None

Title: Move On Move In

Narrator: None

Visual Moment: Boston taking pics of NickAtom

End Credit Shot: Sand driving his motorcycle (repeat from episode 5)

Episode 12:

Framework: None

Title: Begin Again

Narrator: None

Visual Moment: Yellow letters indicating the date (NYE); Framed photo of Nick; Framed photo of the Fab Four at the hostel; Mix's entrance; Begin Again montage of SandRay; Hostel sign "Only Friends Stay"

Audible Moment: Begin Again montage of SandRay

End Credit Shot: Outtakes/BTS

Tagging @sandrayy by request

Apologies to anyone I forgot!

[everlicious-enby]

playing shelter 2 for the first time and I have some thoughts and some stories

mild cw for fictional animal death

the art style is so so so so pretty. I wish more games did stuff like this

the use of stars as visual guide to the den is really interesting, I wonder if there’s any extra symbolism? especially with paws (which I played first) having a star as well. if there are any shelter 2 fans reading I’d love to hear your ideas

THE CUBS. they’re so cute the way I got instantly attached is so unfair. why do you do this to me game. why do this when there’s such a large chance of one dying. send help

the first predator attack I got was an eagle… and a fox. at the same time. I heard the eagle first and then I saw the fox and was like ??? that’s a weird auditory cue for a fox attack. I killed the fox, turned around to see this big white mass grab one of my cubs. somehow I saved them, and I have no idea how I managed it

also also. idk if it’s just a switch port thing or what but the fox death animation is so funny to me. they just ragdoll like 8 ft backwards like they got one punch man’d

actually considering the controls for hunting in this game the one punch man thing isn’t actually that far off I think

anyways the rest of the animations are literally perfect no comments or advice I love them

at one point one of the cubs got scared for no discernible reason and I was like ???. then 2 seconds later a thunderstorm started. anyways apparently my AI video game child is more observant than I am in this essay I will

the absolute terror when only 3 of the cubs come to get food. I look around for the brown one and BAM. she’s several feet away just staring at nothing. honestly me too girlie pop

the point is this game is amazing and I’m so neurodivergent about it that I actually posted on tumblr.com so 10/10 would recommend

[zensakira]

Reunion

💀 This scene. 

This scene.

I’d be damn angry too. If I decided to have an outburst on how my father shouldn’t have let my sister go and that she was brainwashed by an authoritative power, I wouldn’t do it in front of the whole class. I don’t know if it’s cuz of Chinese culture, but he is making his family lose so much ‘face’. Like fr this cant wait till you’re at home? And isn’t this a completely stupid choice anyway, considering Jalil knows Alix’s classmates are gawking over the photos, view her as a superheroine on a noble quest just like everyone else, even more so because they KNEW her and MISS her too and she’s their classmate; of course they’d not agree with what he’s saying. He just put a target on his back? Like what were the odds of him, what, coming out of this outburst having changed some minds? Setting himself up for failure. But fr, he had to yell right in front of her classmates? So, of course her classmates (ft, marinette) back up her decision and Alix’s dad. 

And, no homeboy, what ARE you doing to get Alix back???? No, seriously, because all he did was listen to negative comments and form conspiracy theories. How does that help get Alix back at all??

Mans really said ‘imma sashay off now father, don’t look for me 💅 💅 💅’

==

necklace not there

still not there

SNEAKY SNEAKY BAM BAM

i see what you did there cheeky lil animators

Also, someone else pointed this out; wouldn’t Adrien literally see it? If we count the previous bits as animation errors, that necklace should’ve been dangling the whole time. SO....... with the current trend of referencing obscure moments in future episodes and having them actually have an impact, I would absolutely love for this to be mentioned somewhere.

Also..

I hope Adrien is now paying attention to Marinette since he likes her so much and takes note of every detail about her, including this-yet again- obscure fact. How great would it be that he later down the line suggests a date idea being to give each other extra history assignments-

ESPECIALLY since goldilocks sure seems to know a good amount of random obscure historical facts. 

==

The hourglass went down by that much in just 2 seconds. 

Hear me ouwt. It went down by 1 ‘real’ cm within 2 seconds. So 1cm/2s. 

By the time she finished saying this, 3 seconds have passed. Lets say the bit where Monarch is having his evil monologue, is time overlapped with her coming up with a solution.

Between the time right after Pharaoh speaks and this scene,  

23 seconds have passed. Plus the 3 seconds from earlier.. thats 26, so.. Hourglass should’ve gone down by 13 cm. 

Aha yanno what lets just enjoy the show  💀 💀 💀

==

Bro Pharaoh homeboy... Chat noir aint ur papi.

Jk but nah seriously his dad is in his book how he supposed to hear? The pages are turned over >_>

I mean it really is still turned to the ‘Truth’ page  🤷

dear sausage fingers, how do you expect to weasel your fingers into taking off his miraculous from his closed fist?

Hats off to you sir, not many can do that. 

I know later on worn on the necklace its corrected to this>

But man visually it would’ve been so much nicer if whenever this appeared it was always the correct way up, to visualize yin and yang, esp with chat’s yin! 

Bonus, Rabbit’s yin, so who’s the rabbit’s yang???

There are many amazing parts of this episode but the HANDS DOWN FUNNIEST is how we get a direct jump cut to Adrien in his room and Plagg just going ‘BLEGH! here you go’ looking all proud as if there wasn’t spit coming out of his mouth-

And I know the current trend of memes is making fun of how Plagg was so disgusted he threw up a kwagamata, but like this is so exciting!!! The implications! Its so fitting for Plagg to not have a special occasion ready and just randomly YEET a kwagamata (which is very important to any holder really), unannounced. Just so fitting. 

(Text: NUKE INCOMING, PLAGG, SERIOUSLY! , STOP GIVING ME THESE EVERY TIME I SWOON, I DONT HAVE ENOUGH CABINETS FOR ALL OF THESE!)

Who said a kwami could only give 1 kwagamata? Ft. Plagg distracting him with a kwagamata as his coping mechanism for the consistent swooning

[csaenvs3000w23]

Making Sense of Nature Interpretation

Choosing one topic to discuss for this week's Blog post was a little challenging, especially since I have learned so many different intriguing facts over the duration of my studies in biology at the University of Guelph. Choosing one amazing fact about nature did not come easily to me, since nature is full of interesting aspects.

To me, I find every aspect of nature to be breathtaking. Whether it is plants, animals, landscape, etc. Although, I will say I particularly love learning about every area of nature, I especially love learning about animals.

As many of you may have already heard the tragic story of the MarineLand orca Kiska, who recently passed away in captivity. Kiska swam alone in a tank at the theme park for over a decade.

This situation has been on my mind and has encouraged me to think about the effects of animals in captivity versus in their natural habitats, especially on large marine mammals.

Unfortunately, the orca population has been rapidly declining, in which the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) have been declared as an endangered species. As of October 2021, there are only 72 living SRKWs (University of British Columbia, 2021).

I want to use this opportunity to discuss this beautiful species and shed light on their amazing qualities, bringing focus to the importance of healthy environmental conditions and resource availability for this species to thrive in.

So, let’s share some cool facts about these remarkable creatures!

Orcinus orcas (more commonly known as the killer whale) are marine mammals that can swim as fast as 50 km per hour! S P E E D. They often travel with their pods and matriarch lineages, averaging to approximately 120 kilometres each day (Whale Trail, 2018). Each orca has specific markings referred to as “saddle patches” which are located behind their dorsal fins, making them identifiable from others – kind of like fingerprints for humans (Whale Trail, 2018).

Also, orcas have the second largest brain weighing in at roughly 17 pounds!! (Whale Trail, 2018). No wonder they are so smart ;)

To put it into perspective, the average human brain weighs around 3 pounds (Winston Medical Center, 2023).

Female adult orcas average 5.4 – 6.1 meters in length, weighing between 6,000-8,000 pounds. Whereas males are typically 6.7 - 7.3 meters and between 8,000-10,000 pounds. The life expectancy for this large marine mammal can be anywhere between 30 to 100 years (Whale Trail, 2018).

One fact that is exceptionally interesting is that orcas can use echolocation to help detect their prey! Killer whales can use echolocation to detect fish in areas where they cannot visually see, up to distances as far as 500 ft (NOAA Fisheries, 2015).

These wonderful organisms and their surrounding environment must be preserved. More effort needs to be put towards protecting this species. We need to think of ways to provide organisms with the resource availability to allow them to live safely in their natural habitats.

Everyone can do their part in being conscientious when it comes to:

Recycling / disposing waste

Using plastic materials / hazardous materials - 78% of marine mammals are at risk of choking on plastic (Fleshman, 2021).

Refraining from over-fishing / resource availability

Boycotting captivity (ie SeaWorld, Marineland etc)

References

Fleshman, R. (2021, September 7). Environmental Fun Facts. KPWB. Retrieved March 18th, 2023, from https://kpwb.org/environmental-fun-facts-2/

NOAA Fisheries (2020, June 15). Sound Strategy: Hunting with the Southern Residents, Part 2. NOAA. Retrieved March 18th, 2023, from https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sound-strategy-hunting-southern-residents-part-2#:~:text=Echolocation%20allows%20killer%20whales%20to,see%20in%20the%20dark%20water

The Whale Trail (2018). Southern Resident Killer Whale. TheWhaleTrail.org. Retrieved March 18th, 2023, from https://thewhaletrail.org/wt-species/southern- residentkillerwhale/

University of British Columbia. (2021). No apparent shortage of prey for southern resident killer whales in Canadian waters during summer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 17th, 2023, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211012112222.htm

[thecairomuse]

Please recommend me some romantic or beautiful arabica songs 💜

Romantic songs:

Sherine - Hobbo Ganna (has subtitles)

This song is literal poetry plus the instrumentals are phenomenal. Sherine is my fav female Egyptian singer and this is probably my favorite song from hers. The title translates to "His love is heaven"

Nancy Ajram - Salamat

I shared this song in this post: A simple tip to become more cultured - Week 3. I love this song, it's so upbeat and makes me very happy; it's been on repeat ALL summer.

Elissa - Hob Kol Hayaty

The title literally translates to "Love of all my life"

Nancy Ajram - Albi Ya Albi (has subtitles, auto-translate, not very accurate)

This is super different from Nancy Ajram's usual songs and it makes it that much special. This song definitely has a western touch to it as compared to her other songs. And again, the music video is SO cute. Reminds me of Video Games by Lana del Rey in a weird way.

Nancy Ajram - Hassa Beek (has subtitles)

The music video is set in what I assume to be the 20s/ 50s. Definitely a sadder love song.

Amr Diab - Odam Merayetha

Ahhh I LOVE this song so so much! It was playing 24/7 when I was in Egypt this summer. It's such a cute song, the title translates to "Infront of her mirror" and the song is admiring "her" beauty of. Sadly this song doesn't have any subtitles but definitely search around for a translation because the lyrics are pretty good. A nice song to dance to.

Nancy Ajram - 3am Bet3alla2 Feek (has subtitles, auto-translate, not very accurate)

One of Nancy Ajram's few songs where she sings in a Lebanese dialect as opposed to an Egyptian dialect.

Hussain Al Jassmi - Piece Of My Heart

I'll save my thoughts on this for later, bc I am planning to make a full post on this song.

Jannat - Ana nesetak

The instrumentals of this song are so beautiful. This is also a sadder love song.

Haifa Wehbe - Mosh Adra Istanna

The type of song that makes you sway your head.

3 Daqat - Abu Ft. Yousra (has subtitles)

This song was also super popular in Egypt this summer. The lyrics of this song are amazing, and there are subtitles! I love the music video, mostly bc I think it was filmed in El Sahel El Shamally (North coast of Egypt), as are most songs on this list now that I think about it.

Haifa Wehbe - Hassa

I love Haifa Wehbe, also, love her outfit in this videos. Fun fact, I am pretty sure she got seriously injured while filming the last scene of this music video (where the plane flies above her). Def have to make a full post on this song.

Nancy Ajram - Ana Yalli Bahebak

This song is also sung in a Lebanese dialect, although a part of me wants to say it's a mix between Egyptian and Lebanese but maybe that has more to do with the similarities of the dialects. The title translates to "I'm the one who loves you".

Amr Diab - Zay Manty

This was also filmed in the North coast of Egypt, the color of the water gives it away; th3 Mediterranean sea is SO blue. A very very nice love song.

Elyanna - Youm Wara Youm

I have to start of by saying, the visuals are INSANE, the music video is a must-watch. Elyanna is a fairly new singer. She's half Palestinian, half Chilean but she was born in Los Angeles. This song is a cover of Samira Said's "Youm Wara Youm" by Elyanna

Nancy Ajram - Eini Alik

The title of this song translates to "My eyes are on you". This song is super catchy and very fun to dance to.

Nancy Ajram - El Hob Zay El Watar

Such a beautiful song! It's the type of song that you can feel in your heart, and the lyrics are amazing, if you can find a translation definitely do so.

Nancy Ajram - Hobbak Bi Ye'wa

If you couldn't tell already I love Nancy Ajram. The title of this song translates to "Your love is getting stronger". The melody is fantastic; I love upbeat songs, you can definitely party to this. I originally shared this song in this post: A simple tip to become more cultured.

Nancy Ajram - W Maak

Love the music video; very retro

Elissa - Halet Hob (has subtitles, too small to read)

My favorite song from Elissa, and the only one that I can constantly listen to

Other Songs I love:

Amr Diab - Amaken El Sahar

I LOVE this song. And I LOVE the music video, it was definitely filmed in the North coast of Egypt. This song was also very popular this summer in Egypt and was played everywhere.

Elyanna - Ahwak

This song is a cover of Abdel Halim Hafez's "Ahwak". Elyanna has such a mesmerising voice and her songs/ covers have been some of my favorites ever since I discovered her. Also, love the music video.

Amr Diab - Amarain

This song is super catchy and is constantly stuck in my mind. Surprisingly the song is a mix of Egyptian/ Levantine/ Gulf dialects which is not usual for Amr Diab, who mostly sings in Egyptian Arabic. The music video is surprisingly very nostalgic.

Haifa Wehbe - Mateegy Nor2os

The title translates to "Come dance"/ "Let's dance". I love the rhythm

Sherine- Mesh Ad El Hawa

I just love Sherine's voice and her songs always remind me of Cairo.

Nancy Ajram Feat K'naan - Waving Flag

Basically the original Waving Flag song but with Nancy in it, which makes it so much better! Love love love this song.

Nancy Ajram feat Cheb Khaled - Shajea Helmak

The music video was filmed/ set in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Brazil. It's very football focused and even features the Brazilian Carnival.

Khaled - C'est La Vie

You've probably heard this song before. I am going to add that the Arabic in the song is in Maghrebi Arabic (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria), how do I know? Because I don't understand any of it.

Hassan Abou El Seoud - Shek Shak Shok

Pretty much everyone's favorite song to belly dance to. I seriously can't get enough of this song. So fun to dance to!

Amr Diab - El Gaw Gameel

What a beautiful song; reminds me of summer

Hussain Al Jassmi - Ser el Sada

Just wow, completely obsessed with this song, it reminds me of when I was in the North Coast this summer. I wrote more about this song in this post: A simple tip to become more cultured

Amr Diab - Yetalemo

Always puts me in a good mood

There's lots more, but I'll save those for later ;) plus this made me realize that some of these songs need full posts.

Enjoy ;)

[girlbossminerva]

Very biased ranking of all of the Fairy Tail Openings from best to worst

The order in which I'm ranking them takes into account my subjective taste, the level of replayability, sometimes also the animation that is going on during the opening sequence and just whatever comes to mind, feel free to fight me in the comments but this is my blog so i say I'm right. Mild disclaimer, I have not ever gotten past the middle or so of the second anime series, so I watched the later ops on youtube to rank them, but their places may be subject to change once I fully experience them when I get to those seasons.

This one is long so it goes under the cut for y'all

Strike Back (OP 16)

I AM RIGHT DON'T @ ME. THIS SHOULD'VE BEEN THE FIRST OP FOR THE FIRST RETURN OF FT. THIS SHIT FIRES ME UP. I CAN LISTEN TO IT OVER AND OVER, I WILL YELL SING AND NO ONE CAN STOP ME. BACK-ON KNOWS WHAT'S UP (<<<watched murder princess and got obsessed with the OP also made by back-on)

Snow Fairy (OP 1)

ICONIC. A CLASSIC. POINTS FOR BEING THE FIRST OP AND MAKING ME NOSTALGIC BUT ALSO THE PICTURE OF NATSU HUGGING IGNEEL AT THE END I- 🥺🥺🥺 In conclusion, really amazing first opening for the series

Towa no Kizuna (OP 9)

This fucker slaps SO HARD. It HYPES ME UP. And the visuals are spot on. I would rave to this.

Ft. (OP 3)

Amazing OP it's the reason why I became interested in Funkist. It fits Natsu perfectly even if this is an erza centric arc. Looking at the lyrics though, it still goes along with the theme of "we're here to support you" that Erza has going on. My only gripe is that when listening to the short version that plays every episode you can't appreciate how good the latter bridge is

Yakusoku no Hi e (OP 14)

For the last opening of first series, it's very good. I know most of the lyrics and i will belt out to it.

Ashita wo Narase (OP 22)

ok I'd never listened to this one but I dig it??? very interesting vibes, not what i expected from ft and especially from the zero arc, it slaps

Never-End Tale (OP 20)

Almost iconic. I think it lacks a little bit of strength, mostly due to the animated sequence, but it would've been an excellent season-ending OP. I do prefer listening to the full version, it has what's missing from the TV version. It also gets points for showing my wife in demon form <3

Tenohira (OP 12)

I do not like the Key of the Starry Sky arc, but the opening? Very nice, love me some 2000s soft rock

Egao no Mahou (OP 5)

It's pretty decent, i feel there's a lot of emotion in the singer's voice and I love to see Wendy introduced.

Believe in Myself (OP 21)

Very solid OP, not much to say though since it came out around the time I had quit the anime, but is definitely in the better part of OPs. I like the focus on Gray and Natsu during the sequence.

Yumeiro Graffiti (OP 19)

It's fine but nothing out of the ordinary. Replayable for a while. Sidenote, I think this one has a bit of a spoiler in the animated sequence, cause lucy is staring melancholically at Aquarius' key but an anime-only fan wouldn't know that it gets broken.

No-Limit (OP 25)

Interesting beginning??? idk how I feel about it but it's another solid op with a great sequence, I might end up really liking it when I get to this point

Evidence (OP 7)

I enjoy the piano and the first few verses are good, but I feel it doesn't have as much impact and it could do more. Very skippable. The animated sequence and the audio sync up very nicely tho.

Masayume chasing (OP 15)

I like it but not for extended periods of time and I do not think it serves the purpose of making the series return with a bang. Besides, there's something about this song that I find kind of…odd? like maybe it's because of the particular type of pop it is but idk, feels like this was a song that already existed and they just decided "yes, let's put it in this anime"

Sense of wonder (OP 2)

It's fine, but not that special in my opinion, I cannot listen to it over and over with each episode bc it does start getting tedious fast. However, I do think it helps represent the whimsy of the first few arcs when Fiore is supposed to still be new and "wonderful" for us. It also does serves its purpose of showing some of team Natsu's background in the opening sequence.

RPG (OP 4)

I get tired of listening to it very fast. It was ranked lower but then I listened to all the OPs and realized it's ok. Another mid OP. Also, I don't really understand why it's titled "Rocking Playin Game" and I need to know the reason behind that decision.

More than Like (OP 26)

I've mixed feelings about it, the combination of softer music with stronger rock parts doesn't mix particularly well in some parts, but is not bad and it's definitely better than some others. However, I don't think it lives up to what I would expect from the last OP.

I wish (OP 10)

It's…meh. I feel it is trying to energize people but failing miserably, perhaps the issue is the low volume. Can only listen to it a few times before skipping it.

Power of the Dream (OP 23)

First OP of the final season and it's not bad but I don't feel the impact it should have. The sequence is excellent. It unfortunately suffers from THAT ONE REPEATED BEAT THAT WAS USED IN ALMOST EVERY FUCKING SONG DURING 2016

Down by Law (OP 24)

Lame and boring. When I get to that season I will most likely listen to it once and then skip it. The animated sequence is soooo good tho, how dare they

Mysterious Magic (OP 17)

Very generic, even the animation sequence feels generic and like it doesn't encompass the arc like other OPs did beforehand, makes sense tho cause it was for the corrupted celestial spirits filler arc which is the shittiest

Fiesta (OP 6)

Boring like the other Plus+ opening but I do like the chorus, however I cannot listen to it more than a few times. Also, considering that the second half of the O6 arc is a little more serious since all the shit is going down, i don't think the upbeat music is that suited for it

Break through (OP 13)

Similar opinion than with fiesta, it has some good bits and some meh bits, doesn't manage to be outstanding

Hajimari no Sora (OP 11)

I do not like +Plus, at least not enough to listen to a song repeatedly, but this song? This song SUCKS, just boring ass cords that go on forever, at least the Fiesta op has some spice going on for it

Rock City Boy (OP 9)

It sucks it's lame, I HATE the attempted rap. It's trying a certain style and it does not work, I cannot listen to it more than once.

Break Out (OP 18)

This one is soooo boring that I had forgotten it existed, I even misremembered the sequences as being part of the 17th OP. It tries to pick up pace in the chorus but it doesn't work. I was gonna put rock city boy as the worst but yknow what? this one fucking takes the last spot

Final thoughts:

FT has a bunch of meh OPs :/ I'm not saying they're all bad, but the "I want to yell-sing this song" factor is not present in a lot of them.

[vibraniumwing]

my stars know about you.

a sam wilson x fem!reader blurb wherein sam finds the old videos the reader has when he was snapped away.

WARNING: a bit of angst and tfatws spoilers for those who haven't watched but aside from that, nothing else.

A/N: ha yes hello i impulsively wrote this bcs my muse was so high all of a sudden and i have this monologue ready for it. listened to this playlist right here and wendy ft. john legend’s written in the stars <3 also, is this still a blurb ??

---

Sam had promised you he would clean around the house while you go on a fun little weekend with Sarah and the boys, wanting to give you more time to relax and be around his family; his lips churning up into a small yet giddy smile at the thought of the small velvet box hiding somewhere in your shared room that contained the necklace you’ve been eyeing whenever the two of you could go out.

He was half-way done with the things hidden in your work drawer when he came across a flash drive that had a label written on it called visual diary. His brows furrowed lightly as walked to his side of the office, opening his laptop and plugged it in, opening the files to see multiple videos titled with dates, the first one from all the way back in 2018.

Sam shifted in his seat, clicking on that certain video only to be greeted by your tear-stained face and bloodshot eyes, under eyes dark from the possible lack of sleep. His heart dropped at the distraught look on your face as you took a deep breath in before looking into the camera.

“hey sam, it’s me. it’s一 it’s been exactly five days since Nat called me about how you were one of the people who, unfortunately, got snapped into non-existence.”

The way you spoke caused goosebumps to form along his skin, realizing that these were probably videos you'd made five years ago, when the snap happened. Sam’s heart was shattered at how lost you looked from the other side of the screen, wanting nothing more than to cradle you in his arms.

“I’m with Sarah right now, she’s sleeping in her room with Aj and Cass. She’s been strong, but you can see the worry in her eyes一 she’s holding up much better than I am though. I’ve been such a mess, I can’t look into the mirror without seeing… feeling you beside me. I miss you.”

Sam stopped the video, his own tears starting to choke him upon seeing the state that you and his younger sister have been. He knew that it was hard, after seeing Sarah struggle with the family business and keeping things together; seeing you wake up at night with cold sweat glistening on your skin as you jolted up from yet another nightmare of him not coming back.

He wanted to stop from diving deep into the videos but his curiosity was stronger. He scrolled through some more videos, randomly clicking on one.

This time, Sam was greeted with a somewhat cheery you, out on the hill you first confessed your attraction to him一 the same night he admitted that he loves you more than a friend, where everything started between the both of you.

“hey there, handsome. i surely hope you can recognize where i’m at right now, if not, then i guess i’m kicking your ass.”

He chuckled, finding your humor amusing despite how lackluster your tone was as you spoke into the camera. Sam reached up to trace your features that were present on his screen, remembering every single feature of yours, engraving it into the forefront of his mind.

“today’s the day we’re supposed to celebrate our first anniversary, sammy. we should’ve been in hawaii by now, swimming with the fishes or explore the beauty of that island. instead, i’m here, in my car alone on the hill where we first admitted our feelings for each other.”

Sam didn’t fail to notice how you were trying your best to hold back your tears, taking note of how your tongue poked the inside of your cheek一 a habit he noticed you would do whenever fighting strong emotions一 and he whispered a small, “Don’t hold your tears back, sweetheart.” and as if you heard him, you let out a small chuckle.

“if you were here right now, i know you would say something like, “don’t bottle those tears up, beautiful” or something along those lines. i want you to know that i’m trying, sam. but it’s hard, it’s been five long months since you’ve been gone and i don’t know how long i can last without hearing you say you love me or your obnoxious laughter that would resonate through the house.”

“I love you, baby.” was all that left Sam’s lips, tongue jutting out to dampen his lips as he listened to you speak, mind blank as too many thoughts about what he wants to say to you as of the moment are too much.

“i’ve told the stars about your laughter. it’s niche and cliche, i know, but mom told me to tell them all about the people i treasure the most whenever i can’t tell others about them.”

“i told them about how beautiful you are一 about how scintillating your eyes are that they could battle even the brightest star in the sky tonight. i let my stars know about how amazing of a chef you are even though you almost burnt my old apartment’s kitchen down because you forgot about the cake you tried so hard to bake.”

Sam cringed at the memory, nose scrunching up in disbelief that he could forget such a simple task; he spent the night apologizing and all you ever did was smile and lean in to give him a kiss in hopes to shut him up.

“i told my stars about how brilliant you are一 how your words are so deep even with the shortest sentences, about how you can easily captivate me and a bunch of others with the stories that you speak… about how much love you have for me and for everyone you care for. it never ceases to amaze me how you can stand up and fight for the people that you love.”

At this point, Sam was already in tears as you shared about how you spoke about him. He adored how your eyes were filled with that well-known fondness you have whenever you speak about something you love.

As the video ended, Sam was left to look at the reflection of himself on the screen, staring at his reflection as your words echoed in his mind. He always listened to you ramble on about how everyone’s destiny was written somewhere in the skies, their lives aligned like the constellations that shined bright in the nighttime.

Normally, he would brush it off, skeptic to that belief but as he tuned into your stories, he can’t help but believe that in what you were saying. Sam was about to play another video when he heard the familiar jangle of your keys in the front door.

Sam pulled out of his chair and raced over there to meet you, immediately engulfing you in a tight hug before you could even close the door. “Hello, beautiful.” he softly greeted, pulling away to place a light kiss on your temple. “How was your weekend away with Sarah and the boys?”

You chuckled softly at the sudden affection he was giving, dropping your duffel bag on the floor to wrap your arms around his torso, feeling how relaxed he was against you. “It was great! Could’ve been better if you were there to be with us.” you answered, reaching up to peck his lips a few times, making the latter smile. “What’s with the affection? Did you break something, Samuel? Wait一 were you crying?”

He shook his head, adamant in admitting that he was, he lifted you up easily as he took you over to your shared office, sitting back down on his office chair with you in his lap as he showed you the compilation of the videos, “I… I found the flash drive while cleaning and I got a little too curious and decided to see what was on it and well, turns out I got a bit more than what I expected.”

“I was going to show them to you one day, Sam.” you admitted, making yourself comfortable as you snuggled up to him, his arms laced around you securely. “But I wanted to make it a bit more… special since this was a very vulnerable time for me.” the softness in your voice made him curl a single digit under your chin to make you look at him.

“I’m sorry that I left you alone for that long, baby girl.” Sam apologized, feeling incredibly guilty for leaving. Despite knowing it wasn’t his fault, he couldn’t bring himself to accept that you and his sister had to spend so many years without him. “I know you’ve told me multiple times that I shouldn’t say sorry, but I can’t help it. You’ve waited for so long.”

“And I’ll wait a million more if it meant I could be with you.” you cut him off, shifting slightly to make you face him completely. “You can go anywhere, anytime, for how long and I would wait for you to come back every single time. So please don’t feel guilty about it, love.” your hands holding the sides of his face as you start to pepper it with gentle kisses.

You smile at his peaceful expression, “My heart is in peace knowing that we’re written somewhere in the stars.” you say to him softly, squishing his cheeks in a playful manner, light laughter filling up the room.

Sam smiled, sealing the feather-like kisses with his lips on yours, capturing it for an intimate one that conveyed how much love he has for you, resting his forehead on yours right after. “You know that I love you, right Y/N?”

“I do and I love you so much more, Sam.”

---

TAGLIST: @https-bvcky @harrysweasleys @selenasprompts @weasleytwins-41 @anchoeritic @marvel-diaries @demirunner @barneswidow @lovecroftreads @punkrific @6r4cie @yougottalovefandoms @swiftssss

to those whose urls are in bold, i can't tag you for some reason. join my taglist! it's in my main main masterlist <3

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Life, 7/19/2024 Issue (No.14) ft. Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger Cast Members (translation below)

Publication: July 3, 2024

Iuchi Haruhi x Hayama Yuki x Suzuki Miu Saito Ryu x Soma Satoru x Miyazawa Yu

Iuchi: Sakito grew up in space, so there's something awkward about the way he keeps his distance from people.

Miyazawa: He basically acts by himself. That's why he doesn't spend much time together with everyone. He'll often go and help them out when they're in a tight spot though.

Iuchi: Still, it's amazing how Yu-kun's able to express his awkwardness so accurately. I'm sure this is how I'd be if I were in space my whole life and didn't know anything about Earth.

Suzuki: He's different. Mira's good at closing the distance between people, and yet even I felt overwhelmed, or rather overpowered by his intimidating presence.

Iuchi: That's why I've become much more motivated to do some muscle training. I'm sure there'll be alot of scenes of me standing next to Sakito from now on, so when that happens, I'm afraid I'm going to "lose" because of my appearance (laughs).

Hayama: He's a good stimulant, don't you think? For me, I'm glad to see Violet, a character closer to the color blue join us, as there's already so many bright, reddish colors in Boonboomger (laughs).

Saito: Black's the only one that's neither (laughs). Still, Sakito's cool just from a visual standpoint, isn't he? I've thought that way ever since I first saw the makeup artist doing his hair.

Miyazawa: Ryu and Miu-chan ran over to me and said, "What's Violet like?" (laughs).

Suzuki: We were like, "Oh~!"

Saito: That's right. We were like, "So cool!"

Miyazawa: Both of them said, "So cool!," but as I looked at them, all I could think of was, "They're so cute~" (laughs).

Saito: His purple extensions are nice too. Haruhi said, "Isn't that unfair?!" (laughs).

Iuchi: I wanna wear some too (laughs).

Soma: His character and appearance are both striking. In that sense, although their personalities are completely different, he and Genba may be similar in some ways. Also, for me personally, it was a weight off my shoulders when Zawa-kun (Miyazawa) became the oldest character (laughs).

Miyazawa: In my mind, Satoru's character is the oldest.

Soma: No, absolutely not, that's not possible (laughs).

Iuchi: Still, you two might be abit alike. They've consciously taken away the feeling of being our seniors and made it easy for us to talk with them. That's why they're more like having kind big brothers around.

Miyazawa: You guys just mess around with me though (laughs).

Suzuki: Zawa-kun's being teased the most now, isn't he? It used to be Satorun (Soma).

Soma: That's why I'm doing the teasing now.

Hayama: That's fun too, right?

Soma: It's fun. Zawa-kun takes care of "cleaning up" for us (laughs).

Miyazawa: I mean, all five of them are silly, aren't they? I was put into the group chat, but even there, they were just posting silly comments……multiple times. The next day I was like, "Someone say something in response!" (laughs).

Suzuki: Everyone's just doing whatever they want (laughs).

Hayama: Still, the atmosphere on set has become tense due to Zawa-kun. Everyone's trying not to lose to him.

Saito: I'm looking forward to the story from now on. How will Sakito interact with the other five? There's still alot we don't know about him as a character.

Miyazawa: I think it'll become more apparent in the future that he "has another side to him."

Iuchi: With the addition of Sakito, the relationships among the other five will probably change, and in a good way, we have no idea what the future holds, so I hope you'll continue to watch over us! _

Q: What's something you'd like to have the "Cleaner" resolve?

Iuchi: I'd like him to "clean up" the oil that accumulates in my stomach. I like yakiniku and ramen, and often go out to eat with everyone after filming. However, I'm weak with oil, and always get an upset stomach when I eat too much of it (laughs).

Hayama: Do you clean drains? I'm a cleanly person, so I clean my place atleast once a week. However, I tend to skip the areas that use water, only doing them about once a month…I'd like you to clean them on my behalf (laughs).

Suzuki: Mira's always showing her legs, so I'm working hard on muscle training every day. However, there are times where I just can't be bothered. I'd like you to take care of this "troublesome spirit of working out"!

Saito: I always fall asleep as soon as I get home. This is why I always put off cleaning…Some days it's clean, but on average it's pretty dirty, so I'd like you to clean my entire room (laughs).

Soma: Because of my thin chest, I want to build muscle. I like to move my body, but I'm the same as Miu-chan, and there are days where I'm not motivated to work out, so I'd like to have those feelings taken care of.

Miyazawa: I wish there was something I could do for all the things the five of them said (laughs). Speaking of, I was recently taken out to play futsal by Satoru. I've been wanting to go out and play it for a long time, so I was finally able to "clean up" that desire!

[ithinkilikeit-reactions]

My Top 15 Boygroup/Solo Songs (2021)

Remember guys, this is just my personal list.  Let me know what yours are! Love sharing music with eachother etc so let’s all just have fun. 

TOP 15 

1. Beautiful Beautiful - ONF (ONF:MY NAME) April 28th

This is truly no surprise. Anyone who has followed me for a little while knows the way I feel about ONF and their music. As far as ONF goes, this is their best title track yet. It’s fun, upbeat and encouraging. It’s such a hopeful song and something very needed in 2021. The acapella and harmonies throughout the song make it unique and have added to the reasons this is  my favorite songs/albums of 2021. The repackage as well is absolutely genius with songs that connect with eachother like The Realist and The Dreamer. Not to mention the fun pre-release My Name. I can’t imagine the next 1,5 years without new ONF music but I truly will be sad. 

2. Nerves - DPR Ian (Moodswings in This Order) March 12 

Not really Kpop but it’s here. DPR Ian made his long awaited solo debut and holy shit. This album is the most raw, emotional thing I have ever listened too. Every song on the album is so well done, but Nerves is probably my favorite. The raw emotion and the sound of Ian’s voice cracking at his words. It hits my soul. He’s also just so incredibly open with his mental issues and he really let his feelings out in this album. Not to mention the visuals with the album are stunning. Honourable mentions: Welcome to the show  Dope Lovers  Scaredy Cat  He said he’s working on another one and I can’t wait, like really can’t wait. 

3. Moonshot - N.Flying (Man on the Moon) June 7th 

I also don’t think this is a surprise. N.Flying finally got their first full album and I just think it took entirely too long for them to have one. But it totally didn’t disappoint. I have an emotional attachement to N.Flying and for them to release such an empowering song when I really needed it, meant alot. N.Flying always hit and their other song from this year Sober almost made this list, but I decided to put in Moonshot because it resonates a little more. Other songs on this album I recommend are: Comma,  Flashback  Blue Scene I even ordered both versions of this album to support them. I also recommend watching their process of recording this album, it gave a lot of perspective. 

4. 0x1=Lovesong - TXT (ft. Seori) (The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape) August 17th

Now, I only really got into TXT this year. It majorly has to do with their change in sound. I love the rock elements and the feeling this song gave me. It gave me goosebumps the first time I listened to it. Sadly, the rest of the album wasn’t for me but Lovesong made up for all of that. I listen to this song soooo often, I even enjoy the remix with pH-1 and Woodie Gochild it’s just sooooo good. I hope they keep up this sound, like they did LO$ER=LO♥ER. This music video is also my favorite of theirs, the colors, the found family feeling. Truly amazing. 

5. Paranoia - Kang Daniel (Yellow) February 16th 

Daniel is also an artist I got more into this year, mainly because of Paranoia. Paranoia was a great choice for pre-release and this song gave me goosebumps. The visuals with it, the hard work Daniel put into it, he deserves the recognition. The theme is so dark but so honest to how he feels and it just hits so hard. Not to mention the song is just so good and he looked absolutely stunning. I’m not above superficial reasons lmao. Antidote and Save U (ft. Wonstein) are other amazing songs on this album. 

6. Popping! - ONF (Summer Popup Album)  August 9th

Shouldn’t be surprised this is here either. ONF really outdid themselves this year. They worked so incredibly hard and this album shows it. They went through alot of trials this album as well but they worked through it and dropped my favorite summer song possibly ever. Summer Shape  Dry Ice  Summer Poem are amazing songs on this album, totally worth checking out. Please do, they worked so hard. I guarantee at least one song will make you smile. 

7. Hula Hoops (ft. Hwasa, Beenzino) - DPR Live (Iite Cool) July 23rd

DPR Live, sir where do I start. DPR dropped this album with the notion that they just wanted to have fun and have fun they did. This album is fun and lighthearted, just what everyone needed in this last year. The whole album is a fun party and the DPR crew worked so hard for this. Listen to this album for a fun time, I recommend: Yellow Cab  Summer Tights  Boom (ft. DPR Ian) All fun songs with totally different vibes. Music videos are perfect too. 

8. Cinema - CIX (`HELLO' Chapter Ø. Hello, Strange Dream) February 2nd

I’ve mentioned this song alot on my blog, Cinema feels like a warm hug. The best way I can describe this song is, going on your first date to the movies and being too shy to even look at eachother and going in for your very first kiss. Just such a wholesome song. I listen to it for comfort and watch CIX’s content for comfort as well. Stairway to heaven and Young are great songs on this album, I highly recommend. I also have gotten into CIX wayy more this year and to say I adore them is an understatement. 

9. Do or Not - Pentagon (Love or Take) March 15

Pentagon and their amazing songs. Look songs like this tickle that special part in my brain. Do or Not is the perfect song, it’s fun and colorful while not being overbaring. All members got their moment to shine and it’s just so good!!! 1+1 Sing-a-song and Baby I love you are great songs on the album. The album is also just so cute, the whole design of it even. Can’t wait for them to come back. 

10. Advice - Taemin (Advice) May 18 

It’s not a list without something SHINee related and low and behold here it is. The piano in Advice is really what does it for me, not to mention Taemin’s styling to be totally honest. I loved everything about this video. It’s the clean white background while he’s covered in paint and then the other way around. Sad Kids and If I could tell you (ft. Taeyeon) are beautiful songs that show Taemin’s artistry. 

11. Inside Out - Nu’est (Romanticize) April 19th

Nu’est have become one of my favorite groups of all time. I love that their songs are so lowkey and they aren’t in your face. They’re calm and relaxed and just very good like background music. I love Inside Out a lot as the concept really sat with me, not to mention the vocals and visuals that came into play. Not to mention every member got a solo this album: here is Aron’s because I’m so biased: I’m Not . Another good song on the album is Black. Shoutout to Aron for climbing into my ult list as well. 

12. Outsider - BtoB (4U: Outside) August 30th

BtoB had a comeback and I am the happiest person ever. Anyone who has followed me for a few years will know my connection to BtoB and I missed them. Outsider follows that jazzy vibe they’ve always had and emphasized it. Changsub and Eunkwang’s vocals are truly magical and the music video is so insanely fun. My baby Peniel absolutely dominated his rap, especially with the adlibs. Can’t Breathe and Traveler are my favorite b-sides.

13. Teardrop - SF9 (Turn Over) July 5

Runway song of the year, ass shaking music but make it high fashion. Not to mention the choreo. Icons and icons only, this being their comeback after Kingdom too. SF9 forever not getting the attention they deserve. Ughh I love them so much. Love Again, Believer and Off My Mind are amazing b-sides I highly recommend. I also recommend watching every Hwiyoung fancam of Teardrop that you can. You know  for clean skin. Here is a playlist where you can do that

14. All In - DKB (the dice is cast) March 30th

DKB, my sons. They dropped this absolute banger. It gives me old kpop, like 2013 - 2015. DKB are so well developed already, sound wise and choreography. They are so impeccable. I really loved watching them grow from their last comebacks. I hope that with Brave Girls’ recent success that people will check out their little brothers. Anyways, I recommend Flower Less and Real Love off of the album. Please show DKB a lot of love!

15. Atlantis - SHINee (Atlantis) April 12th

Okay it was a toss up between ‘Don’t call me’ and this, but I picked this because it gave me more the authentic SHINee sound. I loved the music video and all the fun little details in it. Also this isn’t a list without SHINee, it’s not valid if they aren’t on it. Body Rhythm, CØDE and Kiss Kiss  are my favorite songs on the album but Body Rhythm takes the cake, never have I heard a more wavy song. 

Favorite debuts

Kingdom ‘Excalibur’ February 17th

Kingdom really got me this year. Their music is absolutely impeccable, the boys are amazing, they’re concept is insane and I love it. I found them to be entirely unique even in dynamic and they have made one of my favorite songs of all time Night Air (Acoustic Version) I can’t wait to see where their concept takes them, because it’s just so interesting. 

Mirae ‘Killa’ March 17th

Mirae are another one of my favorite discoveries. DSP Media sucks, but their groups don’t. This song reminded me of NCT 127′s Superhuman and I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. The futuristic vibe to the video and everything also really tickled my pickle. Not to mention I also just adore their content on their channel, it’s just so fun and comforting. 

D.O ‘Rose’ July 26th 

Now, the long awaited solo debut of D.O. This was right up my alley, the acoustic guitars and the comforting lyrics just hit me in the feels. I’m so sad he didn’t promote. This album was also just impeccable and managed to make me absolutely sob my heart out to one specific song: Dad. I hope D.O has more solos in the future because I just adore his voice so much. 

[vibraniumphoenix]

my stars know about you. [ s.w ]

a sam wilson x fem!reader blurb wherein sam finds the old videos the reader has when he was snapped away.

WARNING: a bit of angst and tfatws spoilers for those who haven’t watched but aside from that, nothing else.

A/N: ha yes hello i impulsively wrote this bcs my muse was so high all of a sudden and i have this monologue ready for it. listened to this playlist right here and wendy ft. john legend’s written in the stars <3 also, is this still a blurb ??

updated a/n: BYE I FORGOT THAT I WROTE THIS AKDFNKFJN my heart is so soft hhhh

---

Sam had promised you he would clean around the house while you go on a fun little weekend with Sarah and the boys, wanting to give you more time to relax and be around his family; his lips churning up into a small yet giddy smile at the thought of the small velvet box hiding somewhere in your shared room that contained the necklace you’ve been eyeing whenever the two of you could go out.

He was half-way done with the things hidden in your work drawer when he came across a flash drive that had a label written on it called visual diary. His brows furrowed lightly as walked to his side of the office, opening his laptop and plugged it in, opening the files to see multiple videos titled with dates, the first one from all the way back in 2018.

Sam shifted in his seat, clicking on that certain video only to be greeted by your tear-stained face and bloodshot eyes, under eyes dark from the possible lack of sleep. His heart dropped at the distraught look on your face as you took a deep breath in before looking into the camera.

“hey sam, it’s me. it’s一 it’s been exactly five days since Nat called me about how you were one of the people who, unfortunately, got snapped into non-existence.”

The way you spoke caused goosebumps to form along his skin, realizing that these were probably videos you’d made five years ago, when the snap happened. Sam’s heart was shattered at how lost you looked from the other side of the screen, wanting nothing more than to cradle you in his arms.

“I’m with Sarah right now, she’s sleeping in her room with Aj and Cass. She’s been strong, but you can see the worry in her eyes一 she’s holding up much better than I am though. I’ve been such a mess, I can’t look into the mirror without seeing… feeling you beside me. I miss you.”

Sam stopped the video, his own tears starting to choke him upon seeing the state that you and his younger sister have been. He knew that it was hard, after seeing Sarah struggle with the family business and keeping things together; seeing you wake up at night with cold sweat glistening on your skin as you jolted up from yet another nightmare of him not coming back.

He wanted to stop from diving deep into the videos but his curiosity was stronger. He scrolled through some more videos, randomly clicking on one.

This time, Sam was greeted with a somewhat cheery you, out on the hill you first confessed your attraction to him一 the same night he admitted that he loves you more than a friend, where everything started between the both of you.

“hey there, handsome. i surely hope you can recognize where i’m at right now, if not, then i guess i’m kicking your ass.”

He chuckled, finding your humor amusing despite how lackluster your tone was as you spoke into the camera. Sam reached up to trace your features that were present on his screen, remembering every single feature of yours, engraving it into the forefront of his mind.

“today’s the day we’re supposed to celebrate our first anniversary, sammy. we should’ve been in hawaii by now, swimming with the fishes or explore the beauty of that island. instead, i’m here, in my car alone on the hill where we first admitted our feelings for each other.”

Sam didn’t fail to notice how you were trying your best to hold back your tears, taking note of how your tongue poked the inside of your cheek一 a habit he noticed you would do whenever fighting strong emotions一 and he whispered a small, “Don’t hold your tears back, sweetheart.” and as if you heard him, you let out a small chuckle.

“if you were here right now, i know you would say something like, “don’t bottle those tears up, beautiful” or something along those lines. i want you to know that i’m trying, sam. but it’s hard, it’s been five long months since you’ve been gone and i don’t know how long i can last without hearing you say you love me or your obnoxious laughter that would resonate through the house.”

“I love you, baby.” was all that left Sam’s lips, tongue jutting out to dampen his lips as he listened to you speak, mind blank as too many thoughts about what he wants to say to you as of the moment are too much.

“i’ve told the stars about your laughter. it’s niche and cliche, i know, but mom told me to tell them all about the people i treasure the most whenever i can’t tell others about them.”

“i told them about how beautiful you are一 about how scintillating your eyes are that they could battle even the brightest star in the sky tonight. i let my stars know about how amazing of a chef you are even though you almost burnt my old apartment’s kitchen down because you forgot about the cake you tried so hard to bake.”

Sam cringed at the memory, nose scrunching up in disbelief that he could forget such a simple task; he spent the night apologizing and all you ever did was smile and lean in to give him a kiss in hopes to shut him up.

“i told my stars about how brilliant you are一 how your words are so deep even with the shortest sentences, about how you can easily captivate me and a bunch of others with the stories that you speak… about how much love you have for me and for everyone you care for. it never ceases to amaze me how you can stand up and fight for the people that you love.”

At this point, Sam was already in tears as you shared about how you spoke about him. He adored how your eyes were filled with that well-known fondness you have whenever you speak about something you love.

As the video ended, Sam was left to look at the reflection of himself on the screen, staring at his reflection as your words echoed in his mind. He always listened to you ramble on about how everyone’s destiny was written somewhere in the skies, their lives aligned like the constellations that shined bright in the nighttime.

Normally, he would brush it off, skeptic to that belief but as he tuned into your stories, he can’t help but believe that in what you were saying. Sam was about to play another video when he heard the familiar jangle of your keys in the front door.

Sam pulled out of his chair and raced over there to meet you, immediately engulfing you in a tight hug before you could even close the door. “Hello, beautiful.” he softly greeted, pulling away to place a light kiss on your temple. “How was your weekend away with Sarah and the boys?”

You chuckled softly at the sudden affection he was giving, dropping your duffel bag on the floor to wrap your arms around his torso, feeling how relaxed he was against you. “It was great! Could’ve been better if you were there to be with us.” you answered, reaching up to peck his lips a few times, making the latter smile. “What’s with the affection? Did you break something, Samuel? Wait一 were you crying?”

He shook his head, adamant in admitting that he was, he lifted you up easily as he took you over to your shared office, sitting back down on his office chair with you in his lap as he showed you the compilation of the videos, “I… I found the flash drive while cleaning and I got a little too curious and decided to see what was on it and well, turns out I got a bit more than what I expected.”

“I was going to show them to you one day, Sam.” you admitted, making yourself comfortable as you snuggled up to him, his arms laced around you securely. “But I wanted to make it a bit more… special since this was a very vulnerable time for me.” the softness in your voice made him curl a single digit under your chin to make you look at him.

“I’m sorry that I left you alone for that long, baby girl.” Sam apologized, feeling incredibly guilty for leaving. Despite knowing it wasn’t his fault, he couldn’t bring himself to accept that you and his sister had to spend so many years without him. “I know you’ve told me multiple times that I shouldn’t say sorry, but I can’t help it. You’ve waited for so long.”

“And I’ll wait a million more if it meant I could be with you.” you cut him off, shifting slightly to make you face him completely. “You can go anywhere, anytime, for how long and I would wait for you to come back every single time. So please don’t feel guilty about it, love.” your hands holding the sides of his face as you start to pepper it with gentle kisses.

You smile at his peaceful expression, “My heart is in peace knowing that we’re written somewhere in the stars.” you say to him softly, squishing his cheeks in a playful manner, light laughter filling up the room.

Sam smiled, sealing the feather-like kisses with his lips on yours, capturing it for an intimate one that conveyed how much love he has for you, resting his forehead on yours right after. “You know that I love you, right Y/N?”

“I do and I love you so much more, Sam.”

---

[pickedproducttblr-blog]

7 best cheap golf simulators Under $1000 in 2021 – [Tested]

The golfer would love to have their own golf simulator setup, but unfortunately many aren’t able to afford mid-range simulators because the mid-range simulator price near about $5000. On the other hand, many golfers want to practice day or night but aren’t willing to pay more than $1000.

If you belong in this category then this article suits you. However, as golf simulator technology has advanced, very cheap solutions have appeared in the market.

There are some cheapest golf simulators available in the market to help you improve or enjoy golf in this COVID-19 situation, and in this article, I’ll review and compare our picks for the best golf simulator for under $1000 and some even are less than $500 bucks.

Things you should keep in mind before choosing best cheap golf simulators

Before we go further, you ought to understand that you'll get a limited experience with these sorts of cheap golf simulators. Some devices measures some shot data, simulation software, and maybe a net or mat, but not much more than this. Detailed shot data and more extra features you will get on a high-budgets simulator like SkyTark Golf Simulator, Trackman Golf, etc. But you don’t get advanced features on the cheap golf simulators. However, you’ll still get good experience and these cheap golf simulators can get your job done in terms of improving your game. We have tested all of those simulator setups. Some offer fewer features than others, but all of them give an exceptional home/outdoor golf simulators experience for the cost.

1. OptiShot 2 Golf Simulator for Home | Golf in A Box Series

Key Features:

Expanding library with 15 world-class golf courses.

Ability to play up to 4 players.

3D realistic environment.

Hit all shots from tee to hole.

Play with your own setup.

Practice shots from anywhere on the course.

Size: 1.5M long x 1.2M wide

High-quality dense foam and turf

Lightweight, easy to store, and has firm foam-based.

What’s Included:

Golf Simulation Software by Dancin’ Dogg

Infrared Optical Golf Simulator Swing Pad

OptiShot Practice Net.

OptiShot Hitting Mat

USB Cable, 10 feet long.

2 foam practice balls.

2 adjustable rubber tees.

Pros

Best visuals and course options

Training academy adds to the practice options

Only true studio system under $1000.

Comes as a package box and just plug it in and play

Swing stats with distance, speed, path, and clubface angle

Play online against other golfers

Cons

Doesn’t track actual ball flight, so you can miss launch angle

Graphics aren’t as good as other simulator sets

2. Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor for Golf Indoor and Outdoor

Key Features:

Professional-level accuracy: Distance accuracy is within 2.5% similar to Trackman, which is more than $30,000.

Set up within the 30s — Simply open the app, connect to your device via Bluetooth and start playing.

The instant real-time video feedback comes with a shot trace and data overlay which makes it easier to understand cause and effect.

Access your history to view averages, trajectory, dispersion, and standard deviation for each of your clubs.

Gps satellite view.

You can use it at home and outdoor also.

Pros

Very cheap price, under $500.

High quality and accurate

Whatever you needed, included in the box.

Can use your own sets

100% portability

Cons

Only compatible with ios(iPhone, iPad) devices.

Need a computer for a permanent home setup.

3. Rapsodo R-Motion and The Golf Club Simulator and Swing Analyzer

Key Features:

Play real rounds of golf with your friends by attaching your own clubs.

15 top courses included.

Incredibly accurate club and ball data.

Runs on your PC — no launch monitor or projector needed. 4 hours long battery life.

Extremely easy to use — just provide your own mat and net and start playing!

Play any time, no matter the weather.

What’s Included:

1 sensor

Clip

USB dongle

Charging cord

Pros

The incredible accuracy of the simulator

High-quality graphics

Software quality is also good

Cons

Don’t support Mac

Some users failed to connect to PC

4. FlightScope Mevo — Portable Personal Launch Monitor for Golf

Key Features:

You can use it at home, on the driving range, or even on the course.

MEASURE: It provides accurate real-time performance data to help you train and improve with every club in the bag.

EVALUATE Data parameters that include carrying distance, clubhead speed, ball speed, smash factor, vertical launch angle, spin, apex height, and flight time.

Automatically capture data and video on your mobile device.

Save and compare data over time to trace your progress.

Your videos and data are captured and stored automatically, allowing you to review each session, share together with your coach, and analyze your progress over time.

Real-Time Performance Data includes:

Carry distance

Clubhead speed

Ball speed

Spin rate

Launch angle

Smash factor

Apex height

Flight time

Pros

Very affordable

Usable on all OS

Truly portable system, using GPS for swing data analysis

A small device fits in your pocket or golf bag.

Cons

Accuracy can be affected sometimes by monitor placement.

Metallic stickers must be attached to every ball hit, which can take time

5. tittle X Home Golf Simulator 2021

Key Features:

The best home cheapest golf simulator has E6 Connect with 4K ultra-high definition.

Provides real screen golf experiences in various practice modes.

An impressive reaction rate of 0.1 sec provides no delay in data transfer.

The smart stick offers the ability to play golf at home.

Up to 8 people can play golf with this simulator.

Title X home simulator analyzes your swing with a fancy designed lightweight sensor.

What’s Included:

Title X Device

Swing Stick

E6 Connect Product Key

Charger Cable and Manual

Multi Clip and Bands

Fixed 4 Clips

Pros

Simple design, easy to use

12 courses included with purchase

Instant, live feedback on every swing.

Cons

Without a computer, you can analyze data

6. Phigolf Mobile and Home Smart Golf Game Simulator

Key Features:

Connect the app to your TV and immerse yourself in realistic golf courses available fully HD.

Enjoy a round of golf without the necessity for extra setup. Use the swing trainer included within the Phigolf WGT Edition and begin playing without nets or balls.

With the swing trainer measuring only 2 ft, Phigolf WGT Edition allows you to enjoy golf in your own front room.

Bad weather won’t stop you from having fun. Play golf anytime, anywhere; challenge your friends online — all at the comfort of your house.

What’s Included:

Game Simulator

Swing Stick

Pros

Realistic

Can play in your home

Has multiple practice options

Really cheap

Cons

Doesn’t allow the use of real clubs or balls

Can only be used indoors and not on range or course

7. Matro Home Screen Golf Practice and Playing Simulator Tmax Swing Baro

Key Features:

You can play golf at your home or office or wherever together with your loved ones at any time.

Courses and Ranges Are ahead of You — This amazing unit can bring the golf courses and driving ranges into your home or office, wherever you’re in by TV connection.

Easy reference to TV and Just Play Golf — Connect main body with TV by HDMI cable and just play golf, no need internet or computer.

Perfect Equipment for The Novice and Experienced Golfer — it’s great to play and practice golf for both the novice and therefore the experienced golfer.

What’s Included:

Playing Simulator Tmax Swing Baro

Sensor, sensor clip

Practice stick

Pros

Multi-functional

Usable at home

Very easy to set-up

Affordable

Cons

Doesn’t allow the use of real clubs or balls

Can’t be used on range or course

Conclusion

Golf simulators became a lot more accessible and affordable over the past decade, and this suggests more golfers than ever before are ready to have their own personal setup.

Even a cheap golf simulator is often a huge boon to your golf toolkit. Finding a simulator package that may meet your needs is certainly possible with some research.

Each of the simulator options reviewed above offers excellent value for the price. We’ve given you the information you would like to create a decision; now it’s up to you to go the remainder of the way.

While it’s likely that no golf simulator setup will tick all of your boxes, some will come pretty near to doing so. If you wish for an excellent better experience, consider increasing your budget.

We highly recommend reading consumer and professional reviews of golf simulators to accumulate useful insights on how they really perform. this can assist you a lot within the decision-making process.

FAQ

What type of computer do I need? Can it be used on a Mac/iPhone/iPad?

Each system will have its own list of minimum system requirements. generally, though, you’ll need Windows 7 or later, 4gig of RAM, and a minimum of 1gig of disk drive space. an honest graphics card is going to be required to point out the courses in high definition, and you’ll need a powerful processor just like the Intel i5 or newer. Most of the listed systems here will work on Mac also as Windows PCs. However, you ought to double-check with the manufacturer before making a sale.

Will, I should buy these golf simulators?

No. Each listed simulator comes with everything you want to have to play, with the exception of mobile apps and computers. Of course, you’ll also need your own golf clubs to play, and you’ll always prefer to purchase more courses.

[sofee-d]

Memorable Birthday

Short Summary: Surprising your boyfriend on his birthday in a way he never expected.

Genre: Romance, fluff

Pairing: Lee Taeyong (NCT) x Fem!Reader ft. Mark & Johnny

Warnings: None tbh, fluff, lots of fluff, mentions of slight smutty content but pretty PG.

Key Words: Romantic dinner, friends to lovers, stable relationship, birthday surprise, silly & easy-going relationship, serious talk, confession, heart-warming

Word Count: 2758

࿏

It had been almost 5 months that you started dating Taeyong. You started off as friends and it took a while for both of you to come to terms with your feelings for one another and act on it. It was Taeyong who acted on it first. He ended up kissing you abruptly one day when you were helping him study English in your apartment. It was apparently Johnny’s idea, you found out later on. After pining after you for so long Taeyong decided to take matters into his own hands and follow Johnny’s advice to ‘’Just kiss her man.’’.

After that day the rest was history. Your inital worries about your friendship turning into a relationship were short lived because Taeyong was incredibly good to you as a boyfriend. He would text you constantly despite his hectic schedule and try to come and see you whenever he could. You expected things to be much worse. Like not being able to meet up often or even at all, but you could see how much he was putting in effort to be with you and it was so heart warming.

It was sometimes late night movie dates at your apatment, because he missed you in the middle of the night and he didn’t have an early schedule the day after so he would come over with a bunch of snacks with a goofy grin on his face and you would just enjoy each others company the whole night. Other times it would be him inviting you to the dorm, successfully being able to kick Johnny, Haechan and Doyoung to the 10th floor for a few hours because he wanted to treat you to a nice dinner he cooked for you. You would have to stop him when he got carried away though, not being able to get enough of your kisses. Those dates would mostly end with the both of you back at your apartment, limbs being all tangled up in the entry almost not being able to wait until you get to the bedroom.

You honestly felt like you couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend. You weren’t too different personality wise so when you had small disagreements or misunderstandings sometimes they were easy to fix as communicating with Taeyong was such a breeze, he was so caring and understanding. It had been amazing being with him for almost 5 months, even though neither of you uttered the big 3 words yet. You felt it through his actions and you tried your best to show it through your actions as well, it wasn’t that necessary to say it out loud.

Since you felt like Taeyong was the one taking care of you most of the time you decided to put in the extra effort to do something special for his birthday coming up. But there was one tiny problem. What kind of present were you supposed to get for your rich celebrity boyfriend? He could possess almost anything he wanted. So you started thinking about something different. Your aim was to totally surprise him and give him something unique. The idea that popped in your mind just 3 weeks before Taeyong’s birthday was singing to him. You weren’t one to keep secrets from each other however one thing you sucessfully managed to hide from him was your singing ability. At first you didn’t really mean to hide it, you were just shy and thought that you would never compare to your boyfriend who is a well known musical artist. So you kept it to yourself for a while and asked Mark and Johhny to keep their mouths shut for good measure. 

Actually your plan was not only just singing to him but singing to him while also playing the guitar. There was one problem in this scenario too however, you had no idea how to play the guitar. You learned some chords way back when you were younger, but you didn’t remember anything. So you dediced to get help from an expert, of course it was none other than your best friend Mark. When you came to him with this idea suddenly demanding him to teach you how to play the guitar in just 3 weeks, to say he was shocked would be an understatement. Though not guaranteeing you’d be able to play the song you picked properly in just 3 weeks, he agreed to help regardless, not being able to refuse favors coming from you.

The 3 weeks of learning the guitar with Mark and then practicing almost everyday at home was tough, not to mention you had to sneak around to keep Taeyong from finding out. Of course there was also Johnny and his big mouth too. But he actually managed to keep it a secret for longer than you thought, even helping you by making up excuses when Taeyong would get suspicious sometimes. Though it was challenging, the results were decent. You could play the first verse, the chorus and the bridge of the song you choose just fine, while also singing along. Mark was impressed how much you learned in such a short span of time and kept hyping you up to build your confidence while Taeyong’s birthday was getting closer.

When it was finally the day before Taeyong’s birthday, thankfully it fell on a Saturday and he typically didn’t have schedule on the weekends. All your plans were ready, for Friday night you planned a small dinner at your place with just the two of you, even attempting to make him a cake. Although it didn’t turn out too well visually, it still tasted good so you hoped he would like it. At exactly 12:00 AM it would be July 1st and you would take out Mark’s guitar from the place you hid it and sing him the song you had been practicing non-stop for the past 3 weeks. For Satuday, on his actual birthday you planned to have a picnic by a lake nearby during the day and celebrate at the dorm with the boys at night.

Your heart started thundering in your chest when you finally heard your door bell ring. He was finally here. You checked the table you put together one last time and made sure everything looked perfect, not forgetting to check yourself out in the entryway mirror and adjusting the blush colored silk dress that complimented your figure perfectly too. When you finally opened the door you found your boyfriend looking very handsome in a white dress shirt and his favorite jeans. He even styled his hair, matching the semi-formal occasion when you only asked him to have dinner at your place.

His eyes danced on your figure from head to toe immediately bringing a smile to his face as he said;

‘‘Wow babe! You look incredible. What’s the occasion?’‘ laughing a little slightly by the end.

Eyeing him disapprovingly you replied; ‘‘Well, I don’t know. You tell me Mr. Lee.’’

‘’You don’t look too shabby yourself’‘ you continued, letting out a giggle.

He gently grabbed your your right hand and made you spin around.

‘‘I don’t know what I did to deserve this...’‘ he said still not being able to take his eyes off of you while smiling sheepishly.

You replied by locking your lips to his. There was a slight urgency hidden in the kiss, not being able to meet up with him properly for the past 3 weeks made you miss him so much. You could tell that he missed you too when he wasted no time to grab your waist to pull you closer and deepening the kiss. You pulled away a little bit sooner than he would like and even though you didn’t want to and said;

‘‘Taeyong... We should have dinner first. And I have a surprise for you.’‘

After giving you a one last peck he replied while looking deeply in your eyes;

‘‘I know, I know. I just can’t help myself. I guess I missed you too much...’‘ 

‘‘I know baby. I missed you too. But it’s dinner time now. Come on.’‘ you cooed while pulling him to the living room.

His eyes landed on the dinner table you put together and he let out a small gasp while his hands going towards his mouth.

‘‘Did you make all this for me?’‘ he was examining the different dishes you cooked for him that he loved.

‘‘To be completely honest, I don’t think I can get anywhere near you when it comes to cooking. But I still hope you like them. If you don’t you don’t have to finish.’‘ you said getting a bit self conscious.

Because you weren’t really much of a cook. Taeyong was the one who cooked for you all the time. And the times he didn’t cook you just ordered delivery food. But since this was a special occasion you tried your best to cook some of his favorite dishes. 

Sensing your confidence faltering Taeyong quickly replied;

‘‘Of course I will love them. You made them for me after all. I will finish them all.’’ giving you a warm back hug and kissing your cheek.

One of the many reasons you loved Taeyong was his incredibly loving, supportive nature. Even if the food you cooked was terrible (which it wasn’t but) he would still try to finish it all with a smile on his face. And most likely the next time you attempted to cook he would teach you.

Taeyong enjoyed the dinner you cooked for him more than you expected. Even throwing a few compliments here and there and talking about how spoiled he feels. But as the dinner was slowly coming to an end you started getting more and more nervous about your little suprise. Clearing the plates on the table together and making room for the cake, it was then time to light the candles as it was almost 12 AM. Taeyong looked really happy seeing you even went the extra lengths to bake him a cake. You caught your hand holding the lighter trembling a little bit as all you could think about was the small performance you had been preparing for the past few weeks. Taeyong got the lighter from your trembling hand and looked at you with concerned eyes;

‘‘Babe, are you ok?’‘

‘‘Yeah I’m fine, let’s light the candles.’‘ you quickly replied back pretending to be ok.

He didn’t question you more while he finished lighting the candles. As the clock hit 12 AM you cheered;

‘‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!’‘

You could see the way his face lit up by the way he was gazing at you. Even though you told him to make a wish he shook his head and said;

‘‘I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday and a better girlfriend. What else can I wish for? I got everything I want right here.’‘ with his signature smile that made you melt.

You couldn’t help but smile back fondly at him as he blew his candles. Taeyong surprisingly enjoyed the cake too, asking you some questions about how you made it. But you could only think of the chords in your head, starting to get stressed like what if you made a mistake? You worked so hard to get it perfect, it would be a shame if you made a mistake while trying to do something nice for your boyfriend. The moment you dreaded finally came when Taeyong finished his cake and took his plate to put it into the dishwasher.

When he was in the kitchen you quickly took out the guitar you managed to conceal behind the couch by the very corner. Taeyong did a double take when he saw you with a guitar standing in the middle of the living room when he came back. His expression was a mixture of confusion and fascination.

‘‘Taeyong, this is my present to you.’‘ you said with a small voice, your nerves getting the better of you.

Closing your eyes, you started playing like the way Mark taught you. When the verse started, all of your nervousness from before faded away and your eyes fluttered open as you sang along. Just from the first few words you sang you could see how blown away Taeyong was. You gained even more confidence by seeing him just staring at you with an amazed grin on his face, like he was finding it hard to believe. When you got to the bridge, you deemed it the killing part because you were putting in more power to certain words and singing a bit higher, with more emotion. Taeyong continued watching you slightly dazed. When you finally finished, you stared at each other for a moment that seemed longer than it was. As if both of you were finding it hard to process what just happened. It was Taeyong who was quick to close the distance between you two and his lips were even quicker to meet yours.

Pulling back from the kiss he said;

‘‘Y/N I had no idea you could sing! This is crazy! How did I not know how talented you are!’‘ excitement and amazement was evident on his face.

‘‘Because I kinda hid it from you...’‘ you replied averting your eyes a bit.

‘‘You’re a real musician you know. And I only sing a little bit. I’m a total amateur.’‘ you continued.

He gave you a disapproving look and said; ‘’Nonsense. It was pretty amazing what you just did now. I think you are very talented. You can even play the guitar!’‘ he exclaimed.

‘’Well about that... I actually don’t know how to play the guitar... I’ve just been learning to play this one song for you for the past 3 weeks.’’ you admitted.

Eyes getting bigger once again he said; ‘’What? You mean you learned to play like this in only 3 weeks? And you learned it to sing to me?’’ smiling from ear to ear by the end of his sentence.

‘‘Yes, I learned it because I wanted to make you feel special for once.’‘ you replied back mirroring his smile.

Taeyong responded by tilting your chin up and connected his lips with yours. He was kissing you more passionately this time. Almost in a way to convey how you were making him feel. As the kiss got deeper by the minute he pulled back slowly to look deeply in your eyes.

‘‘I love you Y/N.’‘ he let out the breath he didn’t even realize he was holding and continued;

‘‘I haven’t said it until now because I didn’t want to burden you. I was worried of scaring you off. I thought you’d find it too early and the heaviness of those three words would ruin the playful, light-hearted connection we have going on. But I was wrong.’‘

‘‘I tried to show it through actions and thought it was enough. But right now, I realized it’s not enough. I am totally and utterly in love with you. So you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.’‘ he concluded with a laugh.

Watching your boyfriend pouring his heart out to you with an intense passionate gaze was urging you to do the same.

‘‘Good. Because I’m totally and utterly in love with you too Lee Taeyong.’‘ you confessed chuckling a little, while holding him.

‘‘You know you raised the bar on the birthday surprises way higher now right?’‘ he said with a smirk, earning a light punch on his arm from you.

‘‘Maybe next year you could dance for me. I bet you’re good at dancing too.’‘ he suggested, expression turning devilish.

‘‘I’m not... But you can always teach me.’‘ you responded with a challenging smirk.

‘‘Right now, the only dance I want to do is the Devils Tango.’’ he said with a proud expression.

‘‘Taeyong! Oh my god, where did you learn that?’‘ you started laughing because it was ridiculous.

‘‘Come on Y/N you gotta admit it was kinda smooth. Doesn’t that mean se-’‘ he was about to say but you interrupted him by saying;

‘‘You won’t get any if you don’t stop talking about it like that though.’‘ trying to hide your laugh by turning back and walking away.

But your fake push & pull game was cut short when you suddenly found yourself in Taeyong’s arms being carried princess style.

‘‘I don’t think I can wait anymore.’‘ he said in urgency, lust evident in his eyes while carrying you to the bedroom.

Taeyong’s 25th birthday would surely be a time you would both remember.

[i-am-just-a-kiddo]

As usual, thank you @vishcount for letting me do this as well!! ❤ I always love talking about my music. I tried to narrow it down to songs that I’ve added to my playlist(s) in the past 2-3 months. 

Rules: spell out your url with song titles, then tag as many people as there are letters in your url

Am breaking the rule and not tagging that many people, but only my usual suspects: @cortue, @the-cloud-whisperer, @intyalote, @isabellaofparma, @sassyassassy, @not-saying-revolution-but - no pressure to anyone, I just thought maybe someone wants to share their music as well (which I’d be happy about)!

I continue under the cut:

I mmortale by Måneskin

I’ve noticed that I prefer  Måneskin’s slower songs but they sure have a few bangers. This is one of them, I’ve only recently added it to my playlist and I’m lowkey obsessed? 

A dvice  by Taemin

am absolutely obsessed with this one? Taemin never disappoints but with this one I felt like it was sepcifically tailored for me for some reason. I love the manic dark energy of this, but at the same time it’s a chill enough song to just listen to on a daily basis? a masterpiece

M askhara  بشار مراد مسخرة  by Bashar Murad

This is the mood for summer tbh. Depressed but funky? Let’s make the best of it. I absolutely adore his voice and I sincerely hope he’ll release more songs because I need them to live. Am also very much into his political and queer themes, so I dearly recommend for everyone to check him out!

J 'ai demandé à la lune ft. Louis-Étienne Santais by Ghostly Kisses

I’ve always adored Ghostly Kisses and her voice is so stunning? French fits her quite well. I think I even added this to my wkx character playlist? we love a multifacetted man. 

U nderneath The Mask by Royal & The Serpent

Another one from my Wen Kexing character playlist - i think this is kind of self-explanatory? This song is amazing with headphones and high volume. I’m always very much into songs that capture wkx’s valley master energy. 

S un Goes Down by Lil Nas X

while Montero/CMBYN was absolutely iconic, this song just made me bawl my eyes out? it’s so lovely and I wish it was longer. somehow he managed to captured this queer coming of age feeling perfectly and i’m very much sensitive to that. bless his soul ❤

T orna a casa by Måneskin

along with Vent’anni, this is my favourite song of theirs. I could listen to this on loop (which I do) and I never grow tired of it? The way the song steadily builds up and reaches this peak near the end is absolutely amazing. This also sort of became an inspiration for my Wen Kexing and Gu Xiang fic? The lyrics somehow speak for them, it’s so sad and tender and wow, I want to bury myself in this song. 

A Different Kind of Love by Son Lux

Son Lux are artists I never grow tired of and their recent releases have been amazing as usual. This too, made it on my wkx character playlist - as you see I’m putting a lot of songs here that are on there. Son Lux does that haunting atmopshere so perfectly and I think wkx’s fragile view of love fits right into this.

K in by CLANN

Until recently, CLANN was an artist that I had exclusively listened to while writing a little mermaid AU two (?) years ago - especially their album Unseelie was perfect for the vibes I needed. Howevery recently I’ve listened to the album Kin Fables while writing and I’m very happy I rediscovered them. I dearly recommend to simply put on their albums and listen to them in one go, it’s a magical experience.

I ntrovert by Little Simz

I know a few songs by her and she is so damn cool, I really want to get into her music properly at some point. All I’ve heard so far is exactly my taste and I realised that I don’t listen to much rap by female artists which I want to change. Gosh this song is just so powerful. 

D eath No More / Смерти Больше Нет by IC3PEAK

I dig IC3PEAK so much, truly one of the best gems I’ve discovered in the past few times. Absolutely adore the combination of visual and musical medium, which makes a stunning art piece? Also their creepy vibes fit to my wkx playlist once again. I remember finding them on youtube and just going through all their videos, it’s just so good. 

D im by SYML

Am stilll so grateful that dear Vishie showed me SYML back then because they quickly turned out to be one of my fave artists? Every song is so wonderful sigh. And yes, this too, is on my wkx playlist and I’m incredibly happy about it. the lyrics just scream for it, tell me I’m wrong

O rgel오르골  by SHINee

recently I’ve been in my SHINee mood again and rediscovered this song for me. I think The Misconception of Us is one of my favourite albums of theirs and Orgel is just so groovy? Am obsessed with the instrumentals and their voices playing off them. Idk mate, am just SHINee trash

thank you again! gosh this was fun but I noticed that I barely had time to discover new music in the past months which is so sad. I’ve only been relistening to artists on loop like Brockhampton, Gazzelle, Tamino and Shinee, but I’ve barely added new? Am surprised however that Sevdaliza, The Dumplings and BEWHY are msising from this list because I’ve discovered those some time ago.