maryschepherd

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Taylor Allison Swift you get over here right now

[maryschepherd]

Travis Kelce & Golden Roses—Oh, We’re Keeping Count.

If you’re not spiraling yet, congratulations on your rose-colored glasses.

If you are spiraling, welcome aboard. Let’s get into it. 🌹

1. The Fit

Travis Kelce arrived at the biggest game of his career in a full rust-brown Amiri suit, paired with a shimmering, deep-V shirt and—pay attention—a golden rose brooch.

2. The Golden Rose: A Valentine’s Gift for… Who?

First, let's begin with Valentine's Day 2024. It was Travis and Taylor's first time celebrating the holiday as a couple. While Taylor was in Melbourne for The Eras Tour and Travis was absent, he adorned her with gifts. One of the gifts being... a golden stemmed rose.

So, in 2024, this was a romantic gesture of love to Miss Americana on Valentine's Day, right? Glad we can agree. Let's fast forward to February 9th, 2025.

It's time to talk about the golden rose brooch on Travis’ lapel.

While Travis was wearing one gold rose, his “best friend” Ross Travis posted a photo from the Super Bowl of a nearly identical golden rose sitting on his lap. This time, the entire rose is fully gold plated, a bit of an upgrade from last year's Valentine's gift, if I do say so myself. This rose will never wilt.

The picture above on the right was the only story Ross Travis posted that night.

Just guys being dudes? Or is there more to this?

If you swapped out one of these men for a woman, we wouldn’t even be having a debate—everyone would be freaking out over what an obvious romantic gesture this is. It was taken as a romantically sweet gesture when Taylor received one last year...

And we’re not done yet.

3. So, Why Isn’t Mainstream Media Talking About This?

Because there has only ever been ONE openly queer active NFL player.

For an industry that thrives on hyper-masculinity, it’s no surprise that this golden rose exchange isn’t making headlines. The NFL isn’t exactly known for celebrating queer relationships, and speculation around a player’s sexuality isn’t something sports media is going to touch unless it’s explicitly acknowledged.

But just because they won’t talk about it doesn’t mean we can’t see it. It doesn't mean they aren't showing us.

4. The Taylor Swift Connection: A Golden Rose, A Valentine’s Emoji, and a 2017 Throwback

Back in 2017, Taylor launched The Swift Life app, which included a set of custom Swift-themed emojis (affectionately called Taymojis).

One of the emojis in the Valentine’s Day pack was a golden rose—identical to the one Travis and Ross wore.

And the caption under that emoji?

🫡 “This will last forever.”

Yes. You read that correctly.

Every emoji in that pack was love-themed. "I <3 U." "Look out! You might catch feelings!" "Kisses!" And then we have this golden rose, captioned as something eternal.

The timing? This rose exchange between Ross and Travis happened five days before Valentine’s Day.

Now, I’m not saying Taylor had a hand in this… but I’m also saying we’ve seen too much to ignore it.

I can see the rose given to Taylor in 2024 as a symbol of temporary love, while the rose in Ross' lap at the 2025 Superbowl seems to symbolize forever, according to Taymojis and the fact that the rose is completely frozen in gold.

5. The Reputation Era Callback & Call It What You Want

This isn’t just about a golden rose and a well-tailored suit—it’s about timing.

At this same game, Taylor wore her infamous T chain, a direct reference to Call It What You Want. That alone was enough to make us dig. But when we zoom out and look at what era she’s teasing, things get even more interesting.

We are on the cusp of Reputation (Taylor’s Version), and Taylor has already warned us that the vault tracks are going to be fire. 🔥

And let’s be honest—Gaylors have been saying for YEARS that if Taylor was ever going to use a vault track to say something explicitly sapphic, Reputation TV is the place to do it.

Why? Because Reputation wasn’t just about damage control. It was about narrative control. It was about hiding in plain sight. It was about creating an image that served a purpose, while the truth stayed in the shadows.

So what if this rollout isn’t just about reclaiming her masters?

What if it’s about reclaiming her true reputation—not the one the public crafted one, not the one she had to play along with, but the one she’s been teasing at for years through hidden meanings, visual cues, and layered storytelling?

She’s nodding to Call It What You Want.

She’s doubling down on Reputation-coded imagery.

The golden rose, a symbol of permanence and love, reappears in a way that directly connects to her own past branding and gifts from Travis.

If 1989 TV was about nostalgia and reinvention, Reputation TV could be about revision and revelation.

And that, my friends, is why this moment feels bigger than just a suit, a rose, and a Super Bowl flex.

6. Final Thoughts: “Best Friends” or Something More?

If any of this had happened between a male athlete and a woman, the entire internet would be calling it romance, just as we saw in 2024.

But because it’s happening, now, between two men, we’re supposed to pretend it’s just a meaningless fashion moment?

Let’s be real:

The golden rose was a choice.

Ross Travis posting the exact same golden rose was a choice.

The Taymoji connection is insane.

The timing with Reputation references makes this undeniable.

At the end of the day, whether this is romance or just another hidden narrative, it’s very clear that this is more than just a suit.

And if you’re still not convinced? Well…

🌹 Call it what you want, I guess. 🌹

[maryschepherd]

florence + the machine valentine’s cards

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More Valentines I made related to Florence and the Machine.

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From my redhead blog Valentine's I made years ago

Florence and the Machine Valentines I made. Happy Valentines day to whose who celebrate it. ^_^

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In time for Valentine's day, it's T for Tits!

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Annie won 3 Grammys tonight!

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So for all of you who think nothing matters:

We have a local, I guess I'll call it an events complex. It's where concerts and the fair go. It's owned by the city.

When Trump started the whole ICE thing, our commissioner sent a letter to the local representatives, telling them they could use it as a detention center for illegal immigrants. Our event center. Where the 4H kids show their fuckin' lambs.

"The fuck you will" was the resounding reply.

So, when I talk about coalition-building, and working with people you do not agree with or maybe even like, this is what I'm talking about. There was an immediate and vocal show of disapproval, from all sides. We all contacted people we knew would dislike this, REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY FELT ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. The meeting was packed with people yelling at the commissioners. Of all political stripes. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Prairie Populist, Independent.

Some were, of course, the tumblr-style arguments about inherent humanity, but--I think more compellingly if you're actually trying to put the pressure on--there were questions of, 'How are we gonna get paid?" "Are you aware of how, as the only event center for more than two hours, much fuckin money this brings into the community? ANd that immigrants of all types make up less than 2% of the population of the entire state?(my argument), "Do we trust the government to pay us?", "Isn't there a fuckin' empty prison in [town about an hour from here]? Are you just being a kiss-ass?' (offered up by a man I know to be very conservative indeed. BUT HE DID NOT WANT OUR SPACE USED FOR THIS) and, an argument that was so good I was infuriated I didn't come up with it, "DO you think the bank is gonna want to be known as the sponsor of "National bank Detention Center?" (Which caught on and the bank had to offer up a letter saying how they hoped the commissioners would use the event center as intended.)

They folded. A letter came out a few days ago from the manager of the event center, saying it was decided that the events center would rescind the offer, as "more acceptable alternatives could be found." They blinked.

That's the thing. All that happened is that a bunch of people got mad an went to ONE TWO HOUR MEETING. It changed everything.

SHOW. UP.

[maryschepherd]

Stand there like a ghost shaking from the rain (HYGTG) -> Remember how my rain soaked body was shaking? (The Black Dog)

And that’s how it works. That’s how Taylor Swift got the girl.

[maryschepherd]

Why Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince reminds me of Revolutionary Girl Utena [Part One]

TOTAL SPOILERS for Revolutionary Girl Utena

If you grew up in the 1990's in America you probably watched at least one Anime. Anime was hugely popular in America with shows like Sailor Moon and Pokémon. One of the lesser know shows that still managed to get an English dub was Revolutionary Girl Utena. I first learned about RGU reading Anime magazines.

Revolutionary Girl Utena was a passion project from Kunihiko Ikuhara who directed some of the early episodes of Sailor Moon. RGU deals with a girl named Utena who is a middle schooler at a prestigious school. She is constantly getting in trouble with teachers because she wears the boys uniform instead of the girls. In addition to wearing more masculine clothing, Utena also tends to be more of a tomboy than her peers. She attributes her boyishness to wanting be like the prince she met as a child who gave her a rose embossed ring.

One day Utena stops a boy from bullying a girl named Anthy in the school's greenhouse. The bully challenges Utena to a duel which Utena only accepts on the condition the bully will leave Anthy alone. The duel turns out to be a way bigger deal that Utena expected. After winning the dual Anthy tells Utena they are engaged. This freaks out Utena, but she continues dueling to protect Anthy from the other power hungry students that want Anthy's magic for their own ends.

The show deals alot with fairytales and how society views women (at the time in Japan Feminists were working hard to get more equality for women in the workplace simlar to the 9 to 5 movement in the US.) Also the show has quite a few LGBTQIA characters.

Ever since I first heard "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince" the school and fairytale themes remind me of RGU. I have no real way of knowing, but there are so many simlarites to RGU that it makes me wonder if Taylor Swift watched the show. I'm going to compare the lyrics of MAATHP to RGU,

You know I adore you, I'm crazier for you

Than I was at sixteen, lost in a film scene

Waving at homecoming queens, marching band playing

I'm lost in the lights

I think that Taylor is relating to Anthy who lost her identity and agency to becoming a prized princess for her school (ae the music industry). It's not til Utena show up that she starts to think about what actually she wants.

American glory faded before me

Now I'm feeling hopeless, ripped up my prom dress

Running through rose thorns, I saw the scoreboard

And ran for my life (Ah)

Prior to Utena entering Anthy's life she is at the mercy of the weird wims of her abusive bother who owns the school. He once was a prince but now he has become a soulless demigod that just takes and takes from others. This has lead to Anthy losing her faith in humanity and herself. There is even a episode of RGU where Utena saves Anthy after a mean girl ruined her dress by quickly making a dress magically out of a table cloth. Also roses are constantly referred to in RGU.

No cameras catch my pageant smile

I counted days, I counted miles

To see you there, to see you there

It's been a long time coming, but

Over the course of the show Anthy and Utena slowly become friends, and later, more than friends. Anthy before Utena was very serious and solemn. Now that Anthy has a person she can trust, she smiles and laughs. It's implied that before Utena, Anthy was in an endless cycle of being engaged to current winner of the rose duels that just saw her as a means to an end.

It's you and me, that's my whole world

As Utena wins more duels over the course of the show she and Anthy become really close. They team up to defeat the other challengers for Anthy's hand as the rose bride.

They whisper in the hallway, "She's a bad, bad girl" (Okay)

Utena is considered a rulebreaker for not being as girly as her peers. Anthy is also considered tainted or damaged by her classmates.

The whole school is rolling fake dice

Play stupid games win stupid prizes

The entire school turns out to be an illusion that breaks down when Utena wins the final duel. RGU deconstructs classic fairytales and gender based biases.

It's you and me, there's nothing like this

Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince (Okay)

[See first use of the refrain]

We're so sad, we paint the town blue

Voted most likely to run away with you

Both Anthy and Utena have had difficult childhoods that they have unresolved trauma from. To end the constant dueling the girls must break free from the illusion.

[maryschepherd]

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For luck and prosperity

You hate that your favorite bands are exercising their free speech.

[maryschepherd]

Lol since then Taylor Swift released a song that more than likely is about the popular weed variant "Lavender Haze" 🤣

I really don't care if Miley Cyrus smoked a bong. She's 18? She can live her own life...

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