#like. Shakespeare is by no means modern. and yet often does better than a lot of modern stuff. wtf hollywood

[iamnmbr3]

how come so much modern media has the “silly woman criticizes her male love interest for his objectively unreasonable behavior but then realizes that she was wrong and should have just stood by him and supported him and had faith in his genius” trope 

while half the Shakespeare plays despite being written hundreds of years ago are like “woman breaks with society telling her to just stand by and support her man to call him out on his dumb behavior and he just dismisses her words bc she’s a woman and this directly results in his downfall”? 

[atopfourthwall]

Ive only recently gotten into classic Star Trek so I don't think I can properly answer but what is it specifically about Discovery and recent Star Trek that classic Trek fans hate?

Putting this behind a cut because... it's a lot.

Well, first of all a big rejection of it is just on an aesthetic level. Up until the 2009 movie (which was considered a reboot, even with time travel elements), Star Trek tried to treat the original series and how it was portrayed as pretty sacrosanct. Sure, they might occasionally make jokes about goofier aspects of it and discard some of the stupider stuff (like how in the final episode, penned by Gene Roddenberry himself, that women weren't allowed to Captain starships), but how TOS looked? That's how the 23rd century looked. Buttons and multi-colored outfits and boxy computers and smooth, undetailed ships WAS what was appropriate for the time. When Scotty came back in TNG, they had him on the holodeck and it was the TOS bridge. When DS9 traveled back in time to that era for an episode? They went onto the Enterprise and visited it. When in an Enterprise 2-parter we had a TOS-era ship? It looked like a TOS ship. They even did a 2-parter on Enterprise to explain why Klingons had smooth foreheads when later (and earlier) they didn't. Star Trek up until then cared about maintaining that continuity of appearance. But Discovery is set in the TOS era... but nothing looks like TOS. Even when we got the Enterprise and those uniforms and we saw inside the ship, it was an upgraded form. The only logic I've seen people try to argue about WHY it doesn't look like it actually did was "Well, audiences won't accept something as cheap as TOS being futuristic." Well, then you've got a few responses there: -Don't set in TOS era, then. -That's horseshit, because audiences from the 90s through the 2000s accepted it just fine. Even a piece of dialogue from DS9 explained it perfectly: "I LOVE 23rd century design." It LOOKS cheap, but it was just the aesthetics of the period. And the Enterprise 2-parter it still looked good in HD. Hell, arguably it looked BETTER in HD because they knew how to light it and create mood and its own unique flavor. -It's even more horseshit because people are STILL going back and watching it even today, as indicated by you saying you've started watching it, so clearly it's not that much of a barrier. But what's even more egregious is the TECHNOLOGY. You might be able to accept updated aesthetics if at least matches what was present during the period... and it doesn't. Holographic displays and communication (holodeck technology AT ALL, frankly - it's possible it was there, but TNG seemed pretty adamant that the holodecks were fairly new, very impressive technology), weapons not looking or acting like they traditionally did, Enterprise and Discovery having R2D2-style repair droids that certainly did not exist in TOS, the wrong sound effects being frequently employed, replicator technology for good-looking food instead of food dispensers that gave out marshmallows and cubes, and honestly the tech level shown in Discovery looks just as advanced - if not MORE advanced than seen on TNG 100 years later. And this is a minor thing, but despite the attempt to make the future LOOK futuristic, from a cultural perspective, the future looks... way too damn similar to now. The excessive swearing (it was said in particular in Star Trek 4 that while they certainly did cuss, it was less common and they sure as hell weren't dropping F-bombs), a party on Discovery that looked like a rave (when previously it seemed like the most popular music and culture of the 23rd/24th century was considered fairly high-brow entertainment [classical music, Shakespeare, great works of literature and plays, etc.] - and while you could certainly argue that that snootiness and love of that stuff is a problem with Star Trek and a sign of how sterile and homogenized it is, THAT is the future they presented and a character in Voyager loving some of the goofier parts of 20th century culture like jukeboxes and old sci-fi serials was considered unusual), and just the general way people talk betrays the idea that the writers aren't thinking about how society changes in the future. It's just the modern day, but with cooler technology. But hey, let's set aside the general aesthetics - some people aren't going to mind that and find

ways to handwave away a lot of stuff (even Discovery season 2 TRIED to handwave away stuff like the holographic communications, but did a piss-poor job of it). This brings us to the problem of the WRITING. And the problem with the writing is a big Michael Burnham-shaped indentation. To be clear, I don't mind Michael as a character or her actress - there are interesting aspects to her, centering a Star Trek show around the science officer is a neat idea (though that means you should probably NAME IT AFTER HER and not around the ship, because it suggests this is a standard ensemble group and not JUST her)... but the actual execution is that it feels like the entire universe bends over backwards for HER. She has a unique relationship with a beloved longtime character that is retconned in. She has unique relationships with several important characters to the point where the fate of billions of people hinges on her and the decisions she makes. She is presented as almost always correct about everything, and those that oppose her are often wrong, naïve, or active enemies. Now, this is less of an issue in the third season - but that has its own unique problems - but in the first season, the resolution of two major storylines (mirror universe and the Klingon war) revolves around her and her relationship to the Terran Emperor and Lorca. In season 2, her mother trying to help or save her is the basis of the ENTIRE friggin' plot with time travel and the like, with special knowledge and history having to do with her and everyone ready to abandon their lives for her so she won't be alone when she has to go to the future when arguably they barely know her (the timeline of the show is debatable). Season 3 has a few different problems with her - the first is that she keeps being involved in things that don't concern her (why is she going down to Trill?) and she keeps violating orders. Now, her violating orders is a problem throughout the entirety of Discovery - in fact, it's kind of the instigating factor OF the series. And arguably, other Star Trek characters are guilty of that and they face no consequences, just as she faces none... and yet it's the brazenness with which it happens, and in those other series it's arguable because the series tries to avoid excessive continuity changes for its episodic nature, so the status quo MUST return to normal... but Discovery is pivoted as one of MAJOR continuity, so her lack of consequences (and indeed eventual PROMOTION) is baffling to the point of frustration. Now again, let me be clear here - she is not a bad character in and of herself. Honestly what it shows is that being the science officer on a starship is not where her talents lie. She should be in a position where she has a lot more freedom to act and not in a major command structure... but being in that command structure, what we see in season 3 is that she lacks the discipline, emotional maturity, responsibility, leadership qualities, and general other traits necessary to be a Captain. Only once during season 3 did she display such a quality - putting the safety of the Federation above a friend and colleague... but other times she will happily disobey orders and put herself and others in harm's way, creating potential new problems. Now, again, Star Trek is rife with characters doing that... but usually not the Captains. And, in fact, when this happened once on DS9 with one officer disobeying orders and putting their own personal feelings above the greater responsibility, it was made VERY clear that the incident would mean that they would never be able to command a starship because of the unofficial reprimand. What's even more frustrating about her is that the character is ALWAYS shoved to the forefront so much to the point where we just get sick of her. SHE is the one giving log entries (usually pretty piss-poor ones, at that - very flowery and nonsensical and kind of dumb) and not the Captain. SHE is the one given so much focus and how the plot of the episode affects her. Barely anyone else gets any focus episodes - I STILL can't

remember the names of some of the secondary characters because they're so rarely said, and a PTSD-related plotline in season 3 for one of the secondary characters basically gets resolved OFF-SCREEN. Michael would be fine if we actually had a chance to miss her... but we never do. Arguably one of the best episodes of the show is in season 2, when it focuses on Saru and his people because Michael DOES take a back seat. It's his story and his development and problems relating to him and his people. And even if, again, we forgave the idea of so much focus on her even in plots that aren't about her... she never seems to really change that much. She'll TALK about how she's changed, but I see no real difference in the way she acts (MAYBE season 1 to 2, where in season 1 she was stiffer and more Vulcan-like, but that's it). But hey, let's assume that's not a problem for you - you really, REALLY like Michael and are fine with so much focus on her. Simply put, the writing of the rest of the show... is just kind of dumb. The ship is powered by magic mushrooms that let it teleport everywhere because the universe has super fungus capillaries throughout it that nobody can see and also it's magic and can resurrect the dead. The time travel plot of season 2 doesn't make any sense when you sit down and diagram it. Well-established Trek lore is just kind of sprinkled in, but now in ways that doesn't match what it was before or at least in ways that completely recolor how it's supposed to work, because it needs to serve THIS plot. Everyone remembering a murdererous monster fondly after she leaves because "Hey, she was coooool." The explanation for the big mystery in season 3 is just fricking stupid and one of the two big reasons why I've finally given up on Discovery, because it's just so absurd, doesn't match how anything works, and just feels like the writers giving the middle finger to the audience because they care more about "YOU MUST FEEEEEEL THINGS!" instead of it making sense. And indeed, there is certainly a balance to be made of plot vs. emotion-driven storytelling - some stories are dumb, but are forgivable because the character writing and emotion are so strong that they override how goofy the plot is... but sometimes a plot is just so dumb it overrides anything I'm SUPPOSED to feel. And it would help if I already liked the show, already gave it some benefit of the doubt... but I don't and it hasn't done enough to impress me. A little thing that's a problem with ALL of current modern Trek shows is that whole sprinkling lore thing - I don't think a single episode goes by in ANY current modern Trek series that doesn't have a random reference to classic Trek lore. A name, a line of dialogue, etc. It comes across like the creators don't trust you to enjoy it on its own merits, but want you to like it because "Hey, remember thing? We know about thing! Like us because we mentioned thing!" But hey, I recognize that these are things that other people may not have any problem with or just disagree in general. But for me and my family, these are the big ones that keep us from enjoying it. Hell, my brother and dad still watch it for hatewatching purposes, but I was done after season 3. I gave it plenty of chances to impress me, and while each season MARGINALLY got better as it went along, I'm tired of waiting to actually like it and to stop feeling like it thinks I'm a fucking idiot. If other people still like it, great - it clearly appeals to them in a way that it doesn't appeal to me and they are free to enjoy it. Other people probably have their own issues, but this long, rambly bit is the major stuff for me.

[ghost0loxer]

Imagine, a gender fluid teenager like myself has a favourite/feel-good film and that film is “Just One of the Guys,”from the mid 80s.

Picture this: theatre class, we watch “She’s The Man”, a dreamworks film from the 2000s. And yet, the social justice issues within the film are glaringly obvious to today’s society. Don’t get me wrong, it can be a funny film in a group setting - but then there are scenes that are just uncomfortable. Now, we discussed these themes in class, but I just can’t help but think about the film that came before it. Yes, StM (she’s the mans) is a modern day adaption of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” but I was thinking about the modern day adaption before StM, “Just One of the Guys” from the mid 80s.

I love this film. For multiple reasons, which I hope to discuss.

Number one, our main character. Terry Griffith is stubborn. If she thinks something is right, she won’t let anyone say no or get in her way. Now in some cases, this is great. It’s definitely a shift in the usual romantic comedy female lead (especially for the 80s). But it’s one of her biggest flaws. In the beginning, Terry doesn’t win a contest for a part-time job at the Sun Tribune. She believes her article was amazing, but she speaks with her English teacher and he gives it to her straight. “You don’t have what it takes to be a reporter.” Her article is boring; it’s about the nutritional value of the lunch menu in the school cafeteria, of course it’s boring. But the words her teacher tells her has her convinced it’s because she’s a woman. Thus, she leaves school for two weeks and transfers as a buy to another school who are holding the same competition. Once she gives her article, she is told almost the same thing, but this time, she’s given proper feedback to improve it. Of course, there was some irony with this scene between Terry and the teacher. “Just because you’re guy, doesn’t mean you can’t be sensitive or light.” Thing is, she doesn’t give up, she strives to fix it and finds a new angle. I love her determination, I love the way she doesn’t let others push her around. Furthermore, her transition to a man. In StM, Viola as a guy is made to be cringey and comedic, you watch and think, there’s no way a guy would do that. But Terry, having grown up with a younger brother and is actually smart, manages to nail the role. Sure, she has slip-ups, but she stays afloat and she’s not being over the top. She’s chill and convincing, yet you as the audience can tell she’s trying to appear masculine. Her lines are witty and she’s sharp. Someone has something to say, she’ll be able to backtrack and answer with a joke or sarcasm quickly. I like smart characters.

Another point, the way women are written in this film. A lot of women in this film are treated like shit, but it’s probably a realistic depiction of the 80s. Everyone is talking about dating and sex, it seems to be the only topic the women in this film speak about, unless they are Terry. Terry seems to be the only character in this film whose main goal is not romance or sex. She strives to be a reporter, she wants to prove herself, and she rejects the advances upon her frequently. Whether it’s the boys asking her on dates in halls, or her own boyfriend attempting to seduce her when her parents aren’t home, she doesn’t put them above herself, yet she still lets them down easily, unless they become more pushy (case in point, her boyfriend, Kevin, in the beginning). She can stand up for herself, but she’s not the only one. Her best friend, Denise is one of the many women looking for love, nevertheless, she holds standards. I will admit, I didn’t like Denise’s acting in the beginning; she’s not a great character, but even she manages to reject men’s advances constantly. She’s not afraid to say it bluntly and she expresses her true emotions when certain guys try to ask her out. She tells it to them straight, and I respect her for that (despite her lack of empathy for some). Terry’s brother is constantly hitting on Denise, but she stands her ground. She doesn’t hit him or curse him out, she spins words around him and always lead back to the key word “no.”

This is my third, and maybe final point, (because I’m not great at writing but I’m starting to get tired) the way they handle sexual orientation. It seems if you’re going to make a film about a cross-dressing woman who falls in love with a man, you have to discuss sexuality and this film is not afraid to. That was my biggest beef with StM, when Viola confessed her love to Duke, the made it blatantly clear that it was “weird” and “unusual”; the editing and music cuts. It was done for comedic purposes, but in that moment, it just made me cringe. Even when the principal marched onto the field during the big match to expose Sebastian as “the woman he was all along,” he used a big megaphone and said to the whole crowd this man is in fact a girl. If it were to happen in the real world, and this character was a trans male, that would be traumatizing and so so insensitive. I couldn’t help thinking the way they handled the reveal in StM was poor and shitty.

But with JOotG (just one of the guys)? It’s done respectfully. Throughout the film, Buddy, Terry’s younger, sex-obsessed brother (I have thoughts on this character), often refers to Terry as a transvestite or sexually confused. They make references about her dating other women and jokes. It’s not treated like taboo, but just something people normally talk about, and as a questioning kid when I first watched the film, I really needed that. Although it was used for jokes, the fact that it wasn’t treated like a silent topic made me think more of it and discover who I was; it was media like this that made me accept myself.

Even with the reveal. Kevin, Terry’s boyfriend (or ex boyfriend by the end), stomps up to Terry after she’s wrestled with the school bully and was dumped into the waves at prom. Rick, who’s been Terry’s friend (and is the male lead) throughout her time at his high school, immediately questions who Kevin is and he responds with a harsh and sure “Terry’s boyfriend.” Of course, that doesn’t expose Terry as female, but makes Rick assume she’s a homosexual. But instead of calling her weird or replying negatively, he answers Kevin’s question calmly and says he’s just a friend. There is no prejudice, no disgust, Rick is shocked, but that’s expected. Furthermore, this reveal not only does not alienate homosexuality, it puts the center of focus on the main characters rather than have the whole audience/prom witness this exchange. Sure, the rest of the school is watching but the camera never pans over to them, and even then, Terry drags Rick away from the crowds to a secluded area to explain more.

Even once they’re secluded, Rick doesn’t yell at her or is homophobic. He just says “I understand, you’re gay.” As we know, Terry is not in fact gay and she reveals this to him in a similar fashion as StM, at least it’s not flashing a whole crowd. But the thing that hits me, is the fact that it’s not used as a joke or for comedy. Throughout the film, they’ve mentioned homosexuality and being transgender, but it was used as a light-hearted joke (nothing insulting or derogatory). In this moment, it’s not a joke, and it’s the bare minimum for a emotional scene like this, but it always hits me.

Of course, Rick gets justifiably mad that he’s been deceived and he storms off. Terry’s flaw catches up to her here, as she kisses him in front of the prom guests, stubborn to make him realize how much she cares. ( I didn’t agree with this action to be frank, I cringed ). The crowd gasps and it’s the usual reaction to a homosexual kiss and Rick just pulls back, says “It’s alright everyone, he’s got tits,” and leaves with Deborah.

In true romantic comedy fashion, life moves on. Terry gets the job at the Sun-Tribune after writing her article about posing as a guy and everyone who was longing for love in the beginning has found it, except Terry. The ending, however, is Rick coming back for her after a couple (days? Weeks? Idk all I know is it’s summer by the time he comes back, how much space between prom and summer?) and they kiss, go on a date and all is good.

Now after writing this long ass post, I’ve come to realize the main reason I like this film. Sure, Terry is a good character (not morally sometimes, but she’s interesting to watch), the way women are presented also is good, but my main source of affection for this film (in comparison to StM) is the way they handle the switching of genders. I’m gender fluid, I don’t always like being a woman or a man, I switch almost daily and half the time can’t decide if I want to grow out my hair or cut it. Seeing Terry, originally a woman, manage to convince people she was a guy made me wish I could do it too. It made me realize, I don’t always like being a woman. I want to be a guy sometimes, and I want that to be accepted. It was media like this, like Ouran High School Host Club, like Bare: A Pop Opera, that made me understand my gender and sexuality. (Even media that didn’t have any relation to LGBTQ+ helped).

When I first heard of “She’s the Man”, I had hoped it would be like these pieces of media. And it wasn’t. It was an alright film, but made me feel disappointed and somewhat let down. And that’s why I just prefer Just One of the Guys. Maybe it wouldn’t float in today’s political climate, maybe I’m wrong for seeing these points as reasons it’s one of my favorites, but its still better than StM and is one of my favourite films.

[schleierkauz]

Q&A Highlights

Ok so bad news first: My questions were ignored. Cornelia did not clarify any of our death-related theories. Maybe next time.

There was A Lot of other stuff, though so... Enjoy!

- The stream starts with everyone wishing us a happy women’s day! Usually women in Erfurt (where the bookstore people are) get flowers but not today because... you know. Cornelia says America is starting to go back to normal, meanwhile Germany... :| Anyway. Don’t look over here.

- Cornelia says she probably won’t get the vaccine anytime soon because she’s just chilling on her farm anyway and people who have to be out in public/are vulnerable should get it first

- Question: When will Cornelia visit Germany again? In response to this, she gives us some exclusive news, not official yet, heard it here first: She’s gonna move to Italy! Apparently she bought an olive farm there which is cheaper, better for the environment (her current farm will be sold to some people who want to turn it into an organic farm) and obviously closer to Germany so she’ll be here more often. :)

- The 4th Reckless book will be released in English at some point this autumn

- There’s no definite release date for TCoR because she’s busy with Dragonrider but she hopes she’ll have finished writing it by the end of this year

- If she’s still alive after all that to work on Reckless 5, it’ll be the last book of the series... probably. She’s also working on a bunch of smaller projects with her artists in residence

- Question: What are Cornelia’s favorite stories by Jane Austen, the Brontë sister and Shakespeare? She’s not a huge fan of Austen or Brontë because she finds all those repressed emotions too exhausting to read about. With Shakespeare on the other hand she struggles to name a favorite because there’s so much greatness to choose from (she does name MacBeth and Romeo and Juliet though)

- The Black Prince’s legacy in the Reckless timeline may play a role in the next Reckless book or it might evolve into a whole other story. Either way, she’s thinking about it  👀

- Someone asks about Reckless characters and Cornelia says that Kami’en and the Dark Fairy felt very familiar to her from the start in that she always knew who they were as people. She’s not sure why that is. She thinks the Dark Fairy represents many aspects of womanhood, like the ancient forgotten Goddess. Same with Fox, who embodies different sides of that.

- If Cornelia had to date a man from the Mirrorworld, Kami’en would interest her

- Rainer Strecker randomly joins the chat to say hi and everyone is delighted

- Cornelia’s favorite book series is still Lord of the Rings

- Question: Why has the Black Prince never found his true love? Cornelia says she’s not sure that’s true - maybe he did found true love at some point and then lost it again? ‘...and they lived happily ever after’ isn’t a guaranteed outcome after all. Since he’s such a passionate man, she’s pretty sure he’s had at least one big lovestory at this point. She hasn’t asked him about that yet but hopes she’ll find out when she continues writing his story.

- Jumping off that question, Cornelia says she respects her characters’ privacy and lets them keep their secrets until the time comes to ask about them, just as she would with real people.

- Someone asks if Cornelia has ever written herself into a story and she says a part of her is in all her characters. Except the villains because she hates them. She feels closest to Fox because she also always wished she could shapeshift

- The bookstore lady jumps in and asks about Meggie, is she similar to how Cornelia was as a child? Cornelia says yes, especially because she also had a very close relationship with her father and they would bond over books. However, she always envisioned Meggie with dark hair and as a different kind of girl than she was. (Ok sidenote from me on that, I wonder what she means by ‘dark hair’? Because Meggie is explicitly blond, so like... dark blond? Or did we just unlock brunette Meggie in 2021? Cornelia-)

- Continuing the conversation, Cornelia says she doesn’t consider herself the creator of any of the characters in her stories, she feels like she met them and wrote about him but she would never say something like ‘I invented Dustfinger’ because that’s absurd. How would that even work. That’s disrespectful. No.

- Some characters pretty much demand to be written about and are very impatient (like Jacob), others are more shy and elusive and take effort to understand (like Will or Dustfinger)

- There probably won’t be another book like The Labyrinth of the Faun because it was created under such unbelievable circumstances. Cornelia does enjoy writing film scripts, though, like she did for the Wild Chicks recently

- Question: How does Cornelia come up with character names? She has a bunch of encyclopedias and when she knows where a story takes place she checks if there are any artists from there whose names she can steal. She always wants names to have meaning and to paint a picture of whatever character it belongs to. However, she says that sometimes the vibe of a name is a tricky thing: When she wrote The Thief Lord (which takes place in Italy), she thought ‘Mosca’ was the perfect name for a big strong boy. However when the time came to translate the story into Italian, the Italians told her that ‘Mosca’ sounds like the name of a tiny little fly. Oh well.

- Cornelia says a lot of readers have written to her about The Thief Lord because at one point Victor (the detective) calls Mosca (who is black) a “Mohrenkopf”. Context: ‘Mohrenkopf’ is a German slur towards black people and also an outdated name for this goddamn marshmallow cookie:

Fuck this cookie.

- Cornelia says yeah, Victor is being racist in that moment but that doesn’t mean that she, the author, is racist. Similarly, she used the term ‘Indians’ in Reckless and a lot of readers were upset which she did not anticipate. To her it’s a positive word since she admires ‘Indians’ so deeply and finds terms like ‘Native/Indigenous Americans’ very complicated. She wonders how much longer she’ll be allowed to say ‘Black Prince’

- She thinks it’s right to be vigilant about bigotry but simply searching for problematic words is dangerous because context matters

- Bookstore lady brings up Pippi Longstocking and how the N-word has been removed from modern copies (think Pippi’s father). She think’s it’s wrong because the original text is part of the cultural heritage and shouldn’t be hidden from children but instead explained. 

- Cornelia says that in America she sees the hurt that’s connected to that word but she doesn’t think it’s right to simply remove the slur and expect everything to be fine. After all, the text in which it was used is still the same so any harmful ideas would still be in there and that needs to be discussed. Simply whitewashing things doesn’t make them any less racist.

- Cornelia brings up a visual example: The Asterix comics. She always liked them but the fact that the only black character is drawn as a racist caricature is harmful and wrong. It’s time to listen when black people express how hurtful depictions like that can be. Many white people never noticed racism growing up because it never affected them and that’s why it’s important to learn

- The ‘from rags to riches’ American dream was usually reserved for white people and Cornelia thinks a lot of (white) people are waking up to that fact. The way black people are still being criminalized and the way prisons use inmates for cheap labor is horrible and like a modern kind of slavery

- The bookstore people try to say something but Cornelia is not done: We Europeans are not off the hook either because the sins and wounds of colonialism are still felt around the world, not to mention the way other countries are still exploited today. Our wealth rests on the shoulders of poorer nations. Many doors are opening and it’s difficult to step through but we have to do it and admit to the things we may have been blind to due to privilege.

- The three of them agree on that and go back to reading questions

- Question: What are Cornelia’s tips for young authors? She advises to never start writing a story on a computer, always get a notebook and collect ideas & pictures for your story. Don’t rush things. If you have more than one story, give each story its own book and feed whichever one is hungry. It’s important to follow the idea where it leads, if you use cliches your readers will recognize them. And then it just takes time and passion. And trust in your own unique voice. She paraphrases a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson who once said no one cares about stories or characters or whatever, people read books to see the world through the goggles the author puts on them. I’m sure he said it prettier, I’m paraphrasing the paraphrase.

- That said, Cornelia thinks authors who say things like “I’m writing to express my innermost turbulences” are kinda dumb. She thinks it’s important to write about the things that happen everywhere else and around yourself and to try to find voices for others, not just yourself. Just like how carpenters build furniture for everyone else, a writer should use words to build things for others, whether it’s a window or door or a hiding place.

- Speaking of notebooks, as most of us probably know Cornelia has a lot of those and occasionally publishes them on her website. She says she’d love to let people look through them in person, maybe at the new farm in Germany (Cornelia sure does love farms)

- Speaking of writing things on paper, all three of them stress that everyone should write more letters because one day they’ll be old letters and curious people will want to read them, just as we like to read old documents now.

- Last question: How come both the Inkworld and the Mirrorworld feature a character called Bastard? Cornelia thinks that’s a good question and she should probably think about that. (Am I stupid? Are they talking about Basta? I’m confused)

...And with that, the livestream ends. They’ll get back together to do this again two months from now, until then: I’m going tf to sleep

[therenlover]

heyy jac I first wanted to say you are amazing, thank you for going out of your way to give us tfatws content. it brightens up my day whenever I see you post. I was just listening to your zemo playlist and I’m one of those people who when I listen to a song I love to make scenarios in my head. I was wondering if you could walk us through some of your favourite songs on the playlist and tell us how you associate them with zemo. I’d love to hear your thoughts on some of the songs. (if that isn’t too much hassle sorry if I’m being annoying lol).

 Anon, you are currently my favorite person in the whole wide world. I absolutely want to give you my favorite songs on the playlist and tell you exactly what I see when I hear them, and you have given me an excuse to do so. This post will probably be long as hell, so I’m putting it under the cut. 

Foolish To Think from A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder

We all know Zemo is a baron, but like... we don’t know how powerful baron’s are in Sokovia. We also don’t know pretty much anything about his childhood or rise to power. I am a firm believer that he’s been ever so slightly unhinged even when he was still just a normal dude, so this is him deciding “you know what, I’m about to climb my way up the Zemo family ladder however I need to,” This, in my mind, is the epitome of fresh faced, 18 year old, canon Zemo ready to go fuck some people up for power. 

If Music Be The Food Of Love arranged by David Dickau

During his rise to power, still just a normal dude, Zemo falls in love with his wife. I’m a big believer in the fact that, because Zemo was raised as royalty, he knows a whole lot of pretentious shit like Shakespeare and recites it to his partner to be romantic. The line “Though yet, the treat is only sound, sure I must perish by your charms unless you save me in your arms,” is what he used to woo her early in the relationship. So cute, it would be terrible if something bad happened to her...

Bogoroditse Djevo arranged by Arvo Pärt

This one is more of a scene I get in my head. It’s a Christmas tune, and I can see him, his wife, and their infant going to their first Christmas market as a family in Novi Grad. Just... walking from stall to stall, giggling at the performers, eating the food, buying little gifts for the baby to remember the occasion. It’s a calm before the storm.

The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns

This song, in the playlist, marks the death of Zemo’s family. In the past, dancers have interpretted the melody as a badly injured swan, slowly struggling as they die but still being graceful and elegant as they do. As he searches through the rubble, his hope slowly dies, and in the end his hope dies where his family did. Thus begins his descent into madness in...

Daemon Irrepit Callidus arranged by György Orbán

Daemon Irrepit Callidus is Zemo’s descent into madness. From this point on, he slowly loses his softness. The tone of the songs is often much more modern, pulling away from his roots as a baron and man of high status and leaning into something more gritty for much of the Civil War era in the playlist. He has descended into hell and he believes there is no turning back from here. 

Songe d’Automne performed by The White Star Orchestra

Reportedly (by Harold Bride, surviving Jr Telegrapher who was washed off the deck as the ship sank) this was the last song the orchestra played as the Titanic sank. Zemo is going nuts. ‘Nough said.

If I Believed from Twisted

This song, along with a few more, is an outlier in the Civil War era. It represents his reasoning for what he’s doing. I imagine this song is the feeling he has after he listens to his wife’s last voicemail. He’s doing everything for her, burning a whole superhero organization to the ground so that he can assure nobody else has to live through what he did, but he can’t deny that a part of him wishes he could just bring her back no matter how illogical that is.

How Does A Moment Last Forever (Music Box) from Beauty and the Beast

This is, again, a softer moment. He looks back on the time he spent with his family and tries to keep it safe in his mind. It anchors him to reality and keeps him focused on his goals. The end is coming soon in his mind, so he clings as hard as he can to those remaining memories of peace.

Dies Irae arranged by Giuseppe Verdi

He sets the Winter Soldier loose murders all the remaining soldiers in the Hydra base on his day of reckoning. Yeah, that’s basically it, it’s just hype music as he has his big moment.

As The World Caves In by Matt Maltese

His plan has been carried out and now Zemo is simply watching as the world caves in around him. He’s succeeded in all of his plans, the avengers are crumbling, he’s listened to his wife’s voicemail one last time and now he’s ready to be dead. He thinks this is it. Well, until he’s taken into custody and locked up forever. 

Leonardo Dreams Of His Flying Machine arranged by Eric Whitacre

My man Eric is coming in clutch once again. This is Zemo, brilliant mind and all, stuck rotting in jail. He has nothing but his dreams of grandeur to tide him over So, he dreams. He dreams of escape, of his family, of what waits for him once he dies. 8 years of dreaming pass before Bucky finally approaches as Lacrimosa plays.

Lacrimosa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Fuck you, Mozart. You’re only here because you played in the show. Moving on. 

The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani 

You cannot tell me that this isn’t what was playing in Zemo’s head as he escaped from maximum security prison and rolled up to that warehouse looking all hot and mysterious. 

Sibella from A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Look who’s back! This time, though, I included this because I am adamant that Zemo fucks someone he used to know while he’s escaped and they have a big dramatic love affair. Like, he just does. I don’t make the rules. 

WAP by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion 

Zemo would just love WAP. He says all that woke shit, so like, he vibes with female empowerment and the idea of them taking back their sexuality. He also loves the annoyed look on Bucky’s face when he plays it, so it stays on the playlist. 

The Man I Used To Be from The Count of Monte Cristo

Now, this one is more speculative, but I feel like Zemo will have a minor change of heart. he won't suddenly be a morally straight good guy to the bone, but I think he’s seriously rethinking his ideology and at some point, he might find a way to let go of a lot of the pain and remorse he’s been carrying around. 

No More from Into The Woods

This song, in my mind, takes place at the Sokovian memorial. Zemo is there and he’s so tired of running and fighting and grieving. He just wants to be okay again but he doesn’t know how to. He has this mental moment where he’s asking his deceased father for help and yet the memory (ghost?) of his father, who he resented for most of his life, isn’t helping him straightforwardly. He has to figure it out for himself in the end. This line speaks to me most. “No more giants waging wars. Can’t we just pursue our lives, with our children and our wives? Till that happy day arrives, how do you ignore...” 

and finally...

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep arranged by Laura Farnell

Of all the songs on this list, this one was the only one I was absolutely certain of including and I knew it had to be the last song no matter what else I included. Its contents, a famous poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye, could refer to either Zemo or his family. In the case that he visits the monument, it could be the feeling he gets there. Finally, he knows that his family is somewhere better, not buried under the rubble of his home. He’s finally free. 

If he dies at the end of the series though, it takes on a whole new meaning. It’s about him, how he isn’t trapped by his mortal body anymore. He’s now everywhere, both a constant reminder to the world of the atrocities committed in Sokovia and a testament to how powerful a father’s love for his family can be. Once again, he’s finally free to reunite with those he loves, but this time it’s he who isn’t truly dead so long as people heed his life as a warning. 

Wow, this was longer than I thought it would be even when I cut a few songs... I hope you enjoyed!

[we-are-inevitable]

modern art // javid (ch. 1)

A/N: hi !! so some of you may remember an old songfic i did in march of last year, titled ‘modern art’ after the song “IDK You Yet” by Alexander 23. well, i’ve always thought that that one shot would work great as a stand alone fic, and here we are! i have ch. 1 edited and SO MUCH of it as changed- like, for example, the fic is a chapter fic now !! regardless, i hope you guys like this !!

WARNINGS: depression, anxiety, self-deprecation, past addiction, mentions of addiction, just general Bad Times- pls be mindful when reading !! it’s just very Not Happy rn ADDITIONAL INFO: all characters are in their mid-twenties in the fic. oh also this is probably important but it’s a soulmate au !!

Read On AO3!

tag list: @bound-for-santa-fe @wannabecowboypunk @shippingcannons @yahfancyclamwiththepurlinside @smallsies @deliciouspeachpirate @newsies-is-my-erster 

Jack doesn't know what’s going on with himself, but he knows that he could really use his soulmate right about now.

They’ve communicated before. Never verbally, and never enough to reveal who they were. Perhaps they are both just... dealing with some unspoken fears, dealing with the worry of rejection sitting heavy in their chests. Perhaps they both like this mystery- the uncertainty that came with the notes scrawled across their bodies in a handwriting that isn’t their own.

Or perhaps they just aren’t ready to take the plunge. To grow up and face the harsh fact that, as soon as they meet, wherever and whenever that may be, a new chapter of their life will unfold. Consume them. Change anything and everything they’ve ever known or held dear.

They had been braver when they were children, that much was true. Jack remembers staying up late often, writing notes on his skin and watching in awe as the replies appeared. He remembers the giddy rush of trying to quickly wash off the ink on his wrist when they ran out of space to talk, and, oh, how they talked. There were school days when Jack would go to class exhausted, feeling like he’d been walking through quicksand for miles on end, but all of it had been worth it. The exhaustion he felt had been worth being able to talk to them until two, three, four in the morning. Sometimes he regretted it, of course, but only because it was harder for him to focus in class. Never because he was upset at them.

He could never be upset with them.

Even now, Jack remembers a lot about his soulmate. They liked music. They knew how to play the piano. They were into a few video games, even some that Jack had never played, and said that they always tried carrying a book with them wherever they went. Jack remembers that, as a younger kid, they liked Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, but also liked analyzing Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe and a bunch of other fancy authors that Jack had never even heard of. They were intimidatingly smart, and sometimes, would carefully correct Jack’s grammar whenever he misspelled a word or something- but they were never mean about it, they were just… there. A steady presence that he could count on.

Fifteen year old Jack dreamed of finding them one day. But now, twenty-five year old Jack is losing hope.

He can’t exactly help it. For starters, he and his soulmate haven’t communicated in… well, shit, it had to be nearly a year. Maybe nine months or so, but there’s no way to tell for sure, and even then, their conversations since reaching adulthood have been dull, for lack of a better word. A few positive comments here, a ‘have a good day’ there- it’s all so mundane, and neither of them can be blamed for it. They both have busy lives- or, well, Jack does, at least. His job as a graphic designer is hard enough on its own, but the added pressure of doing freelance work and commissions on the side has been eating away at him for weeks, coupled with debilitating self-doubt and lack of motivation for… anything.

Saying that he’s overwhelmed is the understatement of the century.

There is always another design, another client, another meeting, another deadline, another sleepless night as he stares at a blank canvas and prays for a spark of inspiration from whatever God is listening. Usually his inspiration comes from the world around him- his friends, city life, even the quiet confines of his apartment, but right now... Jack is stuck. He had holed himself up in his room days ago, trying and failing to get out of bed every morning when the time came to work- and thank God that the majority of his work could be done from home. His boss was understanding, too, to an extent.

Still, though, there’s a constant heavy weight on his chest that prevents him from moving most days, and he’s lucky if he even gets up long enough to shower or eat or do literally anything aside from lie in silence and count the cracks in his ceiling.

Nothing had happened to him recently to bring this on, from what he can tell. Jack has always been the happy-go-lucky leader, the man with a plan, the guy who always knew just what to say to motivate others into doing the best thing for themselves, but when that responsibility is reflected back onto himself, Jack feels helpless. There are words waiting to be said, sketches waiting to be drawn, designs waiting to be sent to clients… yet Jack lies there, motionless in his room for three days before he even has the energy, the willpower, to pull back his curtains and allow the sunlight to shine through. There is so much he wants to do, so much he needs to do, but he can't bring himself to do any of it.

In all twenty-five years of his life, through all of the things he’s been through, the ups and downs and foster homes and graduations and birthdays and funerals and therapists and rehab facilities and whatever the fuck else life decided to throw at him, Jack has never felt so worthless, so… lonely. His closest friends are all moving on with their lives. Many have already found their soulmate, have settled down and hidden their rowdy, rambunctious pasts behind skeletons in a closet. They’d all gotten their adventures done and over with in high school and college, and most are moving onto bigger and better things in life. They have careers. Families. Some have children, others have pets, a few have an insane amount of plants to care for.

All have seemingly left Jack behind in the dust.

No one told him when to flip the switch.

No one told him when he had aged out of adventure.

Now, they would never say it, but Jack knows. He knows. Saturday hangouts and trips to the bar had been replaced by Sunday church services and playdates for the kids. Rather than hearing yelling from his living room after his friends had all been teetering just on the edge between tipsy and fucked up, Jack hears the news, and documentaries, and podcasts, and the ghosts of a past life that he still seemed to be desperately clinging on to.

Katherine had been the one to tell him that he needed to grow up, though she didn’t put it in such a blunt manner. No, she’s just.... gently urging him to find a bigger apartment, or buy matching furniture from a place that is not a thrift store, or purchase dishes that weren’t of the plastic Walmart brand. She says it was because she wants to see him in a more professional, "adulty" lifestyle, but he knows it’s really because she can see that he’s a mess.

Deep down, Jack knows she’s right. She’s always right.

He just can’t help but feel cemented in place, dreaming of the past while dreading the new future ahead of him.

Jack never asked to feel so broken for no reason. All of the hope and optimism he had felt as a teenager was gone, lost in a sea of uncertain plans and shitty jobs and bill extensions and canvases dropped onto the floor with no rhyme or reason. And, yes, maybe Jack would look dramatic to someone who didn’t know his situation, but Jack knows what dramatic feels like. Dramatic feels like watching his best friend, Charlie, belt onstage in front of a backdrop that he helped create for the school play. Dramatic feels like laughing at the top of his lungs while walking through a random gas station at two in the morning, joined by Race and Al, all while higher than a kite. Dramatic feels like driving to the outskirts of the city with Katherine, climbing onto the roof of an old building and screaming about all of their stress, their anxiety, their insecurities, just to have some form of emotional release.

Dramatic doesn’t feel like sadness. It’s not supposed to.

Not for Jack.

He had been so… so happy, as a teenager. Proud and defiant and carefree. He was the kind of guy to skate and smoke weed in Central Park until midnight and take a math test at eight in the morning the next day. He was the kid who stood on a table in the cafeteria and came out as bisexual to everyone around him, just because of a dumbass bet that he didn’t even get paid for. He was the boy who wasn’t at all good in an academic sense, but who always knew how to talk himself out of trouble, who always came up with the most ridiculous- or most believable- lies to cover his ass when he needed it, who was always the class favorite, the teacher’s pet without meaning to be.

Jack had felt on top of the world back then, but now he’s struggling to even get off of the ground. The longer time goes on, the more lost Jack feels inside his own life. He feels like something was missing, something big. Something bigger than himself.

When his mother was alive, which now felt like lifetimes ago, she would often echo this old wives’ tale about how it’s best to find your soulmate while you’re younger, just to save them- and yourself- the pain of being alone for a long time. Jack had always kind of believed her; logically, he knew it was true, but he had always told himself that it wouldn’t happen to him. That he would be fine alone, though it wouldn’t be ideal, and that he would have plenty of time for soulmates after he got out and made a name for himself.

He’s starting to think, though, that maybe she was right. Maybe Jack had waited too long to make a move, to make contact again, because now, he just feels nauseous even thinking about it.

Don’t get him wrong, he knows the negative effects of self deprecation and not taking his own mental health seriously, he’s been to rehab before, blah, blah, blah, but, fuck, how could he put his soulmate through something like this? This fucked up state of mind he has now. Jack can’t even imagine talking to Katherine about this, and Katherine had been his best friend for over a decade. He can’t just meet his soulmate now- it’s been too long, he’s too messed up, they won’t like him, they’ll hate him for not trying hard enough, and Jack will just end up alone again, wasting away in his bedroom because no one fucking cares. No one cares. He has nobody.

That’s not true. He has Medda, his mom, his savior, his impulse control, but the thought of telling her that everything is acting up again makes him want to scream. He has Tony, but Tony has Al, and Tony and Al have a kid- a sweet little five year old girl who calls Jack ‘Uncle Jackie’ and takes no shit from anyone. He has Katherine, but Katherine has her soulmate- this dude named Darcy, who Jack doesn’t have much of an opinion on because they just met, like, a month ago, and Jack hasn’t exactly been emotionally ready for a hangout session between the three of them. He also has Charlie, and Charlie has certainly seen him in worse times- like when Jack was kind of hooked on pills for the entirety their freshman year of college- but Charlie has grad school to worry about and Charlie would hate him if he bothered him with this.

Still, there are other people who would listen, probably. He could easily talk to Elmer, or Romeo, or Specs, or Jojo or Finch or Sean or a fucking therapist but that’s just it, isn’t it? If he talks, he burdens, and Jack Francisco Kelly would rather run himself into the ground than be a burden anyone.

So, he makes a vow.

He makes eye contact with his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He’s gripping onto the sink, holding on for dear life, as he stares into his own sunken eyes. He takes in his appearance. Damp, messy hair, falling down to cover his forehead. Pale skin, which isn’t normal at all. Dark circles have taken their place around his eyes, and his smile- one of his favorite things about himself- is… nonexistent.

Distantly, Jack registers himself dumping a full bottle of ibuprofen into the sink. And then, he does the same thing with the bottle of melatonin from his medicine cabinet. The valium follows. He lets the water run for a long time. It's not that he doesn't trust himself- he'd done so, so good in rehab, and he doesn't even feel urges that often anymore- but it's better safe than sorry, especially since he's like... this.

This is not the Jack Kelly he’s used to anymore. This is not the Jack Kelly he wants to be.

But this Jack Kelly is the one who vows not to reach out. The one who vows to only answer when his soulmate is ready, and maybe not even then.

He doesn’t have to wait long, though.

Not when a heart appears on the back of his hand the next morning.

It’s there when Jack wakes up, and, honestly, it almost brings Jack to tears- but not necessarily for happy reasons. Sure, Jack wants to be happy. Who wouldn’t be happy after seeing something like this? A lopsided heart drawn in red ink, right on the back of his left hand- it was the definition of a symbol, of a romantic gesture, and Jack wants so badly to write back, to strike up conversation, to draw a goddamn heart, but… he can’t.

He can’t, and that’s horrible of him, and he knows it.

Right now, though… Jack can’t even work up the courage, the energy, to call his mom.

His soulmate, whoever they are, is going to have to wait.

[schmergo]

What Your Favorite Shakespeare Character Says About You

I was sending these individually to people’s inboxes but then tumblr got weird about it and started thinking I was a robot because I was sending too many messages, so I made this instead:

Hamlet: You've been going through a PRETTY DANG WEIRD COUPLE OF YEARS. You've either taken at least one philosophy class or you've written/made/performed something inspired by your feelings about your parents.

Ophelia from Hamlet: You're depressed but have a top-notch aesthetic. You are constantly amazed by how much the people around you can let you down.

Horatio from Hamlet: You’re a very good listener but people rarely listen to you.

Beatrice from Much Ado: You use humor and irony to cope with virtually any situation unless it involves one of your friends getting hurt. Then you are in Mama Bear attack mode.

Benedick from Much Ado: You either love Kenneth Branagh or are a Nerdfighter or both.

Macbeth: You either really love your significant other or really love Fight Club.

Lady Macbeth: You either went through a goth phase or you have really strong opinions about classic Hollywood divas/ aging female Broadway stars/ modern pop stars.

Richard III: You either love edgy memes or you're the kind of person who really likes Loki and Kylo Ren. Or you absolutely hate the fact that Shakespeare portrayed him as a villain, which means that your favorite Shakespeare character is not Richard III at all, you just have a favorite historical figure.

Queen Margaret: You either own multiple pieces of merchandise with feminist slogans on them or you have very strong opinions about Game of Thrones.

Juliet: You are NOT getting along great with your parents right now. You have a favorite Disney princess and it's not because of how she looks but what she's been through.

Romeo: If you're not an Instagram poet, you should be.

Mercutio: You like to make jokes while watching movies with your friends. Your friends probably don't enjoy this as much as you do. You probably either really like The Joker or Deadpool.

Prince Hal: You, who most loves Prince Hal, are also more judgmental of his choices than anyone else. You're the kind of person who puts together really intricate, detailed plans for upcoming events or projects and devotes yourself totally singlemindedly to them while acting like you are under no stress and having a good time, sending out lots of friendly and chill sounding reminders like, "Hey guys! Things are moving along! Just a few updates!" You lie awake all night in a panic about these things.

Hotspur: You would think that people who love Hotspur are also jocks, but in fact, they are actually enthusiastic nerds who are always up to argue relentlessly about their favorite topics.

Falstaffs: You are either someone who has played Falstaff, wants to play Falstaff, have seen a favorite actor or loved one play Falstaff, or are leading literary critic and Yale professor Harold Bloom.

Richard II: You either have a very detailed pinterest, instagram, or tumblr devoted to your personal aesthetic. You tend to self-sabotage. If you ever get married, you will be WEIRD about your wedding. Also, you are probably not heterosexual, let's be honest.

Rosalind from As You Like It: You have probably wished you could give lessons to a previous partner of yours of how to be a less sucky boyfriend/girlfriend. You have had at least one controversial haircut among your friend group.

Viola from Twelfth Night: Same as the above, but also people constantly guessed incorrectly about your sexual orientation growing up. And also, you still sometimes think wistfully of your high school crush.

Malvolio from Twelfth Night: You are smart, but you often do stupid things. You like to watch 'cringe compilations' or follow humorous fail/shaming blogs, but you also constantly worry you will find yourself on them.

Olivia from Twelfth Night: You have had a string of BAD RELATIONSHIPS and are DONE right now, but that doesn't mean that you're not extremely committed to STYLE, because you are.

Paulina from The Winter's Tale: You HATE your boss.

Shylock: You constantly feel the need to tell people that he is NOT a villain and everyone else in that play is terrible. You can't even enjoy The Merchant of Venice, but you keep going to see productions of it anyway.

Iago: You constantly feel the need to tell people that you're not actually racist, but you just think he's a FASCINATING VILLAIN.

Othello: You weep when certain songs come on the radio.

Prospero: You are writer who often complains about how HARD it is to be a writer despite getting very little done.

Caliban: You actually like A Tempest better than The Tempest.

Ariel: See PUCK below, except you're less annoying.

Puck: You used to do gymnastics, martial arts, or some other kind of sport or dance because your family hoped that would help you get some of your energy out and you'd be less hyperactive, destructive, and disruptive. You have a bad habit of accidentally breaking things.

Helena: You had really bad self-esteem in high school and still have really bad luck in relationships.

Titania: You used to have Lisa Frank everything in elementary school.

Oberon: You really like Renaissance faires

Brutus: You have always been either an overachiever perfectionist or someone who habitually bites off way way way way way more than you can chew and makes a mess of it despite trying really hard. You remind people to bring an extra sweater to events because it might get chilly.

Cassius: You are extremely smart and yet you're also an impulsive mess who does weird things like start painting your entire bedroom at 2 AM. You feel like you somehow have the sworst luck in the world and that if you had more opportunities, things would be better. You have a grudge against specific celebrities.

King Lear: You have a favorite elderly British actor.

Cleopatra: You secretly consider the Kardashians or other similarly luxuriously-living reality stars an extremely guilty pleasure. You also may have gone through a strong Ancient Egypt phase in elementary school.

Coriolanus: The Prince of Egypt made a big impression on you even if you're not religious. You are quiet and reserved but swear like a sailor. You either have a huge crush on Tom Hiddleston or have a favorite Civil War battle.

Katherina from Taming of the Shrew: Either you don't actually like Taming of The Shrew or you've never actually seen/read Taming of the Shrew.

Anyone else: You're just Too Cool For School, aren't you?

[imagine-loki]

Maelstrom

TITLE: Maelstrom CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 3 AUTHOR: wolfpawn ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine helping Loki leave his physically and emotionally abusive girlfriend. You treat him with kindness and respect, and with time, as he falls for you, you teach him that love isn’t supposed to hurt. RATING: Mature NOTES/WARNINGS: Trigger Warning - This story is going to deal with emotional and physical abuse by a female abuser to her male partner. Maelstrom - a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil. Loki bit his tongue. At this stage, he was not sure how he had not bitten through it. Lucia was talking again of them going to Vanaheim for a week to her family home. The one that, at present, was not housing a single other member of her family. It was clear what she wanted but the more adamant she wasn't doing it, the more averse he was to it.

He was not the most romantic but he knew that he wanted to want the first time. He wanted to know the woman he did it with would love him regardless of his fumbling attempts to put what he had read to use. Lucia was not that woman. At first, he thought she would be. She seemed to show genuine interest in him, listening to him, laughing with and not at him. She seemed to enjoy his company, but after they began to become closer, she changed.

It started with slight comments, half under her breath which became more vocal as time passed, then one day, he was delayed meeting her at a meeting with a foreign Lord his father had asked him to entertain. When he finally got to Lucia, whom he had sent a message to, she slapped him across the face for “embarrassing” her. It did not hurt him physically, he was a strong warrior but it did hurt in other ways, it made him feel terrible, as though he did something to deserve it. The next time was when she had lost a friendly competition, it was somehow his fault even though he had nothing to do with it. She called him every manner of name after that and struck him again, and again it did not physically hurt so he just accepted it. Not once during such events did he retort the words or retaliate against her. His mother, father, and tutors always reiterated time and again that a man never raised a hand to a woman. It escalated until she dug her nails into his arms so tightly that they broke the skin. Then she took one of his daggers across his arm when he said no to getting her something. That was the first time that he was worried, and since then it has only gotten worse. He had been worried about Sif’s sister finding out as he knew his brother and his friends would make all manners of insults if the healer mentioned it to her sister. Eir eased his concerned some bit, and insisted that Tyr’s other daughter, he now recalled being named Cara, would say nothing. In the time since then, he suspected that she had not spoken a word of what she had seen to anyone.

He always knew that Sif had a sister, they had been a presence around the palace since he could remember but he knew little else of her. She was not as known as her older sister, though, it was clear that in her own way, she was respected. Eir clearly thought a lot of her and in both instances, he had dealings with her, she had shown she was trustworthy.

He looked over to the wedding table and was able to find both sisters easily. He watched as Cara spoke with Sif with her hand moving as they aided her to tell the story. When she came to the climax, the pair laughed before Sif rose to her feet, saying her goodbyes and going over to Thor. With Lucia occupied elsewhere, he took a moment to watch Cara and think about what she had said on the previous meeting. Men did seem to find interest in her, some asking her to dance but she declined them all. It was clear that she was far happier in her own company. At one stage, she seemed to realise he was looking at her and gave a faint nod in salute before turning away again and watching the dancing.

Lucia came over after a time and insisted Loki bring her dancing. Reluctantly he did so, and after a few songs, he felt as though his concerns were all in his head as Lucia laughed and smiled at him in a manner that made him think that she did love him as she said she did.

When they ceased, Loki smiled at her happily. ‘ We had better call it a night, I have training to do with the word tomorrow.’

Lucia’s face fell. ‘What?’

‘I explained earlier, about Thor and I having to train tomorrow.’

‘Yes I'm not stupid, I know you told me, what has that got to do with me?’

‘Well, we came together, the protocol is that usually….’

‘I'm not stopping you from going, why are you trying to be so controlling?’

Loki's stomach sank.. ‘No, it's nothing like that….. I would never do such a thing, I just…. of course if you wish to stay, you should.’

Immediately, Lucia’s demeanour altered completely again. ‘Great, bye.’ She kissed him on the cheek and walked off, grabbing something to drink as she passed a waiter before sitting with some of the ladies of the court.

Loki went and bid farewell to the bride and groom before excusing himself, not entirely certain of how he should react to what he was just involved in.

‘Going so soon? Norns you're more dedicated than most, Prince Loki.’

He turned to see Tyr behind him. ‘Yes, I fear what Bjorn has in store for us, I wish to be prepared.’ he chuckled

Tyr laughed in return. ‘He's a right sticker alright but a good warrior. He’ll keep you all in the straight and narrow.’

‘I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not.’ Loki joked.

‘No, it does not seem that way when you are going through it.’ Tyr acknowledged. ‘Ah, Cara.’  Loki turned to see Cara standing a respectful distance back. ‘Are you off to bed, as well?’

‘Yes, I told Eir that I would assist her with the sparring in the morning since Sif is more than likely the main person that will maim everyone, it seems only fair to help deal with her carnage.’

Tyr erupted and laughter. ‘You're incredibly witty. Prince Loki, I'm not sure if you remember my youngest, Cara.’

‘We've met a few times.’ Loki confirmed.

‘I did not think you want to require her expertise too often.’

‘Not at all, I rarely ever see his Highness at all, much less in the healing rooms.’ Cara smiled. ‘Though according to Sif, his swiftness and abilities are the reason for such.’

‘You have no idea, he is terrifying to behold.’

‘Are you more of an assassin than a warrior, Prince Loki?’

‘An excellent analogy of him.’ Tyr declared.

‘Perhaps.’ Loki gave a polite smile.

‘It is good to know we are on the same side, then.’ She gave a polite smile in return before looking at her father. ‘Did Mother give you that book?’ she checked

‘Yes.’ Tyr pulled out a small book from his robe. ‘Machiavelli, an odd name.’

‘It's brilliant, I promise.’ His daughter guaranteed.

‘I will let you know what I think. I best be off.’ Tyr gave a loving smile as his daughter went into her toes and kiss his cheek. ‘ I bid goodnight to you both.’ He turned to give Loki a slight bow before leaving.

‘Have you actually read Machiavelli?’ Loki asked somewhat startled when they were alone.

‘I have, it is an excellent piece of his work. Midgard has some wonderful literature, don't you think?’ Her smile was more animated than any he had seen her give before.

‘I agree, are you familiar with the Odyssey?’

‘I am. I am a fan of more modern works though, I mean, it's not Shakespeare.’

‘You….you have read Shakespeare?’ Loki's eyes widened.

‘I cannot go to sleep without a sonnet.’ She confessed.

Loki looked her up and down in awe. ‘Which….?’

‘Oh, don't you dare asked me to select a favourite, I could not possibly choose.’ she laughed.

Loki's eyes why didn't even more. ‘Amazing.’

‘How so?’

‘I…’ Loki's animated and excited face dropped, he did not want to speak ill of Lucia and her lack of love for literature of the same calibre of his own preferences. ‘Nevermind.’

‘Perhaps, when we have more time and free schedules in the future we could discuss this further?’ She offered. ‘I rarely get a fellow Midgardian literary enthusiast to speak with.’

‘Perhaps.’ Loki smiled once more, genuinely excited at such a thought. ‘Can I ask you somethingodd, does your father genuinely…’

‘Yes?’

‘Does he mind that you are doing a profession?’

‘Why would my father have an issue with my having a profession?’ she laughed.

‘Well, you are a Duke's daughter.’

‘Such things do not particularly matter in the healing rooms. Eir is, after all, very distantly related to the Allmother.’

‘What about you having a family, your brother is now wed and with Sif and...well.’

‘I will find someone sooner or later.’ Her confidence startled him. ‘Sif keeps joking that if I receive a patient she has stabbed in the leg with a dagger left in, then she has found someone she thinks worthy of my time.’ She laughed.

‘Any so far?’

‘Not yet, perhaps tomorrow.’ She shrugged. ‘Goodnight, my prince. I hope you have a wonderful evening and please do not feel the need to add to my sister's casualty toll too greatly tomorrow.’

Loki chuckled. ‘I will endeavour to keep it in the single figures.’

‘The most I could ever ask for. Have a wonderful evening.’ She smiled as she bowed before turning to leave.

‘Goodnight.’ He watched her leave, startled by her being interested in the same things as himself and also intrigued that throughout their entire conversation, she had the same cheerful and pleasant demeanour, her attitude and tone did not alter once as Lucia was prone to doing.

[the-desolated-quill]

Zanzibar - Inside No. 9 blog

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. If you haven’t seen this episode yet, you may want to before reading this review)

One of the marvellous things about Inside No 9 is that you never know what you’re going to get from one episode to the next. I never would have expected Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith to write an entire episode in iambic pentameter, but here we are. Zanzibar. An amazing opening episode that can only be done in a show like Inside No 9.

Set on the 9th floor of the Zanzibar hotel, the episode opens with the bellboy, played by Jaygann Ayeh, introducing the audience to the story, which was a bit unexpected. We’ve never had narrators in the show before (the closest we ever got was Derek Jacobi in The Devil Of Christmas). Then things got slightly more disconcerting when Reece Shearsmith himself broke the fourth wall. By the time Bill Paterson started doing it, it all became clear. This is Pemberton and Shearsmith’s ode to Shakespeare.

Now of course this isn’t the first time Pemberton and Shearsmith have tried Shakespeare. Series 1′s The Understudy took a lot of its influence from Macbeth, even going so far as to use the play itself as a narrative framing device.  But I personally feel Zanzibar works much better. For one thing, the plot elements and parallels are far less contrived here than they were in the Understudy. Also, mercifully, it doesn’t feel like the writers are constantly bashing you over the head with their cleverness. Instead they just let the work speak for itself. Zanzibar is still immensely entertaining if you’re not familiar with the bard’s work, but those who have at least a passing knowledge of Shakespeare and his plots will derive so much more from it.

Zanzibar is ostensibly a Shakespearean farce and it contains a lot of the plot elements and devices one would find in a Shakespeare play. There’s the case of mistaken identity with Rory Kinnear’s characters, a lovers’ quarrel, the servant trying to usurp his master, a sleeping draught, a love spell, family rivalries and political machinations. Not to mention tons of sexual innuendo and smut and, to cap it all off, the fool (or in this case the bellboy) being the only character smart enough to understand what’s going on around him while those of higher social status than him get lost in their own confusing affairs. It’s classic Shakespeare through and through, but still unmistakably Pemberton and Shearsmith.

All the actors do an amazing job in their roles. Rory Kinnear is brilliant in his dual roles as a royal with questionable sexual tastes and the gormless but well meaning working class boyfriend. Bill Paterson too is a highlight. A man desperately trying and failing to commit suicide feels like a typical example of Pemberton and Shearsmith’s trademark dark humour, but the Shakespearean dialogue gives the character a bit more nuance and depth, revealing him to actually be the long lost father of the Kinnear twins, and Bill Paterson really gives the part a lot of emotional welly. But my favourite in particular is Marcia Warren who got some of the biggest laughs from me. This isn’t the first time i’ve seen her play the barmy old woman (she was also Penelope in Vicious), but she does it so well that you can’t help but love her.

A lot of critics have described this episode as being a parody or lampooning of Shakespeare. I disagree. Yes it’s often vulgar and crass, but people forget Shakespeare often dealt with very risqué topics. What’s Much Ado About Nothing if not a farcical sex comedy? I never got the impression that Pemberton and Shearsmith were in any way mocking Shakespeare. In fact kind of the opposite. There’s a long tradition of theatre, film and television adapting Shakespeare plays in a more modern setting whilst retaining the original, poetic prose and Zanzibar feels very much in that vein. It’s a tribute to Shakespeare, demonstrating how timeless the themes of his stories are. The only time the episode ever makes fun of it is in a very playful, self aware way. For example when Marcia Warren’s character gets her memory back and asks what had just happened, and her son (played by Pemberton) replies that it would be impossible to explain in a rhyming couplet.

What’s most notable about Zanzibar is that it actually has a happy ending. Bill Paterson is reunited with his sons, the assassination attempt is foiled by a hypnotist and the hokey kokey, Marcia Warren gets her memory back and Rory Kinnear’s relationship with his fiancé is rekindled. It makes a pleasant change from the twisted and macabre settings of previous stories. There’s also no real twist as such. One of the reasons I felt Series 3 was slightly weaker than the previous series’ was because Pemberton and Shearsmith had fallen into the same trap that a lot of other writers like Steven Moffat and JJ Abrams have fallen into. Putting more emphasis on trying to shock the audience rather than telling an engaging story. That’s how you end up with stories with twists that undermine what came before (The Bill) or that are so outlandish that the entire episode starts to become pretentious and convoluted (The Riddle Of The Sphinx). With Zanzibar, the focus is clearly placed on creating a funny and entertaining story with interesting characters in a compelling style, and it’s all the better for it. Zanzibar is an episode that rewards repeat viewings. The intricacies of its story and the attention to detail is what makes this stand out so much. Character arcs and plot elements are subtly seeded throughout with such skill and confidence, like Shearsmith’s character planning to use his attendance at the hypnotist’s performance as an alibi for himself only for that same hypnotist to be the one who defeats him.

Zanzibar is by far one of the most creative and well executed Inside No. 9s ever written and sets the bar incredibly high for the rest of Series 4.

[mrsaito58]

If you nail two things together that have never been nailed together before, some schmuck will buy it from ya.

George Carlin

Lately I have been rethinking my stance on originality in the arts.

Especially since the turn of the twentieth century and the rise of modernism, so much emphasis has been placed on a creator’s originality. Schoenberg’s atonal music, Kandinsky’s abstract art, Joyce’s stream of consciousness literature - all of them proclaimed as Great for doing something no one had done before. [Even though none of them was in fact the first to have done the thing, but that’s another story.]

Meanwhile, some creators are dismissed for looking too much like, or sounding too much like, so-and-so. By which they mean that the artist’s means of expression show clear influences. But what about the ideas they express using those means? What about the ways they please and communicate with the audience? Too often, originality is held up, not as an important value in art, but as the only value.

Shakespeare is known for, among other things, coining new words in his writing, which became part of the language. Hard for a writer to get more original than that. But, by this way of thinking, does this mean that a writer who invents new words is necessarily writing better stories than someone who simply uses the language as they find it?

In my youth, I dismissed some comic artists for simply being clones of some better-known artist. I did this without paying attention to how well they used this stylistic language to tell a good story. I look back at their work now and see that I was missing out on a lot that was valuable in what they did, simply because it didn’t “look new”.

When jazz pianist Jutta Hipp released her album At the Hickory House, it was dismissed by many for “sounding exactly like Horace Silver”. And yet, today, her album is a fave of mine, and I listen to it more often than any of Silver’s. Because I enjoy what she plays. It’s not like she has no ideas of her own, it’s not that every line she plays is a direct rip-off of something Silver played. She has a similar tone and touch, but she uses it to create music of her own. Which you need to get past the superficial similarities to appreciate.

So, I am finally reaching the stage where I can look at or listen to someone whose style is highly influenced, or even derivative, and not simply go, “They aren’t giving me an original style or technique.” Now, I ask, “What are they giving me? Do I find anything worthwhile in this work?” Of course, originality still has some value in and of itself. A satisfying work that is expressed in a new and unique way can become even more satisfying because of that. But there are other things to consider, is all I’m saying.

[kasiopeiae]

Rings of Saturn

A/N: Well, this is it! I’ve been working on this oneshot for the last 3 1/2 months and it’s finally come together, all 22k words of it. I’ve really loved working in this universe, and I hold Phoebe and Harry close to my heart. If you enjoy them too, please let me know. I’d love to write more about them, so please send me a message if there’s anything you’d like to read or know about them. Special shoutout to @haroldsbee for being my cheerleader and proofreader, I wouldn’t have made it without you! Likes, reblogs, and feedback are greatly appreciated. Without further ado, I give you the story of Fratboy and Stargirl.   

[myanalyticalcrutch-blog]

Pagan Poetry

Written for FS 464: Film as a Visual Poem, on September 18, 2017

Bjork is, like many poetic artists, misunderstood by a lot of people. However, there is a reason she has won awards and gotten media attention, other than her swan dress. She pours herself out into every song, and whether you understand what she is saying or not, you can feel the raw emotion behind it. Both the song and video for Pagan Poetry explore the dialog between love, pain, and lust. Bjork is telling us about her love for someone and the pleasure he gives her along with the pain attached to him. This pain is both wanted and unwanted, almost necessary for the relationship. The abstract images slowly become more clear, revealing different parts of Bjork herself. She is showing herself and becoming more comfortable, realizing what she wants before our eyes, being reborn in a sense. Love is considered sacred in most cultures. It is supposed to be the closest thing to a magical experience that you can have. The worst people can change for love, the true happiness makes them want to be better or opens their eyes to a new point of view. Love can also blind you from the bad things about your partner or the world itself. The shelter of love can both be constructive and destructive.

We witness the piercing of her nipples on screen. Body mutilation is shown as a way of expression and self-love as it is for many people. Many cultures even use it as a sign of honor or bravery. Whereas in many western cultures, tattoos, piercings, and scarification are seen as the sign of someone who hates themselves and others. It is seen as unprofessional and unfriendly, though it is slowly becoming more accepted. But it is also to resemble to piercing pain that love can be related to. The draping of pearls and lacing of the piercings on her back match the weaving of the messages and emotions of love and agony throughout the song. Her vocals are precise but have an animalistic quality, adding to the true emotion of the piece. The love and pain for her is instinctual human nature, but it has such a taboo around it, she must question if it is what is best for her. When her face is fully shown, she is smiling while singing, as though she is in ecstasy. However, as the song goes into a chant of “I love him” she stops singing on screen and seems to be in distress. This chant gives the song and video a sense of ritual, love and pain dialog ritually. One must always sacrifice something for love.

Many marriages end in divorce. I have always wanted to believe that love existed in the beginning or at least somewhere down the line. People are breaking the taboo that you must love one person forever. Love cannot exist without pain. She is wearing a dress by Alexander McQueen, a famous fashion designer, another artist. The dress exposes most of her torso with a mermaid bottom creating an incomplete wedding dress aesthetic. There are pearls, often seen as a feminine accessory, draped from her neck and shoulders. She is breaking taboos and bringing up stereotypes addressed to being a proper woman while she herself is embracing pain with love. She is opening exposing herself and the love and pain coupled with ecstasy and lust. The lyrics also suggest that perhaps there was an openness to the relationship at some point, or perhaps in her last relationship. This brings up the possibility that it started as something solely sexual and for her it developed into other feelings. It is often said that one of the most painful things in life is losing a lover or partner. She yells and shouts with a smile on her face that he makes her want to hurt herself. Shortly after we see an image of corset piercings on her back and blood around the holes. The weaving of these emotions is making her bleed and yet she will not let go of them because they also provide her with a sense of liberation from the bonds of social norms in relationships and as a woman.

People are highly affected by the emotions tied to poetry and music. Our lives are surrounded constantly by music and its effects. Some people argue that particular music can affect us negatively, while others claim that all music has a sense of liberation for individuals. According to legends, Orpheus was the first poet. He is usually depicted holding a musical instrument known as a lyre. In many images, the lyre is being held to his chest and close to his heart. It captures the soul of the poet, his love, his emotions, and all that he is. Music and poetry are to this day seen as way to ultimately expose yourself emotionally and express everything that you are and hope to be. Two important words that have risen from the lyre are lyrics and lyrical. These words are used to describe art from all genres, including music, painting, poetry, and film. All essential to an artist’s everyday life. Lyrics are words, often associated with poetry that are connected to a melody and are meant to be sung, not just spoken, however, there is a thin line that is often crossed between speaking and singing. Poetry itself is very musical. It is aware of rhythm, tones, and patterns. Chants and repetition can be seen in both music as well as poetry. The chorus of many modern songs is extremely repetitive and can evoke the feeling of a chant, especially when we look at genres like rap and hip hop. Rap is a genre that frequently crosses the line between singing and rapping and focuses highly on rhythm and rhyme just as poetry does, whereas other genres may focus more on the melody and the music.

As stated before, there is a thin line between music and poetry and they are often weaved together. They both deliver and story in a very strong, emotional, and intimate way. The artist is aware of all of the elements that go into his piece and strives to capture the essence of being human. This also applies to film, a visual poem. However, it is not a visual poem the same way that a painting is, it has literal movement and stillness contrasting each other. Film is a massive mixing pot of many different art forms. Greek tradition calls the poet and lyrical being, lyricism being strongly attached to passion. Plato had said that poets are enthusiasts. They are expressive, passionate and energized by that passion. To Plato, enthusiasm is a trance. Poets become enraptured by their subjects, they dig deeper and deeper into something and they cannot be pulled out of their art and passions. In The Republic, he says that poets should not be included in the city. They are radicals or have a tendency to embrace radical behavior and thoughts, and this is a danger to society. Poets abandon logic and twist language, they play with concepts like young children poking at dead animal carcasses. They explore depths of opinions and subjects that are taboo and to most people should not be thought about. Tarkovski’s poets illustrate two sides of this. His mad poet is loud and filled with rage. He is disruptive and subjects everyone in his presence to his truth, he scars them with the images of his death and the sounds of his final cried. The wise poet, however, uses silence to contemplate his message. It slowly sinks deep and has a chilling tone about it. He is caught in a silent trance while performing his final ritual.

In a sense, poets create their own language. Shakespeare is one example of a poet literally creating language. He betrayed the known laws of language and created terms and phrases that are still common in language long after his death. His impact on society and art is immeasurable. His plays have been rewritten and stories retold over and over. His plays often put people in the shoes of the poet, entrancing them and inviting them to think about the taboo and unusual. Topics of spirituality and sexuality are often covered in Shakespearean plays and poetry. Lyricism and poetry can represent the elevation of the voice and the gaze from the creation of language. As long as that language is lived through momentum and constantly fed with the energy of the poet and the audience.

Poetry embraces the duality of chaos and order. Many poems have a strict formatting while also exploring the chaos of humankind within its text. Poets whether through literature or image are obsessed with paradoxes and irony. There is a constant idea of the overlap between two things usually seen as opposites. Black and white are colors used frequently as a metaphor even when the concepts presented in the piece explore the many different shades of grey. Modern art often depicts Orpheus as a meaningful hero. He is seen as a representation of the human experience and what it means to be an individual. He is to thank for the many different forms of art and poetry that our lives come into contact with. We have access to so many different ways of expressing ourselves and sending a message to other people. We can connect and embrace other people and individual personalities through poetry while exploring areas of our subconscious we are not always familiar with. Raoul Dufy shows Orpheus surrounded by the sea and nature. In the image, there is a balance between the sky and the ocean. The presence of nature is a representation of how natural poetry is and poet’s deep connection with nature and life. Orpheus is at the center of the world and able to communicate across many platforms and elements. He can dialog with life and the spirit of nature. This lines up with the legend that his power of words and lyricism, he was able to communicate with the entire world, from the biggest creatures, to the smallest, down to small specks of life hardly seen or noticed by humankind. It is said that he could even make stones cry. This legend applies the idea of super natural power to poets.

As creators, artists across all genres adapt a special style so they can be seen as an individual and separate themselves from the works of other famous creators. They often have another artist that helped them discover their art, style, and passion. Visual poets are true visionaries, their gaze being projected with and onto others and sending out sparks of inspiration to other aspiring artists that wish to show the world their point of view. Orpheus’ vision and gaze was so powerful, that he could be seen as an extremely unsettling force. He could dialog with the Gods. I can understand why Plato would want to kick out poets if they could speak to the Gods. Poetry and visual poems explore spirituality and occasionally the spirit world itself. It is often referenced or its image depicted within poetry or films. Poets have a particular charm to them, making them dangerous because this charm gives them the power to speak with many different forms of life and even gives them a sort of power over others. Other people can be put into a trance with the chant of a poet. They can become mesmerized and led away from the dangerous safety of societal norms.

Art is a journey. Film, music, and poetry all take us on an adventure when they attempt to capture the Orphic voice. Their rhythm and voice often embracing a sense of ritual. Similar to how many parts of Bjork’s video do. The act of piercing is a ritual of adulthood and life events in many cultures. Even within modern western culture there is an accepted way to perform the act of piercing one’s body. In Pagan Poetry, she undergoes a journey of self-discovery through love and pain, just as is the poets goal to go on an extreme journey. However, extreme can mean even the smallest things. Because poets look at the world through the grey and in between areas, they do not always see the black and white as the most extreme. So many people accept that life if black and white that it is more extreme to walk somewhere in the middle. Though poets and filmmakers often explore the unknown and unreal, they also have to acknowledge reality. You cannot explore the unknown without first knowing what is known and accepted amongst the masses. Music videos bring poetry, music, and filmmaking together as a holy and transgressive experience. Artists like Bjork explore parts of reality and the subconscious seen as taboo through these art forms. She, as well as the filmmaker, want the viewer to also explore everything from the visuals, to the music, to the lyricism and words. Pagan Poetry explores the Orphic voice with its playful journey through sexuality, risk, love, and pain as one.

[ladymacbethsspot]

Questions for AO3 writers:

I was tagged by @erurink and @kaguneko , thank you both (this is long but I’ll do my best to not make it unreadable).

I’m going to tag @zedsdead1001 @ackbang and @erurifluff .

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean?

It’s a literary allusion from Shakespeare’s Macbeth . Because I’m a dork. Lady Macbeth has a famous line, “Out, damn’d spot! Out, I say”. When she says this she’s basically being way too insightful for her own good.

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos)

A Place Up North has the most hits/bookmarks/kudos at 601 / 7 / 47 - unsurprising as this is very traditional porn. But the highest hits/kudos ratio is Everyone’s Wingman. The most subs is my ficlet/drabble thing, with 5 (but it’s my only “multichap” work).

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

It’s the same as my Tumblr icon. It’s a little bit from a Takashi Murakami painting that I just really love. His art style is wild and shocking.

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

I don’t think so? If I do I’m so sorry that I haven’t figured it out yet.

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

Audacity by Shoi (amazing)

Perfect Fit by Zeds_Dead (porn haha)

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

None. I’m subbed to 5 authors though and I read pretty much anything they write.

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

Modern AU, non-reincarnation. I love canonverse for drabbles and ficlets though, the emotions are really raw.

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

4 user subs, 6 other subs, 23 bookmarks - it’s not that exciting really.

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

HAHAHAHA, no. Everything I write is embarrassing, I have no shame. I’ve got a tentacle thing in the works. So, yeah, fight me.

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

Everything? Is that an answer? Other than that I’d love to write something that is a real multichap instead of long oneshots.

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

So far I only write Eruri, so popular ships. I’ve been thinking about Akira/Ryuji from p5 though...maybe.

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

7

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

Things I’m actively working on: 3. Things I have like a paragraph and and outline for: 2. Things I have a vague idea for...many- 15?

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

Yes. I like to let ideas stew in my head for a while but I tend to write down key parts as I figure them out. Other than that, I’m very intense about outlining once I have an idea set.

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

No, I think it would be difficult but a fun challenge.

16. How did you discover AO3?

I got back into reading fanfiction when I started shipping Eruri, and AO3 is the place. I think I may have discovered it while trying to understand wth omegaverse is (kids these days). In sum: I’m old and gross and I don’t care.

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

Again, HAHAHAHA, no. I just started writing maybe 1.5 months ago. I’m really very new at it all. But I’m having fun, both with writing and exploring the fandom, so I’m quite pleased with it either way.

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

Is this a thing?

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

Ahem, (kaguneko), ahem. Their style is so unique- it’s nothing like my own, but it’s a joy to read and got me thinking that I could probably write things too since they didn’t need to be this huge many-chapter commitment to be fun. Honestly though, the Eruri fandom has a lot of amazing writers and I have a particular soft spot for writers with a sense of humor (Asexual_ravioli and RatFlavored for instance), so they all inspire me constantly.

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

Doooooo it. Do the thing. 

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

I outline a lot, even with porn. Especially with porn. I’m kind of obsessive about getting the visual in my head conveyed faithfully. Figuring things out as I go along is fine for shorter stuff though, anything under 2k words I tend to do that way.

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

Not yet. Honestly, I can’t imagine why anyone would care enough to leave a bad comment on my works. It would be admitting that you read them (haha).

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

I’m most comfortable with silly banter and porn, so things like action I haven’t even attempted yet.

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

Tentacle stuff. Also, something more ambitious that I don’t want to talk about.

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

Yes. Doesn’t everyone? There are a lot of fun ideas, how could I possibly stick to just one?

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

No, but I probably should. I’m a real life adult so I write when I can.

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

Again, I just started writing so it’s hard to make an assessment. However, I do feel like it’s easier to get into the swing of it than when I first started and I’m getting a little quicker and less indecisive.

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

I don’t know, I like all the drabbles/ficlets best, honestly. I like the ficlet entitled Meet Ugly: 1 Star Review which is buried in my multichapter ficlet/drabble thing.

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

I don’t dwell on these things, so just pick whatever porn of mine you hated most- that’s my least favorite.

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

I honestly have no idea if I’ll still be writing in 5 years, but it would be fun and I’d hope to have grown in that amount of time as a writer. If I’m still writing I hope future-me has written something longer than 40k words (with chapters)!

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

Getting ideas for more porn.

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Accepting that said porn is no longer hot once you’ve stared at it for hours.

33. Why do you write?

I haven’t really had a creative outlet for about ten years, so I write for myself. It’s a fun stress reliever and it gets me thinking in a very different way than my work does. I’ve also got lots of wild ideas for the frick frack, so that’s probably my ulterior motive.

[jessicaevansuca]

Documentaries

Documentaries are a form of visual, factual storytelling. This is mainly through film. Documentaries are always growing in popularity, with documentaries surrounding crime and murder being the most popular. 

There are different styles of documentary, each telling a story in a different way:

Poetic

Essayistic

Observational

Participatory

Performance

Interview

Dramatization

Poetic Documentary:

Poetic documentary is documentary using mainly images and video, with little to no narration. The film relies heavily on telling the story through visuals and organising material to portray a poetic message or meaning. 

Most poetic documentaries rely heavily on visuals, both photography and video, and feature little to no narration. This can help to tell a story that has an abstract message or meaning in a poetic manner. A good example of poetic documentary is a documentary called ‘Regen (Rain)’ by Joris Ivens. This documentary uses video and pictures to convey a story with no narration.

Essayistic documentary:

Essayistic documentary pairs visuals with a full narration throughout the film, this mostly relies on the narration to tell the story, with images and video acting as an accompaniment. A good example of an essayistic documantary is ‘The Case of the Grinning Cat’  by Chris Marker. This documentary follows the story of a graffiti drawing of a grinning cat. The documentary also touches on recent french history. This style of documentary is useful when there is a lot of information that needs to be portrayed throughout.

Observational Documentary:

A good example of observational documentary is a documentary called ‘Two years at sea’ by Ben Rivers. Rivers follows a man living his life in a remote cottage in Scotland. The documentary relies heavily on the visuals, with the only sound being the ambient noise from the raw footage. Rivers shot on 16mm using an old Bolex wind-up camera in black and white. This documentary is simple, yet shows the true and organic life of a man living out his dream of solidarity. It is a good example of observational documentary as we are quite literally following a man living his dream of solidarity through a visual narrative.

Participatory Documentary:

Participatory Documentary is essentially the opposite of observational documentary. We are still following a subject, however, instead of acting as merely an observer, the filmmaker will actively interact with the subject and further the story through natural interaction and conversation. An example of participatory observation is famous British filmmaker Louis Theroux. Theroux is a well known filmmaker, famous for his documentaries tackling often taboo and uncomfortable subjects by actively interacting with the subject matter. Theroux is one of the most popular documentary makers in modern society and uses the participatory method to effectively tell the stories he wishes to tell.

Performance Documentary:

Performance documentary is simply a recording of a live performance. An example of performance documentary is the recordings taken by the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company), who record their live performances to sell.

Interview Documentary:

Interview Documentary is telling a story through interview. It is common to have more than one subject taking, and for the interview to be accompanied by various visual references. Depending on the subject, there can be just one or many interviewees telling different parts of their own personal views on the chosen subject matter. This style is commonly used in crime documentaries, but is quite frequently used in documentary in general. 

An example of interview documentary is a documentary called ‘Five came back’ by Laurent Bouzereau. Interview is not the only method used by Bouzereau, but it does play a large influence in the storytelling of the documentary in itself.

Dramatisation Documentary:

Dramatisation documentary actively reenacts a story using actors, this helps to visualise what happened. This is most commonly used in history and crime documentaries, to give audiences a better idea of what happened. It is also more commonly used in cases where little to no footage was taken. An example of dramatisation in documentary is the BBC educational series for children called ‘History - True Stories’ which has actors dress as important historical icons to tell their stories through dramatisation.

Documentaries that inspire me:

Italianamerican - Martin Scorsese (1974)

Italianamerican is a documentary that famous director Martin Scorsese created surrounding the lives and personalities behind his parents Charles and Catherine Scorsese. They talk about their lives living in Italy and their past. The documentary itself is interesting, but the part that interested me the most was before the documentary had officially started for the couple. The beginning of the film features a ‘Behind the scenes’ of Scorsese setting up, but what his parents didn’t know was that he was filming them. This is the truest part of the documentary, as he is capturing the candid and natural personalities of the two subjects. 

I like the authenticity of this documentary, Scorsese doesn’t try too hard to forcibly create, he instead lets the narrative come to him. This is something I will use for my project, as I would like the story to feel natural.

Portrait of Ga - Margaret Tait

Portrait of Ga is a documentary following Tait's mother. She uses visual and audio input to show the life of her mother, and through this visual and audio imagery we get a good insight to the life of someone that, before watching, we would know nothing about.

Both of these documentaries follow the lives of the directors family members, both do it in different ways, however, both effectively reveal the life and personalities of their loved ones, so much so that we almost feel part of their lives by the end of the film. This is something I would like to convey through my documentary, to share a personal part of my grandads life in an effective way.

[lonequack]

Opinion piece: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

I was so excited to see that the Costco near where I live was selling this playscript. I turned it over in my hands and felt a wave of nostalgia from the fancy script the title was written in. A hundred little visions danced around in my memory- scenes from the Harry Potter movies, lines from the books and the moments my imagination had embellished on, added something to and flown away with while viewing or reading the series.  I do not often read play scripts. Shakespeare was a struggle for me in school, because I thrive on hearing the characters thoughts while I read. I like hearing every little step they make, every detail described to the point where the book becomes a movie in my head. My love for the Harry Potter series led to an impulsive buy.  Looking around Tumblr, I expected to find far more praise of this work than criticism- yet I found almost universal criticism, even among those who enjoyed some of the new characters (in particular, Albus and Scorpius).  Now I realize that this book is very different from the original “canon” series, in that our beloved trio is all grown up. Let me address this now: Hermione and Ginny have kept the same personalities, for the most part. Ron seems almost like an exaggeration of his childhood goofiness, but in a lighthearted way that makes him out to be a good dad and loving husband. ”Harry is out of character.”/”Harry would never be so harsh on his kids.” Harry is struggling- as my fiance so kindly pointed out (without very much knowledge of the series, but a keen memory for the movies I’ve forced him to watch), “Hasn’t Harry always had his dark moments?” Wasn’t he often struggling to say the “right” versus the “wrong” things to his loved ones, especially in the fifth novel when he was struggling with a lot of dark thoughts about himself? Throughout the novels, did he not face adversity sometimes with a wit that bordered on sassiness, get into a few big fights with his best friends and regard himself with a measure of self-loathing and despair? Harry has been through a lot of complex childhood trauma- despite having a loving group of friends around him, in The Cursed Child he is trying his best to be something he never had a model for- a good parent. In my perspective he is doing an amazing job, despite every terrible ordeal he has gone through. Sometimes despite being a better person from what you’ve endured, there are still triggers and scars that remind you of where you’ve been. Harry is trying to process who he has been as “The Boy Who Lived” while so many, regrettably, died. He is confused and angry and complex. I have seen good parents lash out when they are bated or berated by their children. Kids can be cruel, parents can react harshly, and it is hard to get to the underlying problem from what your child is saying sometimes. We are messy and emotional as parents. His lashing out at his son is so expected and human to me, so in his character when not considering him as the ultimate angel and hero, not black and white, but as grey as Dumbledore turned out to be by the end of the series.  (As an afterthought: please consider that in a play, there is usually more exaggeration and drama, in order to drive ideas home. The harsh exchange between father and son serves to magnify their differences and similarities.) “Albus shouldn’t have been in Slytherin” In the moment where young Albus is sorted into Slytherin, we see the sorting hat get confused. It sat upon his father’s head years ago and quipped “Very difficult...”, then explained how Harry could fit into any of the houses based on personality attributes. Slytherin was one house considered, but it was considered and not chosen because Harry was resolved toward Gryfindor.  His son Albus shows no such enthusiasm towards Gryfindor (and in fact, Albus is detached from anything relating too closely to his famous father), but his unexpected sorting does serve two important points- to humanize the modern Slytherin (no longer the children of dark wizards and witches) and to give Scorpius a buddy, so that he would not feel so alone. When Albus chose to sit with the outcast Malfoy child, he chose to carry the yolk of a Slytherin, And perhaps it was his birthright, given a middle name like Severus. Severus, who was not a bad man by any means but who was an outcast and a Slytherin in his childhood.  “Scorpius and Albus were meant to be closer than friends” Then I see people describe “I couldn’t have done it without you” moments between the two. Two outcasts who are comfortable around one another to show appreciation, care and even love- as friends. It is in no way wrong or unnatural for two heterosexual young kids, later young teens, who are close as family. To assume that any close friendship must be a premise of more shows a lot about what we believe friendship should be, especially between boys- more guarded, detached. Less emotional, no hugging, no physical affection whatsoever. Physical affection between older children as always a sign of romantic interest, not a sign of two kindred souls. A cultural consideration to this- in Western culture, men are seen as less emotional, less expressive, less physically affectionate. What a better world it would be if every ounce of affection was celebrated but non-assuming, until such individuals actually called themselves otherwise!  It is not as if a strong friendship has never been a theme in the Harry Potter books. This seemed a struggle for even JK Rowling herself, who wanted to pair off Harry and Hermione, rather than exploring their friendship as deep and pure. I must confess, as a teenager, watching the fourth movie, I was not able to discount romantic tension between Harry and Hermione. When the famed “tent” scene happened in the The Deathly Hallows movie, my mind wandered to questions of compatibility. Rowling voices concern about Hermione and Ron being a realistic relationship that would survive the test of time, and I agree that their love was more passionate than realistic. In much the same way that Rose and Scorpius probably would not be realistic. But ah, life does not always follow our expectations. I find also from personal experience, as JK does, that sometimes the more serious, intellectual women “like their men funny”. And you know what? There comes a point in a lot of relationships where you have your differences, but your passion and respect for one another outweighs conflicting personality traits.  “Albus is too moody. Why is Albus so hostile, what does he have to worry about?” My final point, if I have worded this correctly, pertains to the notion that Albus shouldn’t be so glum, has no reason to be moody and is a strange contrast to what one assumes he should be. Albus lives in the looming shadow of his father, who he is learning is imperfect and human. Albus cannot seem to live with the notion that his father is not the hero everyone makes him out to be, and he gets angry. Most children view their parents as all-powerful and all-knowing up until a certain age, and disillusionment can be devastating. In this case, Albus also bears the weight of being a “Potter” and is expected to be just like the rest of the Potters in his awesomeness. As these expectations are not met, others tease him. He gets angry at himself for being the black sheep, and not living up to the expectations of others. All in all, he seems to crave a bit of normalcy not allowed of a Potter child.  So maybe my delight in this playscript rode on the coattails of its predecessors, and maybe people have every right to be angry at the differences between what they consider canon and what they never wanted to be canon. Life doesn’t always turn out the way we expect it to, nor do people, or even ourselves. We have our own expectations and when they are unmet, we are unsettled and not so much entertained. Though I do not agree with many of the points brought up surrounding this playscript, I understand why people feel the way they feel about it, in part because the tale was so non-fantastical in its characterization, so shockingly human to an almost unsettling point. And that is why I love and appreciate it, when all is said and done. 

[eurydicedramaturg-blog]

Let’s talk about me. Hi! I’m Lydia. I’m dramaturg, assistant director, and your guide to the wacky world that is Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice.

I’m also queer and proud of it. How does that connect to all this? As you may or may not be aware, Orpheus and Eurydice in modern culture is incredibly heteronormative. The quintessential story of doomed heterosexual love.

Let’s start with a definition. For my purposes, heteronormative here means “portraying heterosexual desire as default or ‘normal’ state of being” as well as “enforcing stereotypical gender roles in romantic and/or sexual relationships.” So, for example, Li Shang and Fa Mulan in Disney’s Mulan would not qualify as heteronormative, despite the relationship being between a man and a woman, because Mulan actively defies stereotypes of how a woman should behave.

I’ll be spending a lot of time talking about the differences between the adaptations I’ve looked at, but let’s first talk about the similarities. Every single adaptation I looked at, with one exception (The Hip Hop Waltz of Eurydice), features not only a romance between a male Orpheus and a female Eurydice, but more or less conforms to stereotypical gender roles.

Eurydice’s agency can mean the difference between her being a sock puppet and an actual person, but let’s look at how the story as its understood in popular culture is almost inherently heteronormative, and why.

Extremely influential in western understandings of heteronormative love throughout the ages is the medieval tradition of courtly love, most notably encapsulated in the poetry of Petrarch, where he speaks of his desire for a beautiful woman named Laura, who never returns his feelings and is out of reach because she is already married. Laura is the ideal woman: beautiful, unattainable, and silent. Her side of the story is never told. This illustrates the ideal of courtly love: a man in love with a woman who remains out of reach. While Petrarch was already being parodied and subverted by Shakespeare’s time (Romeo and Juliet being the most famous example), the ideal has greatly influential in western culture.

So here we create a vision of an ideal heteronormative romance: A man who goes to great lengths for the woman he loves and suffers without her, and a silent woman whose most characteristic trait is her beauty and who seems unattainable.

Eurydice has long been seen as either a symbol or a quest object, sometimes both. In many ways, she’s become an Ideal Woman: silent and out of reach. Being killed on her wedding day, Eurydice retains the “purity” of her virginity, while still giving Orpheus claim to her. What could be more unattainable than death? And what could be a more noble and doomed quest for love than following her into the underworld in an attempt to restore her to life?

In earlier versions of the myth, Persephone was often the one who gave Orpheus the “don’t look back” stipulation. In many modern adaptations, the role of Persephone is altered or left out entirely. Beginning with Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, the tradition of Hades as the “other man” has become somewhat common in adaptations. Often, the roles of Hades and Aristaeus become inextricable. Male insecurity about being unable to control women’s sexuality leads to adaptations where Hades is no longer Eurydice’s jailer, but instead Orpheus’ rival for her affections, and Orpheus’ failure to bring her back to the world of the living is a manifestation of a man’s fears that his wife will leave him.

Like the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, Romeo and Juliet has also been assimilated into this courtly love tradition in popular culture. Consider the role of the balcony scene in popular imagination (iconic) versus the scene where Romeo and Juliet, having just consummated their marriage, struggle with their desire to stay together in the face of Romeo’s banishment (almost forgotten). Consider how the ending is commonly watered down to “and then the teenagers killed themselves because they loved each other so much” without considering the context of the toxic world created by the feud, which made death their only option.

Perhaps because Romeo and Juliet has a solid source material that actively refutes these cultural misinterpretations, there are several examples of people turning back to the original play and pushing back against the heteronormative mold of courtly love that it’s been shoved into, and even against heteronormativity entirely. For example, the film Private Romeo uses Romeo and Juliet to critique homophobia and the toxic masculinity of a military training academy.

However, there is no equivalent for Orpheus and Eurydice. Even The Hip Hop Waltz of Eurydice, for all its exploration of gender, ends with compliance to heteronormativity.

The strange thing about Orpheus and Eurydice is that there have been plenty of chances to queer the story, and yet no one has done it. Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice was written with the intention of Orpheus being played by a castrato, a male singer castrated at a young age to stop his voice from changing. Which might in itself seem queer, however, castrati were actually considered quite masculine and commonly played kings and heroes on the stage. As the practice was made illegal in the mid-nineteen century, the role has been played mainly by women ever since.

A perfect opportunity for the sapphic Orpheus and Eurydice of my dreams? Definitely. Sadly, modern opera companies have not delivered. Instead of acknowledging the female body filling the role, they choose to gloss over it, presenting Orpheus as male and carefully avoiding any implications of homosexuality.

Now, let’s take a minute to look back at the Orpheus and Eurydice story in one of its earliest versions. Ovid provides a few interesting elements that are almost universally forgotten in all subsequent adaptations. The first, that Orpheus, after his failure to rescue Eurydice, turned his love to boys. The second is that, after his death, Orpheus’ head washed ashore on the island of Lesbos, most famously home to the poet Sappho, who often speaks of her love for women in her poetry. As Sappho was considered one of the greatest Greek poets, on the same level as Homer, this is most likely intended to imply that she was a spiritual successor to Orpheus. Well, that all sounds very queer. So what happened to all this? Why were these elements dropped, when so much of the rest of the story survived almost completely intact? The answer probably has a lot to do with the subject of this post: heteronormativity. But a better question might be this: why has no one gone back and put these elements back in?

While still a somewhat new trend, there is a history of queering heteronormative stories. Collections of gay erotica based on fairy tales, crossgender casting in Shakespeare productions to create productions such as Private Romeo, and, of course, fanfiction (free fiction stories posted on the internet using already existing characters and worlds. A popular subset known as “slash” consists of stories about characters in queer relationships.) For many queer people, presenting queer versions of traditionally heteronormative stories is not a matter of lack of imagination, but of claiming a place in a society that has shut them out and of fighting the heteronormativity these stories often enforce.

As one of these queer people, I want to make sure our production of Eurydice fights heteronormativity rather than reinforcing it. I want to acknowledge the queer elements that have been stripped from the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, and find ways to reintegrate them into the story.