#and idk . i love a floofy coat for her

[bucket-of-amethyst]

by far, my favorite thing about ur doggification of the hermits is that its highkey helping me try to figure out what my pupper is. shes certainly a mutt, very Creature, and were currently thinking she's some heeler variety? like she's definitely got some heeler tendencies but its hard to tell bc shes a big goofer. and also she is DEFINITELY not a shorthair. a few things that make it tough to tell with her is she has a Really Big & Floofy tail, and all the breeds/mixes that i can find that look like her do not, and her mouth is on the bottom of her snoot like a borzoi. even though her snoot is not particularly long. but it is sloped more than my other dog's?? and more sloped than most other dogs' ive seen.... maybe she does have some borzoi in there??? weve also been thinking border collie bc shes very border collie-esque,,

ANYWAY sorry for the ramble about the Silly, i got distacted and almost forgor to ask, any thoughts on someone being a Black Mouth Cur? my other pupper mentioned is a black mouth cur mutt, and i think it'd suit hypno pretty well! looks-wise for sure, i dont think that needs explanation, but personality wise im not completely sure because i also do not watch hypno but i have seen quite a few interactions with him because I watch xb and from my understanding it works pretty well?? idk its ur au

anyway tldr i am insane about dogs bye

Omg!! Sound like a delightful creeture with lovely snoot!! If she has a big puffy tail she might have some Spitz in her, maybe some kind of Lurcher if she had the sighthound muzzle! This is so interesting bc i while learning about breeds i tend to do the same. My aunt has a mutt i think she might have a bit of collie/heeler in her too. And i think it mostly shows by her intense need to bark and white collar-like markings on her neck kdjrjt ig well never know but it's fun to try figuring out!

And ohh i never heard of that breed! Looked it up and it doesn't even have a wiki page in my language to see if the translatd name would ring a bell. It does look like it suits Hypno for looks tho!!! I really like it! :0 But i do have to say i was looking for a dog with brindle/markings coat so i can play with a pattern that's like.. "hypnotizing" dljdkffk but i genuinely liked the looks of this one! It's going on the list!

Don't mind the ramble i also love rambling about puppers <3333

[lordxgrinnyxboy]

rewatching The Grinning Man once again,,2am edition,,just through Beauty and the Beast bc i had to give up and go to bed. @past me you really thought you were gonna. ha. haha. who ever said you’re not a funny clown.

‘ye gods’ is fully a tagphrase of barkilphedro’s. bc saying it at least twice makes it definitely a Thing.

josiana says Bark looks like a...~bug~...and ngl the cut of his coat + those limp antenna things on his hat do actually kinda create that effect. they really did make him look like a skittering creature

accidentally paused at such a moment where his head is angled just so and it’s so weird bc u can’t see the paint on his nose at this angle what

i could play barkilphedro. it would be a ghastly shame but i. no. i could though. no i couldn’t. but

everything bark says just sounds very...Like That.

gonna start doing eye makeup like bark’s

i have so many feelings about the fact that Mr. Maskell’s ensemble(?) character and Ms. Obianyo’s ensemble character stand beside each other for this scene

au where Gwyn’s mom lives and the two of them work as performers

no but fully that Green Cowl but also like. Ms. Obianyo’s entire outfit??? that is a Fantastic Look right There right There.

i like how Bark points at an audience member when he says “whose life is even worse than yours”

okay so the mist that comes up when Bark first says “laughter is the best medicine” plus the way Ms. Obianyo’s ensemble character Looks At Him plus the way Ms. Obianyo’s Ensemble Character and Mr. Maskell’s Ensemble Character stand next to each other plus the fact that this is all Barkilphedro telling the story of events he perpetrated and whatnot just generally the whole look of the bit gives me Feelings like these particular two ensemble characters are almost sort of the ghosts of Gwyn’s mom and kinda sorta who Gwyn could’ve been but also not but also Kinda

i’m just so very emotional and love seeing these two together they look amazing and i love them DX

Josiana’s Introduction/Portrait dress looks fantastic and im mad she doesn’t get to keep it

London!Jojo’s costume is better

genuinely still can’t believe Clarence is Ursus

but it’s kinda ironic tho since it’s by Clarence’s orders that Bark was ever in the situation where ‘hmm guess i havvvve to mutilate this kid’s face lol, that’s too bad” was a thought htat occurred to him so i mean both of Ursus’ characters had a hand in what happened

clarence is like “look at my unhappy children/what a tonic for my pain” ursus is like “...” and dea’s like “look at your unhappy children father i dare u”

the lords on palace hill are a gift

Ms. Brisson is just a truly adorable individual i love her ensemble character

also the material on the sort of dress/aprons the Lords wear? the print kind of looks like a map to me but idk if that’s what it is?

Osric’s “Welcome to the Stokes-Croft Faire” is like. one of the top 10 most iconic moments of the show for me negl. maybe even top 5. It’s got this particular energy i can’t describe but it’s So Good

i feel like in this scene like the top half of Mr. Maskell’s face is painted white(er) which looks fabulous once the bandages + cowl are added like heavens above but also with the whole “ooooh that’s the ghost of pre-barkilphedro!Gwynplaine” angle it’s interesting w/how Jojo’s got that bit of white paint/powder as well and it looks like Dirry-Moir’s whole face is painted at least for this number like Ooooh Is That A Lord Thing idk but it’s a Vibe

i once again think it’s interesting that it’s the actors for Angelica and Jojo who are in the picture frame for “Chained Beasts Fighting” considering how Jojo and Angelica seem to for real not get along so well during the play’s events

i’ve another theory abt mr. hubert

bark’s really like all up on Mr Maskensemblecharacter for the “stab an old man with a needle” bit.

i’ve tried so hard to figure out what the heck that could mean but all i can find is “they’re probably referring to murdering ppl with hat pins” u-u

yo the artwork on the walls behind them Wowie

gosh i love Osric

the little dance thing they do after “I’ve got the misery” is something i yearn for like. pls.

idk if anyone gets more into that last Laughter is the Best Medicine choreo than mr. Dirry-Moir like. he is positively Aggressive with it

the drum or whatever makes that little repeating like, three-point, one-two-three over and over toward the peak of this song is like. i don’t know what i was about to say but I Like This Part Of The Song Even Though It Is Very Stressful And Intense

idk man gwyn just looks Really Good when ursus pulls back that curtain like idk if it’s the way he’s standing or the way he’s moving however slightly or what he’s doing with his hands but like. A+ Gwynlit you look fantastic right here

i like how initially he looks just at Ursus but then kind of looks directly into the camera. sort of fancy the notion that in order to get through shows Gwyn’s kind of particular about where he looks and will try to focus on Ursus and Dea as much as possible but otherwise kind of just tries to not really See the audience maybe or something

oh hey that’s Born Broken that’s music boxing hangon lemme go back what plays for

i don’t reckona- give me a minute - i don’t. recognize. there we go. the music box sound that  plays for gwyn

dea is So Pretty

“I shall put my money where my mouth is” dirry-moir that is a most unfortunate turn of phrase

ngl gwyn always looks like he’s having a good time doing up the Drama for his act as Clarence

shadow!gwyn’s hair is next level kinds of floofy magnificence

even his bandages look amazing

“Sonny” :}

no but when Gwyn walks little puppet!Gwyn up the ramp to the ship but Dea’s helping and so they wind up standing Very Close and there’s Height Difference i’m sorry but they are Adorable

i reall like the ocean effect they do

Dea’s cowl look is Exquisite

can’t actually remember for real for real but i’m fairly confident that Mr. Maskell’s “MOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER MOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER” was at least 67% of what initially forced me to fall in love with this show so Thank You Mr. Maskell For That

the cowl + bandages just looks so good i don’t know what to say. that’s a Look right there. the eye makeup? the hair? The Bandages and Cowl? I’m sorry who says this is not a handsome boy?

he looks amzing

puppet!gwyn constantly looks like he’s got one eyebrow raised thanks to how the eye area is carved

i want to know how Ursus thought he wasn’t going to wind up with a couple of the most dramatic chidlren on the earth like when did he think there was a chance they wouldn’t both turn out Dramatic

high note hazlit has arrived

i wish that in the Osric Raises Gwyn au there was some way for Osric to meet like Ghost!Hazlit or i don’t even know but. they need. to meet each other.

Osric’s got vibes and i don’t know what they are but they’re so powerful and they move me to intense affection

it’s Ridiculously Tall-looking Gwyn time. he goes to stand up straight and keeps on Extending

he really just keeps his eyes on the puppet at all times tho

“your little hat can find out what it means” i know he said ‘heart’ but he said ‘hat’ gwyn needs a hat send tweet

book gwyn got to have a hat

don’t worry gwynlit osric’s gonna take care of that in the au

dea’s so cute

so when Ursus says “for certain, it would be no man” is that like a heads-up that they changed the wolf’s name bc now it isn’t Homo anymore or

it’s 3am now and im only 20 minutes in help me dea

forearms

the “No” “Yes, yes” when Ursus first gives him the Crimson Lethe kills me every single time bro.

how long is this post do i need to shut up yet

i’ve babbled for longer before i think we’re good

And Ursus Gave The Boy A Name. A Cruel Name. A Name That Means “Wow That Debilitating Wound Carved Into Your Actual Face Must Hurt Pretty Bad Huh Kidlet”

arms

still mad about the fact that Ursus mentions “Melt into mist/no longer exist” and Barkilphedro uses those Exact Words

i always assume they’re talkin about going to Murca but i mean technically anywhere could be the ‘new world’ huh

forearm

see the one thing i

when he says “we’ll come back to the place where once we were lost in the snow” now im thinking about adult!lord!Gwyn revisiting like. the actual place. where it all Happened like. imagine adult!Gwyn going back to the gallows-site and just.

under angelica’s reign it’s probably converted into a memorial instead ofc and is no longer a gallows-site but still

puppet!Dea doesn’t wear shoes

when puppet!Dea first goes “Mojo?” puppet!Gwyn kinda reaches toward her for a sec like he’s Concerned

Dirry-Moir waving at Dea like he’s trying to figure if she really is blind smh

cowl gwyn is such a phenomenal look

GWYN DOES THE FOOT WIGGLE DURING THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST SCENE I JUST NOW NOTICED

HIS FOOT IS ACTUALLY FLAT ON THE GROUND SO INSTEAD OF IT BEING A LITTLE HEEL SHAKE IT’S MORE LIKE A LIL ANKLE TWISTY BUT. !!

puppet!Gwyn fiddles with his shirt/vest a lot

forearm

the lil motion with his head after the Kiss tho rlly does look suspicious like the “twinge (of unspeakable agony)” motion tho

love how Osric just runs along to go with to see the rest of the show like. he’s into it.

[icefyrre]

ima spill su cat design ideas bc i’m on a bus and i’m too lazy to get my ipad to draw. also i have a lot of ideas so:

maybe i can give em little accessories that look similar to their canon outfits? like pearl can have her jacket, sapph can have a scarf thing (based off the thing on top of her skirt idk what it’s called), etc

all quartzes are maine coons (edit: except defective gems like amethyst and carnelian. thanks @yiga-clan)

pearls are obviously orientals

era 2 peridots are munchkins >:3 short legs

topaz could be an american bobtail, they are really bulky with short tails

oo zircons as abyssinians. they’re supposedly the smartest cat breed

rubies are manxes with the pompom tails of japanese bobtails

sapphires are turkish angoras, they look so elegant i love them

i will probably never figure out a breed that fits lapis. russian blue? turkish van? nothing really works

diamonds are big cats:

white’s a lion with the big ol mane

yellow’s a lioness

blue’s still pretty undecided. i’m thinking cougar but i’m not 100% sure yet

pink’s a floofy snow leopard. i love snow leopards so freaking much

maybe fusions could have certain traits of big cats but they still look mainly like domestic ones:

highlander cats look like smaller lynxes so that works for garnet

also i really really want opal with caracal ears. y’know, those crazy long ear tufts

SUGI AND/OR MALACHITE COULD HAVE SABERTOOTH TIGER TEETH OMG I LITERALLY JUST THOUGHT OF THIS

i’m really adamant on making sure things would make sense on an actual cat. like, no ponytail on cat opal. how does that make sense

patterning is probably the hardest. i want things to make some sense but at the same time i want to give myself freedom. i also know the least about coat patterns :/

i follow a lot of warrior cat blogs bc of this, i can look at their designs for inspo

ok that’s it for now. ig you can use these ideas just give credit. if you have any other ideas i’d love to hear em!

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Passing Through

Part Two: Western Squall 

A/N: You and Ryan finish playing on 16th street, and you show him around the area before the storm blows in, each of you learning a few things about the other. 

Warnings: again none. floofy fluff. with a side of momentary sadness. 

Word Count: 5,819 (yikes. idk guys, I just can’t seem to cut the details short when it comes to Ryan.) 

Songs Referenced: Southbound

The last notes of the song you’d been playing left the piano keys and drifted off the strings of Ryan’s guitar, floating away on the rapidly chilling air. You glanced over at him as the small crowd that had gathered awarded you with a smattering of applause and a few crinkled bills dropped into the open case at Ryan’s feet. You caught him smiling, noting that his smiles came more from his eyes than his lips. The sun was glowing goldenrod behind blue gray clouds, trying furiously to burn them away. But the gleam in his soft nutty irises would have done a better job of banishing the approaching storm. He lifted his gaze from the body of the guitar, and you sucked in a breath as those warm eyes landed on you. He blinked once before one reddened cheek rose as his smile grew. You felt a wave roll though your stomach that had nothing to do with how hungry you were, and everything to do with what it had just felt like to play with Ryan.

 You felt an awed expression take up residence on your face, adrenaline and emotion simultaneously causing a tear to materialize, and a giggle to bubble forth. You swiped the frozen tear away with the back of your hand. That felt… It hasn’t felt that good to play in… You’d played with plenty of talented musicians- in studios, on street corners, in bars and basements- but none of them had been quite like Ryan. When he sang, it wasn’t just with his mouth. He sang with his lungs and his eyes and the tilt of his head, with the furrows in his brow. When he played it wasn’t just with his fingers, but with his whole hands, sometimes plucking lightly, other times attacking the strings, with his shoulders raised and his foot stomping as he rocked with the cadence of the song. He didn’t just play. He didn’t just sing. He made music, like a magician conjuring something from thin air. You fell into harmony with him on the songs you sang together, and he adjusted the tempos he was used to to match the slower or faster ones that you played. It felt like you’d rehearsed together for weeks instead of having only met that morning. It was like he understood the things that you felt when you sang, like he could feel them, too, and he was trying to translate them with the help of the glossy maple instrument that was just as much part of him as his long limbs. Playing with Ryan was like reading through your journal and finding passages that you’d forgotten about, and then remembering what you were thinking when you’d written them.  

 He noticed you wiping at another tear and his eyebrows came together in a quiet question. You shook your head, wrinkling your nose. Another involuntary, breathy laugh slipped out as just as silently you told him that you were fine. More than fine, this is... You felt light, like you could float away just like the song had, on the day of the year that you generally felt yourself heavy with sadness. You know why, Junebug. Serendipity. You could hear your mother’s words as clearly as if she were speaking them directly into your ear. You had to smile thinking about what she would think of Ryan, how she’d be unable to even attempt to hide the fact that she would think he was attractive, how she’d be enthralled with his talent and his passion for music, how she’d unabashedly try to hint that you would make a good couple, and how you would turn the same deep red shade of the piano that you sat before, shrieking “Mother!” while trying to disappear. Absurd. You heard him, he’s passing through. You’re just playing together, it’s just for today, just until the snow comes through. Luckily, a tall, bright faced woman broke you of your thoughts with compliments on your playing. You thanked her warmly as she dropped a $5 bill into the case. Ryan was wrapping up a brief conversation with a man and his son as the small crowd dispersed under the darkening sky. Soon it was just the two of you in the Garden Block; the two of you and the empty flower pots, the bare trees, and the painted piano. You spun on the bench, picking your knees up to your chin so that you could swing your feet up and around to face Ryan. You were about to say something, but he beat you to it.

 “That was really sumthin’,” his eyes still twinkled, and you wondered if it could have possibly felt the same to him as it had to you. He laid his guitar across his lap, holding it there with both hands.

 “Yeah,” you nodded, that awed expression still rearranging your features. “Yeah, it was. You’re really talented, Ryan.”

 He swung his head down and to the side bashfully before facing you fully again. His cheeks looked a touch redder than the tip of his nose, and you knew it was from more than the cold. “Nah, I just-”

 You shook your head emphatically, leaning forward to rest your elbows on your knees. “Uh uh.” You narrowed your eyes. “You don’t get to say ‘nah’ like that. Your music is… it’s beautiful, Ryan.”

 “Well,” he flushed even more, “well, thank you.” Nodding, he stuck his chin out towards you. “You’re really good, too. You do this for a livin’?” He bent down to start counting and organizing the generous tips the two of you had garnered.

 You sighed and sat back up, hugging your arms around yourself against the wind as it blew down the length of the mall. You reached down for your discarded sweater, re-layering. “No,” you said, sliding your arms into the sleeves. “I’m a bartender, who sometimes moonlights...er...daylights...as a musician.” You shrugged, pulling the sweater closed. “I used to play a lot more than I do now.” You sniffed. Change the subject. You’re feeling light, don’t weigh it back down. “We just played for,” you checked the time on your phone, eyebrows flying upwards in shock. “Four hours?! Holy cow!” You looked up at him, and saw that the surprise was mutual. His lips parted and you saw a white flash of teeth as he smiled again. He’s so happy… this makes him so happy. “Are you as hungry as I am?” You reached down for your bag, slinging it over your arm. “I’m starving.”

 Ryan finished dividing the cash into two piles, folding one in half and tucking it into the beat up leather wallet he pulled from his back pocket, extending the other pile out to you. You took it with a soft “thank you”. You didn’t unfold and actually count, but from what you could see and the thickness of the stack in your hand, you’d made almost a hundred bucks a piece. That’ll make Max pretty happy, Mom, what do you think? You silently spoke to the wind, smiling inwardly. Ryan scooped up the coins from the case and laid the guitar in the felt lining before answering your question. “Yeah, I could eat.”

 You grabbed the two empty coffee cups from hours before and crossed the garden block to toss them in the trashcan while Ryan hoisted the guitar case and an overstuffed backpack that you hadn't noticed earlier onto his shoulders. He stood waiting for you beside the piano, lightly pressing his thumbnail into the thick red paint to gauge just how many layers there were hiding beneath it. You smiled as you saw him do the same, seemingly pleased with the fact that there were at least thirty layers beneath the current one. “So this looks different every time?” He picked his head up to ask the question, completely intrigued by the musical artwork.

 “Yeah, it’s pretty neat, huh?” You ran your fingers over the thick, rippled layers of weathered paint. “The city hires a new local artist every few weeks. I just love that it’s here, that people get to play...not everyone has the space or money, even for a little upright like this, you know?”

 He nodded thoughtfully, smile faltering ever so slightly, and just as you were starting to worry that you’d said the wrong thing, the smile was back, reaching into his eyes.”I’m glad it’s here, too. People like you get to play it an’ make lots of other people happy.” The air felt heavy with the precipitation that was promising to fall, but standing so close to Ryan, the piano between you...it was like being inside a dome of sunshine and summer; like you couldn’t feel the blustery wind that was making passersby huddle further into their coats.

 You laughed and thanked him for the compliment, again thinking to yourself that it  had been too long since you’d played. Don’t get into that now. “So,” you cleared your throat. Turning your head slightly to give him a look of mock skepticism you asked, “How do you feel about tacos?”

 He tugged on the straps of his case and pack. “Is this a test?” He narrowed his eyes, but you could see the smile twinkling inside of them.

 You pulled your phone out and typed a quick text, nodding to his question. “It is. It is a test. Please answer honestly.” You were good at talking and joking with people because your job required those skills, but it was still astonishing how easy and genuine it felt to act that way with him after so few words and such little time. With customers, especially the ones you knew were fly by day and wouldn’t become regulars, there was always a level of disconnect, because no matter how funny the jokes were or how silly the stories, you knew that the relationship hinged on the fact that you were supplying them beverages, and they were supplying you with the ability to pay your rent. Between you and Ryan there was only music, and that was free. This is easy… why is he so easy to be around?

 “Well, I feel good about tacos,” he chuckled, a puff of white vapor coming from his mouth as his warm breath hit the frigid air.  

 You feigned extreme relief. “Oh good, so you can be trusted.” You started walking in the direction of your flavorful destination, and Ryan fell into step next to you just as effortlessly as he had after leaving the coffee shop. “I know the best place in the city, just a few blocks down in Larimer Square.”

 He was listening to you, you could tell, but you noticed that his eyes were up and flitting from one thing to the next. You passed a few specialty food stalls, smoke wafting out through aluminum vents, filling the air with sweet, meaty, and spicy smells. You saw him notice the handwritten menu signs and the way that pots, pans and other cooking utensils were hung or stored. In one brightly colored stall, a heavily tattooed cook was dicing green chillies, knife flashing as he proudly and confidently brought the blade down over and over against the hard block of the cutting board. Just next to the impromptu and constantly changing food court, a few more stalls were occupied by artisans and crafters selling beaded jewelry, tie-dyed clothing, intricate dream catchers and small wood carvings. You glanced over at Ryan and you could tell that he was just itching to get closer, to watch the crafters work. “You wanna check that out?” You asked, gesturing toward the woodworker’s stand.

 He nodded enthusiastically, already taking a step towards the weathered older man with a kind face and scarred up hands who sat whittling objects and trinkets of all sorts. Ryan’s eyes were on the man’s hands, noting how the artist held his tools, and it struck you how present he was, how attentive and detail focused he was. “Lookit the way the wood curls fall,” he pointed to the floor where a pile of thin ribbons of oak shavings grew. “Twistin’ like that… wood’s hard, ya know? Wouldn’t think it could do that… it’s… there’s beauty in that,” He shrugged, eyes twinkling, focused on the discarded bits and not the ornate piece in the crafter’s hands. Most people walk right on by and here he is stopping to notice the scraps. He turned to you, a far off wistful look on his face. “Growin’ up I used to sit on my grandaddy’s porch and he’d carve all sorts of things...whistles, ornaments, little trains and boats for me’n my cousins to play with.” A twangy voice accompanied by a sad guitar and a lonely fiddle came through speakers inside the woodworker’s stall, and you could tell that Ryan knew the song by the way he tapped his thumb against his thigh in time with the music.

 “He ever teach you how to make anything?” You imagined carving tools and a fresh block of golden wood held in Ryan’s tattooed fingers, imagined him liberating birds and bears and fish and trees from the cubes of unfinished oak, whistling or humming or tapping his boot against the floorboards of a porch as he did.

 Ryan laughed. “Nah,” he winked and you weren’t ready for the way that wink made your insides dance. “He didn’t trust me with anything sharp back then, and I can’t say I blamed him much. My cousins an’ I were troublemakers with a capital T.”

 You laughed and he joined in. “Pockets full of frogs? Pulling girls’ pigtails? That sort of thing?” You guessed.

 “How’d you know?” He asked, and you watched as a birthmark beneath his eye was nearly lost to the crinkling of his lifted cheeks.

 “Wild guess,” you shrugged. You asked him if he wanted to purchase anything from the stall and he hesitantly answered “no”, peeling his eyes away from the rapidly accumulating splinters and curls at the carver’s feet. His gaze lingered on a small freight train figurine on the table for a few extra seconds, and his fingers twitched like he wanted to reach out and touch it, but he didn’t, just turned to face you with those quiet, soft leather eyes. “Alright,” you rose on your toes to  look over his shoulder, making sure that the shuttle bus  wasn’t about to barrel down the mall. Once you knew you were in the clear, you bumped your elbow to his. “Onward. One more stop before lunch, if that’s okay with you.”

 He stepped down off of the curb as you did. “Sure, lead the way. Not often I get the locals tour of a new city.”

 “Hardly a tour, Ryan,” you smirked at him. “I haven’t even taken you to any historic sites or taught you any fun facts. You should demand a refund.”

 His jovial laugh rang through the cold afternoon, and you noted how empty the street had become- a few stragglers heading towards light rail stops and rushing into buildings to escape the increasing chill. “Do you know any fun facts?”

 “Well, no,” you admitted, and he laughed again. “But I could make some up,” you offered, remembering the “tours” your mother used to take you and your brother on when you were visiting new places, the “facts” that she’d conjure- see that building? It was once a clock factory, but the man who worked there discovered the secret to time travel, and he built a clock that took him away to another time, and he was never heard from again. Now it’s a pizzeria, but you can still hear the gears and the chimes from the clocks that used to be built there. You and Eli, in your infinite naivety and desire for magic to be real, would oooh and ahhh at her stories, and even well after you knew that they were fictional, you’d giggle over the stories fondly. You were quickly approaching the next stop on what Ryan had labeled a tour, and you turned to him. “Don’t worry, I won’t actually make you listen to a bunch of phony facts.” You nodded towards the storefront to your left- Max’s Music Shop- big red neon guitar hanging above the door, lit up against the colorless winter scene. “Just have to run in here real quick to drop something off. You wanna come in?”

 You saw his eyes land on a beautiful Alder guitar with a Rosewood fretboard and a colorful, hand embroidered strap. They roved over the curves of the instrument hungrily, mouth dropping open and a small “wow” slipping out as he raised his hand to the glass. “Think they’d let me play that one?” He asked, a hopeful lift in his tone.

 You smiled warmly, thrilled to be able to give him good news. “Yeah, I think so. Max is a friend.” You didn’t think Max would be okay with it, you knew he would, and you knew that once he heard Ryan play he’d be eager to invite him back any time. You opened the door, a bell jingling pleasantly above you, and again Ryan’s canvas sleeved arm came from right behind you to hold it for you. You thanked him, looking up and over your shoulder to see that he was looking down at you with excitement clear and present all over his face, the wind blowing the feathersoft hair that stuck out from his cap behind his ears, grin visible under the patchy facial hair that ranged down his neck in some places, and you felt your stomach do another flip. It feels so good to be close to him...this is...I need to stop... again you felt like you were enclosed in his sunny aura, simply by sharing proximity. Your breath caught as his hand brushed yours, completely accidentally, as it came down from the door. You recovered quickly as Max’s face lit up from behind the counter, and he came around to give you a hug.

 “Hey! Junebug!” His bright blue eyes shone with genuine excitement to see you. “How you been? Who’s your friend?” He stepped back from you, swiping his blonde hair from his eyes with one hand, the tattered sleeve of his sweater pulled down to his fingers.

 You stepped aside. “This is Ryan, we met this morning when I spilled coffee on some asshat in Caribou.” Max shook Ryan’s hand, both men smiling, quietly appreciating the other’s clear love for music. You turned back to Max. “He’s the best guitarist I ever heard, Max. Can you grab that beauty in the window so he can treat us both?”

 Ryan flushed from his cheeks to the tips of his ears at your compliments as Max excitedly strode to the window to remove the guitar in question. He brought it over to the side of the shop that had two wooden boxes that served as seating, a faded blue Turkish rug spread out on the floor. “Have a seat, Ryan,” Max gestured to the boxes with his free hand, and Ryan did as he was instructed, completely enamored by the shiny lacquer that covered the unique grain of the guitar’s body. You sat on the second box as Max handed the guitar over, and watched it trade hands, a sort of whimsical enchantment filling the shop’s small space as Ryan’s fingers closed around the neck.

 “Thank you, sir,” he directed his words to Max, but his gaze was stuck on the instrument in his hands, gleaming just as much as the shiny wood. Max nodded and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall behind him, one leg bouncing in anticipation of hearing Ryan play.

 You watched as Ryan adjusted his position on the wooden seat, propping the guitar comfortably in his lap as though he’d been acquainted with the instrument for years, as though they were very old friends and not strangers. He strummed his fingers over the strings, delighting in the sound, forehead creasing in concentration as he introduced himself to the bridge and the sound hole, carefully twisting one of the pegs at the top of the headstock. You watched him with the same enraptured awe that he watched the wood carver with, eyes following his fingers from the headstock back down to the strings, and held your breath as he began to play.

 You heard Max let out a surprised sound as Ryan started plucking away with his right hand, the honey sweet, magical music filling the small shop almost instantly. You watched the way the knuckles of his left hand moved, pressing down tightly on the strings over the neck before springing away to free the vibrations. Without realizing it you were tapping your foot and your cheeks were aching at the smile his song induced. He only sang a few lines, lyrics having to do with heading south, following the weather to where it’s warm, and travelling by train, and you felt utterly immersed in the song, in the story that we has telling with his words and the way that his body curved around the guitar, the way that his hands increased and decreased pressure on the instrument to denote different volumes, tones and feelings. You only got to sneak a few glances at him while the two of you played, as you were wrapped up in your own playing, the movement of your own fingers as they flew across the keys, and now, surrounded by banjos and ukes, drums, violins, flutes and other musical equipment, now you got to take in the visual aspect of his performance as much as the audible. He quieted the strings by laying his palm flat against them as the song came to a close, and you and Max launched into applause as that flattered red flush came back to Ryan’s face. He smiled sheepishly at his hands before looking up and thanking you and Max.

 “Junebug didn’t lie, man, you are extremely talented...you ever record? I have equipment and a studio at home and I’d love to work with you if you’re interested…” Max was speaking quickly like he did when he was excited, and you were thrilled to see Ryan’s eyes flicker with surprise and interest when Max mentioned recording. They spoke briefly about setting up time to record, and you stood, crossing the room to give them privacy. You lingered near the counter, examining a colorful steel drum that you’d seen Max mess around on before.

 “Yeah, I’m only in town for a few days,” you heard Ryan explaining to Max, “But I could be headin’ back this way in the Spring, could I call you then?”

 You froze, your fingers finding the divets in the steel drum’s basin, as an inappropriate feeling of disappointment hit you at the idea that Ryan would be gone in a few days, just like the snow that had yet to start falling. Stop it, you told yourself for what felt like the eightieth time that day, you’ve known lots of traveling buskers, shit you were one for a long time, you know how this works. Max’s cheery voice broke through your disappointed thoughts as he agreed that any time would be the right time and that the offer would stand for whenever Ryan found himself back in Denver. They shook on it, both of them grinning, and the warmth that came from Ryan’s smile banished some of the sting of his imminent departure. You resumed tapping the steel drum as they walked over to where you were standing.

 “So, Max, I did actually drop in to give you something,” you pulled the folded stack of cash from your bag and handed it over to Max. Ryan’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion as your tip money changed hands. “For the Lois Walsh Junebug Jam Musical Education Program,” you announced, though you knew that Max knew what the money was for.  You’d been donating in your mother’s name since you met Max almost four years ago amd learned that he ran private music lessons for kids who couldn’t afford their own instruments, letting them play either second hand instruments at the shop, or his own older guitars and violins at home. You’d been wanting to do something in your mother’s honor since she passed almost seven years ago, and you’d known that you wanted it to be music related, as everything in your mother’s life had been. Twice a year you’d come into the shop and hand over a wad of cash, and twice a year he’d tell you about the kid whose day you made when he was able to present them with their very own trumpet, bass, or flute. Max beamed and thanked you, professing how proud of you your mother would be despite never having met her. You could tell that Ryan wanted to ask questions or say something, but he refrained from doing so until the two of you were back outside.

 Though the mountains were behind you, you didn’t have to see them to feel the cloud shelf advancing. Having already swallowed the peaks it would undoubtedly be hanging low over the foothills now, snow blowing about, riding the Western Squall that was on its way into the city. You sniffed against the cold, and against the little rush of emotion that donating on your mother’s behalf always gave you, and when you turned towards Ryan, you were only slightly surprised to see him already looking at you thoughtfully. “That’s a real nice thing you’re doin’, Junebug,” he was quiet, and though he couldn’t know the details about the fund you’d helped Max set up, it was clear that he could tell there was a very personal connection there, and he wasn’t going to push you to talk about it. Hearing him use that nickname, though, made the air evaporate straight out of your lungs. You recovered as quickly as you could with a smile and a little laugh.

 “Oh you’re callin’ me Junebug now, are you?” You wrinkled your nose at him in mock disgust, but the truth was that if he forgot your real name and called you that forever, you’d be just fine with it. “But, thanks. I...Max is great, you know? Teaching music to kids and…” you shrugged. “I’m a shitty teacher, so if I can help him out in this way I’m happy to do it.” That was the truth, sans details that he didn’t need to know right now. “But!” you clapped your gloved hands together softly, “It’s taco time, come on you’ve gotta be ready to eat your fist at this point, I know I am.”

 Ryan laughed and you lead him a few blocks further down 16th Street and around the corner to Larimer Square, strung year round with lights and banners, it’s cobbled sidewalks making it seem like a small town Main Street instead of one of the trendiest streets in Lower Downtown. You passed a few high end boutiques and eateries- a dress shop you couldn’t even afford to make a reservation in, a champagne bar you’d visited once on New Year’s Eve- and strolled along until you reached the sign for Tamayo, the lettering above the door enough to make your mouth start watering. Ryan stopped abruptly outside the restaurant’s front door. You were still chatting excitedly about the happy mistake that lead you to the carne asada wonderland you were about to experience, and hadn’t noticed that you’d lost him a few steps back. You spun on your heel to see him, shoulders slumped in front of the menu that was posted outside. He looked disappointed, and you immediately had a suspicion as to why. “Hey,” you called over to him, “You okay?”

 He turned to face you, a slightly embarrassed look on his face that made you feel horrible. “Yeah, I just…” he looked down at his clothing; tattered tan cap pulled over his long and unruly hair, canvas coat that covered a maroon sweater, dark jeans stained in several places with a thick pair of gray gloves sticking out from his back pocket, paint and mud caked boots with frayed laces, before looking back up at the pristine building, looking through the windows at the tables with white cloths and small candles. “I don’t think I’m dressed for a place this nice.”

 You looked down at your own appearance and back over at him. “Yeah,” you said, “Me either. Follow me.” You waved an arm.

 He took a reluctant step towards you and paused again. “I don’t...this place, it’s...I don’t think I can really afford it,” he looked down at the sidewalk, and you wanted to take away any feeling of inadequacy that he ever felt. He was the kindest, most genuine, supremely talented person that you’d ever met, and he didn’t deserve to feel inadequate, ever.

 “Ryan,” you reached out and touched his arm before you could stop yourself, the tips of your fingers sticking out from your gloves to feel the rough material of his coat. He looked down at your purple gloved hand, and then up to your eyes and you thought you might choke. You shook your head slightly and removed your hand as you continued. “I can’t really afford it either, Ryan.” You winked. “I know a guy that works in the kitchen- helped him out when his band was in a jam and needed a backup keyboardist for a few gigs- and he owes me...I told him payment in tacos was acceptable, and I hadn’t cashed in on it yet, so… come on, I texted him before we left the piano. I bet he’s got everything packed up already.”

 He looked dumbfounded. “You’re usin’ your favor on me?”

 “Least I could do after you told that asshole off in the coffee shop, and then…” You let out a breath. “And then you...we played together and I haven’t played like that in…” you sighed as the mild confusion on his face faded. “Yes, Ryan, I’m using my favor on you. Now come on.”

 He followed you to a back door where your friend Josh was waiting, red and brown stains covering his white apron. He shivered as he extended the bag to you, and you thanked him, promising to get together to play sometime. He disappeared back inside, and you turned to Ryan brandishing the bag of spicy goodness. “Come on, I know just the spot for a picnic.”

 Ryan seemed to have left his feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy back on the cobbled bricks of the sidewalk outside Tamayo’s front door, and you were immensely glad. You led him around another few corners until you were at the Colorado Convention Center, and you turned to catch his reaction to the enormous blue bear sculpture that had been added to the building’s exterior. It was positioned in such a way that made it look like the looming bear was trying to peer into the windows of the iconic building, and normally it would be flooded with tourists and visitors to the city, posing for pictures perched on its paw. The snow had finally started to fall, light but noticeable, so the area around big blue’s feet was completely empty. You climbed up on one of it’s huge paws and patted the flat area next to you, indicating that Ryan should join you. He shook his head, a delighted smile on his face banishing whatever he was feeling before and filling his eyes with wonder. He climbed up next to you and wiped his hands off on his jeans. “Painted pianos, secret little music shops…” he tilted his head back to appreciate the sculpture that he sat upon, “taco picnics and now bear statues… I thought you said this wasn’t a tour?”

 “Ha, I guess...I guess it was. A tour of my Denver.” You passed him one of the two containers full of carne asada and chicken tinga tacos, and opened your own. You wasted no time in scooping up one of the soft corn tortillas, still warm from the foil pouch Josh had wrapped them in, and took a big, sloppy bite. One look over at Ryan and he was doing exactly the same, and you laughed, mouth full, as his tongue came out to try to catch some pico de gallo that was falling out of the shell in his hand. He was unsuccessful, instead shoving the whole thing in his mouth before sucking seasoning and sauce from his thumb. He shrugged and you laughed harder having swallowed the food in your mouth. “That’s how tacos work- shove it in and hope for the best.”

 His eyebrows flew up under his hat and he froze before bursting with a loud laugh that echoed in the empty street and off the glass windows under the bear’s legs. It felt good, laughing with him, sharing your day… a day that you’d normally spend alone and certainly with less laughter. You leaned back against the behemoth sculpture and Ryan got more comfortable, too, and the two of you ate in a semi-silence punctuated by chewing and slurping noises, neither of you trying to eat gracefully around the other. When you’d finished your meal and Ryan his, you hopped down from the bear’s paw and waited for him to join you back on the ground.

 “So, I was thinking-”

 “So, can I ask you somethin’-”

 You both spoke at once, and your heart hammered. Somehow, though you had no idea how or why, somehow you knew that he was about to ask you about the money you’d handed over in the music shop and what it was for and where the name Junebug came from and what you were doing downtown today and why it had been so long since you’d played music. What was worse than the idea of him asking these things, was the idea that you actually wanted to talk to him about it all… You were about to resign and say, “Sure,” when all of a sudden the wind changed, and the squall that had been threatening all morning dropped snow down on your heads relentlessly and you both focused on it instead of the double questioning that had almost happened.

 “Where to, Junebug?” he asked, squinting against the flakes that fell sideways, blowing about on the wind to settle in his hair and on his long lashes. He keeps calling me that and it's going to be a problem, you smirked to yourself as you grabbed his elbow and lead him down an alley between the convention center and the building next to it, towards the light rail station.

 “Let’s get out of the city, what do you say?”

@something-tofightfor  @my-little-dumpster-fire  @suchatinyinfinity @lexxierave @benbarnestongue @banditthewriter @thesumofmychoices 

please let me know if you wanna hop on or off this train! 

[fire-and-swords-blog]

Interview with Lilly

1. What is your name?

“Lilliana T’Ase’Mushal.”

2. What is your real name?

“That is my real name.”

3. Do you know why you were called that?

“It’s my first name and my adoptive mother’s last name.”

4. Are you single or taken?

“I’m taken, but I might still be looking too.”

5. Have any abilities or powers?

“I got some basic pyromancy and chi control shit.”

6. Stop being a Mary Sue.

”Fucking what?” 7. What’s your eye color?

“They’re silvery, cool shit people say.”

8. How about your hair color?

“White and awesome.”

9. Have you any family members?

“My mother is still alive, but I ain’t about to fuck with that. Nobody gonna have fun there.”

10. Oh? What about pets?

“I got two dogs. Sasha my pit bull, and Jackson, the floofy motherfucker Malamute. My roommate has got a ton of shit though though.”

11. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like.

“I hate and hate it when people act like there’s nothing that can solve their problems. Like, bitch what? You’re standing right there.”

12. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing?

“I’m pretty into free running and lately I’ve been learning the guitar. It’s pretty tough, but I’m getting it around.”

13. Ever hurt anyone before?

“Yup.”

14. Ever… killed anyone before?

“Yup.”

15. What kind of animal are you?

“That’s a stupid fucking question.”

16. Name your worst habits.

“I’ve kicked the real bad shit, I just smoke a bit too much now.”

17. Do you look up to anyone at all?

“Only person I look up to is Tomoka, great woman, teaching me how to do monk shit. I like her.”

18. Gay, straight, or bisexual?

“Pansexual, if it’s a thing and it can say yes, I’ll give it a shot.”

19. Do you go to school?

“Nope.”

20. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day?

“HA! Yeah nah, fuck kids. I can’t stand that shit. I might get married though, I don’t know.”

21. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls?

“Like, stalkers? Nah I think they’d be scarred off.”

22. What are you most afraid of?

“None of your fucking business.”

23. What do you usually wear?

“Depends on the time of year. In the summers I like to wear some light shit, gets a little revealing but fuck you if you got an issue with it. In the winter, I like to wear heavier coats, leather, fur lined and shit.”

24. Do you love someone?

“Yeah, I’m starting to think I like my girl Brandy, she’s a real sweetheart for putting up with some of my shit.”

25. When was the last time you wet yourself?

“I don’t know, I was probably like, five?”

26. Well, it’s not over yet!

“Okay.”

27. What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class)

“I’m my own class. I got enough money to be comfortable, but it’s getting better. Less bullshit going on.”

28. How many friends do you have?

“I got enough. I’m not starving for attention over here.”

29. What are your thoughts on pie?

“Decent shit. I prefer cake.”

30. Favorite drink?

“I really like pomegranate juice.”

31. What’s your favorite place?

“I don’t fucking know. I like forests.”

32. Are you interested in someone?

“Yeah, a couple of people.”

33. What’s your bra cup size and/or how big is your willy?

“B-cups in human form, they look bigger in worgen form, but they’re proportionally the same.”

34. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean?

“Lakes. I know the shit that lives in the ocean, fuck that.”

35. What’s your type?

“Not gross or dirty. I’m really not that picky.”

36. Any fetishes?

“More than I’m willing to admit to.”

37. Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive?

“Depends on who I’m with. I go along with the moment really, it could go either way.”

38. Camping or indoors?

“Camping. I love the outdoors.”

39. Are you wanting the interview to end?

“These last two questions are fucking stupid.”

40. Now it’s over!

Tagged by: @xerxes-jasper

Tagging: Idk, do whatever the fuck you want dude.

[etherealellaelf]

So I just saw Cats 2019 and here are my thoughts:

(I’mma talk about the good and bad things) So I went into this movie both worried about the cursed design and also as a longtime fan of Cats: the Musical. I first watched the 1998 filmed stage production on PBS when I was a little girl, and then I revisited it when I was older and became a fan of all the colorful characters, the haunting music, and the great dance performances. It’s based on the Poetry book by T.S. Elliot “Old Possum’s book of Practical Cats”. Since it’s a poetry book, there is a problem: each poem about the cats doesn’t flow very well into a cohesive plot. So the new movie fixed that. Here are some other good things about the 2019 Cats movie: *spoilers*

(And before I start I was sitting beside an old woman who told me that she saw the very first stage production of Cats in London many years ago and she said to me in a very concerned voice after the movie was over, “It wasn’t THAT bad, was it?” I looked her in the eye and shook my head and I told her it wasn’t that bad. I didn’t lie. It was just a little bad. But my heart went out to her nostalgia.)

-Victoria is the main character now, so the audience is seeing the cats through her eyes. She’s our vehicle. That makes the songs that the cats sing introduction songs; they’re introducing themselves to us and Victoria.

-Like I said before, the plot is a lot more cohesive. The new script explains what jellicle cats are, the purpose of the jellicle ball, and who macavity is. They also added a ton of stuff, like Macavity kidnapping the other contenders to become the “Jellicle choice”, the cat that the leader will choose to be reborn(like, cats have 9 lives? It’s a bit weird, just go with it), because he wants to be chosen. Macavity didn’t really do this in the old one, this cements him as the villain. Also other cats like mungojerry and rumpleteazer and bombalurina are helping macavity. 

-I have mixed feelings that Grizabella is being shunned because she used to work for Macavity. It does give the other cats a better reason to hate her, but they don’t hate mungojerry and stuff. I’ll talk about that later.

-These new additions to the story made it a lot more palatable, but at the same time I like the old version as well. They’re both good. This one is just a lot more cohesive.

-All of the ballerinas, dancers, and singers were really good, and the acting was pretty good too, for people pretending to be cats. I thought taylor swift’s rendition of “macavity” was really good, and they brought a new facet to her character and the odious nature of the song, as it’s now a villain song and she is a villain.

-Tom Hooper as director. I really liked his style in Les Mis, and I guess it kind of worked here.  (Also I love you so much Tom Hooper I feel bad that this movie did so badly because I want you to succeed, you have a great style and vision and it really worked for Les Mis.)

-They left out that awkward *scene*. You know the one. The o-r-g-y scene. Good on them. Thank you. I read somewhere that it was there, but when I watched the movie, it was not there. I’m confused by some reviews saying it was there. It wasn’t there?!?!?!

Now let’s talk about what I didn’t like.

-The “cursed” design. Clearly everyone agrees with me about this. I forgot about it within the first ten minutes of watching. I really liked the look of Old Deuterotomy, who was a very fluffy, long-haired cat. That’s what made the old designs from the musical so memorable: the wigs were really big and poofy and the leg and arm warmers looked like fuzzy cat legs. The floofiness gave them character. Making all the cats shorthaired just made them look pretty naked, and I know they did this to accentuate the line of dance(it’s why dancers wear tight clothes), but they should have had fluffier cheeks, fluffier heads, and fluffier limbs. That would’ve prevented all the naked-looking cats. I understand the animators wanted to try something new, but they should’ve taken a page out of Sonic the Hedgehog movie’s book and redesigned.

-They totally changed Mungojerry and rumpleteazer’s song! It used to be a vaudeville production and it was so mischievous and fun. Now it just doesn’t have much tune. 

-They cut the Pekes and the Pollicles, the song where the cats are making fun of how clumsy dogs are. But I suppose it’s probably for the best. Lots of people like dogs nowadays. 

-Grizabella getting shunned because she used to work for Macavity??? The integral part of her character is just that she’s old. They should have made the Jennifer Hudson cat look a lot older, with greying fur and hair and stuff. The other cats shun Grizabella because she’s a reminder that they will die one day and she used to be beautiful and wonderful like them, once. It’s a big part of their character and despite them trying to explain and gloss over why everyone hates her, my friend who’s never seen cats was still confused. I wish they hadn’t said she worked for Macavity, but at this point it’s canon so who am I to question it.

-They totally cut Munkustrap and Macavity’s fight. 

-Although they cut out the weird scene, there was a really strange scene where all the cat’s tails quivered in the moonlight and they started just acting so strange. Then suddenly everyone started dancing! I could’ve done without the tail quivering.

-The cockroaches and at times, the mice, with their human faces, were a bit weird. Especially when Rebel Wilson ate some of the cockroaches. Also a bit weird was when she unzipped her skin, but it’s fine, she did that in the stage version, too.

-The Rum Tum Tugger did not need to catch Victoria’s foot the way he did, as it was really close to his mouth and it was just a really weird decision. 

-I’m sorry, but when the Cats rubbed their heads against each other’s heads, it was a bit weird. In the stage production, head rubbing is done very fast. It’s over with. It’s done. In this one they lingered and stared a lot. I guess real cats do that. But anyway. It’s whatever.

-Some cats wore clothes and took them off at points as well while other cats did not wear clothes. I think it actually was good that the train cat wore suspenders and the fat cat, Bustopher Jones, wore a top hat and evening jacket. It was charming for them. I don’t think Idris Elba’s fedora and trench coat needed to come off of his body at all. He should’ve kept them on. Just make his ears poke out of his hat or something. He totally looked naked.

-”Jellicle” is a weird word. There is a jiggly sound associated with it.

-The opening orchestral music is, at times, hit or miss. I personally like it because it sounds eerie and strange, sinuous and slithery, like how a cat do. It can come across as creepy though, especially during the song “The Naming of Cats”. In the stage production I can’t really watch because those cats all, as one, look at the audience, staring into my soul, and chant the song in one voice, and then they advance on the audience and it’s creepy but I guess it’s interesting. Idk how to convey in words. I am glad they cut that particular element about that song from the movie. 

Okay, now I’m going to address people who won’t give it a shot:

-Give it a shot. You forget about how they look like ten minutes into the movie. If you think about it as an arthouse film about dancers pretending to be cats, then it is enjoyable. 

-There was a lot of time, money, talent, and effort put into this production. All the ballerinas and other dancers are very passionate about their performance and it shows. 

-The animators for this movie were only given 7 months to model and do special effects for every single character on this movie, and there are hundreds of cats. Toy Story worked on its movie for 4 years. So I guess it’s easy to accuse the animators, but they were just doing their jobs; they weren’t given a lot of time to make the designs look fantastic, and they couldn’t deviate from what their art directors told them to do. I’m sure that some of them wanted to do the stage makeup and hair and whatnot, but you have to remember; the actors and director had no idea what the finished product would look like. Don’t blame them.

-Let’s just face it: Cats is a really weird concept to begin with. Andrew Lloyd Weber had some good ideas, like Phantom of the Opera, and he had kind of strange ideas, like Cats. It was really popular in the 70′s because the play has music that is very 50′s themed(note the malt shoppe that is a milk bar in the movie and Rum Tum Tugger is supposed to be like an Elvis character) and 20′s themed(the vaudeville Mungojerry, Rumpleteazer, and Macavity themes), so in its time, this show was a lot like Stranger Things for us. It was a nostalgia trip. And even amongst theater fans, there is a tiny niche who love Cats. This is not a huge fanbase. I liked it by accident, stumbling upon it by coincidence. I don’t understand why they put so much money into it knowing this. They should’ve cast much smaller celebrities and advertised much smaller, but we all know that Andrew Lloyd Weber is Mr. Moneybags and Mr. Outlandish, so of course he wanted to attract a younger fanbase to keep the spirit going for years to come. I, as a dance and musical fan, liked the stage production. I think if you’re willing to overlook the cringe, how a lot of the cats wear clothes and others don’t, and Idris Elba’s neon green contacts, you could like it. I don’t know. I’m not you. I just think this movie was made for certain people who like the old version of Cats, and they should’ve marketed it to them, and the reason why they tanked so hard is because they didn’t. They should’ve put them in stage costume and makeup and only CGI’ed some things.

-Maybe it would’ve worked better as an animated movie, where the designs for the cats was simply a cat who does ballet. It worked for the stage production because we used our imagination and we thought they were cats with emotions, personalities, attitudes. I think if you squint you can imagine this on this movie as well. But the thing is there was just too much backlash and nobody wanted to see it. Fame is dictated by social media these days, and if they meme you, you’re done. There’s really nothing you can do.

-The moral of the story is maybe see it, but if you don’t want to, don’t. But keep in mind Cats isn’t for everyone. It’s only for people who liked the Cats musical. So if you did, great, if you don’t, then you don’t have to see it.