#like I'm exaggerating a little bit but also not...

[folk-enjoyer]

Song of The Day/history of cotton eyed joe

do you want the history of a folk song? dm me or submit an ask and I'll do a full rundown

"Cotton Eyed Joe" Terry Callier, 1963

As a disclaimer, "Cotton Eyed Joe" is my least favorite American folk song and I'm going to talk about why, and I'm going to talk about why Terry Callier's version is subversive and good.

The Earliest date we have for the song's origins is from 1882 when it was Published in "Diddie, Dumps, and Tot, or, Plantation child-life" by Louise Clark-Pyrnelle. This book is a nostalgic recollection of her childhood as a plantation owner's daughter. She reminisces fondly about slavery, missing the old plantation days. Honestly, some of the quotes within this book are beyond parody, in one sentence she says "... My little book does not pretend to be any defense of slavery" and in the next sentence when referring to the morality of slavery she writes, "there are many pros and cons to that subject", later at the end of the chapter she laments about the forever lost emotional connection between the Masters children and the enslaved people. hate this woman and her little book.

It is also important to note that this book goes out of its way to caricature black people, throughout the book she exaggerates accents and dialects to dehumanize them. This is a recurring theme in early publications of this song. Another early publication of the song comes from Dorothy Scarborough in "On the Trail of negro folk-songs" 1925 who got it from her sister who also learned it on a plantation, in Texas. She writes "This is an authentic slavery-time song" This book, if you can believe it, is remarkably racist and dismissive of black music, even as a more "progressive" songbook of black folk songs.

In 1922, the song's history was documented a bit more extensively by Thomas W. Talley in his book "Negro folk rhymes". He writes that it has "deep roots in black traditional lore". Thomas W. Talley was also just a cool guy in general, this book is one of the first compilations of African American folk songs, and it has been a pioneering book in its field. Even today, this book is still one of the best sources for the history of African American folk songs.

So, this is a black song. This was a black song whose first wave of popularization was through the caricature of black people to be amusing for white folks. Let's move on to its second wave of popularization.

The song was first recorded in 1927 by "Dykes Magic City Trio" (all white band) then about a week later by Fiddlin' John Carson (white performer) then in 1928 by Pope's Arkansas Mountanaineers (all white band) then in 1929 by Carter Brothers and Son (all white band) and then it wasn't really recorded for a while because of the great depression and the war but the times it was recorded, it was by white people. We know this because it was mostly recorded by John Lomax and despite documenting southern folk songs, he almost went out of his way to avoid recording black people singing them. Then, in 1941, it was recorded by Burl Ives (painfully white).also covered by a few white country singers like Adolph hofner bob willis but I think you get the point. It wasn't until later that year that it would be recorded by a black person, performed by josh white in 1944-45, who covered it as a lullaby.

However, it wouldn't be until the 90s, during its 3rd wave of popularization that it became its most grotesque. "cotton eye joe" was recorded and released by Swedish Eurodance band Rednex in 1995 as a, to paraphrase reviews, 'Way to make fun of backwater southerners'. This song became incredibly popular throughout Europe and in the USA as well, charting as a number-one song in several countries, sometimes for weeks. Not only is this song incredibly classist, it is, whether by omission or deliberately, fundamentally racist, adding to the whitewashing of black folk and minstrelsy of black people. The attitude and humor derived from the Swedish version are the same as the version in 1882 when it was a "classic slave song".

So, why is Terry Callier's version important, why talk about it? Terry Callier's version is the first version of the song that I have heard and it is not a comedy. It isn't meant to be funny. It slows the melody down and draws attention to itself. It's almost a ballad, showcasing Joe as a tragic but mysterious hero, maybe a love song. His voice is angelic as well. Terry Callier once again, subverts expectations and creates something beautiful out of a song that has been so whitewashed and appropriated that no one remembers its tragic origins.

Thomas W. Talley

some other versions by black folks Josh white 1944-46 Nina simone 1959 The Ebony Hillbillies 2004 Leon bibb 1962 Ella Jenkins 1960 Josh White Jr 1964 Queen Ida 1985

[lovezbrownies]

I wanna request for the bully, Lauren. How does she react when she discovers that she's pregnant with her darling's child? They're still in the final year of High School.

I mean, she did invite reader to her house (forcefully) and reader made things unintentionally...suggestive.

this was hard oomfie icl >< Lauren is a lil ooc and so is Julie and I'm sleepyy

Happy Accident. (Yandere!Bully x GN!Reader.) Chapter one.

Lauren's Masterlist - General Masterlist

Synopsis: Maybe you two had a bit too much carefree fun, which ended up completely flipping your lives.

Warnings: Pregnancy, suggestive, and pregnancy panic. Also a lil bit of coercion.

Lauren loves you. And you can tell, not just from the way she demands your attention, but from the moments she opens up, even though she’d never admit it out loud. It starts with casual invitations, telling you that her mother isn’t home and there’s an “emergency” she needs your help with. And by emergency, of course, she means she’s just feeling a bit too needy. If that counts as an emergency. You learned quickly that when Lauren called you over, it was rarely about anything serious.

That first time she’d beckoned you to her house, there had been a sense of urgency, of insistence in her voice. “Oh, come on,” she’d said, almost whining, “You’ve got to let go of that stress. I can help.” Her attempts to sound casual were betrayed by the way she stumbled over her words, her face flushed as she avoided looking you in the eye. She hadn’t hesitated, though, to demand things more forcefully, to act like it was your problem to fix her tension, her frustration, all by simply giving in to her advances.

You didn’t really know how to say no, not when she was so insistent. And besides, it wasn’t like the idea was entirely unappealing. Lauren, for all her intensity, was captivating in her own strange way. Her boldness, the way she took control, it was all so different from what you expected. And when you finally gave in—after months of teasing and her pushing every boundary you had—you realized she had been right. 

You felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted. You hadn’t even realized how much tension had built up until it was gone. So, what started as a one-time thing became routine. Whenever her mother was too busy with her research or meetings, Lauren would send you a flood of texts, pleading for you to come over. It was almost a game now—her exaggeration, her declarations that she’d “fall into a deep depression” without you were all part of the fun. And honestly, you didn’t mind.

But as casual as it seemed, there was always an underlying intensity. Lauren needed this connection. She reveled in the physicality of it, in how much you depended on her to release your own stress. It gave her a sense of control that she thrived on. And, of course, the marks both of you bore—hickeys, bruises, reminders of what happened behind closed doors—were a testament to the fact that this was more than just a passing fling. Lauren was possessive, fiercely so, and the constant physical reminders on your skin were her way of marking you as hers.

Things had been going so well, at least until recently.

"Hm. Lauren, come to the study, now." Her mother’s voice cut through the house, the speakers embedded in every room amplifying the sound. Julie's calm tone, the kind that always felt more like a command than a request, made the hair on the back of Lauren's neck stand up. Julie, award-winning scientist and notorious for her lack of emotional expression, rarely summoned Lauren unless it was something important.

Lauren felt her stomach twist. Julie had been acting a little strange lately, asking questions about her health that felt invasive, even for her. Lauren hadn’t had her period in two months, something she had tried not to think too much about. Maybe it was just stress—after all, she was juggling school, extracurriculars, and her relationship. But the truth gnawed at the edges of her mind.

Lauren entered the room, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. “Hey, mo—”

“Are you pregnant, Lauren?” Julie’s question was blunt, cutting through any pretense of a casual conversation.

Lauren’s heart hammered in her chest as she stood frozen in front of her mother, feeling as though the walls of the lab were closing in on her. Julie’s calm demeanor—always so cool and composed—only heightened the tension as Lauren struggled to form coherent thoughts. Pregnancy? It was a word that didn���t fit in her life, her carefully constructed reality. She blinked hard, her lips parting as if to protest, but the words never came. Instead, she stared at the sterile cup in her hand, as though it held the answer to a question she never wanted to ask.

“Mom, I—this is ridiculous!” Lauren snapped, her voice shaking, trying to find some footing in her usual confidence. “I can’t be pregnant. I mean… there’s no way. You’re just overreacting or something, right?” Her fingers gripped the cup tighter, nails digging into her palms as she tried to hold onto the last vestiges of control.

Julie’s eyes, sharp and clinical as always, didn’t waver. “Overreacting? I’ve observed very real signs, Lauren. I don’t deal in ‘what-ifs’—I deal in facts. And right now, the facts suggest a possibility we need to eliminate.”

Lauren’s jaw clenched, but her defiance felt weak under her mother’s unrelenting gaze. “Fine,” she muttered, snatching the cup with an eye roll, though the act was more about maintaining her dignity than any real objection. “But this is so humiliating, Mom. Do you even care how weird this is?”

“I care about the truth,” Julie replied simply, folding her arms across her chest in that annoyingly logical way she had. “And I care about your well-being, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.”

Lauren huffed, stomping off toward the bathroom, her mind spinning. Peeing in a cup for her mother—a scientist—wasn’t exactly on the list of things she thought she’d have to do at 18. As she closed the bathroom door behind her, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her usually flawless appearance seemed… off. Her skin was a bit more flushed, her eyes wider than normal, like a deer caught in headlights. She sighed, placing the cup on the counter.

“This is insane,” she whispered to herself, biting her lip as she started the test. The quiet, sterile bathroom only amplified her fears. Each passing second felt like a countdown to a life-altering moment she wasn’t ready for. She had never planned for this. Sure, you two had been careless, reckless even, but this? This was something else entirely. Something permanent.

A few minutes later, Lauren returned to the lab, placing the cup on the counter next to her mother. Julie, without a word, took it and began her scientific analysis, her movements precise, focused. Lauren couldn’t help but pace nervously, her hands wringing together as her mind raced.

Julie’s gaze was fixed on the small screen as the test results processed. The cold, sterile environment of the lab only amplified the tension in the air. Lauren could feel her palms getting sweaty, her heartbeat thrumming loudly in her ears. Time seemed to stretch infinitely as her mother’s fingers moved with mechanical precision, each click of the mouse a reminder of how this moment could change everything. Lauren tapped her foot anxiously, trying to maintain her composure, but it felt like the walls were closing in.

She didn’t want to admit it, but fear had rooted itself deep inside her, growing with each passing second. The thought of being pregnant—actually, undeniably pregnant—was something that she had shoved to the back of her mind, convinced that it couldn’t happen to her. That wasn’t how her story was supposed to go. Not now. Not when everything in her life was laid out so perfectly.

Suddenly, the printer buzzed, a small slip of paper sliding out with that same mechanical efficiency her mother had. Julie reached for it, holding the printout with her typical calm, almost detached demeanor. Lauren’s eyes were glued to the paper as her mother scanned it, and when Julie’s gaze flicked back to her daughter, Lauren could see it in her eyes—there was no escaping this.

“It’s positive,” Julie stated, her voice as steady and measured as if she were discussing a mundane lab experiment rather than her daughter’s future. “You’re pregnant.”

Lauren felt her knees buckle, her legs suddenly weak beneath her. The word “pregnant” echoed in her mind, over and over again, each repetition louder, more terrifying than the last. She had hoped for a different outcome, prayed that her mother had been wrong, that this was all some huge mistake. But there it was, staring her in the face, undeniable. “No,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “No, no, no… this can’t be happening.”

She sank into the nearest chair, her mind spiraling. It felt like everything she had built—her carefully controlled, perfect life—was crumbling in an instant. The confident, fiery Lauren was nowhere to be found. In her place was a panicking teenager who suddenly felt like the ground was slipping out from under her. “Mom, I can’t be pregnant!” she said, her voice rising as panic set in. “I’m still in high school! I have plans! I’m going to college! How am I supposed to do any of that if I’m pregnant?”

Julie watched her for a moment, her expression still neutral, though there was a softness in her eyes that Lauren didn’t often see. She didn’t reach out to embrace her daughter, but she moved closer, standing tall as if trying to offer support through her presence alone. “Lauren,” she began, her tone a mix of sternness and something close to concern, “I won’t lie to you. This will change your life, whether you like it or not. There are consequences to your actions, and those consequences don’t just disappear because you don’t want them to.”

Lauren groaned, burying her face in her hands. Her stomach churned, the weight of her mother’s words sinking deeper and deeper into her bones. She didn’t need a lecture right now, but the worst part was—her mother wasn’t wrong. This was the reality. “What am I supposed to do?” she muttered, her voice muffled by her hands.

Julie exhaled softly, sitting down beside her. “You have decisions to make, Lauren. And none of them will be easy. But before you start thinking about all the what-ifs, let’s talk about what’s happening right now. You’re going to have a child, and that will change every aspect of your life. Teen pregnancy is no small matter, and you know as well as I do that this is going to affect your education, your career… everything.”

Lauren swallowed hard, trying to suppress the growing lump in her throat. Her mother was right, and that made it even worse. Her dreams of heading off to college, of being someone successful, someone who made a difference in the world—how could any of that happen now? She could feel tears welling up, but she blinked them back. Lauren wasn’t the type to cry, not over something like this. She had to stay strong. She had to be the tough, no-nonsense girl she always was.

“I didn’t think this would happen,” she whispered, more to herself than to her mother. “We were careful—at least, I thought we were. This… this isn’t fair.”

Julie raised an eyebrow, her expression hardening just a fraction. “Lauren, being ‘careful’ isn’t foolproof. You’re an adult now, and it’s time you start taking responsibility for the choices you make. Life doesn’t care if it’s fair or not.”

Lauren winced, the words stinging more than she expected. She knew her mother was right, but that didn’t make it any easier to hear. Julie wasn’t being mean, but her rational, scientific approach felt colder than ever. “So what, are you going to lecture me the whole time? Tell me I’ve ruined my life?”

Julie’s gaze softened again, and she shook her head. “No, Lauren. I’m not here to lecture you. I’m here to help you understand the reality of your situation. You’ve made a mistake—one that many people make—but it’s not the end of your life. However, you need to face the consequences head-on. Running away from this won’t solve anything.”

Lauren pressed her lips together, her head still spinning. “What am I supposed to tell them?” she asked, her voice small. She wasn’t used to feeling this vulnerable, this exposed. The thought of facing you made her stomach churn with anxiety. What if you don’t take it well? What if you freak out? What if you walked away from her completely?

Julie tilted her head slightly, studying her daughter with those sharp, analytical eyes. “You tell them the truth,” she said simply. “There’s no point in hiding this. They deserve to know, and you deserve to have support.”

Lauren groaned, slumping back in her chair. “But what if they freak out? What if they leave me? What if they think this was all some trap or something?”

“You don’t know how they’ll react until you tell them,” Julie replied, her tone matter-of-fact. “But delaying the conversation will only make things worse. The sooner you address this, the sooner you can start figuring out what comes next.”

Lauren sat in silence for a moment, her mind racing with a thousand different thoughts. She felt like she was trapped in a whirlwind of fear, uncertainty, and regret. But even through the panic, there was a small part of her that knew her mother was right. She couldn’t avoid this forever. She couldn’t hide from the reality of what was happening. No matter how much she wanted to.

With a deep breath, she pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling as she pressed on your contact. The phone rang once, twice, and then your familiar voice answered on the other end, “Uh– Hello?” Hearing your voice immediately sent a wave of comfort but also a wave of guilt both emotions clashing as she tries to bring up the courage to speak.

“Hey,” she said softly, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to stay calm. “I… I need to talk to you. Can you come over? Please?”

There was a pause on the other end before you agreed, your voice tinged with exhaustion, “Yea, okay but I don’t–”. Lauren hung up quickly not even trying to let you talk anymore else she’d crumble in fear, her stomach twisting into knots as she set the phone down. This was it. The moment she had been dreading. She glanced over at her mother, who gave her a small nod of approval.

“You’ll get through this, Lauren,” Julie said, her voice softer now, more like a mother than a scientist. “You’re stronger than you think.”

Lauren paced around the room, her nerves frayed to the point where she felt like she might unravel completely. Her mind kept spinning through every possible scenario, from the worst to the best, but no matter how many times she tried to rehearse what she would say, the words just wouldn’t come together. How was she supposed to explain this? How was she supposed to make you understand? Would you step up? Would you yell at her? Are you finally at your tipping point and is this the last shove to finally break up with her?

The doorbell rang, jolting her from her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she considered not answering. Maybe if she stayed in her room, pretended she wasn’t home, this whole nightmare would just go away. But she knew better than that. Running away wasn’t an option.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, her eyes immediately meeting yours. You looked at her, confused over how sweaty and scared she looked, your brows furrowed as you stepped inside, closing the door behind you. “Lauren? What’s going on? You look weird.”

Lauren’s mouth went dry, and for a moment, she couldn’t speak. She felt like a deer caught in headlights, her mind screaming at her to just say it, but the words stuck in her throat. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying to summon the courage to face this head-on.

“I… I don’t know how to say this,” she began, her voice shaky. She could feel your eyes on her, your concern growing with each passing second. “But I have to tell you because… because you deserve to know.” Lauren swallowed hard, her pulse racing as she finally forced the words out.

“I’m pregnant.”

[dootznbootz]

I know I write about how wild Penelope is (she is) but OdyPen is very likeminded. Odysseus is just as wild and out of pocket. It's just that we already KNOW that from the epics. He's a reckless idiotic genius, same with her. It's just that Penelope was under a lot of stress and was missing her other half and that's why only a lil bit of her crazy slipped out with her sneeze omen of death. Also, Homer trying to keep her "mysterious" even to the narrator as she's the only one who can "trick the trickster".

They're both fucking crazy in the best way. It's just that in the beginning this man was just head over heels so even when she was purposely saying and doing out-of-pocket shit to try and "freak him out" he thought nothing of it and just thought "Fuck yeah, that's hot wife shit." They're both fucking weird. Both have ADHD and are reckless and silly

Odysseus: Once me and my sister went off to the cliffs when we weren't supposed to, and we messed around too much and so a big rock in the side fell off. It freaked everyone out. We never told anyone. Soothsayer said it meant no one could fish on the sea for 2 days because of how it now has two points and the boulder landed in the ocean... Penelope: ... 😧 Odysseus,😅: Haha, I don't know why I said that. It sounded cooler in my head... shit Penelope: No,no, that's fucking cool. I've fucked around with some things but I don't think I've ever done that much damage. Did you see the big splash??? Odysseus:

I can't emphasize enough how weird they BOTH are. They're both menaces together. With the whole "A joy to Friends, and a disaster for their enemies." Except it's not just to their enemies. They just DO shit.

They'll literally screw someone over with a devious plan turning away laughing and then immediately walk into a rake like some sort of loony toons show. They'd fall for the ICUP trick and then go on a rant on how that's so stupid and not a real trick and then try and pull it on someone else. THAT SHIT

THEY'RE LIL SHITS

[egophiliac]

i love your riddle design so much, he's so pointy and british. so gracious. do you think he would enjoy a brazilian goiabada

thank you! ❤️🖤❤️ it's just. important to me on a level I can't explain that Riddle have an extremely pointy nose that he can stick into everyone else's business.

also goiabada is sweet and fruity and red, I think he would like it very much indeed!

not me stealth-editing because I forgot his antenna whoops

[m-for-now]

Friendly reminder that in the Demigod Diaries (which is canon I believe not that it matters at this point), Leo Valdez genuinely refers to Jason Grace as "surfer-dude handsome"

[froschli96]

Can we talk about how Kadar says to Altaïr in the beginning: "An excellent kill! Fortune favors your blade!", and then in the bureau with Malik, before Altaïr goes to meet "Robert", Malik says to him "Fortune favor your blade, brother."

And then THAT is what prompts Altaïr to actually finally apologize to him?

(It's these little things in the writing that make me go feral! Another one of my favorite parts is Altaïr and Malik calling each other "Dai" - Altaïr first calls Malik Dai before doing investigations during the Majd Addin mission, showing his character growth in how he's willing to humble himself in front of Malik by basically acknowledging him as a superior of sorts (he's even THANKING him here for his help - compare this to "I am your superior, in both title and ability! You should know better than to question me!"), and then when they last talk before Altaïr goes to confront Al Mualim, Malik calls HIM Dai, in turn acknowledging his growth 😭 I just... I love them so much, I don't even know what to do with myself anymore.)

[goatyoat]

Just a sane guy doing normal things & having life-changing revelations mere moments before disaster.

[makerofmadness]

Update on Town Square:

I got in and it is fun :3 you can just like. Choose a cookie to mess around as. I decided to be Alchemist.

Except apparently there's ALCHEMIST CONTENT IN THIS UPDATE??????? and I don't know how to get to it 😭😭 I saw someone else ask that in the middle of running around the square and I just. Started circling them dndjdjdjdnmd

Btw just wanted to highlight these parts of the title screen since I didn't really show my appreciation for them earlier.

(also also I love Granola Cookie already just-)

[illithilit]

The array I've got here is so fucking wild, I swear to the gods. I get whiplash going from some muses who will smite you if you even look at them wrong -- and then there's other muses that fuck all the goddamn time with varying levels of needing to be invested in someone before they get nasty

And sometimes I have to fill out little sticker charts for when they go thirty minutes without having sex with their partner. 😐

[melien]

me: just started electromagnets

also me: I have a save for mirene and co, I have a save for keith... the only logical sequence would be to also do a story for tobias/galactic crusade

[vampirecatprince]

One of the really insane parts about being in the Ghost fandom is you just begin to get so used to the subtle differences in the different performers proportions physically that you can tell them apart pretty easily by all these subconscious tells that you've picked up???

Remind me of how my family had three black cats when I was growing up and even though their markings were completely identical and they were extremely similar in size and build... I could tell all three of them apart very easily. Similar vibes. Ghouls are just demonic cat boys and cat girls with extra steps, confirmed.

[teekays]

going through tags for the hughes brothers is like. antisemitism. x reader fic. more antisemitism. x reader imagines. post from a 14 year old. more antisemitism

[dashiellqvverty]

always think its funny when people are into a particular rpf ship but get antagonistic/hostile/morally superior towards other rpf ships like girl we are all in the same house here

[fragmentedblade]

I honestly have a pretty bad time capturing the heliobi

[mysunshine-youremoonlight]

I have some internship interview today which will be sooo fun to do as I still do not feel Great and its in 15 minutes <3

CHEERING FOR YOU. you'll do so good !!!!!!!!!!!!! just bullshit and play yourself up tbh

[death-rebirth-senshi]

The thing about Pyrrha that bugs me is how much of her character revolved around Jaune in forced nonsensical ways (and then she's killed off for shock value) combined with how many fans I couldn't escape for a bit that were just absolutely deepthroating Jaune's dick and acting like he was a mythically rare example of a non-toxically masculine male character and no show on earth was doing it like rwby.