#blessed with so many great photoshoots recently <3

[un-beel-ievable]

Obey Me! Headcanons - The Demon Brothers react to a MC who owns a golden retriever 🐕

Author’s note: I'm home :3 Feel free to reblog, but please do not repost!! If you enjoy my writing, do leave me a like and/or a comment (and follow me to see similar content in the future :D)!

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Lucifer ☕

• When your dog first bounds over to greet Lucifer, it’s difficult to tell if the eldest born is a fan of your four-legged pal or not. The Avatar of Pride scrutinizes the ball of fluff as if he were a judge on a dog show —all the while as your dog vibrates impatiently by the front door with a tennis ball in its mouth. Perhaps it senses the need to be on its best behaviour if it’s to impress Lucifer.

• “A pet is a responsibility, not a novelty. I sincerely hope that you thought long and hard about the obligations of a pet owner before you went ahead with your decision to adopt. That being said, you appear to be doing quite well with your four-legged companion —they’re very well behaved. I have absolutely no qualms with you taking over Cerberus’s care when you return to the House of Lamentation; clearly you’d manage much more elegantly than my brothers. Perhaps Cerberus would enjoy the company of your charming pooch as well…”

• So Lucifer does like your dog. Not an entirely surprising revelation, if you’ve seen how he behaves around Cerberus in private. The strict no-nonsense archdemon turns into the softest dog owner that you’d ever have the pleasure of meeting; he’s all ear scritches and belly rubs. By the end of his visit, your dog is blissfully rolling on the carpet by Lucifer’s feet as the Avatar of Pride informs it over and over again that it is indeed “a good dog”.

• Perhaps you’ll even catch the small —but genuine— smile twitching at the corners of Lucifer’s lips as he does so.

Mammon 💳:

• In hindsight, perhaps giving Mammon a heads up about the presence of your pooch would have been a good idea.

• Despite your numerous attempts to reassure Mammon that the furry ball of enthusiasm barreling towards him is a Good Dog™, the terrified shriek that escapes the Avatar of Greed is shrill and ear-splitting enough to shatter your windows (Metaphorically speaking, of course. Rest assured, no windows were harmed in the writing of this headcanon.). When your dog leaps at him to nudge its head into his hand for scritches™ and headpats™, Mammon’s life flashes before his eyes. The only image that he can bring to mind before he passes out cold on your carpet is Cerberus’s terrifying snarl.

• When Mammon comes to, your dog is sitting on his chest —looking concerned and suitably chastised for accidentally scaring the living daylights out of the demon. (Even though Mammon refuses to come clean about how terrified he was. “The great Mammon? Afraid of a lil’ dog? W-What...What are ya talkin’ about? I wasn’t scared!”) The events that occurred over the last couple of minutes play on a loop in Mammon's mind. It finally dawns on him that your dog isn’t the ferocious beast that his imagination had conjured up, and his cheeks flush scarlet.

• Please give your demon a hug. I think he needs one. Or several.

Leviathan 🎮:

• If Leviathan had a pet ranking system, Henry 1.0 and Henry 2.0 would always claim the highest spots possible —the S-tiered, 5-star gods of the pet world. No golden retriever could ever worm its way to the top and snatch his love for them from under his feet. Sorry. But your dog is pretty cute, he’ll give you that.

• Too cute, maybe. Hey...um...you don’t love your dog more than you love him, right? What? Him, the Avatar of Envy, jealous? No! Of course not! Why would you make such an outrageous assumption? He’s not jealous —an adorable fluff ball of enthusiasm for the outdoors and joy is a way better than an icky otaku, after all. Leviathan doesn’t blame you for choosing your dog over him. Any sane individual would do the same...

• When you finally manage to reassure your demon that your dog is in no way competition for the affection that you hold for him, —he’ll always be your favourite demon, even if you have a dog. Even if you have a hundred dogs. Nothing is going to change that— he begins looking at your pooch in a different light. That’s right —as a potential cosplay partner. There’s this new anime that’s been released recently...Levi was wondering if you had heard of it? It’s titled: My Partner Is The Proud Owner Of A Golden Retriever And I’m An Otaku Who Enjoys The Simple Pleasure Of Collecting Merchandise and Cosplaying. One of the main characters happens to own a golden retriever as well, and if you’re willing to give him your blessing (the irony, I know), perhaps you’d lend him your pooch for an afternoon of cosplay and photography?

Satan 📚:

• Satan is a cultured demon who enjoys the company of four-legged companions, but he’s admittedly a fan of felines...not canines. Still, he prides himself on keeping an open mind towards new experiences, so he agrees to spend an afternoon with you and your dog (Even though he’d much rather be attending the opening day ceremony of the Devildom’s newest cat cafe. The things he does for love.).

• He performs some through research before meeting your dog for the first time; spending afternoon after afternoon in the sanctuary of his room reading about dogs and how to care for them. No number of books could prepare him for the real thing, however. When Satan first comes over to spend the afternoon in your home, he’s stiff and awkward —unsure of what to do with a dog. He ends up spending the first hour on your couch, sipping tea and spouting facts about golden retrievers.

• Show him the rope that your dog enjoys playing tug-of-war with, or the tennis ball that it insists on carrying in its jaws everywhere it goes. It takes a while for Satan to warm up to your pooch, but he’ll gradually learn to love —or at the very least, tolerate— your canine companion, even though he still firmly believes in the superiority of cats. Speaking of which, you’d accompany him on a date to that new cat cafe, right?

Asmodeus 💋:

• Oh! Your golden retriever is absolutely adorable! And gorgeous too —albeit not as beautiful as him, but that’s to be expected. There’s not a single individual in all of the three realms that could match up to his beauty. And your dog has such luscious fur too...dear Diavolo, he’d kill to have a haircare routine that’s as effective on his locks.

• Would you be willing to take a photo of him posing with your pooch? It’s for his Devilgram followers, of course —such beauty must be shared with the world, no? You’re not entirely sure if Asmo’s referring to his beauty, your dog’s beauty, or the shared, collective beauty of him and your dog. It doesn’t particularly matter. The two (three?) of you end up spending the entire afternoon orchestrating an impromptu photoshoot, and then spending the evening editing the photographs from said shoot for Devilgram.

• Generally gets along with your four-legged companion like a house on fire. There’s just one, itsy-bitsy issue.

• Your dog sheds. A ton. No matter how often you brush its fur, or how many boundaries you set about it not being allowed on the furniture, it seems determined to shed every carpet, sofa and bed that you own. Asmo never stops whining about the copious amounts of fur that now decorate every article of clothing he owns, but at least your dog seems happy to be able to leave its mark —on Asmo’s ensembles, of course, but also his heart.

Beelzebub 🍔:

• Corporate has asked you to find the difference between this picture and this picture—

• Asmo gets along well with your dog. Beel gets along with your dog even better. As one of the few only brothers who’s willing to spend any amount of time with Cerberus (granted, most of the time he’s only doing so because he’s been promised free food), Beel has grown into quite the dog lover. Your dog seems thrilled to be in the company of someone who appears to wholeheartedly enjoy its company —your dog is thrilled by the company of anyone who’s willing to give it their time of day, but still— and Beelzebub is thrilled to be in the company of a four-legged companion who appears to wholeheartedly enjoy his company. Beel is happy to spend whole afternoons playing with your dog...interspaced with the occasional snack break, of course.

• Speaking of which, Beel very much struggles with not giving into your golden retriever’s extremely convincing puppy dog eyes. Objectively, he knows that giving your dog human (or demon) food is a terrible idea —the last thing he wants is to be the reason that your dog has to take a trip to the vet. But your dog is so cute! And it’s looking at his food with such an intense longing in its eyes...Beel can relate to that. Surely a little nibble wouldn’t hurt…

• When you find yourself having to tell Beel off, suddenly you find yourself at the receiving end of 2 sets of puppy dog eyes; both Beel and your pupper are very sorry. They swear it’ll never happen again! Please don’t be upset…

• How are you supposed to stay mad at them?

Belphegor 🛏:

• ...listen.

• It’s not that he hates dogs. Honestly! He likes dogs as much as the next demon! But they can be loud and yappy and so incredibly energetic, and your golden retriever is more hyper than most. It always wants to go on walks, or play fetch, or make him throw its favourite tennis ball over and over again but refuse to hand it over so he has to engage in a slobbery game of tug-of-war to steal the ball from it —it’s just too much for the Avatar of Sloth. Just watching your dog zip across the room in a display of its endless amounts of energy is enough to tire Belphie out...is playtime over yet? He just wants to take a nap.

• Makes multiple attempts to talk you into allowing Beel to look after your dog. Just for an afternoon! His twin certainly has the energy to keep your hyperactive pup entertained for the whole day, and since you can be assured that your dog is well taken care of, perhaps the two of you could finally stay inside for once and take a nice, long nap. It’s been too long since he’s gotten to hold you in his arms…

• By the time Beel returns your dog to you, it’s all tuckered out from its day of adventures. As you’re thanking Beel for looking after your dog for the day, you catch him chuckling softly at something over your shoulder —Belphie and your furry friend, dozing off together on the couch. They appear to finally be getting along.

BONUS: I'm still not terribly comfortable with adding the (former) undatables to my writing repertoire, but my partner happens to be very fond of the demon butler...and I happen to be very fond of them. So just this once, just to see how it goes...

Barbatos 🍵:

• Oh? So this is the sweet bundle of fur that he’s heard so much about. It’s a pleasure to meet them at long last. Barbatos has always been fond of dogs, and your dog is quite an endearing creature to say the least...it actually reminds Barbatos of Cerberus when he was a puppy. How time flies.

• Treats your dog as if it were an esteemed guest of the castle. As long as Barbatos is around, you needn’t lift a finger when it comes to the care of your beloved pet. Keeping your dog fed and watered? Barbatos has it covered; the butler seems to have an in built in timer when it comes to feeding your dog —Barbatos serves its meals at exactly 6 in the morning and 6 in the evening. Not a minute early, not a minute late. When taking your dog out on walks, he carries a spare bottle of water for the sole purpose of offering it to your dog if it gets thirsty. Speaking of walks...Barbatos is more than happy to escort your pooch on walks in the event that you’re unavailable to do so yourself. Barbatos generally allows your golden to lead the way on their excursions, and is content with following along behind it to keep it out of trouble for however long it wishes to remain outdoors. If it were to tire itself out, Barbatos takes your dog into his arms and carries it the rest of the way home.

• Your pooch becomes very spoiled very quickly. It’s unclear if you’ve gained a butler...or if your dog has.

[fundiebabynamebible]

The 2030 Duggars - What Happened Next?

The year is 2030 and the Coronavirus pandemic is (hopefully) long gone, Trump is no longer president, many more animal species have gone extinct due to human activity and the UK and Commonwealth has a new monarch in King William V. But where are the Duggars?

Jim Bob and Michelle - Have left the TTH after deciding to give it to Joe and Kendra because of their ever expanding family. Enjoying the quieter life after a few eventful years with more scandals (this time involving fraud). Michelle is still joyfully available and Jim Bob is still humping her on golf courses. Still hoping the Lord blesses them with another kid but this never happens and Michelle never gets over it.

Pest and Anna - Pest is still cheating on Anna, he could even be in jail after another child molestation scandal. His liver is on it’s last legs due to the amount of alcohol he consumes but he refuses to see a doctor because Jesus will decide his fate. Mackenzie is married and pregnant with her second child, in fact she recently had a photoshoot with her mother (who is expecting her final child, M11). Michael and Marcus are courting fundie girls. At least one of the M’s will eventually break away from fundamentalism.

Jana - Her wedding failed to save Counting On but she is happily married after finding Mr. Right (Lawson Bates after Jim Bob begged him to help save their show). She has 3 kids and is enjoying running her homeware business.

John and Abbie - Total of four children and are done having kids, now enjoying watching them grow up and travelling the world when Abbie isn’t at work. Still madly in love

Jill and Derick - Still happily married, in fact they renewed their vows on their 10th wedding anniversary. They have added to their family in the form of daughter Selah but chose to adopt her, rather than risk Jill’s life again. They have continued to become more worldly and Derick has finally apologized to Jazz. Speaking of Derick, after graduating law school he managed to get every penny they were owned from Jim Bob. The much anticipated tell-all book has been released and more people are now more understanding of Jill, who is now a proper midwife. 15 year old Israel is enjoying school and well on his way to becoming Pistol Pete.

Jessa and Ben - Jessa has either had a life-saving emergency hysterectomy after one too many high risk home births during the birth of the first GrandDuggar twins. She has sired a total of 7 kids and is finally in therapy after admitting she is depressed. Jim Bob gave her a new house when she announced her fifth pregnancy. Jessa has begun to distance herself from her parents after finally realizing what a toxic upbringing she had and grown closer to Jill in the process. Spurgeon hates his name and now goes by his middle name, Elliot. Ben is a youth pastor. 

Or

Jessa  bled to death after one home birth too far (seriously, please be careful Jessa) and Ben has now been left to raise her grieving children. Most of the Duggars now have hospital births because of this (all except Anna because.. she’s Anna)

Jinger and Jeremy - Left Los Angeles a few years ago but still in Cali, Jeremy is still a pastor and they are semi famous in their local area thanks to Jinger’s blog and their family Youtube channel. Jinger enjoys the occasional alcoholic drink. Their daughters are all now in private Christian schools and they have admitted defeat in trying for a son and are happy with their five daughters.

JoKen - 11 kids (I’m convinced he will have twins at some point), still birthing for Jesus. Now living in the TTH. Kendra is pregnant with JoKen #12 and continues to wonder where all these kids come from. Still a very boring couple but happy.

Josiah and Lauren - Divorced with 5 kids. Lauren now a successful Mommy blogger, but can’t be bothered with homeschooling so her kids attend a private Christian school paid for by her parents or are educated at the TTH. Josiah is a good father and shares parental responsibilities. 

Joy and Austin - 4 kids (3 boys and Evelyn), now running Fort Rock, their homeschooled kids are enjoying the freedom of the great outdoors. Joy is now free to wear pants and is enjoying life.

Jedidiah - His political career failed to launch and he decided to cut his losses, settle down and start a family with hi wife. If he decided to go back into politics later in life he will have 3/4 kids max to maintain a good image but if not they will have a larger one.

Jeremiah - Got married just before the scandal and now has a few kids. Still close to his twin brother.

Jason - Works in construction with James. Married with a kid but stays out of the limelight.

James - Married to Lauren Caldwell, who is birthing for Jesus like Kendra and they currently have 6 kids. Pastor Caldwell has kept a tight hold over them. Lauren is less giggly and more tolerable than her sister. 

Justin - Married Claire in early 2022, living near her family in Texas. They decided not to start a family right away and have 3 kids

Jackson - Jackson who? His parents forgot he existed and have no clue where he is but he quietly slipped out of the house during the scandal and moved to another state because he didn’t want to get involved. Now single and enjoying the bachelor life.

Johannah - Married off the moment she turned 18. Now has 2 kids and expecting a third.

Jennifer - Jill helped her escape the TTH 5 years ago and got her into therapy. After a short while living with Jill way, Jenni is now away from the public spotlight and enjoying a quiet life. She is never heard from again. 

Jordyn - Escaped the TTH and ran to Jill after a failed arranged courtship and has been through therapy due to her difficult early years. Has a fairly worldly life.

Josie - Michelle is still grieving after Josie left the house and got married. She is still paying the price for her premature birth but is now getting good healthcare

Inspired by this post on DuggarSnark Reddit

[tegoshigeftw]

Tegoshige Top 25

“More Tegoshige, please!” - said absolutely noone and I delivered. Well, this isn’t for 5 likes, this is for me. I’ve had this blog for 6,5 years now and I decided to look back on the best it had to offer. This is my rating of top Tegoshige moments, excluding those that tightly involved other members (so the making out had to be left out ;;). The things that made my heart doki doki... It was originally a top 10 but it was getting hard to pick so I decided there literally was no reason to hold back so here we are.

#25 4x9

That one time Tegoshige went on location together (which is already a blessing) and Tegoshi got freaked out because of insects running about and nearly got into Shige’s lap. Nearly. So it heads the list.

# 24 Halloween 2017

Tegoshi was Oiran - an elite courtesan - and Shige was Alex from Clockwork Orange. This was but a short moment but is lasted forever in my mind.

#23 Dropped earring

This was during White final. After the boisterous MC scene where Shige was the couch and Tegoshi was the girlfriend, Shige noticed Tegoshi dropped his earring, picked it up and gave it back to him. Just a minor moment, but Tegoshi was still in girlfriend mode and it was incredibly soft. Video here.

#22 Neverland in Tokyo encore 2017/06/11

Tegoshi got very emotional after he went backstage but the fans kept cheering so they went back on stage again and Tegoshi wouldn’t stop crying so Shige led him softly.

#21 As long as Tegoshi is happy...

Before a live performance, they were interviewed and as it was just after Tegoshi’s birthday, they were asked what they wanted to give so...

S: … (in his best ikemen voice) As long as Tegoshi is happy, that is enough! T: Ahhh! ♥ I am loved! Thank you, Shige-chan! I wanna hug you!~

Video here.

#20 The Spa

It was a photoshoot for Biteki. They were originally in different sandboxes but Tegoshi got lonely very soon.

#19 Hairstylist Shige

Shige has been Tegoshi’s stylist for years, since the early days. You can see it in photos and several DVDs, most notably Live Diamond. Video cut here.

#18 “Shige, thank you!”

The night after the Neverland Tokyo concert, 2017 Shige got a call...

S: After the concert ended, Tegoshi had a party with his friends. And so late at night he suddenly called me saying “Could you come for a bit?” S: He seemed to be serious and he cried so much at the concert. (laugh) I got worried and came over but this guy… he just fell asleep! (laugh) K&M: That’s terrible. S: He woke up once, looked at me saying “Shige, thank you!” and went back to sleep. T: Moreover, I was sleeping in Shige’s lap. [S]

Tegoshi: After the last concert in Tokyo Dome I invited several members of staff and Juniors and we basically did a wrapping up party. I called Shige at 3 AM and he came but I ended up falling asleep in Shige’s lap though I don’t remember that at all. I heard it afterwards but apparently I sang “I’m coming” and Shige sang “Ayame” but I don’t remember a bit… [S]

#17 Neverland in Tokyo 2017/06/10

According to a fan report: At the intro of some song, Shige grabbed Tegoshi by the waist tightly. At first, Tegoshi was playing along but Shige didn’t let go and Tegoshi, not used to being attacked, got embarrassed.

#16 Umeboshi

Shige’s been making umeboshi for years now and his #1 fan is none other than Tegoshi.

S: I’ve been doing it for 10 years. It’s not that I like them, I hardly eat them myself. During the tour our Tegoshi eats quite a lot of them. I leave it (in the dressing room) so after the concert he opens it and eats it. About half of them I make for Tegoshi. [2017.02.08 Moshimono Futari]

Q: If you were to give Christmas presents to the members what would it be?

A: …Well, umeboshi! Umeboshi! Eat my umeboshi and get healthy! I give it to Tegoshi every year though. Ah, but that’s showing “Love”. I give it all the time but it’s a deep love that has a special depth! (laugh) [2018.12.05 TVガイド]

#15 Blue making

This is perfect for several reasons, how naturally this fells, how there’s a perfectly empty chair next to them, and how at the end Tegoshi stumbled and Shige is cautioning him.

#14 That 2013 photoshoot

You know the one. That is all. No comment needed.

#13 Tegoshige Kabe-don and confession

During k-chan news, they played the Prince game and Koyama wanted a kabe-don. So Tegoshi kabe-don’d Shige and told him “I love you!”

The audio available here.

#12 Tegoshi’s kirakira eyes

Back in 2009, Shige had a diary and I’m really sorry he does not anymore because one day after a photoshoot he wrote this:

At that time he had seemed to be already smiling and looking at me Looking at me at such a close distance Is this an effect from DREAM BOYS As compared to before, the distance was so much more closer Tegoshi Yuya Indeed is a prince………….. Oh please won’t you be even a little embarrassed. Just how strong is your heart? Don’t look at me like that………… Being looked at with those shiny eyes…………… The atmosphere will become weird (oдO) ………………………………….. Tegoshi Yuya who has ended the photoshoot using those shiny eyes, had walked towards DREAM BOYS with that pair of eyes Ah~ shiny shiny Tegoshi eyes~ I’ll be waiting for that photoshoot~ I wonder… for which magazine would it be Oh the kira kira eyes

Full text here.

#11 That Taiwan hotel video 

We all remember that one. Tegoshi in his bathrobe going out to visit ‘other members’’ rooms but he only goes to Shige’s and gets comfortable on his bed, and gets pounced, and the next thing they show, it’s morning.

#10 Soukon thigh stroking

That time the camerman got very fascinated with Tegoshi’s legs and the other members teased him about it and called him a pervert. Then, Shige decided to stroke those thighs because... well, he can. 

#9 Taking a bath together!

- An unforgettable episode that happened on stage.

Kato: Because of a thunderstorm we had to stop the concert. We moved it to a later date. After a break the 4 of us got into tiny bathtubs, 2 in each and it felt sort of like a field trip, (laugh) the bath was warm. [Duet 2015.04]

They also talked about it during an MC at the time.

Shige pretended to climb into the “tub” with Tegoshi. “We were Team… What was it again?” T: Team “We haven’t done our solos yet”. S: And Tegoshi was sliding all over the place and smacking into me. He was such a naughty guy. T: It couldn’t be helped. It’s slippery. K: But baths are nice, aren’t they? Shige answered in a chill voice, “Yeah, they’re great.” [S]

#8 Worldista routine

I think this was during Weeek where they make up different letters with their bodies. Every concert it went differently but several times Tegoshi left his place and went over to Shige. This fancam pictured the time he got on top of him. Or tried to.

Also here’s a report from Nagano, May 25:

Tegoshi goes to Shige and captures him in a hug and Shige hugs him back. Then Shige picks Tegoshi up and carries him like a sleeping child to his original position. [Fanart here]

#7 Showers

Tegoshi is long known to invade other people’s privacy and during the tour, other people’s shower stalls are no exception. There are many recent episodes but here’s one account:

Q2: Shige-chan said in Nagoya when he took a shower Tegoshi appeared right before his eyes but does he do it always?

S: Not… always but he did it quite a lot on this tour. He trespassed about 3-4 times I think. He would enter the shower room I went to really quietly. That’s why I got really startled. He’d get happy he made me surprised and start grinning. (laugh) I would counterattack by pouring water over him.  

[Tour Stories from Popolo 2016.09 FUN’S QUESTION - SHIGEAKI]

Then, there’s an important MC from 2008. One time, during the tour Massu wanted to take a shower but as he entered the stalls, he met a naked Shige standing proudly. Shige explained he was only waiting on Tegoshi who earlier danced for him naked. Massu was like “Cool, I’ll leave you to it.”

The full account is here. There used to be an audio of this but I didn’t manage to get it.

#6 DTF ‘ago-kui’

There were many instances during two whole tours and also a SCP performance. Each time seems a little closer and more intimate, but each time looks equally fun on both sides.

#5 Accessible Emma outfit

Now we know that Shige, unlike Tegoshi, is not a touchy kind of guy. So him doing something like this, especially on air, is pretty unusual. Tegoshi said Shige did it a lot backstage too.

#4 “I wanna stir you up”

This line from ‘S’ was a real hit and Tegoshi basically admitted it got him horny. Twice. Detailed posts here and here.

#3 Tegoshi saying they’re basically married

Here’s the video.

#2 Tegoshi knows what’s up

Who do you think has the most sex appeal?

Tegoshi: Shige. His face is handsome like a nobility but he’s also manly. Rather than a shining sexuality his sexuality is monochrome… a deep sexuality. It’s the kind that slowly unravels as you get to know him.  [Wink Up, 2013.12]

Who would be a perfect boyfriend in NEWS?

Tegoshi: Wouldn’t that be Shige? It seems like he wouldn’t be clingy but all the while even when he’s silent, in his heart he’d be like “I’m thinking about you properly ♥” keeping a good distance. [Ane Can 2015]

Look with a “female gaze” and say who’s the most handsome member Tegoshi: Alright, I’m switching to female… click! …Hello, I’m Yuko! (laugh) So… for me it’s Shige. The reason is his face and his way of life. His face is up to my taste (laugh) and he doesn’t hesitate in words or in actions. His open-minded way of thinking is similar to mine. It’s refreshing and feels good. [Potato 2016.10]

To name but a few.

#1 Shige radio confession

During k-chan news, they played the Prince game and Koyama wanted one person to say what they liked about the other person and this is how Shige confessed.

K: Do it properly! Seriously. Connect hands “lover style”, look at each other. *giggle* S: Tegoshi has a really cute face. Really cute face and a good voice… K: That’s not it. S: A nice voice and beautiful eyes… K: Something you really like, really like.  S: But I really do like it. K: Something more about his personality. S: If it’s about his personality then… even when he complains he still does his job properly.

Sorry, but that’s just... yeah. You have to hear it though. Full transcript and audio here.

[tonystarkbingo]

TSB Week 25!

You might wanna brace yourselves, darlings, because there are DOZENS of works under that readmore!  As we reach the end of the round, everyone is scrambling to finish their fills and we are being blessed by a LANDSLIDE of content!

There will be one more roundup to gather up the last of the fills, and those should be submitted no later than July 1st!  Masterposts are due on the 4th, please include the following info for each fill on the masterpost:

Fill S1 - fill name - link - rating - pairing (if any)

You may, of course, include more, but that info is required.  We will post our Grand Masterpost with links to everyone’s masterpost after the 4th.

Also, don’t forget to claim your badges!  Unless you fill out this form, you will not get your badges! 

And speaking of badges... congratulations to the following!

Participation

Huntress

Faustess

Simi

Fighting_for_Creativity

calmena

DarthBloodOrange

Bingo

FestiveFerret

Von Gelmini

peachy

tinydragontony

Blackout

HogwartsToAlexandria

Dum-E badges have been going out as well, so congratulations to the many that have earned the Disaster Bot Badge!

And now... on to the insane number of fills!

Title: Tony, NO Collaborator: von_gelmini Link: AO3 Square Filled: T5 - You Can’t Trademark That Ship: Starker Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Inappropriate use of Stark Tech, Not Canon Compliant, Tony Stark is a Little Shit, Pepper Potts is Long Suffering, No Pepperony, Dildos, Tony Stark Has a Big Dick Summary: “You can’t trademark that!”Tony scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course I can’t. You can’t trademark an actual, physical item. That requires a patent. Which I have.” “You have a patent for that?” Word Count: 1091

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Title: More Than Just a Cosplayer’s Dream Collaborator: eachpeachpearplum Fighting_for_Creativity Link: AO3 Square Filled: Adopted/T4 - Image: 3490 Kiss Ship: Stony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Fluff and Humor, Lack of Communication, Idiots in Love, Tony’s questionable planning skills Summary: After cosplayers dressed as him and Steve kiss in front of the Tower, Tony goes to great lengths to keep Steve from finding out. If only he’d known he didn’t have to… Word Count: 6196

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Title: Outsider, Outsider Collaborator: tisfan Link: AO3 Square Filled: T1 - Image: Headset Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Horror, Fairy tale AU, Space AU, rabbits. lots of rabbits Summary: Stardate 5239.283.09 Word Count: 2249

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Title: If You Need Me Collaborator: periwinklepromise Link: AO3 Square Filled: Pepper Potts/Rescue Ship: None Rating: Gen Major Tags: None Summary: That's the problem with Tony, she thinks. Some of his messes are international terrorist groups hellbent on destruction, and some of his messes are just a learning robot with good aim Word Count: 343

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Title: If Only Collaborator: FestiveFerret Link: AO3 Square Filled: S1 - Phobia Ship: Stony Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Gay Panic, Sexuality, Self-Discovery Summary: Steve wasn't gay. He wasn't. He'd know that about himself. He had no problem whatsoever with men who were attracted to men - he was dating one of them - but it wasn't him. Word Count: 6061

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Title: The anatomy of a dying star - Chapter 1 Collaborator: summerpipedream Link: AO3 Square Filled: K4 - Wake Up! Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Space Opera, Implied/Referenced Torture, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort Summary: When Captain Bucky Barnes opened the crate, he was surprised. He thought of a million things that he might find, a hidden food-stash, some contraband supplies, maybe even a collection of weird dolls, Bucky wasn't one to judge. But what he never expected was to see the outline of a man, a very naked man, shivering as he woke up, blue eyes staring back him. Word Count: 1507

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Title: all that I think about you Collaborator: HogwartsToAlexandria Link: AO3 Square Filled: K1 - AU: Hogwarts Ship: Pepperony Rating: Gen Major Tags: None Summary: Howard and Maria had once again let him down, and Tony was forced to watch all his friends, and particularly his best friend who he was very much in love with like thirteen-year-olds could be, leave for Hogsmeade without him. Enter Thor and Loki. The Asgardian Brothers of Mischief. Tony knew he could manage something.  Word Count: 510

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Title: Lights! Camera! Action! Collaborator: HogwartsToAlexandria Link: AO3 Square Filled: Adopted - Tony/Natasha/Pepper Ship: Tony/Natasha/Pepper Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, PWP, Established Relationship Summary: Tony knows he's lucky; not everyone gets to submit to their wives for pleasure, and for business. Word Count: 1890

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Title: Flex & Flexibility Collaborator: feyrelay Link: AO3 Square Filled: T4 - Accidental Marriage Ship: Starker Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Arranged Marriage, Class Differences Summary: Tony Stark meddles with the romantic and aspirational fortunes of those in his acquaintance as often as possible; he tinkers with fates as well as machines and formulae, and he considers it a form of generosity and atonement for a) being so criminally and miserably over-privileged, and b) his past mistakes.When the match he'd been brokering between his head housekeeper's, May Parker's, nephew and the sadly recently deceased son of Norman Osborn, a business associate, ends up impossible... Tony steps in. After all, the small upstate town in this great state of New York finds it unseemly that an unattached male teach schoolchildren, lest either be an unwelcome distraction to the other.And Peter Parker had already taken the post, you see. There is really nothing else to be done but for Tony to marry the young schoolmaster himself. Word Count: 4590

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Title: The kill shot - Chapter 7 Collaborator: Fighting_for_Creativity Link: AO3 Square Filled: A5 - Image: Working on Bucky’s Arm Ship: WinterIron Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Alcohol, Cheating(past), Dinner, Fluff, Identity Porn Summary: After they spent a wonderful night with each other James slipps out, but not before making breakfast.Tony has a heart to heart with JARVIS.And James has a dream, which is more a memory than anything else.Later the two have another date. Word Count: 13,329

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Title: Overexposure Collaborator: hddnone Link: AO3 Square Filled: A5 - Photoshoot Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Photographer!Bucky, Alternate Universe - No Powers Summary: When Bucky gets a chance to photograph Tony Stark - yes, that Tony Stark - it's the biggest break in his career. It doesn't matter that Bucky has a tiny, itty bitty crush on Tony. It doesn’t matter that it’s a lingerie photoshoot, or that the pictures won't ever be seen by anyone outside Bucky, Tony, and Tony's wholly undeserving boyfriend.Bucky is going to be an absolute goddamn professional. Word Count: 1068

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Title: Bing Bang Bingo Collaborator: Kou Link: AO3 Square Filled: A4 - Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier Ship: Pepperony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence Summary: Tony helps Steve with his problem and tries to rationalize why he's willing to harbor a known war criminal. Word Count: 1040

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Title: The Auld Triangle Collaborator: Menatiera Link: Tumblr Square Filled: A2 - Labyrinth Ship: WinterIron, Stuckony Rating: Gen Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub; Alternate Universe - No Powers; established bucky/tony; Mutual Pining; Fluff; Flirting; Irish Steve Rogers; Irish Sarah Rogers; Polyamory; Polyamory Negotiations Summary: Moodboard. (Fic summary: In which Steve owns a failing Irish bar and Bucky works at that bar and is also married to Tony and the latter two desperately want to bring the former one into their relationship…But this is Steve, Tony, and Bucky we’re talking about. So they’re idiots about it.) Word Count: N/A

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Title: Through a Child’s Eyes, It’s Different - Chapter 6: Very Familiar Eyes Collaborator: rebelmeg Link: AO3 Square Filled: K2 - Flying Ship: Pepperony, Tony & Avengers, Iron Squad Rating: Teen Major Tags: deaged Tony, angst/fluff/humor, science and magic gone wrong, post-CACW drama, Team Cap Critical Summary: Rhodey's in a panic trying to find Tony in the rubble created by the explosion. Problem is, Tony isn't there. There's just a little kid with big brown eyes that look awfully familiar... Word Count: 12,090

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Title: my body is not their bed xvii Collaborator: Simi Link: AO3 Square Filled: S5 - Tony Stark/Natasha Romanoff Ship: Bucky/Tony/Steve/Natasha Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Soulmate AU, Female Tony Stark, Toni is Raised by HYDRA, Explicit Sexual Content, PTSD, Aftermath of Torture Summary: In 1995, the Engineer and the Winter Soldier escape HYDRA and end up, bleeding, on Peggy Carter's doorstep.This is their journey after. This is the story of their victory march. Word Count: 94,402

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Title: Because I could not stop for Death - (He kindly stopped for me) - Chapter 3 Collaborator: Faustess Link: AO3 Square Filled: R1 - Angst Ship: WinterPepperony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Inspired by Corpse Bride (2005), Angst with a Happy Ending, Not Cheating, Pre-Poly, Supernatural Elements Summary: Tony likes Sergeant Bucky Barnes and if they'd met under other circumstances, he could have been happy. But Bucky's dead... and Tony's not. Meanwhile, the Potts's are short one groom for the wedding. And our favorite field mouse is livid Word Count: 4787

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Title: JARVIS Play Despacito Collaborator: thudworm Link: AO3 Square Filled: R3 - WTF Ship: JARVIS & Steve Rogers Rating: Gen Major Tags: texting fic, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century Summary: Text conversation between JARVIS and Steve Word Count: 446

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Title: Hadid - Chapter 3 Collaborator: thudworm Link: AO3 Square Filled: R4- [Image of Tony & Rhodey hugging in IM1] Ship: IronHusbands Rating: Teen Major Tags: Dragon Riders, Iron Man 1 AU, Mutual Pining Summary: An AU of Iron Man 1, now with added dragons. Word Count: 4786

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Title: It is the wind, that shows you the way. Collaborator: HogwartsToAlexandria Link: AO3 Square Filled: S4 - A Wedding and A Funeral Ship: Pepperony Rating: Mature Major Tags: soulmate AU Summary: You find your soulmate in a dream they say, and that dream can be so many things at once sometimes you don't realize that's what your subconscious has been telling you, and yet it was. Word Count: 1984

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Title: Las Vegas Wedding Collaborator: Violettavonviolet Link: AO3 Square Filled: T5 - hindsight Ship: IronHusbands Rating: Gen Major Tags: secret relationship, hindsight, DADT, secret wedding Summary: They had talked about it a lot after gay marriage was finally legalized. They didn’t marry because of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, but now that it was repealed, Rhodey knew what would happen. or: Tony and Rhodey have a Las Vegas Wedding because they can, finally they can. Word Count: 1610

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Title: The anatomy of a dying star - Chapter 2 Collaborator: justanotherpipedream Link: AO3 Square Filled: A2 - Mind control or Brainwashing Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Firefly AU Summary: When Captain Bucky Barnes opened the crate, he was surprised. He thought of a million things that he might find, a hidden food-stash, some contraband supplies, maybe even a collection of weird dolls, Bucky wasn't one to judge. But what he never expected was to see the outline of a man, a very naked man, shivering as he woke up, blue eyes staring back him. Word Count: 6705

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Title: Cheer - Chapter 2 Collaborator: hddnone Link: AO3 Square Filled: R2 - Sam Wilson/Falcon Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: none Summary: The one where the Avengers are a collegiate cheerleading team making their way to Nationals. Word Count: 2073

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Title: Tears In Heaven Collaborator: thudworm Link: AO3 Square Filled: A1- Resolve Ship: Tony Stark & Morgan Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, James “Rhodey” Rhodes & Tony Stark Rating: Gen Major Tags: Major Character Death, Avengers Endgame compliant, heavy angst Summary: He’d done it. Thanos was gone, turned to dust along with his army. Tony just needed to find something to lean against. Just to give him some support while he got his breath back. Word Count: 581

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Title: Order and Chaos Collaborator: The_Alias (Artemis_Day) Link: AO3 Square Filled: R2 - Angel/Demon AU Ship: Pepperony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Angel/Demon AU Summary: You can't have one without the other. Word Count: 1683

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Title: Only Fool Rush In Collaborator: thudworm Link: AO3 Squares Filled: Chapter 1: S5 - No Powers Chapter 2: Jan Adopted Prompt - Fake Marriage/Marriage of Convenience Chapter 3: K5 - Drunk Dialing/Wrong Number Ship: Stony Rating: Teen Major Tags: College AU, fake marriage, age difference (Steve is 25, Tony is 18) Summary: Due to a condition in Howard's will, Tony needs to find someone willing to sham marry him before he can claim his inheritance. Including taking over Stark Industries. The facts that Steve is the one who volunteered to help, and that Tony has a massive crush on him, shouldn't be a problem. Right? Word Count:

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Title: The anatomy of a dying star - Chapter 3 Collaborator: justanotherpipedream Link: AO3 Square Filled: R4: Helen Cho Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Firefly AU Summary: When Captain Bucky Barnes opened the crate, he was surprised. He thought of a million things that he might find, a hidden food-stash, some contraband supplies, maybe even a collection of weird dolls, Bucky wasn't one to judge. But what he never expected was to see the outline of a man, a very naked man, shivering as he woke up, blue eyes staring back him. Word Count:

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Title: Comfy Collaborator: festiveferret Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S3 - Cuddling Ship: Stuckony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Cuddling, Fluff, Snuggles Summary: none Word Count: 440

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Title: Through The Looking... Portal Collaborator: MagicaDraconia16 Link: AO3 Squares Filled: Chapter 1: adopted prompt - Sent to a Different Dimension Chapter 2: A4 - Multiverse Shenanigans Chapter 3: adopted prompt - Meeting Alternate Universe Counterparts Ship: Tony & Bucky Rating: Teen Major Tags: the odd swearing, dimension travel, magical accidents, Reed Richards' portals Summary: Reed Richards was an absolute menace. Of course, it was Tony's fault for touching the obviously magical object in the first place. What else would you expect from something that came from a portal designed to look into alternate dimensions? Word Count: 5215

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Title: Welcome to the Jungle - Chapter One Collaborator: monobuu Link: AO3 Square Filled: A2 - Trapped/Isolated Ship: WinterIron Rating: Mature Major Tags: Video Game Violence, Cursing, (Video Game) Death Summary: A GAME FOR THOSE WHO SEEK TO FIND - A WAY TO LEAVE THEIR WORLD BEHIND Word Count: 1286

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Title: Faked Collaborator: festiveferret Link: Tumblr Square Filled: T4 - IMAGE: Jan & Tony Ship: Stony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Fake Relationship, Jealousy Summary: none Word Count: 570

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Title: Love Is True In Fairy Tales Collaborator: periwinklepromise Link: AO3 Square Filled: Ship: None Rating: Gen Major Tags: none  Summary:  Locked away in a castle and guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon, Natasha is still waiting for a knight so bold as to rescue her. When her rescuer finally comes, he's ... a little unorthodox, she must admit   Word Count: 851

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Title: High on You Collaborator: hddnone Link: AO3 Square Filled: T2 - Wolfgang von Strucker Ship: WinterIron Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Sex Pollen, Dubious Consent, Non-consensual drug use (from the sex pollen), allusion to Clint/Nat/Steve Summary: Sex pollen. Just another Tuesday as an Avenger. Strucker is wrong about it distracting the Avengers too much to fight - well, with the exception of those with the serum. It hits them a little differently than the rest of the team. Word Count: 3481

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Title: A bet for love Collaborator: Violettavonviolet Link: AO3  Square Filled: S2 - Misunderstandings Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: shovel talk, misunderstanding, pining, POV Bucky Barnes Summary: Bucky has been pining after Tony for months, and the other avengers finally decide to step in. Any idiot can see that Tony like Bucky. So, one morning, Clint makes a bet with Bucky. He has to ask Tony out and Clint does his reports for a month. Bucky does and sure enough they start dating, sadly neither of them are good at communicating and now Tony is holed up in his lab. or: A small misunderstanding can lead to a big fall out. Jarvis is scary protective and Bucky and Tony are really just a couple of dumbasses. Word Count: 2433

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Title: Skein Collaborator: onlymorelove Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S1 - Secret Hobby Ship: none Rating: Gen Major Tags: moodboard  Summary: Tony loves to knit.

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Title: A Veritable Landslide of Creatures Collaborator: betheflame Link: AO3 Square Filled: T5 - Attacked by a creature Ship: Stony Rating: Gen Major Tags: none  Summary: Peter likes to sleep with a few too many stuffed animals for his dads' liking. Word Count: 1155

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Title: Cinderella AU - free art fill by monobuu Collaborator: summerpipedream Link: Tumblr Square Filled: free art fill - T2: Cinderella Story Ship: Stony Rating: Gen Major Tags: art Summary: Cinderella AU with Steve and Tony

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Title: The anatomy of a dying star - Chapter 4 Collaborator: justanotherpipedream Link: AO3 Square Filled: A3 - free space Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Firefly AU Summary: When Captain Bucky Barnes opened the crate, he was surprised. He thought of a million things that he might find, a hidden food-stash, some contraband supplies, maybe even a collection of weird dolls, Bucky wasn't one to judge. But what he never expected was to see the outline of a man, a very naked man, shivering as he woke up, blue eyes staring back him. Word Count: 6705

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Title: “That treasure of yours better be worth it Stark!” - Moodboards Collaborator: sianmcawesome Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S5 - AU: Adventurers/Explorers Ship: Bucky/Clint/Tony Rating: Gen Major Tags: snakes, skulls, medical equipents (for pics under the cut), mention of Obediah Stane Summary: 4 moodboards for the WinterIronHawk meets Indiana Jones/National Treasure/Blood and Treasure/every other Treasure Hunter movie and show out there story I´ll probably never get around to writing.

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Title: Bing Bang Bingo - Chapter 3: TSBingo K1: Meet Ugly Collaborator: Starkangejr Link: AO3 Square Filled: K1 - Meet Ugly Ship: Pepperony Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Alternate Universe--Canon Divergence, Manipulation, SIM!Tony, Attempted Murder, Minor Character Death Summary: Superior Iron Man always gets what he wants. Word Count: 2484

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Title: feed each other and call it love Collaborator: ohjustpeachy Link: AO3 Square Filled: S1 - Steve/Tony Ship: Stony Rating: Gen Major Tags: none Summary: Steve works late, Tony builds a robot, and they show their feelings the only way they know how: through food. Word Count: 1823

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Title: Alarmed Collaborator:  festiveferret Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S4 - Adrenaline Rush Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: fluff Summary: none Word Count: 770

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Title: For Want of a Nail Collaborator: tisfan Link: AO3 Square Filled: Adopted - Centaur AU Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Human/Demi-Human Relationships,  Summary: The centaur, Bucky, is traveling to the witch coven to get the herbs needed to alleviate his herd-mate’s cough. On the way, he throws a shoe. Centaurs don’t usually associate much with humans, but what choice has he got? Word Count: 3909

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Title: God Is Great Collaborator: tisfan Link: AO3 Square Filled: Mod Fill for tinydragontony K5 - Forgotten Things Ship: FrostIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: Marriage Proposal, Religious Rituals Summary: Tony wants to make sure he has Loki's undivided attention... Word Count: 525

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Title: Untitled Collaborator: peachy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: T1 - AU: Gothic Ship: Stony Rating: Gen Major Tags: Moodboard Summary: An au where Tony’s parents die mysteriously, leaving him to inherit Stark Mansion, the house he’s spent years trying to escape, and Steve is the detective assigned to the case who gets far too involved.  Word Count: N/A

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Title: Ghost of Unprotected Sex Past - Can’t Sleep?  Collaborator: G Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S1 - Phobia Ship: Tony Stark x F!Reader // IronDad Rating: Teen Major Tags: Cursing, mention of nightmares, insomnia, mention of spiders and spider bites Summary: You and Tony have a late-night chat about your fears and anxieties. Word Count:

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Title: The Princes and the Pauper Collaborator: Fighting_for_Creativity Link: AO3 Square Filled: Adopted - Royalty Ship: Stony Rating: Mature Major Tags: Royalty Au, Envy/Jealousy, Evil Twin, inspired by the fairytale 'The Prince And The Pauper' Summary: A twin brother could be one of the most wonderful things life could gift you with.For the longest time, Anthony though of his twin Gregory as such that.Little did he know, that his brother wasn't as content with life like Anthony was.In a world where only the firstborn can inherit, the second-born twin falls victim to greed. Word Count: 1104

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Title: Thank You for Waking Me Up - Chapter 2 Collaborator: hddnone Link: AO3 Square Filled: Adopted - AU: Anime Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: None Summary: Tony almost died. Well, he did die and then was brought back to life, but that was supposed to be a secret. He wants to go back to his college life at MIT and designing robots with Rhodey, but his second chance at life means that he has the Grim Reaper who goes by the name of Phil Coulson trying to train him to save the world.He's probably not meant to flirt with the demons he's supposed to be catching. Word Count: 2808

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Title: Date Night Collaborator: Artemis Day Link: AO3 Square Filled: T4 - Spy, Secret Agent, Assassin, or Hitman Ship: Pepperony Rating: Mature Major Tags: Enemies to Lovers, Mild Sexual Content Summary: Seven O'Clock. Tony Stark was home alone. Word Count: 1387

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Title: Through a Child’s Eyes, It’s Different - Chapter 20: A Breakthrough Collaborator: rebelmeg Link: AO3 Square Filled: R5 - Stephen Strange Ship: Pepperony, Iron Squad, Minor Jane/Thor Rating: Teen Major Tags: Deaged Tony, Science and Magic Summary: Dr. Strange's Cloak behaves oddly, and a breakthrough comes from an unexpected source. Word Count: 35,704

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Title: A Bun (Well, Cookies) in the Oven Collaborator: eachpeachpearplum Link: AO3 Square Filled: S5 - Tony Stark/Pepper Potts Ship: Pepperony Rating: Gen Major Tags: Fluff, So Much Fluff, Pregnancy, Baking Summary: Pepper is tired, achy, and has had more than enough of people telling her she's glowing. Fortunately, Tony is a genius, and knows just how to cheer her up. (It's just a pity cooking isn't one of his strengths.) Word Count: 1214

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Title: The Rest is Fate Collaborator: FestiveFerret Link: Tumblr Square Filled: A4 - Cinderella Story Ship: Stony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Pining, Unrequited Love (Or Is It?)  Summary: Word Count: 886

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Title: A Bakery Bodyswap Collaborator: Gavilan Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S5 - Body Swap Ship: WinterIron Rating: G Major Tags: Bodyswap, Baking, Photo Story, Food, Images of Food Summary: A photo story. Word Count: N/A

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Title: It’s Our Choices That Define Us Collaborator: InTheShadows Link: AO3 Square Filled: K2 - Anticipation Ship: Loki & Tony Stark Rating: Gen Major Tags: Hogwarts AU, Sorting Fic Summary: Loki and Tony are Sorted into their Hogwarts Houses. Anyone who thinks they already know the outcome are fools. This two never do the expected after all. Word Count: 1971

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Title: That’s What She Said Collaborator: FestiveFerret Link: AO3 Square Filled: R5 - Ho Yinsen Ship: Stuckony Rating: E Major Tags: Get Together, Drunk Consent Summary: Steve had a massive crush on his TA, which he was hiding from his boyfriend, until a chance meeting in the chip aisle at Target changed everything. Word Count: 3378

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Title: That’s What She Said Collaborator: betheflame Link: AO3 Square Filled: K5 - Shopping Together Ship: Stuckony Rating: E Major Tags: Get Together, Drunk Consent Summary: Steve had a massive crush on his TA, which he was hiding from his boyfriend, until a chance meeting in the chip aisle at Target changed everything. Word Count: 3378

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Title: Chances Are Collaborator: tinydragontony Link: AO3 Square Filled: Adopted - Tony in the Workshop Ship: FrostIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: Domestic Fluff Summary: What's Jarvis playing over the intercom system? That sure doesn't sound like AC/DC... Word Count: 28,050

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Title: Sun’s Out, Guns Out Collaborator: only_more_love Link: Tumblr Square Filled: S2 - Thanos Ship: N/A Rating: Gen Major Tags: Moodboard Summary: Even supervillains need time to unwind. Word Count: N/A

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Title: First Kiss Collaborator: Monobuu for Lacrimula Falsa Link: Tumblr Square Filled: Mod art fill for Lacrimula Falsa T3 - First Kiss Ship: IronAgent Rating: Gen Major Tags: N/A Summary: Art Word Count: N/A

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Title: Pretty For You Collaborator: DarthBloodOrange Link: Tumblr Square Filled: Adopted - Kink: Crossdressing Ship: Stony Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Crossdressing, Sexual Content Summary: For some fun Steve puts on one of the USO Tour Girl dresses for Tony. Word Count: N/A

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Title: Discipline Collaborator: DarthBloodOrange Link: AO3 Square Filled: K5 - Kink: Caning Ship: Stony Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Sexual Content, BDSM, Uniform Kink Summary: “Do you know why you are here, Captain?” Tony asks, eyeing up the soldier standing to attention before him. Word Count: 1587

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Title: Pull of the Tide Collaborator: DarthBloodOrange Link: AO3 Square Filled: K1 - Kink: Interfemoral/Intercrural  Ship: Stony Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Sexual Content, Food Sex, Intercrural Sex Summary: Tony is tired after a long day at the lifeguard convention he was attending. All Tony wants it to sleep. Sometimes life doesn’t give you what you want…… Sometimes it give you something better. Word Count: 2100

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Title: scenes from an Italian restaurant Collaborator: peachy Link: AO3 Square Filled: A3 - Free Ship: Stony Rating: Gen Major Tags: Marriage Proposal, Established Relationship, Domestic Fluff,  Summary: Steve gets back from a mission, and they go to dinner. Word Count: 1131

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Title: A Box of Scraps in a Cave Collaborator: betheflame Link: AO3 Square Filled: A1 - Image: MK 1 Ship: Stony, WinterFalcon Rating: Teen Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff Summary: “Jarvis, report?” Tony said quietly.“Master Peter has opened the box and lit the forge.”“After eight hours of scowling at it, that’s quite a bit of progress,” Tony quipped. Word Count: 2648

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Title: Ice Breaker Collaborator: Fighting_for_Creativity Link: AO3 Square Filled: R1 - Popsicle Ship: IronFalcon Rating: Gen Major Tags: Fluff, First Date, Dorks in Love Summary: The moment Sam asked him for a date had filled Tony with nervous anticipation and tension.Why the hell the weather decided to be as unbearable hot as it was on that day, only heaven knows.At least Sam and he were able to get some cooling popsicles. Word Count: 1472

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Title: The Eye of a Spy Collaborator: fighting_for_Creativity Link: AO3 Square Filled: R4 - Movie Retelling Ship: IronFury Rating: Mature Major Tags: Movie Retelling Summary: Ever since he had been a much younger agent, Fury had the questionable pleasure of knowing Tony Stark on a slightly more personal level. Over the years though, he couldn't help but think of it more as a privilege.Tony Stark was something else.Maybe, just maybe, Tony Stark was exactly what Nicholas Joseph Fury needed. Word Count: 3001

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Title: The Reunion Collaborator: FestiveFerret Link: AO3 Square Filled: A2 - Pining Ship: WinterIron, Stucky, Stuckony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Pining, Get Together Summary: Bucky's upcoming ten-year high school reunion is dredging up memories of something else that ended ten years ago. He tries to ignore the way it makes him feel, but his boyfriend, Tony, has other ideas. Word Count: 3162

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Title: Size Him Up, Take Him Down - Chapter 3 Collaborator: Romancebyfaye Link: AO3 Square Filled: R5 - Cheesy Ship: Stony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Dom/Sub Summary: Steve is small and slight. For this reason others often assume he isn't a Dominant or is incapable of being a good Dominant. It doesn't seem to matter that Submissives, Dominants, Switches, and Nulls come in all shapes and sizes. He's had more than his fair share of fighting against stereotypes, so when Natasha mistakes his designation and introduces him to another Dominant who seems more than interested in taking him down, Steve perhaps responds in a less than ideal manner.Only now Nat is pissed at him and it seems he may have fallen prey to the exact kind of thinking he has always despised. Word Count: 5829

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Title: A Matter of Efficiency Collaborator: FestiveFerret Link: AO3 Square Filled: T5 - The End Ship: Stony Rating: Explicit Major Tags: Crack, Enemas to Lovers, The Butt Chug Fic Summary: Somehow, Steve is defying all known science about him and managing to get drunk. Regularly. Tony is determined to figure out how. Word Count: 6558

[alexrobshaw]

Fanie, my fairy godmother, and Violette, my fashion dream come true

I haven't updated my blog in forever.

Sorry. I know you like it.

The truth is I got back from that vacation in Spain and it turns out I never fully recovered from my burnout. As soon as I got back I got overloaded with way too much stuff, and truth be told I'm still exhausted.

The best thing that could happen to me has happened to me though.

When I got back from my trip it turned out to be my friend Fanie Gregoire's birthday, which I decided to attend out of pure desire to socialize (being secluded for 10 days in the mountains in Andalucia does ultimately bring you that). It was a fun time, I couldn't stay long, and when I left, Fanie was like Hey let's go for a drink or coffee this week some time.

I held her up to it. A few days later I invited her to join me to catch 2 of my bandmates' band Les Funktionnaires. They were playing a gig at a tiny venue on the Plateau. We got there early and started talking. Oh, actually before that, like a day or 2 before that, we were chatting about me needed some PR help and not wanting to handle the business stuff related to my music anymore, because a lot of the root cause of my burnout had been about that, and Fanie had been like Hey I can take care of sending press releases and stuff for you, when you need. And then I was like Well hey how about you do this on a bigger scale for me, I can pay you to handle the PR, major booking and media/press stuff, and I can Be An Artist u know.

So we chatted over drinks that night and it was settled. I told her what my game plan was, I told her about the new album I've got in the works, I told her what my struggles had been and what I've been and haven't been doing.

True to her fairy-godmother-self, she told me not to worry 'bout a thing anymore, that she could take care of it all for me, and that a big part of her has been wanting to do that as a living. We settled on the title of Assistant, for her, because somehow the word Manager didn't quite ring too well as of right now, but well now we're over a month in and I couldn't be happier to finally annouce this to the world.

Ms Fanie Gregoire is now my assistant, and any/all media, booking, PR or business inquiries must be sent to her at pralexrobshaw@gmail.com

Fanie was the one who bodypainted me for my Original Game photoshoot, and right there and then she had come as a blessing, being not only uber-professional and ultra-efficient but also extremely helpful. When placing the sets she was like Hey just give me that, Tell me what to do to help, Let me do this, and so on. I deemed her Fairy Godmother in the credits of the album, and it's like the title stayed -and suits her well indeed.

So far I've been sending her message upon message of ideas and people to get in touch with and events to make notes of and festivals to apply to next year, and remarkably, magically, wonderfully, she keeps up and takes the reins rather impressively. I know I'm in the right hands now. And with all that's coming up, I better be.

One of the fabulous things she's been able to accomplish for me was to get me a partnership with Violette -a most original and fascinating designer from Quebec city.

When Fanie started working for me, I made a spreadsheet for her with a bunch of websites and contact information. There was a column in there for business partnerships, and Violette's website was there. I had been introduced to her clothes at Creatures, Montreal's alternative fashion emporium, started following her in instagram, and had been completely mesmerized by her work ever since.

Her style is a culture of its own. Modern and easily wearable, yet rooted in that which is sacred and that which is timeless. She manages that perfect balance of presenting elements of the many cultures we all stem from with grace, utmost respect and devotion to their own source -nature and lore.

"The main thing that influences the way we dress has always been climate", she was telling me last Saturday while I was trying on clothes in her workshop. "No matter which country, which culture you're from, it's always began with dressing up according to climate. Then you add the other elements in". In one of her most recent pieces, inspired by the Slave and Nordic cultures, she put (to my utmost delight when I noticed) tiny bells hanging from the belt of the outfit. "They used to do this to ward off evil spirits", she explained to me. Which of course makes sense. Which of course is something you can catch from cultures around the world. The sound of a bell, of many bells, or anything jingling, will indeed keep them bad spirits at bay, when you're walking along in the woods -whether it's the Canadian Great North, the jungle or the Dark Forests of Eastern Europe.

Emilie Picard, the woman behind the Violette brand, thus presents a fresh, most unique style for today's alternative fashion aficcionada. The clothes make a statement, and each piece has a story, a name, a reason and purpose. Her pieces make the boldest statement, through their remakable balance of simplicity, detail and ode to the female body. Seems like her clothes are meant to bring out the best in every woman, on every scale possible, and there's a regal quality to all her pieces which ultimately makes you feel like a queen with every outfit.

Through a perspective of modern fashion that unifies all cultures, celebrating the lore of the wild, wise women who have paved the way before us, Violette stands as forerunner, visonnary and leader (imho) of the alternative fashion of today and tomorrow.

I mean. I love it. All her stuff. I LOVE it.

So, when Fanie told me that Émilie Picard had said YES to forming a partnership with me, I was absolutely, incredibly, utterly, amazingly delighted.

This is literally one of my little-girl dreams coming true. For as long as I've been actively performing and even before that, like in my teens, I've been dreaming of teaming up with a local designer for stage clothes, photoshoots and any/all public appearances. To me, to proudly present myself wearing the remarkable fashions of an independant desinger straight from where I come from makes my own statement of independance as an artist all the more brighter, stronger and bolder.

Cross-promotion has always been a huge thing in the art world, and now possibly more than ever. I thus couldn't be more grateful for this opportunity to have been bestowed upon me.

Émilie and I have settled on 3 pieces of hers, for a start, which I'll be wearing for my upcoming live shows over the next few months, as well as public appearances and photoshoots.

Needless to say this is only the beginning. Over at her workshop this Saturday I let her in on the details of my 3rd album, and she was absolutely IN. I daresay this will be a fabulous, incredible project for us both to work on, when the time comes.

We spent a lovely afternoon together, introducing ourselves, taking about both our backgrounds, sharing insights about our respective cities' alternative cultures, and typical witch-talk of our craft, our inspirations and why we're doing what we're doing.

Beyond forging an incredible artistic partnership which will definitely blow your mind, I daresay I've made a wonderful new friend.

Find her stuff here, on her website, and indulge in her incredible take on fashion.

[namelessarcher]

hey guys! Long time no see, I've been a little busy recently but I hope both mods are doing great! How has your day/week been? Anything you want to rant or gush about? Remember to treat yourself - snacks, breaks, experiences, whatever you might want to do or buy. Also, I loved that Assasin of Shinjuku soulmate AU, I am such a sucker for those and whenever some amazing person requests them, I'm just blown away and so grateful, so thank you to the mods and the fandom! - Anon Sunshine

It’s okay if you’re busy!! Mod May’s been obsessed with FFXIV, she’s trying to get me to play, but my schedule doesn’t quite allow it atm. Ahahahaha. 

I absolutely adore writing soulmate au’s, just not like 15 of them at once. BUT REGARDLESS, I had a lot of fun writing them and I’m glad you guys are enjoying them!!! 

I hope everyone else has been having a better week than the roller coaster known as mine. LMAO. 

My week has been both horrible yet fantastic. I’m going to put it below the cut because honestly not sure if you guys want to see me ranting. 

Horrible:

The company in charge of my apartment area has merged my account with someone else’s, making it hard for me to be able to pay rent (I basically can’t access my account and the IT people are apparently in the process of working on it, but I don’t really have faith in them at this point since I’ve had this problem since February and they haven’t fixed it despite me coming in almost every week).Tbh this is the one thing that has made my week absolutely stressful because not being able to pay for rent stressed me out so much. It’s not as though I don’t have the money for it, that’s not my situation. But it’s the fact that I can’t pay due to the system malfunctioning AND they were still going to charge me a late fee even though it isn’t my fault. And well- I had 3 exams this week and even though I studied for all of them, I don’t feel like I did well on 2 of the 3...

The Good Things!!!

I took Graduation pictures at Disneyland on Wednesday!!! It was my first time wearing make-up AND doing my hair for an amusement park - and to every one of my followers that are one of those people who manage to do it, I give you guys so many props. Like, saluting you, from here where I am. I don’t know how you guys manage to do it, but I give you guys major props. 

I somehow managed to keep my face and hair presentable enough for photoshoots even after going on rides, but gods - you guys are amazing.

But yeah! Going to Disney definitely lightened up my mood and distracted me from the system failure. o:

But yeah, that’s all from me! I hope you’ve been doing well, Anon Sunshine. Seeing you check in on me always makes my day. You’re a blessing, I hope you know that.

[cybr-grl]

OKASHICON 2K18 WAS A WHOLESOME GÜD TIME

Ah...Okashicon 2018...

Just thinking about it brings a smile on my face (◡‿◡✿)

I have been to my fare share of anime conventions. Some small and some so extremely large that halfway through the day you just pass out from trekking miles and miles in 6 inch tall platform shoes. 

Okashicon was not like any other con that I have been to. This was their very first year but surprisingly it was so well run that you might have thought that they had been doing this for years. Nothing was delayed, badges were handed out promptly, volunteers knew what was going on, there was a great lineup of panels, etc. The only complaint I might have was that I wished there were more people to enjoy everything Okashicon had to offer but of course since this is their first year they’re not going to have a hundred thousand people show up. But even though there wasn't that many people, the few artist alley friends I spoke to said they still made a good profit and everyone seemed to have a dandy time. Many people called it “Chillcon”. Which was very true. Usually at cons I’d be running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off trying to get to my next desired panel or getting bumped around in the sea of people in the dealers room. So much so that I wouldn't have enough time to hang a nice conversation to any of my pals that I bumped into. But I spent most of my time at Okashicon just chillin’ with my friends because it’s exactly that: Chillcon.

I also especially loved the fact that Okashicon really cared about the J-fashion community as a whole. There were many panels that catered to J-fashion folks and the mixer at the end of the con welcomed all types of J-fashion style which really warmed my heart. ALSO ALSO THE MIXER WAS CALLED “CLUB KONPEITO PONPON” WHICH I THINK IS THE CUTEST THING IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WOOOOOOORLD!!! （ ；´Д｀）

Day 0 was spent at model fittings for mother freakin Listen Flavor which HOLY COW I AM SO HONORED TO BE CHOSEN AS A MODEL FOR THEIR RUNWAY SHOW THANK YOU FAKE STAR THANK YOU AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH i am not worthy (☉‿☉✿)

On Day 1, I also spent the entire day preparing for the fashion show and hanging out with good friends that I had not seen for a long time! I even got to meet Kurebayashi, one of my biggest inspirations in life, again!!! The first time I met her was last year at San Japan and we got to trade kandi which I still have and treasure so so much! I almost cried because she actually still remembered me and was even wearing the bracelet I traded with her. I was so star struck, I felt like I was in a movie. Haruka Kurebayashi was one of the guests of the con and is an image model for Listen Flavor so she walked in the fashion show as well. 50% Dangerous was also showcased in the fashion show! They are an American based fashion brand that create the dopest clothing I have ever seen!!! The fashion show went spectacularly without a hitch thanks to all the models who put in all their hard work, the amazing people who helped with hair and makeup, the spectacular Rubab, and many many other people who helped backstage in one way or another. Texas J-Pop Idol, Galaxy Girl Paida, even made an appearance halfway through the show and everyone loved her! After the fashion show, a few of my close friends and I headed to a nearby sushi place for dinner which really hit the spot because I only had a cucumber sandwich to eat all day (sorry, Mom). And then we went back to the con for a bit to participate in the K-pop random dance panel. I recently just started listening to K-pop so I had no clue what any of the dances were so all I did was just flail my arms around while my amazing friend Sam literally WORKED IT (she knew the dance moves to every song, I felt like a proud mom).

Day 2 was when things really got poppin’. In the morning I cosplayed as Kanna Kamui (don't lewd the loli please and thank you) from Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and had a fun little group photoshoot! Afterwhich I changed out into a more colorful Decora look and headed to the guest autographs session to give Kurechan her gift which funny enough she was wanting to buy already so I’m glad she loved it. Then I headed to the J-fashion Swap Meet which was CRAZY PACKED. I spent most of it sitting on the floor eating a melon pan and drinking Mango Calpico but all I remember was an endless amount of lolita dresses from the windooowwww to the wall. Then we quickly made our way to the Cosplay Contest which was AMAZING. Everyone was super talented at their craft and Moderately Okay Cosplay was hilarious. Galaxy Girl Paida even made a special half time appearance and we were all super gung ho and cheered her on!!! After that, the gang and I were hungry so we drove all the way to Kura Sushi for some delicious revolving sushi where they were super nice to us and gave us all free Gachapons!!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ IT FELT LIKE CHRISTMAS. Then we checked out Kinokuniya til we were the last ones left in the store (sorrymasen). We went back to the con and hung out at the pool til it was time for the rave which was super fun!!!! God bless Tina (who is one of the designers for 50% Dangerous!) for taking care of us and showering us with love and hydration, WE APPRECIATE YOU ヾ(＠⌒▽⌒＠)ﾉ

And last but not least, Day 3! My last day was completely dedicated to the Club Konpeito Ponpon (try saying that 10 times fast) J-fashion Mixer where everyone was dressed up in the cutest looks!!! I walked into the event and my eyes were hit with so much color and happiness that I started crying tears of joy. The guest DJs, Drop Team Epic, were even playing while the festivities were going on so not only were my eyes happy but my ears were as well. We were served some delicious and really filling sandwiches! And the mocktails...oh the mocktails...my mouth is watering as I type this but they absolutely blew my mind. I’ve never had one in my entire life but I am glad that I am alive to experience the wonders of a mocktail. I ordered this blueberry flavored one and they added a cute little shark gummy candy in it and the whole time I was just singing the Baby Shark song in my head (Baby Shark dodododododo). They even added some pop rocks in it but my dumbass choked on one because I’m a 5 year old that needs supervision at all times. While we were eating, they did some raffles and thanks to the lucky ticket that Tina nicely got for me, I actually won something! I’m wearing it right now but it’s this soft fuzzy Little Twin Stars blanket cape pillow thingey that Kinokuniya graciously sponsored! And then they had the guests, 50% Dangerous and Kurechan, choose their favorite looks and they chose my beautiful gorgeous amazing friends Van and Meci which was so well deserved! I LOVE MY FRIENDS SO MUCH ꒰๑˃͈꒳˂͈๑꒱ﾉ*ﾞ̥ After the prizes, it was selfie hour and kandi making time! I made a neon rainbow kandi bracelet that reads BEGONE THOT on it which I will pass down to my future grandchildren who will then pass it down to future cybr family generations to come. 

All in all, Okashicon 2018 was a FRIGGIN BLAST and I will 10000000% return next year and wholeheartedly encourage others to attend as well! I am so so grateful to the entire team who made Okashicon a reality and give them a gazillion claps for all their hard work!!!

Thank you so much for reading this far and I hope you have a swell day! (^з^)-☆

[nageki-yuki-blog]

TsukiPara Drama - Chapter 4 Translation

[This chapter focuses on Shun and Kai’s visit to a mysterious cave. Read more under the cut~]

4章 – Chapter 4

隼と海の危ないパワースポット探検

Shun and Kai’s Dangerous Power Spot Exploration

1話 – Part 1

「イケメンアイドルとお宝発掘！」のことか？

”Handsome Idols and a Treasure Excavation!”, is that what you’re talking about?

Kai:  Alright! Well then, let’s start confirming the schedule!

 Shun:  …… As for me, I think taking a nap while I’m getting wrapped up in this gentle sunlight, seems more appealing to me…… (yawn).

 Kai:  Hey, don’t fall asleep!  Shun!

 Shun:  Hmm…… If you say I have to do it no matter what…… I might wake up if I drink some strong milk tea from Assam.

 Kai:  Good grief…… I guess it can’t be helped.  Alright, I’ll make what you want, so wake up okay?

 Shun:  Hehehe…… Thank you.  I’ll be waiting here like a good boy.

 Shun:  Hmm. This rich fragrance, and intense flavor. This is magnificent, Kai.

 Kai:  Yeah yeah. If the devil king is pleased by it then this is the best.  …… Now that you have a clear head we can talk about our fun work.

 Kai:  Presently, Procella has received these kinds of job offers.  Since you are the leader you should look over them too.

 Shun:  Oka~y. I guess it can’t be helped…… Let’s see here?  The duo of Iku and Rui have an offer for a recording on a variety television program, huh……

 Shun:  …… You has a gourmet program offer, and also has practice with Yoru for a stage play…… Hmm?  What it this, Kai.  What is this program that you and I have received an offer from?

 Kai:  …… “Handsome Idols and a Treasure Excavation!”, is that what you’re talking about?

 Shun:  Yeah. It’s an extremely inconsistent title so it gives more impact?

 Kai:  Ah…… Kurotsuki-san talked about it but, it’s about excavating buried treasure similar to a treasure hunt.

 Kai:  I know that just recently, there is a legend where someone lost a battle in the Warring States period and had an unnatural death……

 Kai:  …… He was the military commander of a certain warring state and is thought to have left behind an ancient document that has actually been found.

 Shun:  Oh, really? It’s like a historical romance. So, what was written in that ancient document?

 Kai:  “In order to restore my home once again, I have hid gold and silver, lapis lazuli treasure, and an heirloom of a gold Kannon* statue in the mountains.”……

[*Buddhist Goddess of Mercy]

 Kai:  …… Well, something like that.  After that military commander died, he definitely wanted to say that he hoped to restore his home once again.

 Kai:  And as the source of funds for that, he left it all behind as a treasure trove.

 Kai:  The military commander had the deepest faith above anything else, and the Kannon statue made out of pure gold has an outrageous value, I’ve heard?

 Shun:  Hmm?  A “warring state military commander that left behind gold and silver treasure” huh…… It’s not like I haven’t heard that kind of romantic legend before.

 Shun:  So then…… Is it possible that, you and I are supposed to go excavate that gold and silver treasure?

 Kai:  Yes! That is correct Shun-kun!

 Shun:  Huh, isn’t this going to be a job where you need to use mostly physical strength?  I understand why you received an offer but.

 Shun:  Don’t you think that it doesn’t suit me?  I think someone like Ikkun is more suitable for it.

 Kai:  Well to be honest, I also think that you aren’t suited for excavations or explorations or any jobs where you get covered in mud.

 Kai:  But, they said that they definitely want both me and you so, we have no choice but to just do it.

 Kai:  We were given this work.  So let’s do our best at it.

 Shun:  Okay. I don’t dislike your way of thinking you know?

 Kai:  Hahaha. Oh, look at the materials!  At the mountain where the filming location is, there’s also a hot spring, and the food looks delicious too?

 Shun:  A hot spring…… hmm?  This mountain is……

 (To be Continued)

2話 – Part 2

ふふふ。実に心躍る展開たねぇ

Hehehe.  This is truly a heart-pounding development.

Kai:  What’s wrong?

 Shun:  …… Yeah.  I see now.  If it’s this mountain, it seems like I have to go.  Hehehe.

 Kai:  Wh-What is with that smile…… Well, it’s good if you feel like doing the job now though.

 Shun:  Hehehe…… Kai, about this mountain where the filming location is.  It seems like it is probably a kind of “power spot”?

 Kai:  I’ve heard the term “power spot” once in a while recently but, what kind of place is that exactly?

 Shun:  Let me see. I guess it would be okay to think of it as a place overflowing with “power = energy”.  It is thought of as sacred or holy ground in some religions……

 Shun:  The mountain, the ground there, the water, etc. is naturally a “power spot” in and of itself, that’s how a lot of people also consider it.

 Kai:  …… About that, I want to say “Can you really tell that just by looking at the picture?” but, it’s already way too late for me to say it so, I’m just going to leave that out.

 Shun:  Go ahead and leave it out.

 Kai:  So, since you’ve realized that this mountain is a “power spot” now you feel like going there?

 Shun:  Yes. It seems like that mountain is right above a “ley line”.  I am extremely interested in it.

 Kai:  “Ley line”?

 Shun:  If you look at historic ruins from ancient times and power spots on a map, for some reason they line up in straight lines very often.  Ley lines are those lines.

 Shun:  For example…… Here, look at this.

 Kai:  Oh! Takachiho, the Grand Shrine at Ise, Mt. Fuji, and even Meiji Shrine are all connected in a straight line.

 Shun:  What I just showed you was a map of Japan but, the way that the historic ruins and power spots line up in a straight line is a phenomenon that is confirmed to continue all around the world.

 Kai:  Wow! Is that so!  This is really interesting.

 Shun:  Isn’t it? So the mountain where we are filming this time, it also sits on one of those straight lines we just talked about……

 Shun:  Judging from the military commander’s personality of being very devout, if treasure is buried somewhere, he would probably bury it in a holy place as an object of worship…… or in a “power spot”.

 Kai:  So basically you’re saying that…… It really is possible that we could excavate treasure at this filming location.

 Shun:  The possibility is not zero…… On the contrary, I think there is a high possibility that we will be blessed with the opportunity to experience “something”.

 Kai:  Hahaha!  Now my dream is getting really big!  This seems like it will become a really fun location!

 Shun:  Yes it will…… Hehehe.  This is truly a heart-pounding development. We need to really prepare ourselves, okay?  Kai.

 Kai:  …… Somehow, as usual the way you say it makes it seem like there’s another meaning. What?  It’s going to be okay?  Isn’t it?

 Kai:  I heard there was a cave inside the mountain at the filming location but…….  Getting to the actual location is hard…….

 Kai:  I’ve just gotta do it!

 Kai:  …… It looks like there’s no choice but to open up a path by ourselves by cutting through the tree branches and weeds.

 Shun:  I’ll leave that kind of manual labor to you.

 Kai:  Well, you’re probably not cut out for this kind of physical work.  …… Hey, what are you holding in your hand?

 (To be Continued)

3話 – Part 3

よし！じゃいざ洞窟探検だ！

Alright!  Then it’s time for cave exploration!

Shun:  Hmm? Oh, this?  This is a crystal.

 Kai:  Why did you bring something like that with you again?

 Shun:  It’s for dowsing.  It’s essential for treasure hunting isn’t it?  Plus, even in a place like this where it is easy to lose your sense of direction, you won’t get lost with it.

 Kai:  Oh, really? …… But, isn’t it faster to just look at a compass?

 Shun:  For me, it is easier to use this.

 Kai:  Oh, I see.

 Shun:  And also, this crystal is a very special item…… I thought it could even be used in a worst case scenario so I brought it.

 Kai:  ?  I don’t really understand but…… Well, if it comes to that I’ll depend on you.

 Shun:  Okay. I’ve been depended upon ♪

 Kai:  (Sigh). We’ve finally arrived at the place of destination, the cave, but……  It took a long time getting here.

 Staff:  Good work, you must be tired.  Kai-san, Shun-san.  Thanks to you we were able to get some great pictures before we arrived.

 Shun:  Yes, good work today ♪

 Kai:  Although you barely did anything.

 Staff:  That will be it for today.  For now you should learn your way to the entrance of the cave, and I think we should start the regular photoshoot tomorrow.

 Kai:  Oh, I think that would be better too.  The sun is going to set soon anyways.

 Staff:  Well then, shall we retire for the night?

 Kai:  Oka~y. …… Oh, actually, since we have the photoshoot tomorrow, is it okay if I take a look around inside?

 Kai:  For some reason, I’m interested.

 Shun:  …… If you are going, how about if I go together with you?

 Kai:  Oh, thank you, Shun.  And with that, please excuse us.  Shun and I will explore the inside just for a little while.

 Staff:  Is that so? Then we will return to base-camp ahead of you.  Please be careful.

 Kai:  Okay. We won’t go near any dangerous places! …… Alright!  Then it’s time for cave exploration!

 Kai:  …… In this cave, there are a lot of stalactites and the atmosphere is really mysterious.  If you light it up I’m sure it would be an even more beautiful sight.

 Shun:  There are pillars of ice over here.  I wonder just how many years are needed to make a pillar this big?

 Shun:  Hmm…… This is a work of art that took the accumulation of hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands of years to complete.

 Shun:  The single drops of water falling from the stalactites are playing music…….  It’s like an orchestra of nature.

 Kai:  Seriously. I feel like I could listen to it forever…… although.

 Kai:  Let’s leave the exploration to this area, we should go back soon.  The staff will get nervous if we are in here for too long.

 Shun:  …… Yeah. That’s true.

 Kai:  …… Huh? Shun, we followed a straight path while walking here right?  And there weren’t any forked paths on the way here either right?

 Shun:  It should be that way.

 Kai:  Despite that……  Why is it a dead end?  That is weird? ……  Wait, there aren’t any other paths!?

 (To be Continued)

4話 – Part 4

夢でも見ていたんじゃないかな？

Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?

Kai:  Im-Impossible…… The path we had just taken that went deeper into the cave has disappeared!?  How did this happen……

 Shun:  It’s simple really.  They don’t want us to leave…… I wonder if there is someone here who wishes to lock us in here?

 Kai:  Someone who wishes to keep us locked in here?  Who the heck……

 Shun:  Hehehe. For right now, your role ends here ♪

 Kai:  H-Huh……? I’m suddenly…… slee……py……

 Shun:  Sleep well. Kai…… Now then, how about you show yourself?  We can’t stay in here for too long.

 Military Commander’s Vengeful Ghost:  O-Ooh……  Oooh……!

 Shun:  Just as I suspected.  This has been a “power spot” since ancient times.  “Sacred ground”……  In other words it’s a place where “the things that don’t belong in this world gush out”.

 Military Commander’s Vengeful Ghost:  EEEEee……!

 Shun:  Are you upset that you lost the battle, or perhaps you are still very attached to the treasure you left behind?

 Shun: You poor thing.  It seems you have transformed into something that’s not very good…….  Good grief…… Do you want to return to this world that badly?

 Shun:  Even going after Kai for it.

 Shun:  So young and healthy…… furthermore this body belongs to the softhearted Kai.  It is certainly true, that anyone would want it but……

 Military Commander’s Vengeful Ghost: EEEEee--!!  AAAAaa--!!

 Shun:  Unfortunately for you, Kai is an important member of my family.  I can’t give him to you.  I apologize, okay?

 Shun:  That • is • why ✩  …… Could you please be obedient in here?

 Military Commander’s Vengeful Ghost:  HeeeeAAA--!?

 Shun:  …… It’s okay. I won’t do anything bad to you. Later on I will personally help guide you into a gentle sleep.  …… Now then.

 Kai:  …… Huh? What, where am I……?

 Shun:  Hehehe…… Kai, it doesn’t matter how robust you are, if you doze off in a place like this you will definitely catch a cold you know?

 Kai:  Y-Yeah……? Huh?  The path, it returned to normal?  Even though it was just blocked off before……?

 Shun:  The path? What are you talking about?  Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?

 Kai:  ……. Shun, did you do something?

 Shun:  No, I did nothing?

 Kai:  …… Is there something that I am supposed to do?

 Shun:  Ye~s, let’s do our best at tomorrow’s shooting location ✩  …… something like that?

 Kai:  That’s right. …… Hmm?  Shun, the crystal you are holding……

 Kai:  …… Didn’t the color change slightly from what it was before?  It seems a little blacker than it was, or rather more ominous.

 Shun:  Hehehe…… It’s just your imagination, it’s just your imagination ♪

 Kai:  Okay then.

 Shun:  Well, leaving that aside, we should hurry and return to base-camp.  We walked a lot, so I’m quite tired.

 Shun:  Or I guess…… It seems like I have helped save a single soul so I’m still okay in this state?

 Kai:  ?  …… I don’t really understand but, I’m also unusually tired.  We should quickly return and get some rest~

 Shun:  Let’s do that.  Hey, Kai. Could you make me some herb tea so I will be able to relax?

 Shun:  I worked really hard today you know?  It would be my reward ♪

 Kai:  Alright alright.  I’ll do it, devil king.

~END~

[Quick note:  I was absolutely dreading the time that I would have to translate this chapter because it was super confusing the first time I read it, and there were a lot of parts I couldn’t understand.  There were several lines in here that I had to think about for a long time just to figure out what they were trying to say.  Japanese grammar is very confusing > <  It also doesn’t help that I still don’t know a lot of kanji and have to take time looking them up in my dictionary.  After taking the time to analyze it and translate it, I can understand it fine now.  Doing these translations has really helped me improve my Japanese, so even though it takes time, I want to keep doing them.]

[BTW I just love the special background pic for this chapter of Shun holding Kai <3  I also love how Shun can cause so much chaos and weird things to happen LOL.  The next chapter is about Arata and Aoi~]

[cassie-babyz]

[170420 Kstyle] B.A.P, Their long-awaited comeback as a whole! “Gathering together like this is a true blessing, like a dream.”

In Seoul during late March when it’s still chilly. We went to interview B.A.P who had pulled off a comeback as a whole with 6. 

Recently completing their 3-day Seoul concert which served as the starter for their “B.A.P 2017 WORLD TOUR ‘PARTY BABY’”, B.A.P didn’t show a trace of tiredness on their faces and worked through a day of photoshoots and interviews. At the scene of the rumoured “most-close-knit KPOP idol group”, you could see them relaxed from their core amongst sounds of joking and laughter. 

Whilst talking about how they felt about the absences of the group’s pillar-like presences, Bang Yongguk & Himchan, regrouping again, and episodes from their new single to be released in late April, they also trailed off a little into past memories. From the secrets to maintaining on good terms to the cute complaints that the members spilled, we give you this harmonious interview. 

“I can’t imagine B.A.P without Bang Yongguk” 

―― It’s been a little while since seeing B.A.P as 6 hasn’t it! Leader Bang Yongguk has now returned, please tell us your honest thoughts about restarting activities as a whole. DH: With Yongguk’s absence, it looks as if the group is missing something, so having his return, and standing on stage together again made me feel that we were complete. I felt confidence bubbling inside me too. The fans were really happy about it too, so it was perfect. ZL: Yongguk carries a huge part of B.A.P, so when he came back, I thought, we really can’t make it without him. Like, I can’t imagine B.A.P with Yongguk. So I was very happy.  YJ: Promoting as 6 really is great. We’d been promoting as 6 for a long time already so although it would’ve been a given that he would come back to us, I still was truly glad.  JU: With just one person gone, the empty space is huge and I felt how important B.A.P was, how important standing on the stage together was.  HC: We got really excited and it was a good time. Gathering together like this is a true blessing, like a dream. It’s a shame that I had to pull out midway, but I came back again for the final day of the Seoul concerts yesterday and had a blast. 

―― Himchan, you performed as if you had no injury at all, but how was your actual condition? HC: Yes, I’m ok. Since I’m a pro after all.  DH: (in Japanese) Just like I thought HC: (Laughs) There was some pain but I wanted to show my professional side on stage so. DH: (in Japanese whilst applauding) Just like I thought

―― During the talks, you mentioned that “I felt quite a bit of pressure” about taking over the leader’s spot in Yongguk’s place for your previous release “FLY HIGH”. How’s it thinking back to then? HC: Having to do the work of 6 people with 5 people was tough. Changing the choreographies, thinking about what to do about Yongguk’s parts which weren’t mine, it was tough to me because they were parts that I didn’t understand, but when Yongguk came back and we were 6 again, I felt at ease. It was mentally straining as well, but we worked ourselves to the bone because we wanted to show our perfect selves as pros, and although I don’t know how the viewers felt, it’d be good if our performances became good memories for everyone. 

―― I’m sure Yongguk had regrets because of his condition, how did you feel about the members who were filling in your absence?  YG: All the members did well so I have thoughts that they did good work and thoughts of gratitude. 

―― Releasing your 6th single “ROSE” in March in Korea and as well as appearing on many music shows, were there any memorable things? DH: The most memorable thing was of course whilst making a comeback as a whole, and then having another slight mishap with Himchan’s injury. Our schedule was packed, so we thought to do anything to accomplish it, and that we’d make our fans worry if we don’t stand before them even as 5.  But with the concert as our platform, we were able to stand in front of everyone as 6 again and although there were many happenings during the promotion for this album, in turn, I think there will be many good things from now on so I’m looking forward to the upcoming world tour. 

―― For this album, it’s been a hot topic that the production team has prominent domestic and foreign artists participating. Please tell us the reason for choosing “WAKE ME UP” as your comeback title.  DH: We were originally thinking of a different song for the title track, but after some changes, “WAKE ME UP” was the result from discussions by the members, the company and various people. It was put on the backburner twice before we made the decision, but when we tried recording “WAKE ME UP”, it turned out really well. Everyone that we showed it to commented “it’s really good”, so we decided to go with “WAKE ME UP”. The other songs “DIAMOND 4 YA” and “DYSTOPIA” were possible title track songs too. 

“Our personalities are something that can’t be done, can’t be fulfilled by another member”

―― Finishing your comeback activities in Korea, next up is the release of your 7th Japanese single isn’t it. I heard the same song will be released. HC: That’s right. Whilst preparing for this single, there was talk that an original Japanese song would be good, but because “WAKE ME UP” was created so well, we thought about a remake track instead. The Japanese fans will seem to like “WAKE ME UP” so we decided on that.

―― When releasing Korean comeback songs in Japanese, are there any things that you note in particular? DH: When we’re recording in Japanese, the thing we prioritise the most is pronunciation. We haven’t mistaken the Japanese before, but we’re still not used to the pronunciation. HC: (suddenly) Tsu, tsu, tsu. [T/N: A Japanese syllable] DH: There’s nothing much apart from the pronunciation. HC: (again, suddenly) “Nazo nazo” [T/N: ‘a riddle’]. They’re lyrics from my part (laughs). 

―― Here’s a question relating to the title of the song. Whilst promoting as B.A.P, has there been anything that you’ve “woken up to or discovered”? DH: We’re continually discovering something and always want to level up, but talking about recent events... Yongguk going on hiatus and Himchan taking a short break, I’ve felt and become aware of the member’s positions. I’ve come to properly understand “ah, this member has this role on stage, this is what they carry [in the group]”, and gain a lot in that sense. For example, in Himchan’s case, his overwhelming presence on stage and ability to grasp each and every frame. In Yongguk’s case, I think it’s the powerfulness in his rap.  ZL: The 6 of us all have different personalities, and I think that each of us have something that can’t be done, can’t be fulfilled by another member. That’s why when we allocate our parts on stage, it’s tough to try and do something about it when even 1 person is missing. 

―― Is there a member who can’t “WAKE (ME) UP”, and doesn’t do well when awoken? DH: Readyyy go! (whilst pointing at him with the other members) It’s Jongup (laughs) JU: (in a tiny voice) Yes, it’s me. DH: When Jongup wakes up, he’s exactly like the Pokemon “Grimer”. It’s a character that’s all grimy. He won’t wake up even if he’s called, he doesn’t answer his phone either; he’s the last person to wake. I’ve given up. 

―― Then on the reverse, who has no problem with waking up early? DH: (with confidence) That’d be me, the only one. I can wake up myself.  HC: What are you saying, I can wake up myself too. YJ: I can wake up by myself too. DH: You can wake up by yourselves, but you just don’t make it in time right guys (laughs). 

―― Next is relating to the lyrics for “WAKE ME UP”. There is a distinctive line “up the stairs of an adult”, but is there anything that you’ve done recently that you thought you “climbed the stairs of an adult”? HC: I feel that when I go to the TV stations. Me and Yongguk both don’t think we’ve aged that much, but there are kids who are 12 years younger than us debuting, so the age gap is huge (laughs).  DH: Samchon (laughs)  ALL: (laughs) HC: Since it’s like that, we continue growing older and I feel that we’re going up on the stairs of an adult. DH: I left the dorm and live by myself now, so I have to pay for the electricity, utilities, taxes, insurance and such by myself, and as I become more like a member of society, I thought “ah, there’s a process to becoming an adult”.  HC: Ohh, how cool! DH: (pointing at Himchan) This person, about how much the utility bills are, about how the taxing system is.... HC: I know. DH: Oh, so you know (laughs) ZL: Those lyrics were the part I thought up and wrote. We’ve always sung songs with societal messages with a B.A.P twist, and although I’m the youngest, I have many things that I feel and want to protect. It’s the part where I wrote the lyrics, wanting to have the many people who listen to B.A.P’s music to empathise with it.  JU: Umm, when I’m going through a really rough time... (silence) DH: Like right now? (laughs) JU: When I’m physically and mentally worn, I think, “ah~ I’ve ageddd”. 

―― In “WAKE ME UP”, what sort of dance will you show us? DH: Firstly, not only in the title, but in the lyrics too, there are many parts with the meanings “awaken, wake up”, and in the choreography for the chorus, there are moves where you really feel that it’s “wake up!”. If you look clo~sely at the whole dance and not just that bit, [you’ll see] it’s all cool from the start to finish where you can’t miss even one move. It’s a dance with meaning so please turn your attention to that too. 

―― For the limited edition of your 7th Japanese single “WAKE ME UP”, I heard that the matoki smartphone ring included is being well-received for being cute. Is there anything you’re particular about your smartphone accessories or anything that you love using right now? DH: In the first place, we’re people who like our phones to be streamlined, so there are members who don’t even put cases on their phones. The ‘Apple’ image is cool so everyone doesn’t put on any accessories. 

―― Have you actually seen the matoki smartphone ring? ALL: Of course! DH: It’s really cute and it seems like the fans will really like it. (Spotting one of the staff’s phone which has a matoki smartphone ring) DH&YJ: (in Japanese) Cute~ ZL: I want to go to Japan, and bring them all back. 

―― This time, the new event called “flying kisses event” is a hot topic too. DH: It’s our first time so I’m looking forward to it. Handshakes and high touches are often done and commonplace, so the company asked “what do you want to do?”. After discussions, the result was “flying kisses”. 

―― Shortening that, it seems like you call it “furapo”. HC: Ah, is that how it’s called? Furapo? YJ: Ohh furapo. DH: (whilst rolling his tongue) Furapo~!

―― (Bitter laughs) On the final day for the Seoul concert, Himchan was blowing kisses out at the end; which member blows out kisses often at concerts and such?  HC: Everyone does it a lot. DH: Yes, we always do it at any moment.

―― Yongguk does it too? DH: Ah, Yongguk doesn’t do it much. (laughs) YG: I did it a lot in the world tour last year.

“We are still here, because we experienced both good and bad as 6”

―― I think you’re used to Japanese activities by now, but is there anywhere that you haven’t been to but want to visit? ZL: Onsens, rotenburo! And then, places where the fans are. I want to try going to the countryside too.  JU: Mount Fuji.  DH: Recently, I visited Sapporo in January for fun and I love the snow. When I see Mount Fuji, the peak is always covered in snow isn’t it. That’s why I’ve always wanted to go.  HC: There’s this manga “Fantasista” that I like, and there’s this island that the protagonist Sakamoto Teppei lives at. Is it in the North? I’d like to go there.  YJ: I want to go to Disneyland. I’ve been to Disneysea, but I still haven’t gone to Land yet. JU: Ah, I wanted to go to Disneyland too! The Disney characters, I like them.

―― If there are any things you must do or places you must visit when you come to Japan lately, then please tell us. YJ: Eating yakiniku! There are yakiniku places in Korea as well, but the Japanese yakiniku. There’s a yakiniku restaurant that I frequent in Japan. Pork and beef too... more like, I’ll eat everything on the menu (laughs) DH: My favourite food is tonkatsu so I have to eat tonkatsu regardless. HC: It’s pretty hard to eat authentic Japanese-style tonkatsu in Korea. The fat is still stuck to the meat in Japan isn’t it, for the pork loin. That is reaaally delicious! ZL: Mine is eating melon-pan. I love it. HC: When Zelo wakes in the morning, he always eats melon-pan with milk that has blue and white packaging.  ZL: I go for bread in the mornings. In Japan too, I’ll buy bread in advance; (in native pronunciation) American style. Whether in Korea or in Japan, I like to have it with milk.  JU: I watch Japanese anime and listen to Japanese music. I don’t know a lot but I like Ikimonogakari.  YG: I will definitely go to the convenience store. I don’t know the name, but there’s a gummy that catches my eye and I always buy it. There’s grape and muscat flavours, and it has gold packaging.... (We deduced it was “kororo” afterwards.)

―― Even just talking like this, I can feel how close you are between yourselves. Are there secrets to maintaining this closeness?  YJ: Not talking to each other when we’re in a bad mood. If you talk during those moments, the relationship will only worsen.  ALL: (bursts out laughing) DH: It’s about knowing each other very well. And not only that, we’ve endured hard times as 6, and experienced both good and bad together. That’s why I think I’m here as we are now. 

―― Can you tell if they’re in a bad mood just from looking at their face? DH: Yes, I can tell but... there’s someone who teases us whilst being aware. 

―― Who is it?  DH: I can’t say that. There’s that sort of an older someone. (Laughter erupts at Himchan who stares suspiciously at Daehyun) Why do you think it’s you? It’s Yongguk~ ALL: (bursts out laughing) JU: It’s hard to say if it’s a secret, but around debut when we were still trainees, we slept together in the same room. There were 3 beds lined up next to each other, and we would chatter away before sleeping. I wonder if that stuff made any difference.  DH&HC: That’s right, that’s right~ (The two burst out in laughter for some reason) DH: It was really fun~ back then.  HC: It was living with 6 guys after all. All the members were lying next to each other sleeping in the one room. If you tossed and turned, it was close enough that you would bump into someone.  ZL: It was like a big family sleeping together in a huddle in the one room.  ―― The youngest Zelo is 20 years old now, do you go out drinking together? DH&HC&YJ: We often do! DH: We don’t live together, but we’re all in the neighbourhood so. 

―― What alcohol do you like? ZL: “Horoyoi”. Although there are many flavours, I like all of them. DH: In my fridge too, there’s some lemon flavoured “horoyoi” as well right now. YJ: Somaek! 

―― To B.A.P who are close enough that you go out drinking together, regardless, is there anything that you think “please, fix this!” about a member?  JU: Yongguk’s face is too small so I want it to be a bit bigger. ALL: (starts clapping and laughing) HC: I know I know. When I’m next to him in photos, my own face looks bigger. YJ: For me, Jongup is too good at singing and dancing on stage, so I think it’s ok if he doesn’t so well.  ALL: (laughs) JU: (in a small voice) I won’t fix that. 

Source: Kstyle Translation: cassie_babyz

Please take out with full credits

[sophiarose1816]

Happy Release Day for The Flight Path Less Traveled by Leigh Dreyer

I am tickled to be able to share a special post about this exciting second entry in the Pride of Flight series, a Pride & Prejudice modern continuation story. Blurb:

In this modern Pride and Prejudice continuation and sequel to The Best Laid Flight Plans, 2nd Lieutenant Elizabeth Bennet and Captain William Darcy are facing trials after the events of Elizabeth’s last flight. Darcy’s proposal lingers between them as Elizabeth becomes almost single sighted to her rehabilitation and her return to pilot training. A secret is revealed to Elizabeth about Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s past that throws all she has known to be true into a tail spin. The romance between our hero and heroine begins to blossom through military separations, sisterly pranks, and miscommunications. Can Darcy and Elizabeth come together or will flying in the Air Force keep them apart?

Let me introduce author, Leigh Dreyer, and her books through a Q&A she is sharing with us.

1.                Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I work as a speech pathologist, currently in the Las Vegas area. I work both in person at a charter middle/high school and a long term acute care facility and doing teletherapy (which I absolutely love) from my home. Yes. I have three jobs plus writing because I apparently enjoy being crazy.  I write while my kids take naps, during teletherapy breaks, and at night. I have an incredible husband who is a pilot in the Air Force and two amazing kids. My son is four and my daughter is two. Both my husband and I are children of Air Force pilots which makes for fun family get togethers. Needless to say, I very rarely have to do a lot of plane-related research.

 2.                Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Elizabeth Bennet has just gone through tremendous trauma at the end of The Best Laid Flight Plans and now she has to get back up, brush herself off, and push forward. In the original Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth faces a lot of invisible enemies (marriage or lack thereof, the entailment, etc.), but I wanted to see where she would take me when her enemies were very much physical. Would she be strong and fight?

3.                Which writers inspire you?

Jane Austen is the obvious answer, but I’m also inspired by so many JAFF authors. People like (in no particular order) Linda Wells, Joy King, Diana J Oaks, Maria Grace, Abigail Reynolds, Jenetta James, Karen Cox, Beau North, Jan Hahn, Elizabeth Ann West, Rose Fairbanks, etc. inspire me to fall more deeply in love with characters I already enjoy. I also love Diana Gabaldon, Neil Gaman, Aled Hossein, Tom Wolfe, William Makepeace Thackeray, Agatha Christie, and CS Forester.

 4.                What are you working on at the minute?

Book three, Came a Flight Gently and a short story about how Mr. and Mrs. Bennet meet and get married. I’m also working on outlining a time-travel story.

 5.                What’s it about?

Came a Flight Gently will start where The Flight Path Less Traveled ends and will continue the story in New York and feature the Reno Air Races (National Championship Air Races), the last of the great pylon races.

 6.                Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

When I answered this for The Best Laid Flight Plans, I said maybe David Gandy for Darcy and Katherine McNamara or Lily Collins for Elizabeth. Now, I’m kind of thinking brunette Chris Evans and Gal Gadot or a young Marissa Tomei. I picture a modern Elizabeth as a strong, independent female, but also fun and feisty and never cruel.

 7.                How much research do you do?

It really depends on the scenes I’m writing. My favorite research to do is everything to do with food. I have spent many the hour figuring out what to for a big event catered by Mrs. Bennet. I like to really think through what each character would be eating and making. Obviously, Mr. Collins likes potatoes and, if you read book 1, you know Darcy does not eat bacon, but what about everyone else? For flight scenes, I write a lot of them on my own then send them to my husband, father, and father in law to be checked for accuracy. Normally this results in a long page of notes from my father to make it sound authentic (apparently I am very bad at writing what the characters might say on the radio when speaking to tower).

 8.                What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

After going through The Best Laid Flight Plans I changed the ending because I just wasn’t ready for it to end. I wanted to see what happened next and leave the door open to really learn more about Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Colonel Fitzwilliam, etc. I needed another book or two or three for the story to end for me.

 9.                This book is part of a series, tell us a little about it?

The Flight Path Less Traveled is book two in a series of three planned books: The Best Laid Flight Plans, The Flight Path Less Traveled, and Came a Flight Gently. The first book is a P&P variation whose story line closely follows the events of P&P. The next two are original continuations although you will definitely see other favorite Austen characters and events as the story continues. Each book is an altered line from a poem that I find meaningful and that I feel speaks to the tone of book I wanted to write.

 10.             For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

I prefer paper books, but I do the vast majority of my reading on kindle or on my phone because they are so easy to drag around with me. I work a lot and am frequently running around with my kids so carrying a paperback isn’t always practical. I do all my reading on my Kindle Paperwhite and have for about five years.

 11.             What book/s are you reading at present?

Right now I’m reading Rational Creatures edited by Christina Boyd on Kindle and listening to Ghengis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford, but ask me in a few days and I’ll be on to something else. I’ve averaged at least five books a month for the last six or seven years.

 12.             Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you?

I was blessed to work with Christina Boyd of The Quill Ink. Let me tell you, she is amazing to work with and the book is so much better for having had a professional editor. My sister in law is also great about giving me really fantastic feedback as a beta and ARC reader. She is currently working as an editor for some online sources and is amazing.

 13.             Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.

The photoshoot was done in Utah by Monica Cook, a military spouse, who runs Joyous Reflections Photography and Portraiture, at the Air Force museum at Hill Air Force Base. It was important to me to highlight Elizabeth as a female officer. Females are so rare in the pilot world that I wanted to be able to see Elizabeth as I see her, a strong woman who is willing to work harder than anyone else to achieve what she sees for herself. I made the choice to have the little ringlets and her hair up in a kind of braid Mohawk, because I thought it was a fun throwback to the Regency hairstyles. Of course, after the events at the end of The Best Laid Flight Plans, she is pictured out of a flight suit and in her blues, but I wanted to continue to present that strong image as she fights to recover.

 14.             Who designed your book cover/s?

My amazing friend Alishia Mattee. She is a military spouse and my next door neighbor when we were stationed together at Hickam Air Force Base and she is so talented.

 15.             What is your favorite movie and why?

Gone With The Wind. Partly because I am an eighty-five year old woman trapped in a thirty year old’s body (please see my love for all classic film, 1940s jazz and classical music, and other habits like insisting my family eat at the table) I love the costumes, the romance, the huge sets, the language. I love it all. Scarlett is one of my all-time favorite characters. She doesn’t let other people tell her she can’t achieve. She needs to take care of her family, so she does, in whatever way she can. I find her strong, capable head something I would love to emulate, even if she is a little stupid with her heart.

 16.             What advice would you give to your younger self?

Just do it. Jump in. You can figure it out while you’re doing it, but if you wait until you understand every nuance of a task, years will pass and it still won’t be done.

 17.             What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write. Also, edit. I recently had a friend who decided her NaNoWriMo draft was ready for publication. She had not even re-read it. Yikes.  I tell every aspiring writer I know to write and then let someone read it and critique it. Critique can be hard to accept, but you’ll only get better.

 18.             Can we recognize your adopted hometown of Del Rio, Texas in The Flight Path Less Traveled?

Absolutely. Longbourn City is based on my hometown of Del Rio and Meryton Air Force Base is based on Laughlin Air Force Base which is about fifteen minutes out of town. My parents and siblings still live and work there. You see less of Longbourn in this novel, but the place that Aunt Gardiner takes Elizabeth to eat taquitos rancheros is Julio’s on Highway 90. Julio’s is famous for their chips and salsa. Love those things—seriously, they are amazing.

 19.             What’s the worst job you’ve had?

I worked at a restaurant (which will remain nameless because I signed an “I won’t whine on the internet” clause when I got hired) during grad school in Lubbock and I often refer to it as “the worst job ever.” It was on fourth street in Lubbock, Texas, although that location is now a Chick Fil-A. My manager was crazy and often switched from sickly sweet to horribly insulting. The food was meh at best. I worked there for three months and outlasted eleven employees. That should tell you something about the work environment.

 20.             Where do you get your ideas?

Well, book two is not just a general pilot training book anymore. You read the basics of Air Force life in The Best Laid Flight Plans, but now Elizabeth isn’t a naïve butter-bar Second Lieutenant anymore. She’s learned and grown. Many of her experiences in the novel are based on my friends and family who have had similar things happen to them and gone through the board process. I’m trying to avoid spoilers in these questions, but let’s just say, the events that occur to her are certainly not out of the ordinary. For Darcy, many of his experiences are based on my growing up with a T-38 instructor. Cross-countries were just part of the gig. My husband is in a staff-type job now, but when he was actively flying, he was gone more than he was home.

I do love interviews for all that I learn about the background for author and books.  Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Leigh!

Where can you find Leigh and her book? Flight Path Less Traveled Links

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44427328-the-flight-path-less-traveled?ac=1&from_search=true

US link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PNFN962/ref=x_gr_w_glide_ku?caller=Goodreads&callerLink=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44427328-the-flight-path-less-traveled?ac=1&from_search=true&tag=x_gr_w_glide_ku-20

UK link:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flight-Path-Less-Traveled-Continuation-ebook/dp/B07PNFN962/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+flight+path+less+traveled&qid=1552874830&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell

The Best Laid Flight Plans Links

US link: https://amzn.to/2IkAWTF

UK link: https://amzn.to/2SfGA9m

Contact Information

Email: leighdreyerauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: Leigh Dreyer

Facebook Page: @leighdreyerauthor

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/leighdreyer

Website: http://www.leighdreyer.com/

 Social Media Information

Hashtags: #TheFlightPathLessTraveled #LeighDreyer #JAFF #AustenInspired

 Before she heads out on tour with The Flight Plath Less Traveled, let me share the blog tour schedule so you can join in with more fabulous posts.

March 19- From Pemberley to Milton

https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/

March 21/22- My Jane Austen Book Club

March 23- My Love for Jane Austen

March 23- Interests of a Jane Austen Girl

March 25- Austenesque Reviews

March 26- So Little Time

March 27- Diary of an Eccentric

March 28- More Agreeably Engaged

April 3-Half Agony Half Hope

April 4/5- Margie’s Must Reads

[jessicakehoe]

Chatting with Mimi Choi, the Makeup Artist Responsible for Ezra Miller’s Mind-Blowing Met Gala Makeup

Five years ago, Mimi Choi was working as a preschool teacher in Vancouver. Last week, she created Ezra Miller’s show-stopping multiple eye makeup look for the fashion industry’s most important event of the year, the Met Gala. If camp is all about transformation, Choi’s own story is the ultimate homage to the genre. Today, the Vancouver-based makeup artist has over 1.1 million avid followers on Instagram, the platform from which she showcases her signature illusionist looks.

View this post on Instagram

MET GALA 2019 #MAKEUP LOOK FOR EZRA MILLER — wearing custom @Burberry designed by #RiccardoTisci. #MetCamp #MetGala2019 #MetGala⁣ #bts⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ Makeup: me⁣⁣ Makeup assist: @paulalanzador⁣⁣⁣⁣ Hair: @samiknighthair ⁣⁣ Styling: @jasonrembert ⁣⁣⁣⁣ Nails: @naominailsnyc

A post shared by ＭＩＭＩ ＣＨＯＩ (@mimles) on May 6, 2019 at 6:07pm PDT

We caught up with Mimi over the phone to get the scoop on what it was like to craft one of the year’s most memorable makeup looks, where she finds inspiration for her otherworldly creations, and the transformative power of hard work and dedication.

What was it like for you to have the opportunity to create that look for the Met Gala?

Multiple eyes is something that I created in 2014 and it’s one of my first looks that went viral. To be able to create that look on Ezra and to present it on a larger stage was very meaningful for me. One of the first things I had to think about when I knew I was going to do his makeup was how it was going to last. When he went into the Met Gala, makeup artists are not supposed to be in there. My major concern was making sure that makeup lasted, so I used a lot of stable products and I set it really well with Green Marble before and after, as a sealer and a primer, and then used the sealer three times after. The makeup actually lasted more than 24 hours. I had to start at four in the morning because we had photoshoots at nine-thirty in the morning, and the event wasn’t until seven-thirty in the evening. He had to go into the Met Gala looking fresh and then last until the afterparty, which is like 3 in the morning. I was very happy that when he came back, he still looked fresh. That was the biggest challenge.

How did Ezra find you?

It was through his publicist. When they were coming up with that camp look, she realized that I would be the perfect fit because my makeup, to her, is very camp. She told Ezra about me and Ezra had been following me for a while. When he called me, I kind of already had an idea of what I wanted to do. A lot of my illusions are angle-based, and for a red carpet event, I want to make sure it translates into the camera from all angles. In my mind, eyes would be very good because it looks beautiful and it looks like eyes from all angles. When he approached me, we actually had the same concept in mind. I did a kaleidoscope face last year, and Ezra was saying that he loved that look—that it would really suit his outfit. So the concept was actually based on and inspired by my kaleidoscope look, and it just kind of evolved from there. We didn’t have a complete trial, so we figured out the pattern spontaneously, on the day of at four in the morning. That’s what my art is all about. I love spontaneous art. Ezra is also very creative and open to everything and he was very into it.

What was the story he was trying to convey?

He wanted a mask of his actual face. Underneath, he wanted to convey different layers of himself. Eyes are a symbol of the different emotions and different versions of ourselves. Each one of us has many different layers, but we don’t show them to the world. He thinks that camp is a transformation that we have to go through at least once and according to him, it’s like a funeral. As soon as you walk into an event, the idea is gone. When we came up with the eye concept, it was to convey the different layers of human beings, personalities and emotions.

Photography courtesy of Mimi Choi

Do you have a fine arts background?

I don’t. It’s all through trial and error. I was actually a preschool teacher five years ago. Before that, I never thought I would be an artist. I went into makeup because being a preschool teacher didn’t make me completely happy. I love children but I felt like a side of me was suppressed. I decided to try out and pursue another passion, and at the beginning I thought I would be more into beauty and fashion. Going to Blanche [MacDonald Centre] was great for me because that program made me realize makeup is so much more than beauty. What made me realize that I was really into illusion makeup was the special effects and prosthetic classes. I was able to create characters through makeup. I always trust my eyes, because we as people have been looking at things for so long. We know what looks off and what doesn’t look off. I would observe real objects and try to improve that area each time. The first few years was really a lot of practice and just trying different shading and highlighting to understand it. Being so passionate and it being a hobby really helps because I love to paint and it makes me happy to paint. It doesn’t happen overnight. A lot of people think you’re born with a gift. I think every one of us has a gift but it’s whether you feed into that gift and continue to push to improve on it. My skills did not come overnight. It’s through every day working hard.

Where do you find inspiration for your ideas?

From my emotions, from paintings, from photography, from music, from Photoshop art… Sometimes I look at really cool Photoshopped art and think, “can I do that with makeup?” One of the sources [of inspiration] that people find really interesting is my sleep paralysis. I have a very severe case of it where I’m not only trapped in my body but I hallucinate. I see a lot of very scary visions, like people with no faces, people chopped up, people with a hundred fingers trying to grab me, a tall dark shadow…. It happens pretty much every week and it was not until I started to paint the things I see that I realized when I paint them, I don’t dream that specific vision anymore. I dream something else, but that vision is gone. A few years ago, I started drawing spiders because I saw a lot of spiders in my sleep crawling all over the walls when I was going through sleep paralysis. I drew a spider out on my lip, trying to remember the details of the spiders I had seen, and after that, I did not dream about spiders. Not even once. Makeup in a way heals me, so it’s really cool that everything that I thought was a hindrance to my life was actually a blessing in disguise.

Photography courtesy of Mimi Choi

How do you think Instagram as a platform has changed the game for makeup artists?

Instagram has been a huge help to me to share my art. When I first started out, I wasn’t really looking for fame or anything. It was just a way to document my growth and progress, and a way for me to keep track of my illusion makeup. Also, in my mind, I was thinking if I can do a good illusion makeup, I can do a good grad makeup, I can do a good bridal makeup, I can do a good winged liner easily. I teach now, too, and I always encourage students to just take photos of your progress and utilize Instagram. When you click on somebody’s layout, you can see all the visual work that they do, so I think it’s the perfect platform for artists to showcase their work. There are also downsides. I see a lot of students being too concerned about likes or starting to compare themselves to other artists. A lot of people get stuck in recreating other people’s looks, and they forget that it’s more important to create your own style.

Who are your favourite accounts to follow?

Isamaya Ffrench—I love her work. I also like Vlada. She does really creative lip art. I interact with a lot of my makeup friends but I mostly look at surreal art pages and photography pages on Instagram, like Visual Atelier.

Photography courtesy of Mimi Choi

What are some of your favourite looks you’ve created over the years?

The shelf face, where I painted my face into different shelves and put objects in it. That was meaningful because I put my favourite objects inside the shelves, and I explained why I chose those objects. Kaleidoscope face meant a lot to me because, again, multiple eyes is one of my signatures and one of my favourites to do because eyes take a lot of time to make sure it looks realistic. My recent wolf look I really enjoyed doing, but it changes all the time.

The post Chatting with Mimi Choi, the Makeup Artist Responsible for Ezra Miller’s Mind-Blowing Met Gala Makeup appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Chatting with Mimi Choi, the Makeup Artist Responsible for Ezra Miller’s Mind-Blowing Met Gala Makeup published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

[cynthiadshaw]

Flashes & Strokes: a Tale of Two Mediums

The digital and traditional arts are thriving in Dallas. From newer, technology based media like photography and digital art to more traditional art, there is so much to see, explore and learn from in the DFW area.  Through our Flashes and Strokes series, we’d like to celebrate artists from both worlds: traditional and digital.

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A cool little vibe downtown with @l4nette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #fashionblog #modelposes #fashionoftheday #modellingagency #fashionable #fashionphotography #modelslife #fashioneditor #editorialmodel #fashionmodelling #modelstopia #modelingshoot #fashionmodel #fashionweek #fashionphotos #modelworld #modelagencylondon #magazineshoot #fashionphotographymakeup #fashionstylist #fasionlover #fashionistas #fashionaddict #fashionbloggers #fashionphoto #fashioninspiration #styleblogger #fashionstyle #insafashion

A post shared by Charles Preston | Photographer (@charlespreston_) on Apr 13, 2019 at 9:11pm PDT

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these two didn’t let the rain affect their perfect day✨ . . . . . #junebugweddings #elopementphotography #dallasphotographer #northtexasbrides #dallasphotographers #fortworthphotographers #northtexasphotographer #oklahomaphotographers #oklahomaphotographer #gardenofthegods #coloradowedding #lovebigintexas #crazystupidlove #elopmentphotographer #texasweddings #texasweddingphotographer #honeypreset #adventureelopement #weddingwire #theknot #northtexasbrides #bridesofnorthtexas #oklahomaelopement #travelweddingphotographer #coloradoelopement #texasweddings #adventurewedding #travelweddingphotographer #elopmentlove #dearphotographer #elopement #firstandlasts

A post shared by texas weddings + elopements (@machalabrownphotography) on Apr 15, 2019 at 12:54pm PDT

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Let me remind u.. . 🙄 #nopressure

A post shared by Latoria Secret💋 (@latoria_secret) on Mar 23, 2019 at 7:28pm PDT

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In the Garden • Model : @makayla_renae_ • Mua : @monalisaboriqua @poeticallyforwardphotography #urbanphotography #vintagestyle #vintagephotography #dallasphotography #dallasphotographers #dfwphotography #stylist #mua #poeticallyforwardphotography #dopemodels #Dopedallasmodels #urbanphotography #urbanfashion #camo #dopeshots #dopevisuals #dopeart #urbanstreetwear #urbanandstreet #streetphotography #streetphotography

A post shared by Poetically Forward (@poeticallyforwardphotography) on Apr 9, 2019 at 12:46pm PDT

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seeing the quiet, please boys is a pleasure as always. • • • • • • • • • • #musicphotography #thephotoladies #concertphotography #livemusicphotography #concertphotographer #musicphotographer #concertphoto #livemusic #musicphoto #livemusicphotographer #onstage #ontour #dallasphotographers #sonyalpha #sonya7iii #bealpha #instagood

A post shared by elisa hobgood (@elisanhobgood) on Mar 18, 2019 at 4:08pm PDT

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Enjoying life is a must, like Nike, you have to Just Do It. #nike #justdoit #enjoylife #enjoyyourself #enjoy #nikeshoes #nikesportswear #photography #photographer #photooftheday #scooter #having_fun #livingmybestlife #streetphotography

A post shared by India Andrea Photography (@indiaandreaphotography) on Apr 12, 2019 at 6:20pm PDT

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Radio is so fun! I miss it dearly! Follow: @erikanicole82 ………. #TAG+ #SHARE+ #COMMENT+#FOLLOW ………. #ErikaNicole #buildyourempire #femaleentrepreneur #morpe #trustgodandchill #bosschick #creativeentrepreneur #womeninbusiness #womenwhohustle #theambiancegroup #wwe #womenempoweringwomen

A post shared by Erika Nicole (@erikanicole82) on Apr 15, 2019 at 2:20pm PDT

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Let’s go play Tennis feat @thats_marc Www.Rdotsmith.Com . . . #houstonmodel #houstonmodels #houstonphotography #houstonphotographer #houstonphotographers #HTXmodel #HTXmodels #houstonstylist #houstonmua #dallasphotographer #dallasphotographers #sanantoniophotographer #sanantoniophotographers #austinphotographer #austinphotographers

A post shared by Ronald “Rdot” Smith (@rdotsmith) on Apr 15, 2019 at 11:57am PDT

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More of Paisley’s Winnie The Pooh photoshoot 🧸 🎈 Every single time I go through these pictures I start to giggle! How cute is she?! 💛

A post shared by Thalita May Photography (@thalitamayphotography) on Apr 1, 2019 at 12:46pm PDT

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@z4billionaires

A post shared by DJ MAXAVELLI (@djmaxavelli) on Mar 5, 2019 at 3:09pm PST

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I always love this time of year. Senior portraits. This was a great session. #seniorpictures #seniorportraits #teenboys #teenmodel #teenmodels #dallasphotographer #dallasphotographers #dallasphotoshoots #sunforgepictures #railroadtracks #portraitphotography #portraits #portrait #trackandfield #track #running #teenportraits #teenportrait #teenportraitphotographer #seniorphotos

A post shared by Michael Cummings (@sunforgepictures) on Apr 15, 2019 at 9:20am PDT

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On Saturday, it stormed.. like HARD! So hard that I couldn't even see where I was driving on the way to Veronica's house that morning.😂 Idk what type of prayers were sent up but it stopped for the WHOLE ceremony AND all the way up to our last few shots outside after. It was literally PERFECT! If it were me, I would've probably been freaking out, but Veronica was so chill all morning, like she knew it was going to stop or something lol. But this cute umbrella picture was just too perfect not to post, for the little drizzle we did get after awhile. Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday! Leave me an emoji on how you're feeling this morning.💖 #Photos #Photographer #Photo #Photography #Camera #Nikon #Lenses #Dallas #DallasTexas #DTX #Wedding #WeddingDay #BestDayEver #IDo #Outdoors #Couple #InLove #Love #Vows #Married #DallasPhotographers #Forever #Happiness #FortWorth #LocalPhotographers #Marriage #WeddingPhotographer #TexasPhotographer #Rain

A post shared by Alyssa Nkani (@_a.and.g.photography_) on Apr 15, 2019 at 8:13am PDT

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Sold… @tripghetaway ”Giving you the big picture" #expensiveskin #photographer #tripghetaway #nikontop #art #notfamous #photography #europe #tripghetawayphotography #australia #dallasphotographers #letitsinkin #practicepractice #nikon #tattoos #artist #california #日本 #dallasmodels #publishedphotographer #gtfoh #lifestyles #coolcapture #junkie #population #artist #london #creamofthecrop #newyork #talent #camerabag

A post shared by Trip Ghetaway (Art Page) (@tripghetawayart) on Mar 23, 2019 at 7:42pm PDT

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#dancer #dallas #dallasphotographers #danzaendallas #danza #dance #danzacontemporanea #danzaenmonterrey #balletphotographydallas #balletphotographymonterrey #ballet #balletenmonterrey

A post shared by Josegranados Studio (@josegranados.studio) on Apr 14, 2019 at 6:03am PDT

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Progression not perfection..😎📶 #TheWoosahWay #JaeCielasDad | #TheSplashDragon🙏🏾🐉💦 | #INC | #Blessings | @woosah_nation

A post shared by jharm304 (@jharm304) on Apr 9, 2019 at 8:28pm PDT

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@Skytouchephotos @angelosgarden #arkansasphotographer #arbridal #arkansasdemocratgazette #naijaphotographer #naijaweddingphotographer #memphispinkbride #littlerockweddingphotographer #downtownlittlerock #littlerockweddingphotography #conwayweddingphotographer #dallasweddingphotographer #dallasweddingphotography #houstonweddings #houstonweddingphotography #atlantawedding #atlantaweddingphotographer #atlantaweddingphotography #nashvilleweddingphotographer @arkansasbride @arkbridalshow

A post shared by uche onyeyiri (@skytouchephotos) on Apr 16, 2019 at 8:02pm PDT

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My current color obsession from recent @theelevateseries mini series at the @theolanatx 💛🧡 @maxowensdesign @birdsofafeatherevents @nataliaissa @marchesafashion yellowwedding #mustardwedding #okrewedding

A post shared by Charla Storey (@charlastorey) on Apr 8, 2019 at 7:51pm PDT

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I’ve been known to lie down on BUSY Chicago streets to get the shot my client(s) envision. I’m a big risk taker. I think you need to be in order to level up. MUA @daniellerochonmakeup Photo: @maha_studios Planning: @regineevents —��——————————————— #chicagoweddingphotographer #chicagoweddingphotography #chicagobride #whotelchicago #chicagoweddingplanner #nycweddingphotographer #njweddingphotographer #orlandoweddingphotographer #midwestweddingphotographer #maharaniweddings #socalweddingphotography #laweddingphotographer #palmspringsweddingphotographer #atlantaweddingphotographer #sanfranciscoweddingphotographer #dallasweddingphotographer #seattleweddingphotographer #sanjoseweddingphotographer #fearlessweddingphotographer #bodas #mariage #lesmaries #firstlook #whitedress

A post shared by Modern Wedding Photo + Film (@maha_studios) on Apr 11, 2019 at 9:44am PDT

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No matter how old she gets, she will always be Daddy's Little Girl.. #justmarried #fatheranddaughter #fatherdaughter #firstdance #weddingphotoinspiration

A post shared by Darkroom Doctors Studios (@darkroomdoctorsstudios) on Jan 30, 2019 at 7:17am PST

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CALLING ALL ENGAGED COUPLES! If you’re still searching for the perfect venue for your big day, come out to @park31venue on April 28th for a mock wedding event they are hosting! I’m so excited to be photographing this event and working alongside so many incredible vendors! . . This photo is from a shoot I was a part of at Park 31 last year and I can’t wait to be there again! Link in bio for the full feature if you’d like to see more of this gorgeous hill country venue! . . Venue: @park31venue Photography: @jessicacholephotography Floral Design: @touchofwhimsy.events Rentals: @laurielovevintage Makeup: Jax at @jaxstudio Hair: Ana at @jaxstudio Calligraphy: @callirosa Cakes: @cake_couture80 Bridal Salon: @beatitude_bridal Bartender: @bartendersanddreams Jewelry: @thegreenbullfinejewellery Bridal Shoes: @ninashoesbridal Models: @foxyfrosty and @loganmcheney

A post shared by Jessica Matheny (@jessicacholephotography) on Apr 9, 2019 at 7:14am PDT

The post Flashes & Strokes: a Tale of Two Mediums appeared first on Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide.

source http://voyagedallas.com/2019/04/24/flashes-strokes-tale-two-mediums-2/

[unifiedsocialblog]

Hootsuite’s Very Prestigious (and Totally Arbitrary) Instagram “Awards” for 2018

We hope you’re not done with award season just yet.

Hootsuite (that’s us) has some very prestigious (or ridiculous) awards to hand out for Instagram excellence. Without further ado, here’s a list of some of our favorite Instagram content from the past year and what you can learn from the brand behind the account.

And the winners are…

Best use of video: @califiafarms

Disclaimer: I am very pro dairy. Cheese, yogurt, ice cream—I’ll take it all. But the winner in this category makes dairy-free milk and cream products, and I’m not even mad about it. Why? Because Califia Farms has mastered the art of showcasing their products in creative ways. Instead of just posting videos of nut milk being poured in a glass over and over again, they demonstrate how to repurpose their bottles, how to heat up their cold brew (go figure), and step-by-step recipes.

Yes, you can heat up our cold brew + make it *warm* brew.

A post shared by Califia Farms (@califiafarms) on Jan 25, 2018 at 7:53am PST

Key takeaway: Video is a wildly engaging content format on any platform—but it doesn’t make up for boring content. If you’re going to use videos on Instagram, put some effort into it. Check out our 10-step guide to creating great social videos for guidance.

Best pregnancy announcement: @Beyonce

Kylie Jenner may have almost broken Instagram recently with a post announcing her baby’s name (17 million likes and counting) but when it comes to pregnancy announcements, no one touches Beyonce. This post became iconic instantly, inspiring copycat announcements and Halloween costumes around the world. Call me hyperbolic, but it’s basically our generation’s Mona Lisa.

We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. – The Carters

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Feb 1, 2017 at 10:39am PST

Key takeaway: All hail Queen Bey.

Best use of the grid: @reynoldskitchens

Reynolds Consumer Products is an American household goods company that produces kitchen essentials like Reynolds Wrap foil and Hefty garbage bags. On first glance, you might think their Instagram account is simply a nice collection of delicious food photos shot from above with perfect flat lay technique. But look closer, and you’ll notice that each shot creeps into the one beside it. When looking at their profile in gridview, it looks like one long continuous table that I desperately want an invitation to dine at.

Key takeaway: Focusing on the details of your individual posts is obviously important, but don’t forget about the whole. There are plenty of ways to get creative with the overall look of your Instagram grid. You can make it appear to be one continuous shot like Reynolds Kitchens, or focus on three pictures at a time so that each row of your grid has a common look or theme.

Sneakiest product placement: @aspenthemountainpup

I’ll be honest, I was forced by my co-workers to include this post, but I don’t know why. They obviously don’t know what “product placement” means, because all I see here is a beautiful, inspiring picture of a dog relishing his accomplishment in the great outdoors with his favorite drink. Makes perfect sense. I’ll take three cases, please.

You simply can't beat these views at 11,000 feet. We're keeping hydrated with @drinkbai by our side. Justin Timberlake does it, and we think he's pretty cool, so maybe you should too? #FlavorLife #sponsored

A post shared by Aspen the Mountain Pup (@aspenthemountainpup) on Oct 24, 2017 at 7:44am PDT

Key takeaway: I am very susceptible to subliminal advertising.

Most hypnotic content: @ifyouhigh

Take it from me, you don’t need to be high to enjoy the videos on this Instagram account—but you might end up feeling that way after watching them. For example: a wave in slow motion! Skating on crystal clear ice! A soap bubble freezing in real time! Whatever this is! Not only does this account command my full attention every time I see it appear on my feed, I’m often so hypnotized I watch the same video two or three times in a row.

Endless sunrise 🌅 by @avg.surfer follow @ifyouhigh

A post shared by ifyouhigh (@ifyouhigh) on Feb 21, 2018 at 6:37am PST

Key takeaway: Be interesting. You’re competing with some incredibly eye-catching content on Instagram. Make sure everything you post is worth admiring, watching, and liking.

Best use of Drake lyrics: @drakeoncake

Who knew the Venn diagram of people who like Drake and people who like cake would overlap so much? Joy Wilson (who has her own equally impressive Instagram account), has struck gold putting the emotionally rich poetry of this hip hop mogul onto beautiful, intricate cakes. My only question is: what happens to these cakes after the photoshoot? Asking for a friend.

A post shared by @drakeoncake on Nov 9, 2015 at 12:21pm PST

Key takeaway: If you want to create content that’s sure to be a hit on Instagram, find creative ways of using what’s already popular on the platform. Gorgeous photos of food have always worked, but this unexpected twist makes them that much more appealing.

Coolest user-generated content: @Sharpie

The makers of this iconic permanent marker understand there’s no better way to cultivate a strong community on Instagram than by reposting user-generated content (UGC). They regularly share beautiful photos and videos created by artists around the world using Sharpie products, which is a win for everyone involved. The creators get their work exposed to Sharpie’s 200k+ followers, and Sharpie gets to show the incredible potential of their products.

We believe in writing permanent love notes. #SayIt #MarkoftheMonth 📷: @cynlopink

A post shared by @ sharpie on Feb 13, 2018 at 2:25pm PST

Key takeaway: It ain’t all about you. Instagram revolves around sharing content, finding new audiences, sparking conversations, and building a true community. So take cues from your audience, and make them the star of the show.

Best dog rating system: @weratedogs

You may think winning the Westminster Dog Show is the pinnacle of dog achievement, but we would disagree. Being featured on WeRateDogs is undoubtedly the most distinguished accolade for a pupper in this day and age. Not only does each post come with a beautifully crafted caption highlighting each dog’s unique talents and personalities, they haven’t managed to find a dog yet worthy of anything less than a 12 out of 10. That’s quality, people.

Meet Piper. She really likes bananas. Fairly adamant about that. 13/10 impeccable puptassium levels

A post shared by WeRateDogs (@weratedogs) on Jan 23, 2018 at 10:33am PST

Key takeaway: We don’t deserve dogs.

Best behind-the-scenes: @tsa

Not every brand has interesting behind-the-scenes content to share, but the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) sure does: ridiculous items that people try to take on airplanes. Exhibit A: this paint roller wrapped in sandpaper and wire, with nails sticking out of it.

This looks like something out of a Mad Max movie. It’s as if Mad Max wanted to paint the Thunderdome with the blood of his enemies. It’s a paint roller wrapped in sandpaper and wire with nails protruding. This was discovered earlier in 2017 in a carry-on bag at Chicago O’Hare (ORD), but I just acquired a picture of it today.

A post shared by TSA (@tsa) on Jan 9, 2018 at 2:16pm PST

Along with these absurdities, the TSA also answers questions (fun fact: you can bring a cheese grater on an airplane) and shares other snapshots of their day-to-day experiences—like adorable and talented bomb-sniffing dogs.

Key takeaway: Use social to add some personality to an otherwise no-nonsense brand. The TSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—not the most quirky brand on the surface. But they use Instagram to show another side of the organization, one that is personable, witty, and entertaining.

Best influencer under the age of 6: @zooeyinthecity

Zooey Miyoshi is better dressed, cooler, and more popular than I’ll ever be in my life and she wasn’t even alive when Instagram was invented.

When your parents tell you there’s a football game during the @justintimberlake concert today and you’re wondering if he’ll perform anything from the Trolls soundtrack. Overalls: @pepperkids.us Hat: @janessaleone Tee: @babyteith Boots: @drmartensofficial Sunnies: @wearesonsanddaughters

A post shared by Zooey Miyoshi (@zooeyinthecity) on Feb 4, 2018 at 3:53pm PST

Key takeaway: Micro-influencers are the future of influencer marketing (and they don’t necessarily have to be toddlers).

Best #TBT: @tarajiphenson

Thursday is arguably the best day on Instagram, particularly if you’re a fiend for nostalgia. Throwback Thursday (#TBT) unearths awkward family photos, forgotten moments, questionable trends of decades past, and a glimpse into history. Although there are many amazing examples of brands using #TBT to tell stories about their company history, I still think about this #TBT post from actress Taraji P. Henson on a regular basis and therefore believe she truly deserves this honorable designation.

#TBT #SeniorPix You couldn't tell her ISH!!! She knew she belonged in #Hollywood right here, she just didn't know how she was getting there but she DREAMED BIG AF!!! #DidntknowIn91betchaknowmeNOW *Diddy voice* 😘💋💋💋

A post shared by taraji p henson (@tarajiphenson) on May 25, 2017 at 8:42am PDT

Key takeaway: We can’t all be as fierce and determined as young Taraji, but we can use #TBT as a way to pre-plan Instagram content for the week and make our lives a bit easier. There are plenty of other Instagram hashtags you can use to attract new followers, gain more likes, and increase engagement. Check out our complete guide to Instagram hashtags here.

Best captions: @nasa

Instagram may be all about the photos and videos, but words matter too. A caption that makes your followers think, feel, or learn something is more likely to inspire engagement than one you barely put any thought into. NASA nails this. Space is pretty beautiful on its own, but the captions they include give valuable and awe-inspiring context to each photo.

Chock-full of star formation, this spiral galaxy contains the mass of around ten billion suns – while this may sound like a lot, it is over 20 times less massive than our own Milky Way. Roughly 50 million light-years away, this galaxy seen by our Hubble Space Telescope (@NASAHubble) is receding from us at a speed of about 808 miles per second (1,300 kilometers per second). Although it appears in the sky near one of our closest galaxy neighbors, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), this is just a trick of perspective. In reality, this galaxy is physically nowhere near the LMC in space — in fact, it truly is a loner, lacking the company of any nearby galaxies or membership of any galaxy cluster. Despite its lack of cosmic companions, when this lonely galaxy has a telescope pointed in its direction, it puts on quite a show. It has hosted a variety of spectacular exploding stars called supernovae, four of which we have observed. This galaxy may be alone in space, but we are watching and admiring from far away. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA #nasa #space #hubble #spothubble #telescope #galaxy #milkyway #spiral #universe #solarsystem #astronomy #stars #formation #science #supernovae #lightyears

A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Feb 10, 2018 at 8:37am PST

Key takeaway: Create captions that add context, show off your brand’s personality, entertain your audience, or prompt them to take action. Here are 11 tips for creating better Instagram captions.

Best fake celebrity: @kirbyjenner

Kirby Jenner is the fake twin brother Kendall Jenner never knew she had (or wanted). Through impeccable Photoshop skills, Kirby has inserted himself into all of Kendall’s most treasured moments and memories. The charade is preserved with perfect journalistic integrity in an interview with Teen Vogue, and he’s even made an “appearance” on Keeping Up with the Kardashians:

Other animals I’ve ridden: 1) house cat 2) camel from the zoo 3) giant shrimp in a dream #NeverStopRiding

A post shared by Kirby Jenner (@kirbyjenner) on Jan 4, 2018 at 2:32pm PST

Key takeaway: We’re only one Photoshop session away from living our best lives.

Best giving the people what they want: @dilfs_of_disneyland

It’s a collection of hot dads at Disneyland. Need we say more?

The new definition of dad bod, stroller pushing arms 😍😍😍 #dilfsofdisneyland #dadsofdisneyland #dilf #strollermeat #dadsababe #disneylanddadbod

A post shared by DILFS Of Disneyland (@dilfs_of_disneyland) on Dec 8, 2017 at 10:50am PST

Key takeaway: I’m never taking my husband to Disneyland.

Best giving the people what they never asked for: @sparklygoo

I didn’t know that my ideal form of therapy was watching people poke, prod, and pull homemade slime on Instagram—but here we are. The trend began in Thailand, and quickly spread (slimed?) across to North America. This account, run by a 22-year-old from Vancouver, is particularly satisfying.

I don't know how I feel about this pigment, it turned out a bit more copper than I'd expected. I thought the color shift's still pretty cool. – – – #colormixingslime #colorshift #galaxyshift #slime #clearslime #sparklygoo

A post shared by @ sparklygoo on Aug 2, 2017 at 7:53am PDT

Key takeaway: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is the internet gift that keeps on giving.

Most consistent brand: @airbnb

In their Instagram profile, Airbnb promises to “open the door to interesting homes and experiences, even if it’s just for a night.” And that’s exactly what they do, post after post. Not only is every photo gorgeous to look at, they each tell a story—from remote jungle villas to surreal glacier views, hearing stories of old East London or kayaking past volcanos. It’s a simple brand promise, but one they consistently live up to.

Just 35 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Durban, Kerri's retreat offers a peaceful escape to the tropics. Surrounded by birds nested in this lush valley, step into a world of mindfulness, in tune with the nature and the environment. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Check the link in our bio to book your adventure. #NotYetTrending ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Photo: @Glashier

A post shared by Airbnb (@airbnb) on Feb 20, 2018 at 9:36am PST

Key takeaway: Does your Instagram account have a purpose? It should. And that purpose needs to be more than just: “Promote our business on Instagram.” What will people get from following you? Will they learn something new? See things from a different perspective? Laugh or cry? Define your purpose and craft content that supports it.

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