#listening to the moana soundtrack and drawing is like the best

[sleepysheepytea]

hello

giggly gaara

that is all

[n1ghtcrwler]

11/11/11 Tag Game

rules: answer 11 questions, ask 11 questions, tag 11 people!

I was tagged by @surroundedbypearls, thanks! Her burning questions are:

Out of the 3 major franchises that teens love/loved (Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games) which oc would’ve had which favourite and why?

I...actually have only seen the Harry Potter movies and one (1) Twilight movie, which I watched specifically because I was asked to critique it (I was not kind), so I may be woefully underprepared to answer this question. But based on what I’ve seen of them over the years on tumblr, I guess I’ll say:

Benedict: probably Hunger Games

Matteson: Harry Potter

Jackie: Harry Potter, but she would definitely run an HP discourse blog and be VERY upset at JKR’s post-canon ‘revelations’

Rick: Would love Twilight and never admit it to a single soul

Alice: Hunger Games

Do you like scented candles/incense etc? What scents are your favourite?

Not generally. Strong smells really bother me. I can do a nice vanilla candle, sometimes, but the last time I owned one it lasted me the better part of a decade because it was very large and I used it very rarely.

What’s your favourite colour of Labrador? This is very important and you have to choose one.

Golden

Which Disney princess is your favourite?

Ariel was probably my first true love so it’s hard not to say her, but Merida and Moana have both put up a good show.

Do you listen to music while you write/draw/etc? What music do you listen to the most if you do?

I do! I have a Pandora playlist that I have carefully curated to remove anything with lyrics (it’s still a work on progress, but they’re rare now). Lyrics are generally distracting to me when I’m writing and especially when I’m drawing. The seeds for that station are all electronica, Irish folk, and epic movie soundtracks. You can listen to it here. I also have a specific inspiration playlist for Tall Tales on Spotify, which has lyrics and is available right here.

How do you balance creative stuff with lame duties like work and/or classes?

This semester I’ve tried a new thing where I schedule every hour that I’m at my school, which is 8a-9p Tuesday-Thursday. I have a one-hour block scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Tall Tales and another for freelance writing, which I don’t actually use right now and usually gets relegated to Tall Tales. This means that sometimes I manage to get time to do it over the weekend, and sometimes I don’t, but I always get something done each week.

Do you prefer winter or summer weather?

Winter

What’s your favourite cuisine and why? What’s your least favourite and why?

My favorite is pretty simple fare, actually. I like a good steak and potato dinner, or meatloaf. I don’t know what that cuisine is called.

My least favorite would be either French or Indian. I like meat and have legit medical trouble with strong spice, so Indian tends to not work for me. French is okay, I guess, but it isn’t impressive and there’s so much arrogance wrapped up in how great it is and the combination just really turns me off.

What are your ocs’ favourite fruits?

I was actually asked something very much like this for Storyteller Saturday! Though this is a bit more specific so I’ll get specific.

Benedict: Pears

Matteson: Bananas

Jackie: Blackberries

Rick: Strawberry milkshakes

Alice: Grapefruit

What are your ocs’ favourite sodas/soft drinks?

Benedict: Will not drink anything carbonated

Matteson: Mountain Dew

Jackie: Fanta

Rick: Dr. Pepper

Alice: Coca-Cola

Pick an oc, and say what terrible anime film adaptation represents them the best.

Rick is the Speed Racer of this particular game.

My Questions

What was the first inspiration for your story that you can recall?

What anime would your OC(s) recommend to someone looking to watch their first one?

Do you play any musical instruments?

What is your favorite non-writing hobby?

What Disney villain would fit best into the world of your WIP?

What is your favorite video game (or other type of game if that’s more your thing)?

Netflix has greenlit your story! Who do you want directing it?

British Comedy Face-off: Terry Pratchett, Monty Python, or Douglas Adams?

What is your honest opinion of the Star Wars prequels?

What is your OC(s)’s favorite band?

How concerned is your OC(s) about making the bed?

I tag @writeouswriter @eloquenceandemphasis @stephrawlingwrites @sunnydwrites @yetmorestories @conspiramo @marniebalboa @fair-folk-nonsense @sleepy-and-anxious @goblin-writer @kaigods

[helpingmehelpmyself]

Things I Used to Enjoy- March 29, 2021

Gosh, I have so many things going through my head. I miss the days I was able to daydream, read fanfiction, and watch television. I remember the day would go by and I would question where the time went. But it felt like self care to me then and I enjoyed it. Now it feels like a useless distraction that no longer serves its purpose. 

I want to enjoy the things I used to enjoy. I love fanfiction (particularly, Teen Wolf sterek fanfiction. I can also ship steter, starrish, and stackson. I believe they can all compliment Stiles well). I would squeel while reading and get excited every time I found a new fanfiction that fits my criteria. Sometimes I have good days in which I can read fanfiction and fall into the story.

I used to love daydreaming. My imagination is basically a fanfiction with ten or so fandoms running around with some cannon and non-cannon storylines. I liked falling asleep to my daydreams or staring at the wall while I daydreamed. I considered writing my daydreams down and turning them into a fanfiction for Ao3, but part of it feels personal. This is a world I have written and rewritten so many times since I was... 16, maybe? It’s easier to rewrite or follow through a storyline in my head than it is to write it down and focus on details that I never really focused on before. If your curious, my daydream fanfictions include the following fandoms: Teen Wolf, Scandal, Glee, Twilight, The Gentlemen, and Crazy Rich Asians. Occasionally, Beyonce’s Homecoming special and other things will make an appearance. I include most characters from these programs and create some OC’s in my head that have nothing to do with the other fandoms. Sometimes I’ll pluck someone from another place, like Carrie from Sex & The City but combine her with Isabel from Glee and mix up her storyline, or create a character with the appearance of a famous actor, like the original Mr. Fantastic actor.

I loved music. I could listen to music all day and enjoy myself. Sometimes it was the soundtrack to my imagination or I’d have some of my characters sing the songs I was listening to. I would listen to the same songs on repeat and create scenes with them and sometimes I’ll be able to add new music to the mix. If I wanted to listen to an album, I’d sit/lay down in my room and focus on nothing but the album. If there was an artist I liked and wanted to explore more of, I would go through their entire Spotify history and listen to every song at least once. I’d add it to my Liked Songs playlist because I am crap at creating playlists (minus the Boudoir playlist I made last year for my photoshoot, but that’s another story). Almost every song I have ever liked is on my Liked Songs. I think I have over a thousand songs on there, which is pretty decent. I kind of know where every song is located when it’s organized by Recently Added. Minus screamo, heavy metal, gangsta rap, underground music or electronic music, I listened to a little of everything. I loved Glee, Hamilton, Meg the Stalion, Kendrick Lamarr, the Civil Wars, early Taylor Swift, American Authors, Secondhand Serenade, G-Eazy, Mulatto, Into the Heights, Moana, Victorious, I could go on. Every song plays a part of my history and I love expanding it.

I can’t really do those things the same anymore and I wish I could. Writing fanfiction sounds like it could be a possibility for me because most of my life, I wanted to be a writer or be an editor. The fear of financial security made me switch to a business major and it didn’t make things any easier I find. I guess more approving nods from other adults about my choice in degree was a plus.

I can’t focus on my own daydreams anymore. It used to give me so much joy but it also reflected my emotions: horny, sad, in love, etc. The fact that I was able to create worlds that don’t exist to anyone but me made me happy. Sometimes when I wanted to be closer to God, I’d even deepen the relationship of some of my characters with God. 

Music doesn’t sound the same anymore. I can’t focus to the point of slipping into happiness often.

I did have a good day the day before yesterday. I decided that maybe listening to the song that always lifted my spirits in the past, whether they needed lifting or not, would help. My song is “Do You Believe in Magic” by Aly & AJ. I don’t know what it is about that song but when I first heard it on Disney Channel when I was little for the movie, Now You See It. Something about that song was and still is special. I was able to sing horribly to the song. I was watching Freaky Friday that day and remembered how much Ultimate by Lindsey Lohan rocked. I was able to listen to that song and daydream a totally new scenario for my mental fanfiction characters. There was so much happiness and positivity in the scene.

That same day, when night fell, I felt so sad I made myself sick and was gagging in the toilet. I convinced myself not to make myself throw up because I don’t want that to become a habit. I don’t want to mentally make myself sick and think that throwing up every time will fix me. I felt like shit for hours later, but I was glad that I didn’t throw up. I knew I was in a bad enough position that I needed company. 2/3 of my best friends and one of their boyfriends showed up at my place, late at night and stayed with me for hours. We’d talk about the issues that were plaguing my mind and about 2 of them moving into a new apartment together. 

I went back and forth from lying in the bathroom and lying in my bed. I don’t know why but whenever I was sick growing up, laying on the bathroom floor made me feel better. I know it is unsanitary and gross, but you get to a point that you don’t care. The bathroom has always felt safe for me. I still remember the first time I did it. My mom, brother, and I lived in an apartment about 20-30 minutes away from where we live now. I was getting ready for school one day and I guess I didn’t feel good. I laid down on the bathroom floor and that’s how my mom found me. She knew that this little 5 or 6 year old that never complained about school wasn’t faking anything. I think after that point, my mom became pretty trusting of me whenever I said I can’t go to school. Whether I was physically sick or needed a mental health day, she let it happen. I didn’t practice this often until I was junior high and high school, but it helped knowing my mom would let me take care of myself however I saw fit. I think she also didn’t want to have to keep taking off of work to pick me up from school.

The issues that brought me to tears were my boyfriend, the love of my life. I have only dated one boy before him. That was back in high school and I liked that I had a boyfriend more than I actually liked my boyfriend. We had been friends for years and were in speech and debate together. I asked him to my prom and, due to a misunderstanding, he never replied. When we realized the misunderstanding, he asked me to his prom (We went to two different schools) which was fun. It was at a country club, his parents had dinner catered to their house for us (very successful accountants) and we got some cute pictures from that night. I found myself bored with the relationship and knew ending it wouldn’t affect my quality of life within that moment. So I did. Now he is happily out as gay with his partner of 3 years and starting Harvard Law in the fall. I kind of like that fact and it made it easier to be friends with him on Facebook and Instagram again.

But back to my current boyfriend, the boy I didn’t think that I would fall for. To make our love story short (I’ll probably go into more in another post), we met on Tinder 2.5 years ago when the guy I was talking to/dating previously decided to go back to his toxic/abusive ex-girlfriend. I was talking to my soon-to-be boyfriend and another guy at the time and my boyfriend was the one that lasted. I remember that I would message every Tinder match with “Aye” because everyone wants the other person to start the conversation or else there won’t be a conversation. He responded with “I love your smile. It’s so positive” and that was my downward spiral. We’re pretty good at communication and we are a good match for each other. We both come from mostly different backgrounds, racially and socially. Sometimes there are things about me he’ll never understand, but making strong friends with people who weren’t racially the same as me kind of prepared me for that. 

Anyways, he wants to be a doctor of osteopathic medicine (still don’t know what that is) and go to med school for it a year after our undergrad. I don’t plan on starting grad school right now because I am not fully sure what I want to do with my career just yet. I’m not going to put myself in more debt or spend more time in school without a reason. Anyways, not many medical schools in our state offer the certification he’d need so he’s even looking at schools out of state. I have always wanted to go with him and support him through it while I start my career, but as that time draws closer, I find myself unsure of myself.

I need a lot of attention and am very sociable. I know when he goes to med school, he won’t be able to give me as much attention and he can’t really be faulted for that. It probably won’t get any easier once he does his residency and beyond. Despite being sociable, I have created a support network of my family and friends (we’ve been together for like 10 years). It’s to a point that I can socialize with other people with the idea that they are going to be acquaintances or somewhat distant friends. I usually know what kind of friend I want people to be before or during meeting them. But my dependency on my support network is so... strong that it kind of messed up a very big job opportunity for me a few years ago. I am afraid of having to make new connections again once we move away. Regardless if he choses a school in our state or not, we’d have to move. I don’t want him to be my only social connection, but am also afraid of making new ones. 

I made a list of all the things that scared me with possible solutions in which moving away with him was on it. I wrote that I would try to connect with coworkers (I can’t imagine and kind of don’t want to be best friends with a coworker. You never know when play ends and work begins) and neighbors. I don’t even talk to my neighbors now. I thought I could bake my famous browned butter salted chocolate chip cookies and share them with people, hoping that it would be the start of something. I’ve picked up random conversations with random people before so hopefully I can still do that (I stopped the whole “don’t talk to strangers” thing when I was like 19). 

These solutions made sense to me and I hoped that by writing it down, I could move on with my life. That wasn’t the case. I became so focused on would by current boyfriend be able to meet my needs in the future and whether I’d be strong enough to let him go if it was impossible. I found myself loving him more than I loved myself and make decisions on bettering myself for him. Covid Vaccine? For him. Finding a good job? For him. I don’t want to love someone else more than I love myself. I don’t want these decisions to be based on another person. I want to chose what is right for me for me and not someone else.  

I wasn’t this way before my boyfriend. I actually avoided being in a relationship for a few years because I didn’t think I’d enter one for the right reason. Usually, I put myself and my happiness first. When I decided I was ready to care for another person, my boyfriend wasn’t the first guy I chose. I didn’t know he’d become the love of my life. I didn’t know that we’d want the same exact thing from our relationship and have active, open communication about or wants and needs from the other person. I craved his attention, always wanted to be around him, and didn’t even stop talking about him our first year together. I am better now, but he still finds way into my conversations because he’s what makes me happy. 

I’m not upset that I love him. I wouldn’t take that back. I just wish that I was enough for myself again in which I could make decisions for me and stand by them. I want to create the life I want and I want him a part of it. But if that’s not God’s Plan, can I let go of him? In all honesty, I’d rather be miserable with him with occasional happiness than miserable without him. Maybe that’s too strong of a statement so don’t take that at full face value.

I want to be able to figure this out while we are still together, but mentally I keep thinking I have a time frame to “fix myself”. At the same time, I know I don’t because I know mental health doesn’t work that way. I have the ability to take the time I need to take care of myself again which I am grateful for. It’s like having an adult and child in my mind. The child is crying all of my fears and anxieties while the adult is trying to calm them down with reasoning. I am thankful that I am at least this aware of my mental state. I can understand when something is anxiety or depression, name it, and although I am stuck with it, I try not to fall too deep in it.  

I still have hope things will get better and I won’t always feel this way. Hope and faith is all I have some days and that’s okay. I am one day closer to being the me I want to be.

[vetur02]

Rules: Copy this post into a new text post, remove my answers and put in yours, and when you are done tag up to 10 people and also tag the person who tagged you… and most importantly, have fun!

Tagged by: @geldris

a - age: uhhh...2....4...I think? Yea, 24. b - biggest fear: Failing c - current time: 7:47 pm d - drink you last had: apple juice :D f - favorite song: Oh god..eh...that changes every few days! Ummm...right now “Dangerous” by Left Boy??? g - ghosts, are they real: Probably =0 h - hometown: I was born and lived most of my life in Bonn so far, so...Bonn I guess. i - in love with: my bed, my hamsters, my pencil, my tablet j - jealous of: everyone and everything. @maybeishouldwait made me sin of envy for a reason lmao k - killed someone: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) l - last time you cried: I cry a lot, especially when I’m happy, overwhelmed or simply when it comes to fiction :’) So...last night I guess, when I was forced to listen to sped up english Meliodas Bryce Papenbrook with the Squad (cried for negative reasons) m - middle name: *swallows*...Agnes Margot... n - number of siblings: 1 younger sister who means everything to me o - one wish: being happy.  p - person you last called/texted: that would be @maybeishouldwait q - question(s) you’re always asked: Uhhhhmmmm..probably something like “can you draw xy?” r - reasons to smile: my hamsters, animals in general, nice weather, my wonderful friends, nnt, new emd chapters *stares at @bettybest2* , free time I can use to draw whatever I want to. s - song last sang: I don’t dare sing too often because one of my flatmates actually is a professional and I don’t want to torment her with my awful voice. Last time I sang with my sister a few songs from the Moana soundtrack x) t - time you woke up: yikes. My sleep schedule is a mess. Let’s see. Today I woke up at midnight, then 3 pm, then 6 pm lmao u - underwear color: red :D v - vacation destination: I’d love to go visit Iceland again! Then again...I want to visit as many countries as possible. Traveling the world would be nice u_u w - worst habit: When I’m overwhelmed and want to avoid things I curl up in bed and don’t leave it for the rest of the day (and possibly the next few days after) x - x-rays you’ve had: my left middle finger, my right ankle, my back :’) y - your favorite food: Oh god...umm...Burger?? & homemade food my mom made. That’s obviously the best, though I rarely get to eat it x’) z - zodiac sign: virgo ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪

Tagging some cool people!  @bitsubachi @risto-licious @julls @diminuel @actual-haise @vyndicare @selizia @soumeki @thejenno92

[thearabkhaleesi]

MOANA: EASTER EGGS, TRIVIA, AND THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

Disclaimer: I did not find all of these easter eggs myself. I watched many Youtube videos and read many articles and gathered the best easter eggs and connections to the Star Wars movies and I compiled them into one organized post. Enjoy!

Flounder

During Maui’s musical number, “You’re Welcome”, during the 2D/cardboard sequence, Flounder enters from the right and swims upstream. If you blink, you might miss it.

Ralph from “Wreck-It Ralph” in the movie’s credits

During the end credits, Ralph himself appears among the designs on the right side of the screen. Disney likes to give nods to its upcoming movies in current releases, and the animation studio is currently working on a “Wreck-It Ralph” sequel set to be released March 2018.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” homage

Halfway through the film, Moana and Maui encounter a tribe of anthropomorphic coconuts called kakamora. Moana remarks, “They’re kind of cute.” Then the kakamora paint pearly white teeth on their armor and take up arms. Their ship emerges from the fog, revealing a massive fleet of pirate ships. What follows is an epic chase that is very reminiscent of Mad Max: Fury Road. Just as Max, Furiosa, and their crew set out across a desert wasteland to escape the movie’s War Boys, Moana and Maui race across the sea to skirt the kakamora. Their large, ramshackle vessels are reminiscent of Immortan Joe’s brigade, while the creatures’ painted faces mimic those of the War Boys.

BAYMAX KAKAMORA

One of the Kakamoras has the face of Baymax from Big Hero 6.

Sebastian from “The Little Mermaid” reference

After the end credits, we see a scene of Tamatoa still stuck on his back from his confrontation with Maui and he’s searching for help. He talks about being stuck on his back and then tells the crowd that he knows they would help him if his “name was Sebastian and he has a cool Jamaican accent.”

Marshmallow from “Frozen”

The ice monster from Frozen is seen as a drawing in this scene from when Moana was a baby.

Olaf from “Frozen”

When Moana is loading up her boat with food prior to leaving the island, she dumps a load of fruit and coconuts into the hold, and on top of them all is one, single, carrot (the carrot would be the only thing that wouldn’t melt). I couldn’t find a photo of this, sadly. 

UPDATE: The Olaf easter egg has been found! Credits to mrscarmcolon on Instagram

Maui transforms into Sven from Frozen

Maui’s magical fish hook gives him the ability to shape-shift, and in the scene where Maui tries to become a giant bird, he shuffles through several transformations first, and for a split second, he turns into Sven, the reindeer from “Frozen.”

Flash from “Zootopia”

Flash’s “sort of” cameo is in the realm of monsters sequence in the form of a slow-moving masked creature with multiple limbs. This was so hard to spot, I couldn’t even see it or find any photos of it. Some people think that this is actually the Flash cameo because the director said he will be in disguise, and this creature has four claws on each of his four limbs, just like a sloth.

David Bowie

Lin Manuel Minranda - the sunshine of my life, Hamilton creator, and writer and composer of the Moana soundtrack - has said that he wrote Tamatoa’s song “Shiny” as a tribute to the later singer. He said “… The world had already been mourning Bowie, I’d been listening to Bowie on a loop. I was like, well I’m writing a glam rock tune for this crab, this jewel-encrusted crab.“ (Extra: Jemaine Clement, who voices Tamatoa, has acted as David Bowie in his sketch comedy show, Flight of the Concords.)

The  Maui sculpture - callback to The Little Mermaid and Aladdin

The statue of Maui in the cave on the island he was stuck on is a callback to the statue of Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid. Later, when the statue falls over, only the tip of Maui’s nose breaks off, which is a reference to a scene from “A Whole New World”

Moana and The Little Mermaid Parallels

Both movies have the same directors,  John Musker and Ron Clements. In The Little Mermaid, Ariel wants to leave the sea to go to land, and wheras Moana wants to leave the land to go to sea. Both princesses also have fathers that want them to remain within their world’s limits.

MAUI AND HERCULES - STORIES TOLD IN REVERSE

Maui was a mortal, who was abandoned by his human parents, and taken in by “gods” who made him a demigod. Hercules was the child of “gods” but he was raised by humans after he was abandoned on Earth by Hades’ minions. (Extra easter egg: Dwayne The Rock Johnson, who voices Maui in the movie, also played Hercules in a live action adaptation).

Twitter Reference

When Maui uses HeiHei to sign on Moana’s oar, he says “When you use a bird to write with, it’s called tweeting.”

THE HOBBIT REFERENCE

Both Tamatoa and Smaug covered themselves in their treasures in their lairs deep within a mountain. And in Moana and in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, both Moana and Bilbo Baggins didn’t realize they were walking on top of their villains until the creatures emerge from underneath their treasures.

“THE ABYSS” Reference

The first time we see Moana interact with the ocean, its form is very reminiscent of the alien water tentacle from James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi movie, The Abyss.

The Ocean and The Magic Carpet

The ocean in Moana and the magic carpet in Aladdin, were both very similar because both were sort of non-speaking characters that helps their main characters and guide them in their quest.

Lilo & Stitch references

In the movie, Moana gets embarrassed about eating a pork sandwich in front of her pet pig Pua, which is reminiscent of when Lilo explaining why she can’t feed a tuna sandwich to her pet fish, Pudge. Also, he scene where Moana uses a leaf to protect a baby turtle is reminiscent of this photo of Stitch from Lilo & Stitch.

MAUI AND THE ROCK’S EYEBROWS

Maui’s eyebrows were designed to look specifically like Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s eyebrows, and Maui raising his eyebrow is an homage to The Rock always raising his eyebrow (especially during his wrestling days).

EXTRA: NEW MOANA EASTER EGG SPOTTED IN ZOOTOPIA

Zootopia was released before Moana, and in addition to the MEWOANA Easter egg we all know, Disney hid another Moana easter egg in Zootopia - Maui’s fish hook on the back of Finnick’s van.

[purelintrash]

Moana composer Opetaia Foa’i on the story behind the best soundtrack since The Lion King

Opetaia Foa’i talks Disney, collaboration, and knowing when to draw the line

The Spinoff February 15, 2017

Opetaia Foa’i, songwriter and lead vocalist of Te Vaka, was an obvious choice to be the voice of the Pacific in Disney’s Moana. Working with Mark Mancina and Broadway legend Lin-Manuel Miranda, the trio produced a movie soundtrack the likes of which we haven’t heard since Lion King. Having listened to the album exhaustively, I wanted to know everything.

OPETAIA FOA’I RECORDING FOR MOANA

From the moment they announced Moana right up until pretty much the day it came out, there were quite a few people who hesitated to embrace it because Disney haven’t been the greatest at portraying particular cultures. Did you have any of those reservations or did you think you could help make sure it was steered in the right direction?

That’s exactly right. I wasn’t going to compromise. I think various times I could’ve been [out]. But I was willing to do that. I was willing to cut Disney loose if they didn’t share my goals. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, promoting ancestors, so I was very lucky to have John Lasseter [Disney Animation’s chief creative officer]. He has this amazing, unique ability to tell stories and know what works, and luckily his view I agreed with.

‘We Know The Way’ was the first song I wrote, in December 2013. They brought me over there and got me so inspired, saying it was about voyaging and I was just ‘Yes!’

more below the cut:

I listened to ‘More’ [a cut song] and it sounded a lot like ‘How Far I’ll Go’ except it was less about the dilemma of wanting to stay and lead but also wanting to leave, looking to the future. ‘More’ seemed more about ‘I’m a bit bored with my life on the island’. How was the decision made to not include that song?

That’s the tricky part of the whole thing because they’re from a different culture so I had to steer things. I realised very, very quickly that these were professional people at their highest level. They had great intentions but they were very foreign to our culture and understanding it. Luckily I was very quick to see that and I knew that I had to do it very gradually. And that’s what I did. If they did something I didn’t agree with I would say no, that doesn’t work.

John Lasseter was beautiful. After a while he said ‘whatever Opetaia says.’ So everything sort of shifted.

My Samoan is not good at all but I could figure out what most of the lyrics were saying, but my mum was able to watch and listen to it how I would listen to English. That must be the first time Disney has allowed whole songs in a movie to not be in English. Were they always intending to have Samoan and Tokelauan lyrics?

Nope, that’s me. At the time I began, most of the influence was Hawaiian, Tahitian, because that’s all they know. I know that the voyaging began in the Samoa, Tonga, Fiji area, so I knew that the first language to hit had to be Samoan. Because I mainly write in Tokelauan, it just came naturally that the chorus [of ’We Know The Way’] would lift in Tokelauan. I did that intentionally because I knew that whatever they do in translating this movie to all other languages, they will never translate that.

…[my mum] said it was such a similar language that most Samoans can understand Tokelauan and vice versa.

That was my thought behind it. Because Tokelauan can be understood by Samoans and also Māori. So having Samoan first, followed by that, to me it made it Polynesian.

I saw that the producers hadn’t planned to use Lin-Manuel Miranda’s vocals on ‘We Know The Way’ but decided to keep him in after hearing his demo vocals. Were you always going to be singing in the movie?

For Lin, we were wondering who was going to sing that one. No one was going to take me off the first verse [laughs]. They really enjoyed what I put in. If you notice the character on the boat who’s singing, that’s supposed to be me.

OPETAIA IN ANIMATED FORM

My workmates love to play the soundtrack in the office and they sing along to everything but not to the Samoan and Tokelauan bits. So they wanted me to ask you: are white people allowed to sing the Samoan bits if they don’t know all the words exactly?

Absolutely! It’s just a buzz. This is our culture, the Pacific, to share with the world. I actually gave Dwayne [Johnson] a hard time when we first met. I began speaking to him in Samoan and he spoke a little and it was a bit dusty. But we’d have little conversations in Samoan and he’s very proud.

Just tell them this: in the Pacific, when everyone sings, not everyone sings in tune. That’s not the important thing. The important thing is that everybody participates. We don’t sit there and go ‘that person’s out of tune’, that’s my upbringing. So tell them to sing their hearts out. Whether they’re in tune or singing the wrong words, it’s fantastic.

I was quite surprised at just how much non-English there was in it. I read all the reviews and no one thought it was weird that there were a bunch of songs most viewers wouldn’t understand. It was just so part of the movie no one thought to comment on it.

Can you imagine the movie without it? It wouldn’t be the same. I worked really hard to make sure those lyrics were in there because that’s what our culture’s all about. Without the language it’s empty.

On ‘How Far I’ll Go’, were you…

‘How Far I’ll Go’ was written by Lin, that’s Lin’s song. I’m more interested in our language – when that came in I went ‘mmm you have that one’. I’m only interested in ones that promote our culture. I can write in English but for this movie, to get the final product as I wanted it, my job was to put as much Pacific in it.

OPETAIA FOA’I, LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, AND MARK MANCINA AT WORK [clip 1] [clip 2]

Lin said that with ‘We Know The Way’, you just came up with the melody in the room and then he took it away and worked on the lyrics.

That was a good collaboration. When we got together, things moved very quick. He works very fast, I work very fast. When I create something I get bored very quickly, same as him. So we had a lot of fun.

On a personal note, which is your favourite song from the soundtrack?

The one that promotes the pioneers, the best sailors the world has ever seen, ‘We Know The Way.’ There’s an album coming out, actually. We were going to put out a Te Vaka ‘Best Of’ and Disney said ‘we want to put it out under Disney Records’. So that’s coming out in a couple months and on there are my outtakes, the ones that didn’t make it into the movie. So people will understand more of the cultural elements that I put in.

Were you at all nervous about what the reception to it would be? After working on it and knowing more than anyone else, were you at all nervous?

You gotta know we had a Skype meeting every week so I kept up with it every time to write the music. As I said, I’m steering all the way to the end. I was satisfied that this was the movie I’d be happy with. I think my ancestors would’ve been happy with that. Because it focuses on their story; the voyagers, the way-finders, the first in the world. I knew they would be happy.

People were very concerned with ‘what does it do for us?’ ‘Disney are profiting off our culture!’ seems to be the main complaint.

I think for our people who have never been to the village, brought up in the city, it awakens something in them to want to go back, put their feet on the land. For people from other cultures to be interested enough to have a look at our culture that’s more than just the hula and ukulele, I’m a very happy man.

Those people that say negative things about Disney, all I can say is imagine if we didn’t have the movie Moana. That’s about it. Imagine if Disney did not bother making something about our culture. Then you look at what we have. I guess it’s those people who look at the downside of things. Disney’s making a lot of money? They’re the ones who took the gamble. These people should focus on what it’s done, what it’s doing, how it’s inspiring our younger generation, how it’s showing off our culture. To hell with how much money they make. That, to me, is secondary.

This is our movie. It’s not their movie, it’s our movie.

[animationforce]

Oscar Nominated Features 2017: Moana

I recently posted a conversation I had with AnimationForce’s own @scribbleaddict and it mostly sums up what I thought about this movie. It was easily my favorite of the Oscar noms this year, and I’ve been less than favorable of Disney’s presence at the Academy Awards in the past. But I would honestly be hard pressed to find anything wrong with this movie.

Ok, maybe not so hard pressed. The story is fairly predictable, but then again, so are every other Disney animated film, so you can’t really hold that against it. What it does have going for it is, in my opinion, the first truly and wholly successful Disney musical since the Golden Age.

The problems I had with Tangled and Frozen were almost entirely rooted in their Musical-ness. Generally, I like to assume a plot can be understood and the story told almost entirely from the songs. When I was still in school, I was always trying desperately to get into the theatre program without being a theatre major, and so found myself often in deep conversation about a recent Broadway production or a classic Hollywood musical and why it did or didn’t work. Very often, it came down to the reason I stated before. It’s why Spamalot isn’t a great musical, despite its comedy entertainment value. It’s why Young Frankenstein: The Musical is terrible. You can’t just take a funny phrase from the movie like “Roll in ze hay?” and turn it into a song. There are definite exceptions to the rule, like Singin’ In The Rain. Almost none of those songs are original; it’s focus is more on the theatricality of Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. But it certainly holds true with the Disney musicals. Heck, Lion King was adapted into a wildly successful Broadway show. That cannot happen with Frozen. I would bet money on it.

Moana’s soundtrack is on par with any of those classic films, or any number of smash hits on Broadway; Wicked, Phantom of the Opera... Hamilton? Oh right, it’s because Disney hired someone with real success writing music and lyrics in that specific style. For all of Idina Menzel’s Broadway chops, “Let It Go” is still just radio-pop. It’s the closest thing that movie has to a “Defying Gravity” or “All I Ask of You”, but it’s still something just as suited to Kidz Bop as it is a stage. Lin Manuel Miranda (who totally deserves to win for Best Original Song. Everything he wrote for Moana is better than anything in La La Land) knows how musical themes push a story forward while drawing on a previous point in a narrative. And his lyrics are just ridiculously emotionally powerful. I had to stop writing this paragraph two sentences ago so I could find “How Far I’ll Go” on Spotify and now I’m just confounded with a bevy of emotions.

And yeah, I’ve panned Tangled and Frozen for casting based on star-power and recognition versus their ability behind the mic and in the songs, and yeah they cast Dwayne Johnson for the demigod Maui, and yeah, he’s not exactly a no-name or Broadway-caliber singer like Idina or Kristen Bell but DANG IT ALL if he’s not completely inside that role. Like if you think all he can do is be huge and intimidating or a lovable comedian then you’re in for a big surprise. Plus, most of the rest of the cast isn’t well known (for some sharp eared Star Wars fans, you might recognize the voice of Moana’s father as the voice of Jango Fett and you’d be right and also win some super nerd cred).

I’m so sorry, I probably shouldn’t have started listening to the soundtrack. I’ll be honest, I’ve completely lost all objectivity and any semblance of what I wanted to write about the film. I really do think that Moana deserves the Oscar. It’s so strong from start to finish, and it’s such an amazing tidal wave of that real Disney Magic. I do get a little emotional at emotional movies, but this movie felt so friggin good that I cried while laughing when it was done. I had planned on giving this a serious bit of thought and reflection, but knew from the get-go it would get five giant shiny crabs out of five. I really really hope it wins, because it could signify a new Renaissance. And I’ll readily admit that it couldn’t have happened without the financial and commercial successes of the two other films I’ve been repeating over and over. If either of those had failed, Disney would never have taken a chance on this movie pitch, no matter how successful Hamilton ever was. We’re seeing something change, folks. When I was a kid, I lost myself in 101 Dalmatians, Little Mermaid, and Aladdin. And now? My generation is starting a new generation of kids, and Disney is suddenly right alongside again, and I’ll get to give a child the same kind of wonder I had growing up. 

Bottom line. For those who are convinced Zootopia will win it all this year, that’s great. It’s a fantastic movie. It’s so fun. But consider this. Moana is a movie Walt would have made. Moana is a Walt Disney picture. And I think that counts for more than awards.

-Jackson @crewmannumber5

[seaselkie]

Tagged

Bold the statements that are true for you!

APPEARANCE:

I am 5′7″ or taller I wear glasses I have at least one tattoo (I wish! I know what I’d get, too but alas - I have a big needle problem) I have at least one piercing (ears) I have blonde hair (slowly going darker) I have brown eyes I have short(ish) hair My abs are at least somewhat defined somewhat I have or have had braces (9 years of the suckers...) There is something I would change about the way I look

PERSONALITY:

My Hogwarts house is: Gryffindor Hufflepuff Ravenclaw Slytherin I am an introvert I like meeting new people (they’re okay in small doses Honestly, loneliness is sort of a foreign concept to me; I’d rather be alone) People tell me that I’m funny Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me (If I can, then I try) I enjoy physical challenges I enjoy mental challenges I’m playfully rude with people I know well (My Dad and I especially. He calls me a sarcastic bitch, so that qualifies, right?) I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it (So much!) There is something I would change about my personality (I honestly don’t know about this. Maybe? But then...would I still be me?)

ABILITY:

I can sing well (semi decently, at least, I like to think, haha) I can play an instrument (I take it playing a harmonica out of tune doesn’t count? No? No.) I can do over 30 pushups without stopping I’m a fast runner I can draw well (I can say this with a solid amount of faith) I have a good memory (Highly depends. Sometimes my brain is a sieve. But it also retains a lot of useless junk I’ll never need that I read in passing several years ago) I’m good at doing math in my head (ahahaha. not nearly) I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch (yes. Since knowing how and actually succeeding are two different things) I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES:

I enjoy playing sports (Horse riding counts here, right? Or lax I suppose) I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else I have learned a new song in the past week (Moana soundtrack on repeat will do that to you) I work out at least once a week I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months I have drawn something in the past month I enjoy writing Fandoms are my #1 passion I do or have done martial arts

EXPERIENCES:

I have had my first kiss (Technically yes, but it doesn’t count, so no) I have had alcohol I have scored the winning goal in a sports game (Nope, but this brings up a hilarious story of someone who did back in school. It was a lax match and the goal was entirely accidental) I have watched an entire season of a TV show in one sitting (who hasn’t?) I have been at an overnight event I have been in a taxi I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year (not for me. I make it a point to stay far away) I have beaten a video game in one day I have visited another country (a few years in Jordan and holidays in Denmark, Finland, Germany and France) I have been to one of my favourite band’s concerts (Don’t really have a favourite band, and I also make it a point to stay away from crowds)

RELATIONSHIP:

I’m in a relationship I have a celebrity crush (This is where I’m weird. I find certain traits and certain people attractive or appealing, but that’s sort of disassociated from ‘crushing’ in my brain. Trying to explain it is tricky). I have a crush on someone I know I have been in at least 3 relationships I have never been in a relationship I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them I get crushes easily (Nope. I’m 25 and I think I’ve had exactly...2? 1 was a precocious thing when I was around 9. 1 was a celebrity thing when I was maybe 13 that literally extended to ‘he’s cute’...nothing sticks out after that) I have had a crush on someone for over a year I have been in a relationship for at least a year I have had feelings for a friend

MY LIFE:

I have at least one person I consider a “best friend” I live close to my school (what is close? How long is a piece of string?) My parents are still together I have at least one sibling (Even if I don’t anymore, I’ll always have at least one sibling) I live in the United States There is snow right now where I live I have hung out with a friend outside of school in the past month (it probably doesn’t count to hang out with a work colleague at work) I have a smartphone (android) I have at least 15 CDs I share my room with someone (A whole heap of books, a handful of snowglobes, two lanterns and a bunch of plushes including a red panda, orca and hippo. No people)

RANDOM SHIT:

I have breakdanced I know a person named Jamie I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce I have dyed my hair (well, stained it red. Nothing more permanent) I’m listening to one song on repeat right now I have punched someone in the past week I know someone who has gone to jail (one of my school teachers, actually, which asks some interesting questions) I have broken a bone I have eaten a waffle today I know what I want to do with my life (whether I manage it is a separate issue) I speak at least 2 languages fluently I have made a new friend in the past year

[mercurybomber]

RULES: tag 10 people you’d like to know better tagged by: @hyenaklaws Relationship status: single and terrified of emotional relationships Favorite colors: dark purple, gray, and pastel pink Pets: 1 very fat fluffy cat named Samwich Last song I listened to: ok it was either “Grow For Me” from Little Shop of Horrors or “You’re Welcome” from Moana since I always listen to musical soundtracks during my art class Favorite TV Show: recently I’ve been really into watching old Simpsons episodes from like 2008 lately because I remember loving them as a kid so I guess I’d have to say that. Either that or Steven’s Knife since it’s pretty much the only other show I watch on tv. First fandoms: well when I first opened my blog it was Parappa the Rapper themed because I was really into that in middle school so I guess that. But for pre-Internet stuff I’d just say general Nintendo media was my ultimate special interest™ from 5th to 7th grade. Hobbies: drawing my ocs, sewing (mostly fur stuff lmao), obsessing over Star Wars, and writing stuff about my ocs. Favorite book: i remember my favorite book in middle school was The Wendsday Wars but the book that has impacted me the most since then is probably Some Assembly Required since it’s an autobio about a trans guy’s life/transition. Worst thing I’ve ever eaten: Jesus Christ my sister really loves this vegan place by our house and I went there one time and got macaroni and “cheese” and I literally could not comprehend how anyone could call it edible. The only way I can describe it was that every bite tasted like a headache feels. It was so acidic and I have literally no idea why since it was just noodles and imitation cheese and to this day it haunts me just a little bit. Favorite place: there’s this one camp I went to for a few years now ever summer up in VA and it’s on a small beach with a dock that has a stargazing platform. One night I remember my cabin went out there really really late at night and just laid on the platform listening to the ocean noises. The sky that night was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen, like there was more white star area in the sky than there was black and it was honestly just breathtaking. I always wish I could go back to that dock and experience that again someday but for now it’s just one of my best memories. Tag 10 people: @coltyni @tukson @turtleneckpink @super-sock @ferretfam @blackfirewolf and any of my other mutuals who wanna answer these!

[frenchibi]

Tagged :D

I was tagged twice (again??) – so have more answers under the cut :D

This one was by @gummicows, thank youuu :D

1) Has any of the fandoms you have been in disgusted you? Yeahhh but I tend to just avoid the people that for example ship things I don’t?

2) If you wanted to change your url, what would it be? I’m actually very happy with my url :D

3) Do you have any hobbies? UHMM so many??? Writing, drawing, singing (solo & choir), skiing, reading journaling, cooking (occasionally), collecting books (does that count)…? I enjoy crocheting too sometimes, and I make videos :D

4) How socially awkward are you (stories anyone ;D)? I’m actually pretty… confident, most of the time? Obviously I mess up sometimes but I wouldn’t call myself socially awkward. I get comfortable in social situations relatively quickly, unless there’s people around that I seriously dislike ^^’

5) Do you have a musical preference? That depends on what I’m doing and how I’m feeling :D For singing, I prefer Disney songs or songs from Musicals (Les Mis, PotO and Hamilton own my ass). For writing I like to listen to instrumentals and soundtracks (also works well when I’m having conversations that require my full attention :D). For driving, I prefer rock music? My dad introduced me to a lot of 80s rock music when I was little :D And then I also really enjoy pop and indie music? I like uplifting songs best, and I pay a lot of attention to the lyrics most of the time ^^

6) Are there any books that hold a special place in your heart? …do you have 3 hours?

The short version of my answer is yes, there are many. Some examples of which are:

Harry Potter by JKR (because those were the first books I read on my own, and in English, too? That was a big deal for me, a bilingual German kid xD My teachers let me read under my desk in our English lessons in primary school :D – and because Harry Potter made me dream, and made me want to write stories myself.),

Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (because it left an immense impact on me that few other books will ever have? The story is astounding, it’s written in such an engaging way, and I just… *clenches fist*),

The Hours by Michael Cunningham (given to me by an English teacher after he read some of my original work – it’s been really inspirational for me, and stylistically SO INTERESTING??)

Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher by Walter Moers (yes, a German book, I prefer to read books in the language they were originally published in, even if I generally prefer to read in English – in any case this book blew me away with its creativity and wit and just the general… richness of the world the author creates? It’s fascinating. I believe it’s called The City of Dreaming Books in the English translation)

The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness (which is just… I love the concept, I love the characters, I love how it’s done – just, all of it. It’s fantastic.)

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (because it is intriguing and heartfelt and hilarious at times, in a morbid sort of way, and it taught me a lot of big words as a kid in a non-condescending kind of way xD I used to have the audiobooks as well as physical copies and those are books and CDs that I handled VERY, VERY OFTEN.)

(I’m limiting this to six now bc this is getting long but I have like 20 more, if you want recommendations hmu, send me an ask :D)

7) Any movies you’d recommend? Ohhhh, boy – I’m Marvel and Disney trash and there’s not much more to it. Big Hero 6 was my absolute favorite until Moana came along (before that it was The Little Mermaid, probably? Ehh), I love everything concerning Captain America and Iron Man (ahhhh), I also really enjoyed Star Wars (All of the older ones, and The Force Awakens was awesome, as was Rogue One) and I have, surprisingly, seen all the James Bond movies except the most recent one? xD It was a family thing. I also enjoyed the HP movies even though I liked the books much more, and Fantastic Beasts was, well, FANTASTIC.

Oh, ohhh and I love Ghibli movies? Ponyo was adorable, I loved Howl’s Moving Castle (because I loved those books so much too?!?!?) and Spirited Away – those movies just make me feel so happy?? Ahh, and one of my favorite animated films is Garden of Words (Kotonoha no Niwa) because it is just BREATHTAKINGLY beautiful?? It is just gorgeous to look at. 8) What is a phrase you commonly use? …I don’t think I have many English ones here because most of my rl conversations happen in German xD I bet I do have a bunch of phrases I use a lot in writing, though none are coming to mind right now. 9) What is the first thing you notice when you see someone? The way they treat other people. Their body language and the words they use when they’re talking to someone they see as an equal or someone they think of as “beneath them”, versus how they talk to superiors. I pay a lot of attention to words and honestly barely any to appearance (mostly because I find it difficult to look at people directly? It’s an issue. I can’t remember faces at all, but you can bet I’ll remember the things you said).

10) Have you ever fainted or passed out before? Yup, in school when we were forced to do a 30 minute run at 40°C ^^ fun times. It’s been a couple years though xD

My questions:

1. Something you wish your parents had taught you?

2. Something you want to change about yourself?

3. Something you hope to never change about yourself?

4. Describe your best friend or a very close friend in 5 words.

5. Your favorite place to be?

6. Favorite artist (musician, actor, writer, artist, fanartist/fanfic writer? Pick one, or two, or all?)?

7. Website you spend most time on?

8. A dream for the future?

9. Something you’re proud of.

10. Recommend something! A movie, a song, a book, a fic – anything! :D

(I tag @chxngsey, @seijouho, @ghost--fox, @heirxx, @cheatos, @missellaineous, @fandang1, @screamingnitrogenchallenge, @joanofarcticmonkeys, @cheetahleopard, @lalikaa - you’re all welcome to do the above tag and my 10 questions, or the tag below, or both :D @gummicows and @iwazumie feel free to do the ones you haven’t? xD)

…and this tag is from @iwazumie, thank youuu :D

Relationship status: single Lipstick or Chapstick: *whispers* both Last song listened to: …surprisingly, I haven’t listened to music today except when I was in the car with my brother… he was in charge of it though cause my radio’s broken, and I don’t know the titles of the techno stuff he listens to xD Last movie I watched: Moana (…for the third time.. whoops) Top 3 shows: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST BROTHERHOOD *hyperventilates*, Haikyuu, Bakuman? (I’ve seen so many, it’s hard to pick just 3 ok?? Noragami, Barakamon, Baccano!, Durarara!!, Death Note, Soul Eater, One Punch Man…?) … and if we’re talking about stuff that’s not anime… Game of Thrones, Supernatural (though my enthusiasm is waning), currently Brooklyn Nine Nine :D Top 3 characters: Edward Elric (I love him), Iwaizumi Hajime (I LOVE HIM), Olivier Armstrong (She’ll kick my ass and I will thank her for it) Top 3 ships: IwaOi, EdWin, Yato/Hiyori

[bahoreal]

you don't really talk about it on your blog, but... what kind(s) of music do you like? pop? soul / r&b? classic rock? indie alternative? heavy metal? punk? goth? hip-hop? jazz? prog? classical? electronica? new age? easy listening? folk? country?

this is.. such a loaded question okay buckle up gang

so basically: I like all kinds of different music. i’m a big ol’ fan of... russian electro opera pop? is probably the best way to describe it? aka vitas possibly better known as weird russian singer (chum chum bedrum) and french electro swing.. (and regular electro swing)...  my ‘most played of 2016′ spotify playlist was a wild mix of 00s/90s pop hits, hamilton, beyonce, the star wars soundtrack, and game soundtracks, notably lost odyssey and dungeon siege (which i listen to while i’m studying)

atm my spotify is a mix of badlipreading and moana but classic rock is probably the best(TM) workout soundtrack so that’s what i listen to in the gym.. i have a heck ton of heavy metal saved as a relic of my emo phase (bfmv still get the odd listen when i’m drawing) and i kinda flit around jazz/classical/indie/electronica (listen hellogoodbye and death cab for cutie are still my faves 5eva, and i can’t listen to keaton henson without getting emotional about my entire life SO) but it’s worth noting i also have 15 different versions of the les mis soundtrack saved on my computer (not including ones i have on google drive) and like... 7 other musicals too...

tl;dr i will listen to everything including genres you didn’t know existed

[totallyawesomedad-blog]

Three's company

Raising my children in a house with roommates has proven to be challenging. Let me first say that the people I live with are good people. They are a young married couple who have opened their home to myself and the two humans that I love. But they also have just enough experience in life and with kids to be... How shall I put it? Fucking obnoxious. My children are not cats, or dogs, or your cousin's toddler that you babysat one time during spring break 2016. At best, my kids are a novelty to them. At worst, they are an opportunity to flex their Advice Muscles. Oh yes. The truly sage advice of the childless. Have you ever heard a man give his hot take on the state of feminism today? I am guilty of being this douche canoe. And before I was a parent, I was guilty of having parenting plans/opinions. "When I have kids, they won't watch TV. Screen time is bad!" LOL. "When I have kids and they start crying at concert or a movie, I'll handle it immediately. Kids just need to know about expectations." How special. "When I have kids, I'll teach them to handle their anger calmly. No tantrums in the cereal aisle of the supermarket. No meltdowns in restaurants. Self-control is a skill that can be taught." Girl, please. And this is my roommate. Example: The husband (we'll call him Buster) was accompanying me and my gremlins on a little road trip to scout out future apartments. Buster is used to controlling the radio because DUH WHEN YOU HAVE NO KIDS YOU GET TO CONTROL THINGS. This doesn't work for my daughter. She has what they call "Leadership Skills". I put that in quotations because that's a euphemism for being bossy. My daughter is bossy. That's ok by me. Someday she will be a boss. And that's more than ok by me. My daughter (we'll call her Hillary): Turn on the Moana soundtrack, Dad. My son (we'll call him Chewie because he is fuzzy and the ultimate sidekick): Yeah! Moana, dad! Buster: We're already listening to music, kids. H: Excuse me. *Dad*. Can we put on the Moana soundtrack, please. Me: I'm just going to put it on. They love it, and they are so bored right now. B: You know, you can't always give them what they want. I change the playlist on my iPhone. I keep cool. I have a rage stroke that I keep to myself. We start the first song. H: *sings all the words perfectly, but mostly out of tune* C: *just makes the same noises that Hillary does, but 1 second behind* (The ultimate sidekick) B: How many songs does this thing have on it? Me: More than a few. *I start singing along* -Seemingly 100 songs later- B: Can we skip around? M: Not really. I think that Hillary is somewhere on the autism spectrum. She depends on consistency. She knows exactly what comes next and gets pretty upset if we skip steps, etc. Buster is clearly frustrated that this music is not Shostakovich and he, as the adult, is not in control. So, he drops The Knowledge Bomb on me: That's interesting. In my classroom, I have kids like that. I think that using firm expectations and being consistent helps to adjust their behavior. Oh REEEEEEALLY? Thanks, professor. But here's the problem. I don't see my kids every day. I like singing with them. I even like singing the same terrible songs for the millionth time with them. Because tomorrow they'll be gone and I won't hear their beautiful voices for another week. And consistent expectations. Oh, boy. Trust me, in a 50 minute class period you can win lose or draw and try again tomorrow. Fail enough times, you get to feel kind of bad about it over summer break and start totally fresh next September. But I have to play the long game. And the long game for Hillary and Chewie lasts the next 70 years of my life. But I don't say any of this. Instead, I smile and turn the music up. Me: Just relax and enjoy the scenery. It's the best advice I can offer to someone who is bad at advice. And, honestly, I mean it in all sincerity. Because learning to relax and making the best of what comes next is all I can do, sometimes. Most times.