#<- like there's something to be said about creating connection with artists through social media (it's fine)

[dulcevenganzaa]

perhaps i might be projecting a little bit but it's a little weird to like, see the way people talk about strangers online when they know they can see it

[harrysgal]

I DIG YOUR CINEMA (2)

harry styles x yn aspiring filmmaker — social media AU

I know I’m just starting and don’t actually have much experience with this, but I’m actually having a lot of fun doing it and already can’t wait to post more.

About the smau: yn starts posting videos on youtube and is trying to build a career as a filmmaker. Things are going pretty well for her and she starts getting more attention when she creates content about shows she goes to. She’s also a fan of Harry’s music and some of his fans start getting suspicious when his team starts interacting with her.

Disclaimer: The story it’s set in 2021 and it will follow their relationship through the LOT leg in the US. Since this is nothing but fiction, I will be following some of the real timeline but also adding my own stuff. On top of that, I won’t be basing myself on Harry’s actual posts.

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PART 1 — MEET YN / MASTERLIST

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I DIG YOUR CINEMA (PART 2) — LAS VEGAS

liked by bestfriend, yourmom, mollyjane_x and 22,108 others 

yourinstagram HELLOOOOOOO FABULOUS LAS VEGAS NEVADA 

view all 3,045 comments

user1 soooo… a new full time job that took you to las vegas? 👀 yourbrother Please behave  bestfriend don’t get (too) drunk without me pls harryfan STOP FIRST LOT SHOW IT’S IN VEGAS 

↳ harryfan2 She’s going to the show right???? I mean it can’t be just a coincidence anymore IT JUST CAN’T ↳ harryfan NO I KNOW THIS IS IT I CAN FEEL IT IN MY BONES

Aug 26, 2021 •

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liked by bestfriend, cuteguy, mollyjane_x and 22,451 others 

yourinstagram you’d think a lady in vegas would be out there getting wild but this one actually has been locked in her hotel room for the last 27 hours overthinking her ideas and freaking out about this new job lol if any of you could send me a pizza or something id appreciate it. thanks. 

view all 3,111 comments

user1 nooooo you’re so talented whatever it is i know you can do it!! bestfriend yn ✋🏻  cuteguy Should I give you a call? 😊 harryfan17 I would too be freaking out if I had to work for THE harry styles lol

↳ harryfan16 we still don’t know if she is tho  ↳ harryfan17 C’mon she’s in vegas and molly and jeff are following her ↳ harryfan16 still 🤷🏻‍♀️ tour doesn’t start for another few days so this could be just about something else  ↳ harryfan16 also maybe she’s there because she wants to be and not bc she’s “working” for him. she’s done videos about several artists and she isn’t working for any of them is she?  ↳ harryfan17 Well yes but she literally just said she was starting a new job so 🤷‍♀️ ↳ harryfan16 so everyone just assumed HARRY, out of all people, hired her? c’mon guys lol she could be working for just anyone and STILL go to a show. one doesn’t have to be related to the other.

Aug 28, 2021 •

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liked by anthonypham, bestfriend, lookitsnyoh and 25,103 others 

yourinstagram fun fact: if you post something on the internet people around you might see it 🫠

guess im lucky this lovely group who still don’t know me at all cared enough to drag me out of my room and show me around the city. sometimes i get so caught up inside my mind that i forget how important human connection is — which is funny if you think most of my videos are exactly about that lol. so plssssss make sure to surround yourself with (nice) people. also get some sleep, drink water and feed yourself. it’ll do wonderful things for you!!!

anyway my mom was worried about my “not leaving the room post” so this is just me saying everythings good!! (i also already called her of course <3)

view all 3,557 comments

bestfriend LOVE YOU harryfan the new followers the new likes 😭 it’s happening i knew it  user1 so true bestie!! this reminded me of your 2nd video i think

↳ yourinstagram omg yesssss!!  ↳ user1 ahh i missed your interactions <3  ↳ yourinstagram i knowww! promise i’ll try my best to keep interacting even if it’s not as much as before 💗

lookitsnyoh my belly still hurts from all the laughing 

↳ yourinstagram and my mind is still rushing from all the talking ↳ anthonypham go to sleep you two 

harryfan9 I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING BUT OMFG I’M SO HERE FOR IT

Aug 29, 2021 •

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liked by anthonypham, mollyjane_x, bestfriend and 27,257 others 

yourinstagram sightseeing left me speechless. but here’s a picture from tonight. 

view all 4,107 comments

user1 omg you’re feeding us this week! i’m so happy you’re being active again <3 harryfan78 POST A PICTURE OF YOURSELF I WANT TO MEET YOU AT THE SHOW BUT I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE 

↳ user4 calm down pls? we like to behave as respectful human beings on this profile

bestfriend ❤️❤️❤️ bestfriend i’m losing my mind but i’m also so excited and proud! user7 I miss your videos :( lookitsnyoh when was this? where was I? bummed that I missed it!

↳ yourinstagram sorryyy just a last minute decision after dinner :( ↳ lookitsnyoh ohhhh makes sense now! Glad it left you speechless ↳ yourinstagram i mean the city is beautiful  ↳ lookitsnyoh sure thing it is 👽

Sep 1, 2021 •

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liked by harryfan, harryfan2 and 15,157 others 

fanwhometharry GUYS I JUST MET HARRY I’M SHAKKNG I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE NOW 

view all 2,107 comments

harryfan64 omg where did you meet him??

↳ fanwhometharry AT THE BELLAGIO  ↳ harryfan64 is he staying there???  ↳ fanwhometharry NO!! I MEAN IDK?? I DONT RHINK SO I JUST MET HIM OUTSIDE AT THE FOUNTAINS  ↳ harryfan74 hmm not tryin to be rude or something but that sounds like a weird place for him to be tbh ↳ fanwhometharry I FUCKKNG KNOW THAT?? I MEAN MY PARENTS WANTED TO SEE THE WATER SHOW SO I TAGGED ALONG BUT NEVER EVER THOUGHT ID BUMP INTO HIM THERE

harryfan62 you’re so lucky!! was he alone???

↳ imetharry I DONT KNOW?? I DONT REMEMBER I WAS SO NERVOUS  ↳ imetharry I KNOW THERE WAS A GIRL NEARBY BC SHE HANDED HIM A PEN WHEN I COULDNT FIND MINE BUT I DONT KNOW IF SHE WAS WITH HJIM OR NOT ↳ harryfan62 who was this girl? Anyone from the LOT crew? ↳ imetharry IDK I JUST SAID I DONT EVEN KNOW IF SHE WAS WITH HIM OR NOT 😭

harryfan15 Hi hun! Don’t listen to people, they're just jealous. It was really sweet of him to sign that for you! Hope you have a great time at the show 💕

↳ imetharry THANK YOU 😭😭 HE WAS THERE JUST WATCHING LIKE A NORMAL PERSON SO I DIDN’T WANT TO TAKE A PIC IF PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE ME THEN I DON’T CARE I KNOW IT’S REAL 😭😭

Sep 1, 2021 •

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liked by gemmastyles, anthonypham, jefezoff and 35,109 others 

yourinstagram having to keep this secret from the world was the most cruelest thing that anyone has ever done to me. but whatever… it’s fine… i’m okay… i’m just gonna pretend this wasn’t a big deal and i didn’t just watch one of my favorite artists perform my favorite songs… and then i’ll just casually say: pls stay tuned for next wednesday when my new video will be up 😇

(i’ll be back and share more details once my serotonin levels have normalized again)

view all 7,125 comments

bestfriend i love you so much thank you for representing us so well  harryfan I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT OMFG I CANT WAIT I KNEW IT harryfan2 YN KASDHUHHD PLS OMFG YOU CAN’T JUST SAY THIS AND LEAVE user1 😲 i can’t wait for this one! harrystyles soz 

↳ harryfan OMFG HARRY ↳ harryfan5 ?????????????????????????? ↳ harryfan3 AUIDHIAUSHDBAJH WTF ↳ harryfan9 ARE YOU F KIDDING ME WHATS HE DOING HERE

cuteguy Nice! Glad you’re having a good time darling. 

Sep 4, 2021 •

— — — — — 

PART 3: DENVER

— — — — — 

If you happen to read and enjoy this, pls let me know? 🙏 thanks!! it would be nice to know if this is working, or what else would people would like to see.

[rainbowsky]

Hi RBS

Why gg is related to little prince in that little prince and rose story??

Hi Anon,

Fake, fan fiction, CPN.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry is a classic, exceptionally popular, beautifully told and illustrated story. Those who haven't read it can find it here.

Standard disclaimer: This is my own personal opinion based on my own interpretation of tidbits I've learned over the years. Everyone is free to come up with their own.

If you ask a solo they'll give you a completely different story than a turtle would about how The Little Prince is connected to GG, but I think GG's (and DD's) connection to that story runs far deeper than anything any fan - solo or turtle - can claim.

The Solo Interpretation

The solo interpretation revolves around the prince's red cape and the many references to the red cape that GG has made in his art and on social media over the years, which many believe were in response to fan activity.

The first reference came during a live broadcast of XFIRE, where GG created a pencil drawing of a boy wearing a cape and holding a ball. Later he posted a colored version of the image on his social media, where it was revealed that the boy was wearing a red cape and holding a glowing moon.

His fans named themselves Xiao Fei Xia (Chinese for 'Peter Pan') after seeing the image. The name sounds like Chinese for 'small fat shrimp', which is why XFX are often called shrimps (or tempuras, in malicious references).

When his fans won him a solo song, he posted a photo of a boy wearing a crown and a red cape. He later changed his Weibo badge to The Little Prince in a red cape. In Nov 2019 he posted an image of himself on Oasis with a red cape and crown drawn on.

"But why do they think The Little Prince is about them, when they call themselves Peter Pans?" you might ask.

That is a somewhat ambiguous connection, but as far as I can tell it's because of the idea that he's their Little Prince and they are his Peter Pans. The song Satisfaction - which was meaningful to GG and his fans - was connected to the image he shared of the boy wearing the cape and crown. There is also the red cape connection. They wear a red cape, and 'their Little Prince' wears one too. Red is GG's color, and the color XFX identify their fandom with.

A Deeper Connection

In any case, like I said - I think GG's connection to the Little Prince goes deeper than fandom, and the simplest answer to why it has become so connected with him is that he loves the story. It means a lot to him, and on some level he really identifies with the character.

And it's not difficult to see why both GG and DD identify with this story. I actually wrote a whole thing about that a while ago on my blog but of course, I can't find it now. So frustrating.

The Little Prince presents a lot of themes about personal development, love, acceptance, self-acceptance, friendship and found family that resonate with queer readers, with artistic/creative people, and with anyone who has had to live with loneliness or isolation (such as incredibly famous people who are forced to live somewhat separate from the rest of the world). There are themes about grief and loss, and about different points of view.

To me, the story is about how wisdom comes through wonder. More than anything, The Little Prince is about maintaining one's sense of childlike wonder and sensitivity in the face of all the pains and trials of life, and in spite of all attempts to kill our spirit. No matter what we have lost and long for, we can find beauty in the love we have and the connections we make.

It is that spirit of wonder that makes everything special, and makes us special too. It's what makes us able to look beneath the surface and see what's really important.

This is something GG quite obviously values very deeply. He has referred to DD as a sweet, pure-hearted boy in the past, and has spoken appreciatively about the fact that DD has managed to keep a sense of childishness and guilelessness despite being in this industry for so long, and from such an early age.

And GG himself displays those qualities in abundance. He has a very light-hearted, sweet, wonderstruck, sensitive, curious, cute side that is a huge part of the magnetism of his personality. We see this come out a lot in his downtime, such as when he was at Universal Studios, or when he was wandering the streets of Europe. One of the things that is most compelling about him is his willingness to show that side of himself, even as a grown man.

This is - as I've said many times - part of GG and DD's incredible chemistry and compatibility. They share their own little world, and this world of fun, laughter, sweetness, mischievousness and curiosity - the spirit of learning, exploring and cackling together like gremlins - this is all very much aligned with the themes of The Little Prince.

Even the moments of loneliness and separation and coming back together again, the stars in the sky and the ringing of bells - all of this is connected to the story of The Little Prince.

And if you believe the CPN about GG's birthday letter to DD (which I definitely do), this is a message GG gives DD: grow up slowly. That idea has appeared in fake rumors and other references in the fandom. And it's very aligned with the themes of The Little Prince.

From the book: (mild spoilers for those who haven't read it). Slightly abridged.

...he looked at me steadily, and replied to my thought:

“I am thirsty, too. Let us look for a well...”

I made a gesture of weariness. It is absurd to look for a well, at random, in the immensity of the desert. But nevertheless we started walking.

“What makes the desert beautiful,” said the little prince, “is that somewhere it hides a well...”

I was astonished by a sudden understanding of that mysterious radiation of the sands. When I was a little boy I lived in an old house, and legend told us that a treasure was buried there. To be sure, no one had ever known how to find it; perhaps no one had ever even looked for it. But it cast an enchantment over that house. My home was hiding a secret in the depths of its heart...

“Yes,” I said to the little prince. “The house, the stars, the desert—what gives them their beauty is something that is invisible!”

As the little prince dropped off to sleep, I took him in my arms and set out walking once more. I felt deeply moved, and stirred. It seemed to me that I was carrying a very fragile treasure. It seemed to me, even, that there was nothing more fragile on all Earth. In the moonlight I looked at his pale forehead, his closed eyes, his locks of hair that trembled in the wind, and I said to myself:

“What I see here is nothing but a shell. What is most important is invisible...”

As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: “What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower—the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep...” And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of wind...

And, as I walked on so, I found the well, at daybreak.

Bottom line: Be who you are, stay true to yourself, don't let the world destroy all the soft, sweet, fun, creative, childlike, insightful, open-hearted parts of you.

You are special because of what you love.

GGDD and The Little Prince

Both GG and DD have been repeatedly associated with The Little Prince, and both have been referred to as "little prince" by fans. The Little Prince and his rose have been beloved by turtles as a frequently occurring candy/CPN in the fandom for years.

This started for DD back in his Uniq days. There's an example of this in an early Uniq interview. At the start each group member is being introduced, and their group role is listed onscreen along with the names fans use to refer to them, DD's nicknames are listed as "White Peony, Little Prince." (They're all such babies here!! 🥺)

And he really is a Little Prince, both in terms of his youthful, pure-hearted wonder and in terms of his appearance. There are countless examples of Prince Bobo.

Both GG and DD have been associated directly with the story of The Little Prince, in that both have performed readings of the story - GG in 2018, DD in 2018 and 2019.

(Sorry, no Eng subs for that last one).

The brand Roseonly created many Little Prince themed items back when GG was endorsing them.

The recent photoshoot DD did for T Magazine was themed around The Little Prince, and people saw similar references in the photoshoot GG did for Marie Claire.

The Little Prince - CPN

There are too many CPN references to The Little Prince - or to elements from the story - to list them all here, but here are a few:

The Name

One of the things BXG get excited about is that in Chinese, The Little Prince is actually called 小王子 (Xiao Wang Zi - literally 'little king child'). While the character 小 (Xiao, meaning 'little') isn't the same as the Xiao character used in GG's name (his name uses 肖, which is a Chinese surname), they are pronounced the same*.

*Incidentally, 小 is the same character that connects XFX to the Peter Pan name, '小飞侠' or 'Xiao Fei Xia'.

I think it's also likely that it's a big part of why GG and DD feel a connection to The Little Prince - because in Chinese, it references/connects their names.

They both love word play and have connected their names in the past - in the BTS when they were filming the library scene and GG wrote WangXiao with the calligraphy brush, on DDU when they were asked to come up with a team name and DD suggested BJYX and GG suggested Yizhan instead. It's very much in keeping with their personalities to enjoy that connection.

The Huang Ziteng post

Back in 2020 Huang Ziteng made a social media post that referenced The Little Prince. It consisted of a photo of a Little Prince figurine and thank you card with a rose pin. The text of the post read, "The child told me he received a gift, so happy. "The most important things cannot be seen, but must be felt with the heart." It was posted on September 13 at 18:23 (Yizhan - Yibo Loves Zhan).

The Birthday Cake

When DD rode his motorcycle out to spend GG's birthday together back in 2018, the birthday cake was Little Prince themed.

There was also a restaurant scene from Gank Your Heart where a Little Prince cake topper randomly appeared on the table. Does anyone else remember that? I can't find the actual scene, but it was very 👀.

EDIT: here it is!

On the plate in the foreground.

A Dream Like A Dream

When A Dream Like A Dream premiered in Wuhan, the theatre plaza was overrun with flowers for GG, and he had to make a statement asking fans not to bring flowers. Fans got together and gave flowers away all over the city. GG posted a photo of a single rose, which turtles believed was sent to him by DD.

The caption: "With love, the sun warms the spring." The kadian "Love Zhan, My Bo."

Day Day Up

DDU was a source for a few Little Prince-related CPN. There was a Little Prince figurine on the DDU set, next to a skateboard,

and of course everything surrounding The Brightest Star in the Sky.

DD has frequently been referred to as the 'lonely star', and there is a great deal of CPN about GGDD and stars.

There's also a fake rumor that after DD's motorcycle accident back in 2020, GG was overheard recording a voice message for DD and saying, "you always shine brightly."

There are too many star references to mention. Also too many moon references to mention. There is a LOT of CPN that connects to The Little Prince. It comes up quite often in the fandom. I'm not going to try to gather them all here. Suffice it to say that it's very well solidified as something turtles feel a deep connection with.

Either/or is such a bitch

One of the things I find really frustrating about fan culture is that it is so warlike. Never is this more apparent than when talking about things like this. Solos believe The Little Prince references are for them. Turtles believe GG and DD are referencing each other.

Just a reminder to everyone - it's quite possible for BOTH to be true.

It's quite possible for GG and DD to find all of these things significant at the same time. It's quite possible for us to allow all those significances to coexist without making them into a battle.

More than anything, the references are for and about GG and DD. We can share our excitement for them because we're all their fans. We all love them. It doesn't have to be a fight.

[9800sblog]

hybe tarot reading

public perception vs people involved

public's perception

3 of pentacles reversed, 8 of pentacles reversed, ace of pentacles reversed, the hanged man reversed, 7 of cups reversed

talk about tainted perception, all cards reversed screams volumes about how ignorant and illiterate most people are about their rights. the public has all the information, they know everything that is happening but keep not wanting to connect one thing with the other, they're just trying to feel important and like they matter in a grand scheme. they see the world as a bunch of isolated things and people, with no connection, the justice system doesn't work, nobody is really doing their jobs and no industry, organization or system really works. trying to push a classic tale of "rich vs poor", instead of "people vs life", they see hybe as old money and creating narratives to control people. they think most people, all artists and others involved are simply dumb, and can't see they're being controlled. just flip the script, like the hanged man reversed looks kinda dumb reversed in this spread, flip it to it's right position and "damn how does he balance himself like that? is he playing with the punishment he received? how is none of his clothes falling off? that rewuires a lot of physical strength, knowledge of anatomy, physics, astronomy, wow this is an impressive ugly man" etc.

perception of people involved

the world reversed, 7 of pentacles reversed, ace of cups reversed, 9 of pentacles, the fool

literally screaming to the public "shut the fuck up!!!!!" they see how the perception is all damaged, and people are trying to use the perceived bad situation to prey on them, which is ironic since their poor vision is what lacks them see how protected these people, systems and organizations actually are. like law works 😐. nothing new under the sun, but they're definitely taking advantage of this situation to fix things that are actually broken, literally universally involved, like this spread literally screams climate change. public is really trying to not connect one thing with the other, not use logic and pretend they're the village in "it takes a village to raise a child". people are literally ignoring the fact that you need to pass the police system to be hired, get a contract, this whole thing is not about min heejin, did yall forget kpop is a public part of korean government? [politicians: "this is how we want the world to see our country", kpop industry: "yes, sir! 🫡"] did yall forget kpop is literally anti censorship and control? did yall forget how much horror, science, ancient cultures, spirituality/religion/witchcraft references they make on a DAILY? something I often say fits perfectly with this spread, "it's better to ask offensive questions than stay ignorant". public is playing detective while actual detectives are at work, chill.

what it's actually like

3 of swords, king of swords, judgement, 9 of cups, 2 of cups

this needs no explanation, it's literally what I just said. if this was a matter of pedophilia against people that are seen universally, it would have been fixed already, it's not hard to put someone in jail. all cards are connected, and yall pretend to know nothing about daily life. like when I say universally, I mean, songs play on your phone and you post things on social media through satellites, like stop playing dumb, this isn't an isolated situation, if you feel unsafe in front of this "feud", you're already screwed, fear is almost useless towards human evolution, what could actually kill us these days? this does involve science, politics, astronomy, everything kpop talks about. again, stop acting dumb. yall think aespa songs sound grainy why? they're breaking sound barriers like these people are smart as fuck

[netherworldpost]

A general shop idea I'm happy if you institute as well

One of the things I have been tinkering with, and I'm finally settling on, is a monthly zine that pulls the essays and comics and photos etc. I take in a month.

It will essentially be a monthly compilation of the original content I make for social media.

Zines will go out the first week of the month, capturing all the stuff from the previous month, so there isn't a pressure to make stuff specifically for this zine.

"Why not create new stuff?"

Because resources (time/energy/etc.) will be to create new stuff at large -- products, comics, etc.

This is specifically designed to repurpose existing stuff.

The specific point is to connect without adding more work that would derail the creation of stuff.

It's a catch-up. An archive.

An "I get too many emails, not enough physical mail, I want weird ghost mail"

"...so... why would I subscribe to this..."

I, myself, regularly say "Hey I like this comic or thing. Here is a few coins."

It's a take on the $1-3 tip jars, pledges, patreon levels, etc. that are extremely popular to offer, and extremely popular to support.

It's there if you wish to support the content.

It's also there as a way to bypass the multitude of social media platform decays, frustrations, lockouts, etc.

As a person who Makes Things Online and has for 20+ years, I am extremely worried about what the space will look like going forward in the next 20+ years.

Hence! This!!

Hey remember when RSS was far more accessible? Those were fun times.

Hey remember when Reddit wasn't on the verge of...

Hey remember when Twitter wasn't...

(sotto voce) Do you see where I'm going with this?

"How much is it going to cost?"

About 125% the cost of production, so probably $2-3/month. This is not a profit-making vehicle, the extra grease on the wheel is to cover production issues, lost in the mail, etc.

When I have a sale or launching a new thing, a note will be included. "Hey! For the coming month, use code XYZ! We're launching New Thing on This Date too!"

"Couldn't I just follow you on social media and/or subscribe to email and see it for free?"

Yes.

I'm not trying to shift your behavior from one to another.

I want to create a thing should you say "I like you but I'm tired of XYZ social network and/or I get too many emails."

I want to create a thing should you say "I'd rather read about calling myself an Addams cousin while drinking coffee in the park."

This is not anti-social media.

This is not "people are on their phones too much."

This is not anti- anything, really.

I want to create something should you say "I want more mail. I want more physical mail and I want it to come in a bright envelope decorated weirdly."

It is my professional estimation that online communities are going to continue to fracture. The following is my personal rambling opinion:

It is going to get harder, and harder, and harder, as a person, to keep track of the artists and makers that you are interested in.

It's going to get even harder, and harder, and harder, as a maker, to connect to people who are interested in the stuff you make.

Before social media, you had "marketing," and for awhile, we've had "social media marketing," which is similar but about 100,000 times cheaper.

We are rapidly reaching a point where the majority, possibly the vast majority, of content you see on socials fall into one of two categories:

Created by a large business

Created by a large business but funneled through a special division they created specifically to quietly hide the scale of their operation

This happens right now more often than is comfortable!

And I think it's going to continue to shift that way!

"I'm on board, where do I sign up?"

Until the shop launches, I'm sending out a monthly newsletter. Signup is at netherworldpost.com. This will be among the first projects I launch.

Once said shop launches, I'll continue with the online newsletter, but this will also be available.

I will have an open, public, forever free, never paywalled guide on "This is how I run this with the tiny print shop we built. Here are some ideas if you do not have a tiny print shop."

Thanks!

And feel free to take this idea and make it your own for your whatever sized shop on whatever platform you make things on now and/or the future!

[coochiequeens]

A woman is in such denial over having a female body that she is ok with exploiting a woman for a biological child. The whole article is about the art piece, not one sentence about why she wants a kid or pondering what parenthood will be like.

Ashley R.T. Yergens’s “Surrogate,” premiering at New York Live Arts this week, explores how trans men experience pregnancy and I.V.F.

By Lauren Wingenroth June 12, 2024

In “prettygirl264264” (2018), the choreographer Ashley R.T. Yergens threw himself a funeral.

It was absurd, and funny, with an “In Loving Memory” card in lieu of a program, and an a cappella rendition of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.”

But it was also a dark meditation on how transgender people can be treated, even in death. “It was connected to this question of, How will I be remembered?” said Yergens, 32, who is trans. “Will I get to have a funeral in the way that other people get to be remembered?”

Yergens’s latest work, “Surrogate,” premiering this week at New York Live Arts, contains another premature life-cycle event: a birthday party for a frozen embryo. There is darkness under the surface here, too, as there often is in work by the Brooklyn-based Yergens, whose brash, irreverent dances are stuffed with obscure pop-culture references and virtuosic movement equally inspired by the postmodern tradition and the queer nightclub.

Nicola Gorham, who plays a mean, tell-it-like-it-is therapist.

During the course of making this new work, Yergens, who recently froze 24 embryos — his eggs and an anonymous donor’s sperm — saw his parenthood journey with a surrogate end, and watched as a state Supreme Court ruling in Alabama (later essentially made ineffective by new legislation) threatened the future of I.V.F.

“That birthday celebration,” Yergens said, “comes from a real fear of, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to be able to have a kid in this way.’”

Until a few years ago, Yergens wasn’t interested in becoming a parent at all. But during the pandemic, something surprising happened: He was hit with a case of baby fever.

“I’m like, You are on testosterone,” he said. “You have been in normal male range for years now. What is this biological urge?”

Yergens’s journey through the embryo freezing and surrogacy process would become source material for “Surrogate,” which also pulls from a 2008 Oprah Winfrey interview with Thomas Beatie, a trans man whose pregnancy was the object of public fascination. Yergens saw the interview as a 16-year-old. “I think it contributed to a delay in transitioning for me,” he said. “It kind of felt like, You’re going to transition, and then you’re going to be a pregnant man.”

In “Surrogate,” Faircloth performs early ’90s aerobics-style dances, which Yergens created by mixing and matching phrases from videos he found online. Yergens likened the physical labor he asks people to do in dance to a kind of surrogacy.Credit...Jeanette Spicer for The New York Times

The persistence of that stigma led Yergens to pursue using a surrogate. The process, he said, strangely mirrored his experience as a choreographer, living through the bodies of the dancers performing his work. “There’s this tension around literally asking someone to carry your genes, which is potentially life-threatening,” he said. “And then there’s the physical labor I ask people to do in dance. I got interested in how surrogacy shows up in these different ways.”

Yergens heightens and complicates this dynamic between choreographer and performer through his role in “Surrogate”: Though he is usually the central performer in his work, here he sits in the tech booth, where he makes an announcement, and sings original songs.

Social media, too, is a form of surrogacy, Yergens said, noting how it can supplant other forms of communication and how, during the pandemic, it replaced theaters as a space where artists could share their work. One monologue in “Surrogate” is based on hateful comments Yergens received on Instagram. Rewritten until they’re absurd, they are delivered by a mean, tell-it-like-it-is therapist character played by Nicola Gorham.

The structure of the piece — lots of short, fast-moving vignettes — feels like scrolling on social media, Gorham said: “It’s like an Instagram feed, where everything seems so isolated, but in fact there are these connections you don’t see at first glance, because it’s all been curated by the algorithm.”

“The algorithm,” she added, “is giving us all things Ash” — Yergens goes by Ash — “which is terrifying and amazing.”

Some of what the “Ash algorithm” spits out in “Surrogate” is “Children Will Listen” from Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” a human merry-go-round, a quote from the English philosopher Alan Watts and a meditation. “I’m someone who likes to throw in everything and the kitchen sink,” Yergens said.

More from the algorithm: early ’90s aerobics-style dances, performed by Justin Faircloth, which Yergens created by mixing and matching phrases from videos he found online. That makes the transitions between the steps difficult and, Yergens said, “creates fun mishaps.” (He is preoccupied by transitions, and yes, he’s aware of the metaphor.)

Yergens loves what he calls “lowbrow aesthetics” — wrestling, drag, cabaret. “There are definitely some choices that I make that I think are funny or thought provoking because of how dumb they are,” he said.

He also likes to include the occasional highbrow reference — like that Alan Watts quote, which is printed on a performer’s T-shirt — that he doesn’t fully understand. “I intentionally don’t learn much about it, because it allows for some absurdity to happen,” he said. “Then I like to go back after I’ve made something and I’m like, What have I done!?”

Yergens acknowledges that his work can be shocking, perhaps even inflammatory. “I guess the question I’m exploring behind the scenes of this work is, Is there some value in being a little inflammatory?” he said. “And maybe I’ll be like, nope.”

[cant-even-function]

Tumblr's Paradox: Freedom at the Crossroads of Openness and Responsibility

Social media is like a miniature society within the screen, with each platform offering different experiences. Among them, Tumblr stands out as a vibrant digital community where users immerse themselves in a diverse array of content and interactions.

The Allure:

What sets Tumblr apart from its counterparts is its unique approach to creating and consuming content. The platform's "mini blog" structure provides users with a framework to express themselves succinctly yet profoundly (Reeve 2016). Whether through short texts, captivating images, mesmerizing videos, or soul-stirring music, Tumblr offers a pathway for individuals to articulate their thoughts, emotions, and artistic endeavors in a visually compelling manner.

Moreover, Tumblr's interface is designed with a focus on user interaction, fostering engagement and connectivity among its diverse user base. The platform's reblogging feature allows users to share content seamlessly, expanding its reach and igniting conversations across various communities and interest groups. Through likes, comments, and blog reblogs, users establish connections, exchange ideas, and form virtual communities centered around shared interests, beliefs, and passions.

Tumblr values individuality and celebrates diversity. Users can customize the layout, theme, and content of their personal pages flexibly, creating a space of "personalization." This inclusive and accepting characteristic nurtures a sense of familiarity and empowers users, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural differences. This is why, despite the presence of giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat, Tumblr remains a favorite platform for many people.

Will the open door that welcomed so many, now leave Tumblr exposed to the storm?

Openness

Tumblr allows users to explore their identities and interests without rigid rules, fostering appropriate communities and diverse voices. With minimal content moderation, users can delve into complex topics without fear of censorship, sparking unfiltered dialogues. This is something that other platforms rarely do. For example, on TikTok, content moderation is stringent; videos containing suggestive images or sharp objects are immediately removed. However, on Tumblr, sharing "nudity" images often remains uncensored and is even easier to find when searching through hashtags.

The shadow of openness:

Because of Tumblr's excessive "openness," it has led to some negative aspects. Like June said, Tumblr is a mishmash of thematic blogs revolving around every topic imaginable (2014). The feature of anonymity coupled with Tumblr's limited moderation has led to the emergence of inappropriate content, making some people feel violated and unsafe when using this platform. Moreover, there is a risk to security and privacy when users may lose control over their personal information when shared widely. The loose content control policies on Tumblr can lead to the spread of misinformation, rumors, and even fake news. This lack of control can affect the platform's credibility and create an unsafe environment for users.

#NSFW

In 2018, Tumblr issued a complete ban on Not Safe For Work (NSFW) content to restrict the posting of inappropriate images and animations. However, this transition process faced many challenges and criticisms. The lack of robust datasets due to Tumblr's previous lenient stance on adult content contributed to erroneous automated decisions and lack of transparency, leading to the removal of diverse content due to mistakes. Transforming Tumblr into a safer space is associated with sacrificing group cultural activities, raising concerns about losing the positivity of the "old Tumblr" and disrupting the community. Automatic filters hiding NSFW content sparked intense reactions due to misclassification and unaffected adult entertainment programs. The shift from user-controlled self-assessment to machine learning algorithms was criticized for gender bias and functional disorders. Algorithm errors, such as flagging LGBTQ+ content as adult content, disappointed users, mocking the system's inefficiency. Tumblr's poorly trained algorithm increased concerns about Verizon's indifference, fueling online resistance with criticisms focused on "nipple" as a symbol of rebellion.

The question remains: where is the line between openness and responsibility?

Reference lists:

Reeve, E. 2016 'The Secret Lives of Tumblr Teens'

Jacomy M, Venturini T, Heymann S, et al. (2014) ForceAtlas2, a continuous graph layout algorithm for handy network visualization designed for the Gephi software. PLoS One 9(6): 1–12. 

Power, JL 2014, “Tumblr,” Journal of access services, vol. 11, no. 2, Taylor & Francis Group, pp. 91–96.Pilipets, E., & Paasonen, S. (2022). 'Nipples, memes, and algorithmic failure: NSFW critique of Tumblr censorship'.

[chisiuwu]

sorry for disappearing from here, i'm still drawing but i kind of took a break from social media some weeks ago and i didn't bother to update tumblr. i will come back and post my latest drawings soon, but i probably won't read dms, reblogs, notes or asks for a while. maybe months. a friend showed me my inbox messages (i was too anxious to open them myself--) and most of them were nice, so thank you for supporting me, it genuinely means a lot that you took the time to write nice words and reach out to me; to the person who asked me to tag more properly certain arts, i will take your critique into consideration too

if you follow me in other social media, you probably already noticed i disabled notifications, replies and dms, and it seems that i'm pretty much unreachable. i don't particularly enjoy it either, but this is better than having strangers making me uncomfortable – i said it on twitter but, fandom drama* apart, i'm not a very social person and comments are a bit overwhelming now that my art is popular (⁠´⁠ ⁠.⁠ ⁠.̫⁠ ⁠.⁠ ⁠`⁠) i do appreciate every single good reply i get, but twitter and instagram (especially twitter) are very hostile towards art, in the sense that it gets seen for only 5 seconds and people act either like the artist won't read what they have to say or like they need to please people's desires. the good thing is that i'm not a very emotional person either and now that the Big Thing is over i can just relax and enjoy the very few interactions i get from my mutuals and friends

(*the fandom drama in question was adressed in a twitter thread i don't regret making even though it got blown out of proportion. i said what i said and i thought about it very carefully before posting it)

the reason i'm spilling my thoughts here is precisely because tumblr posts survive better than tweets or whatever the hell insta stories are. i can freely say what i need to say not having to adjust my words into a certain format. for example, i wanted to remind everyone that i'm not mad over people who unfollowed or broke the mutual for whatever reason. especially if you're an artist and we kind of got along, i genuinely hold no resentment and it'd be okay for me to interact again (except if you subtweeted me in that case k1ll y0urself). i also ran a chainblock extension on google chrome that basically blocked every quote i had on certain tweets, or people retweeting tweets calling me out. i have literally zero memory of who said what, and if you either got caught up or you have changed your mind and want to get unblocked, you can try to get in contact with any of my mutuals to tell me! last thing i want to say is a bit obvious, but i ever create something that makes anyone uncomfortable, i can't care less about being unfollowed over it. i am educated enough to understand what kind of impact my art has, and if anything i ever did was truly hurtful, my friends would tell me. i am just drawing anime lesbians

so, if you've read this far: 1) i won't stop making art, don't worry about me because i will come back and i am also one of the very few mentally stable lgbt people in the world 2) it always makes me incredibly happy to connect with others through my works, and i'm very thankful towards every person that has ever left a positive impact on my life, even towards those who are silently following for any reason they may have. i hope you are all having a nice day ♡

[azxxkhyun]

Little Journey of Mine

Author's note: Before everything else, let me remind you that this blog is for school purposes. Thank you^^

“New media is like a megaphone. It amplifies your ability to reach more people.”

-Mark Batterson

Throughout the course of this instruction, I was able to gain a variety of skills that will be useful to me on a daily basis. Writing for New Media was able to develop my skill set - for someone like me who is fond of writing, this course was really beneficial in improving and honing my writing skills.

Hello dear reader! My name is Alexandra Kahryl de la Cruz, a newly born digital artist, aspiring photographer, new to the world of cosplaying, and I am someone who explores the online realm. Two decades of living here on this planet, and I am still an individual who is too intrigued, and very much interested in discussing New Media and the trends of today.

Let me tell you about my experience this semester in the subject matter Writing for New Media.

"New Media" refers to any digitally distributed media, such as newspaper articles, blogs, music, and podcasts. Any internet-related form of communication, from a website or email to mobile phones and streaming apps, can be termed new media.

What is Writing for New Media all about?

In Writing for New Media, also known as networked and programmable writing, e-literature, or digital writing, the screen replaces the role of the paper – making the authors or content creators free from any content limit. They will be able to edit or update their content as well which is an advantage in new media because it is too convenient.

We can make words move and experiment with new sorts of interactivity in these writing settings - being able to establish a collaborative environment and engage with your audience or reader effortlessly and swiftly. We also connect many web pages as we make content easy to analyze.

The course Writing for New Media seeks to teach students how to recognize news, generate story ideas, perform research on stories, write in a journalistic manner, and publish information in a variety of media.

That being said, I was actually expecting that this course will have plenty of writing activities that will also help to enhance my writing capabilities, and that will also aid in making me learn how to use different media platforms. But for the whole semester, there was not much to be enjoyed – except for the times that we were able to do activities and those times we were able to have lectures in the school ground. This is probably because of the times when we are not able to have face-to-face classes because of different reasons. However, through online discussions and recorded sessions (even if I don’t actually like online classes), I was able to learn something important about how new media works and how to create content properly.

This course made me worried at first because, while I enjoy writing, I knew very little about appropriate writing and assumed that my writing abilities were restricted to traditional types of writing - and they are not even written in a way that a content should be written.

On the bright side, I was able to build my capabilities in writing for new media - I was able to write materials suitable for the world of the internet - with the lectures, assignments, and assistance of my friends. I was also able to learn about the various channels accessible for content creation, such as blogs, social media, podcasts, and more, courtesy to the provided handouts.

Speaking of online platforms where I could generate and publish content, I learned the importance of selecting the proper platform - because it will also be one of your determining factors in determining who your target audience will be - either mixed from teens and adults, students or professionals, and many more.

Writing for New Media was beneficial to me in developing compelling, insightful, and audience-relevant content and products. In conclusion, this course has been hard, but it has allowed me to broaden my knowledge and skills while also developing my creativity.

Although there are only few group activities given to us, I was able to enjoy them all. Probably because those were my first time those kind of activities. Take for example this:

Author's note: This a coffee shop found in General Santos City, Philippines; Breve Coffee & Pastries ~ Near Holy Trinity new bldg. | Beside Pharmameds.

This is our Midterm task performance in Writing for New Media: CREATE A VLOG FEATURING A PLACE HERE IN GENSAN.

This must be my favorite and memorable experience throughout this course. What do you expect when we're short on members but we got friends on the other groups that helped us through this vlog. None of us in the group has an actual experience of vlogging and that made us cackle up because who will even initiate our vlog? There's only four of our group members that actually came which includes me and none of us has an idea how to do vlogging. But in the end, we got through it and finished our vlog with the help of the others and even got to relax in that café.

Another example is this:

This is our Prefinal task performance in Writing for New Media: CREATE A PODCAST THAT ANSWERS FOLLOWING ISSUES.

This is also one of my favorite activity but I was not able to participate in this because of some personal reasons. But anyways! I also don't have any idea what and how a podcast should work but as I review our video and the other groups podcasts, I was able to gain knowledge on how to create a podcast content - hoping that one day, I could make one as well.

However, behind the scenes of our podcast is more podcast-like that our final output. But even so, it is an experience worth to remember because I was able to learn another way of making a content and I was also able to have fun, it was really fun creating contents.

"When you're having fun, then you're most interested in learning."

-Magnus Carlsen

I can be very certain that I managed to participate in class discussions and presented my own ideas and opinions on numerous themes linked to new media writing throughout the Writing for New Media subject. In my own distinct way, I communicate with my peers, particularly during group exercises, and even though it is not a group activity, I am eager to contribute any suggestion that comes to mind that may benefit my fellow classmates.

Although we were all having fun, we were also learning. I am happy that I was able to take this course with the right people around me. I was able to grow - improve and develop my skills in writing, and my overall. I am still growing but I can also share the things that I have learned throughout the semester, or throughout my life.

I was also allowed to compose my projects on my own, which is helping me improve my writing style as I go over my work again and again. I work hard to make my projects something I will not regret, and I pass them with pride since I know I did not take it lightly.

I am happy of the contributions I have made to the Writing for New Media subject and believe that attending this class has helped me improve as an author, creator, and communicator.

As this semester ends, finals have come, I am happy to enter this course. Thank you for teaching us even at the time that you actually needed rest for your own sake. We all appreciate your hard work. Stay safe always, ma'am!!

[dearweirdme]

Hi there! Thank you so much for the kind response to my lengthy ask earlier. You did not invalidate my feelings. Maybe this is all I need, someone to talk to. 😭 It's been really a tough couple of days for me, and I don't understand why. I'm confused mostly. I don't understand why I am so deeply invested and affected by this issue. Probably it's cause I woke up in the middle of the night, after only a roughly 4-hour sleep , to a chaotic twitter timeline! It was too much for me. I'm usually emotionally strong, but waking up to those videos and photos, taekookers denying it, taennies and jikookers celebrating, tae's biggest fanbases giving their all-out support without questioning the veracity of those videos and photos, and running high on hormones since I had my period back then, really got the best of me. lol. I was in denial at first, but, they looked too real to be just a mere rumor. Honestly though, I was still 10% waiting for the company and even Tae to deny it. lol. It's impossible, I know. I'm pretty certain that they won't react to it again, just like what they did last year. It's real now. We just have to live up to it. Whether it was a PR stunt, or it was Tae's idea to come out, guess we will never know. I'm coming to terms with it already. Still a little hurt coz damn! It's been a whole damn year that we've been trying to debunk those photos! lol

I know I don't have the right to feel betrayed since Tae is not responsible for how I feel, but I wish he came clean from the onset. It wasn't his responsibility to come clean, i know, but I wish, I dunno, I expected too much I guess. Guess majority of our heartaches comes from our own expectations. This is a lesson for me. I'm too attached to our boys, which I shouldn't be. I expend most of my waking moments with BTS for the past 5 years. Maybe it's time to lay low. It's affecting my personal life now. It's unhealthy. Also, what I feel is also because I've created this whole scenario of how BTS are. Guess we really don't know them after all. You are right, I need a social media break. It's messing with my head.

I'm sorry I'm ranting to you now. I don't have anyone to talk to about this. My IRL friends wouldn't understand my feelings, and I'm so thankful that you were so kind and you understood exactly how I feel. In a 3rd person POV, what I'm going through now seems ridiculous, but I'm glad you understood me completely. My thoughts are a bit of a mess, so I'm just putting everything out here. Thank you for reading and responding so kindly. You don't know how much it helped me.

To the anon who said I was sltshming jennie, sorry it came off that way, but we see her videos and photos partying, so, in my own perspective, she's a bit carefree, wild, maybe that's what Tae's into. lol.

Again, thank you so much for this. Please let me camp in your inbox for a little bit more.

Hi again!

You are very welcome in my inbox, always. I understand completely how overwhelming things can be. When I was somewhat younger, I tended to get consumed by things also. I have done some deep diving into my own character and learned how to manage my emotions better. But I very well remember what it can feel like.

Fandom can be the source of great happiness, but also the source of great distress. Especcially when it comes to Army and BTS I feel. Both army and BTS pride themselves for having a strong connection. It is wonderfull really, but it can also be harmfull when something big happens. One of my personal favorite songs is Pied Piper (I mean come on, that one performance!) and I find the message of that song so strong and insightfull. It is at the same time any band or artists intention to lure in fans and to make them feel connected, but also that deep feeling of connection is what makes people cross mental, physical, or societal boundaries. I think it is something the members have struggled with a lot. And now, part of fandom is struggling a lot, because we feel connected to Tae and this is not what we expected of him.

I too was surprised by this. Did not see it coming at all. Fandom has been really tough (my inbox has only yesterday kind off stopped getting anonymous hate). People rile each other up, everyone want to be heard, everyone wants to get to the bottom of this. Uncertainty is a b*tch. Humans (and probably all living creatures) are not wired to deal with uncertainty. It's biologically speaking very logical. Safety is our basic instinct, and uncertainty goes against that. One might argue that this doesn't go for fandom situations, but to so many of us fandom is our safe place... so when something big like this happens, we feel less safe. Even if it doesn't logically make sense. You feel unsafe anon. You will start feeling safe again when you realise there is no actual danger.

Twitter is hot mess on any normal day, so on days like the last ones it completely unhinged. I only go there on occasion to see if there is any real news, but other than that... big nope. Too many people fighting for attention and a few seconds of social media fame. My safe place right now is Yoongi, I just love that man to pieces. So when I feel myself getting too caught up in things, I take myself away for a bit and settle down.

Know that most feelings are temporary. You will feel better in a week. Who knows what will happen next, might shift your whole perspective on this again.

Hope to hear from you again.

[nandinikatariasara]

As soon as the doors of the city’s art exhibition opened, the people began to swarm in. They were buzzing with excitement, eager to see the latest works of art from the best artists in the world. Among the paintings on display was a particularly captivating piece that seemed to draw people towards it like a magnet.

The painting was called "The Storm," and it depicted a wild, tumultuous sea with waves crashing against rocks in the distance. The painter, a young and talented artist named Emily, had spent months creating it, pouring all of her passion and creativity into every brushstroke. Each stroke was meticulous, purposeful and contributing to the beauty of the piece.

It was her first major exhibition, and she was thrilled to see so many people admiring her work.

As the day went on, Emily watched as people from all walks of life came to see her painting. Some stood in front of it for minutes, silently taking it all in. Others were more vocal, murmuring compliments and admiring its vivid colors and striking composition. A few even took out their phones to snap pictures of it, sharing it with their friends on social media.

But not everyone was pleased with the painting. One older man shook his head disapprovingly as he looked at it. "This is not art," he said to his companion. "It's just a bunch of colors splattered on a canvas."

Emily overheard the man's comment and felt her heart sink. She had put so much effort into the painting, pouring her soul into it. How could someone dismiss it so easily?

But just as Emily was about to give up hope, she heard another voice. It was a little girl, no more than five or six years old, who was looking at "The Storm" with wide eyes. "Mommy, look!" she said. "The sea is so big! It looks like it's going to swallow us up!"

The mother smiled down at her daughter, then turned to Emily. "Your painting is amazing," she said. "It's like we're really there, in the middle of the storm."

Emily's spirits lifted as she watched the little girl stare at her painting in wonder. That's what art was all about, she realized: making people feel something, connecting with them on an emotional level. The man who had dismissed her painting didn't matter; he didn't understand what it was all about.

As the day wore on, Emily watched as more and more people came to admire her painting. Some were critical, but most were full of praise and admiration. And through it all, Emily stood back, a quiet observer, watching as her creation came to life and touched the hearts of those who saw it.

[maester-of-spreadsheets]

Okay okay okay more coherent IU concert thoughts because I wanna get this down when I’m still floating on air

So, I was nervous because I was alone and wondered if I’d be on the older side. But there were so many different generations there. I half expected it, but it was still really cool. Reminded me of the Shreya Ghoshal concert!

I was way up in the nosebleeds and while it would be nice to see IU closer, the light sticks made the whole thing so visually spectacular it sometimes felt like I secretly had the best seat in the house. Like, when I entered the stadium everything looked like this and I went into 🤩 mode and haven’t left it since.

And that was only the beginning with them. I don’t know if this is a common thing but somehow they were connecting to the stage lighting so they would change in time with the music and the visuals on stage??? Or maybe not and everyone just went to rehearsals that I never found out about. So you’d get visuals like this sprawled out in front of you and it really is no wonder I still have stars in my eyes:

And then of course, there was IU herself … and I have no words. She was just such a consummate artist. In person her voice was so clear, like a bell. And you could tell how much love she’d put into this concert and how much she wanted to connect with the audience. And we were all vibing off each other so hard that it made every note feel goddamn electric. And I’m so glad for it because the crowd strike think meant she couldn’t fly here from the previous stop. So she had to drive here. From ATLANTA. And she kept talking about how worried she was that she would be too tired to perform well but our enthusiastic welcome had energized her again. And now she wanted nothing more than to come back to DC someday. And idk it just felt so great that she at least had a warm welcome here after all that chaos!

She’s also so so funny. At one point she randomly started rattling off American slang she was picking up and became obsessed with. “I learned this phrase ‘ate it.’ What did I eat though?”

And yeah I just … vibed with songs I didn’t know, immediately developed love and appreciate for songs I didn’t care for (Celebrity is great with a live band who knew) and fucking transcended at my favorites.

I especially lost my goddamn mind during Shopper. I don’t know if it’s supposed to be kinda satirical or tongue in cheek. I think there’s likely something in there about the external validation (through, well, buying stuff or maybe it’s gesturing at social media likes or something?) But it’s been a year where I’m trying to do more, create more, love more. So I was shaking a little when I was singing stuff like “shop all day ay ay ay ay ay ay/greed is free ay ay ay ay ay ay!!” Also yelling LOOK AROUND!!! and seeing all the light sticks rewired something in me.

And yeah seriously the team behind this show really cared about the audience experience. There was always something going on with the stage, but it also somehow made the huge venue feel intimate. And they actually projected the romanized lyrics on to the screens complete with fan chants. So that’s a new experience for 2024 I guess. Going to a kpop concert and doing fan chants. Only took me a decade.

And yes I got to hear quarter life crisis/social satire song of my heart “twenty three” love and I’m so delighted. The intro video was funny too because it started out with the MV cake with the candles on it that said 23 but then it showed current day IU walking up to it and switching it to 32 (her current age.)

And then finally the second encore. She basically took requests and would randomly pick songs people had written on signs or did the songs people were yelling at her to sing. Which is a frankly insane way to handle an encore in a stadium that size but it was so charming. Idk man… let’s go haul!!

[0613magazine]

201002 Variety

BTS Is What the World Needs Now: Band Members Talk Going Global, the Responsibility of Being Role Models

K-pop group BTS has become a global brand. Thanks to the band’s dazzling dance moves, layered music videos, engaging social media posts, and references to everything from Erich Fromm and Nietzsche — not to mention vocal abilities on the level of the best in the current pop arena — members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook have made the music of their South Korean roots universal to those who love pop and appreciate the genre for its sonic optimism.

But for many, the message of BTS’ lyrics is a major draw, even when delivered almost entirely in Korean. What resonates for fans not fluent in Korean? Their candor and honest reflection with issues like depression and societal pressure as well as ideas like the importance of self-acceptance.

BTS took its message to the UN back in 2018 during a speech to launch a UNICEF-affiliated campaign to improve youth education opportunities. They returned to the UN General Assembly again, virtually this time, in late September with a pre-recorded message encouraging people impacted by the pandemic to feel less alone. Said RM: “We must try to love ourselves, and imagine the future. BTS will be there with you.”

Additionally, they’ve this year encouraged fans to engage in deeper ways with contemporary art through their “CONNECT, BTS” project, which commissioned 20 artists in five cities to create public art that resonates with BTS’ philosophy.

Unlike other K-pop groups, BTS first gained momentum abroad — and in the U.S. market in particular. The band spoke with Variety about going global, how they view their Korean identity and what it’s like to bear the burden of being a role model to so many in a world where so few Asian stars have seen such massive success. 

With BTS having such a broad global footprint, it seems like a big responsibility as far as being role models. How do you see your own role, beyond the music?

RM (in Korean): We do of course feel a considerable sense of responsibility. … We understand the impact and influence that we have — it’s an impact that goes across regions and borders, because the things that young people feel and experience in Korea is not exactly the same but is probably similar to what young people feel and experience in the U.S. In full understanding of that, we are always careful of what we say and what we do. This [informs] our campaign with UNICEF and other charity efforts.

But at the same time, we want to make sure that this does not impact our creative activities — that we are not so consumed by this overwhelming sense of responsibility that it affects our creative process. Striking this balance is very important to us. So far, I think we are doing this balancing act quite well.

How did it feel to be on Youtube’s “Dear Class of 2020” virtual graduation event in June, sharing a stage with the Obamas, Beyonce, and so many other global figures?

j-hope: It was a very special and important event for us. We had a chance to talk to the graduates and perform. It also was an opportunity for us to remember and think about our own identity — the fact that we have this sort of impact on people, and that this is the sort of life that we are living now, and how we should have more of a sense of responsibility. It also gave us a chance to think about our own plans for the future.

BTS is indisputably a phenomenon. Do you consider yourselves more of a global phenomenon or do you consider yourselves a Korean phenomenon? How important is the “K” in K-pop to you, and to your success?

SUGA: A lot of people have said, as you do, that it’s a phenomenon, or use a lot of fancy adjectives. But we’re the same as when we started out — a group of guys just doing something that we wanted to do, something fun and interesting for us. We’re the same as we were seven years ago. … This is not something that we really obsess over. 

RM (in Korean): The ‘K’ in K-pop is, of course, important. We all grew up in Korea. None of us studied abroad or spent a lot of time abroad. It was only after we began to perform on global stages and really go outside of Korea that we really started identifying as Korean. It reaffirmed that we are in fact Korean and have a Korean identity. But of course, we live in a very cosmopolitan world. Our Korean identity is very clear, but we also increasingly have a more global mindset.

Do you see a conflict between going global and staying Korean? How have foreign markets factored into your success?

Jin: We just made music that we liked and that people liked in Korea, and then people outside of Korea began to like it — in the same way that we hear pop songs from outside of Korea and enjoy them too. We never made a conscious effort to spread globally. I think it sort of happened organically; this connection happened on its own. Can other groups or people enjoy the same kind of success? I’m sure it’s possible.

What artists are you listening to right now who are inspiring you? Who are your current dream collaborators?

Jimin: Ariana Grande!

Jin: I’d love to collaborate with Shawn Mendes — he’s great!

Jung Kook: Lauv and Rain.

V: Sammy Davis Jr. is who I’m listening to these days a lot.  Kurt Elling is someone who has the vibes I really like — someone I’d like to collaborate with.

Do you have any rituals you guys do privately amongst yourselves when you’re about to release new content?

RM (in English): We always turn livestreaming on and share the moments right before an album or single release. That’s our ceremony. We don’t do anything special, just for us. I think it’s because we always stick together and eat together [anyway].

Jimin (in English): Eat together!

You’ve said in press conferences that the English lyrics clicked better with the melody and feel of “Dynamite,” but just last year, RM said that if the band sang fully in English, it would no longer be BTS. Can you speak a bit further as to why you’re choosing to sing in English at this time? 

RM (in English): Yeah, I admit that I had an interview some time ago where I said that I think it won’t be BTS anymore if we sing in English. I admit it. At that time, that was my real, honest thing. I think I have to now admit that many things have changed: the virus and pandemic, [the fact that] we can’t be on stage and have concerts anymore. Many things have changed, and my thoughts and my mind and myself have also changed, and now we’re giving a little crazy shot called “Dynamite.” That’s all I can say.

When we first listened to the “Dynamite” demo, I actually tried different titles or lyrics in Korean. I tried to write some rap on that track, but nothing worked out really well. So, ok, well, why not keep it this way? Let’s give it a shot! It’s 2020, why not do some crazy things?

When I write lyrics, I always have these deep thoughts and different concerns and confusions about, do I have to do this in English or Korean? When you say, “I’m hungry” in Korean, you say, “baegopa.” The sounds and the waves are really different. I believe each language has its own texture, and I believe that each song has to have its own waves and texture.

Source: Variety

[septembersghost]

I had a teacher in a introductory to film mentioned that in order to enjoy a film- you need to have a “suspension of disbelief” while watching it. Reaction videos of artists on social media- posted & viewed by amateurs to professionals can be fulfilling and/or lucrative to a point. As a fan consuming music or art, you get a deeper appreciation with further knowledge. A YT making the video said he enjoyed various artists’ work but in the process didn’t need to know all the personal details…

But in SM, eventually background info is shared to “understand the context” to appreciate it even more. One poster mentioned higher traffic with content from certain fanbases- so it’s deliberately chosen. Remember TS’s “Blind for love” Gucci hoodie LWYMMD reference “Love is Blind” Eros (aka Cupid) & Psych? (Sad story). Fans react strongly a negative or positive. Flaws can be damaging- “to err is human” which is inevitable-so for a person placed on a higher plane- the fall may be “fatal.”

this is one of my favorite topics because i connect to it and find it very complex - suspension of disbelief is certainly necessary for fiction to a degree. when you're watching a group of characters traverse a magical world, or seeing people burst into song onstage, or reading a tragic romance, and so on!, you have to be able to set aside certain boundaries and logic and immerse in that world being created, which typically has its own rules and design. even when something is ostensibly set in "our" world, with recognizable features and figures and guides, there's still a blurring that happens with fiction. we're meant to suspend that to appreciate the story, and then we apply our own subjective interpretations, emotions, experiences, beliefs, to that. knowing about a writer's background can impact how one looks at a story (in positive and negative ways depending on the circumstance), but death of the author can come into play too, where one chooses to provide a meaning separate to authorial intent or background.

with something like music, this becomes more difficult, particularly when it's highly personal and/or autobiographical/diaristic. CAN you listen to any artist knowing absolutely nothing about them and still enjoy their work? absolutely! and i certainly do! but you aren't ever quite getting a whole picture, or a full expanse of what an artist is conveying. knowing details enhances the breadth of the work, and i do find that i connect more compassionately to artists who speak to me as human beings. "As a fan consuming music or art, you get a deeper appreciation with further knowledge." yes. and then you can ask, is knowing details intrusive? it's impossible to make a definitive decision on this. fans wanting to know about their favorite artists' lives and experiences is as old as art itself, and has always been an aspect of modern pop culture, most assuredly heightened and ingrained with the beginnings of hollywood and the modern music industry. it's why there's always a market for memoirs. there is so much we absorb without even intending to at times. i couldn't begin to trace how i might know a given fact about an artist because it's usually an aspect of me following along with their career - unless you disengage entirely from other media and coverage, the stories are bound to get through, and that in turn influences your perspective on what they've created. this can be very enriching - knowing the paths they've taken, the heartbreaks, the triumphs, certain loves and losses - is connective across the work, but it also makes it inextricable, since once you know...you know. it doesn't preclude us from having personal interpretations as well, these things exist simultaneously, but it does indelibly give us insight into the artists' personal experiences. i don't believe it's wrong or irresponsible to try and empathize with/understand that, or to discuss it, when it helps to humanize and bring forth meaning from the work. it can be done respectfully and using the details and truths we know from the artists themselves. it just requires a certain amount of care.

that said, social media has certainly worsened this and made it more difficult for artists to escape, and that has notable downsides. i don't believe human flaws or mistakes from someone should ever be ruinous (unless it's something actually terrible like abuses, harmful prejudices, etc, but you know what i mean). everyone is going to mess up and stumble eventually, and there's a little too much reveling in mockery sometimes rather than extensions of grace. i also feel like the pedestal is a dangerous thing, and for me personally, it's helpful and grounding to know more about the PERSON, not the idol or the icon, to feel that empathy and recognize that reality, because then the pedestal doesn't matter, it becomes a more genuine expression of connection to their work. while we still keep respectful lines in place, i do believe we can analyze, we can put pieces together, we can follow a journey and the stories being shared, we can discuss the scope of that, and we can find the human heart at the center of things, and it brings illumination and wholeness to the art itself.

[lovehealgrow]

How to Build Self-Esteem

We all want to be confident and sure of ourselves, as this can positively impact the way we move through the world and how we feel while doing so. It feels good to have faith in ourselves and our abilities.

For a moment, envision a point in your life where you felt the most self-assured and empowered. It may involve stepping into a certain role or identity that is meaningful to you, a personal accomplishment being recognized, or a defining moment when you were able to overcome an obstacle. Regardless of how seemingly big or small, in that moment, your sense of self was overwhelmingly positive and it felt good.

Self-esteem describes the confidence we have in worth and abilities; it is essentially how we perceive ourselves. It is important to note that it can fluctuate. In some moments, we may feel that we are “king of the world” as once said by a young actor in a famous movie, while in others, our self-esteem may feel like a sinking ship.

Our brains are hardwired to be sensitive to any kind of rejection and this is why perceived failure or rejection hurts so much, often impacting our sense of self. Many circumstances in life can shake our self-esteem: a breakup, harsh feedback from our boss, a rejection letter from our dream college, problems with money, a bad grade, or comparing ourselves to others on social media. Low self-esteem can be strongly linked with prejudice, discrimination, stigma, and racism that pervade our society and culture. For so many of us, building self-esteem can be incredibly difficult and can pose a challenge after a particular event or can be a battle we have fought throughout our lives.

The following are a few feasible ways you can cultivate a stronger sense of self-esteem:

Use positive affirmations.

Many of us find it easier to say something kind about someone else than about ourselves, but self-affirmations can do wonders for self-esteem. On a sticky note, write down something positive that you appreciate about yourself, such as “I have gotten through 100% of my hard days and will continue to” or “My passion makes me good at my job.” Do this each day and stick the notes around your reflection in the mirror so you are quite literally surrounded by your self-affirming thoughts each time you look at yourself.

The way we talk to ourselves matters. The more we engage in positive self-affirmations that we genuinely believe, the more likely we will start believing in the kind words we say about ourselves. Just as with anything, it is important to stay consistent with this method in order to experience results.

Identify and develop your competencies.

A solid way to increase self-esteem is to recognize your competencies and develop them further. Pay attention to what you are good at, as self-esteem is boosted when we show real accomplishment and ability in realms of our lives that we care about. If you take pride in being a good cook, cook more dinners for loved ones or throw dinner parties! If you take pride in your creativity as an artist, create more art, visit galleries, and expand your skill set! If you’re a good runner, sign up for events and train for them!

Not only will you engage in an activity that matters to you and that you are good at, you’ll strengthen and develop your competencies simultaneously.

Surround yourself with supportive people.

Building self-esteem is much easier with the encouragement from those who truly believe in us. It can be incredibly isolating to go about goals alone and as we are very social beings, the supportive presence of others can be incredibly helpful. The people who care about us will help us work towards building our self-esteem.

In talking with loved ones, you may realize that you’re not the only person who has struggled with self-esteem, as they may share their own personal experiences. This may help you feel more connected to them and humanity as a whole in knowing that you are not alone in your struggle.

Identify negative core beliefs and challenge them.

Sometimes when we are struggling with low self-esteem, we hold negative thoughts about ourselves that we believe to be true. Core beliefs are our most deeply held assumptions about ourselves, the world, and others; they are often shaped by our perceived rejections and failures. For some, negative core beliefs sound like “I am unlovable” or “I am inadequate.” The problem with negative core beliefs is that they are often inaccurate and can shape the way we behave, see the world, and the way we see ourselves.

To challenge these pesky beliefs, ask yourself “what experiences do I have that show that this belief is not completely true all the time?” Be as specific as possible. For example, someone might hold a core belief that they are unlovable but recall that they are loved by countless people in their lives as evidenced by them communicating their love and demonstrating their love through concrete actions.

Seek support.

Sometimes, working through low self-esteem is easier when we have the empathetic presence of another person. Our therapists will collaboratively develop a treatment plan with you that best fits your goals, helping you move towards these goals with the use of evidence-based treatments.

For more help with self-esteem and attentive support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Love Heal Grow.

[demifiendrsa]

Hakusensha have announced that the late Kentarō Miura’s Berserk manga will resume beginning with Young Animal 2022 issue #13 on June 24, 2022. Manga creator Kouji Mori, a longtime consultant for the series and close friend of Miura, will be working as supervisor with Miura’s personal manga studio, Studio Gaga, to continue his vision for the series as closely they can, based on their past conversations with him and various concept notes and designs he left behind.

The manga will first have six episodes that will go to the end of the "Fantasia Arc Elf Island Chapter," with a new arc beginning afterward.

To our readers We will resume the serialization of Berserk. Please accept our apologizes for the long wait before we could make this announcement. We have read as many of your comments as possible for the “Dai Berserk-ten (The Great Berserk Exhibition)”, “Young Animal Memorial Issue (Young Animal 2021 No.18)”, and “Berserk Volume 41”. We are extremely grateful for each and every one of your words and for your messages sent to us through social media. We are truly touched by the love you all have for Berserk and the influence it has had on your lives. It is truly sad that Kentaro Miura himself is not here to read your comments with us. Before his passing, Kentaro Miura spoke to his close friend Kouji Mori about the stories and episodes he had in mind for Berserk. He also had similar talks with his studio staff and editor. He wondered, would everyone be surprised if I drew something like this? How about a character like this? Would this storyline be interesting? The talks were not meant as his last words, but were a part of his ordinary days as a manga artist. Such ordinary days continued for more than a quarter of a century. Our minds and hearts are still filled with the thoughts Mr. Miura shared with us during that time. We have also found memos of ideas he wrote and designs for characters that he drew and left behind. We were reluctant to end his story without sharing these with his fans. Our hope is for everyone to read the last episode that we have put together, until the very last frame. Upon resuming the series, our production team decided on a basic policy. “Mr. Miura said so.” This is what the production team kept in mind. Since he did not leave behind rough drafts, it is impossible for us to create a manuscript exactly in the way he would have intended. However, we will write the manga so as not to deviate from Mr. Miura’s own words. We would like to take the “Kentaro Miura” that we knew so fondly through our conversations and work and convey this to all of you in a sincere manner. We believe that this policy, although imperfect, is the best way to deliver the Berserk that Mr. Miura envisioned to everyone as faithfully as possible. From the next issue, we will first publish six chapters until the end of “Fantasia Arc/Elf Island Chapter”. After this, we will start a new arc. Credits after the resumption will be “Original work by Kentaro Miura, Manga by Studio Gaga, Supervised by Kouji Mori,” and the numbering of the manga books will continue in order. Looking back, the first volume of Berserk was published in 1990 with 28,000 copies released for the first edition. It was not an immediate hit and only a small group of people knew about it. Still, it drew avid fans and was able to hold their interest because people could feel Mr. Miura’s desire to refine his craft. After a while, Berserk became a huge hit through Mr. Miura’s extraordinary efforts and some good luck. Today, the first volume has been read by 2 million people around the world. We believe that Berserk has touched the hearts of many fans, and Mr. Miura would be happy to know that his thoughts have had a great influence on people’s lives and work. We hope that everyone will continue to have the same connection with Berserk in the chapters to come. Thank you to all the fans who sent us messages. We are also grateful to the many fans who quietly supported the manga through their thoughts. Every one of you will be the source of our energy as we move forward. We are truly grateful to you all.

June 2022 Young Animal Editing Department

Nearly 30 years ago, Miura called me and said, “I need to talk to you about drawing a rough draft.” I went to his workplace just to talk as we always do, but Miura looked more serious than usual. “I need to draw the Eclipse,” he said. I sensed it would be hard work, but couldn’t believe it when I was trapped indoors for a week… In that very moment, the storyline for Berserk was completed, until the very last chapter. Strangely, the story for Berserk went on exactly as we discussed at the time, with almost no changes. I continued to talk to Miura often, whenever there was a big episode. We did so ever since we were students, consulting each other while working on manga. I think people with good intuition would realize by now that I know the story for Berserk up to the very end. Still, I cannot say that I can draw it because I know it. That is because only the genius Kentaro Miura can write a masterpiece like Berserk. However, a great responsibility has fallen on me. While he was alive, Miura said, “I haven’t told anyone other than you, Mori, about the story in its entirety.” And that was the truth. It is too big a responsibility. I thought, should I talk to fans about it through an interview? Or should I publish an article with some illustrations? But that wouldn’t convey the scenes that Miura described to me, or the lines of Guts and Griffith… Just when I was trying to decide what to do, I received a message. “The staff are saying they will finish the last chapter that was left behind, so can you take a look?” The last few pages of the chapter were incomplete. Some did not even have the characters drawn on them. I took a look at the manuscript, without expecting much. Desperation can push people to create miracles — There it was, the completed manuscript for Berserk. “Mr. Mori, will you let us do it?” Miura’s apprentices, who Miura had been so proud of while he was alive, asked me straight. Company Director Shimada, a mentor for me and Miura, also said, “If you do it, the company will give our full support.” I thought, if I run away now, Miura would say: “I talked to you about it so much, but you didn’t do it!!” Alright. I’ll do it properly. I have a message and promise to everyone. I will recall the details as much as possible and tell the story. Also, I will only write the episodes that Miura talked to me about. I will not flesh it out. I will not write episodes that I don’t remember clearly. I will only write the lines and stories that Miura described to me. Of course, it will not be perfect. Still, I think I can almost tell the story that Miura wanted to tell. The talent Miura’s apprentices have are real! They are brilliant artists. Many of you may not be fully satisfied with the Berserk written without Miura, but we hope everyone’s thoughts will be with us. We ask you for your continued support.

June 2022 Kouji Mori