#i need to study so naturally i'm writing essays on tumblr

[carronyaflowers]

those people are setting themselves to disappointment because red bull would never sign with him 😭 even tho i think charles is not renewing with ferrari i don't think he will go to rbr😕

ooh i have mixed feelings about this actually because i enjoy so much of these different narratives and is also delulu:

Charles' martyrdom with ferrari. Boy bleeds red and there's also the fact that ever since he was a child (or so he says for PR benefit) it was always the red car for him, and of course there was the connection with jules and his papa, and how overall, ferrari seems like such an important part of his life, and despite all these hardships and downfalls, there's just something so compelling about a mouse staying in a big red car carrying all its history and legacy. And despite it being too big for him, the mouse also became much bigger than it. IDK there's just such a feeling of being meant to be in them.

But also, I need him to leave that failteam so much. He's being wasted there. They're supposed to be this big glorious team but I haven't seen that team anywhere these past years. They're so unserious the collective of chirlies (gn) in tumblr and twitter could probably handle that team better.

So if he's to leave, where would he go? Right now, there's four big teams that'd be (or potentially be good enough) to fight for wins, for championships. But honestly, ferrari as we see is not there, I think mclaren could be there but not yet, so that leaves us with merc and rb.

In theory, should lewis suddenly retire, charles could go there

But BUT IT'D BE MUCH JUICIER FOR HIM TO GO TO RB

So yeah, this point really goes to me being delulu. But also consider that Charles is argued to be one of the few drivers that could actually keep up with Max and that's with a shitbox (and this was also referenced from interviews with Max himself, Christian and even Helmut ) (i'm sorry that i won't be able to provide vids but trust on my delulu mind that there's references to that somewhere i know it). And Charles' and Max's driving styles are extremely compatible so engineering the car won't be too much of a problem (see @il-predestinato essay on this (i'm sorry again for the lack of link i'll maybe edit this tomorrow morning or after my exams next week if u have the patience). And i don't think rb would be opposed to having a talented naturally fast driver.

As from Charles' point of view, why don't we think charles may choose rb should he leave? Questioned this, i immediately remembered @drivestraight on the limit fic, especially this part:

After a long moment of silence, Max finally speaks up. “You want to know what I really think about you moving to Mercedes?”

Interested, Charles replies, “I asked you for a reason.”

Max takes a moment to collect his thoughts before he replies, “Mercedes are good, better than Ferrari, for sure, but they’re not your style.”

Charles lifts a brow. “And what’s my style?”

Max grins, effervescent. “On the limit.”

Charles laughs. On the limit, huh? High praise, especially coming from Max. “Maybe I should call Christian. See if he’d give me Checo’s seat,” he jokes.

so yeah, i just think that at the end of the day, a driver would want a team that could provide him the car that would let him show his speed, let him challenge for wins, and might even get him a championship

TL;DR: I think that at the end of the day, I really just want to see Charles in a car deserving of him, and should that be with ferrari or rb or any other team, i don't think i'll care much (of course i'll care who am i kidding but really it won't be that much bc i'm a charles fan first, f1 second), as long as he's happy with his decisions and he gets to drive his heart out.

DISCLAIMER: Bestie, idk if this made sense at all, i'm sick, i've been studying for an exam and my mind is honest to god filled with theories and writings in the social sciences (please i have a love hate relationship with pedagog of the oppressed and origin of the family bc theyre a pain to read and a headache but they're also such good readings) but keeping up with these charles contract discussions have been a joy and anxiety hehe so yeah that's my thoughts on that and the essays on the lestappen gate 2023 tag might be more coherent and make more sense but yeah thank you for the ask, it was great to have these thoughts out even tho they prolly did not write well as i'm in this state

[beautifulpersonpeach]

BPP,

First of all, I love your blog. I am so happy to see you active.

Second of all, I agree with that anon about finding Jimin fascinating. I have never been this intrigued by any other celebrity. I find him different but I don't know why. He is good looking but so are other idols. I mean it's Kpop. Most have to be good looking to make it. It's just such a weird thing. Like you can't help but notice him. Everytime I watch a BTS related content, he is the first person I notice. He isn't even my favourite but my eyes will instantly see him before anyone else. He also somehow leaves the strongest mark in any mvs or performances or even simple content. It's weird. I don't get it.

***

Hi Anon, 💜

I saw your ask come in days ago, just as I was logging out of the app and felt a bit bad because I knew I wouldn't have any time for Tumblr for the next few days. Lately, I've actually wanted to remain active here, but life keeps getting in the way. I know it's not a big deal but I really am thankful that so many of you understand that I'm active here only when I can afford to be. 💜

On to more interesting topics, yes to everything you said about Jimin. There's no other member I write about here more than Jimin and it's something I don't ever feel like apologizing for because that man is infinitely captivating.

It's rare to see someone who recognizes exactly what he is, as young as Jimin did. There are many points over the years that Jimin has done something, and it registered in my head that this man is different. It's human to be a bit self-indulgent, to be a little self-absorbed, a little self-deception is a very natural mechanism that sometimes shields us from other people's projections and malicious intent. And so it struck me as almost inhuman in how acutely aware Jimin was to recognize his need to be seen, heard, in the most audacious format available to him as a 13 year old boy in Busan, South Korea.

His depth of self-knowledge, indicative of his unusually high intelligence, is at the source of his magnetism and charisma. In my opinion. You can see it in his eyes and it amplifies his already unnatural beauty.

I recently started speaking with a Jimin-bias on Twitter and we've become good friends. She described Jimin like this (and I've linked in sources):

"Jimin of BTS is the man who wrote a detailed essay that convinced his parents to let him study dance over science or law, who landed an esteemed dance and martial arts scholarship, who went against his teacher (Lee Hwa Sung’s) wishes of going the more secure route excelling as a professional modern dancer given his talents, to instead pursue his dream to become an idol, who called his dad once a month as a trainee of a nearly bankrupt agency saying “don’t worry dad. Even if I don’t make it this way I’ll make it another way”, who debuted as main dancer and lead vocalist with what is now the biggest group in the world despite having the shortest training period in Big Hit’s history and one of the shortest training periods in all of kpop to date."

*

That is one reason I am ecstatic about FACE. The music itself is one thing and we'll deal with that when we get there - I may or may not like the music (though given what he's released so far, the fact he's in BTS, and him working with RM and PDogg, I doubt it). But the subject matter of FACE: Park Jimin, would interest me even if I was on my death bed with only 10 KB of data available for me to use one last time.

*

I'm not very good at explaining what I mean, but I hope those who love him don't take offense when I call Jimin a freak. Because that is what I'm absolutely convinced he is. I don't know how else to express just how beastly I think he really is. Looking at him for me is like looking at one of those lenticular prints that shift into different things depending on lighting - like you turn your head one way looking at Jimin and you see a panther, turn your head another way and you see a dove, turn yet another way and you see a snake. And each animal is the most perfect expression of its form. He hones every quality he expresses with a meticulousness that scares me sometimes, because every example of that sort of personality I've seen in music has burnt out or passed before 40 (Prince being the only exception). The rapline have an identical quality but they seem less volatile than Jimin to me for some reason.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I'm excited about FACE and Anon when I saw your ask come in days ago, I suspected you were fishing (lol), but also I love Jimin and will take every excuse to talk about him. It's also way easier to talk about him than it is to talk about Yoongi, Namjoon, and Hoseok for me lol.

Speaking of which, it goes without saying that Jimin's evolution in self-awareness is also a result of his relationship with the rapline in BTS, as well as some other members. Jimin's comments about how he relies on those three, of what he thinks of their characters, and about how those three have assisted and influenced him, are consistent with how I see them too.

Back to Jimin, he's a once in a lifetime personality and there's nothing wrong with admitting it.

(Me too, Jungkook. Me too.)

Make sure you've pre-saved FACE, stream On The Street, and stay hydrated. 💜

[baezdylan]

🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝

for every 🥝 i get, i’ll recommend a blog i love

OOOOOOO I LOVE!!!!! ten emojis -> ten blogs

everything's under the cut ⤵️

@a-dash-in-the-middle resident holden caulfield (just kidding, dash is todd anderson 🥰) you can't NOT like her blog because it is genuinely the most interesting, fantastical, versatile place on earth. it's like if the maze from the shining was starring in a fantasy or sci-fi film instead of a stephen king adaptation. the award for the most original tag essays goes toooooooo. dash always has something thought-provoking and brilliant to say. (even though she doesn't see it that way, but that's why she's todd) maddeningly creative. book recs are her weapons. if you check out her blog you'll probably encounter a bunch of dragons she adopted. (also her son is logan huntzberger 👀)

@brian-ur-bruh THE LEGEND!!!!! steve the hair harrington has nothing on jules. fiercely unique, KILLER MUSIC TASTE, wonderfully artistic and all in all an exceptional person. i call jules jules because of julian casablancas, need i say more? worships the only band ever aka the clash (here's the famous side blog: @capital-radio-three) fantastic guitar player!!!!! (did this amazing cover of "someday" with his band which he should brag about waaaaay more than he does)

@all-seeing-ifer JO MARCH OF TUMBLR!!!!!! the only person who i would trust with jo and laurie. talking with isabel is like sitting on the porch of your childhood house with your best friend, sharing a drink and feeling content with how everything turned out in the end. poetic watching the orange orange orange sunset kind of thing. just pure comfort and all things theatre. never fails to bring a smile on my face and continues to amaze me with their indescribable kindness and cleverness.

@paradigmx soooo easy to talk to. real cool (XTC FAN!!!!!!) and insightful. crazy smart. understands my detail-oriented craziness. will probably end up enriching your watchlist. you thought fox mulder was a fictional character? no, it's @paradigmx

@nightofthelivingpoet THE ROBERT TO MY ZOË!!!!!!! once accidentally bullied her into making a little women side blog. we are both rory gilmore-coded and will probably be crazy about academics all over your dash. say weird stuff like 🌌i love studying🌌. gracie's blog -> an enchanted forest. 99% sure that my rob pattz here is a time traveller. (it's ok i am too 🤭)

@quaffles-with-syrup MY PARTNER IN FANDOM CRIME!!!!! you might be familiar with stephen king's it, but only the two of us GET it yk? the ben hanscom to my stanley uris. immaculate energy. can change the world just by existing naturally. made out of bookish-ly real magic and correct opinions.

@wilsoncology UNDERSTANDS MY LOVE FOR MEDICINE, I AM SMILING SO BRIGHT RN!!!!! i just think of our likestorm-ing sessions and my day is already made. showers me with pictures of lisa cuddy which is the most you can do for tumblr user jochase really. wonderful artist, wonderful scientist, makes amazing edits, reblogs amazing content. don't think they realise how cool they are, but no worries i'll make the entirety of tumblr write poems about my fellow rsl enthusiast so it's fine <3

@crystalclrs is into everything i'm into, i make a profession out of stalking beth's blog (it's not my fault it's basically an art gallery????) could singlehandedly fly the tardis, i'm sure of it

@jonismitchell just thinking about arden's writing is making me tear up :") (check out her substack) every single word that she's written and i read is a part of this captivating, relatable, heartfelt mosaic of all things exceptional i keep in a special brain pocket of mine.

@freakwiththeknifecollection my daily dose of comfort is completely dependent on emily!!!! brighter than a sunflower, kinder than peeta mellark and as cool as jo harvelle. 🥰

[lov3nerdstuff]

Hi Kay!

I just wanted to take a moment and say how deeply moving (and overall comforting) I find your writing to be! I've gone through almost the entirety of your masterlist twice in the past month alone and have found myself returning more often to the pieces of literature/poems your reference sometimes. (Especially that one poem by Benedict Smith! I've read a few more by him because of you and they're just wonderfully lovely 💛 so I'm eternally thankful to you for including it.)

I may be wrong in assuming, but I believe you may have studied/are currently studying a degree involving literature. I hope this isn't too foreward of me but I was wandering if you have any other works of literature that you'd recommend? (I'd love to read anything you recommend from poems to plays 💛) I'm slightly embaressed to say but the works I've read are quite limited to a highschool level and since I'm currently studying Pharmacy, there are very few people who can recommend me such moving works. :)

I also feel like I should apologise for writing such a large ask, so please accept this apology as well hehe 💕🥺

Sincerely,

Bek 🌻

Hey there Bek 💚💕✨

First of all... I'm incredibly sorry for how long it took me to reply to this ask, I know you sent it weeks ago and I'm honestly just ashamed of myself for only replying now! I've been taking a bit of a Tumblr break again, or rather a break from literally everything, and I guess not having written anything in a while made me feel guilty whenever I opened Tumblr, so... All I can say for myself really is that I'm sorry you had to wait so long! Again, I never ever ignore anyone, I promise! It just sometimes takes a while for me to reply 😅🙈

Now, I'm so happy to hear that you've been enjoying my writing! 🥺🥰 Hearing that it's comforting and inspiring to you is honestly such a relief and indeed does make me happy more than I can say 💚 It's so cool that you're checking up on all the references I make aaahhh 🥺🥺🥺 I love it 😁 You're always more than welcome, love! I don't think I could stop including references to literature, culture, history and the science around it even if I tried 😅☺️

And yeah, I did study classics and newer literature as a minor for my undergrad degree 😄 But tbh I still work with literally a lot even now (I'm in grad school for media and cultural studies) even though it's technically not something I've been properly taught ☺️ I'm just a nerd who likes to learn on her own, and with media and culture you can pretty much delve into almost anything you want 😂😅🤷🏻‍♀️

Now, it's not forward at all to ask me for literature recommendations! 😁😃 I truly love recommending stuff!!! I have a few up my sleeve, even though you've probably heard of a few already, for obvious reasons: A lot of what I truly enjoyed reading was something Tom Hiddleston has worked on in one way or another! It's truly a magnificent guideline for picking new literature... Just look up the literary origins of his films/shows/plays and you will be in for quality literature most of the time! I don't think I've ever mentioned it on here, but me reading High-Rise (JG Ballard) because I heard Tom would be partaking in the film adaptation was actually what sparked my love and passion for literature!!! Yep, it's that good. Now on to the recommendations though 😁(This... got rather long):

Plays

Anything by Harold Pinter really, but for obvious reasons you'll find a lot of additionally fun stuff for Betrayal, which is lovely and truly funny if you're in on the kind of humour btw

Medea by Euripides (a classic, but I love it nonetheless... You can find translations in almost every language) ((and pls stay away from Seneca's Medea, because ugh... Euripides is far better AND the og story, as much as anyone can say that for Greek mythology)

La Bohème by Puccini (I know, this is technically an opera, but if you read the libretto it's honestly just like a play... And if you're up for it, the og story is in prose and written by Henri Murger... It's better than the opera, but oftentimes more difficult to find) ((this one is hilarious and basically explains an entire cultural subgroup in the 19th century)

Faust by Goethe (many people hate it, but I LOVE this one!!! It's also been translated into any and every language, and it's so interesting philosophically!!! It's also referenced SO freaking often literally everywhere, and the operas and ballets based on it are always my fave) ((there's technically Faust I and Faust II, but you're good to go just reading the first one)

Anything by Shakespeare, obviously... Though I do love me my Hamlet like every other literature enthusiast (Yes, I can do that one famous soliloquy in act 3 scene 1 by heart as well...)

Poetry

Again, anything Shakespeare for the win, but I LOVE the sonnets and keep a copy of them with me most of the time (Yes, I own multiple copies of the sonnets...) ((My faves are 116 and 91, but there's always so much truth to be found in there!!!))

A lot of the stuff William Blake wrote is amazing, though you have to pick carefully with him if certain religious motives aren't your thing... I love The Tyger, which is an individual poem, and the collection of works called Tyger, Tyger which does have many good ones and a few ones that are a little more on the mediocre side

Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas (I know this one by heart as well... It's beautiful, and there's a version of Hiddleston reading it on YouTube, which gives you even more goosebumps than the poem does anyway)

Invictus by William Ernest Henley (same for this one, also read by the one and only) ((I love to read this when I'm feeling down or powerless))

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot (This is another wow piece with many quotable lines and truths... I love it a lot and keep coming back to it! It's also a great example of how literary modernism tried to condense the complexity and passing of time and history into a single frame that had to be intrinsically poetical in nature... As in, this poem could've been a short story in any other period, but modernists loved to make everything a poem so here you go)

Der Zauberlehrling by Goethe (This one sucks in all English translations I’ve found, poetically speaking, but in German it’s such a fun piece! If you’ve ever seen the Disney ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ with Mickey Mouse or listened to the orchestral piece by Paul Dukas, then this poem proves very useful in truly understanding either! But again, the English translation should only be taken for informational value... The German one is also worded hilariously)

Prose

Short edited by Alan Ziegler (This is a collection of short prose forms that honestly is a must for me... I love this book to pieces and have had it for years now! It’s an international anthology, so you’ll find more and less famous authors from all around the world represented with short stories, prose poems, short essays and just curious and interesting snippets of writing! I draw a lot of inspiration from this book)

High-Rise by JG Ballard (As mentioned above, I owe this book part of my personality... I don’t think I would be the same person without having read it. It’s not necessarily full of wisdom, but if you’re interested in a different kind of portrayal of the human condition, then this is the read you need to take a look at)

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers (This is another piece that changed my perception of literature, even though this is a more ordinary and ‘fun’-value read... It’s one of my favourite books and it’s endlessly entertaining! So if the classics are a bit heavy for you, this one is perfect for casual readers as well! Its value really does lie more in the realisation of how fun literature can be, and the freedom you have as an author... So really, I could recommend everything by Moers, his style is amazing both in the German original and in the English translation. Yes, I’ve read both.)

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (This is comedic gold, stylistic gold and generally a bloody perfect book. Also a��‘fun’-value read, but it also does a magnificent job at showing you what you can do with literature, and how well-developed characters are supposed to be written)

The Penguin Book of the Undead (Penguin Classics) edited by Scott G. Bruce (This book is basically an education on fifteen hundred years of supernatural encounters and how culture wrote, used and perceived them. You get introductory texts for different periods and social groups, explaining how and why ghost stories were written and used, followed by passages of the prime source texts (eg. ancient necromancy shown on The Odyssey). Really, this book is just for cultural history nerds)

The Earthquake in Chile by Kleist (This isn’t necessarily one of my faves, but it has helped me understand what studying literature and culture can do for you. In case anyone remembers my insistence in Wicked Game that you gotta know what a pomegranate symbolises... this novella is such an instance where this knowledge would prove useful. Generally, it gives many opportunities to think about privilege and circumstance)

The Symposium by Plato (You’ll probably not want to read the entire collection of speeches tbh... But the concepts introduced mainly here and in some of Plato’s other work are well worth looking into! For example, the ‘double being’ introduces a concept that in modern fiction is called soulmates... Just sayin’)

[slytherinicequeen]

since you said you're fine with anonymous confessions:

i don't know that this is a confession so much as a rant, but here we go. i feel so stressed all the time, about everything. i feel like i'm going to break because everyone expects so much of me. my parents don't understand everything i'm going through and they think that it should be easy for me to excel in school, study hard, and be happy all the time. but i can't. i'm not okay, and everybody keeps making me feel like i don't have a right to feel sad. i've got too much work, and my parents make everything sound worse, and they're super invasive too. they don't even know that i have two tumblr accounts, and if they did, that would be the end of me, really. i just want to huddle up in the bathroom and cry. everybody is so shitty to me and they think that life should come easy to me, since i'm "only a student" but they just don't understand! nobody does! and they're making me feel like it's wrong of me to feel this way. they tell me i have everything and i'm just lazy and ungrateful but i really am trying, i swear! it's just too overwhelming for me. maybe i'm just too weak. i'm sorry for this long essay, i don't have anyone to talk to, and everybody i dare to talk to makes it sound worse, makes me sound worse, or is just plain mean about it. i hope you can respond to me, it would really help to hear some kind words. i love you and your blog and i hope you're staying safe. take care.

- love, anxious anon. <3

Dear anxious anon, 

Darling you are not alone, I am going through the exact same thing. Multiple times I had to stop and go “did I write this to myself drunk? wait, no of course not, I don’t drink”. My point is what you're feeling is natural. Everyone goes through it and that doesn't make the pain bigger or smaller, it just puts it into perspective. 

Excelling in school, studying hard and being happy are all linked. You just cant do the former 2 if you aren't happy and if you’re not doing well you’re not happy. Now how do you get out of the circle? Be happy? Easier said than done.

Parents try their best. They nag, scold and harass but they do so thinking they're helping. It doesn't make it any easier knowing that, but it makes it easier to ignore and slide past.

I'm 19 years old and I'm not allowed snapchat, Instagram, tiktok any of the likes. Now, I've sort of settled down but I used to rebel. I got SC without my parent's knowledge and I started snapping anyone who was online because I just wanted to use the app, I didn't care what for. I used to be online mostly at night, 1 am and the sorts.

And a 17 year old girl with no respect for boundaries just wanting to break rules. You can imagine the sort of people I attracted...

You're going to want to rebel and you're going to want to release all of the pent up tension which is why I would advise you that when you're in a safe space and a clear mind decide what it is that you want to invest your free time on. Don't do so on a rush.

Once you make these rules for yourself, stick to them. No one needs to know and you don't need anyone's validation on whether you decided right. Two tumblr accounts sounds like a good place to start but make sure you don't invest all your energy on it because you don't want to look back and point at something you enjoyed and see it in a negative light.

Now all the people telling you that "you’re just a student" and "things will get so much more worse, what will you do then" can just fuck off. You don't need that kind of energy. You don't need those people in your life. Some will be people you just cant cut off like family and that's okay. Decide to yourself that you will NEVER give them a moment of your mental space. Let them drone on and on and LISTEN but never absorb anything they say. For every jab they throw at you tell yourself one thing you like about yourself or how that's not true.

For every person in pain there is another in greater pain, that doesn't make your pain any less. This will be the greatest challenge you face for now and you will tackle it as such. You do not have the experiences of 40 year old white man nor do you have the innocence of a 4 year old child. You are you. And YOU will tackle what YOU are going through.

You're absolutely beautiful and you're strong. I know that because you're beautiful in the way you care and beautiful in your words. You're strong because you know that you'll get through this, otherwise you never would have messaged me. You’re strong because otherwise you wouldn't believe that there was still the potential for things to get better.

Take care of yourself my love 

BR

Message me any time you need, Ill send you my mail and we can talk whenever you need me

[givemequeen]

I'm not here to attack you and hope that I don come off that way because honestly I've been pretty angry all the time lately but here's a bit of a full picture of why people are complaining, but first of saying "I'm so glad this is happening" absolutely makes me want to attack you, but I hope to have better self control than that. Listen, people are dying, people who are kind enough to do quarantine and self isolation which I assume you are so thanks, can't visit their loved ones who are dying(1

You maybe able to work from home but not everyone can do that, lots of places are closing to never open again. Lots of people are being fired. The situation of every country and their states/provinces/cities is different. Iran has someone dying of this every 10 minutes, Spain more than 2000 deaths, Italy much more. If you mean quarantine then I'm sorry I misinterpreted you. Still, it's worth to share since I've found people just DON'T CARE 

I don't blame my current mental state on the quarantine but yes on the lack of a possibility I had to get my meds, and other people with other mental health issues are having a rough time rn being quarantined, or people who love to go out are also having a rough time, so I thank everyone who is staying in their homes, they're allowed to complain, I think, as long as they do stay inside because that's helping dear anon and people of Tumblr,

im really sorry if offended anyone. i did not mean the coronavirus, that is truly something horrible. i am from Spain so i do know about all the deaths since my parents talking about it every five seconds, i do know how serious this is and know how lucky i am to have a big villa w/ a big backyard to walk around and stuff and that im no stuck in a small flat w/ no space. i do know how serious this is and there are people back home who are being affected by it. 

my sister’s Godfather (/my ‘adopted’ one, long story) who is my father’s long time best friend is in the hospital right now and my Godmother (who is also my mother’s aunt and they are very close) is very old and has high risk of dying from it if she does get infected. i know people are dying without their family members around them and/or dying because of lack of resources. my father talked about it during dinner, a person’s father who did in the hospital’s corridor because they could not treat him and he died alone.

i was not making fun of the situation. i do care, i care a lot. i was just glad i can stay home because im naturally an introvert and do not like socializing, especially school because of a long story. i prefer learning from home, in these two days i’ve learnt more than in the rest of the year (especially French. fuck u, psycho French teacher) and i would like to be home-schooled so this is perfect (staying home, not the reasons as to why we have to stay home).

i longer have to go out or make excuses to not go out. i can work/study from the comfort of my home, which i am very lucky to have (i know, my parents tell me every 5 seconds) and i know people do not have the luxury to do so (i also know since my parents tell me over and over again). i know people are being separated from family and have not spoken with anyone in weeks (example; my two cousins in Madrid) and i feel very sorry for everyone who has been negatively affected by the coronavirus or my comment.

i once again apologise and hope you can forgive me because i hate it when i upset people, especially on here ‘cause all of you seem wonderful. 

thank you, givemequeen

ps: why does it feel like im writing an essay? and i do care!! if anyone needs to talk about anything, message me!!

[kindafooey]

foo you have NO IDEA how happy i am to see you reblogging that post about purity culture. i'm so sick of antis, and every time i follow someone new, i'm afraid they'll be one. it warms my heart to know you don't believe in that bs. i'd love to hear more of your thoughts on the matter!

Once again, I’m replying to this ridiculously late, BUT this time it was because I wanted to say something worth your time here, and for that I needed some time myself. ‘:D Believe me, I have a LOT to say about this issue. Could honestly write a little essay about it - maybe one day, I’ll do just that. But for now...

One thing I want to get out of the way before anything else is that I deeply, deeply sympathize with the fundamental sentiment which the antis are coming from. The internet is a scary fucking place, and today’s feed system imposes other people’s interests on you unlike any previous era of cultural sharing has ever done. If you want to socialize with someone via social media, there’s very little you can do to prevent the stuff they’re into from spreading into your content feed as well. From my generation forward, we’ve been introduced to the internet very early on - too early to be expected a capability of holding up the fences of your own personal/safe space, and yet that’s exactly what we’re expected to do from the moment we go online for the first time. This is just a fact.

Here’s the catch: not all websites lag behind responding to this phenomenon. Archive Of Our Own is an excellent example of this, especially with the latest tag filter update. They've made avoiding unwanted content easy, as should every responsible website. Tumblr isn’t quite there yet, but they’re definitely making an effort.

So yeah, the antis are not completely in the wrong with their main sentiment. We need to recognize it as a flaw in the system that’s still kind of figuring itself out. They have the full right to be upset about the fact that sometimes shit comes their way that they’d rather pluck their eyes out than witness. BEEN THERE, big big time. The problem, aside from the ridiculously aggressive behavior and moralist statements antis are in the habit of which most of us are rightfully sickened by, is that they’re applying the idea of public responsibility on individuals, which is, quite frankly, some totalitarian shit. As someone who studied the history of underground culture for half a semester back in the day... okay heck this is what I meant when I said I could write an essay. I need to stop now before this post turns into a 10k-er.

Bottom line (of sorts): yes, there is a problem, and no - an individual content creator can’t be held responsible from anything further than proper tagging and content disclaimers. The internet is an unprecedented form of publification, and the matter of responsibility is still being disputed even on actual legal terms. That’s right, even the peeps who professionalize in these things for a living haven’t gotten even close to figuring it out yet. So... keep that moralism at bay, kids.

Uhhh. wow this got incoherent

anyway

I’d like to see more discussion focused on how ‘problematic’ things are portrayed, and why. Honestly, I’m a bit fed up with everything being filed under ‘an outlet’ or ‘a coping mechanism’. (Frankly, it’s obvious that some people are starting to use it as an excuse, and that’s harmful af). Like... no, that’s not the point. I’ve skimmed through a lot of crazy shit the fandom has had to offer, and I can tell you for a fact that there are tons of works that glorify the problematic content to the point where it’s clear it has nothing to do with coping. It’s processing. The content itself doesn’t define its problematic nature - its reception does. It’s a two-way road, folks. Think Fifty Shades! In itself, it’s just a sub-par kink fic written in rather bad taste. But the way it was embraced and fetishized by a wide audience without a hint of criticism, subsequently forcing the BDSM community to make constant statements as to how the book is not an acceptable portrayal of actual BDSM while dodging creeps that are trying to justify their abusive behavior as a kink? Yeah, that’s problematic as hell. If you really wanna talk problematic content, always look at the reception, AND the ones who make money with it.

But in small non-profit fan communities? Come on. Fandom is underground culture, and will no doubt remain as such for a long time still. When it becomes profitable, THEN we have to holler, because that’s a whole ‘nother game of power, publicity and resourcing right there. Let fandoms flourish as the beautiful dumpster fires they are.

(jfc this post is incoherent af. Sorry ;; This is what happens when Foo tries to focus on something when she has 1000 other things to do)

[becauseliteraturethatswhy]

When you were an undergrad, how did you cope with all your reading? I've just started uni and you're kinda my inspiration but I'm struggling to balance my reading for my essays, different reading for my classes as well as making room for socialising. Do you have any advice?

Thank you !! I’m happy to hear that my blog inspires you; I can’t believe it’s been nearly four years since I was inspired by some of the blogs I still follow today to pursue my own dreams of studying English 😊 

Advice wise: the first thing I had to learn was how to effectively manage my time andbe aware of what was due when – I was (and still can be at times) a terribleprocrastinator and would be tempted to push some of my reading assignmentsuntil the day before it was due, or even a few hours before! Needless to say, thisreally doesn’t work!! Something that really worked and helped me keep upwith everything I needed to do was sitting down and writing up a big to-do liston Sunday evenings that would lay out exactly which assignment I wanted to workon, and when during the week, based on when the assignment was due and anyother activities I had that week. So if I had a meeting to go to or knew I wasgoing to hang out with my friends on Wednesday evening, I’d try to do a littleextra reading the day before so I’d have open time for socializing that nextday. One semester my second year, I had two classes on MWF but four on Tuesdaysand Thursdays – so you can be sure I did most of my reading and writing onMWF!! It was always nice to have a break to socialize, especially after a longday of four busy classes, and I wouldn’t have to worry about my assignments ifI knew I’d done them the day before. Even if this meant I needed to finishreadings or assignments a couple days early (which seemed really out ofcharacter to my naturally-procrastinating self), it definitely helped mebalance both my assignments and socializing most of the time.

Of course, being aware of when things are due, or how long it will taketo read a novel or article is really important too, so you can schedule outyour time effectively. Knowing your limits and reading pace is super crucial tobeing able to figure out how much you’ll be able to achieve on any givenafternoon (if you’re able to stay focused and keep away from distractions likeYoutube, Tumblr, or Netflix, that is! 😂)  Something that was really helpful to me concerningthis was breaking up my reading in manageable chunks; if I knew I needed toread 3 20-page articles for my seminar on Friday (but would definitely loseinterest or motivation after just one), I’d try to read one on Mon., anotherTues., and the last Weds. or Thurs., depending on how busy I was working onstuff for my other classes. Sometimes professors will try to do this for you,especially in English courses, where they’ll assign chapters or page numbers,which is nice, but I took a lot of courses for my British Studies minor where I’djust be expected to have read an entire book by a certain date. It absolutelyhelped to assign myself chunks of a chapter or two at a time, so I could figureout approximately how long it would take me to read the book.

It took me awhile to develop a system that really worked for me to balance my assignments and time to hang out with my friends (and get a much-needed break from all the reading) but once I figured it out, it all became so much easier! Hopefully some of this advice will be helpful for you - good luck with uni! 😊

[geeky-galpal]

I'm taking you up on your offer. You say that it's more difficult for Lana to succeed because she's a Latina. Ok, I agree. But here's the thing. Other (white) actresses in similar position as Lana (one successful not so good show, in their 40s...) went on to guest star, they weren't cast in lead roles. But Lana, who we agree has an even harder time, will somehow defy all odds and get a lead role again and again and again?

Hey nonnie!

Get prepared.. this turned out longer than I intended…

I agree that, looking at past examples, there are other similarly placed actresses who have not all gone on to have lead roles once their show ended for the rest of their lives. There are also actresses who went on to succeed at similar or higher heights. Some have, some haven’t– I think we can all agree that life can be a crapshoot.

I have never said Lana “will somehow defy all odds and get a lead role again and again and again”. I would appreciate it if you don’t put words in my mouth.

I can’t speak for anyone else on Tumblr as I am not on here all the time, but I have not personally seen a reasonable fan of Lana’s who has advocated for the point you are raising here. If they did, that would seem as foolish to me as the anti-fans currently trolling inboxes last night and this morning. Why? Because none of us can predict the future. Especially not in an industry as volatile as television.

Oh, and before I move on, quickly– if we are going to talk about Lana’s future career prospects, then we must acknowledge that we are all talking major long-term hypotheticals. OUAT has not been cancelled this year or next year that any of us know for fact. I will grant you that rumors/ evidence are swirling this year just as they have every past year. But, really this is all reading “tea leaves” because none of us are ABC employees who are working on current contracts. And, there has been even less outside “evidence” that Lana is independently leaving the show than the already thin evidence of the show’s cancellation.

OK, so those points out of the way…

Why do I have hopeful confidence in Lana moving forward?

1. Leading in to OUAT, Lana had a string of successful pilot pick ups. None of those turned into hit shows, but that’s the luck of the draw in Hollywood. The fact that she was hired again and again speaks to her ability to connect with show runners and casting agents. That’s key moving forward as the potential parts would become admittedly more staggered.

2. Speaking in very broad generalities, the parts that Lana is about to “age into” (especially by the time OUAT wraps in the next few years), will be what those who follow the industry call “District Attorney” aged or maternal roles. The middle-aged tough, often cold business woman (think- every detective and lawyer on Law & Order, etc, but also “Head of Surgery” type roles on hospital dramas such as Grey’s or ER) or the middle-aged mom in a teen/family soap (see- Parenthood, the Fosters, etc). The good news here? Lana’s current part in OUAT sets her up really well for both of those future career prospects. She has a body of work and experience she can point to that will play into those strengths moving forward.

3. Related to the above point, Lana has previously discussed her difficulties of being cast due to her “ambiguous” racial appearance as a white Latina. When she had long, naturally curly hair, for instance, she wouldn’t get cast in white roles. But, casting agents also didn’t feel she looked “Latina enough” for Latinx roles. What did she do? Cut off her hair, evened out her accent. She played into her own mixed race heritage, which allowed her a wider variety of options. I expect her to maneuver similarly when she’s back on the market. 

4. Evil Regals. I spoke about this a bit earlier in response to one of F3′s asks, but Lana has spent significant parts of her hiatus and social media life cultivating her fanbase. This will seem crude, but having that little social army matters. Lana Parrilla is not a household name, but she is significant in certain niche and cult markets. Building up her base solidifies her brand. Being a “brand” is as important, if not more important, than being extremely well known– especially for WOC actresses who already won’t have the same mass-market appeal. I’ve previously recommended to friends that when looking for role models for Lana’s career, don’t just look at similarly placed white women, but look at Kerry Washington and Eva Longoria. Both of whom have invested deeply in diversification of their brand early on .

Consider: Kerry’s early film career when she made majority black films and was not yet a “crossover success”, Eva Longoria’s Latinx and Chicanx activism. It was Kerry Washington who independently suggested that the cast of Scandal “live tweet” their episodes before that was even a thing yet, because she knew she had already built up a fan base of millennial black women from her movies who she could depend on for engagement. Those live tweeting sessions not only gave Scandal the bump they needed for a second season renewal, it changed the way we watch television across a variety of shows. Eva Longoria went back and got a Master’s degree in Chicano Studies while working on the set of Desperate Housewives– there are photos of her writing her thesis on set– and turned that degree, plus her earnings, into a 501©(3) advocacy organization and a production house. The advocacy organization made Longoria a respected household name for many Latinx people. That earned respect feeds trust in her production house. Which in turn has kept her in the media, and spurred 2-3 other shows.

I think that Lana has been modeling her career as a hybrid between those actresses (she’s a known friend of Longoria) and the work of say, Kate Mulgrew/ Lucy Lawless/ Jaime Murray – all three of whom are incredibly popular genre actresses who went on to have long, successful careers that carried them through their middle age. She focuses on diversifying, advocacy, and building a fan base. 

There are worse role models to have in that regard.

5. You will notice that I did *not* *mention* *talent* on this list. And there is a reason- we all know Lana is talented, but talent will only get you so far. That is also true about “quality of show” that you are currently employed on. Both of these are subjective, and honestly, matter little to networks. A casting director may want to know- can this person act? The answer will be “yes”. The network executives will want to know- can this person turn us a profit? Lana has done everything she can to prove that she can do that as well. (There’s a reason we have been seeing so much EQ in the general on-air advertisements of the show— both leading into 6A and now again during 6B. The promo people at ABC believe she is a draw, while we as fans are not privy to the “hard data”that they have, we can look at the choices that they are making objectively.)

OK Nonnie! 5 reasons and book length essay on why I have confidence for Lana Parrilla moving forward. Thanks for listening!