#'we're just talking about a show' yes we are and i've been vocal in not taking the show seriously

[navree]

"Otto literally had his daughter groom a vulnerable Viserys to get an heir on the iron throne"

People literally just learn words and keep throwing them around like it's nothing.

Only a child or a young person can be groomed. One could say, at most, that 14 YEAR OLD Alicent Hightower manipulated him but then again, she was a child, he was a grown adult, and nothing we were shown depicts in any way any sort of manipulation.

She was kind and courteous, and distant. She told him, when he mentioned taking a second wife, that Laena would be a good Queen. Because she thought and wanted him to marry her (or maybe, if not wanted because she was a literal child, then preferred might be the most appropriate word).

She gifted him a dragon? Yeah, and? It broke when he was showing it to her. I would do the same thing. Having basic decency shouldn't be considered manipulative. I can't with this people

Someone (not an Internet someone, like an actual fucking journalist) needs to do a really in depth deep dive on this phenomenon that's developed in the past couple years of people literally deciding that words do not mean things anymore because it has been driving me up the fucking wall. I'm gonna start keeping a list of things I'm refusing to allow people to say until they learn what they mean.

Like you said, anon, grooming is a specific thing, and you can't really have the fourteen year old doing that to a grown man. What's more important is that, like most types of abuse, grooming is about power, and it requires power. What power does a fourteen year old daughter of a man who belongs to a lesser House (House Hightower is incredibly powerful and influential particularly in Viserys's time but it is still a vassal lord to House Tyrell as they are the lords of the Reach) have over the literal absolute monarch who directly controls her access to her one friend, father's employment, and literally whether or not any of them are able to live or die? Alicent has no power in the relationship even before the marriage, because Viserys is her liege and this is an incredibly stratified society with very little room for venturing outside of class roles and also the king is the most powerful person in the country and has complete and total power over everything and everyone. There is no scenario in which Alicent has any kind of upper hand or control or power over Viserys prior to the marriage (and she certainly didn't have any either until he literally became debilitated by illness).

And the marriage happens because a) Alicent was told to spend time with him against her own wishes by her dad and b) Viserys wanted it to. He has the unlimited power, and he liked that Alicent was nice to him out of genuine compassion. Alicent being nice to Viserys isn't a manipulation tactic, she's literally just a nice person who is shown in her youth as having a tendency to want people to be at ease and comfortable when they talk to her, likely due to her own anxieties and that it helps her feel more comfortable too. And even then, if I'd been told "spend time with this grieving dude" and I saw firsthand how torn up he was over his wife's death, I'd probably feel bad and be nice to him too. That's just being a decent human being with a modicum of empathic capabilities.

[jamiepaige]

Constant Companions Closeup #3: ROT FOR CLOUT

(also on bandcamp and spotify!)

WHAT'S going on guys, welcome back to another Constant Companions Closeup, the show where we take a DEEP DIVE into what makes these tunes tick! Last episode, we went aaaaaall the way there on Not Quite There, and today, we're making that liggity-line go up up up up up with ROT FOR CLOUT featuring VISUALEYES!! Before we get started, remember to SMASH that like button, SLAM subscribe, and FUCK the bell icon. This week's community challenge: leave your credit card info in the comments! Bet you won't!

(*cough*)

---

I check my notifications way too fucking much. It's a habit I'm trying to curb, and to my credit, I am doing better lately, but being chemically predisposed to dopamine deficiencies has done a number on my ability to go five minutes without checking the funny glowing numbers on my phone. Naturally, I also very much seek more validation than I should from the opinions of strangers yadayadayada yeah that's what the song is about but none of that actually has to do with why I started writing this song in the first place.

Have you ever taken a flight with American Airlines?

This was after waking up at 4 in the morning to fly out of Houston thinking I'd be napping on a couch in Ohio by 2 pm at the latest.

I want to make one thing clear here, and that's that I made this bed for myself. Tucked the sheets in and all. You see, on the rare occasions I fly, I normally take Southwest. Southwest does not overbook flights like a lot of other airlines do, so it's a practice I am mostly unfamiliar with. So, when I received a notification on my phone promising genuinely ridiculous amounts of flight credit money in exchange for taking a slightly later flight, I thought - well, shit! That sounds nice!

This is how they trick you. I didn't really realize I'd been tricked until I was on my second flight of the day, sitting in a middle seat at the very back of the plane, heading from Dallas, a city I don't live in, to Washington, DC, a city I was not trying to get to, staring down the barrel of another flight I was destined to get on that had been delayed like two fucking hours.

I became the Joker. All I could do to remain sane was write a song about it. This is how ROT FOR CLOUT came to be.

I guess the moral of the story is this: Don't go to Ohio. And to answer your question,

Yes I am

Not really

No

---

This is a complete sidenote but I want to mention it here: I'm genuinely overjoyed at the amount of people excitedly talking about my songwriting or the intention behind my lyrics. For a long time, it really felt like lyricism was the last thing people cared about from me, while it was always the thing I wanted to take pride in the most... So genuinely, thank you everyone for caring!! Every single fire emoji people have put next to a line I've written has extended my lifespan by multiple years

There's a brief little moment where the song's chords leave the key, doing a really stereotypically jazzy 2-5 movement, and it's one of my favorite parts of the entire song. I'm not really a music theory buff or anything, and I'm certainly not formally trained, but I've always been very passionate about more complicated harmony in otherwise poppy and accessible contexts - bo en's album pale machine really rewrote my brain when I first heard it.

On that note, there are microtones in the vocal melody - During the chorus, some of the rapidly repeated words move up in quarter tones! Possibly the simplest way I could've included microtonality, but I'm genuinely afraid if I learn more than what I already know about it I'll be lost to the darkness.

Obviously, the work of Sasuke Haraguchi was a massive influence on this song, particularly the song Igaku. I think basically everyone on the entire planet has picked up on that at this point, but I do also wanna point out some other songs that were on my mind at the time! (two for three on these posts mentioning louis cole now)

I'd also like to take a moment to spotlight the vocal samples on this! They previously appeared on エビチャーハン!, and they've honestly become some of my favorite samples to throw in things. They're also just a fucking goldmine sincerely

Finally, HUGE thanks to Visualeyes for the delightful synth solo on this!! I had put out a call on Twitter looking for instrumentalists, genuinely originally envisioning a super jazzy piano solo, but their synth playing genuinely brought the whole song together perfectly!

That's about it for this song - though again, if there are any more questions people have, I'd be happy to answer them in the replies to this post or elsewhere!! (*ahem*) THAT'S gonna do it for today's video, folks! Feel free to leave a like, comment, hit the subscribe button for more and click the bell so you don't miss any new videos. Tomorrow? I Wish That I Could Fall. it hurts.

[anxietycheesecake]

I'm sorry that you're being attacked and blocked for having valid criticisms. It's really weird to be new to this fandom and watch it go from a fairly positive space to fans being as nasty to each other as Star Wars fans in such a short period of time, especially when the crumbs people are cobbling together and calling a canonized ship is what we scrape for in other fandoms with ships we know will never be canon and we KNOW we're stretching the material we're given. I love my queerplatonic ships, found families, and platonic soulmates. I can absolutely enjoy Nandermo through that lens, but the gaslighting and mental gymnastics here is raising such a fucking eyebrow and you don't deserve to feel like you've done something wrong for recognizing it.

Being allosexual or alloromantic is as valid as being asexual or aromatic and it's actually so fucking unchill to conflate being gay or pan with being ace or aro just because they are all under the queer umbrella.

Ace =/= celibate, but half this fandom thinks Guillermo is a virgin and I can't help but think that's being bundled into the hot takes that are coming out right now when it's canon that he's uncomfortable due to being in the closet and his Catholic upbringing. Yes, he could be ace, but that means at best were batting 1/4 for aroace Nandermo.

Nandor has sex with Gail onscreen and is very clearly not ace. The vampires would have MINIMALLY mentioned Guillermo being a virgin and wouldn't have eagerly asked about his sex life in Atlantic City if they thought he was one and they practically have radar for it. He was panicking over Jeremy being a virgin and having brought him into the house and the only thing that saved the guy was losing his virginity. Nandor and Guillermo are both romantic in romantic relationships, and both are expressive about it and tell others they love them.

When you speedrun the entire series and the notable interviews with fresh eyes and not over a stretch of years the leap between 'My Nan- Master' vs. best friends, cuddling a Nandor puppet at night, the I'll make you a vampire speech vs. the vibe in the warrior speech is SO visible and it fits perfectly with Simms' public discomfort with fans shipping Nandor and Guillermo. He is openly uncomfortable with them being in a romantic relationship or having sex with each other and uses every homophobic gaslighting tactic in the playback when speaking about it.

“No, I do think there’s a small subset of very vocal people on Twitter who are like ‘We want to see Nandor and Guillermo hook up,’ and we’re always like, I think their love is bigger and more profound than that,” Simms said. “And also do you really want to see that? Do you?”

This is literally how straight people talk when they're uncomfortable with queer shit. What haven't we seen in this show other than that? Is Nadja and Laszlo's love lesser for it?

“Times that we’ve talked about it and explored it, the power dynamics seem so problematic,” Simms continued. “I mean, that’s his boss.”

In a show where the main couple started with nonconsensual sex (it's still noncon if it turns out that they could have had sex without hypnosis) and Laszlo fucks Colin Robinson after raising him for a gag. Sure, keep telling yourselves that the power dynamic is what makes Simms uncomfortable.

"I mean, it's a nice thought, for some...I don't know about these guys" Kayvan says as he nods toward Simms.

I've seen the Harvey interviews and talking heads from earlier seasons on the subject of Nandermo. The 2024 panel couldn't have been more different, and Harvey seemed completely subdued when the others were discussing Nandermo fanart and them being a ship.

This isn't a person who deserves applause for queer representation and it seems toxic af that Harvey has been stuck in a workplace where he has to hear this drivel when he's openly gay. Yes, I am side eyeing the fuck out of this and it's not because I'm crying over wanting my blorbos to smooch.

You can actually have a romantic pair not kiss or fuck or say I love you without pulling a very clear 'no homo.' That would have been totally fine, but they didn't do that. Copy and paste that scene into anything starring Andy Samberg, or literally anything bro centric and tell me it's a romantic love confession. Or rather, try taking it off tumblr and see if anybody thinks it isn't deep platonic male friendship.

It's okay for people to be upset when they've been hoodwinked. It's okay to separate fanon from canon and still enjoy your ships. But ffs stop gaslighting each other and saying non-romance is romance or that non-romance has more worth than romance and that people are shallow for not valuing it when that's not the problem people have with this, and when that isn't the bill of good audiences we're sold in earlier seasons.

The call is coming from inside the house it shouldn't be.

(Also SO sorry for how long this was).

Never apologize for articulating this better than I ever could. I'm too lazy to look for all the recipes I know are out there, so most of the shit I say is like "source: trust me bro"; I'm glad someone else did it.

The aspec thing makes me so mad because, as a writer, I'm always going out of my way to properly and respectfully represent aspec folks. Like, I've got two novels starring an ace woman and an aromantic man. Do I deserve a medal for that? Of course not! It should be normal. But it's kind of infuriating that people are willing to give aspec rep credit to a show just because it made two male characters stay platonic after teasing their relationship for years and call me aphobic for pointing out that's not the case.

[bonefall]

Maybe i just joined the fandom space way later than everyone else, but i swear to god the WaCa fandom is only this up in arms about how "ugly" and "deformed" and "disgusting" Moonpaw is/will be as a result of incest because she is confirmed to be a chimera.

I never saw this same kind of behavior when Graystripes parents were mistakenly made siblings. Nor with Ashfur and Squirrelflight, even after the fandom pointed out that theyre half-uncle and niece. I didnt see it with Fernsong and Ivypool. I didnt see it with Birchfall and Whitewing. I didnt see it with Dewnose and Sorrelstripe.

"Maybe its because theyre first cousins?" But no, because Dustpelt and Ferncloud are uncle and niece, directly related to Robinwing.

I believe the fandom only cares about the fact the parents are related here because in their mind it gives them "an excuse" to be disgusting about her chimerism. With any other characters, it's just another instance of the writers being incompetent. With Moonpaw, "it's why she's so fucked up".

Yes, they hate her because she's a result of an incest, but I'm starting to become convinced they're only this vocal about it because of how she looks. They don't truly care she's inbred, they only care that they have "a good reason" to be ableist.

This being said as a victim of incestual abuse. Cousin and cousin, just like Thriftear and Bayshine.

Is this a bad take? Am I grasping at straws? Is this just an effect of avoiding the fandom for so long? SOS

You're not grasping at straws. I think you're right on the money, honestly.

Something a lot of people don't seem to understand is that a lot of bigotry is not overt. Ableists don't usually run around saying they want all disabled people to be thrown off cliffs (when they get to that point we're in SERIOUS danger), but they DO grab your wheelchair's handles, or speak over you when you're stuttering, or assume you're stupid or dangerous. It's usually implicit biases, and structural inequality.

This is why humor is so good at revealing these internal biases. You may not believe you're classist, you might have friends from Alabama, or Durham, or Wales, but what accent do you give your "stupid" character if you're telling a story? Why are the accents of "poor" regions associated with low intelligence?

So to bring it around-- why did we see the spike in "jokes" about "ugly inbreeds" for our very first character with a confirmed genetic condition?

I've been in and around this fandom since 2008, and I've NEVER seen another character get talked about like this. Mind you, Graystripe was the child of a sister and a brother for a LONG time, too, from 2009 to 2016 (maybe even later, I don't remember exactly when the modern tree was released). And no one did it with Bristlefrost, either, in spite of there being a pretty huge uproar about her parents being distantly related.

No one else. Just the chimera. "No wonder she looks like that" and "here she is with a hapsburg jaw" and "she'd be so slurs she'd be icky."

Characters without disability, no congenital conditions, nothing = "Ugh damn writers and their incompetence strikes again. God they need to get some fresh blood in here"

(moonpaw) = "EWW NO WONDER!! WHEN WILL THE GENE POOL BE BLEACHED"

There's also the incredible irony of the fact that like. moonpaw has a common tortie fur pattern and heterochromia. you don't even need to show an ableist an actual congenital condition, you can suggest a normal face is disabled and they will lose their minds. Bigotry rots your brain.

Also, just, as a closing note, as usual the bigot is incorrect. Chimerism and inbreeding have literally nothing to do with each other. There is no link between chimerism and inbreeding. they are once again confusing chimerism and mosaicism and trying to whine It's Just Biology because you told them their joke wasn't funny.

[messrsrarchives]

i was talking to a friend about this today and i, of course, am going to yap about it. because i've been incredibly vocal and it's pointed out a lot how annoying it is but,,,

discussions of jkr in the marauders fandom are ongoing, and they need to be. this is not a topic we visit once, it's a topic we need to continue discussing because it's constantly evolving.

when jkr first became public with her views, it was "boycott the studios, boycott the merch, don't interact", which was appropriate for the time of "this franchise is done, do not engage with what is already there"

when things like cursed child and hogwarts legacy come out, it's a different conversation. because we're not just discussing things with her name plastered on the front of, we're talking about her IP as a whole. as the franchise develops into other areas, we need to discuss how to navigate that. we have discussions about the contributions of others, on "supporting the theatre cast/developers, not her" and how that's still harmful. it's a different discussion.

and today, it's more important than ever. not just because trans rights are under violent attack, but because fandom is more mainstream. more people join who may not be aware and they need to be educated, and this increased traction contributes to complacency.

we need to discuss how blowing up random tiktokers comment section with "this is so james potter!!!" is harmful even when it seems like a bit of fun, because it normalises engagement with this media, and encourages people to join without education. how blowing up fancasts comment sections is harmful because then people get excited over the possibility of them joining the reboot, or even just the fact that a high-profile celebrity is now connected with this fandom, and if they don't speak up on it, engagement with jkr must be okay, right? whether you're speaking on it, commenting on it, or a reposting a tiktok, it's engagement.

because like it or not, being in this fandom and producing content for this fandom is a form of promotion, so what can we do to make sure that we are promoting the right things? that we are doing it ethically? that we are keeping people educated?

the changing face of the franchise, the changing face of trans rights, and the changing face of fandom spaces is why these discussions keep coming up. because newer fans need to be educated, and older fans need to stay updated as things change.

but the one constant, the one constant thing that i really want to emphasise here is that it has never been about shaming. or cancelling. or "ganging up" against people.

it's about human rights. it's about lives > content.

these discussions aren't had so that we can call people out - although, if you feel called out by such discussions, maybe that's a sign you need to do better - it's about education. a guiding hand. awareness.

we educate and we have these discussions because one person doesn't make a difference. one person not watching the reboot makes no difference, and realistically? a complete, total boycott of JKR will make no difference - trans people will be under attack either way.

but you don't need to change the world to change your corner of it. and you don't need to have global influence to have an influence - you may not make an individual difference to her income and influence by profiting her, but you make a difference to the people around you, the people in this space, when you openly do so. you don't need to change the world to show solidarity.

and that's why these discussions take place. and that's why they keep taking place.

because in the wider world? everything is shit. everything is fucking awful. trans people are fighting day by day to not off themselves, or be offed.

so, listen, because the way you shape your corner matters, and we should not have to fight to prove that us living authentically, and enjoying our time in this space, is more important than a remake.

so yes, these discussions might be annoying. you can reach out and complain in my dms as much as you want, you can leave comments on people's videos asking if it's that deep, and you can say you just want to enjoy your time without getting lectured.

you can say that it's annoying.

and it won't be a fraction of the annoyance trans people feel both in and out of this space.

it's annoying for me too, even more so. but these discussions have to take place. whether you listen or not is up to you.

[sophaeros]

my chemical romance for inrock, august 2007 / vol. 284 - english translated interview

Ray and Frank talk passionately about their views on life

When I thought about playing at the Budokan, I got so nervous that I couldn't sleep a wink.

Ray Toro & Frank Iero / My Chemical Romance INTERVIEW: YUKO KATO

On the morning of the Budokan concert, Frank and Ray were a little hyper and excited. It was such an important concert. It was a milestone for the band.

── How are you? Ray Toro (g): Awesome. This is actually the first time I've had this much time off in Japan, so I finally have time to explore this beautiful country.

── Where did you go? Ray: Asakusa and stuff... This time, my girlfriend Christy came to Japan with me, so we went together. We had two days off, so the day before yesterday we went to see some sumo wrestling. It's just great to be able to experience so much Japanese culture. (Frank comes in, interrupting Ray, taking off his jacket and putting on a T-shirt.)

── Woah, you have a lot of tattoos. I didn't know that because no one takes their clothes off on stage. Frank Iero (guitar): Yeah, he's covered in tattoos. Ray: Then maybe I should start playing shirtless from today onwards (laughs). Frank: Haha, you want to show off your tattoos? Ray: Well, I think it's better to be a little mysterious, so maybe it's cooler to hide it (laughs). Oh yeah, going back to what I was saying earlier, apart from sightseeing, I've been having a great time this time, performing on "Music Station" and the VMAs (MTV Video Music Awards Japan).

── Frank, what did you do during your two days off? Frank: I was with Ray and the others almost the entire time.

── Oh, you brought your girlfriend too? Frank: Yeah, only Ray and I did. Ray: Because we're smart! Frank: Yes, because we're smart (laughs). But seriously, if I hadn't brought her along, I don't think we would have been able to do as much sightseeing as we did. She knows how to use the subway. (As the interviewer checks the recorder) Are you making sure it's recorded properly? My dad writes for a magazine called "Modern Drummer," so like you, he's always nervous about making sure the interviews are recorded properly.

── Oh, I thought he was a musician. And an instrument instructor too… Frank: Yeah, he's a drum teacher, a magazine writer, and a band drummer.

── Woah, is that so? Frank: That reminds me, my dad once interviewed Carmine Appice, the drummer of a band called Vanilla Fudge, but he didn't record it properly, and he was pretty panicked. When that happens, you have to rely on your memory or start over. That makes the artist angry... well, it's a story that doesn't really matter to me (laughs). Um, what were we talking about? Ah, that's right, sightseeing. As I said, we went to Asakusa, and we drew our fortunes, lit some incense sticks, and after purifying our hands and mouths with the smoke, we went inside a temple and prayed. My fortune was great, by the way. After that, we went to Shibuya and Ginza, and last night we went to Roppongi Hills to see "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End".

── Did you like the movie? Frank: Oh, it was amazing! I can't believe a Disney movie could be so brutal. Especially… Ray: Come on, I haven't seen it yet! (covers his ears)

── By the way, I'm really relieved to see that you both look healthy. When I watched "Music Station," Gerard (Way, vocals) looked so skinny… Frank: Yeah, I guess you lose weight when you're on tour that much. He hasn't been feeling too great lately.

── Oh, is that so? Frank: We were all pretty sick, because we got food poisoning. Gerard didn't get food poisoning, but...

── Well, what happened to him? Ray: No, it's just that when you're on tour, you get tired. You have less time to sleep and eat. But don't worry, everyone's fine (laughs). But I hardly slept at all last night... I was so nervous (laughs).

── Oh, why? Because you're playing at Budokan? Frank: Yeah. I get to play at the historic Budokan with my favorite band (Bouncing Souls). It’s such a big, important thing for our career, and I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about it. I couldn't sleep at all.

── But compared to where you'll be performing at Wembley Stadium (June 16th in the UK, supporting Muse), the Budokan only holds 10,000 people. Frank: It's not a question of size. I have a lot of DVDs of Kiss playing at the Budokan, and it's a place where a lot of our heroes have played, including Cheap Trick.

── Are there any plans to release the footage from that time on DVD? Frank: We're going to film it, but we're not going to release it. We just want to keep it for ourselves as a keepsake. And with Mikey (Way, b.) gone now, it just feels wrong to release something without him.

── Speaking of Mikey, the host of "Music Station" also asked him, "Is it okay to take a honeymoon?" There aren't many musicians who take honeymoon holidays. Frank: Ah, well (laughs). We have a motto that the message is more important than the messenger. That is, our show and music are more important than the individuals in the band. That's why Mikey told us that he wanted us to continue doing that. On the other hand, being in this band, you get to have a lot of really great experiences, but in exchange, you don't get to experience the little things that normal people experience on a daily basis. For example, going on a honeymoon, traveling with the people you love, spending time with your family. So I wanted Mikey to experience those things, and I wanted to give him the opportunity to do so.

── Hmm... To be honest, I thought Mikey's hiatus was for a different reason. I read his interview with SPIN magazine earlier this year, and it seems like the situation in America is pretty crazy right now, right? So maybe it was a bit tough for him, since he’s a sensitive person… Frank: Yeah, yeah he's definitely sensitive, but this time it was a decision that we made to respect Mikey's desire to do the same thing as everyone else. Ray: It's because of this crazy schedule that we can't do normal things. We've been doing this for five years straight. Can you imagine having a job where you only get one or two weeks off a year? Frank: Plus, they got married on the road. They never had a chance to be alone together.

── But what about you? You didn't get a honeymoon holiday, did you? Frank: When I was really sick, I did take time off (laughs). Like at Big Day Out. I got a doctor's order. I've said this before, but when you do this kind of work, it's not so easy to take time off just because you're a little sick.

── That's right. There are a lot of things that you have to sacrifice. Frank: Exactly. But sometimes you just refuse to sacrifice your body or your mind. I think that's what happened with Mikey. He was overwhelmed physically and mentally and he needed to take a break. And he just got married, so now was the perfect time to take a break. And we're not just a band, we're like a family... so I miss him a lot and I'd love to be on the Budokan stage with him...

── When is he going to return to the band? Frank: I was actually just talking to him recently, and he said he wants to come back for the Projekt Revolution tour (with Linkin Park), so around August. But that's just a tentative date, and if he needs more time, it'll be a little later.

── It seems like someone is missing every time you come to Japan (laughs). Frank: Well, it's because other bands have time off and we don't have any, because we're always working.

── If that's the case, shouldn't you think about taking a proper rest? After the "Sweet Revenge" tour, everyone was in a bad mood and exhausted, and the atmosphere in the band wasn't very good, was it? Frank: Uh-huh. It's not like we hated each other or anything. But like you said, the tour was exhausting. That's why we took a month off after that. We didn't even talk about music for a month. And then we came back with renewed energy. But you know, we love music so much, and we love the art we do, so it's really hard to leave it. We feel like we can't be satisfied if we're not working or playing music. It's no exaggeration to say that this band saved our lives. We have to play music to survive. Sometimes we got sick. I have a particularly low immune system, so I get sick easily. Even when we played at Wembley, I was pretty sick on the second day.

── I wonder why. You look so healthy… Frank: I'm glad to hear that (laughs). But I do have some internal issues... I have problems with my digestive and immune systems, I get tired more easily than the average person, and I can't function without a lot of sleep.

── So you chose a profession that didn't suit your body. Frank: No, no, it's the job that's making me sick. I got really sick on the first tour and it just got worse and worse. I have a permanent immune system disorder. I have to take medicine every day for my stomach.

── Ray, are you okay? Ray: I feel amazing. I used to be sick all the time when we were touring in a van and stuff. I had an upset stomach… Frank: Maybe you gave it to me? (laughs)

── You two don't smoke, right? I think that's very important. Ray: Yeah, I smoked a little bit a year or two ago because I was feeling stressed, but I quit because I was worried it would turn into a habit. Frank: I've been smoke-free for about four years now.

── So the band has a smoking and a non-smoking tour bus? Gerard and Bob (Bryar, dr.) are the smokers… Frank: Yeah. But Gerard and Bob are both trying to quit this year. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, so I think they'll have a hard time too. Ray: Every time Gerard smokes a cigarette I say, "That one will kill you." It's bad for your throat and it might even affect your voice, right? If he doesn't quit this year, I'll cut off one of my fingers every time he smokes. That's the only way to stop him (laughs)! Frank: Haha (laughs). That's how bad cigarettes are for your health.

── A lot of things happened within the band during this tour. Mikey got married backstage in Las Vegas, two of the band members got food poisoning… Ray: Yeah, me, Bob, (Matt) Cortez who plays bass for Mikey, and about half of the crew were affected. Frank: Luckily for me, I don't eat chicken or any meat at all. Ray: Because of that, everyone was in and out of the hospital for about a week. The members of Muse also got food poisoning.

── It seems that fans have even sent threats, including death threats, to the restaurants where you had meals? Frank: (with a serious look on his face) Yes, that's awful, right? I'd like to take this opportunity to say one thing about it: please don't do anything like that. We still don't know exactly what caused the food poisoning, and we're still investigating. Ray: Yeah, we don't want that either.

── By the way, in your interview with SPIN magazine you said something interesting: "We're not afraid to live." Is that a kind of mantra for the band? Frank: Uh-huh.

── But for us humans, just living is normal and we don't think about it, so why do we tell ourselves these things? Frank: This is just my opinion, but I think that in our culture these days, whether it's Japanese culture or American culture, but in all of our cultures, we're slowly forgetting the simple thing of love. I think we're exhausted by the violence that's happening in our daily lives, the wars that are happening in the world, and the hatred that we have for each other. Because of that, we tend to forget how wonderful life is and how connected we are as humans. We know the desire to interact with each other and the love that we should have for each other. Isn't it strange that all the smart scientists in the world can come together and invent these high-quality recording machines, but they can't feed the poor in other countries? I think it's strange. It's really sad that we have completely forgotten how wonderful it is to be alive and how important it is to help each other. We should never forget how beautiful life is, and that's why it's so important for us to spread that message. Also, everyone has a fear of death, but I think death is something that should be celebrated, to look back on the life that a person has lived. That's why it's important to think about what you do while you're alive and what kind of change you can bring to the world. Even one person can make a difference. We're just five ordinary guys, but our music has had a big impact on people all over the world, and I think that's a change. So wouldn't it be great if everyone could live with that kind of awareness? And I hope we can tell the next generation that it's okay to feel anxious or think that you're not okay. Anyway, I think it's important to have the desire to make some kind of change. Even if it's something small. If you have an extra dollar bill in your pocket, give it to someone who needs it. In addition to that, in a world that is so cruel and full of misery, I think it's important not to be afraid to live your life to the fullest for yourself and make yourself as happy as possible.

── Are you guys happy now? Ray: I'm happy. Frank: Me too. A healthy body and a happy mind is enough.

[ewyband]

EWY BIG Q&A

hi!! recently i did a q&a on instagram about SLAD. unfortunately (or fortunately?) there were too many questions to answer purely on instagram stories without spamming. here's the ones i couldn't answer on instagram, answered here!

MERLOT, both in terms of my favourite composition and performance

my partner and i were on a break whilst they were studying abroad ("we're only on month 1 of 4"). I just kinda word vomited my feelings. I was feeling pretty depressed at the time I wont lie.

yes i DID!!! this EP was MADE for fun. i wrote the songs specifically to make fun songs to play live. (aside from HOLLOW DRUG)

"And I could be displaced from my home And it could be seen on all your phones Is it real? Or is it fake? Look close, do my arms look like legs?"

probs the most lyrically dense I've been?? i'm not sure.

first of all, thank you so much!! second, some songs i write it all in one day but others can take a week or so before i'm fully happy with how its sounding. that being said, i always end up changing something before recording (usually around a month after writing, but in the case of MERLOT, that was recorded only a week after writing).

if i had to just name one, it'd be Nirvana. I wrote a 3000 word essay on In Utero for uni and that genuinely inspired me to make these songs. I really loved how Nirvana performed and I thought 'man, if only I had songs like that where I'd have an excuse to go crazy' other influences would include Jeff Rosenstock (my #1 fav artist) and PUP (greatest live show I've ever been to) btw, thank u sm!!

yes,,, very much

unfortunately i havent learnt proper scream technique so all of my screams were done at the very very end of my recording sessions. i think it worked out because that meant i had a lot of pent up frustration

i will start by saying my uni lets me hire out all of these microphones for free (if you don't count the student loan) vocals: SM7b & RE20 (only on sociopathic leech) guitar: AKG C414 matched pair (acoustic and electric) bass: my takes were originally done with an RE20, pretty sure fern just DI'd drums: Audix DP7 + SM57 (for hi-hat) + C414 for room mic's

i'll try get this done tomorrow!

i was in a guitar lesson at uni and we were talking about chromatics in the blues scale. my guitar teacher suggested i try to make a riff using the blues scale and particularly the chromatic part. that riff ended up being the middle 8 section of RIGHTS TO MY WRONGS. the rest of the song basically acted as a vessel to transport this breakdown middle 8 section. hopefully it doesn't come across that way !!!!!! but that was the main idea.

it felt very natural. i'll probably continue to go this direction in my future releases.

its mainly a reference to SOCIOPATHIC LEECH! 'i could beat you with a bat'. i just wanted something that felt visceral and angry and i feel like izzie really captured that.

yes and no! brett romnes is a super nice guy and very fun to work with. i obviously had my own mixes so he could see what i preferred and essentially made it better. i think there ended up being 4 drafts before we reached a final master.

these were my original mixing notes! i think the only thing that really got lost in translation was i added some really subtle vocal distortion at the end of HOLLOW DRUG in my original mix. in the end, i feel empowered by brett because he made it sound like what i felt it should sound like in my head (DOES THIS SENTENCE MAKE SENSE!?)

after i wrote SOCIOPATHIC LEECH and RIGHTS TO MY WRONGS, i was like 'okay, this is the style we're going for, lets do some sort of project in this particular style' i was pretty dead set on an EP since i'd just done an album. so to answer your question, yes and no!

i wish i could put something significant here. im sure theres some psychologist out there who could tell me that the song represents something about me. i was feeling alienated at the time, hopefully this helps? "confess your sins to the crowd, no-one can hear you when you're talking so loud" is definitely about my frustrations with song meanings though

hi mikey!

this person was the GM for a cyberpunk TTRPG game i played in. i wanted to write a cyberpunk themed album at one point but i guess that one merlot line is the closest we'll get.

i have semi answered this question but I WANTED TO WRITE SONGS THAT WERE FUN TO PLAY LIVE !!!!! and i think it worked out in the end

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO WROTE IN !!! MY ASKBOX IS ALWAYS OPEN!!!

[connectionterminated13]

What was Jeremy’s and Mikes first interaction like in the fallout AU ? Did Jeremy know what ghouls were or was he in for a bit of a shock lol

I've been waiting to talk about this!! I hope you don't mind if I write out their whole interaction :)

Jeremy wakes up pulling out his gun to see some kind of man rooting through his bag, He can't see the Man in the dim light of the dying fire but the man is thin and sickly looking.

Jeremy: Stealing isn't nice you know?

Michael immediately stops trying to rob Jeremy and puts his hands up, He's very used to people try to shoot at him after all so he knows what to do in this situation.

Jeremy: Now let's start with names I'm Jeremy! And you are?

Michael: Michael, I'm not Ferrell don't shoot! I was just hungry I'm a night guard and I thought you were dead and I'm sorry!

Jeremy: Oh well if you were hungry you could have just asked! Don't you surface people know sharing and is Caring?

Michael is confused. There's something very wrong about this man. He doesn't talk like Any person Michael has known in the past 200 years...

Jeremy: Speaking of I'm from a vault! vau-

Michael's eyes widen, Instinctively he steps forward slightly meaning he is now in the light of the fire

Michael: You're from a vault! I didn't know you guys were still-

Jeremy screams stepping back the gun shaking in his hand, He looks Michael up-and-down noticing his Rotting purple skin, expose teeth/mouth And the stink of rot emanating from him

Jeremy: AcH!!

Michael: It's OK! I'm not a monster! I just I'd just would people look like up here now so you don't need to shoot me!! please don't shoot me..

Michael tries to put his hands up further as a show of surrender, He tries to smile but knows it probably comes off more threatening

Jeremy: My-y mom warned me about people like you! Are we taking what does it belong to you consuming people were fun!

Jeremy is shaking in terror, Mike praise to any God that might exist that this scared dweller doesn't shoot him in the face

Jeremy: You are bloody communist!!

Michael: Yes! I'm a ghoul but I'm not- what

Michael is incredibly confused

Jeremy: My mom told me bedtime stores about how you people destroyed the world! I should have known when you talked in your weird funny voice!

Michael realizes that the vault Jeremy must have came from is incredibly sheltered/very very stupid

Michael: Hey I'm not a communist I'm open red-blooded American just like you! And that is just vocal cord decay and an accent..

Jeremy Is clearly still frightened but pulled himself together

Jeremy: Well if you're not then you're gonna tell me where Mother flipping Yellow rabbit guy went With my little brother..

Michael's eyes light up slightly

Michael: I don't know where he is but I know we're looking for the same guy! And I could help you! I know the wasteland I'm a friend-I promise!

Jeremy considers this for a moment

Jeremy: I'm sorry

Jeremy lowers his gun, Michael is very confused by this, this is a confusing evening for him

Jeremy: No Communist would ever try to help me.. Plus it was mean for me to scream at you it's not your fault you're a Strange mutant.

Michael lets out a confused laugh

Michael: Thank you I guess?

Michael has never had anyone who he's tried to rob be this kind to him hell Michael hasn't experienced this level of kindness since pre-war times

Jeremy: No if you say sorry for stealing, I'll give you some of the Sam which my mom packed and We can become real friends

Michael: Extremely sorry for stealing!

Jeremy smiled walking over to Michael and holding out his hand for a handshake

Jeremy: Jeremy Fitzgerald at your service! I'm sorry I'm first meeting with Mike that I look forward to being friends and campaigns in our shared goal to defeat the dastardly rabbit that stole my younger brother!

Michael stared down at the hand before hesitantly shaking it

There you go love it first sight for real❤ Sorry for this being so long and writing a whole chat I'm just goofy like that :3

[technicallywrite]

20 Questions for Writers

Thanks for the tag @envexenveritas, you're enabling me to procrastinate on writing a rather tricky scene.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Just two but one of them is sort of a song parody (about writing fanfiction, to the tune of Losing My Religion), not a fic. But the question says 'works' and... for better or worse, it's a work, I guess.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

393,520 across both works but the song is just 273 so, yeahhhh. That should tell you everything you need to know about my One Fic.

(42 chapters so far, in case you're wondering, including one that was a whopping 20k+ words)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Doctor Who, specifically the new UNIT gang, with heavy emphasis on the Big Finish audios in terms of sourcing story material. I'm basically rewriting the new UNIT storyline, centered on the developing relationship between Osgood and Kate Stewart.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I mean, if we're specifically talking fics, I have just the one. So it's my best fic and my worst fic at the same time, on any metric you choose to apply!

My Cosmos is Yours, aka Cosmos or sometimes Cosmosgate, has 297 kudos so far. Also, 30 bookmarks and 10,493 hits, in case that matters.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Do I reply to comments? Hah. Yes, yes I do. Religiously. Not always immediately, as sometimes I need a bit of time to digest them before replying; but I do read them all right away and I reply to everything eventually.

I welcome every kind of comment, from one-line "GAAHAHHHHHH" eructations to multi-paragraph analyses, rambles and vocal if not always coherent expressions of enthusiasm.

Funny thing, there's a bit of a culture of commenting that has grown around Cosmos. For reference, it has 1,194 comments (though half of that are replies from me).

Part of it, I suspect, is that word has got around that I'm pathetically needy for comments (I make no secret of it), so most of my regular readers have got into the habit of feeding me comments at every chapter, which is very lovely of them. And perhaps because there are so many comments on every chapter, some of the more occasional readers do also seem to find themselves motivated to leave comments, which is a wonderful effect, if true.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I haven't finished a fic yet so, no overall endings to speak of, but if I look across the 42 chapters I've written so far, Chapter 38: Endgame has got to be the most grim in terms of where it leaves Osgood and Kate.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hah well if we apply the same principle of looking across Cosmos chapters, Chapter 42: Life, the Universe and Everything has got to be the winner, with no fewer than three happy endings (one of them a double), if you'll pardon the phrase.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not so far, no. I occasionally get razzed by my British regulars for committing Americanisms (most famously, writing 'faucet' instead of 'tap') but it's all in good fun.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yep. Though I've been told it's not actually smut, it's erotica, which is the best compliment I can imagine. It's all character-driven, and it's very necessary to the story (I say to justify myself). I won't put any labels on it; I'll just say that by intent, it's loving, it's very mature, but it's never unnecessarily explicit. Though it does get people quite hot under the collar, reportedly, which is very gratifying!

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Well, I did pull in Malcolm Tucker from "The Thick of It" for one chapter, and he'll be showing up again because he's so fun to write. But it's not a zany kind of crossover.

I don't think I have any crazy crossovers in me, at least not at this moment in time; when I'm in the mood for that sort of thing I go to Lambrookmist.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, I'd be terrible as a fic co-author. I've co-authored a technical book in my professional life and it went well enough (the book got published and we're proud of it) but I suspect it was a frustrating experience for my co-author. I'm very critical and I change my mind about important stuff all the time.

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Osgood/Kate Stewart obviously. With a side of Gabrielle/Xena and Janeway/Seven. There may be a pattern there.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I'm like a dog with a bone, I will finish everything, eventually. Although with Cosmos, I can't imagine running out of story to tell anytime soon. It could take years. Unless I find a good stopping point and just finish + start a sequel. That's an option.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Accurate characterization, I think? I'd like to think I do a pretty decent job with pacing and balancing action vs. talk. Also my real-life scientific/technical background helps me write credible plot details for our two favorite science geniuses.

From a stylistic standpoint, I've been told my writing has a cadence and musicality that's very enjoyable. That's something I care a lot about, so, yay.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm painfully aware that I overuse certain phrases. And I overthink things a lot, so it takes me ages to ship out new chapters. Especially now that I have a full time day job again, which I didn't when I started writing Cosmos— long story for another time.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

A few lines here and there can be very helpful when the setting calls for it (the characters are abroad, or working with people from different cultural backgrounds) but you don't want to overdo it.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Well, I wrote a one-off Picard/Crusher ficlet in the late 90s, so I'm legally obligated to say Star Trek: TNG. But I never wrote anything else (fic-wise) until Cosmos.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Surprise, it's Cosmos!

In case anyone is curious, I'm about 1/3 of the way through writing Ch. 43, so hopefully it won't be nearly as long til the next update. (For reference, it took me three months to get Ch. 42 out.)

I think I'm supposed to tag some other writers now? Let's say @starfleetwitch, @kowarth, and gosh I need to look up some usernames. Will add those later. Got to go feed my family now.

EDIT: adding @colourmestoked04 to the taggees

[sapphire-weapon]

Alright. Let's get back to fun and horny stuff. What are your headcanons for Leon's kinks and sexual preferences? Do OG Leon and Remake Leon have similar tastes? Does Leon prefer certain things with women and certain things with men? Let me have it!

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, ANON 👀 we have been suffering from a lack of thirst over here, and I've been dying to talk about this/slut this man up lately.

I think that Remake Leon and OG Leon are more or less into the same things, but with differing levels of enthusiasm for them.

● OG Leon has control issues and usually can't get off unless he's on top -- but when he's actually with someone that he trusts enough to take that control away (and the number of people he trusts to do that can be counted on one hand), while he can be a brat sometimes, he's usually very obedient. He knows how rare this is for him and understands the concept of gratitude, so he gets very vocal and is known to dispense with the "Yes sir/ma'am"s and even says "please."

● OG Leon is far more of an exhibitionist. Remake Leon will still put on a show if he's asked to, but OG Leon doesn't always need to be asked -- and OG Leon is also far more willing to take risks in terms of doing it in public/getting caught. OG Leon is the kind of guy who will fuck you in your mom's house while your parents are watching TV in literally the next room over. Especially later in life, he becomes that guy who will gladly fuck you in the bathroom stall at a nightclub. Not to say that Remake Leon wouldn't -- just that OG Leon does it for sport.

● Remake Leon has far more of a praise kink. OG Leon definitely appreciates a compliment, but he doesn't necessarily want/need to be told he's doing a good job -- all of the other sounds that his partner is making are affirmation enough. But Remake Leon just loves to hear the words "Good boy" ; "That feels so good" ; "Right there/Just like that" ; "Please don't stop" ; "I love it."

● Leon in general is a very gracious receiver. He's very vocal when getting head -- generous with quiet hums and sighs and grateful little moans. He'll whisper sweet little nothing words of praise and encouragement while running his fingers through his partner's hair. On the rare occasion that he does make the move to fuck someone's face, he's very slow and gentle and holds eye contact the entire time -- not just to assert his dominance, but also to keep a constant gauge on his partner's comfort levels.

● On the whole, though, Leon prefers to give rather than to receive. There are few things in this world that he enjoys more than going down on someone, and he'll keep going until he brings his partner to orgasm or he's told explicitly to stop.

● While we're on the subject, Leon definitely eats ass. Don't try to tell me he doesn't. Everybody shut up.

● Both versions of Leon enjoy being called "Daddy" but OG Leon leans into it way more -- which is interesting because Remake Leon gets off on it way harder. OG Leon has kind of just come to terms with the fact that that's the niche that he fills for a lot of women especially -- and especially as he gets older -- and he is into it, so he's more than willing to roleplay out whatever depraved shit is asked of him. (And once he hits his late 30s/early 40s, he definitely becomes that guy who wants nothing more than a little princess he can spoil~) But there's some part of Remake Leon that feels some sort of weird sense of shame in that -- so he'll never be the one to instigate it, but dear god does it make him hard. So when he does get to do it, he really gets into it -- and you had no idea that this man was secretly an actor. Don't make him take off his belt. Or, do. Whatever. His safe word is "Umbrella"

● OG Leon is far more willing to talk dirty (see here for reference), and he's way more into things like phone sex as a result. But, of course, he's Leon, so like. He actually will ask "What are you wearing?" as though that question doesn't make people want to reach through the phone and punch him in the throat. (What, you didn't think all of these headcanons were going to make him look good, did you?)

● Remake Leon suffers way more from being touch-starved, so he's far more likely/willing to just sit there or lie there and make out with someone for a good, long while without really doing anything else. He also has a lot more patience, so he'll more often take things slow if he can get away with it. The more time that he can spend hands-on exploring his partner's body and having his own explored in return, the better. Remake Leon is the kind of guy who will hold someone from behind and slowly kiss a line all the way down the side of their neck and along the span of their shoulder before switching sides, all the while keeping his hands on their hips and going nowhere else. OG Leon would 100% already have his hands in someone's shirt or up their skirt, though, too.

● Both versions of Leon have a breeding kink, and both versions are embarrassed as fuck about it. For as shameless as OG Leon is, this is like his big dirty secret. He keeps that shit to himself and only tells people who he not only trusts with his life but who also give him some sort of feeling that they might also be into it. He can count on one hand the number of times he's had sex with a woman without a condom (because that's the number of times he was with someone who he actually trusted to be honest about her birth control), but nothing makes him come harder. The reason why he's so secretive/embarrassed about it is because it's one of the few things he's actually self-aware about in the sense that he knows, on some level, that this is a weird manifestation of his trauma with regards to having his life ruined and his autonomy stolen (especially his bodily autonomy). He knows that he'll never get a chance to be a normal guy with a normal life who settles down and gets married and starts a family, so his brain is just kind of going "I just wanna knock someone up, man. The hottest thing a woman can be is the mother of my child."

● When things get rough, Remake Leon is willing to go way harder on it than OG Leon. Basically, I think of Remake Leon as more comfortable going to extremes (either extremely soft/slow/sensual or extremely hard/rough/fast), whereas OG Leon tries to stay in a comfortable middle ground. Remake Leon will actually raise his voice and bark orders at someone and restrain them by the wrists and pin them down hard against the floor/wall/mattress. Not to say that OG Leon won't if he's asked to -- but that Remake Leon is eager to, and he commits to it way harder.

● Deep down, Leon just wants someone to take care of him. I've listed a lot of headcanons about him being on top/in control/dominant, but that's just because that's what he defaults to because that's what he's comfortable with because of how fucked his life is and how he views his place in the world and his role in other people's lives. But the truth is, he spends a lot of time longing to be with someone who can strip him down to the rawest, most vulnerable parts of who he is, look him in the eyes, kiss him softly, and say, "I've got you."

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

What do you think of Sarah Brightman in POTO? She gets so much hate from the "phans" but I love her as Christine. She looks so victorian, classy, proper and innocent. When I got into the show (which I regret) I couldn't stop watching her with MC and Steve. I love her voice, it's so unique as Gillian Lynne described — like a dew dropping. Also Michael Crawford and her were similar in age to Erik and Christine. I think she wasn't more sympathetic and "into" him because that's how she was instructed to act, Hal Prince was very clear about Christine loving Raoul though she felt sorry for Erik. And Steve Barton was such a perfect Raoul. My all time favorite pair is JOJ & Gina as well as JOJ & Katie Hall. I also adore Hugh Panaro & Samantha Hill.

Honestly I would love to give an opinion, but I can't because I have only ever seen one Brightman performance and it was quite degraded, so her visual performance was very difficult to analyze.

What I will say is that I didn't know this about Hal Prince (keep in mind, I've only been in the Phandom for about eight months, so I'm still learning a lot of the production's history.) And I find that interesting, given the fact that Lloyd Webber himself has always dropped hints (and in more recent years, been more open about) his own very pro e/c feelings. I think in the end, everyone in the production has their own perspective, and those combinations of attitudes bubble and collide on stage with different outcomes every time. We have to keep in mind that every element of the main trio shifts the chemistry and even with repeats of the exact same trio, sometimes the vibe you get from Christine can be very different show-to-show. I've seen Crawford/Kristien/Barton in three separate boots and Kristien's performance has had varying degrees of enthusiasm with Erik in every one. In one she was more naïve and timid, in another she was blatantly horny.

I've seen Gina Beck absolutely terrified with Ramin Karimloo and gently spooked with David Shannon. I've seen Rachel Barrell mortified with John Owen Jones and sweetly sympathetic with Earl Carpenter (though her Christine always seems to be Lukewarm for Erik no matter what).

I can also say, having worked with some theatre directors (and of course, every director is different in how far they view their directorial power reaching) but the ones I've talked to have said "when we're in rehearsal it's my job to show you what to do. Once that curtain comes up, my job is done: it's in your hands, you know what to do."

Of course there's a limit to defying direction, but an actors job is not just to stand there and do what they're told. They have to do it in the way that will feel most organic to them and to the people watching. Theatre direction is different than movie direction. The director can't stop the show and give the actors notes to make sure that everything goes just how they want it to. The actors have a lot of power to interpret their direction, and like I said, that interpretation can vary from show to show even when it's the exact same main cast.

So I'm sure Brightman had performances where she was more into Erik and ones where she was more into Raoul. But I don't know.

Now as for her voice, I'm going to be honest that yes it's unique and she's without a doubt a fantastic singer, I'm not a huge fan of her vocal quality. Her voice is very thick to my ears and it's just not my favourite. I don't hate it by any means, but it's just not my favourite.

As for the hate, idk. If she did have a lukewarm performance across the board, it is partially her fault, but as I've said, creating a role is a difficult thing. Other Christines have been able to look at her and form impressions, have ideas and come to conclusions that Brightman may not even have thought of at the time. It's a lot of work to build a character with nothing to go on except the book which only partially resembles the story you're acting out, so I'm disinclined to be very harsh towards her. But I think we as phans have a feeling that no matter how many Erik/Christine pairings we've seen where Christine definitely embraces her attraction to Erik and leaves only reluctantly at the end--pairings that vindicate the E/C stance a lot of us hold dear--theres a sense (and an irrational one, I think) that the original interpretations are the only ones that really matter. While that's understandable, I think it's a bit of a fallacy, because as I've said, shows like this grow over time. New interpretations add new layers and ideas occur to both actors and directors that they maybe want to approach things differently from now on. If they changed their perspectives, it must be for a reason. The first version is often flawed.

ALSO keep in mind that later Christine's, Raoul's and Phantom's have had the benefit of full-text translations of the book that weren't available to the original cast and crew. Post 1990 Christines had the benefit of knowing that, in the book, Christine practically admits to Raoul that, if Erik was handsome, she would certainly have fallen completely in love with him (and, with Erik being pretty darn sexy in the musical, that definitely shifts the perception of Christine as a character and how she would make her decisions in this musical timeline). Maybe this is a factor into why most of the 90's Christines I've seen really went in for an enthusiastic interpretation.

Who can really say?

Also yes, Hugh and Samantha slap.

She's one of my top 5 Christines.

[majorbaby]

tl;dr why i talk about race on MASH so much and why i think it's worth doing inspite of the horrors lol and what you can expect from me re: race on MASH going forward

one of the things that drew me to MASH fandom, and one of the reasons i've persisted in it for so is how much meta is generated by smart, passionate fans who were pulled in by the smart, passionate and political writing on MASH, which did all of that while being damn funny.

disclaimer: "meta" isn't better or inherently more ~intellectual~ than fanfiction or squee or fanart or memes or "two-braincell" content. in fact, i think meta can be all of these things, though i'm biased in that i think critical thought relies heavily on one's ability to make connections and pick up on intersecting concepts and i have a hard time reining in my natural tendency to do that, which is why my posts are so long and convoluted - i am working on it.

i wasn't, and still am not, dismayed by the (perceived or actual) void of long-form commentary on race and class on MASH. tbf there are a few people who note these things as they appear, but not really many who centered it in their meta. still, i appreciate at least an awareness.

if anything, it gave me some confidence that i could add something new and valuable to the collective space. that's why i started writing about race on MASH and tagging it as such. and generally, it's been pretty well received, although i'd be open to more people talking about and sharing their views on the subject.

what does bother me though now though, is that i should've known better assuming that there was no angle on race already being espoused and freely adopted by people. the absence of any statements about race is in fact a loud, clear statement on race. the absence of racialized voices in any public discourse is painfully obvious. and tbh, i'm a little surprised by how little the korean-ness of the korean war features in analysis. yes it's true that MASH might've been about "the vietnam war" but that's less of the jump it takes in the later years, when it becomes about "all war" or even more vaguely "all suffering"

it's been pointed out to me in the past that some people think the racism of the later years is "subtle" and - tbh, it's fine to see it that way if maybe you've not been the target of "subtle" racism in your life or you haven't studied the pervasiveness of racism or you haven't consumed the work of people who have done both. but i think it's pretty shortsighted to openly claim that something is "subtly" racist and not be prepared to defend that position with examples, or quantify what you mean when you say "subtle". and i'm not really willing to hear such distinctions being made unless its first been explained to me why we're using a spectrum of "loud to quiet racism".

additionally, the fanbase has been pretty vocal about misogyny. i believe this is a popular justification "start from season 4", which i've talked everyone's ear off about so i won't do it again here*. i'm glad we know that Hawkeye making comments about nurses' bottoms in OR is harassment - but then again, do we know that? Or do we limit our critiques of misogyny to Trapper and Henry only? Do we know that BJ, as of a result of Hawkeye's advice, deciding not to tell Peg about his infidelity is just doubling-down on BJ's betrayal of her? The show definitely doesn't, and it's troublesome to me that we don't seem to know that either, or we do know, and we just forgive it.

*famous last words.

if I'm being exposed to this shallow criticism of the representation of women on MASH, then i'm raising my eyebrows at the lack of commentary on race - which is the other reason why i persist in writing about it. even MASH, with Hey Look Me Over, lightly acknowledges the intersection of race and gender, and the eternal plight of women of colour having to choose between pieces of their identity in order to show "solidarity" with their oppressors - white women and racialized men. so why shouldn't we? and when i say "we" i mostly mean me, but i'd like to properly mean we.

there's other ways we've talked about race without talking about race and not realized it. and there's one very big example that i'm going to address in a later post. i just wanted to talk to myself about why i think it's important and worth doing, beyond any suspicion there may be about my motives being benign stuff that doesn't actually bother me at all. like who's fucking hawkeye post-war or individual people looking to colonel potter as a father-figure. if it were just that, and if there wasn't so much conventional wisdom floating around that bore no connection to unconscious biases we (me included) have about race, class, gender etc, then i wouldn't be interested in unpacking it.

such posts will be tagged #race on mash, #class on mash

[erasawordsmithofsorts]

hey everybody! (an intro post)

howdy! i wanted to make a little post to talk about myself. let you get to know me a little, like what my interests are outside of 5sos, fun facts about me, etc! c:

introduction to me:

so, you can call me era! that isnt my real name, but we're gonna call it a penname for now. im sixteen, and currently i live with my mother. my favorite color is red (and two very specific shades of brown and blue), and i am in ashton's lane. i've been in the 5sosfam for around ten years now, obviously i havent been active in the fandom for ten years but i have been listening to them for that long! yes, i have been in ashton's lane since the very beginning.

my musical interests outside of 5sos include bands like slipknot, metallica, foo fighters, all time low, lana del rey, ac/dc, ad infitium, palaye royale, ashton's solo stuff, luke's solo stuff, twenty one pilots, and many more! i play the piano, ukulele, i took vocal lessons for three years, and i'm learning guitar and drums :). i'm starting a band with one of my closest friends, and we haven't really decided on a name yet.

i LOVE supernatural. it is one of my all time favorite shows. i have every season up to the last one memorized word for word. you give me a synopsis and i can recite it. i love twilight, i have almost all of the books. i am so normal about greek mythology, sooo normal. i totally do not rant and rave about how hades is NOT the god of death, he's the god of THE DEAD. i would NEVER.

i think that covers everything about me! moving on c:

introduction to this blog:

so! i wanted to finally dive back into the tumblr side of 5sos. i don't know exactly what i want this blog to be about, but i think i want it to have everything. i'll do photo dumps of the band, talk about the band, i might repost fics and stuff on here, who knows!

send in confessions relating to the band and i'll post them! this blog is gonna be a safehaven from everyone. i dont care if youre new to the family or what, youre welcome here. no matter your gender, race, sexuality, religion... whatever, youre welcome here as long as youre a decent being.

im mainly gonna post about old 5sos! but i will post about everything 5sos related, just mainly old stuff :)

welcome to the blog guys c: -era

[descendant-of-truth]

One thing that baffles me a little about Zi-o is how we're told that Sougo is given the power to control time as a child, but... given what we're shown, it makes a lot more sense to assume that he has power over language

And I'm not talking about the powers he has as Zi-o, to be clear, because forms like Zi-o II and whatnot very clearly have time-based powers. I'm talking about just, Sougo, as a person

Literally the first time his power manifests as anything is when he shouts "look out!" and it appears as physical words

(Yes time stopped afterwards but it's unclear if that was him or Swartz and it's not important to my overall point)

This isn't the first time we get to see that recurring theme of Sougo being associated with language, though; there's the obvious stuff like his mask literally having "Kamen Rider" written on it, but something very interesting happens when he gets Build's and Ex-Aid's powers.

Y'know how Sento used to summon math equations around him every so often? Sougo does the same thing with the Build armor, except it's math notes instead, phrases he might write in a notebook. Or, perhaps more accurately, thoughts he's had about math? It's clearly not his forte, the poor guy

Ex-Aid is an especially interesting example here, because Sougo's not converting numbers to letters as much as he is translating between languages. All of Ex-Aid's "hit!" effects as well as his finisher logo are in English, but Sougo's version has them written in Japanese:

His Driver(?) also vocalizes the word "hit" sometimes when a blow connects, but the real kicker is that Sougo can see the logo and uses its words as a weapon

And as if that weren't enough, Kamen Rider Kikai in particular was created as an extension of Sougo's toy robot, and has a password built into him that takes directly after what Sougo wrote on said robot: "will be the king."

To be fair, all of the future Riders were created from Sougo's dreams, which is. a whole other thing, but my point is that the words written on that robot were very important to how Rento exists at all.

So like. think about the implications of this for a second. Sougo uses words as both literal weapons and as a means to affect the timeline, as shown with Rento. His dreams also play a role in this incredible power, though the extent of that remains a little vague.

Remind me again what dream Sougo is constantly having? What phrase he's been repeating for years?

Guys. The characters keep asking, "how could Sougo possibly become Oma Zi-o?"

And the answer is because he's speaking it into existence.

(Side note, his Ride Watch activates for the first time when he says that line with conviction. Nothing at all suspicious or magical about that)

Influencing the existence of events through the power of language... where have I seen that in this show before

I know that the series doesn't really correlate Sougo's power with White Woz's journal, but like. maybe it should have, y'know?? We never did get an explanation for how that book was made; maybe in the timeline where Sougo loses, they took his power and imbued it in the journal?

Anyway, I just think it would have been really cool if they emphasized this trend with words in the narrative more, because there's so much you can do with a power like that and it helps differentiate him from all the other characters with time-related powers.

It even fits well with his personality - Sougo can be surprisingly crafty underneath his bubbly, impulsive attitude, and a lot of that comes from how he phrases stuff (which I've already made a separate post about)

There could've even been an arc where Sougo realizes that this is how his power works, too, and maybe have him overcome some sort of fear of speaking due to its unpredictable, disastrous effects. We could have had it all, people!! It was right there!!

[cre0n]

PINNACLE ATLAS

"The worth of a man that releases diamonds is…..not sure about that until…. the realms of your continuous bleeding, births more heathens…. We gone start y'all off with a seasoned, melanated old man on a regular lazy Sunday with his granddaughter in the barn…. 1st Classic, 2nd Classic, 3rd Classic, 4th Masterpiece, next Diamond……"

Old Man: There was a tale of an old Baphomet sceptre buried deep in the Grand Canyon. The locals frequently report strange humming sounds at night. Some even seen floating men in the sky. Not much is known about what it looks like, but I've heard a long time ago when I was a boy, it has its own shadow with a diamond sparkle.

Young Girl: Is the woman God?

Old Man: The 'Wombman' (laughs) is whatever she wants to be, and you should feel the same right? Now pass me that bag, would you? …… Young minds run wild. I loved being in that place some time ago.

(The two work their way throughout the barn into the evening just before dusk. A shimmer of sunlight is still present, and the skies are calm.) (As the Young Girl is eager to go outside and walking towards the barn door entrance, a sudden light appears through the cracks of the door. The Old Man continues to talk to himself as the Young Girl opens the barn doors.)

Young Girl: What's that Paw? (Pointing to the field adjacent to the barn door opening. The Old Man finally realizes she really is watching something amazing or terrifying, and drops his jaw in disbelief.) Is it ok to be God now? (Pointing at the light through the barn door opening.)

Old Man: I've seen just about everything in my life, and I'm okay with dying now……..

Young Girl: Are we going to be okay Paw? Should I go tell Momma?

Old Man: Just fine, just fine. I'll tell her…….. We have our show now….

(Scene Cuts. A Television Turns on. A news reporter is live with breaking news on current events in the area.)

Melissa C USC23 News: Yes Stan, can you hear me?

Anchor Stan: We're here Melissa, go ahead….

Melissa C USC23 News: Ok Stan I'm here outside the 'Green Tree' subdivision just East of downtown, where local residents have also reported strange sightings and sounds coming from the sky. I have with me now is one of those residents Mrs. Sandra Purdue. Sandra, can you explain exactly what's going on for the people out there that have not witnessed these events?

Sandra Purdue: (accompanied by a small child) Yeah we heard this buzzing sound coming from outside, and my husband first told us to go to the basement. That's when I ….(child interrupts)

Annie Purdue: Momma we seen black people in the sky! 'Bzzzzzzwhoooshhhuuuooo'

Sandra Purdue: I know baby. Momma's talking to the nice reporter lady ok? Go on ahead back in the house.

James Purdue: (Sandra's Husband)(James is yelling in between the screen door just shy of the door mat) Y'all need to come back inside now! C'mon Annie, it's not safe out here. Let the news people do their job.

Sandra Purdue: Let's go Annie. (Jane and Annie walk away)

Melissa C USC23 News: Still unable to prove or confirm anything on what local residents are calling a phenomenon. We only hope to have more details later as updates pour in. For now, this is Melissa C with channel USC23 News. Back to you Stan.

Pull up zero sticks, go ahead and kill me hoe You and your seeds with suffer wrath, they call us Indigos Speed plus momentum kills G-F-L been too real Parking lots Cloud deals Bruh you pulling up in a Rolls-Royce To a faggot that gave you no choice Who owns that, the renter 160k down red slender Eye don't even want that lets ENTER…………. But naw for real….. text centered……

Female Vocal: And yall know how this DNA feels Didn't need likes, ownership overkill You got bills? Me too, call Never overturned in your life give a good diamond *colour………

Anchor Stan: Thanks Melissa for that 'interesting' report to say the least. Later on, we have a hot topic that is causing a stir around social media. Is racism churning the economy? Local lawmakers claim their only hope for survival into the future, is through unbelievably blatant manipulation… And what's that buzzing sound outside? We step into one of our own State military bases to get expert aviation analysis on what 'they' think and what you should prepare for. All that and more tonight at 10:00.

Producer Jared: And that's a cut Stan, great work. Good job today y'all. We are done for now.

Regular Stan: I know these son of a bitches are lying to us about this whole alien crap. I can't wait to get out of this hick town. Cindy, is my Uber on the way?

Cindy Sahara: Yes sir. 5 minutes and they will be outside.

Regular Stan: Good, I need a drink……

(Scene cuts to the State Senator's main office. His 5,000 square foot office boast a big, beautiful glass pane window overlooking the outskirts of town. Suited with State flags and various historical ornaments, the Senators office is quite unique. To a regular citizen of this town, it would be a lot to admire and take in with just one visit.)

Senator Lockheed: Greg, did you get my reports from this morning? (shuffling paper) We have a meeting at 9.

Intern Bimmy: Yes sir, they should be in the portal by now……ummm sir? It seems like someone from the White House is trying to reach you…..

Senator Lockheed: Well?

Intern Bimmy: Yes sir, they say it's some sort of…breach? Not sure. It sounds urgent. (buzzing sounds coming from outside become louder by the second)

Senator Lockheed: (Turns his head and locks eyes on the large pane window in his office overlooking the city) Son go home now….

Intern Bimmy: I'm sorry sir? But we just go started for tod…. (Senator Lockheed interrupts)

Senator Lockheed: (Shouting) I said now!

All these niggas Eye got to fight one Guess where in the fuck they come from Bitch still trippin' off avalanches Big homie C's the only one's that advances Magic hoe Magic tricks, Magic stick, a Magic show Unimagined sorcery All these baddies still gotta see More weed than you can find time to breathe lt's been infiltration for a minute at ease All these labels front companies Publishing diamond in a tight one Whatchu' gonna' do, fight or run? Fucking bums already know the outcome Voodoom paper planes straight into a house Burning purple, riding out, cuz what the fuck is you talking bout? So much class Eye got to like prints Running in private with her home tints Nigga get your gang, talk your shit Then go run and hide, you punk bitch My situation hella sacred Whatchu' wanna' do, hide or face it? It seems to me you're industry So Eye can't really hold you accountable G (really?) All this stress, straight with the shits All this red, Eye got to buy dips Honey love, sweetie pie, sugar lips Roses and hips Diamond status your boss a faggot Remarkable, now have at it………..(Magic)

(Scene cuts to a living room where two friends are watching an emergency interrupted broadcast via the White House.)

President Enlil: My fellow Americans…… we have come to a very serious place and time in our country and on this planet. Whereas as a society, (breathes heavily) we must now face the unknown. Our military and special forces are the best in the world. We intend to use any necessary action and all resources possible to keep this country safe. I, for one, strongly advise along with our Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency, for everyone to stay in their homes until these so-called "threats" have subsided……… What makes us Americans, is the ability to have unwavering hope in a time….

(Audio fades to a minimum from the living room entertainment center as the two friends talk)

Ton tray: Mane fuck these crackas! (laughs)

G'Davius: Goddamn talkin bout, stay in the house…. Shittin me. Cuz, nigga already know what time it is. They got us last time with that whole chasing lies mess. If anything, NIGGAS finna be out in the street celebrating life a mufucka cuz.

Ton tray: What goes around, comes around white boy!

G'Davius: My question is, where they gone run and hide now? (Gets up from sitting down and walks towards the front door.)

Ton tray: Hell yeah. Where you going?

G'Davius: Shiiiddddddd….. Outside nigga.

Ton tray: (Laughs) Diamonds for them folks nigga!

Rubik's Sirius download personnel in this Saturn dome Holla' at broads at the mall regardless of skin tone Smoking good, riding out, still nigga what the fuck is you talking bout'? Feds even want to jack my clout No sir, entity Black Man, energy Run shit, you run around Jews the lapdog clowns Eye been betting on Avyon, since Plainfield N-J Kunta, "nigga", muthafuckin' Kente Now welcome to the center Come in, make yourselves at home, socialize, relax For thee art thou's dinner Galactic slim thickness Slim 360 ignorant Penmanship, screen scripts, quarter-billish-ness………..(Shhh)

(An old country home with a traditional porch and dirt driveway appears. Running water and the sound of dishes being racked fills the void. Mayleen Briggs is in her kitchen just finishing up cooking breakfast and immediately asserts her attention to the chores at hand.)

Mayleen Briggs: Baby finish your food before your mama comes and gets you. (Turns to the kitchen sink)

Child: Ok

(The sound of a truck pulling up into the driveway fills the kitchen. Herald Briggs opens the whining front screen door as he makes his way to the kitchen.)

Herald Briggs: May, you ain't gonna believe what's going on out there.

Mayleen Briggs: What? We been watching the news and ain't nobody said anything else.

Child: Yeah grandpa. Nothing new!

Herald Briggs: I bet those are the reruns. Gotta be. (Whispers to Mayleen) C'mon the porch with me please?

(They both make their way to the porch. As soon as the whining screen door closes.)

Mayleen Briggs: Well, what is it Herald?

Herald Briggs: Mayleen……… Ain't no white people left………

Mayleen Briggs: What?

Herald Briggs: May, I just drove about a good 100 miles all round town and the surrounding area. There is absolutely no sign of ANY white people anywhere.

Mayleen Briggs: What about Mr. and Mrs… (Herald interrupts)

Herald Briggs: Gone. Checked out the house and the neighbors. Gone.

Mayleen Briggs: A mostly white town, and all the white people just disappear huh. (Mayleen stares up at the sky) Are the stores still open? …….. I guess the scripts were right.

Herald Briggs: What scripts Mayleen?

Mayleen Briggs: It's an old prophecy that speaks on this exact situation and moment in time believe it or not. I used to keep up with this kind of stuff at the Juniors center right when I graduated from high school. It was a different time then. Different ideals, principles, and ways of life. To me, it was just fun socializing with that crowd. I didn't actually think some of the things they used to teach would turn out to be real. Well in so many words, the prophecy says that there is only one enemy left. That enemy just happens to look just like us……..

(Mayleen gently rubs the side of Heralds face with the back of her hand and proceeds back into the house. Herald takes a few steps down off of the porch and stares at the ground for several seconds as if he is taking in this new information from his wife. Herald gradually looks up as his eyes have now changed from circles to vertical slits. He opens his mouth slightly displaying a longer than usual forked tongue and overly grown canines.)

Mayleen Briggs: Herald! Come get your plate before it gets cold!

Herald Briggs: (Herald's appearance quickly turns back to his human form) Alright! Here I come…………….

[cryptometaphor]

(We're just talking about Marxism and trans rights)

Me: Why are women both the most vocal about LGBT rights and opposed to it? Like violently so? Men just either think it's icky or based but we get blame for it.

Terf: Because you just want some pussy or butt that pretends to be pussy.

Me: Maybe... Terf: It's true

Sarah: Get off his dick, that's my seat.

Terf: I'm not on his dick. Me: You kinda are lol

Terf: Nigga, are you agreeing with Sarah that you're flirting with me?

Me: I've never been in a position where I had to care or notice before. But now I do.

Terf: wtf does that even mean?

Sarah: I'm curious myself now lol

Me: It's simple honey. Being with you I've been thinking about all my horrid exes.

Sarah: All of them awful people.

Me: Yes, but honestly... Some of it was my fault.

Sarah: Well yah jumping from toxic to toxic relationship

Me: Not even. Just like... Not staying with Kaitlynn at the hospital. I knew she'd be fine, but it boldly says "you're just not that important to me", or like Liz blocks me, I figure well fuck you, I'll just talk to other girls and show you I have options. These aren't things someone should be doing... I wouldn't want it done to me, and I wouldn't forgive myself if I did them to you.

Sarah: Awwww baby, you love me. I love you too.

Me: I do love you. And I know I'm a selfish person and I consciously worry about ever hurting you, what would my life even be worth at that point?

Sarah: Baby don't talk like that. Plenty of girls like you, you're more than capable of success, you're...

Me: But I want to share that with the perfect girl and that perfect girl is you. Like this bitch over here coming onto me, if I'm just mean to her are you gonna think I'm just misogynistic? Or compensating? If I flirt back to string her along is that gonna make you jealous and hurt? If I say nothing are you gonna feel jealous and hurt anyway? What do I do to insure I do the right thing for you?

Sarah: Baby you're gonna make me cry. You cannot insure anything. You're not God and can predict and act accordingly to everything ever.

Me: You deserve a god, you deserve everything.

Sarah: No. I'm not perfect either. You are a great man. You reflect, you're empathetic, you're kind...when you wanna be lol. And even when you're not, it always comes from a place of love or justice. I feel that warmth of your love all the time. I don't think for a second you'd betray me. I do think cockroaches like this girl crawl around eating your cum crumbs lol

Terf: Fuck both of you. This is what's wrong with the LGBT community

Me: And yet you continue to claim lesbianism. Yeah, go date a girl and breakup two months later over some stupid shit assuming she doesn't beat you. That's healthy...

Sarah: LOL SEE RIGHT THERE all terf bitch will see is you criticizing her, I know inside you're thinking "there's a lot of lonely men out there who would take good care of her and she could feel love and appreciated." Because you know what loneliness feels like. They confuse your empathy for malice.

Me: I'm glad you don't

Sarah: Never. I'm the same way.