#paper mint

[kuku-doodles]

Children Kids Room in Paris

Example of a mid-sized transitional children's room with white walls, a light wood floor, and a brown floor that is gender-neutral.

[daichisamas-icons]

Children Kids Room in Paris Example of a mid-sized transitional children's room with white walls, a light wood floor, and a brown floor that is gender-neutral.

[minmocat]

minty fresh...

[beastlecreamxx]

Cheeseball swap Mister Demi meets Swap Mister Demi

[morethansalad]

Green Summer Rolls with Mango Miso Sauce (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

[mintghostko]

you will remember her :)

[bebemoon]

16arlington rtw autumn 2o23, paper dolls .

[weizhiyuan]

since I was asked by @envylimes (<3) to share the essay I wrote for a class on not me and how it’s queer I’m posting it here under the read more! it’s like 2.3k words and I just put it as plain text so be prepared to scroll sdkjfhksd

The Thai romance-action drama Not Me, directed by Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana and starring Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat as White/Black and Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn as Sean, is a terrifically queer series. Even as it belongs to the already queer BL (boys’ love) genre, it stands out due to its attitude towards and display of queerness along with containing a heavily political theme. In this fourteen episode series, the filmmakers manage to cover topics including queer love and community, marriage (in)equality in Thailand, the importance of art, police brutality, anti-capitalism, and how the Thai government and justice system fails certain minority groups. For the sake of simplicity, the focus of this analysis will mainly be on episodes seven and fourteen. 

There are four main overarching plots in Not Me. The series opens with an introduction to the twins White and Black (both played by Gun Atthaphan) and soon reveals that Black has been beaten up into a coma. White learns this from their childhood friend Todd (Sing Harit Cheewagaroon), causing him to return from Russia to take his twin’s place and uncover who’s behind the beating. While disguised as Black, White meets the people his brother works with to fight against injustices in society. Sean, Yok, Gram, and Gumpa make up the other characters in this gang. The romance that forms between Sean and White is the other primary plot in Not Me. Following this is the second couple, Yok (played by First Kanaphan Puitrakul) and Dan (played by Fluke Gawin Caskey), who meet while Yok commits arson against Tawi, a major antagonist, as Dan paints political art expressing his frustrations. Later, Yok discovers Dan is also a cop. The fourth main plot has more to do with the political theme of the series. Tawi, as mentioned before, is the major antagonist because of who he is and represents. He is a politician and businessman who has the ability to run the country according to his desires based on his extreme wealth and consequently power. He represents both capitalism and the real life Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The gang spends much of their time trying to take him down through different means. In the same strain, Not Me promotes an anti-capitalist, anti-cop ideology. The characters also have a particular involvement with fighting for marriage equality in Thailand, as this is part of the other running theme of the series. 

The main goal of Not Me is tied to this last point, to push these anti-capitalist, anti-cop, and equality for everyone beliefs. As the director, Boonyawatana has stated on multiple occasions that she, along with the other writers, use BL series as an opportunity to “express our voice[,] especially all social and political topics that [are] featured in this series.” Not Me also provides an interesting combination of the typical BL tropes within the genre and Boonyawatana’s more surrealist style, which furthers the queerness of the series. As soon as Sean appears, it becomes full of BL clichés; Sean and White stare into each other’s eyes for long periods of time, fighting gets turned into intimate moments, one holds the other’s waist while riding a motorcycle, Sean catches White when he falls, and so on. At the same time, Boonyawatana’s style does not fail to shine through. The almost supernatural connection the twins share, the intimacy of Sean and White’s first sex scene, and dream sequences that make the audience question if it was real are all along her familiar surrealist style. Because Not Me is a BL, and especially because it stars Off Jumpol and Gun Atthaphan (the pair affectionately known together as “OffGun”) who have starred in romantic dramas together several times prior and again subsequently, the target audience is those who watch BL series. It’s common for this audience to be teen girls and women, but within this and outside are many queer viewers. This is a series that would resonate with the audience, as well as work to convince those who do not already share the ideology within the series. It’s important to note that Boonyawatana is a trans woman as well. As a part of the LGBTQ+ community, her perspective on creating this series is intrinsically queer. Since Not Me is a Thai series, the Thai audience would likely have a much better understanding of politics than those who don’t live in Thailand, but it also takes the opportunity to bring these issues to the attention of people who tune in globally. Without a doubt, Not Me makes a statement that it wants lots of people to see. 

Episode 7 is by far the strongest in emphasizing marriage equality. White and Gram first attend a protest against Tawi, which includes how his monopolies discriminate and how “women and LGBTQ+ people are underrepresented.” Later, they visit the tents set up nearby and run into their friend Nuch, urging people to sign a petition in support of the same sex marriage law amendment. She tells them, “LGBT folks need to get support from a place full of people. Especially, any event addressing basic human rights and social injustice.” This fits well within the theme of the series. LGBT+ rights are basic human rights, and are connected to the injustices caused by capitalism. Not Me takes this episode as a chance to address the audience as much as it possibly can. Nuch shows White and Gram a QR code they can scan to help support this petition, and through the cinematic eye, the audience can scan that exact tight shot of the QR code and lead themselves to a real petition in support of same sex marriage (support1448.org). Nuch continues talking to the audience through the two, “most people might not think it’s necessary but consider it, you or people around you might be needing this. Have you signed up?” At this moment the viewer would be questioned if they’ve shown their support for marriage equality, and to take the time to do so if they hadn’t already. 

The scene that follows is arguably the queerest of the whole series, or perhaps even the whole genre. White stays after the protests for a marriage equality fashion show where (assumably) queer people walk on a giant pride flag runway. As White looks across the crowd he sees Sean from afar, who has visited the scene as well. Together, the crowd lifts the pride flag and White runs under, meeting Sean in the middle. The two hold hands as they chant “Tawi, get out!” and “marriage equality!” It is a crucial scene that both advances the romance between Sean and White as it highlights the importance and beauty of queer love. These characters literally find love as they protest capitalism and heteronormativity. Significantly, the scene was added just three days before shooting as a direct response to the Thai government upholding section 1448 of the constitution, which states that only a man and woman can marry. Boonyawatana explained she was “quite [shocked] with the verdict because the reason made no sense so [she] thought to add…the scene of the mob” and that she was able to contact LGBTQ+ activists that she had spent time with in the past for the sequence. The scene was inspired by true pride events in Thailand where the pride flag was used in a similar way. 

In the same episode, Dan and Yok’s relationship develops as the two get to know more about each other. Dan explains to Yok that he wants to “make things better than they are now” when asked why he’s a cop, and Yok, who has seen him paint political art against the government, says, “you can’t do it as a cop, can you?” It is later discovered that Dan had (though horrifically) mistakenly shot Sean’s father who had smuggled drugs for Tawi and got away with it, initiating Sean’s hatred for both Tawi and cops. Despite the trust Yok puts in him to help them fight against Tawi, Dan still eventually betrays the gang due to his faith in the justice system. Not Me is consistent. Upon reflection, none of the plot twists are too surprising. Dan, the “good” cop, shot Sean’s dad and later betrays the gang; Todd, growing more rich and itching to become the next Tawi, put Black into a coma. When Dan betrays Yok and the gang, Yok tells him, “do you still believe in the justice system? You said you’d like to redeem yourself and fix what you did wrong. You didn’t want to be part of the system. Why are you doing this?” Although it is Dan hurting the others, the “you” in this instance may once again refer to the audience, to break whatever faith they had left in the justice system. Dan can only attain redemption and continue his relationship with Yok in episode 14, when he leaves the system and quits being a cop. He must leave, he cannot succeed to help people within the system that is set up to fail those within it. The same goes for White, whose father is a diplomat, who earlier in the series learns of the injustices and decides to fight for their rights instead ignoring the problems in society and going back to his privileged sheltered life before. “Isn’t this obvious?” Sean says when Dan betrays them. And it is. 

Another pivotal plot point occurs in episode 14, when the gang are captured by Tawi’s men and put into a van with bags over their heads, intent on making them disappear. Whether they’ll live or die and the question of time passing in the suffocating atmosphere fits Boonyawatana’s style once again. Yok cries for his mother as he imagines she won’t be able to handle his disappearance; Sean laments how painful it is that they’re easily capable of making him and the others disappear; White acknowledges that despite everything, they did not lose. Just as they are about to accept their fate, the van runs into a crowd of people who had learned of this kidnapping. The mob protests and bangs on the van until finally they’re able to free the gang. After the final episode aired, the entire scene was revealed to be based on true events that occurred a little over a year prior, in 2020. Police had taken three protesters who spoke out against the monarchy into a van and arrested them. While a mob formed outside and shouted for the police to set them free, they were still arrested. This was just one part of the 2020-2021 protests against Prayut Chan-o-cha’s rule in Thailand after the military coup in 2014. Not Me was announced at the end of 2020, and aired from late 2021-early 2022. Nowhere in the series does it directly address Prayut Chan-o-cha, likely due to the restrictions against speaking out against the government, but near to everything, even the smaller lines of dialogue, are an extremely thinly veiled allegory–so thin it might as well not exist–towards the current political climate. For example, in episode 6, White and Sean have a small debate on whether risking their life for the cause is worth it, and White uses a “metaphor” involving a pedestrian collision, which again references the real life issue of crosswalk accidents occurring in Thailand. In episode 4, Gumpa asks the gang “is there any issue in our society you’d like to address?” to which Yok, who has a deaf mother, responds, “I want to address disability rights.” While the series does not go into depth about disability injustices in Thailand it does take a moment to acknowledge that there are many issues the country currently faces. 

Not Me focuses on community, queer art, and queer love as power against capitalism and military rule. As is typical for many BLs, the characters can all be assumed queer until proven otherwise. Sean & White and Dan & Yok never discuss their sexuality, come out, or have fear that the other would not reciprocate their feelings due to their being a man. Instead, the emphasis is on how they “can still work hand in hand,” something Sean says to White as he literally holds tightly onto White’s hand as they proceed to break into Tawi’s warehouse to expose his drug business. The series features much art as a form of expression as well. Dan paints his true beliefs through his anti-government paintings; Eugene, Black’s ex-girlfriend, performs interpretive dances that critique capitalism; Namo, Sean’s friend, use graffiti to get out her emotions along with Sean; and perhaps most importantly, Yok’s nude art project, in which he draws Dan that causes him to confess, is about proletariat expressionism. The artist behind Yok’s paintings, Oat Montien (who also acts as Yok’s professor), is both queer himself, works on nude portraits, and has described his art as “a love letter to queer people,” has stated that after working with the actors he said, “if this series [becomes] a success please don’t forget to fight for our rights” to which First Kanaphan responded, “I promise I’ll be fighting until you can get married in this country.” Just like Black tells White, and indirectly the audience, in the beginning of the series, “don’t let anyone take advantage of you. If you don’t fight, you’ll never win. Promise me you will fight.” 

The series ends with a shared kiss between Sean and White. “This is what we call fulfilled,” Sean tells him. But he isn’t just talking about the kiss nor just towards White. It’s a call to the viewers, that even though the fight isn’t over, Tawi’s second in command has been arrested and Tawi himself is next, that the same thing can happen outside the series in the real world, and that queer love really is fulfilling. As of May 2023, the Move Forward Party, with policies that oppose the military rule, has won in the recent Thai election and its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat may be set as the new Prime Minister. The injustices fought against in Not Me already reflect the current society, but the goal of the characters, filmmakers, cast, and all the real people that inspired or had scenes based off of in this series may hopefully soon become reality.

[goldgargoyles]

YOUR LOVE LETTER IS TERRIBLE

[flowerbarrel-art]

I hadn’t made snowflakes in a while so I thought it’d be fun to make some. I didn’t have regular paper so I used Andes mints wrappers. I looked up tutorials for snowflakes but I was always bad at understanding paper crafts instructions so I just decided to cut them randomly.

I had to stop because somebody was trying to bite the scissors. I’m happy with the ones I made though.

[nathsketch]

A little collection of my mermies throughout the years now that May is over!

Haven’t got the time to work on any new ones for a while, but that needs to change asap :) 🐠

More mermie goodies here and here (don’t forget the new shop)! 🐚

[talos-stims]

crybaby.cakes on ig | source

[maraschinotopped]

i dont think i ever mentioned it here but i got into yugioh recently... while i do have a cyberse deck for actual play i feel like im honestly having more fun just collecting cards i like? its just clicking for me more.

also realized how much i love robot designs because god so many of the yugioh cyberse cards have such KICKASS robot designs.

[beastlecreamxx]

Who ate Mister Demi's Oreos?

[morethansalad]

Fruit Spring Rolls / Gỏi Cuốn Trái Cây (Vegan)

[tadc-max]

Ms. Mint 💉: "Crap.. Abbie got injured for the 19th time.."

(this is a rp btw 😭)

"So... they weren't dead..? Uh oh."

Bird whistles casually a random cartoonish tune as they hide a boiling pot of water, a bottle of paprika, a cup of pepper, and a container of butter behind them..