#if we’re tracking that analogy

[badolmen]

I had a much healthier relationship with femininity when I realized it was a behavior to be performed rather than an innate state of being.

[bowlofsoob]

O5 thank you next — go ahead and log out for me

SOOBIN’S POV

notes; all of soobin’s accounts are yn and all of yns accounts are soobin until the end of their birthday

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

In the early glow of the morning, Soobin, now inhabiting his soulmate’s body, sat nervously in the passenger seat of the car he’d just gotten picked up in. Taehyun and Hueningkai, as he’d come to recently learn, were exchanging awkward glances in the rearview mirror as Soobin’s own songs played through the car’s speakers.

“So, uh, hope you’re okay with your own music on the playlist,” Hueningkai said from the passenger seat, “It’s just what we usually play.”

Soobin couldn’t help but feel fond of them, they were his fans after all.

“It’s cool, I actually really love this one,” he answered, his own unfamiliar voice startling him.

“We thought it might help with adjusting,” Taehyun added, a faint hue of pink on his cheeks.

Soobin could only nod in response, picking at the fabric of his pants. Nothing in his soulmate’s closet adhered to his taste, and most of it just consisted of poorly designed graphic tees.

The car descended into an uneasy quietness, broken only by the familiar melodies spilling out of the speakers that seemed oddly intimate with Soobin now present.

“You guys seem a bit shy, anything on your mind?” Soobin tentatively asked in an attempt to break the tension with the two people he would be spending the rest of the day with.

“It’s just that having our idol in the car, even if it’s in our friend’s body, is kinda surreal,” Hueningkai smiled, stumbling over his words.

"We’re not used to this level of…fame?” Taehyun replied.

“I get it, I’m not used to being on this side of things either,” Soobin replied, trying to relate.

As they approached their apartment, Soobin couldn't help but feel a strange connection with his soulmate’s friends. As Taehyun parked the car they all hesitated before stepping out, still unsure of themselves in each other’s presence.

“This is so weird,” Hueningkai marvels.

Soobin can’t help but laugh, “Tell me about it.”

As they entered the apartment the trio settled into the living room rather awkwardly. Soobin couldn’t help but take notice of the memorabilia of himself surrounding them, he’d never expected to see how one of his fan’s lives up close.

Even though he was navigating an unfamiliar shyness he found comfort in the tentative smiles of his soulmate’s friends.

// // //

In one of their cramped bedrooms, Soobin, now uncomfortably squeezed into your body, stared blankly at the physics textbook.

“Okay, let's go through this again,” Taehyun sighed, “The laws of thermodynamics is the transfer of—"

“You lost me at thermo,” Soobin muttered, flipping through the flashcards laid out in front of him halfheartedly.

“This is hopeless, how is he supposed to pass the exams?” Taehyun mumbled to Hueningkai.

“Maybe if we play his songs backward, he'll absorb physics knowledge by osmosis,” Hueningkai sadly jokes, half serious.

“Backwards songs?” Soobin asks as he looks up, “That’s a thing?”

“We’re getting off track, let’s try this one more time,” Taehyun sighs, directing Soobin’s attention towards his notebook.

They spent the few hours they had before the exams attempting to explain concepts, drawing diagrams, and resorting to desperate analogies involving concert stages and sound waves. However, Soobin struggled to grasp the complexities of physics and mathematics. He was fucked.

“I’m sorry, this is all like a foreign language to me,” Soobin says, feeling bad with how hard they were trying.

Truth is he gave up hours ago when Hueningkai started singing formulas to him in an attempt to get him to memorize them. As the minutes dragged on, Soobin’s lack of concern became more apparent.

He just didn’t care enough.

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

extra filler

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

masterlist — prev | next

comment on this post if i can use ur username in future chapters as a fan account!

୨୧✧ — author notes; hi guys sorry for the wait 😔 i was off at war (finals week)

୨୧✧ — synopsis; in a universe where you and your soulmate swap bodies on your twenty-first birthday and every birthday after that. world renowned soloist soobin is set to have a concert on the day of your guys’ shared birthday, a firm believer he doesn’t have a soulmate and wants nothing to do with them. you, a college student who hasn’t listened to a single one of his songs, swap bodies with him on the day of your final exam and his big concert. you’re now under the public eye for ruining his career and soobin has to deal with your wrath since he failed your exams. he must also process the fact that he does in fact have a soulmate, one he couldn’t care less about.

ᝰ✧ — [1/3] taglist is open! @cartierfiles @lunavixia @jungwonderz @bubblytaetae @goldennika @zzzavid @astrozuya @odisdad @destairea @iwaplant @itssaturdaytoday @hoodiebangtan @starchasing-cryptid @outerspace02a @buttersmama @luvtyun @vianna99 @matcha-binz @doumachi @pinghyuka @soobsdior @binluvsu @tyussday @xavi-in-kpopland @bervaose @birdie-vhs @hearts4huening @reyarain @gyubatuu @tridentgumfreshy @rjsmochii @ckline35 @mochiixsstuff @bluuswanrina @beomnioa @bluxjun @yelsuki @gugggu6gvai @thesassy-mia @222brainrot @itswinteress @cindywasneverhere @kimgyuuu @fatoompie @haohyo @jongseongslvr @soobinsman @wolfytae-exe @huening-kawaii @malarign @tocupid @phtogravi

[allaboutthemoonlight]

How to Maximize Your Productivity Living with Limited Time

Hello, friends! Today's post is a little longer, but it's something I felt I needed to share.

We all have different commitments—school, work, hobbies, etc.—and in today's fast-paced world, our schedules are overflowing, leaving little room for us to breathe. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and struggle with the constant juggle of work and obligations, leaving many of us feeling perpetually busy and struggling to find balance in our lives.

So, this week, I wanted to talk about time management and productivity, specifically task management systems that will help you efficiently plan out your life and find time for absolutely everything.

Over the last two months, I've experimented with a plethora of different productivity and task management systems and want to share five strategies that will help you maximize your productivity and have time for all the things you love.

Embrace slow productivity

This is probably my favorite tip I’ve ever encountered and felt compelled to share.

After listing to a podcast hosted by Jordan Harbinger and Cal Newport where they talked about shifting mindsets concerning the work we’re doing, my outlook on productivity has changed.

Slow productivity is founded on the idea of “resourcing your work so it garners a sense of fulfillment rather than leaving you feeling overwhelmed”. To really embrace slow productivity is means not over-loading your plate

That can be difficult because we’ve been conditioned to believe that beibusy and doing more is a sign of progress; however, it’s important to understand that doing less things =/ accomplishing less goals. In fact doing fewer things often makes our work more sustainable, allowing us to work at a natural pace and pay more attention to quality instead of quantity.

This is probably my favorite tip I've ever encountered and felt compelled to share. After listening to a podcast hosted by Jordan Harbinger and Cal Newport where they talked about shifting mindsets concerning the work we're doing, my outlook on productivity has changed.

Slow productivity is founded on the idea of "resourcing your work so it garners a sense of fulfillment rather than leaving you feeling overwhelmed." To really embrace slow productivity means not overloading your plate.

That can be difficult because we've been conditioned to believe that being busy and doing more is a sign of progress. However, it's important to understand that doing fewer things does not equal accomplishing fewer goals. In fact, doing fewer things often makes our work more sustainable, allowing us to work at a natural pace and pay more attention to quality instead of quantity.

Here are some steps to help you embrace slow productivity:

Prioritization: Identify the most important tasks or goals and focus on them first. Emphasize quality over quantity and aim to produce meaningful results rather than simply checking items off a list.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps: Break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Personally, this has helped make tasks feel less overwhelming and helped me maintain focus and momentum.

Set Realistic Expectations: Setting realistic expectations is crucial. Understand the time you have and what you can accomplish within it to avoid overcommitting, particularly to tasks that don't align with your priorities.

Finding a planning system that work for you

Effectively managing your time requires a solid organizational framework. The planning system you choose plays a crucial role in maximizing your productivity. This means finding the right digital or tactile analog tool that works for you.

Digital Tools: There is a crazy amount of digital planning tools available that comprise different features such as to-do lists, task and project managers, and progress trackers. I’m slightly biased here, but apps like Notion, TickTick, obsidian, Trello, or Asana are good for organizing tasks, setting deadlines, and tracking progress on a project. Additionally, using a calendar app such as Google Calendar, outlook or, Fantastical can you schedule your time effectively and avoid overcommitting.

Pen and Paper: If you’re someone who prefers the simplicity and tactile experience of traditional pen and paper planners, processes such as bullet journaling or simply using a journal to keep note of all your commitments offers a flexible system for organizing tasks, events, and notes in a customizable format. One perk about using pen and paper is that it offers a level of permanence that can’t be found in digital tools. Once you write something down (depending on the tool you write with) it’s permanent.

Hybrid Approach: You can also combine both of these methods to create an experience that works for you. For example, you can use a digital calendar while also keeping a bullet journal as a task manger or place to reflect.

Personally, I find that the hybrid approach works best for me.

Time blocking

Time blocking works because it provides a structured approach to managing your time effectively.

Time blocking is the process of dividing your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or activities—allowing you to minimize distractions and maintain focus on the task at hand.

Here’s what I’ve found to be the best way to implement time blocking:

Identify Priorities: Start by identifying your most important tasks and goals for the day or week. These are the activities that align with your overall objectives, values, and contribute to meaningful progress.

Choose Time Slots: Next, choose specific time slots in your schedule for each task or activity. It’s crucial to be realistic about the amount of time needed for each task, and consider factors such as your peak productivity hours and natural energy levels.

Time blocking may seem antithetical to flexibility. However, regular review and adjustment is a good way to make modifications in response to changing priorities or interruptions.

<3 Luna

[meowmarkie]

nct dream as yearning songs

a/n! This is for funzies only! I don’t know any of them personally so I’m only comparing and linking their behavior shown through videos with the behavior of those I know in real life (me included). And also, If you haven’t listened to any of these songs, PLEASE give them a listen bc I feel like it’ll help you guys better understand my vision :)

Mark - End Of Beginning, Djo

Just one more tear to cry, one teardrop from my eye

You better save it for

The middle of the night when things aren't black and white

Enter, Troubadour

"Remember 24?"

Mark’s always talking about finally beginning a project whenever he’s with the dreamies, so I always get reminded of this song (that’s not the only reason tho) once the “is it really starting this time?” teasing commences — even though it might pass as a “funny” quirk, the need to establish out loud that they are “restarting” or finally starting things as if from scratch, might be because of something deeper. Mark seems like the kind of guy who works hard and reminisces about his past, especially when it comes to where it all (ironically) started. He works so hard and is almost never relaxing or taking a vacation, he says he’s fine, but since I'm a workaholic as well, I can tell you guys that we always end up breaking down because of how much stuff we’re doing. So, in those overwhelming moments, I can imagine Mark looking back to when he was in Canada, being able to rest and take in all the small pleasures the world can offer, not having to worry about his image, his feelings, his needs or if he’s “korean enough” to be working as an idol (idk about you guys, but that distinction between being a pure korean vs a mixed korean would drive me insane. I’d be so upset to always have to prove myself and prove that part of my nationality), reminiscing about the times when he was full of dreams, peace, and most importantly, energy.

You take the man out of the city, not the city out the man

Renjun - Abstract (Psychopomp), Hozier

See how it shines

Renjun is a very simple and honest man; he knows what he likes, what he doesn’t and knows how to set up his boundaries. However, he’s really sensible when it comes to life (in ALL its meanings), which is why I’m reminded of this song whenever I think of him. I’m grateful for all the things Renjun has shared with us, such as his mental health, hobbies and just his personality in general. Abstract is a song that shows how much its “subject” is sensible, brave (for jumping into traffic in order to rescue the dying/already dead animal) and never seems to catch a break, while the one singing (in this case, Hozier) can only take in the sight, not being able to do anything to help. In this analogy, Renjun is the subject and his friends/family/fans are Hozier, y’all. I feel like he strives to protect those he loves, and yearns for their well being when he can’t do anything to help.

(it was tough to choose just a small part of the song, when in fact, in my opinion, the whole thing describes him so well)

The speed that you moved

The screech of the cars

The creature still moving

That slowed in your arms

The fear in its eyes

Gone out in an instant

Your tear caught the light

The Earth from a distance

Jeno - Yes To Heaven, Lana Del Rey

If you go, I'll stay

You come back, I'll be right here

Like a barge at sea

In the storm, I stay clear

We’ve got ourselves a lover boy! No surprises there, I think. Even though this song comes from a female point of view, I think it still describes Jeno really well. Getting back on track, I feel like this suits him given the fact that when he likes someone, he likes someone — if he feels strongly like that, it’s even more intense when it comes to his loved ones, hence the song. Jeno would do anything in the world for his partner, and that includes fighting for them, to keep them by his side even if things get incredibly tough. 

His reason to yearn would be his person, before he even managed to win them over. Jeno would yearn for a life next to his loved one, for their acceptance and approval of him — nothing would make him happier than hearing a yes from his lover.

Say yes to Heaven

Say yes to me

Haechan - Gilded Lily, Cults

Now it's been long enough to talk about it

I've started not to doubt it, just wrap my head around it

I remember when you told me it's an everyday decision

But with my double vision, how was I supposed to see the way?

This boy is one of the most hard-working human beings on earth, methinks. Because he’s always giving, exposing and donating parts of himself to the world, not gaining anything back… The amount of hate and fake news he gets thrown at him is insane, being the reason why I always think of him when listening to this song. He has the biggest heart ever, and he pays the price for it every single day of his life. Haechan’s personality is bright and it should shine as much as it needs to, he might look overly confident but I wouldn’t doubt that in fact, he’s totally insecure about himself and about his skills, lost in the world yearning for appreciation. Gilded Lily suits him so much it actually pains me to make this connection anywhere other than my brain.

His hard work isn’t half as repaid as it should be. Some “fans” should be embarrassed to call themselves such when the first thing they do is to attack Hae.

Haven't I given enough, given enough?

Always the fool with the slowest heart

But I know you'll take me with you

We'll live in spaces between walls

Jaemin - Chemtrails Over The Country Club, Lana Del Rey

I'm on the run with you, my sweet love

There's nothing wrong contemplating God

Under the chemtrails over the country club

In another life, I believe that Jaemin could’ve been living peacefully in a suburb, white picket fences and all. This song is filled with nostalgia and the wish to run away with your loved one, which painfully reminds me of Jaemin. He’s the perfect man, the perfect gentleman even, so that’d make his partner want to elope with him. However, this image of him resides only in my (and now, your) imagination — that’s why I chose this song for him. Whenever I take in anything that Jaemin does, I can help but think about how I’d feel in his shoes: he had the plan to become a doctor, did charity work, played the piano, got good grades and was handsome. Having such high standards and some fondness towards the academic way of life, would I be 100% satisfied living an idol life? The answer is no, ergo my need to choose this song for him. If my hunch about Jaem is correct, he’d be yearning for the possibilities of having another life, especially when it comes to love. From what he has shown us, he wouldn’t be the type to voluntarily want to hide his loved one — I feel like he’d want to boast to the world about them.

I interpret this song as a life the singer would like to have had with their loved one, but couldn’t since the opportunity passed, and is now cursed to live forever with their “what ifs”.

My love, my love

Washing my hair, doing the laundry

Late night TV, I want you on me

Like when we were kids

Under chemtrails and country clubs

It's never too late, baby, so don't give up

Chenle - loml, Taylor Swift

If you know it in one glimpse, it's legendary

You and I go from one kiss to gettin’ married

Still alive killing time at the cemetery

Never quite buried

In your suit and tie, in the nick of time

You lowdown boy, you standup guy

You Holy Ghost, you told me I'm

The love of your life

I apologize in advance to all you Chenle stans out there for bringing this up, but… IT NEEDS TO BE SAID. He fits this song so much it’s actually insane. He doesn’t have many regrets in his life (as said by the man himself), so in a world in which he’d yearn, it’d definitely be because of love, hence why his song is loml. Chenle wouldn’t be able to get over his first love, leading to countless daydreaming sessions and longing sighs. He’d reminisce about his time with the person, over analyzing everything that was said and done, remembering even the smallest things the other person said he didn’t care about. Losing something makes you realize what that thing really meant, thus creating the eternal heartache of knowing that you took it for granted — despite all the fights and wrong-doings, Chenle would never be able to forgive himself for losing the person he loved.

His first love would stay with him forever, but as time goes by, they’d be only a soft memory instead of a lingering sadness.

Our field of dreams, engulfed in fire

Your arson's match, your somber eyes

And I'll still see it until I die

You're the loss of my life

Jisung - Brother, Kodaline

If I was dying on my knees

You would be the one to rescue me

And if you were drowned at sea I

'd give you my lungs so you could breathe

If there’s one quality I’d use to describe Jisung, It’d be loyalty. He’s extremely loyal towards his hyungs, and that’s why I chose this song for him. Once the dreamies weren’t a fixed unit, Jisung shared his fear of being alone, and without his older brothers by his side, he knew not of what the future had in store for him. Hence why the lyrics (this one in particular: When we were young, we were the ones // The kings and queens, oh yeah we ruled the world) and just the “desperate” vibes of the song scream Park Jisung. He loves the dreamies so much that losing them would be as devastating as losing one of his family members. We don’t get to see the clingy and soft side of Jisung as much as the boys do, but just because we as fans don’t experience it, doesn’t mean that they can’t feel it. 

There’s just not much to say besides that he loves his members to the point of sacrificing himself for them.

I’ve got you brother

The whole group - Home, Edith Whiskers ver.

We laugh until we think we'll die, barefoot on a summer night

Nothing new is sweeter than with you

I couldn’t do something like this without mentioning the dark period of when Mark was removed from the unit (sorry in advance <3), so here it is! Home would be their song from when they missed Mark, and kept reminiscing about their debut and previous comeback when their leader and older brother was still there with them. The song might come from a romantic point of view, but it’s just as fitting for a friend group, therefore making it perfect to describe the dreamie’s situation.

Losing someone important is awful, especially when that person is “removed” from your day-to-day life thanks to other people’s choices — it isn’t fair, and I’m sure the boys felt this way for a long period of time until they could shine again with Mark by their side. They’ve never been better and nct dream is now on the way to become even more powerful than before, and for that I’m incredibly proud of the children they were, who maintained themselves strong and brave throughout a heartbreaking moment. The dreamies deserve the best and my heart is at ease to see that their recognition is finally arriving. They are my home, and I’m sure they are your home as well :)

Oh, home, let me come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

[kadextra]

Okay this is gonna be a lot of thoughts but this is how I’m currently understanding what’s happening in the lore of q!Bad

That very first stream in the desert? q!Bad was dying, the nuke damaged him so severely man was walking towards the light. he was completely focused on that, even drank the poisoned water (theorized to be river lethe water that erases memories) and since he couldn’t remember anything, just followed his instincts that told him to walk. BUT he turned back, because he ended up remembering his kids. his friends. he needs to stay alive for them.

“It’s not time yet. Not yet.”

I think him turning back interrupted the death process- which is why we’re having all these consequences now. in the library-memory analogy he talked about? maybe his memory index wasn’t fully wiped, and by turning back it’s almost like it got shattered into pieces too? that could be what all the q!Bads running around in the desert are

“We don’t know how we got here, but we’re here!”

The memory problems, the soul vulture wounds, the horrible nuclear wound, he is bearing with all this suffering because no… can’t die yet. I’ll deal with this horrible radiation damage and half-life until it eventually decays. Sure, I’ll burn it on magma to hopefully accelerate it, make it go away faster. What? I’m not coughing, you’re imagining things…

And in his mind q!Bad is desperately holding onto the tethers that keep him coherent (the eggs, the flowers) likely without even realizing it. because as soon as they disappear from sight his mind blinks out like a light. the worst part about this though, is that he doesn’t even know it’s happening. he knows about the radiation wound yes, but has zero memory of his own memory loss. :(

He is losing control, mind a chaotic mess, and maybe that chaos is what’s symbolized by the giant tornado which so carelessly flung him around.

Tbh q!Bad is probably near-death every night which is why he keeps ending up back in the mind desert (the realm of sleep and death touch after all). To fully recover from all this damage he would probably need to continue walking, then would eventually end up back on track with following the light and finishing the process of dying:

“Maybe you guys are right, maybe we just need to pick a direction- just pick a direction and walk. maybe if we just walk far enough, we'll find our way out... (stares at cornflower symbolizing Pomme) but I don't know. It just feels... like I'm leaving something behind."

bro is never going to do that lmao. if it’s up to him, he will never be able to leave his kids, his family, and die. he is fighting to stay alive in his broken body no matter how much it hurts

“Worst case, die and reset. If you don’t want to… then bear with it.”

[miss-madness67]

Super Daddy (Sam)

Prompt: Your kid shouldn't be telling everyone at school you and Sam are hunters.

Having a kid as a hunter is not easy, but since the beginning, you had decided along with Sam that you wanted a normal life for her. No monsters and no moving around. Nevertheless, neither you nor he desired to step away from the hunting life. It was your duty, after all. So you made a compromise. Your daughter would know about what you really do, but you will keep her at arm’s length from that life. She would not hunt, and she would not get involved in that business. That's why she stays at the bunker. Most of the time, you and Sam are with her, trying to be the most normal family possible. If Sam or you were to be needed in a hunt, her uncle Dean would take care of her. Sometimes even Castiel helped too. So far, your semi-normal life has been working.

Your daughter is in preschool, you know it’s tough on her because she doesn't come from a normal family. Today, at Father's Day, you received a call from the principal claiming that your kid yelled at another child. Apparently, the cause had been that in her Father's Day presentation, she had said that Sam is a hunter. Of course, because she is the daughter of Sam Winchester, and she is super smart, she had to tell everyone about hunting facts, like how her parents and uncles once tracked a vampires' nest. It is safe to say that no one believed her and made fun of her. That's how the fight happened.

“Baby,” you say, “I know you’re super proud of your daddy for getting rid of the monsters.” Your daughter slouches in her seat, sensing the lecture. “But you’re not supposed to tell anyone what mommy and daddy work on.”

She nods, you’ve talked this with her plenty of times before. “I understand, mommy. I just wanted the other kids to see that my daddy is cool.”

You look back at Sam with a hit of a smile on your lips. He’s staring at your daughter, slightly surprised. Then, an idea seems to pop inside his mind. “Honey, you know what’s even better than hunting.” Your kid shakes her head. “Not telling anyone about it.” She doesn’t seem to like that idea. “It’s like a secret group, don’t you see?”

When you realize she’s not completely convinced, you decide to step in. “You like all those superheroes, yes?” She nods. “Well, just like they can’t reveal their secret identities, we can’t reveal what we do. It’s better for everybody, alright, sugar?”

She likes the analogy because she looks convinced. “Yes, mommy. I’m sorry I yelled at that girl.”

“It’s ok baby, why don’t you search for uncle Dean and tell him we’re here?”

She doesn’t wait around and runs towards the garage, where Dean is most likely at. Sam snakes an arm around your waist and brings you closer. You lean into his touch and sigh. Yes, you love your little abnormal family.

[no-title-currently]

“In the Flood” has two variations- The opening sequence version, and the one that plays in the credits, known as Lovisa’s version. This post here is covering Lovisa’s version specifically. I won’t be covering all of the lyrics, just the ones I’m able to fully draw something from. While upon listening for the first time, they may seem similar, it’s worth mentioning that the tracks actually parallel each other. The opening sequence version seems to be more from Aloy’s perspective, focusing on how she has the weight of the world on her shoulders and how she has to handle everything herself. On the contrary, while there is quite a bit of discussion, I personally feel that Lovisa’s version is closer to Beta’s perspective, specifically her perspective close to the end of the game.

Unlike in the opening sequence version, Lovisa’s Version starts off calmer. We’re met right away with a slower riff, unlike the one used in the opening sequence version. This riff is more somber in nature, in part due to the fact that it’s in a lower octave, and it has less going on. We’re hit with the vocals pretty early, starting off at (0:07) with “My hands are full of flowers, my ears are full of songs..” This is already a stark contrast to the opening cutscene version, as despite the somber undertones of the instrumental, the lyrics almost seem hopeful near the start. They’re far more positive, both in tone and in association. Tone wise, the lyrics are gentle, they’re light. However, the association is what’s interesting- flowers and songs are both things with generally positive associations.

(0:46) has the start of the chorus. “I am raindrops in the flood. I am emptiness, I am hope…” What’s interesting is that instead of how the chorus of the opening cutscene version has tones of doubt and uncertainty, this version is far more direct. We’re still sticking with the raindrops in the flood analogy, but it’s more accepting than anything else.

What really caught my eye though, is the last part of the chorus “Stay with me, in the flood..” so much of this track is close to a direct parallel to the opening credits version, but this line I feel is the most obvious proof of that. For reference, the opening credits version has the line “Who can take my hand in the flood?” It feels like a call for help in a sense. Comparing the two lines creates a unique parallel, as “Stay with me, in the flood” feels less like a desperate call for help, and more like a request.

At (1:28) we have “in dreams, I never left. I had courage like the beast. My eyes, they never fled. My arms would always reach.” This is one of three sets of lines that really cement my theory that this is from Beta’s perspective. These feel more like aspirations above anything else. A desire to be stronger. “My voice is not that strong, when hurricanes come running from you” comes later in this part at (1:51). It’s a comparison, one that it would make sense that Beta would make. Of course, it’s metaphorical, but the point still stands. It’s just a matter of wanting to be stronger.

Before the last chorus, at (3:11), we’re hit with what I think is one of the saddest lyrics in the track. “Should I have bent, been reshaped in your image? Is that what you want?” It’s really leaning into the comparison aspect of the last paragraph, and it actually reminds me somewhat of the argument Aloy and Beta have before going to Cauldron: GEMINI, where Beta reveals that she needs to know what her ‘defect’ is, and why she can’t be like Aloy.

Overall, the lyrical tracks in this game are just stunning. While they may be harder to analyze fully, I feel the lyrics actually allow for them to be interpreted in a variety of different ways. I hope one day, I’ll truly be able to put my thoughts into words fully, as there is so much more I could say about this one, it’s just a matter of how to say it.

[georgiapeach30513]

With respect to your mod wishes, my take is about to use a ton of analogies and no names. Hope you can catch my drift.

I think it’s always been fairly obvious top ramen partnered up with soba noodles to help launch soba to the industry. Ramen also needed a rebrand but this was the wrong rebrand but that’s a whole other convo.

All of the articles that come out about ramen include soba or post soba as some part of the promo.

Yet when soba is promoting something they’re trying to have them stand alone, without mentioning ramen or without including ramen.

That’s been intentional for a while.

Ramen fans are so upset that they just want ramen and keep getting unwanted ads about soba - but they need to realize soba NEEDs ramen. Not the other way around. That’s why wherever ramen is soba needs to be mentioned.

That’s why you’re seeing a solo soba ad tonight. They want to see if soba can get endorsements by itself and get ppl interested and wanting to buy more noodles.

Never mind that it’s full of sodium and doesn’t taste great and is bland (I’m not talking about the actual food here we’re saying analogies hahaha)

Ps. I feel like your cookie jar is dodger 😂

You make some great points about these noodles, anon!

I love all this, and I think you’re on the right track.

Dogs do love me!

[tomorrowxtogether]

Five things we learned from Tomorrow X Together’s ‘Our Lost Summer’ documentary

As the K-pop boyband prepare to return to Lollapalooza, they share a look at their debut at the festival and their first world tour

In just under a week, Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will return to Chicago’s Lollapalooza to make history once again. Last year, they became the first K-pop act to perform at the festival while, this year, they’ll be the first K-pop group to headline. Ahead of their triumphant return, the band have looked back at their first appearance in Grant Park and their first world tour in the new Disney+ documentary, Tomorrow X Together: Our Lost Summer’, giving fans an insight into the preparation and experience of finally getting to meet MOAs worldwide for the first time.

Here’s five things we learned from the documentary.

Before the pandemic halted Tomorrow X Together’s momentous rise in its physical form, the five-piece were only able to embark on a short showcase tour of the US. It wasn’t until three years after they debuted that they were finally able to hold their first world tour, ‘Act: Lovesick’. While they were happy to finally be out on the road and free from the “gloomy” awkwardness of online concerts, there was also an element of sadness to the tour. “At the time, I felt like we were finally doing something we should have done a long time ago,” Taehyun said. “So as much as I felt relieved, it was also a little sad as it felt overdue.”

Beomgyu thinks TXT’s existence is like that of cicadas

Comparing themselves to noisy insects like cicadas might seem like an interesting choice, but the singer’s analogy has depth to it. If a cicada only lives for up to four weeks before succumbing to the circle of life, then TXT’s cycle of practicing and performing is similar. “We don’t have seasons, we’re always in the studio,” Beomgyu explained. “We’re like cicadas – we practice for six to seven months, then it’s two weeks before performing.” He continued to reason that, due to the pandemic prohibiting them from stepping out of the studio to meet their fans, they “lost track of the seasons”. With touring back on the table, though, “now we have our seasons back”.

TXT’s bond is something special

The five members’ close relationship has always been obvious in their interviews and content, but Our Lost Summer highlights just how strong their bond is. While in the US, Beomgyu suffered an illness that caused him to miss part of a show in Atlanta and, although leader Soobin notes he wanted to just “act normal” to his bandmate instead of making a fuss, the footage shows how the rest of the band rallied around him, even in small ways.

“Usually, we jokingly say we can’t stand each other,” Beomgyu said. “But when one of us gets sick, we gather up even though we all have our separate rooms. When times get tough, we’re always there for each other. We become a family.” While there might be obvious signs of their camaraderie with each other on stage, TXT support their bandmates during performances in ways that MOAs are unaware of too. During ‘Opening Sequence’ – the end of an 11-song stint with no break – the members talked to each other through their microphones when they’re not being channelled through the PA, willing them on for the final minutes.

The idea of winning over new fans at Lollapalooza excited them

As much as all artists love performing in front of crowds full of their own fans, festival sets present a different opportunity and challenge – that of winning over the uninitiated and welcoming them into your fanbase. When TXT made their Lollapalooza debut last year, they revelled in that facet of the performance. “I get more excited in front of other fans,” Beomgyu said. “It’s just a different feeling […] On a stage with non-fans, I have a chance to turn them into my fans.”

But they weren’t sure they should be there – and not all of the members left the festival on cloud nine

Despite welcoming new challenges, the group weren’t convinced they should be on the line-up. “Did we deserve to be there?” Yeonjun questioned. “We were worried that we might ruin the vibe.” Although their set proved exactly why TXT deserved to be given that history-making slot, not all of the members were elated after the performance.

“I cried so hard in my hotel room,” Soobin shared. “All the members were saying it was their happiest day since their debut as singers, but I didn’t feel the same.” Concerned about his self-described awkwardness on stage when there was no choreography to get stuck into, the band’s leader said he found it hard to enjoy himself and let go.

Tomorrow x Together: Our Lost Summer is out now on Disney+

[tiredkiwilol]

So I recently came back from my church summer camp, and feel free if you want to ignore this, but I just wanted to share a bit about what we learned there. We read through Psalms 23 which was written by King David.

————————————————————————

Psalm 23:1-6 (NIV)

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

So we read through this passage in four days and ended with a question to think about as we left the session each morning.

Day 1: Psalm 23:1-3

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

We learned that we have absolutely everything we need in Christ, our shepherd. And back in the old days, shepherds were generally the jobs given to the youngest sons, they got dirty, and had to be ready to get on their knees to help their flock.

We use the analogy of God being our shepherd and us being sheep because sheep are timid, they’re kinda dumb, and generally need someone constantly leading them straight. God is our good shepherd and when we follow Him, we have absolutely everything we need, just like how it says that because the Lord is my shepherd I lack nothing.

God knows what we need before we even know what we need. He leads us and we just need to follow him, to trust in Him. He refreshes our soul and we just need to learn to let the shepherd lead us.

The question we were left with was: Do you trust Jesus as your shepherd?

Day 2: Psalm 23:4

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

In the good shepherd, as His sheep, we have protection. We have comfort, we have hope, we have peace.

As Christians, God never said that our life would be easy. He actually says that it’s going to be very difficult and we’re going to be persecuted, and face hardship.

But just because we walk through dark valleys does not mean that God has forgotten us. We will go through hardship and walk through dark valleys, but God promised (and He will never break a promise) that He will never leave us and will never forget about us. Even when you think that you’re walking through what might be the darkest time in your life, even when you don’t feel His presence, He is still with you.

You get to decide who you trust with your life and who will sit in the driver’s seat. It can be God, or you can let fear and evil drive your life. However even in times of fear, in times of hardship, when you sin or fall away from God, we can look up to Him and repent. We can pray to Him and know that we will be okay.

A rod or shepherd’s staff is what a shepherd uses to guide their sheep and lead them on the right path. It is also used to pull and yank the sheep away from dangerous situations.

When we are falling away from God He will guide us back on track. When we want something that God knows is not good for our life, or even when it is good, but He has something better planned for us, He will close that door. It might not make sense at the time, but God knows what’s best for you, even when you don’t see it.

God is our shepherd and our protector. The safest place we can be is in the presence of God.

The question we were left with was: Do you trust that the shepherd can protect you?

Day 3: Psalm 23:5

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

God loves us and longs for us. He wants a relationship with each and every one of you. We’re fully invited to sit and eat at God’s table, in fact our only responsibility is to sit at the table and eat and partake.

God loves us an amount that we will never be able to completely comprehend either!! He invites us to have a relationship with Him because He loves us so much!!

God also calls us to love our enemies. To pray for them and love on them, even when they’ve hurt us in the past. We can’t do anything for that person’s own walk with Christ other than to be a light for God and pray for them. To pray that they may feel God’s presence and realize the hurt that they may have been causing, whether intentionally or obliviously. God has a plan for everyone, and He will work in you, if you allow Him to.

I, personally, have always struggled with believing that God loves me enough to want a relationship with me, even with all the mistakes I’ve made in the past. Logically, I knew in my head that it’s just how much of a loving God I have, but I struggled believing it in my heart too. But we should surrender with both our heart and mind, believing in Him.

Later on in the verse it talks about anointing heads with oil. In old times it was an honor to be anointed with oil. It was a symbol of God’s intervention on your life. King David, when he was a boy, was anointed with oil because he was going to be King in the future.

We are blessed with God’s plan for us, and if we are willing He will work in us in an amazing way that the blessings and love we can pour out on others can overflow.

The question we were left with was: Are you confident in your place at God’s table?

Day 4: Psalm 23:6

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

God’s mercy and His love for us will never run dry. It will never die and He will never give up on us.

If you’ve read Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) you know that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

(38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.)

In Psalms 23 David changes perspectives as he talks about God. At the beginning of the Psalm he talks about God in third person before (at verse 4) he starts talking to God. With “you are with me” and “you prepare a table before me”.

The Pastor who spoke explained a few reasons why she thought that David changed perspectives. Because he was close to God, he had confidence in God’s love and care for him, and because he would cooperate with God’s plan for him.

God calls us to dwell and remain in His presence. To dwell means to remain, to abide, to stay. We can respond to God by showing up and just sitting in His presence.

The last question we were given was: Are you willing to dwell in the house of the Lord forever?

————————————————————————

So yeah, I just felt like this was something others might also benefit from hearing. I basically just copied off my notes from our sessions but if you have any questions about my writing (cause I know that it can be kind of confusing) feel free to send me an ask!! Also if you have any questions about Jesus, our faith, I’ll try to answer to the best of my ability. I love talking about Jesus and I’m always open to send prayer requests!!

[elementary-my-dear-daddy]

Earning Your Keep - Chapter 3: "Being for the Benefit of Virgil Sanders"

Analogical (Virgil and Logan)

Read the previous chapter Here or on AO3

Chapter Summary: Logan attends an event for Virgil's charity and they share a drink.

Virgil was sitting on the edge of his sofa, biting his nails as he waited for Janus to finish up getting ready in his bathroom. The benefit dinner tonight started at 7, it was currently 5, but the both of them needed to be there around 5:30 to help set up and it took 20 minutes to get to the venue- wait, would an hour and a half be enough time to set up? What if there was traffic on the way or a problem with the venue. They were so going to be late!

“Janus, what is taking you so long?” Virgil called from the couch.

“Do not rush me, Virgil, I will just put my make-up on slower and unplug the iron that’s heating up just to make you suffer.” Janus called back, “Stop worrying, I’ve got everything under control. Honestly, we could show up late and things would be fine.”

Virgil got up and went to go give himself a once over in the mirror. He looked fine, but he was still worried about looking unprofessional or something. He kept pacing around until Janus was finally ready to leave.

“Alright, have you called a car for-” Janus asked, being interrupted by Virgil tugging him towards the elevator.

“Yes it’s been waiting downstairs for ten minutes now come on we’re late!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Logan was looking through his clothing, determining what to wear tonight. He wasn’t in this sort of predicament often since he rarely found himself going out to events frequently, but tonight was Virgil’s event. Luckily, he wasn’t scheduled for a shift tonight, allowing him to attend. He sifted through various shirts and polos with his job’s logos stitched on in some way, but nothing really compared to what he imagined would be a ‘business formal’ event. He settled on a clean blue button up with a tie to add a flair of professionalism and began to get ready.

After combing his hair and stuffing his phone, wallet, and keys into his pocket, he left his one-bedroom to leave for the event.

He took the bus since his car was currently in for repair. Fortunately, there was a stop not too far from the address the flyer provided, and once he reached it he only had to build up the nerve to enter the building.

Logan didn’t quite understand why he was so nervous. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he wouldn’t know anyone here except Virgil, and he was likely busy socializing already. It also could have been the type of people attending. Just from looking in from the sidewalk, he could see that he was obviously underdressed, but he owed it to Virgil to go, so he marched up to the entrance and waited to be allowed in.

There was a small line of attendees marking down their names in a guest book, which Logan assumed would be used to track the donations that Virgil had mentioned at lunch. When it was his turn, he neatly added his signature before entering the venue. It was a large space, with multiple small tables placed throughout and a stage towards the back. A bar stood off to the side, offering drinks to its patrons, as well as a long table that had a spread of snacks and sandwiches. He held off from beelining it over to the food, despite the fact he was limiting himself to two meals a day for budget reasons and his stomach growled with want. He stuck to a corner, merely observing the crowd and watching people mingle. That was, until a sharply dressed man walked up on stage and spoke into the microphone. 

“Evening, everyone. If you don’t already know me from working with the foundation, my name is Janus, and I’m one of the associate directors here. Thank you all for attending-”

Logan watched as the man gave a short speech about the charity and their upcoming projects. It was interesting to see what went on behind these sort of organizations, since he never really knew. It wasn’t long though before the man passed the mic off, however.

“We have one last interruption as our founder would like to say a few words, Virgil?” Janus looked to the stairs going up to the stage. Lo and behold, Virgil was making his way up them and towards the stand. He appeared in much more business-like attire, a black suit with a checkered purple tie. Logan couldn’t place why but seeing him in such a state made his stomach drop much like the last time he was dragged on a roller coaster.

“Um, hi. I’m V-virgil Sanders, the f-founder of the organization.” He stammered, “I just wanna say thanks for coming and have a good night. Thanks, um, yeah. Thanks.”

He quickly hurried down the stairs as scattered applause sounded throughout the room. They were quickly replaced by the low thrum of chatter that Logan heard when he first entered. He wanted to seek out Virgil, since he was the only person who he really knew here, so he scampered through the crowd to find him. He couldn't have gotten that far from the stage.

Once he was on the other side of the venue, he gazed over the area, trying to find the man who invited him. After a few minutes, he sighed and resigned himself to grab a quick drink and snack before heading out. This felt like his high school prom where he played the role of wallflower for the night. He turned to head to the bar, but didn’t see the figure blocking his way until it was too late and he bumped into them, spilling the drink they had in their hand over the both of them.

“Oh, I’m so sorry I-” Logan now saw that the figure was Virgil, “Virgil! Um, hello, I’m incredibly sorry, I didn’t see you-”

“No no, my bad I saw you and was trying to, sorry I-”

“We should probably find some napkins to-”

“Clean up.” They said in unison, causing both men to give a small laugh.

Virgil looked around, “Uh, the bar might have some napkins?”

The both of them took one of the stacks resting on the edge of the bar and began patting down the spilled liquid on their clothes. Virgil had the brunt of it, the drink staining his coat and tie.

“Again, Virgil, I’m sorry about all this. It was entirely my fault.” Logan said, throwing the soaked napkins into a nearby trash can.

“It’s really ok, I don’t really like this jacket anyway.” Virgil took it off and folded it over his arm, “Janus said I needed to look nice or something, but I’d have rather just come in a hoodie and jeans.”

“Oh, well you did succeed in looking nice.” Logan responded, not quite realizing that his words might have been taken in a more intimate sense until they’d already left his mouth. He blushed lightly, “I mean, as in formal, since the event called for this type of attire.”

Virgil smiled, “Right. Look, uh, this might be a shot in the dark but I was going to head out since I don’t really know anyone here. But I don’t wanna leave you stranded, unless you wanna stay! Then yeah stay here but I was gonna go home and change and you know, if you wanna come with or something…”

“Oh,” Logan was sort of taken aback at the sudden invite, “Um, are you certain? I don’t want to intrude-”

“No! No, I invited you so…” Virgil stared at the floor, not wanting to meet Logan’s eye’s in fear of rejection, “Just if you wanna.”

Logan gave it some thought before responding, “I don’t know, I rode the bus here and don’t know if there will be any stops close enough for me to walk to.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, I can get you a ride back.” Virgil added, “Wait, what happened to your car is it ok? Did something happen?”

Logan shook his head, “No, I used the money you gave me to fix it. It’s currently with a mechanic.”

“Oh… that’s great. I’m glad, but uh, did you wanna come with or not? You never answered the question.”

Logan bit his lip, “Well, I suppose, but I really do not want you to feel as though you’re obligated to.”

“I don’t, I promise.” Virgil offered with a smirk, “Now I kinda wanna split before I get too overwhelmed with how many people are here, c’mon.”

[a7xbrazilianfans]

On its new year-end edition, Metal Hammer spoke to guitarist Synyster Gates about Avenged Sevenfold's eighth album, "Life Is But A Dream…" that combined hip hop, classic rock, EDM, thrash metal, classic soul and more, with some hailing it as a masterwork and others condemning it as career suicide.

It’s been six months since the release of Life is But a Dream… How do you feel about it now?

Synyster Gates: “I’m beyond proud of it. I don’t listen to it as much as I did, but I still listen to it a lot. I’m excited to get into some other songs to take on the road. It’s still fresh, we haven’t toured that much, we still have a few months off before we announce something…”

Did you have any fear before releasing the album?

Synyster Gates: “I say this knowing it’s not everybody’s cup of tea: you have to write what inspires you. I’m a big Beatles fan and a big Pantera fan. You want to touch people with eclectic taste in music. I have very eclectic tastes, and so I knew that if it touched me, it would touch other people. I knew we were on to something special. You know, The White Album by The Beatles is my favourite-ever album, and we tried to take our album to the next level… for us! I’m not saying this is comparable to The Beatles! Ha ha! We just wrote our greatest collection of songs.”

With an album like this, it’s probably too early to know how it’s going to be thought of in the long run, right?

Synyster Gates: “I think with an album like this, time is on its side. I’ve been using this analogy: both of my parents’ favourite band is The Beatles. My mom hates everything post-sgt. Pepper’s, my dad couldn’t care less about the early stuff. They both still respect the fuck out of it, but it’s not for them. So, for my mom, Sgt. Pepper’s was the death of The Beatles, and I think for a lot of people this is the death of Avenged Sevenfold. But for a lot of other people, it’s a birth. The birth of a different band.”

Have there been any comments you felt were way off the mark?

Synyster Gates: “Funnily enough, I thought it could go either way. We’ve actually had really amazing support from the press, so I don’t want to make people think that we feel like we aren’t supported by the press at all. I actually feel it’s good that it just hasn’t been ignored. Even the bad reviews, people have talked about it. People are still interested in us, so that’s all I could ask for, really. The negative comments, I feel they’re the minority. I think people have been really thoughtful in considering this album.”

Has anyone else from other bands reached out to you about the album?

Synyster Gates: “I can’t name-drop, unfortunately, I’m not that guy to use their names, but, yes, overwhelmingly so. The amount of positive criticisms or even the ‘What the fuck?’… that’s my favourite, people calling me up and going, ‘What the fuck did you do? What were you listening to? Where did this come from?’ I love that. We’ve definitely had more of that here than from any other record.” You’ve been touring the States.

How challenging has it been to integrate the new material?

Synyster Gates: “Well, there’s a lot of programming, because the new album is essentially a hip hop album in regard to the tracks and different things. The guitars have to change on a dime. It took six months to program the show, it took six months to create the visuals. We just have to get our setlist in order and see whatever bells and whistles we can add.”

Was it hard to choose the setlist, knowing what to take out and add in, and make it flow cohesively?

Synyster Gates: “Actually, no. We were all on the same page. We wanted to do a lot of new material, we don’t want to be a novelty, legacy act. We see the vision. If the album had flopped and fans had completely hated it then we wouldn’t have buttfucked them. But we can see the passion and I feel like we’re on the same page.”

Which young bands remind you of Avenged?

Synyster Gates: “Kim Dracula, they’re fearless. Their ability to just be themselves and their confidence, it’s mind-blowing. I’m sure you’re going to see a really unique career there. A personal favourite of mine is 100 gecs – Jesus, they’ve just turned music upside down. I was toast after this record – no more new music, maybe I could think about a new song in five years. Then their album came out just before we released our record and I was like, ‘Hey Matt, wanna go write some crazy shit?’ They completely re-energised me. We’re not planning anything new, but it gets you excited.”

[cdyssey]

God, I love it when the teen and adult storylines closely parallel or foil each other. 😭

It’s Van and Tai being at a point of near fracture in the wilderness—divided by their spiritual beliefs or lack thereof—and then reuniting as adults twenty-five years later because Taissa is once again experiencing horrific things that she doesn’t quite understand. So she needs Van, who does understand. Who has always understood, even if Tai is terrified of confronting her demons in the light of day. They're drawn to each other—magnetized and enmeshed. (Maybe that actually hurts more.)

And it’s Nat, the consummate provider, whose purpose in the woods is to hunt and keep everyone fucking alive. And she’s so lost without purpose. She’s lost as an adult. But in extending an olive branch towards Lisa, in stepping in to protect and care for her, she’s starting to find her way again. She's discovering meaning and common ground with another soul—just as she did with Lottie when she sat next to her in the washroom and tenderly wrapped her shivering hand. They might have been rivals in that dumbass competition, but God, first, they were teammates.

Friends.

And it's young Lottie having leadership unwittingly foisted upon her and being at the nucleus of all the seething tensions in the cabin because of her abilities—while adult Lottie outwardly embraces her role as a leader and is utterly afraid of the darkness coming back to haunt her. She’s no longer a believer, not even in herself. She slashes her hand in both timelines, praying for a blessing in one and hoping for an end to it all in another.

And it’s Shauna’s anger at someone stealing the bear meat. We’re reminded of her primal fury last week when someone stole her car. But it’s also the gentleness with which she draws Nat’s water, and it’s the rare vulnerability that she’s trying to extend to her daughter in the present. It's also the fact that she was pregnant in the wilderness, and something awful might have happened to that baby, but she has a seventeen-year old daughter now who she struggles to connects to partially because of that. She still talks like a teenager sometimes; she can't talk about what happened in those woods.

And finally, its young Misty always veering between allegiances in the wild, but ultimately making the choice that ensures the group’s survival. So she might be teaming up with Walter right now, sure, and it’s great that they get along. He’s a Crystal analog, a kindred spirit, a friend to a character who historically hasn’t had one. But it’s equally clear that her mind is on Nat. And she’s worried about Shauna and Taissa. And if the choice is between him and them, if the choice is between waiting for something supernatural to happen and trying to pull a damn moose out of the ice, then there’s only one decision, really, isn't there?

Episodes like this one really drive it home that these women are all revisiting their godforsaken pasts in some way or another—retracing the tracks of their youth so closely that it's almost like they never left the trees at all.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 06/07/2024

Some may argue that this is the first Labour-led #1 on the UK Singles Chart since 2010. I would disagree: much of the tracking week, like has been the case since at least 2021, has been under the watchful eye of a functionally flailing Conservative government, but indeed, Labour got their landslide victory, and if we’re going for political analogies, it seems pretty apt that in an election where the Conservatives are doing anything for you to stick with them and Labour’s just desperate to get anything done in spite of their organisation… I feel like a third week at #1 for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” is pretty fitting. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: language, UK politics

Rundown

As always, we start with our notable dropouts, which if you don’t follow the show, are songs exiting the UK Top 75 (that’s the region I cover) after five weeks there or a peak in the top 40. This week, we bid farewell to: “Genesis.” by RAYE - awfully prematurely but as to be expected with a song structured like that - “Pedro” by Jaxomy, Agatino Romero and the late Raffaella Carrá, “We Ain’t Here for Long” by Nathan Dawe, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande, “Thank You (Not So Bad)” by a rogues gallery of people who should know better - Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiesto, Dido and W&W to be specific - as well as “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé and finally, “Valerie” by Mark Ronson and the late Amy Winehouse.

So what’s filling in the gaps? Well, bizarrely enough, some songs that had dropped out just last week: “3 Lions” is at #73 of course, I’ve written extensively about that song, but “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor and Cris Mj has also crept his way back in at #75 for some reason, and same goes for “Carry You Home” by Alex Warren at #60. We also have a Glastonbury impact in terms of its most viral performers having catalogue songs returning: Coldplay’s “Yellow” and “Viva la Vida” are back at #66 and #63 respectively, and they peaked at #4 and #1 respectively too. The latter debuted at the top for one week in 2008 whilst “Yellow” was stalled out by another suprisingly still relevant act, Eminem, who was #1 that week in 2000 with “The Real Slim Shady”. In addition, their new track, “feelslikeimfallinginlove” soars up to #16. The second notable Glastonbury impact is Dua Lipa, as not only is the #2-peaking “Houdini” from last year back at #38 but she sees a gain for “Illusion” at #25.

Speaking of gains, we definitely have a plenty notable ones here, starting with “The Man Who Can’t be Moved” by The Script at #55, “misses” by Dominic Fike at #50, “Kisses” by BL3SS and CamrinWatsin featuring bbyclose at #35, “NIGHTS LIKE THIS” by The Kid LAROI at #30 (helpful reminder that this song isn’t even 90 seconds), “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan at #26, and finally, “KEHLANI” by Jordan Adetunji at #24. Looking pretty dire, Starmer, you’ve got to release a diss track to spice up the game.

And now of course, finally we have the top five where there’s not much change but what is there I’m sure will make a lot of folks happy. Firstly, Billie Eilish’s “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is steady at #5 - in fact, the rest of the top five is completely still - but secondly, Chappell Roan brings her breakout “Good Luck, Babe!” to #4, and outside of the fact that her other songs are doing so well that the streams might be spread out, I don’t really see it going anywhere. Otherwise, it’s as normal: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey at #3, and Sabrina Carpenter with the top two spots: “Espresso” at #2 and the aforementioned “Please Please Please” at the very top. The gap between the two is tiny, but also pretty unimportant: it’d be Sabrina either way. That’s that Keir espresso, or something to that effect.

New Entries

#61 - “Move” - Adam Port, Stryv, Keinemusik, Orso and Malachiii

Produced by Adam Port and Stryv

Okay, I’ll bite: who in God’s name are any of these people? Seriously, it’s not every day that five acts debut out of nowhere all on one song. To be fair, this was bubbling under the top 75 last week, and it has 39 million streams since June worldwide, so clearly there’s a big hit on these guys’ hands… I just want to know how the royalties are split. I feel like Mr. Port gets a bigger slice of the pie here, as thankfully, some of these guys are actually the same people. Port is a DJ from Germany who is part of the Keinemusik collective, though no other members feature on this track. Those who do however include Stryv, who is also credited twice as Orso is actually another DJ duo between him and Justin Kam. Stryv also seems to be pretty proud of his work on Ye’s VULTURES 1, so much so that he even pinned it on his Instagram. Telling. As for Malachiii, he’s a California singer who acts as the vocalist on this Afro house track that despite all the names attached is relatively relaxed and subtle in its execution. It’s got a slightly chalky Afrobeats groove, a very staccato lead melody to begin with that does get a bit annoying and some minimal Auto-Tuned vocals from the nasal Malachiii who I suppose does his job within the cloudy atmosphere, and I wouldn’t expect much lyrically, but there’s still very little here other than a relatively solid beat and constant wooshing and flowing. There’s barely even a drop, mostly just a synth that slides in occasionally, and that might be for the best, as it seems much more concerned with just flowing across smoothly, which it… tries. The second clap sound they bring in is way too loud and mixed bizarrely so it just sounds obtrusive, and there’s really not enough here melodically to chew into for it to function on “just the vibe, man”. Honestly, for three producers, it’s impressive how dull this ends up being.

#49 - “Rockstar” - LISA

Produced by Ryan Tedder and Sam Homaee

For your badass solo single about living the dangerous rockstar life, you bring in the most milquetoast pop rock singer and one of this milennium’s safest songwriting choices on the boards. That really should tell you all you need to know about the new single from LISA, a member of BLACKPINK who seems closely tied with JENNIE in terms of who is the biggest solo star so far. As the first of our two K-pop songs, which really makes up for half of what is a nothing week, I was at least expecting some punch and we do get that, with an annoying beeping synth is placed under vaguely factorial but not quite industrial trap drums, that end up not hitting nearly as hard as they should be. As for convincing me on selling the rockstar lifestyle… maybe some actual guitars would help, or at least an instrumental that isn’t minimal weaksauce outside of abrupt, bizarre synth blasts that would act as interludes if there wasn’t a more fitting phrase: random insertions of unfitting textures in place of actually being interesting. Also, there’s nothing rockstar about synth organs, or having gold grills you don’t use, or knowing Japanese. If the life is so fast, big and exciting, and you’ve got a beat that isn’t subverting that hard-hitting expectation, at least sound like you could care about selling it, both lyrically and in the delivery, because this isn’t even on an annoying level of obnoxious or heavy. It’s once again just stunted and dull. If that’s the theme for this week, well, I suppose make a political analogy out of that, it’s not difficult.

#47 - “GIRLS” - The Kid LAROI

Produced by Jon Bellion, Pete Nappi, Rogét Chahayed and Tenroc

I really thought that LAROI’s career has been hanging on strings for years now, and I’m still not entirely convinced that’s not the case, but he still ends up notching minor hits just out of complete luck, I suppose. Spin of the draw, surely, because the songs aren’t particularly any more catchy, unique or charismatic than other pop singers, including this one’s co-producer, Jon Bellion, who seems to make every song he writes a hit, for anyone other than himself. In this one, he tries to flip Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” but I suppose they didn’t have the budget so he just… plainly references it instead when the song’s chorus reads as if it were clearly written with nostalgia sample bait in mind. For whatever reason, this was replaced with a flat orchestra and buzzing, Neptunes-lite groove that isn’t awful but is still plain and much stodgier than Pharrell or Chad Hugo would ever allow. LAROI himself is whiny and useless as always - that’s not even an insult, he’s practically trying to be - and there’s something particularly gross about the sinister, whispering delivery Mr. LAROI opts for when flipping an anthem for women having fun and being themselves into how he’s just trying to get some ass. It’s decidedly unpleasant, barely saved by a surprisingly decent swell and sizzle in the bridge that shows at least one guy in pop music - probably Jon Bellion - still cares about bridges. Yet I still prefer it to half of this week. It’s nights like these, I suppose.

#46 - “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” - Jimin featuring Loco

Produced by TBHits, Mr. Franks, Pdogg and GHSTLOOP

…Huh? Okay, so the smeraldo flower apparently has a deep connection to BTS lore and iconography, first being used in 2017 and ending up featured on cover arts, promotional pictures and the like. Hence, when releasing his solo single for his upcoming album, Jimin fused the concept with that of a similarly massive band with an obsessed fanbase, the Beatles - and “obsessed” isn’t necessarily a negative in either case. The Smeraldo Garden Marching Band sounds like word salad but seems to reference Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, and he’s enlisted fellow Korean rapper Loco for a track with similar swell and narrative to that record… right? Well, no, but there is a certain childlike joy to the chipmunk vocal chop and the cheering sound effects used to punctuate Jimin’s unfortunately Auto-Tuned and often weirdly-inflected lyrics, flinging between Korean and English. I actually really like the goofy ad-libs and decoration added all over the mix, even just for tonal clash’s sake, but I’m somewhat disappointed in the actual song, which feels a bit underwritten given the nothingness of the basic, lovestruck chorus and a surprisingly blank production that does not layer the mix as consistently or as effectively to not demonstrate some of the faults of both artists’ vocal deliveries, with Loco in particular coming off as indistinguishable and avoidable, though Jimin’s vocal processing fading right into the drums he’s against is pretty egregious too. By the time the horns come in above the heavy-handed drums, I start to understand the silliness and bombast it’s going for - maybe a late-stage Panic! at the Disco - but for a song with that name, it spends way too much of its runtime on a five when it could probably justify being on eleven, and I think Jimin would be up for that. As it stands, it functions, I just don’t really vibe with it as much as what could have been.

Conclusion

Welp, welcome to Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer. I feel like you don’t need a mediocre chart week to have your stint in power recognised largely as mid, but it helps. Worst of the Week goes to LISA, sadly, for “Rockstar” - I don’t dislike BLACKPINK and they can sell more bombast and fun than she did here - and Best of the Week fittingly goes to the other K-pop act, Jimin, for “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” featuring Loco. Hey, a fun title will get you places in my books. Thank you for reading this short little episode, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

[overthinkingalchemist]

In Your Honor: Heartbreak Storytelling

"It's an album that appears to be telling a narrative: the story of a broken-hearted protagonist trying to navigate his confusing feelings in a lopsided relationship. Be it unrequited love or a toxic relationship, he struggles to get over this fractured connection that brings him anxiety and pain."

In Your Honor is, at first glance, your standard affair when it comes to Foo Fighters albums. Songs that speak in broad terms about feelings in relationships, with catchy guitar melodies, describe essentially the entire band’s discography. However, going back to it after the release of But Here We Are, an album with clear strong overarching themes of grief, made me appreciate the progression of emotions evoked in each of the songs a lot more. Particularly interesting is the fact that In Your Honor, in its first disc, seems to also have an overarching theme. It’s an album that appears to be telling a narrative: the story of a broken-hearted protagonist trying to navigate his confusing feelings in a lopsided relationship. Be it unrequited love or a toxic relationship, he struggles to get over this fractured connection that brings him anxiety and pain.

It all starts with the eponymous first track, In Your Honor — and it starts with the description of complete and utter devotion of the speaker towards this other party. And I mean some truly rock-bottom stuff; our guy is willing to outright DIE for them. There are no boundaries. As it is said in the lyrics “mine is your and yours is mine, there is no divide”. The protagonist doesn’t know who he is apart from the object of his devotion and he’s screaming towards the skies for anyone who’ll listen. Such is the emotional weight, that his life doesn’t matter apart from them.

“I will sacrifice In your honor, I would die tonight For you to feel alive”

No Way Back follows closely on the same track, but with a new sense of urgency. Maybe a bit of insecurity has creeped in, and now we’re looking for reassurance. Living in his head, pleading for a sign that he’s not fighting for nothing, he wants a response and some recognition for his love.

“I'm dying for truth Make me believe No more left and right, come on, take my side I'm fighting for you, I'm fighting for you”

It’s despair fueled by the thought that maybe things aren’t what they seemed to him. But the speaker has gone too far into his devotion, and he now knows it, but he’s still trying to bargain and get his acknowledgement. He is “breaking things” he “can’t repair”, because... well, there’s no way back from loving this person. The feelings are here and at full force, consuming his thoughts, in a borderline pathological sense.

Now, before paying close attention to the lyrics, the transition to Best of You can be a bit strange. At least sonically, it can feel like the album would flow better by going straight into DOA. But of course, in this narrative that we’re piecing together, there’s no better time for Best of You to come into play. This absolute ANTHEM represents the point of realization, where the protagonist comes to understand the one-sided nature of his love. And this realization is very much in everyone’s faces, as the first verse starts with a “confession” of how far they’ve fallen. In this moment of lucidity, there comes a want to break away from the chains that bind him to this unhealthy attachment. The protagonist feels like a fool, stuck between “life or death” — which is understandable after investing so much into something and getting your hopes suddenly swept off your feet. Seeing through the cracks, he wants to make an effort to regain his agency in life, validate his feelings, and heal. He uses chains, ropes, and death as analogies for the weight of his feelings, as he declares that this pain is a very real pain. And it is. Whether his agony is brought by his own doing as he obsesses over an unrequited love and feels hurt for being unwanted, or by being put-down by a toxic relationship, his feelings are real and need to be validated before he can go on a path of healing. It’s very appropriate for Best of You to be the most popular song from the album, as it perfectly encapsulates its feelings and conflict as a whole, bringing an intense and emotionally charged basis for it to build upon.

"He uses chains, ropes, and death as analogies for the weight of his feelings, as he declares that this pain is a very real pain. And it is."

DOA is a breaking point. Lover-guy has had it of his suffering and wants to tell everyone that he will move on. Imbued with some false confidence, even the song adopts a relatively fun, playful sound to represent this façade of a nonchalant attitude. But on top of that, a lot of aggression seeps in, as the protagonist antagonizes the other party (perhaps to make it easier to justify his feelings of hurt). After seeing through his situation, he regains a bit of his power, as he recognizes that he fell from grace, knows he must get out of this mental space and feels great for already taking the first steps to get away from it. And he does so by severing his ties to his love as best as he can for now.

“I'm finished, I'm getting you off my chest, made you come clean in a dirty dress” - Verse 2

“Take a good hard look for the very last time The very last one in a very long line Only took a second to say goodbye Been a pleasure, but the pleasure's been mine, all mine” -Verse 3

The following three songs seem to put the speaker in an anxious thought loop; they are a little chronologically disconnected, as if he is going back and forth on his thoughts as he tries to reframe his feelings, but he ends up getting caught further in them. The first one in the sequence is Hell, where the protagonist adopts an extremely cynical view on the relationship: “I’ll be right there, the buzz inside your head […] see you in hell”. Hell frames his experience as a toxic battle; the two parties in the relationship don’t want to break away from each other (he is still in their “spell”, after all), but the flame between them isn’t passion, but a burning hellscape.

The Last Song is as straightforward — if not more — as Hell. This time it’s about a clear desire to break off from this person. The interactions are too conflictive and out of sync to handle (maybe that’s the hellscape we’ve been described before), so the protagonist is swearing to not speak of them again, as this is “the last song” about them. This might not be true because, even here, he says that they only “pretend it doesn’t matter”. It’s not easy; there are still feelings that bind. And this is further explored in Free Me, where the lyrics seem to evoke all the bad feelings and triggers that this rupture brings them. Their problems unresolved, unspoken, as the hurt buried deep within isn’t convenient to handle or bring up. Now is the time the protagonist screams at the top of his voice his desire to be free, to break the chains that he’s seen since Best of You. And he suggests that the other party should do the same.

“All of the words that we dare never speak All of our ghosts and the secrets we keep Gather them all, and we'll bury them deep Like a safe full of sorrow” -Verse 1

“Can you free what's keeping you? Well, I need somebody to” -Post-chorus

After what is essentially the climax of his anxiety and anguish, the speaker finally sees some relief and solace, softening up and looking back on his experiences in a more positive light in Resolve. Adopting perhaps a more mature outlook after some time and distance has been put from the relationship, the protagonist reflects on his past and reframes his experiences as part of life. The good, the bad... it was all necessary for his growth. He fully understands and accepts where he stands at this moment, which isn’t to say he is “through” everything; a part of him still wishes things were easier and it still hurts to distance himself from something that he was so attached to and that he used to wish worked differently, but he is wiser from it and is finally ready to move forward. Still, he looks for that resolve to keep going and learn to be himself again.

“Looking back to find my way never seemed so hard Yesterday's been laid to rest, changing of the guard I would never change a thing even if I could All the songs we used to sing, everything was good”

The Deepest Blues Are Black paints one of the most beautiful visual analogies from the Foo Fighters. The protagonist reflects on the lost love; perhaps some reconciliation happened, or the person still occupies some space on his mind. Either way, a bittersweet wave of feelings floods his thoughts. It’s undeniable that he loves or loved this person, even after all the pain and resentment he felt, so thinking about what could have been stings. And whenever he feels this person’s warmth, the qualities he admires and their seductive features, he compares those to the vast alluring blue sea. But just like the beauty of the sea, the bitter nostalgia and the overwhelming amounts of jealousy brought by those feelings can shroud him in darkness — and drown him — if he goes too deep. He thinks about how his loved one can easily seduce someone and move on from him, and it eats at him to think about how they’re with someone else. Even if it couldn’t, wouldn’t, didn’t work between them… it sucks.

“Shame on you, seducing everyone You faded jewel, you diamond in the rough You don't have to tell me, I know where you've been Shining once again” - Verse 1

“The deeper the blues, the more I see black Sweeter the bruise, the feeling starts coming back All the deepest blues are black” - Chorus

And finally, End Over End is the way out. The album’s closer hits with a subtle confidence; its soundscape brings a calm but firm resolve. End Over End is hope. Hope to rise again amongst the good memories. Taking what’s good, leaving what holds you back, learning, and evolving from the pain. A new beginning is due, but renewal comes with change, time, and distance. As the experiences mold the protagonist into someone new, and hopefully better, he reflects on how he’s older and “worn” out. Marked from the past, but eager for the future.

“I'm a revolvin' door I've seen it all before I will begin again But I can't start until I've seen the end” - Verse 1

“I’m feeling out of luck Maybe I just feel too much That old familiar touch Will always sting my skin” -Verse 3

End Over End gives the album a sense of finality and renewal. The protagonist understands that there is a possibility to move on and rebuild himself if he lets time do its thing and hangs onto hope. This isn’t an ending per se; as the title itself suggests, life is a cycle of cycles. Ups and downs have taught him everything that makes him who he is. With his new sense of self, the protagonist can now keep looking for his place and his happiness — and the Foo Fighters can keep evolving and trying new things and new stories. But after all he's been through and survived… I think he’ll be ok.

“The good in everyone The ties we've left undone The heart that moves your blood All the things that bring me right back here” -Verse 3

Now, whether the band actually thought of weaving this continuous narrative at any point during production is an unknown. It is possible that they had entirely different experiences in their heads while writing this, and just as is the beauty of art, the open-ended nature of their lyrics can always evoke different feelings on the listener. So, have no worries, this isn’t me trying to decipher any “true” meanings, but rather explore a specific way to listen to and experience the album.

To be the eternally in love person, wallowing in their fantasies of heartbreak mixed with what could have been… it’s tacky, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t romanticize some pathological passion. To feel like something means so much that it consumes you and transforms you into someone new and evolved is an immensely powerful feeling that can, in a way, sum up what it is to truly live. To dream, to be vulnerable, to be disappointed, to be hurt, to change and grow; all of those are moments that can cause pain but remind us of our humanity. And maybe there aren’t many that could capture this with the needed intensity as well as the Foo Fighters.

[booksandchainmail]

Pale 7.x

“I’m not really very drunk,” she told him, sitting down beside him, and laying a hand on his shoulder.  “I’m other things.  If you’re tapped out, you and I could retire upstairs.  Work out the leftover restlessness and adrenaline of the day.”

OKAY. DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. big win for people who ship their teachers I guess? Though I'm assuming from the "Before" header that this is a flashback

Larry Bristow laughed at something.

I could have been calling him Larry this whole time...

Here, in a bar, late at night, the group of them gathered, her slightly inebriated, tired self was akin to a tiger stretched out in a sunbeam. The claws so easily protruded as she stretched.

... hot

Luisa Crowe choked on her drink.

don't think we've heard of her before. Or of any family members.

Just a week or two off of her latest hunt, she was willing and wanting to track down this Blue Heron Throne god, while Alexander did the legwork to bring them all together.

So this is how the school got founded. It's so weird to see them all friendly and relaxed together

Thoughtful and lost in thought. He was hard to get to know, and much of that had to be done not by reaching out or studying him, but by studying what he offered and what he asked, when he finally decided what he could ask that might be a good question. Seeking validation and respect in the opposite way to how Larry did. Too subtle, instead of too forced.

keeping this in mind as an analysis of Charles. Strange to think of him socializing with this circle of other practitioners. Does he miss any of them?

Charles looked bewildered.  “I mean I’m not a threat, I’m willing to help but… I know how cutthroat practitioner society can be, and I imagine hollywood or any other high society is the same.  I’d rather keep my throat intact.”

didn't really work out for him huh

“Smart,” Alexander said.  “I don’t think I’d have it in me to hold back on revenge.”

:(

Luisa looked troubled, like she was going to say something, but she was interrupted.

think I understand why Luisa didn't stick around with this group

“There is no police force governing us.  We’re still, generally speaking, in a wild west of practice,” Alexander said.  “If you don’t act with prejudice, you’re setting precedent.”

I think setting a precedent of not using overwhelming lethal force is a good thing

“Charles,” Larry said.  “When we were mid-job, you mentioned these special Others.” “Others, bound by rules, get certain leeway. If they must ask questions or must do certain things, like a revenant having a very specific path laid out before it, that’s… in our analogy of a bank heist, it’s the drill. It’s more solid, it has more force.”

I wonder if this applies to any of the Kennet Others?

"Figurines were soaked into the muck. I want one, but failing that, I want it gone.”

I'm assuming that this will unbind a goddess Durocher draws on for power? Would that just weaken her, or would the goddess then be out for revenge?

The Kennet trio send friendly Others home. He waited, studying the photograph for details. The inscription was telling. The phrasing. Not unsummoning, not releasing. Just… sending them home.

wild practitioners!

Black ink bled into the photograph, taking on three dimensions in the scene. “Abandonment,” Alexander said. “A connection severed.”

what will this do? Just pick a random connection to sever? Most obvious would be to each other, but I think that would need more effort. The word "abandonment" makes me think about their families though, and I'm concerned that how much they've been using connection blockers might backfire

A few out in these woods, like Lucy Ellingson, who was going for a walk, now severed from critical connections. They wouldn’t renew.

which critical connections?! all of them? Connections this could potentially touch on: Avery and Verona, her family, Kennet Others, people at the school. The last two don't feel critical necessarily (annoying but the other two can help). I'm worried that this will just have people forget about her entirely, hopefully not everyone and not irreversibly.

“The first option is that you tell me everything I want to know, then die by your own hand.  The second option is that you Awaken fully to this world and swear undying fealty to me in the process.”

these are bad options

He jerked, and for a moment, saw only stars, heard only raucous noise.  His eyes rolled up and his head turned skyward.

umm

“Go home,” John Stiles told him.

why is john suddenly here??? I guess he wasn't mentioned when Alexander spied on the girls sending people home, so maybe he's doing a search of the woods first?

“Yeah.  I won’t say anything.  I could help with the body, and the crime scene.”

did John kill Alexander?! I thought the bits at the end of the last section (jerking, head dropping, kneeling) was Alexander preparing some practice, but did he just get shot?

... hilarious if so. What a way to go, in the middle of his dramatic scheming

“His head-” Lucy said.  “It’s gone.  Cracked open.” She sounded so much like a kid.

:(

Lucy is getting so much gun violence-related trauma

John walked, long, quick steps, until he stood between her and the body.  He put a hand out to steady her, to keep her from pulling away or moving to a point where she could keep looking.

and I'm glad he's looking out for her. Honestly, John becoming Lucy's familiar is looking like a better thing the more we see

“It protects Kennet,” she said.  She was still shaky, but she stepped back so she could meet John’s eyes.  “That’s my responsibility.”

I mean it's messed-up to have a kid taking on that level of responsibility, but I do love this

“I was thinking about him being my familiar.” John remained standing where he was. He wasn’t sure he was supposed to hear this, but… “…Not so much anymore.”

oh. Or that. I suppose the corollary to having John as her familiar would mean she wouldn't have to personally do violence is that a lot of problems would be getting solved violently in front of her

... I wonder if that was the connection that Alexander severed