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crystaljellie · 2 months

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I honestly think that there are so many interesting songs that fit the life series characters so well, so I’m going to talk about them here and explain why I associate them with these songs!

Bdubs - Never love an anchor by the crane wives

"With this heart of mine that's guilty, not remorseful" | It's guilty because Bdubs feels bad, he feels bad he couldn't achieve what he should. He feels bad that he killed Impulse in third life, betrayed him, and even then it got him nothing. He's guilty because he knows the harm he's caused

"There is love that doesn't have a place to rest, but it would burry you if it had settled on your shoulders" | I notice that Bdubs has a lot of trust and faith in his companies, something about this brings back the 'He loves me' scene from last life back. Bdubs loves a lot more than people seem to think he does, so he must hold it back in case of that love being used against him

"I am selfish, I am broken, I am cruel" | Maybe things that Bdubs wants to be, for the sake of letting go and letting himself detach from these people so losing them doesn't hurt as much. Letting other people label him as such

BigB - Know How by the Crane wives

"I am not brave; I keep my focus on what is safe," | I think this is fitting to BigB even if it's not necessarily true; I think from his perspective how he feels, ignoring how he is actually very brave. But at the same time he does keep his focus on what is safe, there's a reason why he always makes it to the final or session before the final.

"Just because I know what I'm supposed to do now, doesn't mean I know how" (Edited line to be shorter) | I'm not sure how to explain this but I do think it really fits him, he knows all the things he's meant to do, to survive, for example killing with the boogeymancurse, but he dragged it out till the very very end before he killed Cleo in last life, because he didn't know how he was supposed to do it.

Etho - I don’t know anyone I am by Salvia Palth

"I don't know anyone, I am in relation to anyone I guess" | Etho has always been seen as a loner throughout all seasons, he doesn't very much get the time to make meaningful bonds or understand his teammates. It makes sense he would struggle to see himself as more than just a survivor as well, he hasn't given himself the time to focus on anything else.

Scar - Icicles by The Scary Jokes

"Their shallow observations will only stall the transformation" | This is very secret life scar to me, maybe something something the watchers talking to him, everyone forcing the title of villain onto him, yet the watchers see him as a gift to them, as a victor and they're trying to make sure Scar keeps doing what he has been and not back out because they're calling him 'villain'

"But I admit it would be easier, To be relieved of all this shame and not have to wear it on my sleeve." | This fits Scar's feelings on the matter, not wanting to go forward, not wanting to be shamed and outcast by the rest of the lifers.

"I can only be forgiven if I'm giving myself up to you" | Secret life in general but also back in 3rd life, Scar believing he can only make up for killing Grian at the end by having Grian kill him, something something 'slay me and take the enchanter'

"My world has turned so cold, but I won't cry, 'cause icicles don't soften when they die so why should I" | Despite Scar being constantly alone, he stayed strong he never 'softened' or cried he also became cold which is why he won.

Grian - Bird Song by Florence + The Machine

"And he sang about what I'd become" | How Grian had slowly lost his mind in third life as well as all the other games, how Grian had became someone obsessed with getting kills, going out of his way to trick and trap people and find loopholes to kill

"I picked up the bird and above the den I said 'That's the last song you'll ever sing" | Grian doesn't want to think that he might be a bad person, or he might be going crazy, so he has to silence anyone saying otherwise, anyone that might prove a danger to him. Maybe because he can't let the watchers get word that he's exactly who they say he his. Maybe even so this is relating to the theory that he might have been the one to curse Jimmy.

Impulse - A Mask of My Own Face by Nature Tapes

Okay now hear me out on this one, Impulse is constantly in and out of alliances especially in third life, lying to everyone to gain vantage.

"And none of them would know that I am secretly myself" | Because they trust that Impulse is putting on a facade all the time, but maybe what they are missing is that the facade is what he considers to be him. Or at the very least keeps him safer

"I'd blame it on the person that nobody knows I am" | Something about him always being like 'Oh I did this so they'd trust me more I'm still on your side I promise' Or 'I did this for the task!' When he could have absolutely targeted anyone else.

Martyn - Metaphors by The Crane wives

"I've gotten good at living on someone elses page" | It's the way Martyn is always deceiving and always planning to betray, living on someone else's page, being content and loyal until he has the chance not to be.

"You can't trust a single thing I say" | Idk something about him talking about how he was planning to betray Ren in third life.

"Don't look too hard cause you won't like the scars he left in me" | THIS BEING SO TREEBARK LISTEN TO ME. HE GAVE UP SO MUCH TO REN THERE ARE SO MANY SCARS CAUSED BY FOLLOWING THE ORDERS TO KILL SOMEONE YOU LOVE

Lizzie - The Crooked the Cradle by The crane wives

"There's blood in the water" | Thinking about Lizzie showing up in limited life to play Pearl and the first thing she was tasked with is killing. Like she showed up and instantly was given the title of boogeyman, a gimmick that was only there in the one other season she was in, a sense of familiarity and a sense of dread.

"The quiet are restless the silent are still" | When there is peace on the server and it is quiet there are people waiting to kill. When it is silent it is because all is dead. And Lizzie knows that well being quick to die each time, she is the silent, especially when she fell into the void, she died alone and in scilence.

"If Mercy's abound I'll be safe I'll be sound, and the devil won't know of the love I just couldn't let go" | Something about Joel being the cause of her death In Secret life... loved him so much she went down for him, she couldn't let it go and it got her killed.

"Can anyone hear me?" | Her in the void not being able to be heard....

Mumbo - Saint Bernard by Lincoln

"To remind me that I am a fool" | I am very strongly of the headcanon that Mumbo is also a watcher, something something he needs to remind himself that he is fooling himself into thinking he could fit in with the world of the watchers or the world of the players

"When I am dead I won't join their ranks because they are both holy and free" | And Mumbo's not, Mumbo doesn't get to go where they go, he still has more to do, more to make up for. Still instructions left to follow

"There's really just one thing that we have in common, neither of us will be missed" This is so Mumbo talking to Grian coded for me

Pearl - Here I am by the Crane wives

"How long have I been here all alone" Double life Pearl in her tower....

"Settled in, had a plan but I never factored in, Everyone else saying goodbye" | Basically also double life Pearl she had a plan with Martyn go to the nether get stuff come back find her soulbound, and then they all left her.

"This ghost town is making a ghost of me" | Everyone dying around her, and being alone like this without chance of redemption slowly killing her.

"I promised myself I'd learn to be the one who leaves" | Throughout the next games, like secret life, she'd be the one who leaves instead of gets left behind, but she didn't seeing how she was always last one alive out of her teammates

Skizz - Wrecking ball by mother mother

"I made a fist and not a plan" | Skizz is usually quite reckless and goes action first plan second.

"You gotta see the artistry In tearing the place apart with me, baby" | This but more in the ironic sense, because Skizz while he wants to reign chaos he is also fiercely loyal and kind to his allies, so tearing the place apart with me, is important. He doesn't just want to cause chaos he wants connections

Scott - Icarus

"Climb ye higher and higher and higher 'Til you're far away and breathing cleaner air" | Scott winning last life, climbing higher and higher through the ranks until he breaks through the clouds into what he had hoped was cleaner air spoiler alert it’s not.

"Who have you become in the wake of all that's happened here?" | What’s happened to you, what happened in last life that changed you, what made you so cold and bitter and so quick to assume the worst when double life came

"Spreading out the ashes of a love That only gave and gave" | Either this as flower husbands, being the ashes of a love that only gave to others, or specifically Scott’s love, that only gave and gave to the one whom he loved

"There's no room for all the hearts who will not stay" | For the people who will not stay with him, the watchers pressuring him to do better and leave the, behind. He won’t though.

Joel - The Wolf by the crane wives

"I will join the wolf at my door Breathing out storms when she comes around" | Well yes we know Joel is a dog boy clearly, but also how he is oh so aggressive to everyone he meets, ferocious and knocking things down.

"I am always burning, burning, burning" | Burning with rage? Burning things down? So many emotions they're lighting up his world so much that it blinds him from seeing anything else

Jimmy - Hollow Moon By the crane wives

"In the darkness, Slowly crawling over my skin, Whispers at the door, "let us in, let us in" | Whispers of the watchers, or maybe his curse, something knocking to let death in.

"I won't be sleeping, There's too many monsters in the backyard" | Okay yes funny because of Minecraft mechanics. But also, idk something about Jimmy not being able to see the watchers but still feeling their presence.

(I'm giving Jimmy an extra song because he's special)

Strawberry blond by Mitski

"I love everybody because I love you When you stood up, walked away barefoot And the grass where you lay left a bed in your shape I looked over it and I ached" | YES I AM BACK ON MY FLOWER HUSBANDS BULLSHIT! Trust me so much they're so insanely in love, they love the world because they love each other, their relationship is so sweet and soft.

"All I need, darlin', is a life in your shape I picture it, soft, and I ache" | because all they ever needed was each other, not the death not the violence, just to be in love

Tango - Monster by Dodie

"I'm guessing that I've grown horns I guess I'm human no more I can tell I've rotted in your brain" | Tango's anger and wondering if those reactions made others see less in him. Make him a monster

"You think I'm a crazy bitch I craft my words to fit your head 'Cause no one listens to the dead" | Idk... something about this and Tango, he always dies relatively early too, maybe it's only death that'll comfort him

Cleo - The Garden by The Crane Wives

"My stone, My shield, my steady hand, Hold your light To the darkness in my head" | Something about this being about how Scott has been her friend and ally throughout all seasons

"Give me something pretty to wear beneath my blood-stained clothes" | I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT BUT THIS IS LIMITED LIFE CLETHO, DOES ANYONE HEAR ME PLEASE TRUST

"My darling, the devil knows my name" | Cleo makes a name known for herself by fighting, making a point with their sword

"Get on your knees and, Dig up the garden, Won't you throw down that spade and, Dig up the garden, darling?" | Something something a wife talking to her husband

Ren - Arms Tonite by Mother Mother

"I died in your arms tonight" | Martyn killing Ren in 3rd life....

"I lost sight in your arms tonight, it was nice" | Lost sight of the goal so obsessed with his kingdom and the Red army

"I cry hard because I have died, and you're alive" | Martyn out living him (Not by very long) In third life

Gem - The Well by the Crane Wives

"All the words I couldn't say to you Fill up the spaces in my chest" | This being Shiny Duo and Gem and pearl being on different sides unsure of how to stay together

"Send me anywhere, take me out I'm the well they're gonna drag you down" | Gem knowing she's only going to be used as a catalyst to hurt others despite her wants

"That old house, those rotting memories Burned easier than I'd have thought" | Those short memories of limited life being replaced by the nicer memories of at least the first half of secret life

And I am done yapping, mayhaps I will do more someday

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broadcastarchive-umd · 6 months

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The iconic image of a terrier-mix dog looking into a phonograph horn became an international symbol for the Victor Talking Machine Company and later RCA Victor. Named "Nipper," he is also sometimes referred to as the "RCA dog." Though the trademark's usage has been reduced in recent years, Nipper lives on through the RCA and HMV brand names.

Here are examples of Nipper on display at the National Capital Radio and Television Museum in Bowie, Maryland.

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fatehbaz · 1 year

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Walk down Washington Street in Lower Manhattan between the Battery Parking Garage and Albany Street, and you’ll see virtually no signs that this area was once home to one of the largest communities of Syrians in the United States. Groups [...] have worked tirelessly to preserve the three remaining buildings [...] that stood during the heyday of New York City’s “Syrian Quarter,” or Little Syria. [...] From 1890 to 1940, Little Syria stood as the mother colony to Syrian and Lebanese communities across the United States. The three-block radius around Washington and Rector was home to newspapers, magazines, restaurants, jewelry shops, banks, barbers, grocers, churches, a mosque, record stores. [...] This was the Mahjar, America’s Arab diaspora. [...]

Tucked within these streets were three Arab American record labels -- Maloof Phonograph Company in the 1920s and 1930s, A.J. Macksoud’s Phonograph Company from the 1910s to the 1930s, and Alamphon Records in the 1930s and 1940s -- now among the most recognizable to record collectors.

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These labels filled an important cultural gap -- by the 1920s, the US’ two big phonograph record companies, Victor and Columbia, cut back on recording and selling Arab music. And while companies like Beirut-based Baidaphon recorded Syrian and Egyptian musicians and sold their records at home [...]in the early 1900s, by the 1910s that was changing. Mahjari musicians in the United States began to record music themselves, for mahjari audiences.

The music that New York City’s mahjari artists performed from the 1910s through the following 30 years included recorded poems, folk songs from the homeland and original compositions telling of loss, love, [...] and favorite foods from home; the names, tunes, beats and rhythms connected them to their roots and shaped their nostalgia for what they had left behind. There was much to miss, even before leaving what was then known as Ottoman Syria: today’s Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. The region’s silk industry and other trades were in decline. Political instability and poverty were on the rise. Thousands of former Ottoman subjects soon found themselves in New York City, Boston, Detroit. [...]

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[T]he performing and literary arts movement that gripped Egypt and Greater Syria during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That movement was the Nahda, the Arab Renaissance.

The arrival of immigrants from Greater Syria coincided with a boom of gramophone machines, phonograph cylinders and flat-disc records.

And as Arab musicians in Cairo and Beirut recorded music throughout the 1890s and 1900s, thousands of miles away in Little Syria a precocious Alexander Maloof began composing and publishing music for the piano. [...] From a young age, Maloof listened to traditional Arabic music such as mawwal, Arab folk music forms such as the ataaba, and experimented with fusing these with American marches, fox trots, and ragtime.

Meanwhile, by 1907, 29-year-old musician Abraham J. Macksoud, now using the moniker A.J. Macksoud, opened a phonograph record store in Little Syria. [...] Columbia and Victor had already begun to record the songs of mashriqi musicians back home [...], but as late as 1911, no Arab or Ottoman immigrant to the US had recorded specifically for a mahjari audience. That was about to change.

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On 24 July 1913, Alexander Maloof, now a well-accomplished songwriter and composer, recorded the piano solo B 13834-1, #17443 Al-Ja-Za-Yer (“Algeria”) for the Victor Talking Machine Company. With Maloof's song, Mahjari musicians had now found a home for recording their music. [...]

The number of Syrian Muslims to emigrate to the United States remained relatively small during the first wave of emigration from 1880 to 1941. Still, in 1916, Columbia recorded one of only a few Syrian Muslim immigrants, Mohamed ZainEldeen. Born in Homs, Syria in 1892, ZainEldeeen arrived in New York in May 1912. By the fall of 1916, he had cut seven songs on six double-sided discs for Columbia [...]. As the number of Arab immigrant and Arab American musicians grew on Columbia and Victor’s rosters, A.J. Macksoud moved and opened two new record shops at 52 Broadway and 89 Washington Street. [...]

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The 1920s marked the era when Victor and Columbia lost their monopoly on lateral-cut recording technology, but it is also the period they slashed efforts to record and issue new Arabic-language music. To fill in the gaping hole left in the industry, [...] pianist and composer Alexander Maloof established his own record label. He kept up a break-neck pace appearing on radio, running his record label, composing songs and selling sheet music to publishers.

In October 1923, Maloof finally recorded his “Egyptian Glide” and a second track, “Pharaoh,” on his label’s pressing company, Gennett Records. And despite its long hiatus of recording Syrian American artists, in 1926 the Victor Talking Machine Company even brought Maloof back into the studios, this time with his larger orchestra, to record “Desert Wail” and “Kurdistan.” [...]

On his self-titled label, Maloof recorded former Victor recording artist Ilyas Wardiny, who became one of the label’s most popular singers. [...]

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Farid Alam al-Din (anglicized Fred Alam) founded the last of Little Syria’s record labels. For years, historians, ethnomusicologists, and even the most experienced scholars presumed Maloof and Macksoud shared the position of Washington Street’s only Arab American record labels headquartered in the heart of Manhattan.

But as the Great Depression saw Maloof and Macksoud shut down their labels by 1935, Fred Alam opened his store and launched his Alamphon Record label from 81 Washington Street.

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By then, Little Syria as a whole was already in some form of decline. Whether Alam bought out A.J. Macksoud’s inventory or launched his store anew, a 1935 newspaper article read:

"The Syrian quarter of the town, which for years boasted one of the country’s greatest rag centers, has practically vanished. What remains is in Washington Street down by the Battery. One of the best known is Alfred Alam’s Oriental gramophone record shop. Alam’s phonograph record business is perhaps the only business of its kind not diminished by the radio. [...]”

Little Syria’s Nile Restaurant and the Son of the Sheik restaurant commanded special attention, as did Alfred Alam’s shop. The paper noted “the piles of Egyptian and Syrian Phonograph records at A. Alam’s store. [...]” And yet, that same article also reported the changes that would soon mean Little Syria’s demise, as development and urban renewal programs took hold in Manhattan's Lower West Side.

The construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in the 1940s meant the destruction of the tenements that once housed thousands of new immigrants and Syrian Americans. The buildings that contained many of the community’s businesses and meeting places steadily disappeared, never to return. [...]

Few traces remain, except the music records that subsequently scattered across the US, from owner to owner.

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Text by: Richard M. Breaux. “Songs of nostalgia in New York City’s long-lost ‘Little Syria’“. SyriaUntold. 5 March 2021. Article part of SyriaUntold’s ongoing series on Syrian music. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 1 year

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[CN] Victor’s 5th Anniversary ASMR Transcript – (Respite)

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for an ASMR, 缓息, that is yet to be released in the global server! ♡

Escape from the cumbersome troubles and find your harbor in his arms for a while.

—

[Photocopier sounds + beeping noise + sound of slapping on the machine + footsteps]

Slapping on the photocopier like this won’t solve the problem.

On the contrary, it can damage the components.

[chuckles]

Even if you are the boss,

you also have to compensate for the damage to the company’s property.

[stomping noises]

What accident?

Weren’t you the one who called saying that you were in too much of a rush when you left at night,

and forgot the data-stored portable hard drive at home,

and asked me to help you bring it over?

I know you didn’t mean that.

But at two in the morning,

it’s not that easy to get an instant delivery.

And I’d also like to know,

what exactly is the case that made a certain someone urgently rush to the office right after answering a phone call,

and now causing her to stand depressed amidst a pile of documents.

[MC jumps on Victor]

Why did you suddenly pounce on me?

Dummy.

A little tired?

Then let’s sit on the couch and take a break.

No buts.

If you take a ten minutes time-out,

the sky isn’t gonna fall.

[footsteps + sits on the couch + Victor grunts]

Lean on my shoulder.

Relax a little.

You want to be in my arms more?

[chuckles]

All right.

[VICTOR BREATHES]

In that case, maintain this posture.

Feeling a little better?

Then, talk to me about it.

What’s the trouble you’ve encountered?

You’re not the kind of person who gets dejected over these kind of trivial things.

EA Group’s project?

I heard you mention that.

And I remember that the bidding time is tomorrow at 8 am.

The other party added items at the last moment,

and now either the tender can only become invalid,

or you have to sort it out again.

...lack of professionalism in the measures.

I didn’t mean you.

I’m talking about EA.

[sound of papers being flipped]

There’s quite a lot of content.

What about the person who followed up before?

Why don’t you ask him to join you?

Hm? Unexpected appendicitis?

[sighs]

Understood.

So, a certain someone had no other choice but to run to the office on her own.

But it all turned chaotic while trying to rush it.

Not only was the portable hard drive missing,

but the photocopier went on strike again––

one by one, adding more to the pile.

Having a little headache?

Dummy.

What’s embarrassing about this?

[laughs softly]

Why would I lie to you?

Your response to the situation was very solid,

and much more mature than before.

Which time?

It’s been a long time indeed.

Back then, a certain someone’s project for YL Entertainment was rejected,

then a guest made things difficult on the set,

and then, the documents got scattered on the way to returning home.

[MC covers Victor’s mouth + Victor laughs]

Remember that?

You hugged me and cried for a really long time.

But now,

You can already deal with the problems calmly.

[chuckles + kiss]

Things will get done.

There’s no need to be anxious.

I’ll have a look at the photocopier.

You just sit here.

Calm yourself.

[footsteps + sound of checking the machine]

The toner cartridge is broken.

It’s not a major problem.

When did I learn the skill of how to replace it?

[chuckles + sound of replacing the toner in the background]

It was a very long time ago.

LFG didn’t have an administrative team at the beginning.

There were lot of things that I needed to handle on my own.

Likewise, there was a problem with the equipment before an important meeting.

Mm.

Rather than headache,

it was the nothing out of ordinary matters that caused more inconvenience.

But when a lot of troubles get tangled together,

it will build up stress.

Then?

Then, I realized that,

the more anxious you are,

the more you have to slow down.

Just like now.

If you part your attention to other problems while sorting out something,

you will end up crashing just like this thing.

So, why not focus on what’s in front of you right now?

Calm your mind, and be still.

Those thoughts that are disturbing you will slowly fade away.

All the troubles you are having now will be resolved too.

[sound of the photocopier working]

It’s good.

[chuckles helplessly]

What’s so amazing?

Making a big fuss over such little things.

You seem to feel that you’ve been recharged with the spirit of summer?

[sound of footsteps + rustling noise + Victor sits down]

And your heart and soul have been healed for the greater part?

[chuckles softly]

Really a dummy.

But that’s good too.

And as for the little part that has remained––

How do we heal that?

[rustling noise + sound of papers]

Take a guess.

Come a little closer.

[VICTOR BREATHES DEEPLY + KISS + KISS + KISS KISS...]

Don’t want to stop?

In that case, preparing the bidding documents will get delayed.

Five more minutes then.

[chuckles softly]

Greedy little devil.

[KISS KISS KISS + BREATHY DELICIOUS SOFT LAUGHS + KISS KISS...]

How long will it take to process?

In that case, concentrate on it.

I’ll wait here for you.

I’ll take care of a few e-mails while doing so.

When you’re finished with it,

we’ll return home together, again.

—

#AAAAAKASKSJSJSKSJSJD WHY ARE YOU SO GODDAMN FRIGGIN UNREAL 😭😭😭#i was so busy crying over the chapters that i completely forgot about the ASMR LOL #anyway –– regarding the chapter translation – it’ll take me some time as i’m having back to back crazy weeks at uni and at work ;-;#mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #恋与制作人 #李泽言 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

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udunie · 3 months

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15 questions meme

I was tagged by the wonderful @sadpearonmars, thank you!

Are you named after anyone?

Yes, I'm named after one of my aunts. Our family has a thing of naming people after family members (my older sis is named after our mom, and if we were born boys we would have been named after our dad and granddad)

When was the last time you cried?

Ugh... I think I cried about an animal video? Those always get to me... Like dodo videos and shit...

Do you have kids?

No, thank god. I have nephews I love, but I'm would be a horrible parent. I'm way too impatient and like my own private space etc too much.

What sports do you play/have you played?

I had a lot of health issues as a kid, so I didn't do any sport, but I did end up doing fencing for a little while when I was 18-ish and I loved it, but the fencing place was too far and I couldn't make it work with school unfortunately.

Do you use sarcasm?

I don't think I use sarcasm? Tho I do like writing sarcastic characters on occasion. I feel like I'm a very... straight forward person? Which probably makes me pretty boring company, but them's the breaks lol

What is the first thing you notice about people?

I... have no idea? I do appreciate pretty eyes on people, but I think my first impressions are usually more about body language??? I have no idea if that makes sense lol

What is your eye color?

Gray-blue, on the darker side. Not very impressive.

Scary movies or happy endings?

Eh... happy endings, maybe??? If I had to chose. Then again, those usually bore me a bit... But mostly because I'm a huge chicken when it comes to blood/gore/etc which is funny, cause I do on occasion write gory stuff, and explore very dark themes. I like them in theory. If I like the idea of a horror movie I will read the plot on wikipedia rather than watch it 🤣

What are your talents?

According to my coworkers, my secret superpower is being able to slice up a loaf of bread with a bread knife evenly enough that it looks like it was sliced by a machine :D

I do like making art - like crochet and watercolors, but I'm not really good at either.

Where were you born?

Budapest. Recently known as eastern europe's crusty asshole filled with the putrid shit that is Victor Orbán

What are your hobbies?

I would say writing, if I wasn't aware of the painfully long time it's been since I typed out anything meaningful... I've been playing a lot of stardew valley, but that hardly counts.

Do you have any pets?

Yes, I have a cat called Misu who is currently playing loaf next to me.

How tall are you?

162 cm, that would be about... 5 feet 4 inches? I think?

Dream job/career?

I have a pretty okay office job right now that I'd been doing for like... 15 years. It's not my 'calling' or anything but it pays the bills and gets me to talk to people. I have no idea what my dream job would be... Of course, I would love to say being a full time writer, but let's be honest, I don't think I have the self-discipline for it, sadly.

And I'm tagging... @laughingcatwrites and @gemstonewriter803! (only if you want to, of course!)

#it's a bit funny how sadpearonmars and I both did a bit of fencing and are the same height lol

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literally-remylebeau · 26 days

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The Screaming, Heaving, Stupidity of the World

CW: Wade Wilson

MISC.

1131 Words

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"It wouldn't matter even if we could." David says just glad to finally be having a coherent conversation. "This place is crumbling away. It'll be gone, like everything else, soon enough."

"Impossible!" Apocalypse yells and slams his hands down on the table. "I have spent more than a third of my life here at this point. Everything here is indestructible. I should know, I have already tried to destroy this place while trying to leave the first time."

"Time is the only thing keeping this place together and it's ending." David states. "Once that happens everything here, including ourselves, will also be gone."

David struggling with how stupid the universe is sometimes.

---

When someone is told to imagine the end of the world, they often say there’s nothing. Everything just ceases to exist. Which isn’t technically wrong. Anything a person could comprehend is gone. Planets have been destroyed, Stars have died, and universes have collapsed. What’s left behind is only remnants of what once was. The remains, however, are so largely spread there’s no way to really tell anything was there to begin with.

Amongst what’s left is something not a single soul would have guessed. At least, not a soul that isn’t already gone. Almost everyone who sat at the dining room table, kindly conjured up along with some chairs by David, was just arrogant enough to believe they’d survive the end of the world. Still, none of them assumed they’d have company.

Four megalomaniacs, an otter nuisance and a very unfortunate mutant. Not the team up anyone wanted or needed.

At the head of the table sits a very exhausted, very annoyed David Haller. The mutant had the power to bend reality and that left him outside of it on many occasions. It was the very reason he was able to live this long. He usually went by Legion but didn’t see the need for code names anymore. He slumped back in his chair when the conversation went from actually talking to each other to everyone just yelling whatever they wanted. His pointer finger tapping against the arm of the chair as he watches them basically tear at each other’s throats. Not really different from how he spent his time before everything happened.

On his left sits none other than Tony Stark. At one point, where most hero’s were either dead or had accepted the fact that there was nothing they could do, Tony had given up the whole morally dubious act. He was done being a hero. Now going by the name Superior Iron Man, he had managed to survive this long so he obviously did something right. He’s currently defending himself to no one as to why he deserved to be there.

To David’s left is what looks like Doctor Victor Von-Doom. It isn’t really him. The real Doctor Doom died a long time ago. What sits in his place is an android the man had made while he was alive. The only difference being the subtle robotic tone in his voice. He’s currently arguing with Apocalypse; who has the seat next to Tony.

Apocalypse thinks it’s absolutely outrageous that a machine had managed to survive alongside him. Though, that’s likely due to his age. The man, if you can even call him that at this point, was one of the world's first mutants. He had lived through millennia of watching humans tear each other apart and here he is at the end of it all.

Beside Doom is the ever annoying and bothersome presence that is Deadpool. Ask anyone at the table how many times he had said anything even slightly helpful and no one would utter a word. Wade Wilson is very content with trying to get Tony even more worked up and make the ongoing argument between Doom and Apocalypse worse.

And at the opposite side of the table from David is the mutant Darwin. Darwin was born with the mutation to instantly adapt to any environment he was put in. Dying was a common occurrence with the X-Men when the Five had the power to bring them back whenever they wanted. Although right now he didn't feel so lucky for it, he hadn’t needed them. Due to his mutation, Darwin hadn’t died once.

“That’s incorrect if you’ve ever seen the X-Men movies.” Wade says, cutting through everything Tony, Doom or Apocalypse was saying.

“Do you ever add anything useful to a conversation?” Tony asks, tilting his face down to look at Wade over the sunglasses he’s wearing.

“Try not to,” Wade answers, “Do you?” Tony scoffs and everyone goes back to yelling at each other. David lets out a groan and sits up.

“Okay, enough!” David yells. Their heads turn to look at him. “All your useless bickering is giving me a headache and Tylenol doesn’t exactly exist anymore.”

Everyone sits in silence. No one has anything to say to each other that isn’t said ‘useless bickering.’ None of them really knew each other nor were they willing to get to know each other to hold an actual conversation.

“Uh, where are we?” Darwin eventually breaks the silence. “If everything’s gone, What is this place?”

“It’s known as the Axis of Time.” Apocalypse starts, sitting up as he continues to explain. “It’s where every moment in time meets. I was trapped here when I had first tried time travel. It’s become my home since I learned how to come and go as I pleased.”

“So, now what?” Wade leans back and props his feet up on the table. Doom scoots his chair away from the man in disgust. “Do we repopulate here or what?”

“Not possible with this group.” Tony pushes his sunglasses back up his nose and crosses his arms.

“Not with that attitude.” Wade mumbles. He also crosses his arms.

“It wouldn’t matter even if we could.” David says just glad to finally be having a coherent conversation. “This place is crumbling away. It’ll be gone, like everything else, soon enough.”

“Impossible!” Apocalypse yells and slams his hands down on the table. “I have spent more than a third of my life here at this point. Everything here is indestructible. I should know, I have already tried to destroy this place while trying to leave the first time.”

“Time is the only thing keeping this place together and it’s ending.” David states. “Once that happens everything here, including ourselves, will also be gone.”

“And then what?” Doom asks, looking slightly unnerved. Truthfully, the robot likely wasn't bothered by anything that was happening.

“There’s no way to know.” David shrugs. “Everything could remain gone and this empty place will be all that’s left forever or…” David stops mid sentence. A feeling passes over him that he isn’t sure anyone would be able to notice without his mutation. He blinks a few times and looks around the bright room. “Or the sheer power of time collapsing could start a new timeline within itself. The universe rests without anyone even knowing it.”

David struggles to get the words out as he realizes where he is. People, the X-Men he realizes, start arguing with his explanation.

“The odds of not a single person remembering, with how many powerful people there are, are very small. Someone would have to know.” A person he couldn’t name yells out.

“You know what, you’re right.” David admits, sitting back in his chair. “Besides, who am I to assume such a thing?”

#david haller #wade wilson #superior iron man #apocalypse #Darwin x men #doctor doom #xmen #x men #marvel #definitely ooc

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amor-est-potestas · 5 months

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Good Stuff in 2023

Since every year seems to be shit, I thought I would go through some major news stories and pick out the ones that seemed pretty good, actually. There's a bit of a USA bias in the source I used... but here's some year-end positivity, anyway!

January

An ebola outbreak was successfully controlled in Uganda

Sierra Leone introduced a law that reserves more jobs for women

The UN declared the current approach to repairing the ozone layer is successful and could return it to 1980 levels

New York's gun restrictions were upheld by the Supreme Court

February

Google lost $100bn in shares because its chatbot was crap (lol)

Tesla had to recall over 350,000 cars because its self-driving system was crap (lmao)

March

The International Criminal Court put out a warrant for the arrest of Vladimir Putin

12 Democrat-led states in the USA sued to attempt to protect access to mifepristone (an abortion inducing drug)

Donald Trump was charged with criminal offences in New York

The Royal Society tested robotic prosthetics with the public and found that over 95% of people could use them well within the first minute

April

Finland was approved to join NATO

Christina Koch was announced as the first woman and Victor Glover as the first black astronaut on a NASA lunar mission

The tiger population of India was confirmed to have risen by around 200

A SpaceX rocket blew up (haha)

Japan approved an abortion pill for use for the first time

Pope Francis announced that women would be allowed to vote in meetings of bishops

The US Supreme Court rejected a West Virginia transgender athlete ban

Washington state eliminated the death penalty and sterilisation as criminal punishment

The US Supreme Court protected access to mifepristone (see March)

The UK fined TikTok for mishandling children's data

NASA was able to extract oxygen from lunar soil

Germany confirmed the shut down of nuclear power stations in the interest of safety

May

Colorado state signed several gun control bills into law

Donald Trump was found liable in a civil case where he was accused of rape and defamation

North Carolina's governor vetoed an abortion ban

The UK's first "three-parent baby" was born via IVF

June

Former Brazil president (Collor) was sentenced to prison for corruption

Federal courts blocked laws preventing healthcare for young trans people in Kentucky and Tennessee

July

Donald Trump's request for a new trial (see May) was rejected

Sweden's bid to join NATO was backed by Turkey

August

FDA approved use of the first drug (Zuranolone) to treat postpartum depression

Direct detection and nanopore sequencing (DDNS) used to halve the time for polio detection

India's space agency achieved their first unmanned moon landing

September

Mexico's Supreme Court decriminalised abortion rights

The African Union permanently joined the G20

The EU raised their renewable energy targets

Donald Trump was found guilty of fraud in New York

Apple announced a switch to USB-C charging ports in its new iPhone

October

California banned driverless taxis

November

A court in South Africa ruled in favour of introducing shared parental leave

The UK Supreme Court blocked plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda

An assault weapons ban in Illinois was upheld by an appeals court

The first images were received from ESA's Euclid space telescope

The EU started talks to bring Ukraine into the union

December

41 workers were rescued from a tunnel under the Himalayas in India

Pope Francis allowed priests to bless same-sex couples (but not for marriage... but still a win maybe?)

Supreme Court dismissed Ohio's attempt to enforce an abortion ban

Colorado's Supreme Court declared Donald Trump ineligible to run for office (only applies to Colorado)

IBM unveiled a quantum computing chip and machine

Google, Meta and other tech companies agreed to work towards open digital ecosystems (prompted by EU regulations on digital markets)

#2023 #positivity #new year #year in review

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duskwoodgirl4life · 2 years

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Jake's POV

When happiness plays a part in your life you begin too view the world as a different place.

Chapter 4

Once home after a wonderful night Sophie put Jake too bed, as it was the weekend he got too stay up a little later. After brushing his teeth he claimed into bed Sophie kissed him on the forehead and wished him a good night. She made her way back down stairs, Victor had just made some hot chocolate. They both sat down enjoying each others company, after finishing their drinks they two went off too bed.

The next morning Jake woke and went down stairs and put on his favourite cartoons. Sophie came down the stairs her heart warmed as she saw Jake sat watching his cartoons.

Sophie: good morning my baby

Jake: morning mummy

Sophie: what does my favourite little boy want for his breakfast

Jake: can I have chocolate cereal

Sophie: coming right up

Sophie went into the kitchen and switched on the coffee machine, while the coffee was brewing she got Jake's cereal ready. She called him into the kitchen and came running over giving her a big hug. Once Jake had finished he went too have a wash and brush his teeth.

Jake: mummy, can we go too the park today?

Sophie: I don't see why not, I'll bring us a little picnic

Jake: yay, park and picnic

Victor: someone's in a good mood

Jake: mummy said we could go too the park and bring a picnic

Victor: that sounds wonderful, it's the perfect weather for it today

While it was a little bit chilly outside that didn't stop Jake from having fun at the park. While Jake was playing Sophie and Victor got some food and drinks out placing them on the blanket, Sophie called Jake over and he came running over too them. Just as they were about too leave the park, Mark and Stacey came walking over with the two girls. Playing happy familys it was so fake you could see it a mile off.

Jake: mummy, mummy, look there is that horrible man

Sophie: it's okay Jake, let's just ignore them and go too the car

Jake: but... Look he's got little kids with him he didn't want me but wants them

Jake started too get upset tears running down his face, Victor scooped him up in his arms holding on too him.

Victor: it's okay son, your with me and mummy, we love you so very much

Sophie: daddy's right, you are our special little man

Jake started too calm down a little but was still holding on too Victor, as they were walking towards the car Mark saw them and came over. He decided too show off his new family in their faces but Victor wasn't having any of it.

Victor: why don't you just go back too your fake family and leave us alone, you walked out on this little boy now he's got someone who truly loves him.

Mark: you think you can be is dad? I'm going too fight for him too be back in my life.

Victor: just try it and see how far you get because with my connections you won't get past the first step.

Mark: who the hell do you think you are!!!

Victor: I'm a CIA agent that's who I am

Marks face dropped at what Victor had just said, he slowly walked away holding his head down. Sophie and Victor got Jake into the car they decided too take Jake for some ice cream. When they arrived home Sophie and Victor talked about moving away from duskwood. They sat Jake down and talked too him about the possible move.

Jake: I don't want too, I like it here please mummy, daddy can we stay

Sophie: what do you think dear?

Victor: Jake is settled here, why don't we see how things go and stay

Jake: yay, we don't have too move

Sophie: he does love it in duskwood

Victor: and don't worry about Mark if he tries anything he will regret it

Sophie: I just want him too stay away from us, especially Jake

Victor: I will make sure he does don't worry my love

As the time went on Victor made sure that Mark would stay away from his family he told him if he ever came near them again he would have him arrested.

As the years went on Mark kept too his word and stayed away from Sophie and Jake. Victor kept a close eye on him making sure he really was staying away, Jake was about too start high school he was a little nervous but excited. When he arrived he stood outside the building just looking at everyone going inside. Just as he was about too go in a girl bumped into him causing her too drop her books on the floor.

Jake: I'm so sorry, let me help you

MC: no, it was my fault was t looking where I was going, I'm MC

Jake: I'm Jake, nice too meet you MC

MC: nice too meet you Jake

#duskwood #duskwood jake #everbyte game #duskwood hacker #iamjake #i love you jake #duskwood jake x mc #jake x mc #i love you #i love him #he loves me #high school

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opera-ghosts · 1 year

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OTD in Music History: Legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini (1867 - 1957) dies in New York. Toscanini was one of the most acclaimed and influential "classical" musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century -- revered for his intensity, for his perfectionism, for his incredible ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and for his eidetic memory. At various points in his career, Toscanini served as the Director of La Scala in Milan, the New York Philharmonic, and the NBC Symphony Orchestra. It was this final position, however, that truly made him a household name (especially in the United States) through his radio and television broadcasts and many recordings of the operatic and symphonic repertoire. During his own lifetime, Toscanini enjoyed a degree of public and critical adulation that is virtually unparalleled in the history of music: He was featured no less than *three* times on the cover of "Time" magazine (in 1926, 1934, and 1948), and for most of his career he enjoyed universally glowing reviews and played to consistently packed houses. History always moves in cycles, however, and thus in recent decades it should come as no surprise that Toscanini has come in for growing criticism on a number of fronts -- most notably, for his alleged antipathy toward most 20th-century music (it is certainly truly that he rarely programmed "modern" works), for what some perceive as a certain rigidity in his beat and a regrettable tendency towards fast tempos, and (on a more personal level) for his well-known temper -- a temper which he was more than happy to unleash on players who displeased him... Nevertheless, notwithstanding all of the above, Toscanini's place in the pantheon of all-time-great conductors remains just as secure in 2023 as it was back in 1923. PICTURED: A c. 1920 real photo postcard showing the dapper middle-aged Toscanini staring intensely into the camera.

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abzeronow · 2 years

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In 420 days from now, all 1923 sound recordings will finally enter the public domain in the United States. Included with this is the first commercially successful country music instrumentals by Eck Robertson (1887-1975) and Henry Gilliland (1845-1924), who was a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War. "Arkansaw Traveler", which was a mid-19th Century folk song, was recorded in New York City for Victor Talking Machine Company on June 30, 1922. It was the B-side to Robertson's solo performance on fiddle of "Sally Gooden", a popular fiddle song in the South, the performance was recorded on July 1, 1922. The record was released in April 1923

(source: Discography of American Historical Recordings )

#1923 #1923 sound recording #new york city #victor talking machine company #Arkansas Traveler #Eck Robertson #Henry Gilliland #country music #country #Sally Gooden #history

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kudosmyhero · 11 months

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The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #6

Read Date: December 03, 2022 Cover Date: November 2014 ● Writer: Dan Slott ● Penciler: Humberto Ramos ● Inker: Victor Olazaba ● Colorist: Edgar Delgado ● Letterer: Joe Caramagna ● Editor: Nick Lowe ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● does Aunt May know who Spidey is? ● AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA ● ok that's pretty epic, JJJ self-sabotaging the story of his life ● I hope he can breathe in that… ● Silk, i love you ● THE BAR WITH NO NAME! this is my first time coming across it in a comic book ● it still has to be hard on Anna Maria to see Peter making out with Cindy. He--his body, at least--was her lover ● and Cindy being in isolation for 10 years but basically shrugging it off ● i also read Dan Slott's Silver Surfer series. I enjoy his writing--esp on the Spider-Man stuff--but i feel like he stays more surface level when there is potential to go to some very dark places with the characters ● nice moment with Electro and Spidey. Felicia is nuts

Synopsis: Jonah proclaims his first Fact Channel exclusive as Black Cat takes off Spider-Man's mask, however, everyone watches in awe how Jonah himself ruined his own time in the spotlight by blocking the shot, leaving him in shock and anger once he finds out. Fortunately for Peter, Silk arrives in the nick of time, covering his face with webbing. Black Cat and Electro battle her but she manages to escape the place, impressing Peter with her good performance in her first supervillain battle, prompting Felicia to search for reinforcements.

Felicia arrives to the Bar with No Name, where the criminals present are giving an eulogy for Francine (who was accidentally killed by Electro). She requests their assistance against Spider-Man but all of them refuse since she's still allied with Electro and consider her a danger. Meanwhile, Silk brings Peter back home where Anna Maria helps him to take off the webbing off his face. Anna reminds Peter of another commitment from his company to demonstrate their Anti-Electro trap, bringing Silk again, since Peter considers her "His Good Luck charm".

Electro pressures Sajani into telling him how effective the Anti-Electro trap will be in removing his powers but Felicia interrupts their talk in order to ask her about how the device works. They both infiltrate the demonstration, suiting Electro into the "Fake Electro" costume while Felicia disguises herself as one of the operators. Anna Maria brings Peter and Cindy into the demonstration, only to be warned by the lattermost's Spider-Sense of the danger ahead (revealing that her Spider-Sense is more acute and accurate than Peter's). They both suit up, but Anna complains that Peter is once again bailing out on his company, but Peter leaves Anna in charge, albeit after giving her a promotion with a better title and more pay. Silk wraps up Peter with extra webbing in order to give him better protection against Electro once they jump into action.

As Anna Maria arrives to announce the cancellation of the demonstration, Black Cat and Electro see that the News helicopter approaches, apparently being anonymously tipped off by her, since she wanted all eyes on them (but mostly on her). Felicia starts the machine, further enhancing Electro's power only to be interrupted by Spider-Man and Silk. Electro blasts him off but his insulated webbing protects him. Right then, he tells Silk to cover Electro with her webbing while he deals with Felicia. She changes the plan, using the wiring to overload Electro, putting his powers way out of control, shooting his lightning bolts against the helicopter, but Silk manages to make a giant airbag with her webbing to save them.

Peter tries to stop Felicia who puts him to the test asking him if he will waste time confronting her or saving his enemy, this in order to see if it's really him instead of Octavius. Peter jumps into the machine, using his webbing to cover Electro in order to take him out of there. Peter asks Felicia for help but she refuses, revealing that she wants to see him burn, since their relationship and the trust she had into him made her weak, calling him the unluckiest part of her life. Electro asks to let go, but Peter remains determined to save him, until they both are saved by Silk who pulls them out of the machine. Peter asks Silk to wrap the three of them into a webpod to save them from the explosion.

The Fact Channel reports the explosion, announcing that Electro is now depowered, while the police blames the incident on the poor security measures from Parker Industries, but Jonah once again launches another of his tirades against Spider-Man, giving his co-anchor Natalie the time to talk with Cindy who decided to take a job with them as their new intern (after hearing thanks to her heightened senses that her former intern quit during the explosion), determined to use their assets in order to find her missing family.

After the incident, most of the low-level criminals visit Black Cat, who took over the Eel's former hideout, in order to proclaim their new allegiance to her, impressed with how she fought Spidey, took out Electro, and gave the police force and Parker Industries a major blow. Felicia enjoys her newfound glory, leaving her determined to become the Queen of the criminal underground.

In Parker Industries, Sajani manages to return safely, while Anna and Peter discuss the fact that the city hates the company, Black Cat is still on the loose and now he must face the danger of Morlun, but Peter considers the day a win since they managed to save Electro's life and also depower him. Sajani enters the room and tells them that in order to escape she had to reveal how the machine works, although unbeknownst to them she was willing to give them information, since she considers the "Super-Villain Prison" the worst business model, aside from the apparent strong dislike to Peter. Sajani asks Anna Maria for her help in Peter's other projects but tells her to keep this from Peter, who reflects that this was a good day for them, albeit with a few bumps, but things are looking bright for him ahead.

(https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Amazing_Spider-Man_Vol_3_6)

Fan Art: Cindy and Peter by dream-iris

Accompanying Podcast: ● Untold Spider Talk - episode 06

#marvel #marvel comics #my marvel read #podcast recommendation #comics #peter parker #spider-man #comic books #fan art #fanart #podcast - untold spider talk #silk #cindy moon #electro #black cat #max dillon #felicia hardy

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