#their lyrics can resonate so deeply sometimes..

[cooki3face]

their last dream of you ☁️🔒

Y’all know how obsessed I am with King George and Queen Charlotte and I’m equally as obsessed with period pieces, especially romance ones. I watched the whole show some time ago and I loved it so much and I felt it really resonated with me and reminded me of my divine masculine and I’m so tempted to watch it again because it’s so beautiful and they love each other so much against all odds so that’s why I chose them for my banner today and chose to use hands with loving energy from period pieces for my pile choices. I’m about to start giggling lmaoo, I’ve got all this bubbling nervous energy about this reading I know it’s going to be a good one. Okay, enough of my useless rambling, I talk too much feel free to skip over this! Love you, enjoy! 💛

***

i.

Omg, I'm gonna start yelling!! I haven't even shuffled out the cards but someone part of this collective as well as their person is very sentimental. Someone really loves someone in such a timeless manner. In every lifetime, in every era, in every universe, a great love is shared here. Like I feel that ache in my chest that you get when you really really love someone and want to be near them. I really want to say buttons are significant, someone collects something or is prone to or has a tiny habit of holding onto things, even the tiniest most minuscule of things because it's in their nature to hold on and not let go. Someone could have a level of childhood trauma here too, a lack of instability makes them feel unsafe or they may struggle sometimes when they don't have all the answers or don't know what all is going on because it makes them feel very afraid and anxious and I hear someone is going through this right now.

You could be in separation with your divine counterpart and your person is mirroring you. I'm hearing “Don't misunderstand them. Don't judge them harshly or hold their actions to their spirit.” just because they're not speaking to you right now or just because things aren't extremely clear doesn't mean they don't love you or want to be with you and wouldn't go to the ends of the world for you. You know them as you know yourself because they are you. Show them mercy. Offer them compassion because I know how you love them and I know you couldn't really truly be upset with them even if you tried because you love this person so deeply and if you ever are upset it's only because you're afraid of not receiving the outcome you desire.

Oh, and you know what in the show Queen Charlotte there's this really cute part where George says that he's good with buttons. This person is good at the things you have trouble with, and this person really compliments and completes you, I'm hearing from this message that this person also wants to tell you that they appreciate everything you do for them and they think everything you do is perfect and beautiful. You could make no mistakes, you could do no wrong you're this person's angel. I haven't even shuffled the cards yet, this energy is SO strong I'm channeling from the heart to you. Ceramics, arts and crafts, or a fondness for aesthetics and the arts (music, dance, singing, etc) can be very significant to this group. Your person wants to enjoy the things you enjoy. I can't stop channeling, this person has so much they wanna say to you. HELP!!! 🆘!! Okay. I’m gonna actually start. Doing it in the form of a channeled message from your person about their last dream about you.

This person wants to speak to you through music by the way or they speak to you through music and through lyrics this person wants to tell you, especially if you have a playlist about them or if there’s music you’ve shared with them or they’ve shared with you to listen to it because they’re listening to it. “Please listen to it.” Something is coming in about the way this person talks to you on the phone or the things they call you “my love.” There was a time you talked to this person on the phone and their voice, their words, almost took you out the game. I had to get it off my chest I’m sorry! They’re like wanting to say so much.

This persons message about their last dream about you:

“I dreamt that I finally learned how to follow my heart and that I was finally the man (person) I wanted to be all this time for me and for you. In my dream, I finally got away from all the things that kept me away and kept me hurt and drained. Everything was changing. In the past I tried so hard to control my feelings for you and how things went because I was too scared to lose you if I tried to come to you and really put my all into us and our connection. I dreamt that finally was strong and I was able to come towards you and I did, everything was possible, everything was okay and I made things right. I said I was sorry and I told you how much I love you and how much I want to be with you and I did exactly that. I made a choice to be with you and it was the best choice I ever made.

I was free. I found freedom. I finally got away from all those karmic people and karmic cycles that I had trouble getting rid of in my waking life and I made time to focus on you, to focus on us. We spent lots of time together, and we went out and did things and learned things together. In my dream, we went to go do art together and we sat on the beach together and we just held each other and it was beautiful. And you looked so beautiful like you always do when you come to see me. I felt your skin, I could feel your breath on my neck when you hugged me, I could hear the sound of your heart when I laid down on your chest, and I heard your voice. And you laughed with me and you told me how much you loved me and about all the things you wanted to do together and I felt so loved and appreciated. I know that nobody loves me the way you do, I understand now.

In my dream, I finally had the courage to stop living for others and start living for myself and go after the things I want. I dream of you every night. Every day, I walk around in a dream state, thinking of you and you're motivating me even though you’re not here, I know I love you because you aren’t doing anything and I feel so drawn to you. While I’m asleep, I can feel your kiss. I feel the warmth of your lips on my mine and I miss it. I miss kissing you and holding you. I’m so afraid that you’re moving on from me or that you’re going to leave me. Please don’t leave. You’re my moon. I feel so blessed to be loved by you. In my dream, I dreamt that we were happy and we were married and had children together and had all the things you told me you had wanted. I remember all the things you said. In my dream, the past, those people, old versions of our connections, the pain, the fear, was all gone. It didn’t exist anymore.”

About to start crying for real. This person feels like crying, they've been crying. I'm like at a loss for words I'm typing one single letter per minute right now- hold on to your hope pile one. Justice is coming.

***

ii.

Pile one was so big, I feel so guilty, I feel like I spoiled them. But anyway, I'm gonna do this in the form of a channeled message, your person is going to tell about their dreams of you. I'm getting immediately that this person really craves you pile two or they crave your touch. This person has deep romantic undertones for you, so much gentleness, compassion, and love but recently something has really made them wanna get down with you. I didn't think any of these readings were gonna take this turn but I just see this person fast asleep late at night thinking of how close to you their gonna get when they get the chance. I see this person really missing you. They may feel you spiritually and they may really love you emotionally but they want so badly to hold you, to be near you, their losing their minds trying to contain themselves waiting for the next time they see you in person. You've stirred up so much love in this person that they have nothing more to do with it than put it on you. They can't think of another way to show you their appreciation except to show you just how much they appreciate you.

I hear this person thinking to themselves and even telling others in the past or trying to describe to you the way they feel when they're near you and it's impossible. You light a fire within this person. They don't know what to do with all of it because there's plenty. This person could burn entire cities to the ground with the amount of fire they have within themselves because of you. It's greater than arousal. Don't get me wrong, this person is very much attracted to you, very much wants to be intimate with you but this person feels that heavy sensation in their chest about you, they feel their sacral chakra begin to activate, they feel the heat rising. If you've ever heard the song Melting by Kali Uchis. And I’m hearing this person saying that nobody can make them feel this way. This person wants to fuse souls with you. This person knows that you’re their person. You could’ve not seen this person in a long time, even if they’ve seen you recently I hear them telling me it’s all the same. They cry when you’re not around, they don’t like it when they can’t see you. “Why do I cry” by Margo Guryan is a good representation of this persons feelings.

This persons message about their last dream about you:

“I dreamt that we finally reconciled and decided to try to have everything we’d ever dreamed of with each other. I dreamt that we talked and we had forgiven each other. You’d forgiven me. I’d forgiven you. Our past was behind us and we finally were ready to move forward and see things from a different perspective. We saw that everything we’d been through, everything we feared, all the pain we felt, and all the times we were in separation were all a part of the divine plan all along and for a good reason. I dreamt that finally, we loved ourselves the way we loved one another, I dreamt that we were confident and we had finally come into ourselves and our power and knew what we came here to do and knew that we loved each other and would not ever want to spend our lives or our time with anyone else.

I dreamt that finally we were in alignment with each other and the disconnection had ended and we didn’t have to struggle anymore. Outside of each other, with other people, outside of ourselves with our fears and our beliefs and feelings. I dreamt that we were finally doing everything we said we’d do and that we finally had it within ourselves to put all of our ambition and all of our dreams to good use in all aspects. I dreamt that you had abundance and you’d found your happiness and your purpose and I dreamt that I overcame all my fears and finally was able to do what I was meant to do and achieve all my goals. I dreamt that we were abundant and happy and successful. All of our dreams and wishes came true. And in all, we had each other and that’s what mattered most.

I dreamt of how beautiful it felt to be loved by you, I dreamt of being made love to by you. I dreamt of your kisses, of your touch, of your body heat. I felt your eyelashes against my cheek, I could run my fingers through your hair, I remembered in my dream what it felt like to look into your eyes and how nervous and flustered that always made me. I remembered how much I love you. How you made me feel. How irreplaceable you are. I remembered how much I needed you for me. How unable I would be to ever be satisfied and content without your love and your presence. I miss your hands. I miss holding your hand. In my waking life, I wonder why you haven’t texted or called. When I wake up from a dream about you I find myself calling out your name or expecting you wholeheartedly to be there because the dream of you is a very real and vivid experience that can’t be denied. I’m sad when I wake up in the morning and you’re not there. It makes me feel like I’m in love with a ghost. I feel you, I hear you, but I can’t see you.

I feel you so strongly. My intuition tells me you’re near. I can’t shake the feeling. All I feel is raw emotion. You’ve left a big gaping hole in my heart that nobody else can fill the shape of but you.”

Let’s all just sit down together and cry. Pile two, your person is giving off this nervous energy. Their so nervous it’s like they’re almost embarrassed by how much they love you and how attracted to you they feel. This person is just a little melty puddle around you. That could be significant. Them melting into a puddle lol they may have told you something like that before. Ugh. Breathe. Take deep breaths!! Everytime I finish the channeled message for a pile, I almost don’t want to start the other group. I don’t want to leave. I hear this person hides from you pile two, they hide how much they feel or they hide the effect you have on them because you make them so nervous. This person may look away from you when they speak to you because if they look at you they'll cry. Or this person really loves your eyes and the way you look at them makes them feel so vulnerable and weak in the knees. This is def a music group. Getting “weak” by SWV. Ugh. Unhand me immediately y'all are making me so nervous. I don't wanna talk to you anymore.

***

iii.

GirlUH! -, I had to take a deep breath and go scroll around on TikTok and consume a bunch of nonsense just so I can have a break and pull myself together after piles one and two. Forgive me. I feel like I've been ambushed.

This person could really feel like they miss you or haven’t fully been able to let you go. I’m getting “still think bout u” by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. This person could've been hurt by you in the past or experienced a lot of heartbreak in your connection but still hasn’t fully been able to release your relationship and let you go although you and this person may have been broken up for a while here if you and this person are separated and not together. I feel very antsy and nervous energy coming through with this person but it’s so strong that it almost makes me want to ignore it or push it down out of fear. This person may suppress or repress their own emotions and then try to up-level themselves or spend time with other people or throw themselves into work to try and make themselves feel better when they’re in pain. Their technique is to be productive and I hear this isn’t working for this person. This person wants to see you pile three they feel like they have no other choice but to be with you even though you hurt them because that’s the only way they see the pain going away.

There’s a complicated energy here and for some of you, you’re like “…” like you don’t want to hear from this person because they may have broken your heart too or caused you pain too and you’re like over it but you feel them tugging on your energy or manifesting you... you may know this person is going through shifts here or isn’t the same and they sense that within themselves or the people around them sense that they aren’t the same. They keep looking for ways to take the edge off and not have to think about you anymore and it’s not working. This person may reflect on memories you have together or the happiness and safety they felt when you were around despite some sort of hardship within your connection. This person is conflicted and is sending you their energy for you to feel because they want you to feel it with them. I avoided starting this pile for a fat minute too. Like I was like “I'm not ready, I'm not ready.” You have this person nervous...

You and this person could’ve hurt each other or not have ended well or there was something that happened that left this person feeling bad about themselves and feeling unhealed and unsafe. I see a situation where they might’ve been vengeful and tried to get back at you for something or could’ve done something bad or deceptive and you called it quits and this person didn’t really expect you to leave for real or leave things so quickly and wash your hands of the situation. I'm SICK!! LOL, this person is sick, you're sick or you were. Sick of this. Sick of the way they feel.

This persons message about their last dream about you:

“I dreamt that I was working and trying to balance out my life and take things and myself seriously. I dreamt that I was a better man (woman). I want to be a better man (woman). I want to feel secure in whole within myself. I dreamt that Id achieved all the things that id been manifesting, everything physical and tangible but still I didn't feel fulfilled and I remembered all the things you'd told me about how the things we want aren't really about the things we want and the feelings that we’d feel if we had them. I'd dreamt that even in all my accolades love was missing and safety was missing and you represent that for me even though you hurt me and I caused you pain too. And in my waking life, I sometimes think about you and I sometimes miss you even still, even after everything but I know you're done with me and it’s best I just stay away. I've been sending you messages, or trying to manifest you so that you could remember our relationship and the good things we had and maybe forgive me and miss me too but I feel your resistance. I feel that you know my presence in your mind is not your own doing.

I dreamt that my manifestations were successful and that you came to me and told me that you missed me and wanted to talk to me again even after all this time apart. In my dream, you told me that you felt the same way like all the work you've done so far had been for nothing if we didn't have each other, and that you wanted to grow with me and work on what happened between us and that we would be together this time and be happy with each other. In my dream, you felt in your heart that we were meant to be and so you were motivated to come forward. To come to me. There was so much possibility for improvement. I was so glad. And we talked about our memories together and our experiences together and they weren’t all for nothing. They meant something to you. They meant something to us.

In my dream, any competition that existed, anyone who you were with you decided you didn’t want to be with anymore and you wanted to be with me and we were going to build together and be successful together. And I told you how I understood everything you said to me before and how much I had learned from you and how much you meant to me all this time and I told you how sorry I was and how hard for me it was to try and replace you and be happy without you. We were gonna be together. Everything was going to be okay. You had forgiven me. We’d forgiven each other.”

I hear this person having a lot of wishful thinking, they have this fantasy in their minds of what things could be like if they wanted to settle down and be in love and I think that you played a huge role in being a primary example of what that was to them but I think they let you and your relationship slip through their fingers perhaps. They may not have been the best to you, may have closed themselves off or cheated on you or broke your trust due to you accidentally causing them pain or giving them a hard time in the past. And I think this person is still very much attatched to you and the idea of you and in their own minds they love you. And I say in their own minds because I don't believe you believe this pile three after their behavior.

What's really interesting is the significance of pride and prejudice coming up. You could’ve watched this movie with this person or tried to share this film with this person during a rough time in your relationship and the way they reacted to you or the film may be significant but I also think that the characters are significant. Mr. Darcy has a horrible way of showing that he loves someone and communicating and he does things that can be really hurtful and do hurt Elizabeth and she’s like absolutely completely expressive that she does not want to be with this man under any circumstances (even though she does) and his half-assed attempt to come towards her and express himself (even though it was really good for his character because you know..) turns out being successful and Elizabeth ends up giving him a second chance and marrying him just as he had asked her to because she loves him but like you’re not Elizabeth and you’re not going to settle for the bare minimum and be like WELL, he said he was sorry!! BOO! YOU WHORE! 🍅🍅🍅! I love pride and prejudice I really do but at the same time. Elizabeth deserved more. Anyways anyways I’m getting carried away.

***

Hope these were enlightening and you enjoyed these. Def gonna need a nap to recover from these. I love you so much and I appreciate all the support I've gotten with the readings and me sharing my gifts with you. I racked up a decent following on here off of opinions and aesthetics but I hadn't realized how much of myself I’d been hiding away. I'm excited for what more I can share. Anyways, if you ever want a personal reading from me you could go to my Instagram either @cooki3face or @cookiefacetarot on Instagram and click the link in my bio <3 bye, my hands have permanent dents in them now from typing for so long!

[proseka-headcanons]

OK SO ABOUT PJSK CAST AS GENERAL;

- So in pjsk, our children ofc have their own parents. Some are nice (godbless Ken Shiraishi), some are not the best but theyre trying, but some are just straight up fuckin assholes (looks at mafumom and harumichi).

- But well, not all parents are perfect are they? so all of pjsk's parents are assholes in some ways just bc. (yes even Ken is somewhat)

- Literally i'm only setting this up for angst

- Ok and like, half of the cast's parents dont approve of their children pursuing music or at least try to make them only do that as a side hustle yknow, instead of actually going pro.

- SO NOW THIS IS WHERE MY HEADCANON STARTS;

> The pjsk cast units all hold concerts/shows (except for n25, but sometimes they perform music live)

> None of the parents ever came to them (except people like Ken, since he's the only responsible adult in this game apparently, and thats a low bar considering who Ken is)

> maybe Minori's mother watched her perform on tv, or Mizuki's parents heard her commotion in their room making music, or smth like that.

> Look i dont read MMJ or L/N stories that much so maybe some of them have nice parents?? im writing this on a whim

> Anyway their parents either never goes or rarely goes, for one reason to another.

> But imagine their reactions, when they finally, finally, decided to make an appearance to their kids' concerts/shows/live;

Imagine Shinei Shinonome, watching his son, who he said cannot pursue music, up there on a live house stage, singing with so much emotions that Shinei can feel it himself. Imagine Harumichi, who goes just to see how "good" his failure of a son is, only to get a fuckin whiplash when he heard his son's powerful singing voice. Imagine Kohane's parents, who always worries about her doing street music at god knows where at ungodly hours, always telling her to just stop, only to gape when they witness Kohane, who used to be so timid, now singing with a voice so loud and so beautiful. And Ken Shiraishi grinning proudly at An and the others bc hey, at this point VBS is his kids.

Imagine Tsukasa's neglectful parents, who never goes to Tsukasa's shows in favor of Saki's concerts, decided to come bc Saki asked them, and can only watch as Tsukasa takes the fuckin stage, like the star he always talks about becoming, and then asked themselves, "what have we miased this past few years?". Imagine Emu's father who never have a very good relationship with his daughter, decided to come to like review WxS performance or smth, only to be surprised when he heard Emu's singing and dancing (Emu's siblings are proud af). Imagine Nene's parents who never thought much of their daughter, one day got an invitation from her, and when they came, they watch in awe as their daughter shows them the reason why she's called the Songstress. Imagine Rui's parents, who cares so deeply about him (i think?) but never goes to his shows, finally has time, and doesn't regret coming as they witness the amazing performance that their son directed.

Imagine Kanade's father, watching N25 live concert on youtube, and slowly, faintly, recalling a familiar soft voice within all the voices who resonates in the live (i think he lost his memories right??? i forgot what happened to Kanade's father). Imagine Mafumom, watching live of her daughter's singing, how much emotion, how heavy the lyrics are, and maybe, just maybe, she for the first time doubted herself a little. Imagine Shinei, who always doubted his daughter, having his jaw dropped bc not only the illustration of the live is gorgeous, his daughter's voice is so filled with emotions that he felt shivers, just like when he heard Akito sang for the first time in a live house. Imagine Mizuki's parentd, who never rlly cared of what Mizuki does as long as she's okay, decided to take a look at her live, only to have their jaws dropped because wow, their daughter's singing is amazing.

- I wanna make scenarios for MMJ and L/N too but i dont read much of their stories 😭

rlly the WxS and N25 also has a little bullshitting bc i dont read all of their stories either. the only scenario im sure would happened is VBS bc i practically read almost all of their event stories, plus the ones in the past that i missed.

- yeah i just want to see pjsk parents seeing how much their children grow and getting a whiplash from it. imagine them reacting to like, all 5 units holding one giant concert. and you can see the contrast, the difference between each unit's parts, but their melody resonates nonetheless.

- also i think i sent an ask about the Shinonomes headcanon but it hasnt been answered? idk if it went through, but i did ask if i can be an unofficial mod there, so once again, can i be unofficial mod Tsukasa? :3

SOBBIBG SCREAMING CRYINH. pjsk parents can suck it tbh but their room for redemption is soooo interesting to me.

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

(article) SHINee's ONEW hopes to make people happy with his songs

Singer Onew of popular K-pop group SHINee has been deeply thinking about happiness, a theme that heavily influenced his latest release."I think it's wonderful to be someone who can have a positive impact on others and make them happy," he said during an interview Thursday with a group of reporters.

"It's a great merit that I can lift someone's mood. When people tell me they've been comforted by my songs, it feels like I'm truly living," he said.

This introspection led to the creation of his third individual EP, "Flow," a departure from his previous albums -- his first solo album, "Voice" (2018), second EP titled "Dice" (2022) and first full-length solo album, "Circle," (2023) -- which centered primarily on his distinctive voice and emotional expression.

Instead, "Flow," due out Tuesday at 6 p.m., is designed to resonate more broadly with the public, featuring songs that are easy to follow and enjoy together.The album is led by "Beat Drum," an upbeat pop track characterized by "kitsch" vocals in the chorus and a synth melody, according to promotional material from his label, Griffin Entertainment. The lyrics compare the feeling of a racing heart to the rhythm of a drum beat.

Also included are five B-side tracks, all of which maintain a bright and cheerful tone.

"I wanted to become closer to the public, so I put a lot of effort into making songs that are easy to follow," the 34-year-old explained. He also tailored the choreography to be accessible, allowing more people to catch on after just one viewing. "I hope even those who don't know me can feel a bit of positive energy," he added.

Onew stressed that while his unique voice and emotional depth will continue to be central to his music, his current focus is on expanding his positive influence.

The vocalist also has a goal of creating his own performance brand.

"I think a concert becomes richer and more enjoyable when many people can immerse themselves in it and have fun together. I want to create an atmosphere where it's not just a performance by me, but an experience where everyone can play together," he shared.

After taking a hiatus of over 10 months due to health issues, Onew returned to the stage in May.

During the break, the vocalist had the opportunity to attend a Coldplay concert in the United States.

"I loved the excitement and anticipation that I felt while waiting for the show," he said, expressing hope that audiences would experience the same thrill at his concerts.

Performing in front of fans and reuniting with his bandmates were what he missed the most as he recovered from neck surgery. He lost so much weight after the surgery, making his fans feel concerned and worried about his health.

"Now, I'm in great shape. In fact, I'm so well that it's almost a problem," he said with a laugh.

He spent a lot of time traveling to places like the U.S., Japan, and Austria during the break, giving himself the space to think deeply on his own.

"While traveling, I learned how to fail. There was a time when I tried to catch a train during a typhoon and ended up sitting on the platform for six hours. Sometimes, things just don't work out. But I realized that you can always try again later. That was the biggest lesson I learned."

After this realization, Onew changed his attitude about performing. He used to believe he couldn't go on stage unless he was 100 percent perfect, but now he's more open to taking risks.

This new attitude led him to boldly take on producing for the first time while working on this album.

"I challenged myself by getting involved in producing, selecting demo tracks, trying out different ideas, and communicating with writers to incorporate my thoughts into the songs. It was a big challenge, but it was a fun experience," he recalled.

Onew also tried his hand at rapping for the first time.

"I was debating whether to use more melody or try rapping," he said.

He thought rapping might work, so he gave it a shot, and fortunately, it turned out well.

"This new challenge has become a great motivation for me," he said.

He has also started taking guitar lessons recently because he wants to play during his concerts.

"I read somewhere that singer Lee Hyori said she started learning something new and that in 10 years, she could become an expert. So I thought, 'It's not too late. If I start now, I could be playing in 10 years too.'"

[mariandjarin]

Clones and Chords

Crosshair x Lucy Gray Baird

(Bad Batch x TBOSAS)

The metallic halls of Kamino echoed with the sounds of clanking trays and murmured conversations as the clones gathered in the mess hall for their evening meal.

Among them were the members of the Bad Batch, a group of elite clones with unique abilities. Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Echo, and Crosshair sat together, their camaraderie evident despite their differences.

Tonight, however, there was an unusual buzz of excitement in the air. Lucy Gray Baird, a renowned singer from another world, had been invited to perform for the clones. Her reputation for captivating performances had preceded her, and the clones were eager to witness her talent firsthand.

As the lights dimmed and the room fell silent, Lucy Gray stepped onto the makeshift stage.

Her presence was magnetic, and her eyes sparkled with a mix of confidence and warmth. She took a deep breath and began to sing "Nothing You Can Take From Me" (Boot-Stomping Version), her voice clear and powerful.

Nothing you can take from me...

was ever worth keeping...

Oh, nothing you can take was ever worth keeping....

(Guitar music)

Can't take my charm

Can't take my humor

Can't take my wealth

'Cause it's just a rumor...

The song's rhythm was infectious, and soon the clones found themselves tapping their feet and clapping along.

Nothing you can take was ever worth keeping

No, nothing you can take was ever worth keeping...

Thinking you're so fine

Thinking you can have mine

Thinking you're in control

Thinking you'll change me, maybe rearrange me

Think again, if that's your goal

Lucy Gray's performance was electric, her energy filling the room and lifting the spirits of everyone present. The lyrics spoke of resilience and defiance, themes that resonated deeply with the clones who had faced countless battles and hardships.

Crosshair, usually reserved and stoic, found himself drawn to Lucy Gray's voice. As she sang and danced he felt a stirring in his heart, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. Her words seemed to pierce through his tough exterior, reaching a part of him that he had long kept hidden.

Can't take my sass

Can't take my talking

You can kiss my ass

Then keep on walking

Nothing you can take was ever worth keeping

Oh, nothing you can take was ever worth keeping

Nothing you can take me from me is worth dirt

Take it, 'cause I'd give it free

It won't hurt

Nothing you can take was ever worth keeping

No, nothing you can take was ever worth keeping

(Guitar music)

Crosshair's gaze remained fixed on Lucy, his usual cold demeanor softening. He felt a connection to the song, to the strength and determination in Lucy Gray's voice. It was as if she was singing directly to him, acknowledging his struggles and offering a sense of understanding and solidarity.

As the song came to an end, the mess hall erupted in applause. Lucy Gray smiled, her eyes lingering on Crosshair for a moment longer before she took a bow. The clones cheered and whistled, their spirits lifted by the performance.

After the show, Crosshair found himself lingering near the stage, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions. Lucy Gray approached him, her smile warm and inviting.

"Did you enjoy the song?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Crosshair nodded, his usual stoic expression replaced by a rare, genuine smile. "It was... impressive," he admitted, his voice softer than usual.

Lucy Gray's eyes sparkled with understanding. "I'm glad. Sometimes, music can reach places that words alone can't."

Crosshair nodded again, feeling a sense of connection he hadn't felt in a long time. In that moment, he realized that Lucy Gray had touched something deep within him, awakening emotions he had long buried.

As they stood together in the dimly lit mess hall, Crosshair felt a newfound sense of connection. For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to feel, to embrace the warmth and understanding that Lucy Gray had brought into his life.

Written by @mariandjarin

[littlesparklight]

I really hate it when people call ancient pieces of work fanfiction usually because they don’t like it the biggest victim being Ovid’s work but I also seen it thrown at The Telegony, just because you don’t like what it that doesn’t mean it’s fanfiction

On the one hand, I didn't (and am not sure I still would necessarily always dislike it) really mind this, because sometimes it was made in order to push back on the conception of fanfic as just "bad" and not being able to be art.

On the other - no, various ancient texts, or not so ancient ones, aren't fanfic. They can't be, that isn't how it works. Fanfic is a rather specific thing, and it's not bad (or good) just in itself, but Dante's Inferno or the Aeneid or etc and so on, isn't fanfic. And so I can certainly understand those who are really aggravated when that statement is trotted out, for whatever reason.

And so we get to the third version of "such and so is just fanfic!!" statement, the one you bring up.

When "it's just fanfic" is meant as an insult, because whoever it is doesn't like the piece of work in question. It reveals what they think not just about whatever work it's about relative to whatever piece they do like, but about fanfic. (Yes, even if they write it themself.) Because they don't like it, it's bad, and it's, thus, fanfic of something they like better.

And it's honestly kind of fucking hilarious (in an embarrassing way) to go around claiming the Telegony is "fanfic" just because someone doesn't like it. (I don't like it either!) It might be the youngest (that seems to be the academic consensus, that it is the youngest/newest to be formed and composed) of the Epic Cycle's epics, but... that still makes it (very) old. And it is using older myths or similar, just as the other epics did, even if some of said material might be younger than what the other epics use - but we can't really know that for sure.

Odysseus has children by Kirke in the Theogony already. Local (Thesprotian, Kyrenaian) genealogies for ruling dynasties would not have sprung up at the second of poetic invention of the Telegony.

And I'd just like to say that one can't really use the fact that the Ancient Greek noble families considered themselves related to various mythical heroes as some sort of... indictment of these (invented, yes, but deeply important) relationships. They're part of the foundation and reason we have any Greek myth when it comes to heroes. You have to take it all.

But yeah, the point is, whether we like a particular account, lyric, poetic, prose, drama, what have you or not, going around insisting some particular text is "fanfic" is just deeply silly at best, and stupid at worst.

It's not, after all, about "ooc" or not (even if we certainly can think something resonates with us or the character and fits them better or not), that's not how this works.

[queer-reader-07]

5 times i almost cried and 1 time i did

(this is about hozier) (and also my religious trauma)

1. De Selby (Part 1)

"At last, when all of the world is asleep

You take in the blackness of air

The likes of a darkness so deep

That God, at the start, couldn’t bear"

De Selby (Part 1) is one of those songs that feels sad more than I know it's sad, largely because I've never bothered to look up the translations for the Irish lyrics. I also knew that this was almost definitely the song Hozier would open with, seeing as it would flow directly into Part 2. It was kind of a tonal whiplash moment, but in a good way.

What I wasn't expecting was for the Irish lyrics to be translated on screen during the concert, and let me tell you, that shit hit deep in my soul.

"Bhfuilis soranna sorcha [You’re all bright ease]

Ach tagais ’nós na hoíche [But you come on like night]

Trína chéile [Entangled]

Le chéile, claochlaithe [Together, transformed]

Bhfuilis soranna sorcha [You’re all bright ease]

Ach tagais ’nós na hoíche [But you come on like night]

Is claochlú an ealaín [Art is a transformation]

Is ealaín dubh í [It is a dark art]"

I can't quite place it, but there is something lovely in being compared to the night. The kind of night that God had to rid the world of at the start of creation. The kind of darkness that you know deep down isn't all that scary.

2. Francesca

"Do you think I'd give up

That this might've shook the love from me

Or that I was on the brink?

How could you think, darling, I'd scare so easily?"

This song to me doesn't resonate because of a love story I lost. When I listen to this song I think of the younger version of me, of that scared little girl I would fight God to protect, of how I would quite literally go through hell for her. She's not me anymore, but I hold her so deeply and lovingly in my heart. I would risk damnation for her.

"It was too soon

When that part of you was ripped away

A grip taking hold

Like a cancer that grows

Each piece of your body that it takes"

Being trans is weird sometimes. It can feel like a rejection of who I used to be. Like I've killed a piece of me. But I also know that I dug her grave and gave her a place to rest and I will find her again one day and rest with her because I am at my core someone who loves deeply and wildly and without abandon.

"If I could hold you for a minute

Darling, I would do it again, ah, ah

I would not change it each time (I would not change it each time)

Heaven is not fit to house a love (Heaven is not fit to house a love)

Like you and I (like you and I)"

Maybe it's not about risking damnation for the ones you love. Maybe it's about realizing that your love is deep and feral and strong in a way that even the divinity of heaven cannot find space for it. Maybe it's about taking your love to the place you've been told it can't exist and proving the world wrong as you love loudly and without fear.

3. I, Carrion (Icarian)

Icarus fan club in the house 🗣️🗣️

The introduction to this song was something akin to 'when Icarus falls and ends up in the afterlife he cannot believe that he truly fell because he felt such ecstasy when he was flying. This song imagines that feeling in the context of a love story.'

"If the wind turns, if I hit a squall

Allow the ground to find its brutal way to me"

I can't help but imagine this song in the context of a fallen angel. I know it's about Icarus, this one is not one of the songs that pulls from Christianity (and the many stories based on the faith), but I wonder how well it must fit the story of an angel falling from Heaven. How well it must fit the story of the people like me who have left the Church but cannot quite bring ourselves to admit it.

"Once I had wondered what was holdin' up the ground

But I can see that all along, love, it was you all the way down

[...]

I do not have wings, love, I never will

Soarin' over a world you are carryin'"

To love someone and trust someone so deeply that you cannot believe they could have let you fall. The narrator's world is held up by their love because their love is all that could possibly matter. And if that doesn't bring you near tears I don't know what will.

"If I should fall, on that day

I only pray, don't fall away from me"

4. From Eden

"Babe

There's something broken about this

But I might be hoping about this

Oh, what a sin

[...]

Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know

I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door"

I didn't leave your holiness so that I could run away to be held in a love you don't accept. I left your holiness so I could watch love unfold. I left your holiness for the chance to wait for a love you wouldn't accept. A love that you wouldn't let in.

This song will always resonate with me as a queer person who's fallen out of religion. I don't know that there's more that I can say on this one. It's a special song to me, one that rings deep in my soul, but not one I have many words for.

Maybe it's just that the mere idea of a love not fit for God's holiest place is more worth my time than staying in that holy place. That it might be a better use of this life to wait and watch and hope than to stay in the comfort of so called divinity.

5. Take Me to Church

"Every Sunday’s gettin’ more bleak

A fresh poison each week

We were born sick, you heard them say it"

Are you really a queer kid who grew up catholic if this song doesn't mean something to you in a deep and profound way? Hearing this song live was, for lack of a better word, a religious experience. To be in an amphitheater full of people who know all the lyrics, for us all to be screaming these lyrics together, to be experiencing that live, how could it not change my life?

"Somethin’ meaty for the main course

That’s a fine lookin’ high horse

What you got in the stable?"

It is a harrowing experience as a catholic kid to slowly realize how fucked the church is. How vile they have acted, how much abuse they have perpetuated. It's traumatizing in a way to learn the not so hidden truths of the church but be told that "it's different now" or that "the church is still good because God is good." "Why should I have to listen to the people who cause so much harm?" I ask myself as I walk into church and take my same place in the pews that I take every Sunday. To know is one thing, but to accept and internalize is another entirely. And it's fucking hard to accept how fucked the church is when you're that deep in it.

"I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife"

The one and only time I went to confession I was 7 years old. Sit with that. Sit with how absolutely fucking disgusting it is to have children confess their sins to a man they don't know.

"Oh, good God, let me give you my life"

The One Time I Cried: Unknown/Nth

"You know the distance never made a difference to me

I swam a lake of fire, I'd have walked across the floor of any sea"

This song will always make me think of my relationship with religion and the church. Of how I fought so hard to maintain my faith only for it to fall apart because it didn't have room for who I grew up to be.

"It ain't the being alone (sha-la-la)

It ain't the empty home, baby (sha-la-la)

You know I'm good on my own (sha-la-la), sha-la-la, baby

You know, it's more the being unknown

So much of the living, love, is the being unknown"

I think it's funny how I spent so much of my life in a Church. For years I was there every Sunday for Mass with my family and every Wednesday with my classmates and bi weekly for youth group or catechism or confirmation classes. But was I ever me in those spaces? Did those spaces ever hold space for who I was? For knowing who I was?

"Do you know, I could break beneath the weight

Of the goodness, love, I still carry for you?

That I'd walk so far just to take

The injury of finally knowing you"

This is the bit that broke me. This is the part that had tears falling from my eyes as I watched Hozier sing it live. I have fond memories of Church just as much as I have trauma from what it put me through emotionally & psychologically. I think it would really and truly hurt to go back in any meaningful way. No, I know it would hurt. And yet I still wonder if it would be worth it in some cruel and twisted way.

"And there are some people, love, who are better unknown"

[cyborg-franky]

do you think certain OP characters would listen to sad songs if theyre having a broken heart? If so, who exactly? (Tbh i think ace would, just to make himself more miserable)

Oh for sure.

Thatch

He’s a big-time romantic, with all the romance novels that he reads and writes.

He would 100% be influenced by music and listen to sad songs after a breakup. 

Sitting there after dinner service, smoking and watching the stars. Music playing by his side as he laments in his sadness.

Humming along if he knows the tune, exhaling smoke into the air as he thinks about the person he’s lost.

He’s old enough and mature enough to know the heart heals and it’ll get better. 

But until then, the stars and sad songs will be by his side.

Sanji

For similar reasons as Thatch. Listening to music in the kitchen as he sighs and thinks about the person who broke his heart.

He’ll hear a song as he pictures their face, that song then becomes the song that forever reminds him of them. Whenever it comes on in the future, no matter how many years have passed, if he’s with someone else or not, he will still feel that pang in his chest and remember them.

He has no idea if the lyrics fit how he feels but it hit a note with him. The way it sounds more than anything. 

Buggy

He might not look the type or even seem it but Buggy is someone who throws all of himself into everything and anything he does. He feels so deeply about everything.

So when someone breaks his heart he slams the door shut and refuses to come out for hours maybe days.

Just plays nothing but sad songs so he can get his feelings out faster, maybe transfer the pain into anger so it can pass faster [he thinks] but he also isn’t the type that will let something go.

Bitter ex [™]

Someone will be worried about him, knock on his door and open it without permission to see him sitting on his bed, crying and screaming with makeup running down his face going “Don’t look at meeee, get ouuuut!”

Ace

But Ace’s sad songs are heavy ones, loud and angry-sounding music with sad soulful lyrics that resonate with him. Anger and sadness all wrapped into one ball in his chest.

The louder the music the better, he needs to feel the thumping beats in his chest, and drum it all out.

Something screaming and angry to just shift the pain. Make it easier to digest. He’ll be crying, fists balled up as he plays over every mistake but the deep heavy music shakes the walls and vibrates across the floors. Helps him put names to feelings, and helps them to process. 

The songs might sound like noise and all he feels is anger but the lyrics mean something to him and they help.

Franky

Franky acts all tough and shrugs it off. His friends ask if he’s okay and he’s all smiles and thumbs up.

For a moment.

If they ask again he folds like a deck chair.

Tears run down his cheeks as he wails and sobs and falls over himself, grabbing his friends into a hug.

Then he brings out his guitar, strums it sadly, and then sings sad love songs as loud as he can.

Brook joins in and between the two everyone else feels bummed out but Franky and Brook are living.

Boa

Boa will listen to sad songs and realize she ain’t that girl she’s Boa Hancock, girl boss extraordinaire. 

She’ll turn over the sad songs and put on the powerful breakup songs and sing them loudly into the mirror as she fixes her hair, cleans the makeup from her face, and applies a fresh face. She squshes her boobs together in the mirror winks and feels powerful.

Why was she sad? There’s no reason, she’s beautiful and powerful and no one can make her feel like shit.

Though sometimes, when she’s feeling down, feeling vulnerable she’ll curl up alone on her bed and listen to sad songs. To remind herself she’s Boa Hancock, a woman with a bleeding heart she hides from all.

[bigsoftmarshmallow]

Have 2 incoming, but more so 1 for heartshatter angst & then 1 for funny sweetness to help repair the hole the first one will likely leave in your heart. So, fair warning.

For the Reverse Isekai, don't care which version: I think that if someone were to play “Just A Man” for Wake, he may just break. Especially, if he'd had a wife & child before being sealed away. Like, it would add an extra layer to his desire to return Hyrule to what it was even if it wouldn't bring them back. Meaning that his wish would be more so “bringing back what he’d lost,” which to him would not just be the land he’d pursued so relentlessly, but also the family that he lost as a direct result of his ambitions.

And, I think he'd be particularly stricken by the lyrics “When does a comet become a meteor, when does a candle become a blaze,” “when does a ripple become a tidal wave, when does the reason become the blame,” & “when does a man become a monster.” That last one, especially, would likely hit him as it rings out with a drawn out desperate & mournful note.

And, the actual circumstances of the song, upon learning of it (being forced to murder an infant in order to get home), would likely add even more weight to the song for him, even more so if he'd been brought to this other world not long before Wind would arrive at his tower beneath the sea &, thus, would soon be faced with possibly needing to kill a young boy in order to get back to the one wanted bring back.

Like, talk about ripping someone’s heart out, right? This is why music is such a powerful thing. Sometimes, it touches something in just the right way that it resonates on a level that not much else can. It's why I think of music magic as being an offshoot of soul magic, especially when paired with one’s voice. It's probably the closest that one can get to harmonizing with the full breadth of one’s soul & showing it to others.

Brain... not working... Bleh... But I wish I could give you a glimpse into my mind. This was an incredible scene to play out in the imagination scape. Such a good idea! You have good ideas. Mmm... Brain.

*********************************************************************

Memory updated

Wake (Wind Waker Ganondorf) would be deeply moved by the song “Just A Man,” especially as the lyrics unfold and strike a familiar chord within him. The opening lines, "When does a comet become a meteor, when does a candle become a blaze," would tug at memories of when his ambitions first ignited—what started as a noble cause to reclaim the land became a consuming fire that left nothing but loss in its wake.

As the song progresses, "when does a ripple become a tidal wave, when does the reason become the blame," Wake’s eyes would glaze over with the weight of his choices, feeling the tide of guilt for what his relentless pursuit had cost him. The imagery would stir memories of his family, the life he had longed for, and how it all drowned in the chaos of his ambition. Perhaps, before being sealed away, his wife and child were the precious anchors to the world he desired, but that world collapsed, lost forever.

The crescendo of "when does a man become a monster," would shatter the last of his defenses. He’d lower his head, his fists clenched, trying to maintain composure but feeling the sharp sting of the song’s truth. The finality of those words would echo in his mind, reflecting how far he had fallen from the man he once was. The realization of needing to face the young boy, Link, not much older than his own child might have been, would sink in. The gravity of repeating history for a fleeting chance at what he once had would crush him.

Wake would likely turn away from the others, his broad shoulders shaking under the weight of emotions he had long since buried. Though he is powerful, the quiet desperation in his heart would surface, leaving him vulnerable, even as he tries to resist. His thoughts would linger on how music, something so intangible, could touch the deepest recesses of his soul in a way no blade or spell ever could. In that moment, he is no longer the fearsome king of the Gerudo, but a grieving man, haunted by all he had lost.

[dreuuubullets]

Older By Sasha Alex Sloan

"The older I get the more that I see.

My parents aren't heroes, they're just like me

And loving is hard, it don't always work

You just try your best not to get hurt

I used to be mad but now I know

Sometimes it's better to let someone go

It just hadn't hit me yet

The older I get"

This morning, during my run, I took a break and scrolled through my Facebook feed to catch up on people’s posts and updates. I came across a reel shared by a good friend from work—it was a video of a girl at a concert, singing and crying to a song. This friend of mine is a manager and a single mom, and whenever we talk, she never mentions any drama or struggles in her life. Seeing her share something like this made me realize that she might be a lot like me, just stronger than I initially thought, and it really made me reflect on a lot of things.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that my view of the world—and of the people in it—has changed dramatically. When I was younger, I saw my mom as these unbreakable hero who always knew what to do. But as the lyrics say

The older I get, the more that I see / My parents aren't heroes, they're just like me.

That line really hit home for me because it’s true. My mom, who I once thought had all the answers, were really just doing her best with what she had, just like I am now.

This shift in perspective has been both comforting and unsettling. It’s comforting because it makes me feel less alone in my mistakes and uncertainties. We’re all just figuring it out as we go. But it’s also unsettling because it’s a reminder that there isn’t always someone there who knows better or who can fix things for me. It’s up to me to navigate my own way, and that can be scary.

And loving is hard, it don't always work / You just try your best not to get hurt

This resonates deeply with me, too. I’ve always believed in the idea of perfect love—the kind that’s easy and effortless. But the truth is, love is messy, complicated, and sometimes it doesn’t work out. I’ve learned the hard way that even when you give your all, it doesn’t guarantee things will last. Accepting this has been one of the toughest lessons for me. It’s not about blaming myself or the other person; it’s just about understanding that sometimes, despite our best efforts, things fall apart.

I used to be mad but now I know / Sometimes it's better to let someone go.

This part of the song speaks to my heart because it mirrors my journey of learning to let go—of anger, of expectations, and of people who aren’t meant to stay in my life. I’ve spent so much time holding onto things that didn’t serve me, thinking that if I just tried harder, they would change. But letting go doesn’t mean giving up; it means choosing peace over pain. It means accepting that not everything is meant to be fixed.

These lyrics have made me realize that growing up is more than just aging; it’s about gaining clarity. It’s about peeling back the layers of who we thought we were supposed to be and accepting who we actually are. It’s about seeing our parents, our relationships, and ourselves in a more honest light. And while that clarity can sometimes be painful, it’s also incredibly freeing.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that life doesn’t always follow the script we had in mind, and that’s okay. The older I get, the more I understand that everyone is just doing their best, and that includes me. And maybe that’s the real secret to growing up—realizing that perfection is an illusion, and peace comes from embracing the imperfections.

[lrenvs3000w24]

Music In Nature

Have you ever just sat and listened to nature? I feel we sometimes forget that nature can be music on its own and instead listen to music while going on a run or walking outside.

Nature, with its boundless beauty and inherent rhythm, serves as an eternal muse for composers and musicians. From the gentle whisper of leaves in the wind to the thunderous crescendo of a waterfall, the environment offers a rich tapestry of sounds that inspire musical compositions. Just as a composer draws from the landscape to create a masterpiece, so does nature with music.

Through its melodies and harmonies, music acts as a conduit for our imagination, painting vivid landscapes within our mind. Whether it's the tranquillity of a classical symphony or the rustic charm of folk tunes, music has the power to evoke memories of nature, transporting us to maybe forests, sun-kissed meadows, or rugged mountain peaks.

In this symbiotic relationship lies a question: which song serves as a gateway to a natural landscape, eliciting memories and emotions deeply intertwined with the great outdoors? For many, the answer lies in the flickering glow of a campfire, the open road walk, or a backpacking journey. It is within these moments with nature that certain melodies etch themselves into our consciousness, becoming inseparable from the landscapes they evoke. 

Although I do have certain songs that remind me of certain times during my travels or walking in nature. I'd like to share a different type of song for this week’s blog. Tying back to this weeks unit which talked about culture through songs, stories, and education the song I chose for this week encapsulates the essence of a powerful narrative intertwined with the natural world. The song I chose to share is called Selva Negra by Maná which is a Spanish song created in 1995 that I learned from my parents. 

The song opens with a vivid depiction of a "selva negra," or black forest, setting the stage for a journey with challenges and adversity. In this metaphorical landscape, the protagonist finds themselves confronted with an ant colony facing invasion of their home and heritage. Through the lens of nature interpretation, the black forest symbolizes not only the physical environment but also serves as a metaphor for the collective struggles and injustices faced by communities worldwide.

As the distressed ant shares its story of oppression and resistance, the song delves into themes of social justice and the innate human desire to protect what is sacred. The ants' unwavering determination to defend their selva negra mirrors the resilience of marginalized communities fighting against systemic injustices, resonating with the fundamental principles of interpretation as both an art and a form of activism.

Drawing from the insights of Gray, Krause, Atema, Payne, Krumhansl, and Baptista (2001), the song exemplifies how musical expressions can transcend language barriers, communicating profound messages that resonate across cultures and generations. In "Selva Negra," the rhythmic pulse of the music mirrors the heartbeat of nature itself, while the lyrics serve as a powerful call to action, urging listeners to stand in solidarity with those facing oppression and injustice.

Moreover, the song prompts reflection on the interconnections between music and nature, inviting listeners to think about the bonds shared between all living beings. As Tilden's third principle of interpretation suggests, effective interpretation seamlessly blends art and information, stirring the heart and soul to action. In the case of "Selva Negra," the song serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving both cultural heritage and the natural environment, highlighting the urgent need for collective action and stewardship.

In the context of nature interpretation in Canada, where arts and entertainment are often separated from learning and education, "Selva Negra" offers a compelling example of how music can serve as a powerful tool for storytelling, education, and advocacy. I hope you enjoy the song as much as i did and find the meaning interesting! Would you ever create a song to teach about nature or your heritage?

Gray, P. Krause, B. Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54. 

Hooykaas, A. (2024). Hooykaas, A. (2024). ENVS*3000 Nature Interpretation course notes. Retrieved February, 29 2024, from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/858004/viewContent/3640021/View

[desertfangs]

post 5 songs you actually listen to and tag some followers!

Thanks to everyone who tagged me: @bubblegum-blackwood, @this-writer-needs-coffee & @covenofthearticulate! Please don't judge my terrible taste in music, I am a relic of my time.

Good Intentions by Toad the Wet Sprocket

Listen, this is embarrassing but this song appeared on the Friends soundtrack which a friend got me for Christmas on cassette because I am that many years old. I still find it incredibly relatable and Toad is one of my favorite bands of all time. (Some of their songs also remind me deeply of Lestat. But that's another post.) Lyric: "And it's hard to rely on my own good senses / When I miss so much that requires attention / Have to laugh at myself sometimes / And I can see that I'm not blind"

2. What Sarah Said - Death Cab For Cutie

I'm a huge fan of Death Cab and they are the band I've seen live the most times so it's hard to pick a favorite but songs about grief are weirdly sort of rare. This one really captures the atmosphere of being in a hospital with a loved one who's dying. My favorite lyric is "It sung like a violent wind / That our memories depend / On a faulty camera in our minds"

3. Unwell by Matchbox 20

I imprinted on this band at a young age and I love most of their stuff (I cannot get into the album North for some reason) but Unwell is just one of those songs that resonates deeply. Also it makes me think of Daniel when he goes mad. Ha! Lyrics: "I'm talkin' to myself in public, dodging glances on the train / And I know, I know they've all been talkin' about me / I can hear them whisper, and it makes me think / There must be somethin' wrong with me"

4. The Never-Ending Why by Placebo

I love the whole Battle for the Sun album but this song always hits me in the gut. It's a good driving song for some reason, too. Lyrics: "The sound of silence grows / As the spider's kiss is laid / The tumor becomes malign / But the kids are doing fine"

5. Odds Are - Barenaked Ladies

Figured I'd end on a happier note. BNL are Canada's most beloved alt-rock band or whatever. This song is just really optimistic and encouraging and honestly I need more of that in my music. Lyrics: "Sure things go wrong, but I'll take my chances / Odds are long, so why not play?"

I think everyone has probably been tagged by now since I'm late to the party but just in case: @kf-tea @rainbowcarousels @tehfanglyfish And anyone else who hasn't been tagged but wants to do it!

[primusfortuna]

Rouge ⟡ Love Wrapped in Ribbons of Gratitude (Sun 01)

[Normal Route] [XX] [02] [03] [Moon Route]

“The Singing Bard’s Song of Love”

A few days after Rouge-san and I picked out presents... Love Day arrived before we knew it―

As part of the plan, Rouge-san was scheduled to sing at the town square today.

Emma: Is everything ready?

Rouge: Yeah! I tuned my lyre and my throat feels raring to go. I’m in tip top shape to sing out my love.

Rouge: Of course, we can’t forget... your cheers of love to top it all off!

Emma: Ah, Rouge-san, let me tie your hair back with a ribbon. It’ll be symbolic for Love Day.

Rouge: I see your fondness for brushing me off remains undefeated~

Standing behind Rouge-san while he sits on the sofa, I begin to tie his long hair with a ribbon.

Rouge: Thanks ♪ Also... could I see your ribbon? I’m pretty sure you had one.

Emma: ? Sure, take it.

When I hand him my own ribbon, he gently ties it around my wrist.

Rouge: As one of us preachers, you’ve got to wear yours, too.

Rouge: ...Okay, all done. Mhm, super cute.

Emma: ...Thank you.

Rouge: Alright, should we get going now?

(Rouge stands up)

Rouge: Your hand, princess.

Emma: Hehe, my pleasure.

Just like before, I wrap my hand around his arm.

I begin to feel the heat of his body from where we touch. The comfortable warmth puts my mind at total ease.

Middle-Aged Man: Oh! You’re finally here, Rouge!

Old Woman: I’m eager to hear you sing today...!

Emma: (He’s got all these people cheering for him just by showing up... Even I’m getting anxious.)

Rouge: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so very much for your patience. Please, listen to the story of this humble bard, Rouge.

Rouge: As we spin together ever-changing dreams with song... Allow me to once again transport you to a world far from our own.

Rouge: I’m about to unravel a tale of parting and reunion between the prince and princess of a far-off land.

At times, with heartache... At others, with passion... The delicate notes of his lyre and his crystal-clear voice spin a tale―

―of love between the prince and princess. Once separated, they found each other again through a ribbon.

Emilio: Beautiful. This might sound rude, but... heh. He’s like a completely different person.

Cyrus: Yeah... Words can’t describe how wonderful it sounds.

Rouge: My beloved, bring me to your side. My beloved, may we find our hearts once more entwined.

Emma: (Rouge-san... I wonder what he thinks about when he sings those lyrics.)

Emma: (I don’t know why, but they resonate deeply with me...)

Rouge: It’s for your own good. It’s because I love you. —— Those beautifully dressed words make it hard sometimes. Rouge: As a rule, I try not to give away anything that can last. Rouge: Think of it this way. I’m the wandering bard Rouge-san. Footloose and fancy free, I go wherever the wind blows. Rouge: So I don’t really have much, and I try not to leave anything behind.

Emma: (I have to make sure he knows.)

Emma: (That I’d be... heartbroken if he disappeared.)

Rouge: ―And so, they formed a powerful bond. Our story of love brought about through a ribbon has reached its end.

As soon as Rouge-san bows, thunderous cheers and applause rumble through the square.

Emma: Good job out there! That was incredible!

Rouge: Thank you ♪

Rouge: I don’t know why, but I feel a lot more―

(A boy runs up and tackles Rouge)

Rouge: Huh!? Woah!?

Boy: Mister! You were so cool! That had my heart pounding the whole time...!

Rouge: Geez~ that was a mighty tackle! Hehe. You kept your promise of coming.

Emma: It’s you...!

Boy: I’m sorry. But I think I like singing better than trai— Mother: You think singing some silly songs will bring you to knighthood? I’m saying this for your own good. Come with me!

Boy: Guess what? Me and him are friends now! I even brought my mom today, like he said!

Emma: Rouge-san, when did this happen...?

Rouge: Err~... This kid eagerly came to find me back then, and uh, one thing led to another...

Rouge: I did something I wouldn’t usually do.

Emma: ...Don’t say that.

Boy: Hey hey, Mom! Didn’t you think his singing was, like, so cool?

Mother: ......

Rouge: ...Hello.

Rouge: How’d you like my song?

Mother: ...Awful.

Emma: (Huh...?)

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[druidcore]

FABLE MEADOWS : playlist commentary . 

01. THUS ALWAYS TO TYRANTS , the oh hellos.  do not weep, do not wail, I am coming home to you

this song’s title is about how bad people always get what’s coming to them. I think it encompasses some of the hope that she has that goodness and rightness will always prevail. the song is upbeat, and reminds me of twirling in front of a bonfire with your closest family. there’s just such a sense of optimism and hope that the song radiates that I thing resonates deeply with her character. 

02. NEW SKIN , vérité.  new heart, new limbs to bury myself in

I really like this song for fable because it feels like it really vibes with this body metamorphosis she goes through. a lot of fable’s themes have to do with rebirth, identity and loss, and there’s a longing note to the song that I think she can relate to. 

03. HELLO MY OLD HEART , the oh hellos. are you still there inside my chest?

I think the song kind of speaks for itself, but it’s basically just a representation of that closed off-ness that fable feels after being reborn. her heart is still in there, but is it still beating? does it still feel? and is it worse if it doesn’t? 

04. PEOPLE HELP THE PEOPLE , birdy.  and if you're homesick, give me your hand and I'll hold it

I like birdy’s version of this song because it’s a lot more fragile and delicate. fable, deep down, longs to connect and to feel. even her name isn’t really hers, so much as it is a collection of other people’s stories. and whether she knows it or not, she needs to be a part of someone else’s again.  

05. HUMAN , daughter. and despite everything I'm still human

the acceptance that she is not a machine. she is not a set of armor and a shield. she is a person with feelings and a soul. and she should never forget that again. meadow is waking up and fable can’t pretend she isn’t there, inside her. 

06. I CAN’T BREATHE , bea miller.  how can I be alright? 

her autonomy, having been taken from her, sometimes makes her feel like a visitor in her own body. not only that, but her emotions regarding her trauma are locked away. this song is every time she’s been forced to reckon with the indignity of what was done to her. 

07. FREE, florence + the machine.  to exist in the face of suffering and death and somehow still keep singing

I love this song so much as one of the more hopeful and optimistic songs on fable’s playlists. the idea that even though there’s so much shitiness and pain out there, that there are brief moments of respite. and the realization that sacrifice isn’t gloried. that living is better, braver, more. 

08. NOT THE GHOST, the crane wives. I won't be afraid of all the things I've wanted, it’s the fear and not the ghost that leaves me haunted

I have three different crane wives songs on her playlist, but I chose this one as it really encompasses fable’s need to move on and leave her fear and guilt behind. it’s a song about haunting yourself, even when there is no need to. it’s a song about being afraid of moving on, but needing to do it anyway, because it’s time. 

09. NINE, sleeping at last. I’m just trying to find myself through someone else’s eyes 

though fable is a two type enneagram, the song for two is much more fitting for her in a shippy scenario. nine feels fitting more lyrically to who she is after becoming reborn. I read it as a song about not knowing who you are without being in the company in other people. it speaks to fable’s loss of identity quite clearly. 

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

Hi, I wanted to show you my experience with religious trauma. Because most examples I read of (including that articles Bun showed May) are traumatic because of outside forces (creepy priest, abusive super religious parents etc.) but in my case it wasn't. Obvious tw for religious talk and trauma..

I was raised religious by just living in a small town with no other community, though my (abusive) atheist parents ridiculed me for that.

I was often in contact with the CPS and they were a handful of times soo close to take me out of my family (which I was praying for dearly for years), sometimes already made promises to me. And still, CPS always changed their mind at some point. I was devastated over and over again because I was always full of hope. "God didn't mean it to happen this time because something even better is waiting in the future!!" And at some point it felt like God was fucking with me. I stopped praying, when the CPS would promise me again, to take me out of my family (remind you, my CPS history was a 7 years long journey of hope and devastation). Because I didn't want to reveal to God, that this was important to me. Because I believed, that he would destroy everything that was important to me, just for fun. At that point my good friend and crush suddenly died, so yeah.

I was still very... frightened I mean, my parents didn't love me, my family didn't love me and my God didn't love me. I was very afraid to think or do something "bad", I was expecting punishment every other second and faith and anxiety was linked very closely for me.

So I decided to forbid myself to do any "religious things" for a month, to see how I would feel. And it was hard and scary in the beginning but it became very relieving after some time. I am at a "religious pause" for one year now, and I forbid myself to do anything religious because I know that would trigger me very quickly again. And I want to resolve all of this one day. But for the moment, I feel better than ever. My key was to start believing that I won't die during the next few months and still have time to figure it all out.

I didn't have a religious family, I wasn't part of a church, part of any community, I was just one religious person on their own and still I consider my experience traumatic.

Hi anon,

I'm so sorry to hear about what you went through, and I'm also sorry for your loss.

You don't have to necessarily be part of a church or anything like that for you to be able to label your experience as religious trauma. Your experience is valid.

I really resonate with what you said about feeling like god was fucking with you. I also felt like I was told that god would save me from danger, though simultaneously being told that god doesn't give you challenges you can't handle. I began to feel hopeless that god wasn't listening to my prayers when I was being abused, and I personally believe it's because he wasn't. Ethel Cain has this lyric in her song Sun Bleached Flies, "God loves you / but not enough to save you" and it just resonates with me so deeply. It's just like, how can you be all knowing, all powerful, and all good, and turn a blind eye to tragedies like child abuse? How can you say that these children can handle it? It just seems like warped logic to me. I wonder if any of this resonates with you as well.

It can be helpful to take a break from religion when you have experiences like these (I'm not religious at all currently). It's completely understandable how doing anything religious could be triggering for you. It's important to take your time with this and not rush into anything you're not ready for.

I hope I could help. Please let us know if you need anything.

-Bun

[thedaythatwas]

so bpd is really stigmatized. we know this. while it certainly has a lot of… not-so-easy-to-cope-with parts, there are some symptoms I have that are commonly associated with it that are actually sort of cool. so! I thought I’d come on my silly little tumblr and discuss one of them- musical euphoria!

(by the way, this is not in any way intended to minimize the struggles of people with bpd. this shit is difficult, a constant struggle really. I know. I live it.)

quick background. among other things, bpd is characterized by intense, often rapidly shifting, periods of euphoria and dysphoria. unfortunately for me it’s more often dysphoria than euphoria, but I’ll count my wins. one of the ways this euphoria can be triggered in many people with the diagnosis is through listening to music.

but, obviously, people with bpd are not a monolith, so I’ll speak from my own experience! sometimes when I listen to music, I will literally be overcome by it. I’ll feel it in my bones, it resonates inside my chest- it’s really intense. not always! it takes the right song at the right time, coupled with preexisting conditions or emotions inside my head to make this happen. that being said, I’ve gotten pretty good at making it happen if I really want it to.

it’s like getting high off of emotion. the emotions aren’t always good, but considering sometimes I go through these pretty chilling spells of total emptiness, it can be a cool and helpful healthy coping mechanism for me (so long as I don’t lean into negative emotions too much, as my therapist warns me I’m very prone to doing. then things get dicey). it makes me feel more like a person during spells where I sometimes struggle to feel that way.

there’s no one genre or artist who consistently does this for me, but I will say based on personal experience, resonating with lyrics or themes in music is a pretty surefire way to know a song will affect me. if it doesn’t now, it probably will in the future. instrumentals totally do this for me too though (looking pointedly at certain soundtracks in particular).

listening to music and resonating with it is a widely shared human experience, and I know the things that I’m describing are by no means only experienced by people with this singular diagnosis. I’m just sharing my personal experiences and maybe, if I’m really lucky, offering you some insight into a condition that is often demonized. feeling deeply and viscerally can be hard, but it isn’t a curse! beautiful things come out of it too.

[obsessivelollipoplalala]

maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but i think that sometimes their will to make a song more general, so that it could resonate with a wider audience kinda hurt their songwriting. the songs filled with specific details always resonates more with me more even if i can't relate 100% to them. but maybe it's just a matter of taste!

Ooooo, a hot take!

I think it depends on the song, but I think I agree. Making lyrics general can give them an appeal to a wider audience because they can be applied to many situations, but that also runs the risk of the lyrics being generic. I don’t think “No One But You” is generic, but it probably would’ve been even more impactful with Brian’s more personal lyrics. I like Queen’s lyrics where they’re more vague, not general, like there’s clearly a story here, but the songwriter is only giving us bits and pieces of what’s going on in his mind. That’s more interesting to me, and yeah, when they did get specific, I enjoy that more, too.

Not to derail, but it’s one of the reasons why Stephen Sondheim is my favorite composer. You can take some of his songs out of context, but a lot of them, you can’t! They don’t make a lot of sense if you don’t know the show, because he was such a master storyteller and used the music to tie in deeply with the plot and the characters, as opposed to other composers whose songs can easily be lifted from the shows because the music isn’t actually telling the story very thoroughly. It’s why you can take several songs out of RENT or Phantom of the Opera, but not Sweeney Todd.

Obviously, these are very different genres lol. I’m just saying that Sondheim’s complicated, story-driven music appeals more to me than general, generic lyrics that are designed to fit into several situations because there isn’t a lot of depth there on the surface.