#its perfect its a religious experience its the holy book of pop music

[medicine-and-molly]

i’m such a slut for 1989

[mafiajackson]

HOLY SHIT IS THAT [ MICHAEL B. JORDAN ]?! Oh, wait it’s just [ JACKSON HAYWARD ]. Damn, [ He/him/his ] looks good for [ 24 ], good thing that they’re [ PANSEXUAL ], I might have a chance. I hear that they call them the [ THE DIRTBAG ] of the [ NORTHSIDE ]. I guess that’s because they’re [ CHARMING ] and [ ARROGANT ]. But I don’t think a lot of people know that they’re also [ VENGEFUL ] and [ RESPECTFUL ]. Can’t wait to see what kind of trouble [ KT/27/PST/ ] will bring.

01.  BASICS

• Full Name: Jackson Charles Hayward

• Nickname: Jackson or J.

• Sex/Gender: Cismale, he/him/his

• Birthday: February 9th

• Age: 24

• Astrological Sign: Aquarius

• Occupation: Works for his father  & ex-racer for the Ghoulies.

• Spoken Languages: English

• Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

• Birthplace: Boston, MA

• Relationship status: Dating Bethany Cohen-Chang. (its not known to the public)

02. PHYSICAL TRAITS

• Hair Color/Style: Black and short

• Eye Color: Brown

• Face Claim: Michael Bae Jordan

• Height: 6’0

• Weight: 175 lbs

• Tattoos: A tattoo of Africa on the left shoulder and the ghoulie tattoo

• Piercings: ears

• Unique Attributes: His dimples?

• Defining Gestures/Movements:  Have his arms crossed his chest whenever he’s in guarding mode, bits his lower lip, licks his lips (dry lips), slides his hands into his pockets, rubs his neck, adjusts his clothes if they cling to his body. Usually chews on his cheek as he thinks and whenever he’s upset.

• Posture: straight and tall

 03. PERSONALITY TRAITS

• Pet Peeves:  claiming to know him who don’t, people comparing him to his father, despite him working for his father. People who eat with their mouth open, vaping,

• Hobbies/Interests: boxing, fixing up cars/motorcycles/bikes, racing cars, sex, drugs, writing, reading, sports, skateboarding, astronomy.

• Special Skills/Abilities: can read body language, digging up dirt on people, drawing/writing, hiking, covering up crimes, tech savy, fixing cars & bikes.

• Likes:  Bikes/cars, food, baked goods, music, sleeping, being naked, stars, adventures, exploring different places, video games, movies, stealing things including his new BEATS headphones, drinking, smoking weed, fixing broken things, Yoga.

• Dislikes: crowds, parties, drunken fights, fighting, yelling, arguing, cheating, cheating on a race, people lyin to him, stringing him along.

• Insecurities: loneliness,  how to handle new situations, his parents money, being good enough, being enough, not being loved.

• Quirks/Eccentricities:  chewing gum whenever he’s fixing things,  always something that has a superhero on it whenever he’s not working or just hanging around the house, paces back and forth when he’s nervous, wears glasses, has a scar on his right side from a fight gone bad, listens to music when he knows he’s somewhere safe, photographic memory, cocky attitude, sleep talks, feminism,

• Strengths: Adventurous, observant, flexible, independent, honesty, straightforward.

• Weaknesses: blunt, fearful, falls in love somewhat quick, etc.

• Speaking Style: Uses proper English and curses sometimes.

• Temperament: Walks away whenever he’s mad.

04. FAMILY & HOME

• Immediate Family: His parents and Jane.

• How do they feel about their family? Jackson doesn’t care about his father, Terrell, but knows better than to disrespect his father, especially since he’s working for him, now. Now his mom, Josie and sister? He still loves and cares about them.

• How does their family feel about them? His dad practically disowned Jackson the moment he left his house, but then accepted him with open arms once he came back from the Southside and from the Ghoulies. His mom still cares for him and his wellbeing, but still puts up with his dad’s things.

• Pets: doesn’t have one yet, but will get one.

• Where do they live?: Northside.

• Description of their home: Four bedroom house, with a pool in the back, a gate in the front and privacy fence along the side of it.

• Description of their bedroom: Has a bed in the middle, has posters on his walls and has a computer desk where he draws and whatnot.

05. THIS OR THAT

•Introvert or Extrovert?

•Optimist or Pessimist?

• Leader or Follower?

• Confident or Self-Conscious?

•Cautious or Careless?

• Religious or secular?

• Passionate or Apathetic?

• Book Smarts or Street Smarts?

• Compliments or Insults?

• Pajamas or Lingerie?

06. FAVORITES

• Favorite Color: Black

• Favorite Clothing Style/Outfit: leather jacket, jeans and a white shirt.

• Favorite Bands/Songs/Type of Music: Anything but country.

• Favorite Movies: Action/Comedy

• Favorite Books: too many to list

• Favorite Foods/Drinks: Pizza, chinese food, Pop’s. Rum/Jack & Coke

 • Favorite Sports/Sports Teams: Da Bears & Football

• Favorite Time of Day: Evening• Favorite Weather/Season: sweater weather and mid 80s and fall/winter

• Favorite Animal: Dog

07. MISCELLANEOUS

• Fears/Superstitions: throws salt over his left shoulder, knocks on wood, carries a rabbit’s foot, etc. Afraid of losing Bethany for good.

• Political Views: Democract/Liberal

• Addictions: Alcohol, drugs, music.

• Best School Subject: Science

• Worst School Subject: Math

• School Clubs/Sports: Northside high and football/basketball•

How does he get money? races and works at the garage, along with getting his dad’s blood money.

• How is he with technology? Pretty great.

08. PAST & FUTURE

• Fondest Memory: Being with his family and spending a lot of time with Bethany.

• Deepest, Darkest Secret: sells drugs to crooked cops, despite working for the Mafia.

• Dream Vacation: Italy.

• Best thing that has ever happened to this character: Just, being around his family and meeting Bethany.

• Worst thing that has ever happened to this character: When he had to leave the Ghoulies to work for his father after Bethany’s car accident, so that way his dad wouldn’t hurt her again.

.• What do they want to be when they grow up?: A good dad to his children and no longer working for his father.

• Perfect Date: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, looking at the stars.

09. Bullet Points:

Was born the eldest Hayward, meaning that one of the days he will be taking over the family business. Speaking of the family business, Jackson walked away from it when he was younger, but returned when his father ordered someone to hurt Bethany Cohen-Chang, his girlfriend.

Speaking of Bethany, they had been on and off, due to the fact that they can’t go out into public and have to act like they’re no longer seeing each other. However, they have been sneaking around behind their families’ backs and Jackson is getting tired of it. He wants to show off his girlfriend off to the world and wants to take her out onto dates.

The Haywards & Cohen-Changs have been old family friends ever since Jackson could think of, but when Bethany got into a car accident that her husband caused, Josie knew that caused friction between the families, so she said adios to the Cohen-Changs.

Jackson had been in the Ghoulies, however, he had to quit due to the fact that his father would continue to hurt Bethany until he had gotten his way, meaning to have his son work for him.  So Jackson works for his father and for the family business, which is basically the Mafia.

Jackson spends a lot of time drawing, writing and creating comics based on his personal experiences , but he knows that he can’t have them published. Jackson still has his Ghoulies leather jacket in the closet, once in a while, he puts it on and would remember the good ol days before Bethany’s car accident.

More will come

[idolisnotdead]

Seiko Oomori - kitixxxgaia - Review

If you’ve read this blog before, you probably have a pretty good idea of my completely unbiased admiration for Seiko Oomori and everything she does. “Unbiased”.

So let’s just get to it. Less than a year, by about two weeks maybe to be precise, Seiko Oomori follows up her critically acclaimed major sophomore album (fourth overall) TOKYO BLACK HOLE with something even bigger, even more political, even more honest, and even more ambitious. I’m going to start off by changing my previous opinion. TOKYO BLACK HOLE is like an 8.5 now. Stay with me, here now and buckle up; we’re going for a ride, my friends.

The same week the United States got unleashed with the marvel of Drake’s More Life – a notably emotional return to form that also doesn’t shy away too far from the newer territory Toronto’s first celebratory hero has been invading – Japan was hit with something similarly parallel. Seiko Oomori gave us her fifth album kitixxxgaia on March 15th. Just like Drizzy, Seiko has given us an equally emotional experience, that still covers her recent sounds while almost giving us a slight return to her punk roots save for the general lack of an obvious acoustic guitar in most of the mixes (though it’s worth noting that it’s still there, just buried in the mix; I’ll get to why such a jam-packed mix actually works in a minute).

It’s amazing to see that the west and the east were both delivered promising projects by two of their biggest masters of music and emotion. It’s amazing to see just how far some shitty kid from Koenji has come in just five years since her official debut PINK in 2012. It’s amazing to think that that’s six albums if you count PINK, seven if you count the mostly self-covering Pink Tokarev album of 2015, which was otherwise an off-year for everyone’s favorite singer to imitate.

The only word I can describe how kitixxxgaia sounds with is “big”. And several other adjectives. Maybe “gigantic”. Maybe “colossal”. It’s a fucking huge album, pardon my French. This is potentially Seiko’s first Ringo Sheena-level album (let’s just forget that SUNNY happened for a minute). There’s a lot of religious imagery and a heavy aesthetic. I’d highly suggest on your first listen, you watch the music videos for every song that has one. So start with the “Dogma Magma” video, then the “Hikokuminteki Hero” video, listen to “IDOL SONG” normally, then when “Gutto Kuru Summer” comes along, watch that video too. And so on.

kitixxxgaia is heavy in its use of a very specific aesthetic, which takes influence from Christianity (and a hint of Mexican-style Christianity at that), weddings, quite a bit of Dadaism, and it’s all absolutely drenched in shades of pink and lighter blues. It’s the kind of album that’s best to be experienced both by listening and watching, as I said before. There are heaps of promotional images that came along with the album and the original “holy trinity” singles that lead up to its release, and I’d suggest maybe even just looking through those around Twitter and wherever else you can find them (maybe I’ll compile what I can find and make a post later this week) while you listen to the songs that aren’t accompanied by music videos. It’s the kind of multi-media work that could induce a sensory-overload in someone with synesthesia, like myself.

Now before I even get into the music of it, I want to point out the name of the album itself. Just the name kitixxxgaia (say it in English how you want, I generally say “Kitty Gaia”), much like her lyrics, takes some wordplay. In Japanese, the word “kichigai” - short for “[anta no] ki ga chigaimasu”, though nobody would ever say it that formally - is essentially the closest the Japanese language can get to the level of offense that words like (cover your children’s eyes) “fuck” or “cunt”. It doesn’t mean the same thing, but it’s that sort of level of offense, though deeper seeing as Japan is culturally much more introverted than we are over here.

Kichigai could loosely be translated to “you’re fucking crazy, man; you’re out of your goddamn mind.” Not in like a “woah dude that’s a fucking siiiick tattoo of a wolf” kind of way, though. It’s an insult, not a term of endearment. Adding the “a” to the end, Seiko turns it into “kichigaia” (キチガイア). After a day or two, she officially changed the name to romaji, now calling it “kitixxxgaia”, censoring it (possibly for management, cultural, and radio airplay reasons, but we don’t know specifically) by making it English and with three x’s in the middle. This name, to me, holds two simultaneous meanings, again, much like her signature style of lyricism.

The “kiti” could be interpreted as “kitschy”, a word referring to style in poor taste, much like our girl Seiko’s aesthetic. The word “gaia” is the personification of our planet Earth in ancient Greek texts. So it’s a “Kitschy World”.

“kitixxxgaia” in its original meaning, “Crazy Fucking World”.

Now to the music: Seiko has never let us down with a strong opener, and this might be the most in-your-face, unexpected opener, titled “Dogma Magma”. “Come on up to the emotional stage!” she blurts out before a gong bangs in your face; the remainder of the measure in silence before another hits with a choir on top, just underneath a piano playing downward arpeggios, and below that, some intricate string work, each instrument holding its breath. After the four bar intro, we crescendo up to the main song. Enter a not-quite shibuya-kei type beat – syncopated and staccato-like drums underneath a jittery, major piano progression. Behind it all is Seiko’s voice distorted, seemingly having a conversation with God.

As the filter cuts off, Seiko enters with some of her most provoking, forward lyrics ever written: (rough translation by yours truly): "Once upon a time there was something other than [just] male and female. Once upon a time there was something other than [just] white, black, and yellow [people]. Once upon a time there was something other than [just] yes and no. These things had always always existed, but it was then instead decided that they didn’t [exist].” she sings, touching on the recently hot topics of gender, race, and consent.

She continues “When I opened my eyes I was Japanese. I’m a goddess but I’m too uncomfortable in this inconvenient body to go outside without makeup on.”, a clear reference to body positivity clashing with self-esteem issues, and likely even cultural pressure in Japanese society. “Dogma Magma” has cuts into a more punk style chorus, reminiscent of “Magic Mirror”. “What will you do during the revolution? Just one heart? Fuck you, fuck [you] all, because this is war!” There she is. That’s the Seiko we know and love.

Track three is of note because it sort of takes me back to when she used to advertise herself as an idol during the Zettai Shoujo era for extra shock value. A clever parody on idol music and culture, “IDOL SONG” could almost pass off as a generic denpa song à la Band Ja Naimon!.

“JI・MO・TO no Kao Kawaii Tomodachi” (roughly “JI・MO・TO’s Cute-Faced Friend”) is certainly one of her most out-there songs, with a catchy, sugary hook, an almost rap verse not too different from what she did with “Zettai Kanojo”. It’s light, it’s bouncy, and it’s really good. This whole album is really good. Good. Good. Good. Good. It’s good music (Cruel Winter, when? I need answers, Kanye!).

Speaking of rapping, two songs later, Seiko gives us the ultimate collab for this generation of J-pop. Much like Ringo Sheena and Utada Hikaru’s “Nijikan Dake no Vacation” (roughly “A Vacation For Just The Two Of Us”), “Chikyuu Saigo no Futari” (roughly: “The Last Two People on Earth”) opens up eerily, with a huge texture and an oozing sub bass that launches into this groovy, dark, rhythmic masterpiece. Seiko begins “Dora-chan, warmest welcome to the 21st century, where mass production has made humans more like robots. Justice is brought by violence, the death penalty is given immediately unless you’re cute.” Seiko is soon interrupted: “I’m being forced to be stupid, these frames in front of me are out of my league. Fuck you, guidance! In my head, I’m punk.” Is that voice DAOKO? You bet your ass it is, and she is spitting that truth all over this track.

God there’s so much more to cover for this album but I really don’t want to ruin too much of it by blabbing on. Up next, continuing with the album’s religious themes “Pink Methuselah” brings a familiar sound with a twist – once it kicks in, it’s very clearly Kenta Sakurai (ex. Izukoneko, current Maison Book Girl, TOKYO BLACK HOLE’s “SHINPIN” producer) behind the producer’s chair on this one, but unlike “SHINPIN” from Seiko’s previous album, it’s not just another Sakurai song. It’s very clear how much Seiko added on top of what he did, and it’s like the perfect blend of both of their signature styles.

The album also features a menacing, full-piano self-cover of °C-ute’s “Mugen Climax”, a song that Seiko wrote for the extremely popular Hello! Project group. Now, she’ll never avoid Ringo Sheena comparisons – after all, Oomori’s debut album Mahou Ga…’s artwork pays direct tribute to Sheena’s legendary 2000 album Shouso Strip’s artwork - but what hearing this self-cover (which makes °C-ute’s version almost unlistenable) makes me want is a self-cover album from Seiko once she garners enough writing credits, much like Ringo Sheena’s Utaite Myouri.

The thing here about kitixxxgaia is that the album finishes off differently depending on the version you have. There are three versions: Dogma, Karma, and Gaia. Every version comes with a second “disc” that’s a DVD/Blu Ray; Dogma comes with a live Blu Ray of ZEPP Tokyo stop of the Tokyo Black Hole Tour, Gaia comes with live audio of that same show as well as a DVD of all of the album’s music videos, and Karma comes with a live DVD of a few different shows from last year. Each version also has a key difference  to the main album – the final track is different.

As my personal recommendation, Dogma is the ideal version. Karma and Gaia finish off with new songs, but Dogma closes out with an acoustic re-recording of the Zettai Shoujo single “Kimi to Eiga” (literally: “Movie With You”). Since the closest thing we get to ‘acoustic’ on kitixxxgaia is “Mugen Climax” and “Orion Za”, this is a necessity to the album’s closure and really puts into perspective just how far Seiko has come since her humble beginnings.

The Karma song is called “Ramen no Hanashi” (literally “Ramen Conversation”) and the Gaia song is called “M”. “M” is another piano song, cutting in at just over 6 minutes. “Ramen no Hanashi” also does a similar job to “Kimi to Eiga”, being a full-acoustic track, and it’s a bonus that it’s a new song as well, so if you’re looking for a fully new experience or you’re not familiar with the Zettai Shoujo classic, maybe the Karma version is more for you. Either way, it’s a really nice way to end the album with some retrospect.

IDOL iS NOT DEAD gives kitixxxgaia a perfect 10/10. 11/10. Screw it. Whatever. It’s so goddamn good, just stop reading and go listen oh my god

[dusudaunord]

What to do in Montréal on Easter weekend, April 14 to 17

Will you be spending Easter weekend in Montréal? Great choice! Here are some activities to help you get your fill of culture, food, relaxation and nightlife over the long weekend. Whether you’re here with that special someone, friends or family, there’s something for everyone!

Easter with that special someone

This long weekend is your chance to indulge and pamper yourself! Book a room at a boutique hotel and head out, hand-in-hand, to explore Montréal’s food and arts scene. Between prestigious exhibitions at the city’s museums, a rich repertoire of dance and theatre performances, and a superb program of classical music and opera, prepare to be enchanted on your romantic getaway. Next, take the time to relax at one of these sublime spas, load up on mouth-watering chocolates at Montréal’s best chocolate shops, then share an intimate moment over cocktails at a speakeasy or a quiet, low-key spot. Finally, grab a table for two at a great restaurant, because we all know that food makes the heart grow fonder. You can’t go wrong with these trendy new restaurants and hand-picked designer restaurants and cafés. What happens next is up to you.

Easter with friends

Fun with friends is in store this Easter long weekend! To strut the latest fashions, kick off your trip with a shopping spree at mall downtown, like the Eaton Centre, Promenades Cathédrale, Simons, Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy, Place Montréal Trust and Cours Mont-Royal. Once you’re dressed to the nines, dig into Montréal’s incredibly diverse food scene. This is the perfect time to satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to a sugar shack in town or outside the city. Looking for something more exotic? Sample a world of flavours at the many Indian, Korean, African, Tex-Mex, Brazilian, Caribbean, Greek and Italian bars and restaurants that Montréal has to offer. Learn a thing or two about Jewish food and culture, or try some smoked meat, a grilled cheese sandwich, a vegetarian poutine or succulent roasted Portuguese chicken. Give the super trendy food bowl  a day in court, pop into the best places to enjoy natural wines and sample yummy lattes and espressos from independent cafés. Want to experience Montréal’s bumping nightlife? You’re in luck, because the possibilities are endless. If you’re into jazz and blues, get your groove on with excellent music at these clubs. Or catch a show at one of the city’s top venues for indie music. And to get down till the sun comes up, hit the dancefloor at the best nightclubs in Montréal. When the clock strikes noon, recover from your big night out at one of these brunch spots around downtown Montréal or, if you’re feeling adventurous, set off on a culinary world tour.

Easter with the family

To honour the Easter tradition, take your little ones out for some fresh air at the Ecomuseum Zoo, where they get to find Easter eggs and meet the Easter bunny (April 15 and 16). You can also make your way to the Dufresne-Nincheri Museum for an Easter egg hunt in the garden followed by a guided tour with the game Muséo Bingo—a few lucky winners get a chocolatey surprise!—and learn about the history of the Château Dufresne (April 15 and 16). To stretch your legs and commune with nature, head to Mount Royal Park, Parc La Fontaine, Parc Jarry or Parc Jean-Drapeau. Farther from downtown, the Bois-de-Liesse, Pointe-aux-Praries, l’Île-de-la-Visitation and Cap–Saint-Jacques nature parks are ideal for a family stroll. And if your kiddos are clamouring for more, the list goes on. They can wield a sword and channel  their inner Luke Skywalker at Laser Quest, scale a climbing wall at Horizon Roc Climbing Centre or Allez Up, play a round of glow-in-the-dark minigolf at Putting Edge, ride the waves at Oasis Surf or solve mysteries at A/Maze Montréal. And that’s not all. You and your crew can cruise around in a kart and get a paint job at Action 500 Karting & Paintball, take the plunge at SkyVenture Montréal or hop till you drop at the iSaute trampoline centre. Winter lovers can practice their turns at Atrium Le 1000, an indoor skating rink that’s open year-round. To expose your little ones to the world of art, check out fun workshops and exhibitions at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Pointe-à-Callières Museum, the McCord Museum, the MAC or even TOHU, a centre for circus arts. Encourage them to flex their brains at the  Montréal Science Centre, or blast off into Space for Life and explore the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, the Biodôme and the Planetarium. Phew! Time to unwind after a long day of family fun. Round out this holiday weekend with a feast at one of these kid-friendly restaurants, or warm up with some tasty hot chocolate. A trip to Juliette et Chocolat, a master of the craft, is sure to put a smile on all faces, young and old!

Easter to reflect

Easter is about more than just food and fun; its origins are religious, and it remains an important holiday for Christians. Saint Joseph’s Oratory will hold masses, celebrations and events for the faithful during Holy Week (April 8 to 16), while the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal will host an Easter Triduum (April 13 to 16). Nicknamed “the city of a hundred bell towers,” you’ll find more religious events in this list of 10 churches and sacred sites to see in Montréal.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Up next: Montréal’s best chocolate shops

      The post What to do in Montréal on Easter weekend, April 14 to 17 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

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