#this reminds me I was going to make a post on different elements of music in composition and how to apply them

[autistic-autumn]

For those curious the reason a lot of these work and are easy to use is because they rely on pentatonic scales (5 note scales). The scale they use here has no possible room for dissonance if you are unfamiliar with the theory. Music is extremely dense theoretically compared to a number of other art disciplines just because it's a complex subject. It's like trying to write without know the language you're trying to write in.

You might know pentatonic scale as it's often described as giving an "oriental" sound. While this is kind of true (playing just the black notes on a piano will give you this easy), various pentatonic scales are used everywhere in folk music from across the globe. I'm not particularly an ethnomusicologist and not intimately familiar with it all but I suspect part of the reason you find different pentatonic scales everywhere is because they are just easy to improvise on and learn.

I would still advise learning some basic theory and there are plenty of places online that'll teach you the basics of things like harmony, rhythm and so forth as they are fairly foundational to making music at a higher level. Music is such a richly theoretical you could spend your life studying just on theory if you really wanted. Tools like this however are great way to get into beginning to understand and are hugely accessible.

people NEED to stop gatekeeping making music like ohhhh i don’t have an instrument ohhhhh i don’t know music theory ohhhhh i’m not gonna pay for some program. SHUT UP. take my hand.

you need NONE of that shit!!!!! there’s a website called beepbox.co. literally all you have to do is press things until it sounds a modicum of nice. it’s easy it’s free and it works on anything which has a browser because it’s a website.

if even ONE person starts making music bc of this post it will be worth it.

making bad music is just as important and okay as it is to write badly or draw badly or sing badly. you AREN’T BEHOLDEN TO MAKE GOOD MUSIC. making music is not utilitarian HAVE FUN. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!

[fellulahh]

The characters at a festival HCs (brothers and Diavolo) - NSFW references

Lucifer:

- his idea of hell (no pun intended)

- “Where are the bell tents? The yurts?” “Lucifer we’re sleeping in a tent.” “I beg your pardon?!” “It’s a two man so we’d be sharing a bed.” “Well I suppose I can make do.”

- He spends the entire weekend completely horrified by his surroundings

- “MC am I mistaken or did that person just snif—“ “yep”

- “MC I can’t believe I am doing all of this for you.”

- Reminds MC to reapply suncream every hour

- He doesn’t dance at all but he does enjoy seeing MC happy and bopping to the music

- “You want me to go to the toilet in that?”

- His arms make a very rare appearance and he has to tell MC off for drooling. “Put that tongue away, MC, before I put it to good use.”

- At night when the temperature drops, Lucifer insists MC cuddles up to him as he wouldn’t want her “catching a cold”

Mammon:

- he’s in his element

- As soon as he sees the tent MC brings along for them both, his eyes light up

- “Are we both stayin’ in that?!” “Yeah?” “But there’s only one compartment?!” “Your point is?” “N—nothing”

- “Come on, I don’t wanna miss a thing!” He cries as he unconsciously grabs MC’s hand and leads her to the arena

- He insists he visits every stool selling all kinds of colourful things

- Immediately invests in a buckle hat

- He takes SO many photos with “his human” and posts them everywhere for everyone to see

- they both get a little drunk together and end up not being able to take their hands off one another

- “MC what’ya doin’ to me??” He blushes a lot

- Basically sprints back to the tent at the end of the night after remembering him and MC would be sharing an air mattress

Levi:

- blushes like crazy when he realises him and MC are sharing a tent

- He’s a bit nervous about the large crowds of a festival but after noticing a few people dressed as video game characters he likes, he soon eases

- He prefers walking around the festival village than the arena as there’s funfair rides and games you can play

- Naturally he wins every game which results in MC having to carry around a huge teddy until they get back to their tent

- Buys him and MC matching felt mushroom hats

- Him and MC buy a hot chocolate on the way back to the tent before the music finishes so that they can sit outside their tent looking up at the stars, hearing the headliner in the distance finish their set

Asmo:

- “right, it’s this way to red camping” “erm absolutely not, MC, I’ve booked us VIP.”

- Pays for an expensive yurt so that they can go full glam for their outfits each day without the difficultly of getting ready in a tiny tent with no mirror

- “Oopsy! I booked a double bed and not two singles.”

- He carries round a fan and fawns at any of the good looking humans that come their way

- Asmo is in pure people watching mode. He LOVES it. Everyone is in such colourful and extravagant outfits, he can’t believe MC never invited him to a festival earlier

- Falls in love with every artist that comes on stage

- “Oh MC, I must buy their t-shirt before we go!”

- He insists they hold hands wherever they go in case they “get separated”

Satan:

- Satan is pretty relaxed about the whole experience. He embraces doing something different

- What he embraces most, however, is realising the mattress he’s pumping is a double bed

- “Are we sharing?” He asks nonchalantly

- He’s super chilled when they’re watching the various artists, he keeps a drink in one hand while his other arm is draped around MC

- MC finds him SO attractive as he wears his sunglasses, and his hat backwards

- He unwinds so fast and before he knows it, he’s finding himself dancing with MC

- At one point when MC goes to the toilet, Satan disappears to get them both something to drink and eat

- “Well after today, I’m rather excited to see how the rest of the weekend goes” “the nights not over yet, MC.” He smiles as he takes her hand and leads them back to the tent

Beel:

- MC has to buy a larger tent just to fit Beel’s tall body it in

- “Is this where we’re sleeping?” He asks with a big smile as MC chucks the blanket into one compartment

- “I thought we could sleep in this side and keep the other side to store our food.” “Marry me” “what”

- Beel carries MC on his shoulders so that she can get a better view of her favourite artists

- In fact he carries her everywhere. All she has to do is say her feet are sore once and that’s it, Beel won’t let her go through anymore pain

- They try every food vendor available

- When the sun goes down and it gets a bit colder, Beel gives MC his hoodie and hugs her from behind while she watches the artist on stage

- with no hesitation, Beel picks MC up when they go to head back to the tent

Belphie:

- You can bet MC and Belphie have the comfiest sleeping set up. That demon didn’t care how far they had to walk to get to their pitch, he was bringing as many blankets and pillows as he physically could

- He wears his hoodie up and keeps himself to himself the whole weekend, but stays close by to MC

- Belphie rests his chin on MC’s head and holds her from behind throughout the performances

- They have tactical afternoon naps when there’s a gap in artists they want to see

- Belphie brings a spare jumper with him when they watch the headliner because he wants to make sure MC is warm enough for all of it

- His favourite part of each day is walking pack to the tent with MC

Diavolo:

- he has never been so amazed by anything before: the people, the atmosphere, the colours, the music…

- Makes a comment about how his “weekend just got better” when MC informs him the tent is only big enough if they share a bed

- Diavolo unconsciously keeps an arm around MC a lot, worried he may lose her in the crowd

- He’s so excited to see all the artists MC likes so he can gain an insight into what the human listens to

- The pair enjoy each other’s company so much that they lose track of how many drinks they’ve had

- Before long, they’re holding hands wherever they go

- “Where the f has he gone” *Diavolo sails past* “MC, I’m crowd surfing!”

- “Look MC, I bought us matching t-shirts!”

- They’re one of the last to leave the arena and they spend the entire walk back to the tent laughing with each other

- They might also share a few tipsy kisses on the way back

- Complete raw dogging in the tent as soon as they get back

[mzminola]

I have my music in alphabetical order by song title when I go on walks (it provides more of a shuffle-feeling experience than the actual shuffle function) which meant I was hit by three songs in a row that gave me Bat team feels:

Halsey, Control, Bruce.

Florence & the Machine, Cosmic Love, Batman & Robin,

OneRepublic, Counting Stars, Jason.

~

Control: oh boy does this work well for Bruce and his many created personas. I'm bigger than my body, Bruce -> donning Batsuit -> Batman standing in Gotham, dwarfed by it but also representing it. Damn right Bruce is bigger than his body.

I'm meaner than my demons, well we just need a pan over or flash-shuffle through ever Rogue, and the way Bruce specifically designed Batman to be a figure that evokes fear.

I'm colder than this home, ouch.

I'm well acquainted with villains that live in my bed. Hi every single love interest of dubious morality Bruce has ever had.

I've grown familiar with villains that live in my head. Oh NOW we're cooking. Hi Zur, hi Failsafe, hi every single alternate universe evil Batman. And this leads so, so well to, The kids cry out please stop you're scaring me, I can't help this awful energy.

~

Counting Stars: feels like a mash-up of different eras in Jason's life. No more counting dollars, now we're counting stars, is great for the switch from stealing the Batmobile tires to being Robin. A lot of this works for his Robin era!

I've been losing sleep, dreaming about the things that we could be, is Jason's entire life. The yearning, the constant second guessing.

I feel something so right doing the wrong thing / And I feel something so wrong doing the right thing, is perfect for the most fun eras of Red Hood shenanigans. Especially Under the Red Hood, he is having too much fun being an absolute menace.

But oddly enough, Everything that kills me makes me feel alive, and everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly, really DON'T work for post-resurrection Jason. He does not have this attitude! Anything that reminds him of his death makes him depressed and scared, it does NOT fill him with energy. I could see street kid era & Robin era Jason saying those lines, but once he has actual experience with death, and drowning in the Lazarus Pit, it stops fitting.

Sink in the river the lessons I've learned, this whole section could be a montage of his Lost Days training era.

I feel your love, and I feel it burn / Hope is a four letter word. Jason your relationship with Bruce is soooooo messed up. Perfect.

~

Cosmic Love: this is the one that really got me, and honestly the one you could make a music vid out of, since the key elements have all been in live action or animation. The other songs mostly rely on the comics. Could be Bruce & all first three Robins (the orphans) but I think it would work best focused on Bruce & Dick.

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out, Martha & Thomas in that alley.

No dawn, no day, John & Mary broken on the sand.

And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat / I tried to find the sound / But then it stopped / and I was in the darkness, all of these Lost Boys searching for parents they will never get back.

And so darkness I became, is all of the Bats, all of them.

You left me in the dark / I'm always in this twilight, could work for Bruce & Dick being left behind by their parents' deaths. It could also work for how Bruce makes the Robins feel. In the shadow of your heart, oh yes that works with Dick in Bruce's shadow, and in Batman wrapping his cape around Robin.

I took the stars from my eyes, and then I made a map And knew that somehow I could find my way back Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too So I stayed in the darkness with you

This is Dick becoming Robin, setting out to avenge his parents and never setting the mantle down again (this is Tim, setting out to convince Nightwing to come back). This is Dick always returning to Bruce, no matter why he left.

This is Batman & Robin, partners. I stayed in the darkness with you.

[ruukachoo]

Okay so I need to talk about corru.observer

So I'm just sitting here, minding my own business, poking around on the social media sphere when I see a repost of a post talking about a browser game called corru.observer . "Huh," I say to myself, "a browser game about rummaging through an alien biocomputer? Well, I do like my weird fiction, and a biocomputer sounds intreresting. I'll take a look. It's a browser game, in my experience those are typically pretty short, I can give it a looksee and then get on with my life. How long could it take?"

That, my friends, is what we call hubris.

A week and change later I've binged through everything I possibly can (with the exception of the optional hard archive vein section because I'm terrible at the video games especially when they activate hard mode I still haven't dealt with the hard sections in Deltarune ugh why must they put more plot behind hard sections). I have been left staring at the ceiling muttering about mindcores and thoughtforms and weeping over characters. I've talked Eien's ear off puzzling through the story and my brain is still running several cycles repeatedly trying to suss things out.

What I'm trying to say is this game is GOOD and it's gripped my brain HARD.

Unfortunately I learned that it wasn't finished yet well after I had passed the point of no return (this has been happening to me a lot this year with other media, I can't say I'm fond of this trend--I never did like cliffhangers) so I'm left waiting for the next part to come out and in the meantime I have to get out how amazing this game is and maybe convince some other folks to play it because I need to yell more and theorize and there's only so much I can do on my own.

The non-spoilery review: IT'S GOOD GO PLAY IT.

But seriously, the premise basically boils down to: you're a contractor that's been hired to retrieve info from an alien biocomputer that's been recently salvaged from a wreck at the bottom of the ocean. And then it gets weird.

Actually, to quote a character from much later, this is probably the best tagline for the game: "It will probably only get stranger!"

Aesthetically, the game reminds me a little of Welcome to Night Vale. Writing and humor-wise, it reminds me a little of Undertale. There are some elements that remind me a little of Hatoful Boyfriend shut up it does make sense if you've played through it. It's a game full of nooks and crannies to explore and a whole bushel of questions and mysteries to solve. I realize in hindsight that it pings a lot of the things that also caused me to gravitate towards Steven Universe: compelling and complex characters, tons of mysteries big and small to chew on, and rock solid worldbuilding. I am seriously in love with the worldbuilding here - everything, right down to the reason you hear music and the appearance of the characters, has a reason, and part of the joy of the game for me is just figuring everything out. Media scores major points with me when it becomes apparent that the creators have Thought Through Things.

My only really negative thing to say is that while I love the immersive interface, I would have appreciated a little readme file or an annotation or something to indicate how to save the game. In internet years I'm older than the pyramids and I grew up on point-and-click adventure games where being able to save every five seconds is paramount, and I think I would've had a little less anxiety at the beginning if I knew how to save my progress in case Firefox borked or something (I think the answer is there's import/export file functions under data management I THINK that's what it is).

But yes, overall, really good, loved it, really wanting the next part to come out now.

OKAY NOW SOME OTHER THOUGHTS EXCUSE ME WHILE I DO A BIT OF SCREAMING.

NNNNGH THESE CHARACTERS I LOVE THEM. They are all so good. I love Cavik's eagerness and Tovik's determination, I love how Gakvu and Miltza manage to work together despite their differences, I love Kazki's gentleness and Bozko's protectiveness, I love how Idril is basically the answer to the question "What if Osaka from Azumanga Daioh was a dull engineer?". I think what makes it work so well is that you get a chance to spend some time with them, the Call Team in particular. You see them when times are good and when everything is falling apart. The visual novel format, where a lot of the narration is from Akizet's POV, works super well here. You get not only a chance to see what Akizet thinks of them based on what she knows about them, but you see how her thoughts and opinions of them change over the course of the story, particularly in relation to the collapse arc. It gives them an extra boost of life that I think might not have been possible from a more distant POV. They're allowed to be complex and deep.

And oh Akizet is a multidimensional delight. I love her fondness for orange juice. I love how she is doing her best. I love how she is anxious and overthinks things and it's clear that she is trying to do the right thing, even if there are some pretty clear signs that she isn't always making the best choice. I love how she has regrets and joys and stumbles. I love how she is more competent than she thinks she is. I love how she loves these people. Her scene with Bozko where he's spiraling and she hugs him because it's the only thing she can do is lodged in me, both for how relatable it is when wanting to help someone dealing with trauma and the only thing you can do is be there for them, and because oh Aki, you don't need to be a Tir, you just need to be a friend. You just need to be you.

I feel like the overarching theme of the game is "Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have." Right down to the partial translations of words from the mindspike and the fragmented state of the cyst, everything that happens is coming from a place of working with what you've got. That kinda makes the end of the collapse even more tragic, as it's being made abundantly clear that Akizet did not have all the pieces to deal with Vekoa. All she had was her previous knowledge of what she had seen, and all of that pointed to, in her mind, Vekoa attempting a deception. Although I wonder how much of that is based off of what she saw and what she believed. There's a TON of layers here still to uncover.

And there are SO MANY QUESTIONS. There's the big ones of course ("What happened to Akizet?" "What the heck is the deal with the meteorite anyway?" "What is Velzie hiding?" "Who sent the message to Akizet that set everything in motion?"), although there are some smaller ones that I keep chewing on.

What is Kazki's role in all of this? She was conspicuously absent from the collapse, and it made sense she wouldn't be present based on her role, but I keep wondering if there was more going on with her than is apparent. She had been regularly speaking with a human, but the details of that interaction haven't been made known, so is it possible she has more involvement than we currently know? The fact that Drowning, who holds some of Akizet's memories of Kazki and may look like how Kazki actually looks, is guarding some of the deeper parts of the cyst, suggests a greater role.

What is Velzie anyway? The obvious answer is some sort of thoughtform, but from what? Something I started thinking about recently after looking at some of the transcripts is how Tozik wanted Akizet to share the truth about the meteorite. We assume his message got out at the end, but did it? Is Velzie related to Tozik somehow? On the other hand there's evidence Cavik might have some connection as well. HM.

"OUR" DULL SHIP? WHO IS THIS "OUR"??

How much can Funfriend really be trusted? This one's gotten me into a LOT of knots. Funfriend is trying to repair the cyst and is again, doing the best it can with what it has, but the Council and Jokzi Ozo suggest that maybe it's not what the rest of the cyst wants. Honestly I was starting to get a bit of a Myst vibe, where it feels like we're getting two opposing viewpoints and we're eventually going to have to choose one of them (or perhaps a third as-of-yet-unknown third option). But getting back to Funfriend, it's repairing with what it has to work with and its own memories of Akizet and what happened, so how much of that can be trusted? Are we seeing what actually happened, or are we seeing what Funfriend wants us to see?

What IS that weird dark space in Jokzi Ozo with eyes that look an awful lot like Tovik's?

Will we ever get to have a drink with the orange juice effigy? I'M ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS HERE.

Nngh, in the end all I can do is ponder for right now, but when the next part comes out I will be SO ready. And maybe by then I'll have figured out how to get through the archival vein. PLEASE BSTRD, I NEED MORE PLOT AND LORE. I'M NOT A GAMER, I JUST WANT THE STOOOOOORY!!!

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Unexpected 42

Warnings: non/dubcon, pregnancy, pegging, Lloyd being the worst, post partum, csection, suicidial ideation, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

The baby sleeps in her bassinet. Peaceful. You don’t know the last time you ever felt that. The last time you slept soundly. When you manage to drift off, it’s painful and heavy, and you wake up feeling worse as you face the reality you can’t escape.

Dottie’s flighty tones waft up from the first floor. You can’t make out her words, you don’t care enough to try, but you know by Andy’s deep responses and the subsequent click of the door that she’s sending him off. Good. You can’t face him, not after you ran out covered in bile.

You prop up several pillows behind you and recline against them. You just lay there, staring at the joint of ceiling and wall. You don’t watch anything, you don’t use your phone to scroll, you can’t even listen to music. They’re all just a reminder of what you don’t have and what you’re stuck in. Other people have lives and meaning, you are just an udder to be milked.

Dottie raps on the door but as usual, doesn’t await your permittance. She inches open the door and lets out a long sigh. She disapproves. Of you. She should direct that at her son. You don’t say as much. You tried to before and she was too cowardly to hear you. Must be where he gets it from.

“Andy packed up your leftovers,” she informs you, “such a sweetheart that one.”

“You can have them,” you roll onto your side and cross your arms, “I said, I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat, hon–”

“For her or for me? I’m not stupid. The only reason you care is because the baby needs to suck on me like a goddamn juice box. You don’t care how I feel.”

“I know exactly how you feel, dearie, I carried a child too, I fed them, I spent those months with just me and them–”

“Whatever. I don’t fucking want to hear what you went through. It’s not the same.”

“You can’t go on like this. You won’t survive.”

“What do you care?” You snarl. “Because I don’t. I don’t care. Put her on formula and let me die.”

Silence. You hear her near the bassinet and feel her shadow looming near the bed. You almost regret your words. Almost. It would solve a lot of issues if you weren’t here. 

You wouldn’t feel like this. That baby wouldn’t have to feel the flagrant resent radiating off of you at every moment. Dottie wouldn’t have to pretend. And Lloyd, whenever he returns, wouldn’t have to throw you out. You’d do him a favour, quite generously, and free him yourself.

“I’ll take Luna for the night. You get some sleep,” the wheel of bassinet unlocks and rolls softly over the hardwood, “I’ll bring up the pump. I sterilised it earlier. You can use that if you feel… uncomfortable.”

“Fine,” you hiss, “get away from me.”

🍑

You wouldn’t know it if you didn’t see the date stamped at the bottom corner of the television screen. You sit, blankly, watching the scroll of text across the bottom, doing the math in your head. Another week. The living room is quiet but for the tempoed cadence of the newscaster.

You’re consumed in the indifference of your existence. You barely say a word. You barely feel. You take the baby when she fusses or when she’s handed to her, you relieve the pressure in your chest, and give her back. You sit around, sometimes you lay flat on your back, and other times you find yourself standing in doorways, feeling lost.

That day feels different. Dottie, like a hummingbird, is always moving, but she is in a storm of anxiety, edging on anticipation. She’s brought you a measured cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal with milk. You’re not very hungry but you drink the coffee first, eating the oatmeal only at her prompt.

She takes the empty dishes after she hands you the baby again. You let her nurse and Dottie comes back to burp her and put her down. The baby, for all your dissonance, is quiet and calm.

You end up on your side, head on a throw pillow, as the news comes to an end and a home show comes on, giving tips on how to reuse old plant potters and repairs bookshelves. You close your eyes as deja vu sweeps over you. Those days you worked nights but found yourself sleepless in the AM, you would put on some channel or another, let the dullness ease you to sleep.

You drift into the memories and feel the tinge beneath your eyelids. When you open your eyes, you expect to be back in the duplex, you expect Colin to walk in and complain about his job, as you get up to make your coffee and make him dinner. You expect to be who you were before all this.

But you’re not.

“Why don’t you have a shower, sweet?” Dottie appears.

You squint as the sunlight streams yellow between the curtains. It’s around noon, you can tell by the height and hue of the day. You nod and let her help you up. The idea doesn’t sound good until she has you under the faucet, the warmth easing your muscles and washing away the days of sweat and negligence.

You get out and your chest aches. You cup your full tits and see your silhouette in the steamy mirror. You reach forward to wipe away the glaze. You see your body, the scar, the stretch marks, the loose skin, the weight still clinging. You want to puke at the sight of yourself.

You cover yourself with a towel and come out. You go to the guest room where you’ve built your nest. Dottie comes to the doorway as you dry yourself off shamelessly. You can’t change it. You can’t undo it.

“Is she hungry?” You ask.

“She’s still asleep.”

“Mm.”

“You hurtin’?” She asks.

You nod. “I’ll pump.”

“Good,” she enters the room and goes to the closet. She pulls out a purplish pink dress with short sleeves and a bit of ruffle around the elastic cuffs and neckline. Not much to it, light and figureless. 

You watch clueless as she lays it out with a pair of panties and a clean nursing bra. You shake your head as you cross your arms around the towel, holding it against your chest as it drapes over your stomach.

“You’ll want to wear something nice for lunch,” she says.

“Lunch?” You scowl.

“Mhmm, a day out of the house, away from the baby, it’ll be nice, won’t it?” She drawls as she turns to you, “Andy will be here soon.”

“Andy?”

“Yep, I told you, hon. Maybe you didn’t hear me, you’ve been a touch distracted,” she touches your shoulder gently, “a mom like you, how can’t you be? Doing so much, giving so much, you deserve a bit of time to get a little, huh?”

You shake your head and give her a frantic look, then glance at the dress.

“Can I wear something else?” You ask, “to hold all this in?”

She seems to sigh in relief. You’re certain she expected an argument but you don’t have that energy. You just do what you’re told, what you have to do. If she wants you out of the house, you’ll gladly leave this prison. 

“If you like,” she puts her hand on her hip, “but will you try this on? You don’t like it and we’ll go with your choice. It’s hot out, dear,  you don’t want to over do it.”

You sniff and shrug, “fine. Whatever.”

And that’s just how it is. You don’t feel much one way or the other. Dress or no dress. It doesn’t matter to you, but the more you let the idea sink in, the more eager you are to get away. Even if Andy will be there.

[slightlys0iled]

thoughts on the 2000 cathy rigby musical version of slightly? i’ve always appreciated how >:( he seems to be the whole time

HI ANON! I hope you know this ask has made my absolute day, thank you for the ask!!

So I will say that I have a very complicated relationship with the Charlap and Leigh musical*. I find it pretty badly paced for a musical adaptation of a play, and the soundtrack is very hit or miss w me. It's no secret I much prefer the Stiles and Drewe "Musical Adventure", but for all my dislike of Charlap, I've always said that the Cathy Rigby version is by far the best staging of it.

*Charlap is the musical with "I won't grow up" "I gotta crow" and has had Mary Martin, Allison Williams and Cathy Rigby as Peters at different points. It's the one anon is talking abt

A way a lot of Peter Pan adaptations fail for me, top fan of the Lost Boys, is to make the boys too analogous. This is why I dislike the boys in the Mary Martin ver, they're all identical to eachother (save for Tootles, kinda) I can't even tell which one is which at times. Double for the Allison Williams ver (they also fail from looking like the fucking Newsies and there being like 30 of them. I dislike large Lost Boy casts anwyays but that's a diff post for a diff day). A good way to differentiate the Lost Boys is their introductory scene, which a lot of adaptations choose to cut for some reason.

The Cathy Rigby version of Charlap does include this scene, which is why I like it significantly more than the MM and AW productions. CR Charlap is a lot more like a staging of Peter Pan with Charlap's music at intervals, not a staging of Charlap's musical with Peter Pan at intervals, which is how IN MY OPINION, a lot of Charlap productions end up.

(also in this review thingy i'm gonna be referring to the cast of THIS proshot!)

(waayyyy more under the cut)

There's an individual in the Peter Pan fandom with an absolutely huge following so I'm not going to name names but if you know who I mean then you know who I mean, that considers Cathy Rigby the best on stage Peter Pan ever, and the rest of her cast to be the best stage cast of PP, and honestly, to an extent I'm inclined to agree.

My focus is always gonna be on the Lost Boys and it's an immediate con for me in the pros and cons list if the Lost Boys (and ESPECIALLY Slightly, but we'll get to Slightly in a sec!) are handled poorly, and CR doesn't handle them poorly, I honestly love them. Now they're definitely not perfect. No Curly and Nibs and Tootles are blended into Tootles and Nibs is just there.. ig, but I really like them. Another important thing to keep in for the Lost Boys is their comedy. I like when stage productions have them almost clowning, Barrie himself described Slightly as the comedic figure.

The boys are a great source of comedy especially on stage. CR keeps a lot of their physical theatre elements, they roughhouse a lot, something which the original 1904 boys were instructed to do in the script, and the number "Wendy" reminds me of my GCSE drama piece the way it's full of physicality, humour, and clowning! I also really like their costuming!

I like how distinct they each are, and that they don't get a "uniform" like the Disney lost boys, or AW Charlap ones. I also love that they don't just look like... normal kids (MM CHARLAP I SEE YOU!). They each have personality whilst still looking like... The Lost Boys.

They remind me a lot of the '03 boys, design wise, too, with the scrappy roughness of their look.

So, yeah, I do actually like them.

Onto Slightly, then.

One thing that I think Barrie did wrong was cutting the Slightly Soiled joke from the 1911 novel. Yes I know it's stupid toilet humour yes I know it's unfunny. But I think it's a good character establishing moment for him when he gets to be his egotistical self, bragging to the others. CR keeps it and it does genuinely get a laugh, which is cool.

In fact, this production just does a great job at nailing the "most conceited of all the boys" nature in him. He's really vain and just has this air of arrogance about him which I think every version of Slightly needs to have. One thing I love watching in scenes with a large cast including the boys is to watch their background actions, and I love how in Ugg-A-Wugg, before the big group dance at least — he legitimately looks like he doesn't want to be there (me too man, i also would not want to be in ugg a wugg), which is def giving the "i'm better than this + all of you" Slightly Soiled vibe.

I also really like how the other boys pick on him a lot? The other boys being mean to Slightly as a staging choice goes way back to the earliest castm where he was the only one played by a man, the others played by women, and it'd look inappropriate for him to share a bed with them, them all playing young children in 1904, so they would gang up on him and chase him out the home before any bedtime scenes. Of course this was later changed in modern adaptations where we don't bat an eyelid at that anymore and Lost Boy casts have been a variety of genders... but him being the go-to target of their scuffling remains. Probably because he's a huge jerk still, and always has been.

Thing only I even noticed: how he gets the "I will stay a boy forever" verse in I Won't Grow Up!! I've been saying for years that's Slightly's verse and no one has listened to me! (It's a bit like how I talk to the wall about how the 'wallet fat and an old man's hat' line in Be Back Soon from Oliver! is Charley Bates, these are things only I care about).

I just really love how the actor playing him carries himself too. This production does a great job of the minor parts, chorus, and ensemble staying in character all the time, I really enjoy it. How he walks with the snootiness and vanity you'd expect from Slightly Soiled, but yet how he drops the bravado around Peter. How he seems perpetually annoyed by being surrounded by the others and thinks he's better than them. I think the dude playing him understood the assignment, he's so fun and so Slightly.

Agree that he's perpetually walking around like >:[, Very him. Nails the egotism of Slightly.

I love him, actually. Wish we got to see him dancing w an ostritch (my favourite Slightly moment literally NOT ONE DIRECTOR HAS EVER ADAPTED!! 💔) but yeah. This Slightly Soiled gets the @/slightlys0iled stamp of approval!

Thanks for the ask!

[hardworkandguts]

Weekly Catch-up #1

So, let's see how this works. It's the start of a new season and I have put maybe too many shows on the list to check if they're interesting or not. I'll be experimenting with the format to see how can I make this work. Pretty sure next time I won't be so wordy because I can skip explaining the premise. Or even writing at all, there's weeks where there isn't much to say and once again, I'm not going to do recaps.

(next week)

What was on?

Kowloon Generic Romance

(ep 1,2) One of the shows that caught my eye early on, a (checks title) romance anime set in the Kowloon Walled City that was never demolished between two co-workers at a real estate company. Reiko Kujirai loves new experiences, while Hajime Kudou prefers things as they are. One day she finds herself falling for him, and later finds a photo of them... in celebration of their engagement. It looks quite good, and for so much talk about nostalgia, it does have a certain retro touch to it, almost like a 90s OVA that was lost to time. Judging from the initial two episodes, between the visuals, the intriguing world and the plot mysteries, it's the frontrunner for best show of this spring.

Witch Watch

(ep1, 2) Maybe it's becayse how much I like Kiki's Delivery Service (and maybe I should do a post on it), but the concept of "new witch graduated and must now deal with the outside world" kind of draws me in, that's how I ended up watching Flying Witch, a show I still think of occasionally. Witch Watch however is very much a romcom about Nico Wakatsuki, a witch who ended her training in the witches holy land and is now back in regular society, and picked her childhood friend Morihito Otogi as her familiar, as he's from a long line of Oni. It's looking great if you want something quite silly, her general clumsiness and not knowing the details of spells doing a lot for it. Best joke, the spell to make things lighter she later discovers when used on people turns them into airheads. Then later, they discover things get heavier to compensate, and I'm not going to spoil the joke the episode ends on. Second episode has them going to school, and Morihito's attempt at keeping her identity under wraps doesn't get past her introduction in the first day. I think this is going to be fun, even more knowing it will stay with us until Fall.

Your Forma

(ep1, 2) Right, who's been playing too much Deus Ex before doing their designs for in-brain HUDs? Am I complaining? No, I kinda want to play that game. From the first two episodes, it starts as a murder mystery where Harold, the android partner of Echika Hieda, an investigator capable of diving into said brain implants and also doesn't like robots, is found to be a suspect as he's one of the three models that look like the suspect. It's a bit hard to tell where it's going by now beyond the resolution leading to some tension between the leads, but it's also a bit of a tired scenario by now: brain implants, androids breaking Asimov's laws (no sorry, the Laws of Respect), and I'm sure we're getting into if they have rights in no time. While it has good ideas visually, I've found character design and backgrounds a bit uninspiring, and the story... Yeah, I feel I've been here before. It's distributed by Remow, so check if it's available in your area on YouTube.

Summer Pockets

(ep1) Had this as a "maybe" because the story of a boy who uses his Summer break to help sort his departed grandmother travel memorabilia at her place in a small rural island and clear his head after some swimming related incident and meets four different girls reminds me of a trend many years ago of shows that were technically very pretty, very slow paced and mostly focused on the low drama of the mundane and human emotion, where the main character and the rest of the cast help each other out with their own problems and limitations, as the gentle music plays over the cicadas, maybe with some supernatural element, and then finished on some sort of bittersweet nothing of an ending because the important was the growth along the way or something like that, and... I'm not sure if I'm in for that ride. First episode really didn't do much to quiet that feeling, and since Spring 2025 seems loaded, I'm giving it three episodes to do it. At least it has two things going for it - it looks pretty and unlike Tasokare Hotel I can at least go to the Play Store and see the game it is based on.

Gundam Paper Jam In Tray

(ep 1) So, this comes just days after (finally) watching both Gundam 0079 and Zeta Gundam, and decided to watch it based on my fresh knowledge of maybe 5% of the whole franchise. It's set on a different timeline from the original show where Char Aznable steals the Gundam and leads Zeon to victory, then disappears. It's hard to say that much about it, as the first episode was a bit messy and tried to push too many ideas at once without really giving enough attention to any, but it looks pretty good and should be at least mildly entertaining should it work out a pace at which to tell a story.

Uchuujin MuuMuu

(ep 1) the description - a socially anxious college freshman has to share her apartment with a space cat who's trying to rediscover technology lost to his people - was enough to get a "yeah, maybe" out of me, and while I didn't expect the edutainment parts of it, it may elevate how bizarre everything is. So, the race MuuMuu belongs to blew up their own planet in the middle of a war, but not before killing all scientists and smart cats, so by exclusion, MuuMuu is an idiot, and is now disassembling home appliances trying to figure out how they work, and let's be honest, if cats could do that, I'm sure they would. Unfortunately for him, while Sakurako can search things on her phone, she can't exactly explain how they work, either, which also serves as a comment on how very little we know of things we use every day. I think I'll stick to it, it has the potential to get really weird.

Apothecary Diaries

(ep 2.14) So, after making everyone think about "frogs", it was time for the fan service episode, which opened the way for a new mystery in the imperial palace Maomao has the opportunity to solve. It's not a particularly difficult one for her, but still provided another insight on how Jinshi protects the order in the rear palace, so it was dealt in half an episode. For the second half, it keeps moving towards the finale as Jinshi and Gaoshun discuss when to bring her inside his other (possibly even bigger IYKWIM) secret that she kind of figured out already, but tries not to think about too much.

Food For The Soul

The first show I added to this season "must check" list, it's another cute girls doing cute things, based on the greatest Japanese tradition of showing food, in the same week I watched Wakakozake, so what could go wrong. Well, it *could* be boring, but within the first minutes there's a character trying to pass a bribe to a university clerk to let her start a club with less than 4 members. Gremlin. Yes. At the end we know the main purpose Shinon had to create the club was to have a place to hang out, shattering the dreams Mako had of cooking and going to restaurants together. If it turns out to be group Wakakozake, it's a winner.

Mono Weekend Animation

Right, from one club to another, now the stories of two girls who joined the photo club in their first year of high school, and now are running it. Or, trying to, as Satsuki misses her senpai who graduated and is now in fetal position under the table and An mostly followed her into the club for reasons. Then they meet a mangaka who was burned out after finishing her last work and forgot to send them a camera, and needs inspiration for a new work, and finds the adventures of the two girls just the thing. This is both another cute girls doing cute things anime, with a hint of hobby anime, as you can guess, photography and video. Sure, why not (extends the spring posting window to three weeks).

'Tis Time For "Torture", Princess

(#266) Ah, one of the things this series does best, introducing new characters and making a mockery of expectations immediately, this time the Hell Lord's older brother, who obviously looks as menacing, but is also as considerate as him. Do I want to see this animated in the second season? Yes.

In other news:

Makeine was confirmed for a second season. Kind of surprised but happy with it.

The movie version of Rose of Versailles gets an April 30th release date and English dub, on Netflix (via).

City The Animation by Arawi Keiichi gets a trailer, should be one of my favourites for the Summer season, already hinting it will have some of the "didn't need to go this hard" animation of Nichijou.

Also getting a new trailer, the new Ghost In The Shell adaptation by Science SARU scheduled for next year. It's apparently not following the tone set by the 1995 movie adaptation, but closer to the occasionally goofier source material, which will certainly be a big point of contention for those who see the Oshii version as the standard Major.

Questions?

Anonymous didn't ask, but sent re: Guild Receptionist:

Its funny because the Guild Receptionist anime completely botched the novel because the novel actually has really good pacing and the anime basically deleted half the novel cast off just so they could give Jade more screen time. The first volume goes into depth about why there are bosses and the ancients, also they cut off so many key elements that it feels weird and empty

Ooooh, that really explains a lot why it feels off and a bit all over the place. Really a missed opportunity on what's a cool concept but at least now I know it's an adaptation problem.

[bisnes-socks]

i said i might do more in depth thoughts of stephanie and so i did.

the first post was a bit rushed but many of the points very much still stand, this post i guess is just trying to make the same points a bit better and deeper. so idk how much of a musical analysis this is, and how much i'm just trying to put vibes and feelings into words, but here goes.

i said in the first post how i like that the structure isn't the usual verse chorus verse chorus - well, actually it kind of is that, but the chorus doesn't feel like an obvious chorus, because they only play it twice and it's not the same those times. there is almost a pre-chorus like feeling to it, and then the song ends in what could have been a bridge, if the song was longer. this song to me feels like a part of something bigger, and that's why i'm super excited to hear in the context of the full album. with that being said, i still think it works super well on its own as well, i really love the vibes.

the early 2000's brit rock and indie rock influence, such as arctic monkeys or black kids, is still quite obvious to me, but so is the 80's influence as well, like orchestral manoeuvers in the dark was the first one that came to my mind. then again, the 80's influence on early 2000's brit rock and indie rock in general is also pretty obvious, so i think influences in music in general should always be seen as a spectrum, rather than fixed, separate points. everything is always influenced by things that came before it, and what we can name as an influence on something will always depend on where we've heard a specific style or flavour or spice in music first.

it's a different sound than what we've heard from them before. i don't know if this makes any sense to anyone other than myself, but to me, the sound on this song is the sound of a collective more than the sound of the band. what i mean by that is that there are so many elements in the song that are not straight forward band instruments, or instruments that are in their usual line up. this sound is produced by five professinal musicians working as a collective, rather than five band members playing their respective instruments simultaniously. does that make any sense? i don't know, but it's how i feel - like there could be more people on this song than there are. but i think the best songs always do sound like all of the people who made it, not just one or two.

like i said in my first post, the drums are super interesting in this one. the drum machineness of it all, the super 80's style drum fills, the percussive details of little pings and pangs that decorate the track, that's all something that hasn't been super typical in pop or rock music recently, and harkens back to the 70's, 80's and also the early 2000's indie scene. it's super interesting to listen to, and i can genuenly recommend taking the time to listen to the track a couple of times focusing on just the drums and percussion.

in fact, i'd recommend listening to the track (this track and honestly just songs in general) several times, always choosing a different instrument or element to focus on, because there is a lot of cool stuff going on in this song! vocals and lyrics often take the main focus, but i always find it worth it to carefully listen beyond the lyrics.

the drum parts are also just genuenly fun. the drums and the bass make it a very dancable song, which again, it's both very 80's and very early 2000's to make super bop-y, dancable songs with sad or dark lyrics. the contrast is quite yummy to me. it also brings a vibe to the song i really really love. it reminds me of a quote about movies, about how drama movies should always have a little bit of comedy in them, because that's how real life is. there is always always both light and dark, sadness and happiness present in everything. crying and laughing all at once. that's the vibe of the song to me, and it's brilliant.

the song has so many layers to it, it's honestly brilliantly mixed: there's something happening in almost every direction, every distance, so to speak. and so many different synth sounds! sharp strikes here, notes held there, runs here, backround walls there. take a moment to find them all, it's super rewarding and again, genuenly fun!

the vocal delivery is also a cool contrast with the musical aspects. the voice doesn't convey a lot of emotion, on purpose i think. he sounds a bit numb and detached, and the music being so whimsical with all of its details and decorations, it's just a really cool juxtaposition.

and at the end, repeating the lines about love and happiness not being built for people like me, with the guitar playing the same melody, when the vocal line and the guitar line go out of sync and he starts repeating the lines to a different rythm, i think it highlights the juxtaposition even more, it's like.. it's like he's not even listening to the whimsy of the music anymore, but getting carried away in his own head by the lines. and repeating them in an almost monotoe way.. i just think it's a brilliant way to deliver the emotion behind the lyric.

but the song ends in the major key whimsical runs on the keyboard with a very fun percussion rythm, and so i think ultimately the mood left behind by the song is quite positive. it's melancholic sure, a bit angsty yes, but at the same time it's not a depressing feeling. 

like i don't know how else to put it, but the whole song is like. everything is going to shit in your life, but you're on a walk and the leaves are super pretty colours and the weather is just perfect, and you breathe in fresh air and it's like. yeah everything is kinda fucked but right in this moment, right at this minute, it's all kind of.. okay. and for a split second you can imagine a future where things are less shit. where maybe happiness and love are built for people like you.

[natsuki-bakery]

⁎˚ ఎ CG! Gyro Zeppeli ໒ ˚⁎

hiii could i request cg headcanons for gyro zeppeli maybe (^｡^) ? Thank you so much i hope you are having a great day !!!!!!!!!!!!! and i enjoy your posts so much they make me so happy!!!

•Gyro, having grown up in a strict family and trained as an executioner, understands the importance of emotional support and comfort. When he realizes that the person he's caring for is regressing, he immediately shifts to a protective and nurturing role, putting aside his usual bravado to make them feel safe

•Travel Adjustments : During your journey across the harsh terrains of the Steel Ball Run, Gyro makes adjustments to your travel plans to ensure you're comfortable. He finds quieter, safer places to rest, avoiding noisy towns or dangerous areas. He prioritizes your well-being, even if it means slowing down your pace

•Gyro is known for his storytelling and often entertains you with tales of his home in Naples or silly, made-up stories to make you smile. He might also sing playful Italian songs to comfort you, using his musical talents to create a soothing atmosphere during moments of anxiety

•Using his resourcefulness, Gyro crafts small toys from bits of wood, rocks, or whatever materials he can find along the way. A small wooden horse or a little spinning top can go a long way in providing you with a sense of comfort and distraction, showing his creativity and thoughtfulness

•CG names : Gigi , Papa Gyro , Horsey , Zio (Uncle in Italian) / Nonno (Grandpa in Italian)

•Gyro takes extra care in setting up their camp, creating a cozy and safe space for you. He uses his coat or blankets to create a tent-like structure that feels like a fort, shielding you from the harsh elements and providing a snug place where you can feel secure

•Gyro occasionally uses his Steel Balls not just as weapons but as tools of comfort. He performs simple tricks, making the Balls spin and dance in the air to distract and entertain you. The rhythmic, controlled movements can have a calming effect, similar to a fidget toy or mobile

•Big Bro Gyro’s usually brash demeanor softens significantly when he’s caring for you. He uses a gentle voice, offering constant reassurances that you're safe with him. If you're scared or overwhelmed, Gyro doesn’t hesitate to remind you that he’s right there and won’t let anything happen to you

•Sharing his rations becomes a moment of connection. Gyro is known to carry simple but hearty foods—he’ll make it fun by turning meals into little games, like "guess the taste" with different flavors or pretending the food is part of an adventure, making every meal a comforting ritual

•Gyro’s protective side is amplified when you're in a vulnerable state. He stays on high alert, always scanning for potential threats, and positions himself between danger and you. His usual cocky demeanor is replaced with a fierce, silent determination to keep you safe at all costs !

•Zeppeli knows that play is important for your comfort. He might engage in simple games, like tossing a ball back and forth or playing pretend. He even teaches them a few basic tricks with the Steel Balls, not for combat but as a way to have fun

•Papa Gyro is perceptive and quick to adapt when you're non-verbal. He pays close attention to body language, facial expressions, and small cues to understand your needs. He uses gestures, like pointing or nodding, to communicate and patiently waits for your responses, never pressuring you to speak. He'll even start learning simple hand signs or make up their own communication methods to ensure you feel understood

•If you wake up scared from a nightmare, Gyro’s first instinct is to pull you close and offer immediate comfort. He’ll tell you in a soft voice that it was just a dream and that you're safe now

•To help calm you, Gyro might hum a soothing melody or tell a lighthearted story until you feel relaxed enough to fall asleep again. If the nightmares persist, he’ll stay up a little longer, keeping watch to reassure you

•When you throw a tantrum, whether from frustration, exhaustion, or fear, Gyro remains remarkably patient. He crouches down to your level, speaks in a calm and steady voice, and doesn’t try to force you to stop crying. Instead, he lets you express your feelings, offering gentle words and open arms when you're ready to be comforted

•Gyro understands that tantrums are just another way of communicating, and he’s always ready to listen, even if it means enduring a few kicks or tears

•If the age regressor falls ill during their journey, Gyro’s protective instincts kick in full force. He’ll do whatever it takes to find medicine, warm blankets, and safe places to rest. He checks their temperature often, ensuring they’re hydrated and as comfortable as possible. Gyro uses whatever skills he has to make basic herbal remedies, and he won’t hesitate to slow down their journey to allow them to recover, telling them it’s okay to take a break

•Reluctant Sleeper : If you resist going to bed, Gyro tries to make the idea of sleep more appealing. He might tell them a "bedtime story" filled with funny or heroic tales, often exaggerating his own adventures to keep them entertained. If that doesn’t work, Gyro gets creative—he might suggest a "sleeping contest" or pretend that their camp is a fortress that needs to be quiet and secure, turning bedtime into a fun game rather than a chore

•Sleepy : Dada finds it endearing when you start getting sleepy, especially when you've try to fight it. He’s quick to offer his lap or shoulder as a pillow, wrapping his coat around you to keep you warm. Gyro hums softly, his voice low and comforting, lulling them to sleep with the gentle sway of his horse or the rhythm of the campfire. He enjoys these moments of calm, feeling a deep sense of responsibility and care

•When you're overwhelmed, Gyro helps you find a quieter spot away from all the chaos. He uses his calming presence, speaking in a low, soothing tone and offering sensory distractions like spinning his Steel Balls slowly or letting you hold onto something comforting like his hat

•Knowing how scary thunderstorms can be, especially on the open trail, Gyro makes sure to stay close during bad weather. He might playfully compare the thunder to horses galloping or say that the sky is "just showing off" trying to make it less intimidating

•if you're really scared, he’ll wrap you in his coat, hold you close, and hum or sing softly until the storm passes, his presence a steady anchor in the chaos

•Zio is supportive of your desire to do things on your own, even when you're in a regressed state. He gently encourages you to try small tasks, like feeding yourself or packing a small bag, offering lots of praise for even the smallest achievements !

•He knows that feeling capable is important, so he’s always ready to help but steps back to let you shine whenever possible

•When they need to pass through busy towns or crowded areas, Gyro is extra vigilant. He keeps a firm but gentle hold on your hand, shielding you from bumping into others or getting lost. Gyro reassures you quietly, pointing out interesting sights to keep you distracted. If the crowd becomes too much, he quickly finds a quieter space where you two can regroup and relax

If you're in the basic criteria , are DSMP fans, vivziep0p fans , h0tel/h3lluva b0ss fans, Owl h0use fans, St4r butterfly fans, Ghibli fans, ddlg/abdl blogs, nsfw/k!nk blogs, anti-agere blogs, or anti Christians/Christianity blogs : just dont interact !

[senka-mesecine]

What do the boys think about Halloween? 👀

---

― I don't know, for Chris personally, something like Halloween probably harkens back to a more carefree and simple time; back while he was still in college, his family's home, the carelessness of suburbia and him being just a kid who still cared about the wonder of mundane things --- a time that seems almost entirely bygone now; which means that any and all feelings connected to said season (and really most holidays) will be complicated and introspective because it serves as a metric of comparison just how far he's come since...and how much he's irrevocably changed. There's something almost awkward about the notion. Something nostalgic. This slightly haunting idea he can't go back exactly to the way things were. The stark reminder he's aged out of Halloween, perhaps in a good way, perhaps in a bad one. Especially post-war, Taylor has grown. But, then again, that's not to say he wouldn't commemorate it all; he just probably does it differently to anyone else. Busting out a drink, a blunt and listening to music with you is good enough.

― Not that O'Neill would ever admit to this in a million years but all these asshole kids dressed up as ghouls, zombies and the actual living dead make him nervous and fidgety...well, more than he actually is by default, so really, he might spend all of Halloween ranting to you how these little cocksuckers are running around the block expecting something for nothing (free candy), feeling all entitled, and how, nuh-uh, he's not having it. No, no. He's really not. Truth is, all of his antagonism and passive aggression is a means to cover up that this shit makes him anxious to no end but he'd rather come off like a disgruntled, killjoy, whiny asshole by choice, as a tactical measure, even to you, then ever fess up to the reality that it overall gives him a bad feeling and probably takes him back to some really awful places in time, meaning that the man might just want to spend Halloween curled up in bed with you. Genuinely. His excuse is that he's too pissed off to participate or care. But you know better, so you might let it slide when he acts all tough about it the next day.

― Honestly, Bunny thinks Halloween's great and he loves it. Unabashedly so. He's that guy who's door you absolutely shouldn't knock on while trick or treating because while seems like some smiling, scrawny pretty boy at first glance (harmless, right?) he might just fill someone's basket with candy and a handful of live maggots (could just grab one and eat it in front of the horrified visitors too) or put a defunct grenade into a satchel of sweets and probably have the time of his life being impressed with himself once the kids, rightfully, end up scared it'll blow up, so, really, this holiday's a perfect excuse for him to bully and cruelly prank people, not that he needs any excuses. Might just do it to you too. In fact, it's guaranteed. He does it out of some sickening, juvenile form of love towards you. the way he sees it. He somehow seems like the type of guy who has a live human skull laying around somewhere that he acquired...god knows where...that's on the front lawn and everyone assumes it's decor. But, it ain't. Knowing Bunny then, it's really lucky that Halloween lasts only one day.

― Rhah gives me the impression that like, to him, Halloween's the perfect time to bust out the eerie stories --- and again, much like Bunny, not that he particularly needs too many excuses for this one, but really, this holiday in particular serves his mood just right as he regales anecdotes that might be real, slightly overblown in proportion or completely fabricated. Nonetheless, he tells them with such immersion and oratory zest, he can genuinely have a tingling shiver run down your spine just by talking. In equal measure, one gets the impression he's fully in his element even though he'd never fess up he likes any of well, this. In fact, he might also rant about Halloween to you. Commercial holidays this and commercial holidays that. Theft! A scam! Distracting the common man with nonsense. Vermucci does get all political and social for a brief blip. But, he's simultaneously there, next to a fireplace with you in the dark trying to titillate as well as frighten you as he tells you some of the most harrowing things you've ever heard in the hopes you'll scoot even closer to him. He actually relishes this, to be honest.

― King might think Halloween's inherently some rich people thing and by extension, white people thing --- you know, something aimed at folks who have disposable moolah to throw around on plastic randomness they won't ever need again except for one day a year --- a notion he genuinely finds funny. An opinion someone like, say, Junior might very vocally share as well, much to Bunny's annoyed chagrin. But in spite of that and his social stand on the matter, King's very much pro anything that allows him to unwind, relax, have a good time and party --- the context involved doesn't really even particularly matter, meaning that he'd happily get up to weird activities like blowing weed smoke into a pumpkin, infusing his grass with flavored spice to 'keepin' with the spirit of things', sing, dance and take up the task of handcrafting some decoration himself instead of buying, which, admittedly, comes off like the move of someone who genuinely loves the holiday for its own sake. Somehow, the whole thing might develop into a full on party with you. The pipeline between 'I don't care about that noise, man.' to him being fully into this is a very short pipeline indeed.

― Don't laugh, but Wolfe gives me the impression of someone who nonironically, in trying to, as he might so aptly put it 'keep up the spirits and the morale of the men' genuinely ordered some pumpkins from up the chain of command as needed provisions, singlehandedly carved some and set them up at least somewhere around base to remind the boys of home, only for the gesture to be ignored or considered juvenile and ridiculous by a general consensus. Which...perhaps it was. Or maybe it wasn't. Depends who you ask. The opinions range anywhere from 'Whattheshit!?' to 'A sappy effort'. Regardless, Wolfe might be good intentioned but his fish-out-of-water efforts either 'can't read the overall mood of the room properly' or he tries too hard to impress and be 'one of the gang' only to fall wholly and entirely short. In general though, he enjoys Halloween. And he might just happily celebrate with you with all the traditional markers of it involved the minute he doesn't need to put up a macho front anymore during a more civilian life. He probably ends up being unexpectedly wholesome about it.

― Elias is a non-conformist at heart; celebrate a thing or not. Like it or hate it. Be indifferent or impassioned. It doesn't matter to him --- ultimately, so long as whatever conviction people have is followed by a feelgood feeling and attitude overall --- in translation; Live and let others live. So long as they're not hurting anyone in the process, he thinks people should be entitled to their beliefs, meaning that he himself could very well be disillusioned with most of the pastimes a common civilian could have, but he's not opposed to other people being, well, plainly put, happy even though it's not exactly an enthusiasm he personally shares --- nonetheless, Elias is a good sport about it. Genuinely. The world would've been a better place, he thinks, if more people had an attitude like that. And not unlike Chris? His prefered choice of celebrating with you is just unwinding. Rotating back to the world he'd be one of those guys children are legitimately enthusiastic to trick and treat from because he's the kindest and coolest person who's door you could possibly stumble upon.

― Barnes is an adult and by extension of being an adult and a man, he deems he shouldn't give a rat's ass about it --- an opinion he undoubtedly would've firmly held even when he was an actual child and the main target demographic for Halloween, I imagine. There's just something really grim and no-nonsense about him where his stoicism usually takes precedence over everything, even, say, commonplace holidays. He doesn't mind you celebrating, putting you into a more civilian box by default. He just doesn't care about doing it himself because he finds he's got better things to do. He just doesn't understand people having a separate day in the year where they wanna be frightened in the most staged, artificial sense possible when there's so much actual fear in the world they could experience; he's downright the type of man who'd say something in the vein of 'Hope ya'll get drafted so ya'll can experience some real shit'. He's really the dark inverse of Elias on that front, except, unlike Elias, he doesn't afford people the empathy of thinking they deserve happy stuff just for its own sake.

[suzuran777]

Lamento stageplay news + visuals

Just one more day left until the live performances of the Lamento stageplay start! The stageplay was of course already announced last year, but as they finally started tweeting the countdown pictures, I wanted to write a blog post about the visuals and information they've released so far, comparing some of the stageplay visuals to the official game illustrations!

Similar to the DRAMAtical Murder (DMMd) and sweet pool stageplays, the Lamento stageplay will also have different routes for each main character, Asato, Bardo and Rai. I'm going to assume that the first half of the stageplay will be some kind of common route, while the second half focuses on the route of each different character. Something that is new is that this time the stageplay will have "musical elements" as well, so I'm not sure if I should call it a stageplay or a musical (I'm just using "stageplay" this time as the official account also seems to call it that). Even though in the game Konoe's song is just a melody, the actors did tweet about singing, so I am curious what they will do!

Ohyama Yoh, who composed 19 of the 37 songs of the Lamento original soundtrack also tweeted that there will be 11 new songs (+ addictional background music). I think it's super cool that they're working together with the original composer again to create new songs for the stageplay! I remember the DMMd stageplay also had a new song by GOATBED, which they even performed live a few times at the end of the show. The previous stageplays were about two hours long, but this time they mentioned it will be at least 3 hours, which makes sense because Lamento is a lot longer than sweet pool and DMMd.

I'm really impressed by the costumes and wigs so far, the ears and tails also look so fluffy... I really wonder what they will look like in motion and what the battle scenes will look like. Most of the visuals of the individual characters they've released so far seem to be based on the in-game sprites, but what I found interesting is that Rai's, Asato's and Bardo's pictures seem to have the same pose as the Kotobukiya figurines! You can see the comparison below, the pictures of the figurines are from the Kotobukiya official website.

Another new visual which was released quite recently seems to resemble another official illustration, which I've seen in the artbooks before and which was also the cover of magazine B's Log, specifically the December 2006 issue. Some of the details are a bit different, for example Konoe is not holding Leaks' mask in his hand anymore, and this time they added Shui to the illustration as well, but some other things such as Bardo's pose make it quite obvious this picture was their inspiration. The way Shui and Leaks stand next to each other kind of reminds me of the Rhapsody to the Past drama CD as well? One thing I noticed is that they're not really trying to hide Leaks' face this time, which was actually quite a big reveal in the game.

Next are some of the other illustrations they recently showed us during a short livestream which was available on Twitter for a limited time. Luckily they also posted the pictures on the official account! These won't be sold as merchandise, but they're given away as a bonus for those who attend all three versions of the show. I guess one thing I never noticed before is how little promotional/extra art Bardo got back then, so in this case they had to use one of his in-game CGs. For the other characters they mostly seem to use some of the extra/promotional art. Anyway, you can see a comparison below! I think it's fun to see how they re-created the pictures with the actors.

The last picture they recently showed during the Twitter livestream uses the cover illustration of the official world guidebook! Unfortunately no Bardo in this one either. This is one of the items they are selling as merchandise, it seems to be some kind of booklet (they call it a "pamphlet" but it's 32 pages long). I really wish they would sell the merchandise online, but for now it's only accessible for those who have a ticket and who buy it inside the venue. Maybe if they have any extra stock they might sell it online?

Update: The stageplay will also be livestreamed on DMM TV! The ticket to watch all three routes is 10000 yen (about 66 USD, which is cheaper than the in-person tickets at least!) which also gives you some special bonus videos to watch. First is Bardo's route on February 24th, followed by Asato's and Rai's routes on February 25th. Be aware that it is region locked and not all VPNs work, so unfortunately I can't help much with that! For any further updates you can check the official Twitter account!

Cast list: Konoe: Maejima Yoh Rai: Kato Sho Asato: Hiraga Yusei Bardo: Seto Yusuke Razel: Kimisawa Yuki Kaltz: Okamoto Yuki Verg: Iwata Tomoki Froud: Muramatsu Koki Kagari: Asaba Maya Tokino: Fukuzawa Taiga Firi: Kita Tsutomu Kil: Yoshun Sakamoto Ul: Arai Yuya Shui: Osaki Natsuki Leaks: Matsui Yuho

[mr-gallows]

Leon Kennedy headcanons: Romantic Relationships

Reposting because tumblr ate it. Based on RE4 Remake Leon.

I said in a previous post that RE4 Remake Leon reminded me a little of Mr. Darcy. With his crush, he’d be more quiet than usual. Unsure of how to act on feelings (or if he should) and worried how his crush would react. Being slightly curt with his crush. Trying to sneak some stares and looking away just as he’s about to get caught. They would be certain that he dislikes them, when he’s really just nervous. They would never guess he had a crush on them  because he’d seem so distant. But he would do some nice things behind the scenes. Overhear you saying you need to buy some trivial thing, you come back the next day and it’s on your desk. Stiffly suggests going out together, but just casually, of course. It’s not like he likes you or anything. Puts on a serious face and asks if you’d like to get coffee:

This is exactly the face he makes when he asks. This is a very serious situation. “Coffee. Would you join me for some?”

(RE2 Leon would have handled it differently. Still shy and awkward, but definitely less businesslike. More prone to blushing and chuckling nervously. “I was..um...wondering if you’d like to get some coffee. Sometime. Anytime-uh..”)

Now I think this cold/distant approach I’m describing is something that happens if Leon is actually romantically interested in someone. If he’s just looking to fuck he’s more suave and flirtatious. So if he has a one-night stand that turns into something more, his partner is going to be in a very awkward situation while he figures his shit out. He doesn’t seem like a romantic person, but the want for romance is definitely there. He’s just very pragmatic and task oriented. But in his heart of hearts, he wants something deep and intimate; a melding of two souls. He just doesn’t really indulge in those feelings because he thinks it won’t happen for him.

If someone gives him a very heartfelt and sincere compliment, he doesn’t really know what to do. He gets flustered internally and it doesn’t compute. Just kind of goes blank. That, or he laughs it off. Did they really just say that? Do I need to get my hearing checked? When pursuing women, he’s definitely got an urge to be gentlemanly. It can come off as a little traditional. He’s definitely egalitarian in his beliefs, he just falls back on convention with dating, ie: paying for dinner, giving his date his coat if she gets cold, etc. When pursuing men, that’s where he’s out of his element. In my headcanon, Leon didn’t accept he was into men until he was an adult. With women, he falls back on the conventions of dating, but with men, he has to rethink it. Do we split the bill? Do I pay? Does he pay? It’s easier for men to make him blush as well. When pursuing enbys, he’d be more careful and anxious. He’d probably still unconsciously take up a masculine role, but he’d ask a lot more about how they’d prefer he act. He doesn’t want them to be uncomfortable around him. Pays careful attention to how they want to present one day to the next if they’re fluid. (God damn it I want a fic of Leon finding out his crush is non-binary lol) Leon might take a little time learning to work with neurodivergent partners, but once he learns what they need, he’s very patient, understanding, and attentive to their needs. (sidenote: I adore autistic Leon headcanons)

Ends up dating normie women a lot, but has a soft spot for alternative   women/men/enbys. They tend to enjoy the same music as him so he likes that. I get this feeling from Remake Leon specifically. I feel like OG Leon wouldn’t be interested in alt people that much.

Artistic types are foreign but intriguing to him because he doesn’t have a creative bone in his body. It would be so funny to see him getting with an academic nerd type? “I don’t care for this architecture. Who pairs Corinthian columns with Ogival arches?” “Yeah babe, it’s terrible.” (has no idea what they’re talking about) “Whoever is responsible must pay for this assault on my senses.” “I’ll get on that.” (sarcasm) He’s drawn to people who are intelligent and compassionate. People who are mature and capable of deeper discussion. Likes people he can learn from. Also a plus if someone can defend themselves or is willing to learn to. He doesn’t want to worry about their safety. It’s one of the main reasons he doesn’t look for a partner (for now...I’m sure there’s a breaking point. A dark sense of humor is also appreciated, though he typically makes sure to be sensitive with serious subjects himself. If you can get him to do a double take with a dark joke, he’s going to remember you. End: feel free to give feedback!

[emotionallychargedtowel]

shuffled (sort of)

I was tagged for this by @lurkingshan and it looked like fun, so I made up a way to participate even though I don't listen to music on any of those services that people tend to use for these things. The closest I get is listening to things on youtube so I made a list of songs the YT algorithm suggested to me. That list was a bit long so I used a random number generator to pick ten. Well, I really hit paydirt. I couldn't have come up with a better list if I had chosen it all myself.

And then weeks went by and I sat on this nearly-finished post for no good reason! Now I'm dusting it off and getting it out of my drafts.

I'm never big on tagging people on these things, it makes me incredibly anxious. But after this much time has passed, I really can't imagine doing it. That said, if anyone reads this and feels inspired to do it too, please consider yourself tagged.

Orange Juice - I Can’t Help Myself

One of the best tracks on my favorite Orange Juice album. This is a really good distillation of their sound that shows their influences really clearly (postpunk, classic soul, the Velvet Underground, Chic, the Buzzcocks, etc. etc.) while showing how they did something with them that's completely their own. It doesn't hurt that no one sounds quite like Edwyn Collins.

SZA - Ghost in the Machine

For a couple of years now I've been trading song recommendations with a close friend of mine. In other words, we take turns giving each other a song to listen to. It's been great, in part because our tastes are pretty danged different (though with enough overlap to have common ground). I've found out about a lot of amazing stuff through her but I don't think there's a song that has stuck with me more from this project than Ghost in the Machine. This song just keeps giving me goosebumps after...it's been a year and change, I think.

Taemin - Criminal

Years ago I asked my old internet friend Kate (who I've been interacting with since our livejournal days) about kpop. She has always been better than I am at keeping up with new music and I knew she knew a thing or two about it. She gave me a short list of songs to check out and Criminal was on it. It didn't quite click at first but it stuck in my brain somehow. I came back to it later and boom. It clicked big time. It reminds me of a few things. The la-la-la part definitely has a debt to Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out of My Head and the lead-up to the chorus reminds me of Roy Orbison's I Drove All Night. It has a retro quality that probably makes it more palatable to a middle-aged listener like myself but when I hear the synthpop tones of my childhood through a contemporary filter I don't get nostalgia so much as a distorted time-warp feeling (in a nice way).

Brave Girls - We Ride

A while back I was emailing back and forth with another friend of mine who I talk to about music a lot--wow, I didn't know that was going to be such a theme here, but I love it--and we were talking about new and old East Asian pop genres. He made me a list of a few recent kpop and jpop songs that he thought were reminiscent of city pop, an 80s genre out of Japan that's a favorite of his. There were quite a few winners on that list but this song is the one I've listened to the most. There's another theme: sounds from my formative years filtered through a contemporary lens. I can see why my friend associated it with city pop. The combination of disco/funk elements (like that choppy Nile Rodgers guitar part) and soft pop (the harmonies, the synth strings) fits right into that category. These elements were everywhere when I was a kid but they didn't get put together in this way.

Tsunami - Be Like That

This song about a has-been ex-boyfriend is more relatable to me in my 40s than it was when I first heard it in my 20s, but that's how old Jenny Toomey was when she wrote it. I've never gotten super into Tsunami despite liking a couple of their songs quite a lot (this one, and Valentine, from their album Deep End). I should probably revisit them. They always had a way with washy guitars and interesting chords, and Jenny Toomey's voice is legendary for a reason. (The version of I Only Have Eyes for You that she recorded with Grenadine, her side project with Mark Robinson from Unrest and the drummer from the Eggs, makes really good use of that voice. It's fucking exquisite and literally gives me goosebumps.)

Spoon - Me and the Bean

This one's a bit personal. I was active in the indie rock scene in Austin in the early 'aughts when Spoon was transitioning from their status as a cautionary tale of major label abandonment* into the period where they reached greater heights on an indie than that major label ever would have allowed. That scene wasn't very big so it's not surprising that in addition to Girls Can Tell-era Spoon being nearly omnipresent for a period of my life, I also have some personal connections there. Anyway, people seldom notice that this song is a cover. I never saw the Sidehackers, the band who originally performed the song (I'm not sure if they even managed to record it). But if this song ends up being what people remember most about them, it would make a respectable legacy. I don't know the later Spoon stuff as well as this era, but back then, there weren't a lot of Spoon originals that were as overtly emotional as this one. (You didn't typically hear a line like "I have your blood inside my heart" in an original Spoon song.) Britt Daniel may not have written this, but he doesn't hold back in his performance. So I always appreciated how it balanced out the more emotionally reserved style of the other songs on Girls Can Tell.

*They channeled the experience into songwriting to good effect. "The Agony of Lafitte," about the A&R guy that signed them to Elektra before the label screwed them over, is probably my favorite Spoon song.

the Chills - Pink Frost

I feel like so much has been written about this song that there isn't much point trying to say anything about it. It has a truly important place in the history of New Zealand indie music, and the events surrounding it are pretty interesting. But mostly it's just a really well-crafted piece of dark, sneakily poppy post-postpunk. Among people my age with similar tastes to mine, I can't think of a song that ended up on more mixtapes. (Though a friend of mine always used to say he regretted that he couldn't really put it on mixtapes for girls he was interested in because of the whole murdered girlfriend aspect of it.)

Veronica Falls - Misery

This song is obscenely catchy. It only takes one listen to get me singing it to myself in the kitchen for months. It's pretty fun to sing to oneself, in the kitchen or otherwise, but I'm sure it would be a million times more so if you could reproduce the harmonies with a partner. Veronica Falls really are unparalleled in the harmony department, and it's even more enjoyable because they usually use those pretty harmonies to sing about morbid, depressing things. And that juxtaposition never feels like a schtick to me, which it easily could in the wrong hands.

Bolbbalgan4 - Dream

I've gotten into quite a few songs because they were featured on kdramas, but this is the only song where it happened the other way around—I liked it first, then watched Hwarang because of it. There was a video for it on youtube with clips from the series and the song made the show seem more interesting. Not to imply anything negative about the series, I think there's a lot to be said for it. But it was this song that made me want to watch it. I love this kind of super emotional kpop song that's so plentiful in kdramas. Maybe it's because during the decades when rock music was de facto banned in South Korea the country's dominant genre was the ballad. Maybe it's because of that particular brand of despair that kdramas excel at so much, coming up in a slightly different setting. This type of song is just more emotional in a certain way that any other genre I've run across. And this particularly example is, to my mind, the pièce de résistance.

Shearwater - Breaking the Yearlings

This is one of the highlights of Animal Life, which is my favorite Shearwater album. It took me a while to warm up to Shearwater. The thing that really sold me on them was going on a whim to see Jonathan Meiburg play a solo acoustic set in front of a tiny audience at the Cactus Cafe. I think maybe some friends of mine opened for him or something, because something must have gotten me in the door. I ended up being really glad I went. Meiburg's set was downright mesmerizing, and I was sold on Shearwater from that point on. This particular song gets in my head a lot because the washing machine in my building puts out this one repetitive tone when you're starting a load of clothes that is really close to the opening notes of this song.

[marengogo]

Silver Lining - What If #4 : Thoughts of you …

Toxic - by Yael Naim  [A cover song of Britney Spear’s Toxic]

[Music is a very big part of my life and I’m MOSTLY INCAPABLE of writing without music, so I just thought I'd share what I am listening to while writing this]

🐺 — 🐺 — 🐺—

Hello my beautiful people,

How have we all been? But most importantly: who is ready for SEVEN?

If, like me, you stop by the bird app every once in a while, you’ve probably read about the fact that Han So Hee is said to be the heroine of the MV and with this bit of news, all the speculations around it. SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING BARE MAD. Me? Well, following the release of the promotional posters and the schedule, my mind started racing with possibilities; I am a film geek after all.

So I hope you have your tickets ready, as the time to jump on the train to Delululand has arrived, as I take a wild guess about what the song and the MV might be about. As the loco pilot of this train I would like to remind everyone, as always, to exercise caution and open-mindedness as we enter the fun and treacherous environment of Delululand, as everything that is said henceforth is nothing other than my thoughts and opinions. Okay? Let’s go! 🚂🚂🚂

As you might or might not know, I have a deep connection with our Golden Maknae (as mentioned in this post —> Jungkoo-gate ) so as I tried to channel myself into the elements that we know thus far, a couple of things came to mind. Let’s start with the word obsession, which definition is:

An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind.

As we know, when JK finds something that he likes, he dives deep into it. It becomes all that he talks about, that he wants to do and know about.  Though some of his interests have changed through the years, as he gets older some are becoming fixed passions. Such as body art (tattoos & piercing), boxing, comfy and practical clothing, appreciation and expression of sensuality I’ll get to this in a sec, etc etc etc.

I’m not sure if this was the case before the beginning of their Chapter 2, but mental obsession in particular seems to have become a common theme in JK’s everyday life, and I feel like in SEVEN he might be exploring this side of his. We can notice this for example in Left and Right

Or his bringing up / reacting to JM related content, on multiple occasions

And also, fore= example, the repetition of the song up at night by Kehlani (feat. Justin Bieber), after which particular song he suddenly got inspired and went to work on music.

Up at night, like Left and Right, is a song about not being able to stop thinking about a person, Not a thing, a person. Be it during the day with a therapist, or at night while in bed. SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. Not one day a week, not two days a week, but seven, meaning EVERYDAY. Everyday what? Eating everyday? Singing everyday? Boxing everyday? Thinking of something everyday? Thinking of someone everyday? Knowing JK, if this were to be a person, he’ll most likely say it is ARMY 🤡LOL … Mmmm, moving on.

Sexual vs Sensual.

In the same way the word “Anger” has been highly desensitised as the rapline has cleverly explained in UGH!, I feel that the same faith has met the word “Sexy”. By definition, something sexy is something that makes you think about sex, period. Nowadays however, the word has almost “downgraded” to something a bit tamer, when you see your best friend dressed in a provocative way and say “Ooo, sexy!” you don’t mean that you’d like to have sex with them, nor that people will try to jump them, but most likely they will attract their sex of preference with goals that aren’t necessarily ending up in bed with them. 

The word “Sensual” hasn’t met the same treatment, however, in a weird way, it has been almost replaced by the word “sexual” in everyday vernacular.. By definition something sensual, is something that has to do with the appeasing of the senses, especially sexually. So what’s the difference, you might ask. I once, read this difference explanation and I think it makes very much sense:

Something sexual would equate to having sex, whereas something sensual would equate to making love. 

You see the difference right? One is just the action, the other is the action mixed with emotions, which makes it much more visceral and quite a deeper experience. 

Since Fake Love, we’ve seen JK evolving into a young man who is comfortable with body. When on stage, very much like JM, he has been using his body as part of his performance.

Which begs the questions; is it doing it to be sexual or sensual? 

Whenever he says that JM is sexy does he actually mean it in a sexual way or in a sensual way? When he shows us his abs or poses for a CK shoot, does he mean it in a sexual way or a sensual way? Mind you, as with many “similar but different” aspects in the Jikook dynamic, skin exposure also has its difference between the two. JM seems to have no-clothes as a default in his everyday life, whereas JK has a baggy-clothes policy in his everyday life. IN ADDITION, JM has almost become a bit of a prude reaction to anything that is skin revealing, or vulgar, off stage and in front of ARMY most likely thinking of younger ARMY, JK on the other hand doesn’t seem to mind a tiny little bit as he just want to be free to be himself most likely wondering why are younger ARMY watching.

Now, I’m going to get to the appreciation and expression of sensuality part of this post. A lot of talk has been also made in particular with regards to the rings that JK is wearing in one of the posters:

The most prominent speculation has associated the ring/s with BDSM related items and, obviously, we can’t know if this is the case or not, but what we can do is to point out the fact that JK has found himself inserted voluntarily and not into BDSM related conversations.

If you haven’t seen Love and Leashes I would suggest it, it is a very cute and tame way to introduce or just, explain, the BDSM world, without having to go hard core, it is a movie about BDSM afterall so there will be BDSM stuff but in a very tasteful manner. That being said, as the title and topic of the movie is quite explanatory, the only way you’d watch it is if you are interested in BDSM, or at the very least curious about it, as this is NOT an oscar worthy movie, and you can very much live without having watched it if you haven't noticed by now I am very big on both sex and sensuality. 

Am I saying that JK is about to star in an MV where he is BDSMing with a person he is obsessed with? 

NO. Obviously. This is how antis create stories to rattle people, taking information and reaching possibly triggering conclusions to many a person. But if you take these items singularly and in a mature way, sex, sensuality & BDSM, they are all very adult things that can be dealt with in an adequate and safe way for those who are propense to such things. In the simple manner in which JK answered to have watched Love and Lashes. In the same way, walking around with a T-shirt that has a bisexual flag on it, is different from walking around with a T-Shirt that has someone having sex with both gender sexes, A poster of someone with allegedly wearing bondage rings, isn’t the same way as a poster of someone showing how to use the rings, all supposing those rings are used as those type of rings. For all we know they mean something completely different to JK and only the MV, and lyrics, might shade a light to it as well as JK telling directly what it all means of course. 

And now, last but not least: Han So Hee. Imma keep my pansexual ass at bay and just leave the following edit for all of you to summarise the actress that is  Han So Hee real quick

Also, it is interesting to point out that her latest movie, Heavy Snow, is a Sapphic one (this has english subs —> Heavy Snow):

Now, I don’t know if this has anything to do with anything as I think she is famous in particular for being the heroine in the korean drama My Name, as well as the fact that Han So Hee has something to do with the Wooga Squad, or at least Choi Woo Shik as she was at the premiere of IU & Park Seo Joon’s movie Dream with Choi Woo shik, Tae and JK, but it is something that is worth pointing out, I think. 

So what do I think might be her role in JK’s MV?

In the above picture JK is being pictured in “real-life” and Han So Hee in a movie role. One of the interpretations of the female role in JM’s Like Crazy was that it was his reflection, which I’m also very comfortable in believing, so like, the female equivalent of JM. So what if Han So Hee played the female version of JK shiiiit, if I were JK I'd want Han So Hee to play me!!!?

HAN SO HEE movie  : boxing movie, queer movie, korean movie

HAN SO HEE real-life: has tattooes, has piercings, “has” Wooga” squad easy approach 

Looks like a very good actress to represent me, but also if that is the case, the fact that she is a woman, rather than a man is HELLA TELLING, WHICH IS WHY, we need to slow down real quick and think of the other side of the scenarios real quick. 

What if, instead of a young woman whom often has thoughts of thoughts of many things that are often thought as  provocative and/or taboo, so basically a Daring Summer Song, Haegum style, what if it is your everyday love story of a vanilla couple from the female POV as I do think JK is in the video, but not the main character and the seemingly sexy looking part of the promotion poster refers to a sexual part of their “vanilla” relationship in the song, or maybe is just for the posters and has NOTHING to do with the action video and/or song? Because, you know, couples can get freaky every once in a while and if not we need something innovative for a poster which actually has something to do with the personality of the singer?  … 😬😬😬

… ALL THAT BEING SAID, the time has now come to get out of Delululand and straight back to reality. At the end of the day the chances of me being completely wrong about my entire speculation are 85.31%. Yes. But, it did give me a fun ride into JK’s environment and possible scenarios so if all that I thus here speculated turned out to be FAR AWAY FROM WHAT THE SONG AND/OR MVIS ABOUT, then I’ll use it as a prompt for a future movie of mine 🤡.

Always respectfully yours,

Marengo.

[spicy--meatball]

ranking 550+ music genres: PART 2

once again i am deceitful, here is another post today because im having a Fucking Time (good)

(4) Abstract Hip Hop

on the tierlist, the image for abstract hip hop is of MF Doom, so i was pretty excited for this genre. i didnt actually listen to any MF Doom for this though.

many of the songs i listened to lacked vocals, but they were still very intriguing and unique. i heard influences from other genres, such as blues and jazz. this is definitely a genre i would recommend to someone who thinks theyre too high and mighty to listen to hip hop, even though these songs differ a lot from what theyre probably thinking of as hip hop.

this genre hits a lot different than my regular brainslop listening habits (i.e: fast electronic music). each song has a story to tell. this stuff makes great contemplation music, because its hard not to reflect on my life while listening to these songs. theyre groovy enough to keep my attention but also lowkey enough that theyd also make good studying/drawing music. its all just so smooth. ugh, i cant do this genre enough justice. go listen to some abstract hip hop!!!

with all that being said, abstract hip hop gets our first "incredible. i fw this heavy" ranking. which i accidentally spoiled in the last post because i didnt know about the 10 music embeds limit.

Abstract Hip Hop song recs

(5) Acid Croft

im familiar with some acid genres, such as acidcore and acid house, but ive never heard of acid croft. i dont know what i was expecting but my expectations were blown with the first song i clicked on. this shit is WILD! some of these songs remind me of breakbeats.

if youre like me and havent heard of acid croft before, the best way i can describe it is a celtic jig mixed with jazzy bass and acid synths, especially for my first song rec. these are song elements i had no idea could mesh this well, never in my wildest dreams. these songs are intriguing in a different sense than abstract hip hop, theyre just so bizarre. i guess thats to be expected with any genre that has "acid" in the title, but i digress. im very happy someone came up with this mixture of song elements. the second song rec, which was the first song i clicked on, made me furrow my brow in confusion and fascination.

as my own informal rule of thumb, i was going to try and give different artists for each song rec. well, it seems the Peatbog Faeries have spearheaded this genre because like 70% of the songs i could find listed as acid croft are by them. this genre is getting a "in the right time and place, fuck yeah" ranking from me.

Acid Croft song recs

(6) Acid Jazz

im already somewhat familiar with this genre, but i dont listen to it regularly. this stuff goes hard though. i need every small coffee shop business or boba shop to start playing acid jazz please.

this shit sounds like melty caramel. in a good way. just a slow, tranquil stream of caramel floating in the air. and brick walkways at night, hugged tightly by the buildings around it. this also makes good study music, sometimes.

as for my first song rec, i was going to click away to another acid jazz song and then... i dunno. something about the piano and saxophone and bass going up and down and every which way intrigued me to stick around. i was wondering why this unconventional way of arranging music didnt bother me, quite the opposite actually. theres so many shapes and colors in this song and they are chalky. i ended up putting this song on loop, like what in the genuine shit is happening? (in a very good way). i like confusion :)

i guess this is my sign to listen to acid jazz every waking hour of the day. so many varied moods. this shit can soothe or it can get you certified ZEEKIN. Holay Molay.

"incredible. i fw this heavy" tier. absolutely phenomenal. * jeremy clarkson voice* 'ery noice

Acid Jazz song recs

current rankings. more to come

[eoenvs3000f24]

Blog Post 07 – Nature Interpretation through Music

Where is Music in Nature? Where is Nature in Music?

Nature and music are intricately, as we step into the natural world, we find ourselves surrounded by an orchestra of sounds: the rustle of leaves, the gentle flow of a stream, birds chirping at dawn. These natural melodies form the soundtrack of our experiences, inviting us to listen and connect.

Every element of nature contributes to this harmonious experience. The wind whispers through trees, creating a soothing lullaby. Waves crash against the shore, each swell punctuating the silence with rhythmic beauty. Even the silence itself can be musical—there is a unique quality to a quiet forest or an open field at dusk. These sounds not only define a landscape but also evoke emotions, transporting us to places of peace, reflection, or adventure. The same can be said about nature in music, nature profoundly influences music creation. Many composers and musicians draw inspiration from their surroundings. Think of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," where each movement captures the essence of a particular time of year, Country music often holds words about scenic farm scapes with golden fields and wild animals that litter the landscape. Folk music often tells stories of nature, reflecting the landscapes and experiences that shape their cultures.

The relationship between nature and music is a dialogue. Just as nature offers us a canvas of sounds, musicians translate their experiences into melodies that can express our feelings about the world. This connection invites us to explore the beauty of both, whether through listening to a favourite song or venturing into the wilderness. For me, one song that instantly transports me back to a natural landscape is "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire. It transports me into my favourite season, fall. My birthday, Halloween, thanksgiving, and then rolling into the Christmas season is my favourite time of the year, and though this song only mentioned September and though the song doesn’t directly speak about nature other then small snippets about the clouds and the sunshine, it still reminds me of fall days filled with the various oranges, yellows and reds that litter the trees, that first breeze that makes you put a coat on. Those moments are encapsulated in song for me and brings me into nature, to me it’s the very core of fall in musical form.

When connecting to music and nature I think about how I would listen in the back of the truck with my parents while driving around the country or into town for various things, I was lucky to be able to experience privliage like this. Although different cultures and classes have kinds of music, sometime music can be restricted for some. Music and Nature interpretation go hand in hand, this means that someone who cannot listen to music as often, easily or at all will not be able to interpret nature as easily as I have been able to. This can mean that I might value or interpret nature differently due to my experiences that others might not understand or agree with. However, the interpretation of different cultures and sounds from different locations can allow me too expand my knowledge and point of view.

Nature is a source of endless inspiration and creativity, just as music can capture the essence of the natural world. By immersing ourselves in both, we discover a deeper understanding of our experiences. Nature can be interpreted through music just as much as music can be found in nature.