#6 group songs and an all stars? probably?

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

thank you google translate

OHOHO???

[sboochi]

Listen, I like the idea of human!Star as much as the next person, but that's the point. I like the idea in my head.

To be honest, if this was the direction the creative team had gone with, I probably wouldn't enjoy it to this level. So it can stay in my head.

Anyway, I liked the movie! More opinions down below.

People are acting like it's the biggest disgrace ever happened to the animation industry and it feels..... so over-dramatic?? The movie isn't perfect, of course, but chill, have y'all forgotten about the emoji movie???

Also reading some people's comments feels like they don't want anyone to enjoy the movie, which sucks. I mean, I checked the tag here and it was An Experience.

Personally I liked:

Asha's little friend group! "But they don't have a real personality" boohoo the httyd and big hero 6 gangs didn't have more than 1 trait and nobody ever complained this much

The visuals were gorgeous. I guess this is personal taste but I LOVED the watercolor-esque backgrounds

I liked the songs, especially At all costs and This wish. I don't have a problem with the lyrics because I haven't listened to the soundtrack in English, but I've never really cared about lyrics anyway

Magnifico was a delight (evil arc my beloved)

There are a few things I would have handled differently, but again, it's taste:

Please let us have a protagonist with a very different personality from the usual Disney Heroine. Give me shy, give me nerd, give me sassy

I was hoping the queen's decision to side with Asha would be harder to make. I would have showed her struggle with her love for Magnifico and her people, I want the d r a m a

Poor Asha's mom deserved better

I know it's frustrating seeing all this negativity, but I think it'll die down with time. People were shitting on Moana and Zootopia too, at first. Hating this movie with passion is just the latest trendy opinion (you know those. You've probably seen them on tiktok)

(Please note I'm only talking about Wish. The "Disney the company" topic is too big for one post)

TLDR Wish isn't perfect, people just like to be mean. You're allowed to like it, whether others agree or not

[icyg4l]

PAC: what should you put on your bucket list for the summer?

hello beautiful people! i am starting my summer 2024 series right now and i am so excited!!!! i wanted to bring something new to everyone so i am creating specialized playlists for each group. they consist of six songs i’ve channeled during your reading. i hope that the group you chose resonates. i also hope that you all book a reading with me! :)

without further ado, please select your pile.

top left-to-bottom right: (1-4)

PILE ONE:

this pile may be newly single or fresh to the dating scene as a whole. you seem introverted, maybe covid messed up your social skills? it’s time to bring some life back into you! i think the main message here is to be more open to exploration.

cards used: the tower, 10 of discs, king of swords, the star, queen of wands, the hanged man, princess of cups.

learn how to swim

flirt with a stranger at a festival/concert

ride as many amusement park rides as you can

go on a picnic date

join some type of organization, or maybe even create one!

be as comfortable in your skin as you can; even go skinny dipping or to a new beach (only if you’re of age though!!)

go to a metaphysical shop

go on a group/double date with your friends

PILE TWO:

i feel like you’re insecure and you’re trying to work on that. this is the best summer to do so. i feel like this pile gets easily embarrassed. spirit wants you to stop that lmao. i take it that you’re someone who’s probably a loner.

cards used: 9 of cups, queen of discs, ace of wands, 3 of cups, 8 of swords, 5 of wands

do as much shadow work as you can

take up a self-defense class/boxing class

jump off the diving board

conquer your fear of heights by bungee jumping or rock climbing

hypnosis therapy

wear your natural hair in different styles each day for a week (maybe longer 🙈)

embrace family traditions

spa day!

have/go to a bonfire

scrapbook!

PILE THREE:

these are my r&b loversss. i feel like you guys have some pipes on you lol. this pile is kind of goofy too. this pile has to be as free as possible. no relationships, no commitments of any kind (minus a job cause y’know the economy rn is 😔). but anyway, the point is to just relax.

cards used: 6 of discs, the devil, the magician, 2 of cups, wheel of fortune, the sun, princess of cups.

go to a skate park

host an event

meet a special someone at the bar

connect with an old friend

adopt a pet

create an alter ego for yourself and show up as that person

do a good deed for someone, pay it forward.

have a dance battle in public

obtain a FWB (be smart & use protection of course 🤫)

post on social media as much as possible

PILE FOUR:

i can tell this is the pile that likes to be organized. you like to have plans made out before the summer. that might not be the case this summer. focus on being a little more free and spontaneous. flexibility is key, babe. get out of freezeeeee mode.

cards used: 3 of cups, the hanged man, 5 of wands, queen of wands, king of swords, the star, knight of cups, ace of discs.

dye your hair red!

pass the bar exam (for those of you who are future lawyers)

receive a tarot reading from an in-person psychic

flirt a little at the grocery store

get dressed up to go to a department store/chain store

have a girls night in with ur girls!

build a fort!

change up your day-to-day makeup routine

record a song with your friends

[thankyouforthememoriesworld]

Updated Version 2.

They were both overlapped in Minnesota for the North Tartan Summer Jam-June 2016. They had a lot of basketball overlap in June/July 2016 but again, separate age groups, with Azzi playing in a higher age group than Paige.

USA U16 Trials in May 2017 when they met.

Won Gold together with U16 on June 11, 2017.

Flew to Minnesota together where Azzi probably spent the summer doing her camping and State Fair in August 2017. Before this though: they participated in the North Tartan Summer Jam-June 2017 but different groups. I think that first birthday post from Azzi is probably from this tournament. Also, they may have also had an EYBL tournament in Indianapolis in July 2017. This is also when those crush snapchats were most likely sent because the song itself was released July 7, 2017.

Generally, they always have a lot of overlap in the summer because of AAU

Their visit to Maryland, Notre Dame and UConn in Fall 2017. Offered scholarships by UConn at that time.

Azzi and Paige were together at the beginning of Feb, training. Azzi's high school is WCAC Champs at the end of Feb 2018 and Azzi was also player of the year as a Freshman.

Late March 2018, both participated in the 2018 USA Basketball 3x3 U18 National Championship. Paige’s team got first, and Azzi’s got second. Paige’s team went on to rep in the youth Olympics.

April 2, 2018 Paige and her Hopkins teammates watched the UConn Notre Dame 2018 Championship game. Paige apparently watched this match up twice by April 2019 and Azzi watched the 12/3/17 game against ND in Hartford. Maybe overlap?

Paige and Azzi played in the Nike Boo Williams Invitational for their separate AAU teams in Virginia on April 20-22, 2018. Azzi's team (Fairfax Stars 17s EYBL) won platinum undefeated in their division where she stood out as one of the best players at 15 years old. Paige's team (North Tartan 15s EYBL) won platinum undefeated in her division. Geno was apparently at this tournament from what I read.

Paige was in DC to play in the Capitol Classic on April 28, 2018. You can watch the entire game if you want.

Reunited in Colorado May 2018 for USA trials.

The 11th annual North Tartan Summer Jam in Hopkins Minnesota was held June 15-17, 2018, where both Paige and Azzi's AAU teams played against each other. Paige’s team beat Azzi’s team 79-63 but both ended with a 3-1 record with Paige's team getting second place. Azzi watched Paige's final game.

Basically, together all of July because training was July 4-20, with a pre-tournament invitational in Latvia. Afterwards, won Gold with U17 on July 29, 2018.

Azzi attends her first Curry Camp in August 6-7 2018. She blows up after the three point contest. At this point I also assume Minnesota cabin trip and state fair was spent together. Azzi was recognized while on a cruise with Bueckers family after the contest (Date unknown but assuming summer). Azzi also helped with Paige's charity clinic at the end of August in Montana.

Azzi and her family were also in Minnesota for a family wedding in September 2018.

11/2/18 Visit to UConn together. Azzi’s sweet 16 on 11/11/18. We know Paige was there.

March 2019 Azzi is presented Gatorade National Player of the Year for Basketball. Azzi's team is 2nd in the nation.

Paige wins state championship on March 16, 2019. Azzi is there supporting (she's in that day after vlog episode of Paige's teammate wearing her St. Patty's day necklace and referred to as National POY which she just got beforehand).

Both of them flew to Montana and I'm guessing that's when the Yellowstone trip happened. Probably Spring Break.

Buckets with Bueckers camp in Montana - March 25, 2019. Azzi was there.

April 1, 2019, Paige commits to UConn (signs letter of intent in November 2019). I think this is also the day Azzi got her puppy Stewie.

April 4-6, 2019 Azzi’s high school team makes the Geico Nationals final but loses. Not sure if Paige was there.

April 13, 2019 Azzi tears hear ACL/MCL at USA 3x3 championship. Surgery on May 29, 2019 in Indianapolis. Paige was with her before surgery (video proof from Azzi herself).  

April 26-28, 2019 AAU together (Azzi not playing).

June 2019 – Paige participates in Summer Jam 2019 with Metro Stars.

July/August 2019 – After Azzi attends the ESPYS and SC30 Select Camp for both of them, Minnesota tradition (they have tiktoks from that time at the cabin and started their joint account that summer). I also think this is when that one Overtime video was filmed with the competition.

10/10-16/19 – Paige is in Doha Qatar for USA Basketball 3x3 tournament. Then she went to First Night at UConn and I think visited Azzi before she went to LA for ESPNW. Azzi visited UConn the week before First Night supposedly.

Dec 16, 2019: First HUDL recruiting video. End of December 2019, Azzi was presumably training with Mamba family in NYC.

Reunited in January 2020 in DMV. Azzi’s first games back from ACL were around this time and Paige was there (they filmed tiktoks together and there are videos of her in the stands). During her visit, Paige's second HUDL recruiting video for Azzi was published.

Azzi’s high school team wins state championships in early March 2020. Azzi travels to Minnesota in mid-March 2020 for Paige’s final but Covid shutdown occurs.

Paige stays with the Fudds from the end of April until June 2020 where she goes back for her graduation in early June and I think possibly packing up her stuff because I know her family was relocating to DMV at this time. She rejoins the Fudds in late June and stays with them and travels with them for Azzi’s GTS team up until end of July. Paige also gets her Gatorade award presented to her at the Fudd’s house on July 24, 2020.

Azzi is in Minnesota with her GTS in August of 2020 and Paige starts UConn.

Azzi visits Paige on her birthday and I believe tells her she’s committing to UConn in October 2020.

Azzi's Togethxr video of her day in the life with the facetime call was filmed November 5, 2020 (pop quiz had a date).

Azzi commits to UConn in November 11, 2020 and turns 18.

Paige's UConn season starts with her first games being cancelled because everyone is in a 14 day quarantine when one person tests positive. This was the reality of that time - they had to contact tracing and couldn't risk getting Covid during the season. They didn't have anymore cancelled games after the end of January but it certainly was an issue early on. UConn had nearly 75% of their courses online or hybrid for entire Fall 2020. Out of state students enrolled in online courses didn't live on campus. This was the reality of Paige's first year. Most likely not as social as people think and really just FTing Azzi at 1 AM apparently.

Azzi attends UConn-Tennessee game on January 21, 2021 to cheer on Paige.

Azzi attends UConn Final Four on April 2, 2021 and also attends the final (while being on FT with Paige).  

Paige has ankle surgery afterwards and hanging out a lot with the Fudds as she rehabs during April and May 2021.

Azzi has USA U19 Trials in May 2021. Then graduation and prom for high school at the end of May (Paige was present during this time). Then summer session at UConn. Paige has her ESPY award speech in July 2021.

Azzi wins gold with team USA before landing back in Mn in mid August 2021 and reunited with Paige and heading to UConn.

My God, you did it 👑. Here's Pazzi's updated timeline for the people.

[urfriendlylocalidiot]

hi; could you do newjeans fav thing about you (their partner)? loving your works btw

Hi! Sorry for the long wait, but I hope you enjoy this!

(Hyein’s is short and platonic of course)

Favorite Thing w/NewJeans

Minji

Minji’s favorite thing about you would definitely be your voice. She swears she could listen to you talk for hours. Absolutely loves your part in their songs. Wouldn’t let anyone talk over you, ever. She would just love your voice so much, and as a result she obviously listens to every word you say.

It’s not much of a shock that her favorite part of your relationship, is all of your long talks. Which are a little one-sided. She really does try to maintain a good conversation with you, but usually she just listens to you for hours.

Some may call her whipped. And she’d probably agree, but in her defense, who wouldn’t listen to the person who put the stars in her sky. Who wouldn’t fall in love with your voice, it was no wonder to her that you were a singer.

Hanni

Her favorite thing about you is your cuddles. Would definitely be attached to you like 24/7. Most mornings you’re probably found in one of your beds, tangled up in each other. In her opinion, it’s the best place to be. She always feels so warm and safe whenever she’s in your arms.

Every break she would definitely be found in your arms. Dance breaks, music video breaks, even during breaks between recording, she would wrap your arms around her. Even if you were busy doing something, she would just run up behind you and hold you in her arms. She just wants needs to be close to her jagi at all times.

No matter where she went, she would be attached to you. Not just handholding, like literally wrapped around your arm. If it’s been longer than 24 hours without you, you’re not leaving her arms for a minimum of 6 hours. But of course you wouldn’t mind, after all the best thing in the world is having your jagi in your arms.

Danielle

The sunshine that she is, it only makes sense that Danielle’s favorite thing about you is your beautiful personality. When you two are together, it’s seriously hard to not smile. You guys light up every room you enter. There’s never a bad day as long as you guys are together.

Everywhere you guys go, you would end up drawing eyes, not just because you guys are both beautiful, but because your infectious smiles can’t help but spread. You guys have the ability to make even the darkest of days, light up.

She revels in your personality and you revel in her sunlight, you guys are the perfect match. She just loves being around you, you guys don’t even have to talk all the time, just being with you, makes her happy. It’s just something about you, it makes her heart feel that much more full.

Haerin

She would most definitely love your eyes. It’s not shocking that she would spend most of her free time staring into them. Even if it does startle you sometimes. But who could blame her, your eyes are absolutely gorgeous.

Seriously, they’ve pointed out on many shoots. Of course much to Haerin’s enjoyment. She swears that she could get lost in your eyes (and she has). The worst part of falling asleep with you, is that your eyes shut.

However she especially loves seeing you experience new things, the way your eyes light up. Being new to Korea, she loves that she gets to show you all these new things and create new memories with you. Even if you guys have gotten lost a… handful of times, it’s all worth it to see your eyes light up.

Hyein

She would most certainly admire your dedication to your work the most. To her, it is truly amazing just how much you love to work. The hours that you spend perfecting the dances and practicing singing are truly so admirable to her.

It just shows how loyal you are, to her and the group. She absolutely loves it about you.

[slavghoul]

First musical emotion?

TF: I grew up in an environment full of music, with a very open-minded mother who listened to a lot of pop and rock music and, above all, an older brother who was 13 years older than me. That's how much I was immersed in teenage culture as a child. I was 3 years old in 1984 when the glam metal wave invaded the airwaves and TV screens. These bands, like Kiss, WASP or Mötley Crüe, very strong visually for a child, attracted me irresistibly. And let's not forget Twisted Sister. I Wanna Rock is the track that remains the basis, the trigger for everything for me. A song that, at 3, 13, 23 or 43 years old, still has the same effect on me as soon as I hear it: to jump in the air like a madman.

First record bought?

If not Kiss, probably a Rolling Stones album. It didn't make much of an impression on me because my brother used to buy so many of them, so my money was mostly spent on Star Wars stuff. There are tons of bands I love, but I think the Stones are my favourite. Because they embody everything I love about rock, even though they weren't as sophisticated as the Beatles or Pink Floyd. Between 1967 and 1972, in their darkest period, nobody did it better than them: they had the look, the attitude, the style and, on top of that, the songs! Let It Bleed is incredible, with songs like Midnight Rambler and Live With Me. As much as I admire technical singers, virtuosos of harmony, Jagger remains unique. I've never tried to imitate him, but as a performer he is the absolute model.

First concert of note?

My brother used to take me to see local punk bands at a very early age, but I remember B.B. King most of all, when I was about 5 or 6, with my mother. It was a jazz festival, outside in the courtyard of a castle, a very cool atmosphere. As soon as B.B. King started playing, there was electricity in the air. Everyone got up and started dancing, I was blown away. And as I was the only one of my age, I could move around freely, so much so that I found myself in the backstage, in front of B.B. King himself! He invited me into his dressing room: "Do you play the guitar?" - Yes! - so don't stop!" And I took his advice. Even though I sing on stage, the guitar is still my favourite instrument, the one I play and master the most.

The band that best managed to avoid the pitfall of the image taking precedence over the music?

Kiss, unfortunately, was far from being up to the task musically. Alice Cooper, after two minor first albums, went on to make four incredible albums with the original Alice Cooper Group. Above all, he made a phenomenal comeback with Welcome to My Nightmare in 1975. After that, the show took over... The band that managed to stay straight and dignified, without compromising the artistic quality of their work, is undoubtedly Iron Maiden. All of their 80's production is impeccable, and if they had a slump in the 90's, they came back even stronger with the return of Bruce Dickinson, and have been going strong for twenty years! Their work ethic is exemplary. With Ghost, we take up Phantom of the Opera, one of my favourite tracks from their early period, and one of the few where I felt we could add a little something to it.

Best punk song in the world?

There are so many, because I was also brought up on the sounds of the Pistols, the Ramones, the Dead Kennedys... But as a kid, I never got tired of listening to The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle again, especially the sequence where Sid Vicious sings My Way. His version is one of my favourite songs of all time. What could be more awesome than to see a guy slaughtering this standard while doing the same, shooting the shit, with the audience that came to see him! It was like the ultimate middle finger, and it made me happy, and it showed me the way.

The band that remains the grail for you?

Queen, because the show side, the big show, is the ultimate for me. In the early 70s, my favourite musical period, there were no big shows yet, like the Stones started doing afterwards. Queen is the same. Of course, their best albums are from the 70s, but the peak of their career for me is the Wembley concert in 1986. Magic wasn't a great record, but the show was breathtaking, dantesque, with a repertoire as vast as it was delirious. If Ghost could ever come close to the 1986 Queen, I would be delighted.

The greatest Swedish band?

ABBA, of course. No one will ever be able to stand in their way. The Beatles are the monarchs of English rock, ABBA the monarchs of Swedish pop. Björn and Benny are national heroes. I found myself at a huge, formal party when Benny suddenly sat down at the piano and started Thank You For the Music. There was silence in a second. This guy is a monument. You can't imagine what ABBA has done, not only for pop music, but also for Sweden and the Swedes. This band proved that you can move mountains.

Which Ghost song are you most proud of?

Cirice, probably. I often write my songs by singing into my phone a melody that is in my head. We were about to finish the album Meliora. And the co-producer tells me that a really heavy and powerful track is missing. I tell him I have this heavy, heavy, macabre sounding tune with a long intro and a crushing riff. He suggests I tweak it while he goes for a run. When he came back, I had written a chorus, lyrical, catchy. It wasn't the leaden track he was hoping for. But it won us a Grammy!

The most evil band?

Certainly not Mercyful Fate, as one might imagine. They, like most Norwegian death metal bands, more or less satanic, are the most charming guys I've ever met. They seem more like nice teachers than evil creatures. The scariest band is probably Von, a mythical American black metal band from Hawaii. These guys were really scary, with their terrifying size, they looked really dangerous. But I think the evil is mostly on the side of those who pretend to defend the good. For me, the most evil and unattractive musician is Ted Nugent. He's pro-life, pro-hunting, and claims he's only fighting for freedom. But the world he defends is about as free and tolerant as Vladimir Putin's. I refuse to listen to him.

[ferie-anon]

Wayv dissection of birth-chart (Big 5 placements)

Note: Wayv’s group synastry is very compatible or balanced in a way, which also makes sense why their teamwork is great and their bond as a family.

Kun: January 1st 1996

Capricorn sun • Taurus moon • Capricorn mercury • Aquarius venus • Capricorn mars

With a capricorn stellium in his big 6, he rlly embodies the discipline and maturity of that energy, him being the leader and also caring for the members like a dad. He is strict yet knows when to have fun or let the members fool around, as his taurus moon paired with his capricorn sun makes him more chill yet draws the line at certain things. The way he conveys himself and leads is evident in his capricorn mercury, as he is responsible and practical. The members trust and rely on Kun for his reliability and sense of responsibility.

Ten: February 27th 1996

Pisces sun • Gemini moon • Aquarius mercury • Aries venus • Pisces mars

Chaotic energy and creativity 100x in his big 6 lol. He has a lot of ideas and creative vision that he can unleash thru projects such as his solo songs, his dance, and on top of that he can draw and etc. He’s also witty, sassy, and can make a killer comeback line, which Ten having all the star quality to capture the public’s attention. He does well on variety shows with tidbits and tea on other members which helps with the comedic timing of things. His placements also make sense for his free-spirited nature, how he follows his heart and has so many creative ideas to go with. He goes with how he feels on how to artistically convey the songs, appeal to the audience, and that makes him a great artist in the idol industry. A strong breeze thru kpop industry is wut Ten is.

Winwin: October 28th 1997

Scorpio sun • Virgo moon • Scorpio mercury • Sagittarius venus • Sagittarius mars

Quiet yet hardworking and sharp, Winwin is adored for how hard he works for what he is passionate for (eg. Acting, performing in nct). Also pretty witty and sarcastic with his wayv members and nct. He wants to show his mature and cool sides a lot but also he is seen as endearing and adorable on the way he practices and tries earnestly. Sagittarius venus and mars individuals are naturally athletic and have a knack for dancing and learning the key points of dance moves, it can explain why winwin is rlly good at dancing and grooving, plus predebut he was in a dance school in china I believe. His sag mars makes sense for why he delves into multiple hobbies or interests, this can be expressed thru his career or as a side-skill he would develop. Its probably why hes interested in acting career too. With his scorpio sun and virgo moon perfectionistic yet passionate nature, he’s able to express his artistic and musical expression and perfect it naturally.

Xiaojun: August 8th 1999

Leo sun • Cancer moon • Cancer mercury • Virgo venus • Scorpio mars

Sensitive yet thoughtful, he is usually the one receiving pranks and jokes from the other members yet he has a high eq (emotional intelligence) and the members usually joke with him becuz he’s quite expressive and they like seeing his reactions. He’s understanding and thinks about things genuinely which is why he can get worked up sometimes but in a endearing way to fans. He cares for his members and is very pure in the sense he does his best with passion and love, performing and singing - he’s good at expressing or getting into emotions (leo sun and cancer moon) which is why he also acted in a c-drama. Since he’s good at expressions and etc, when he’s performing his stage presence and key moves are very eye-catching.

Hendery: September 28th 1999

Libra sun • Taurus moon • Libra mercury • Leo venus • Sagittarius mars

His big 6 screams chaotic energy and expressiveness. He has a lot of fun or ideas in him which he can bring to light on stage and thru other creative endeavors. With his taurus moon paired with his libra sun, he may be grounded depending on his environment as seen between interactions with wayv vs. other nct units. He was more shy or quiet when with the other nct units during make a wish promotions and etc since that was the first the wayv members were introduced to the nct units comebacks. He is understanding and conscious of how to interact and once navigating the waters he’ll adapt and show himself more. His comedic timing is gold with libra mercury + leo venus + sag mars, so making other people laugh and being dramatic is his love language in a way. He is witty, knows when and wut to say, overall the spot of entertainment. He goes with the flow at times and hits up with a comedic line or dialogue that matches up with the situation or mood.

Yangyang: October 10th 2000

Libra sun • Pisces moon • Scorpio mercury • Scorpio venus • Virgo mars

All rounder prankster maknae is wut his big 6 screams. Yangyang being a libra sun with water energy of scorpio and a pisces moon makes him very creative and passionate. His pisces moon makes him sensitive to others reactions or aware of it, he’s understanding and receptive of others reactions and dynamics. His scorpio mercury paired with his pisces moon makes him playful and loves to joke with his loved ones, whether thats thru witty lines or roasting them. His scorpio mercury paired with his sun and moon placement makes him inquisitive and one to get to the bottom of things if he wanted to, which can contrast his duality of being playful and all but then he can be very “sharp” when focused on something. His venus and mars placement would further refute his work ethic with his attention to detail and organized approach paired with passion and drive to complete something when he wants to, whether thats thru solo projects, dance performances, etc. Yangyang puts his all, passion, thru wa lot of things, which is why he can rap, dance, and sing — and works to hone his skills which is why he’s well rounded in most of the skills an idol needs.

[the-corvus-luna]

The Tsubasa Chronicle 'Problem'

No eye, no heart, no time, no feathers, and..... no show.

It's April 9th, 2005, 6:30 p.m. BLAZE blares loudly on the TV while you sit in a dimly lit room, slurping whatever instant ramen you could find. You catch the faint silhouettes of familiar characters from Cardcaptor Sakura, looking a bit older, along with a few new faces you don't recognize yet... a new journey, a new world.

CLAMP's Multidimensional Masterpiece.

The legendary Yuki Kajiura's compositions bring the story to life. "Song of Storm and Fire" sparks that electric feeling of excitement and tension just before Syaoran kicks into battle. Eri Itou’s breathy voice floats delicately, much like Sakura’s own feathers, adding a sense of ethereal beauty. The animation is fluid and action-packed, just as you'd expect from Bee Train.

What the hell happened? How did an internationally successful anime with 2 seasons, 1 movie, and 2 OVA's that leave the story incomplete.... what the hell?!

To find out to get the full story, you have to read the manga?!

Was it just bad like this guy's review suggests?

Is it really... a bad... anime?

Let's go on a journey about how censorship ruins everything, a broadcasting company's unreasonable demands, and a group of stubborn artists who refuse to have their story modified.

First off, based on my basic research, Japanese TV shows don't have to comply with rating laws like in the US. Before any US show airs, you usually see a rating in the top left corner—common ones for kids’ shows are Y7, meaning they’re appropriate for children 7 years or older. The US rating for Tsubasa Chronicle was TV-PG. But if you know anything about this series, it’s definitely not TV-PG... more like TV-14, and maybe even TV-MA at certain points, depending on your tolerance for darker themes.

Tsubasa Chronicle originally showed on NHK-E, an educational channel, alongside a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen...

While Japan might not have a formal TV rating system, it’s probably safe to assume that NHK would prioritize age-appropriate content. Ultimately, it’s NHK���s decision what airs on their network. For example, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (which, unsurprisingly, isn’t shown on any NHK network) airs around 11:00 p.m. The later time slot allows for more graphic content without much concern.

I can hear you screaming from the void, "TSUBASA CHRONICLE ISN'T EDUCATIONAL!" And honestly, if you’ve watched the anime, it’s not educational in the traditional sense... unless you count four people learning how to cope with massive amounts of trauma in various forms.

But Cardcaptor Sakura was kid-friendly… and someone who looks just like her stars in Tsubasa.

Magic Knight Rayearth was so educational it's anime was funded by a government grant!

I think NHK was expecting them to adapt the anime to be more 'educationally friendly' due to other properties they worked on... joke's on NHK, though.

The first issue I remember hearing was how NHK wanted to censor all alcohol references from Tsubasa.

From this interview from 2005 at around the 9:30 mark, we get to have a rare look at their art studio/research library and most important, the bar. Alcohol is a part of their creative process, and based on the KyotoHoLiC collaboration with traditional sake brewers, it means they have no intention to hide their passion for relaxation... not for NHK or anyone.

Second issue, graphic imagery. When the anime came out, the manga was only to volume chapter 66 - chapter 73 (Tsubasa Onmibus Vol 4)...literally 3 pages into the next chapter is the start of the graphic imagery that eventually leads into violent fights, lots of blood, and death by the end of the series. That's assuming that NHK didn't get a sneak peak at what the story was going to become.

For people who've read the Omnibus, to goes from Piffle World to Recourt to the 'Acid Wasteland'... quite the tone shift when NHK picked up this anime for a kid friendly educational show.

That's why Tsubasa Chronicle was canceled, or at least my general theory. Sadly there's no official reason for the cancelation. CLAMP did run Kobato on NHK-E in 2009, so the censorship and eventual cancelation didn't not burn the bridge between them.

Sadly, NHK did cancel a show that was not only getting a following internationally but also had it's own international merchandise sold at retailers! I will always treasure my US Mokona Modoki Soel plush, matching backpack, and Fai's Staff necklace.

Don't forget, even Gaia Online even had a huge promotional event where players had to track down Sakura's feathers alongside other promotional events such as Magic the Gathering and Hollywood produced movies... and that was in 2007, after the anime series was already cancelled, never able to reach the conclusion.

Do yourself a favor and I'd suggest reading this manga if you loved the anime back in the day, but know that the lighthearted whimsy and sweetness of the anime is a palate cleanser for what NHK deemed they could not put on TV.

I found an unsubstantiated rumor on the fandom page about how the S2 opening was already storyboarded in Character Guide Vol 2., but NHK made them re-do it. I'm trying to track down that PDF so figure out what they cut, but it's a difficult one to find.

I did find a short of someone thumbing through their Japanese copy.

Holy shit! That's the scene in CLAMP in Wonderland 2 that's eluded to, but we never see play out in the anime. NHK made them get rid of their weapons for boxing with shadows? I guess Sakura's image also had to be 'softened' too. Ick.

[outsidereveries]

very old asks from curiouscat (13th august 2023—16th august 2023)

still 13th august 2023

what outsiders think of ive's busy schedule (tour + october comeback)? (orig. worded differently)

the hermit, 4 of wands, 3 of cups rx • the magician

roughly the thoughts are neutral, however i see some of their fans disconnection with the group in some form as they seem to overthink starship’s desicions. although local dives will be happy such as korean and japanese ones (possibly chinese ones too considering wonyoung’s questionable part-taiwanese ethnicity), the disharmony cannot be ignored. the lack of harmony might be issue between the members of the group and it could be just seen too obviously? i doubt the disharmony thing is with the c-bars here tbh

wonyoung, future solo gigs

she might:

- be in commercials (cf’s)

- appear in radio show/s or anything, related to the radio

- be on magazines such as her being in the cover issue of one, or interview in there

(interviews seem to appear lowkey strong)

- do outside-related activities

- do more activities in south korea (taiwan possibly too if she’s actually part-taiwanese)

- try to compose songs

- be accused of racism in any form

- be accused of having plastic surgery (i am sure she has rhinoplasty and lip fillers, probably pernament ones, but it can be about anything else)

- break a law (for example, improper crossing)

+ be more active on youtube, bubble and instagram

is the current government of italy.. fascists?

6 of pentacles, the sun, 6 of wands, 2 of swords rx, 10 of pentacles • 4 of swords

I am sorry but how the fuck their current government is fascist? The country’s current coalition want to give the Italians the best they can do. It looks like the Italians striked gold with them. However I see some delays as there are other unions and people, and so on to please (ahem, NATO/EU). It looks like the Italians’ current government is the best they can have for now. This isn’t fascist at all.

Overall I see the Italians’ current government genuine. NATO and EU want to fuck them up so and that’s the main issue. Why this does feel so similar? Oh, wait.

joe biden's ideology (for his presidency; orig. different wordplay)

10 of cups, 5 of swords, 2 of pentacles, 6 of wands, 10 of pentacles • 4 of swords

- to betray USA’s citizens

- to make their citizens feel anger, resentment even: i sense war, fire

- to raise the amount of protests for injustice and therefore, to make themselves “superheroes” when they’re the responsible ones for this

jiwoong, solo gigs

he might:

- be more active on social medias such as twitter if zb1 have freedom there, bubble?? and instagram

- appear on fashion related events (i don’t see him as brand ambassador for now..)

- have individual fan-meetings in some form?

- try voice acting if he hasn’t already

- appear on variety shows

- do cover songs or self-made ones, he wants to try compose songs

- have more activities in buildings

- be more active in south korea

- try songwriting

- be called out for anything related to racism

- call out something or someone for anything inappropriate

- called out for doing something wrong

14th august 2023

zayn, career reading (until 2024)

the star, the tower, 3 of wands, page of wands • the hanged man

it can go quite well! i can see him going to travel to somewhere, so it can be usa tour or even world one, but we have to be patient about it.

why most girl groups don’t last long like boy groups in the kpop industry?

king of pentacles, 6 of wands rx, ace of cups • the emperor

The reasons are simply for their own relevance as it looks like most of the boy groups won’t do well individually. The girl groups, no matter formerly or not can do better individually rather than in their own groups (overall). That’s why the groups that are disbanding are mainly girl ones. Because of their own individual relevance, they cannot afford risking it.

will skz become the top group under jype?

the hermit, page of swords, the fool • 4 of pentacles rx

In its maximum they’ll tie them, but passing them.. I doubt it.

woozi, career reading + general reading

Career: 8 of wands, 9 of pentacles, knight of cups, 5 of cups rx, 7 of pentacles • 4 of cups rx

General: queen of cups, 3 of pentacles, 9 of pentacles, 8 of wands • 4 of cups rx

Quite great in both aspects, however his personal life is tightly connected with his personal one. I see he will be busy with doing offers that are beneficial for him to do them so. His life is connected with his group so apart from him being with them and his solo gigs, nothing else.

ariana grande's motto of this year

7 of swords • the lovers

It’s your own choice how you are in your personal life.

how wonyoung views yujin (ive)'s it girl porential?

the fool • 4 of pentacles rx

A breath of fresh air, she sees her potential going stronger with the time but with risks, Wonyoung sees Yujin as egoistical workaholic and she thinks that Yujin has to manage her work with her personal life in a way she doesn’t exhaust herself.

will ryujin have solo gigs this year?

ace of pentacles rx, the hierophant, 7 of cups • king of cups

Um, I personally doubt it. She seems to be under the rug despite of the offers. JYPE made them on hold or declined them. The chance is tiny to me.

wonyoung's thoughts about jeon somi's career

the hermit rx • page of pentacles

Isolated as fuck, TBL isn’t the right for Somi herself, she should’ve signed somewhere else. Wonyoung’s aware of her actual potential especially when both of them were first in the produce series.

somi and wonyoung's thoughts on their personalities

Wonyoung towards Somi: 9 of wands, knight of wands • 2 of swords rx

Very smart, patient, persistent, with many ambitions for herself. However she sees all of this under the rug and it’s not seen by everyone else except only a few, including Wonyoung herself.

Somi towards Wonyoung: page of swords • 8 of wands

Shining star, very communicative too. When she wants to do something, she’s going for it. Wonyoung can be her role mode for that, ngl

somi and kang daniel's thoughts on each other's career paths

Somi towards Daniel: 2 of cups, the empress • 3 of swords rx

Very harmonious with Daniel himself, also independent in some way (obviously bc Konnect is his label). Somi’s proud of the way Daniel is today.

Daniel towards Somi: 10 of wands • the magician

The thought itself is very neutral. He basically is thinking that whatever she does is her own responsibility for its results.

kang daniel's thoughts about somi's popularity

10 of cups rx • page of pentacles

Personally he’s sad that her career is like that because her potential can do so much more..

was lariste ruined because of marwa loud?

8 of cups, king of swords, judgement, 10 of cups, queen of swords rx • 7 of pentacles

The truth of the whole situation is that it is either simply for clout and everything was planned beforehand or I’m not allowed to see what’s the truth. The cards are very different from the whole situation that’s seen in the news blogs and even that youtuber who did 7 fucking parts about it🤷🏻‍♀️

twice's thoughts about jype's management

(s = swords, p = pentacles, c = cups, w = wands, a = ace), from nayeon to tzuyu

8srx/hermit; 5crx/ac; 10srx/devilrx; kingp,6s/6c; queenc/9p; 5srx/fool, ap+5w/lovers; 10c/judgement; kingp/6s

Nayeon would prefer to leave her company, she seems to not care about them at all.

Jeongyeon is saying “whatever” for the costs of OT9 TWICE. Neutral, I guess.

Momo is aware how they work. Nothing else for her.

Sana’s view is the same as Tzuyu with the addition that she’s disappointed but not suprised.

Jihyo is quite optimistic, probably because they focus on her individual career now bc she’s debuting soon.

Mina is indifferent about it.

Dahyun also seems indifferent but she’s the most pissed out of all of the girls. She sees this with its pros and cons but she cannot help but to be kind of mad.

Chaeyoung is feeling optimistic about them but doesn’t believe then fully.

Tzuyu would prefer to change the whole management tbh as they all think with their buttholes rather than their minds. They all think about money and while it can be food think, it doesn’t benefit her at all.

jype's plan for skz' solo paths: from bang chan to i.n.

10 of pentacles, judgement • queen of swords

JYPE’s intentions for Chan and Changmin’s solo careers are identical (quite great intentions in fact) with the difference that Changmin seems to be unaware of this. Like he’s their secret weapon?

the sun • 4 of wands

For Lee Know they’re very happy to do whatever he wants to. I see collaborations?

judgement, 10 of pentacles • queen of swords

(almost identical to chan)

7 of pentacles rx • the world

For Hyunjin however are very impatient, they want everything to happen very fast, they seem to be obsessed and they appearantly want him to be that idol who will sell out everything very fast.. They might want him to debut solo first, similar to Nayeon? Not sure.

the hermit rx • queen of wands

Han and Felix are basically trapped, JYPE’s intentions are to not focus on them individually at all.

knight of swords rx • 2 of wands

(similar to Han)

page of pentacles • 6 of wands

Their intentions towards Seungmin’s solo activities are good but they’re yet to be revealed to me, this seems very fresh.

strength • 3 of cups

It’s similar with I.N. (as Seungmin). I see however with the maknae something related to collaborations too.

(both in ive) wonyoung and yujin's thoughts on each other?

Wonyoung towards Yujin: 2 of pentacles • 2 of swords rx

Wonyoung’s cautious about Yujin, her thoughts are neutral but with warning from her side.

Viceversa: page of pentacles • 6 of wands

On the other side, Yujin sees Wonyoung as someone who’s by her side and makes her happy.

hailey bieber's thoughts on selena gomez

page of pentacles • 6 of wands

To Hailey Selena is dedicated person and that makes her happy. She’s not envious at all!

le sserafim's thoughts on yujin (ive) (asked for chaewon and sakura)

king of wands rx • 6 of cups

Their personalities are clashing so Chaewon might not match with Yujin at all. Despite that, she acknowledges her and what they’ve been through both. Nothing else.

strength, 8 of swords rx • temperance

Very balanced and courageous person who can do anything she wants to. I don’t see anything else.

le sserafim's thoughts on wonyoung

Starting from Sakura, then Chaewon and everyone else

5 of wands rx • queen of pentacles

Sakura’s thoughts are neutral to me.

10 of wands rx, 4 of swords rx • page of swords

Chaewon however is the most pessimistic of all - overwhelming, exhausting person.

the chariot rx • 6 of swords

Yunjin would prefer to move on from this topic as she thinks Wonyoung is too confusing.

9 of cups • 2 of pentacles

Kazuha is the most positive of all, she likes very much Wonyoung and loves how she balances her personal life with her job.

the chariot • 6 of swords

Eunchae likes Wonyoung’s willpower and ambitions to do anything. Simple as that.

americans' thoughts on trump's presidency

5 of wands rx • queen of pentacles

they would prefer to move on, they appreciate what trump has done in these 4 years but up to that. the opinions can be mixed or are neutral. nothing in between.

skz' hyunjin's thoughts on wonyoung

ace of pentacles rx • 9 of pentacles

very independent person who looks over how much she earns too much. he might be aware of her salary or sth like that.

gaeun's feelings of reuniting in a way with sakura, chaewon and yunjin

3 of cups, the chariot • 6 of swords

she was very happy to reunite with them in some way! only positive thoughts. well, there’s nothing much apart from that.

brief career look for jinwoo (winner, 2024)

8 of wands rx, 8 of swords rx, 5 of swords • death

he’s on survival mode. since he was in the military, he might want to work but cannot do it as properly as he wants to. there’s serious issues with yge for his solo career overall..

lee know, sullyoon, dynamics reading

the star rx, 10 of pentacles, the chariot rx • 7 of wands

they’re trying to be strictly colleguaes but their personalities are clashing too much. therefore, they might not work together even when they have to because of these conflicts they have.

15th august 2023

mingyu, solo gigs

he might be:

- brand ambassador (individually)

- act in any form

- have more photoshoots than usual

- be active on weverse, tiktok and instagram

- jiggling many activities in once

- traveling more regarding his solo activities

- self-compose songs

- doing unordinary, one of a kind content

- accused of racism

- involved in scandal/s and rumors

- calling out something or someone

matthew, solo gigs

he might do:

- OSTs

- collaborations in any form

- something that he owns, something he has done (basically anything, this is about solo activities!!)

- more posts on x, bubble and youtube

- many activities in once

- more activities both in south korea/canada and outside of these countries, he’ll manage them just fine

he also might:

- break a law

- be recognised from people in any way

- do any philanthropy actions

what kind of brand momo will be brand ambassador?

Type: queen of cups, judgement rx, knight of cups • 3 of swords rx

behind the scenes they’re too critical, perhaps they might be perfectionists. they seem to be balanced, so it can be big brand.

when: 4 hearts, 2 hearts, 4 diamonds, 8 clubs, 6 diamonds

Between a few days and 4 months if there’s offer for her that’s already accepted.

16th august 2023

korean government's thoughts on minors debuting in the k-pop industry?

ace of swords, 5 of pentacles rx • the lovers

They’re actually neutral to me as they see that this is the dreams of the children (to be idols). They accept that it’s their own choice so they’re not forcing them to have stronger opinions about this. They aren’t mad or have intentions to make them moneymakers or something like that so yeah, quite neutral opinion. They seem to support their dreams.

[unreadpoppy]

down by the river - Chapter 6

Raphael x Warlock!Tav

Read on AO3

Warning: The very end of this chapter gets slighlty dark.

A/N: No Raphael in this chapter, I'm afraid.

Chapter 5

The following days had been better. The group had interacted more with the tieflings of the Grove, understanding why they were refugees. Tav was intent on finding a way to solve the conflict between them and the druids without much bloodshed. 

Sha took time to learn about their lives. Bex and Dannis had plans of getting married, having their own house. Rolan would become a wizard, and Mol would probably expand her gang operation. Tav’s heart ached when she thought of the children, growing up in a hostile environment, without a home to call their own. Hells, if it wasn’t for Tav’s intervention, Arabella could have been killed. 

Tav tried to distract herself by interacting more with her companions. She introduced Karlach to Dammon, who offered a solution to her engine, so they had that to look forward to. Shadowheart had confided in Tav her fear of wolves, and the leader gave Wyll a few tips on how to care for his new horns. He wondered how she knew so much about it, but Tav kept that to herself. 

As they walked around the place, the sound of music picked up Tav’s ears. The walked up a hill and saw a young tiefling woman playing the lute and trying to come up with lyrics. Tav noticed how the girl’s voice began to break. 

Tav cleared the throat. “The tune is interesting but I think it needs some polishing.” 

The tiefling groaned. “It sounded like a cat being strangled. Godsdamnit.” 

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you alright?” Tav knew that composing music was hard, but she could tell there was something else going on.

“No.” The tiefling replied. “I’m moments away from a grisly death at the hands of this bloody song! I can’t…nothing fits, you know?” 

Tav nodded. “Perhaps I could help.” 

“Hum…it can’t hurt. I have her…I have an extra lute, if you want.” She handed it to Tav with a sad expression. 

She examined the instrument, her mind remembering the good old days. “Before we begin, what is the song about?” 

“My teacher, Lihala. She loved dancing, even if she had two left feet. One night on the road, I remember waking up and seeing her - dancing beneath the stars, a huge smile on her face.” The girl smiled but it quickly faded. “Thinking of it now, my heart hurts and my words seem to crumble…like ash.” At the same time, it was as if a spark ignited in the girl’s head. She sang “Words of mine will turn to ash…That’s perfect.” 

Tav began playing the lute, following the melody she heard Alfira play. The tiefling soon joined, the words coming out of her mouth to string together the song. One particular line hit Tav with a certain sadness and familiarity.

Faith, care, all the love I can’t repay.

Tav closed her eyes, focusing only on the girl’s voice, her fingers strumming their lute without her having to think about it.

Music had once been Tav’s life. It was good to have a part of it back. 

The tiefling finished singing and looked at Tav. “Thank you. I hadn’t been able to finish a song since Lihala died.” The tiefling looked down, sad, but then shook her head. “I’m Alfira, by the way. You play the lute very well.”

Tav smiled softly. “I…I used to be a bard, a long time ago. Haven’t had the chance to play in a long time.” 

“Really? Could you share something of yours?” 

Tav nodded, taking a deep breath. She began playing the tune she was very familiar with, the one she had written oh so long ago. 

Lace your heart with mine

Let your sleeping soul take flight

Take me through the night

Down, down, down by the river 

Hanging moon in fog

Mists will lead where you belong 

Sweep me off my feet

Down, down down by the river

Tav stopped singing - although she continued playing the lute - becoming overcome with grief. Grief for the life that was taken from her, grief for what could have been, grief for the girl she once was. 

She stopped. “I apologize. It has been a long time since this song. It brings back old memories.” Tav made a motion to return the lute but Alfira placed a hand over hers, shaking her head. 

“It’s yours. I want you to have it.” She smiled. “As a thank you, for all that you have done.” Tav nodded, placing the lute amongst her other things. She said her goodbyes and walked away. 

A moment of silent passed before Shadowheart spoke up. For a brief second, Tav had forgotten about her fellow companions. 

“So…you used to be a bard?” 

“Yes.” Tav replied. “But that life is long past me.” 

“Why? You played and sang really well.” 

Tav shrugged. “Things happened. I no longer had…time nor energy to focus on my craft, especially after I became Raphael’s warlock.” That was a half-truth. Although Tav was honest about the time, she left out the part that she used to play in the House of Hope. 

But that was something she’d rather keep to herself. 

Tav turned around to look at them. “If you guys behave for the rest of the day, I’ll finish playing the song before we rest tonight.” She winked at them and continued walking forwards. Shadowheart, Astarion and Wyll all looked at each other and smiled. 

…

Back at camp, everyone sat in front of Tav, their legs crossed, while she sat in a stool. In a way, it reminded her of when she played for the children, back at home. 

She arranged the lute in her lap, repeating the lyrics from earlier, but now continuing she song. Memories of her past flashed while she sang. 

Inky embers 

Swirl and dance 

Just leap the flames to take a chance

To be with me tonight

The first time she sang in public. The first boy she kissed, the first she sneaked out of the house. 

Take my hand

And hold it tight

Cause you and I are everywhere

Her first time in the House of Hope, her signing Raphael’s contract. The first time they had kissed.

The night is young

We're going down down down by the river

Down down down by the river

Down down down by the river

Don't wake me up

Just leave me there

Dreaming

She finished playing. Everyone was silent, looking in awe. 

“That was beautiful, Tav.” Wyll said. “You should play more, in other times.” 

Tav nodded her head. “I think I’ll retire for the night now. But I appreciate you guys being interested.”

“Always.” Karlach said. 

That night, sleep evaded Tav. She closed her eyes, not dreaming, but remembering the past. 

She must have been twenty, twenty-one, back then. She didn’t have the same face nor name she has now. 

She was doing the usual. The tavern keeper would let her play, as long as she gave him some of the coins she received. He didn’t ask for much, so she didn’t mind. 

That particular night, the place was crowded and the audience lively. Her hat had been filled to the brim, she almost feared it would break. 

She remembered a gentleman, one who she had noticed was paying a lot of attention to her songs during her presentation. After she had finished, he offered to buy her a drink. She remembered refusing it. Her mama always told her to refuse it. But something….she didn’t know what, compelled her to accept it after a moment of insistence from him. Maybe it was the strange glow in his eye. 

Whatever it had been, it made her drink the damned thing. And next thing she knew, she woke up in a cold dungeon.

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY & THE SWANS

BALL, CAPOTE & PALEY

The new FX series "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" depicts a world that Lucille Ball knew all too well - wealth, fame and celebrity. Although she does not inhabit the New York Society of Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Ann Woodward, C.Z. Guest, Gloria Guinness and others, she and her Desilu empire lie just outside of it - her influence on the era keenly felt.

Episode 1 of the teleplay ("Pilot") begins in 1958, and takes us to the executive boardroom of CBS in New York. There, Bill Paley (Treat Williams) holds forth, a photo of Lucy and Desi prominently hovering over his shoulder.

In this room, the Paley and the CBS brass made programming moves played out on a schedule board. The Monday 9pm time slot is occupied by "I Love Lucy", with a small photo of Lucy and Desi (the same one that hung on the wall) tucked into the title card - as if they needed reminding of who they were! The only slight faux pas is that "I Love Lucy" (as a half hour series) did not run in 1958. Its final episode aired in May 1957. It then became an hour-long celebrity-driven musical comedy hour under the banner of "The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse." Paley and CBS probably wanted Lucy and Desi for a 7th season, but Desi had other plans. He wouldn't kill the Ricardos (metaphorically) but relegate them to specials, interspersed with Desilu productions of new drama and comedy. It is possible that the action of "Feud" in this scene lies somewhere in that murky period between Desi's plans, and Paley's wishes for a seventh season of the half-hour format.

In actuality, during 1958, the 9pm Monday time slot was occupied by "The Danny Thomas Show" (filmed at Desilu) and "The Ann Sothern Show" (produced by Desilu). Monday also featured the Desilu Western "The Texan," making the only half hour of CBS's Monday primetime NOT created by Lucy and Desi "Father Knows Best."

Episode 6 ("Hats, Gloves, and Effete Homosexuals") set in 1978 includes a luncheon conversation at La Cote that mentions Lucille Ball and Lucie Arnaz. Truman's new boyfriend Rick (Vito Schnabel) is a handyman who once fixed Ball's air conditioner in Palm Springs.

Truman has promised to bring Rick to see They're Playing our Song on Broadway starring Lucie Arnaz. Rick says that he met little Lucie while she was swimming laps.

BILL & BABE PALEY

The power and influence of William S. Paley cannot be underestimated. He literally built CBS (the Columbia Broadcasting System) from a small radio station to a multi-media conglomerate, serving as Chairman for much of its existence. He shepherded CBS from radio to television, and was responsible for giving the green light to Lucille Ball making the transition from "My Favorite Husband" to "I Love Lucy," bringing her real-life husband along for the ride. Without Paley and Lucy, CBS would not have gotten a foothold in an industry dominated by the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).

Paley's second wife was socialite Barbara Cushing Mortimer, who he married the year before he met Lucille Ball. Mortimer is best known as Babe Paley, and she was Truman Capote's favorite of the Swans. In "Lucy's Barbershop Quartet" (1963), the group needs to find a replacement singer for the group and Viv suggests the unseen character of Barbara Cushing, who is a soloist in their church choir. Although Lucy, Viv, Thelma, and Dorothy were definitely not swans (more like Danfield Ducks) the writers were tipping their hat to the big boss's wife.

A few years later, in "Lucy Meets Danny Kaye" (1964), Kaye telephones Bill Paley to see if he has any spare tickets for his show to give fan Lucy. The best he can do is tickets to "The Jackie Gleason Show." Paley does not appear, nor do we hear his voice.

In real life, Paley and Ball were both in the first group of inductees to the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1984. Ball and Paley sat at the same table together at the ceremony.

In 1976, he joined those paying tribute to Lucy on "Lucy and CBS: The First 25 Years." Paley and his wife Babe had homes in Manhasset Long Island, and Squam New Hampshire, respectively known as Kiluna Farm South, and Kiluna Farm North, where they entertained a myriad of celebrities, Lucille Ball among them.

TRUMAN CAPOTE

On screen Lucille Ball had little to no interaction with writer Truman Capote. But in her personal life, Ball was guest at at least one of his lavish parties. Gary and Lucy's photo album included a photo of the Mortons at a December 13, 1975 party hosted by Capote, Allan Carr, and John O'Shea in Lincoln Heights, a wealthy neighborhood of Los Angeles. The 'mug shot' was part of a party game where guests were 'arrested' and forced to pay bail in order to get released. The money was usually donated to the host's favorite charity.

In July 1978, Capote joined Lucille Ball at Westbury Music Fair to see Lucie Arnaz perform in "Annie Get Your Gun".

Capote's one foray into acting was in Neil Simon's Murder By Death (1976), a camp comedy send-up of Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries where Capote played the eccentric host, Lionel Twain. The film featured a few stars with close connections to Lucille Ball.

Peter Sellars (Sidney Wang) starred in Will The Real Mr. Sellars...?, an oddball film from 1969 with a very brief cameo by Lucille Ball courtesy of hidden camera footage.

Elsa Lanchester (Jessica Marbles) famously guest-starred on "I Love Lucy" as a woman who may - or may not be - a hatchet murderess. In 1973, she appeared on "Here's Lucy" as kooky bank robber Mumsie Westcott.

Although screen writer Neil Simon never wrote for Lucille Ball, or even appeared on the same screen with her, they did share credits on two television shows. He was a staff writer on “The Garry Moore Show,” which Lucy appeared on in 1960. Simon and Ball were both featured on “Bob Hope’s World of Comedy” (1976), but were not onstage at the same time.  It was Lucie Arnaz who worked closest with Simon. She starred on Broadway in They’re Playing Our Song (for which Simon wrote the libretto) in 1978. She then took over the role of Bela in Simon's Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play Lost in Yonkers in 1992.

MISC. SWANS

Vivian Vance doing an in-character commercial for Swan dish soap on "The Lucy Show." Swan was made by Lever Brothers, and was discontinued in 1974.

SWAN SONGS

LUCY: "Would you begrudge an expectant swan her song?" RICKY: "You seem to forget that this particular swan has no talent." ~ Lucy's Show Biz Swan Song (1952)

LUCY: “It’s time for that swan to hit the come-back trail.” FRED: “That swan’s got a little ham in it.”  ~ The Indian Show (1953)

[9800sblog]

https://www.tumblr.com/9800sblog/752413680504897536/hey-i-love-your-readings-please-can-you-do-ateez?source=share

Can you do the same with Straykids?

stray kids tarot reading

current vibes

all

justice, page of pentacles, the empress, 7 of swords

like I said in yesterday's pick a card, pirates steal back what's theirs by right. they're having a sweet time being troublemakers, the shuffle song says everything, "if your beliefs are strict, I'm a villain", "it'll be remembered as a new era, unforgiven", also "my voice is kinda loud, I don't care, just shout it out". + "now all I think about is how my world turned upside down" from their latest release featuring charlie puth!

bang chan

3 of pentacles, ace of wands reversed, the hermit

"events eminent, 'where did we come from?'" isn't that the most stray kids thing another kpop group could do/say? he's very focused on work, different types of work he does, specially those he has consistent desire towards, ones that burn an eternal flame. he's in a bit of a meditative state, contemplating and planning, this clearly isn't something new, as the ace is reversed, "it's not a comeback, cause we never left" type of vibe.

lee know

queen of cups, death, ace of cups reversed

similar vibes, nothing new, more the rebirth of something everlasting. he seems very fulfilled, his life has faced tremendous change which he's dealing in a very positive way, an opportunist way. he seems less focused on work, more focused on hobbies and metaphorical spring cleaning.

changbin

the emperor reversed, king of cups, the hanged man reversed

very much "they see us as a bunch of troublemakers, it won't be an easy one to change their views", he may be finding delight in revenge lately. don't forget that hybe has been under investigation which includes the entire industry, since it's part of the korean government. he may be a little crazy, I wouldn't wanna be on his bad side, if that's the spread.

hyunjin

ace of wands, the hermit reversed, the fool reversed

this shuffled song is interesting since his spread has a similar message to mingi's part on the ateez reading of yesterday. a bit of an explosive type of vibe, impulsive, mostly, and I do mean if you irritate him he may punch you, the ace of wands literally has that image + something similar to police baton.

han

the devil reversed, 10 of cups, page of swords

"a can that's shiny on the outside, empty on the outside, kick it", stray kids' songs and music videos are great representation of their current vibes, this spread makes me think of s-class. having a great time with family and friends, probably, may be enjoying teaching children, cousins, nephews, etc. he's very hopeful of a good future with a smarter, easier generation.

felix

3 of wands reversed, 9 of pentacles, queen of pentacles, 4 of swords

have you seen this man in your dreams? frustratingly perfect would be a good way of putting it, cards took a while to fall as they were shuffling so systematically, unusual. he seems to have interest for the occult recently, literally what is hidden and scary, getting in your way may be his specialty. trouble kids being members of stray kids just make perfect sense, right?

seungmin

king of swords reversed, 3 of swords, the star, the fool reversed

like i said, this spread reminds me of maniac, "we're a group of maniacs", delighted for some broken opportunities? people that relish in mess and fear, he has everything he needs to end someone/something, including himself, and he's very haooy about it, that's all this spread is about.

I.N

10 of swords, page of wands, 6 of cups reversed, death reversed

what a messy vibe!! talk about keeping remorse. this spread + song makes me think of science and extraterrestrial experiments [cue stray kids - megaverse], it's giving 60's mad scientist vibes, "in your game, I'm a problem, such a freak, such a headache". nothing more standing out, he's clearly excited about experiencing some breakthroughs.

[thesinglesjukebox]

LISA - "ROCKSTAR"

We're generally okay with this sort of rock-ism...

[6.44]

Kat Stevens: Like when there was a wasp trapped behind the radiator in the office and my colleague threw her shoe at it (complimentary). [8]

Leah Isobel: Equal parts delightful and boring, "Rockstar" distinguishes itself from LISA's previous solo material by having ideas, or at least the semblance of them: the switches between celestial melody and skittering momentum, the blunt sexuality of the post-chorus, and the critique embedded in the chorus' "teach me Japanese" bit all point to a real personality. But its blockbuster soundscape and paucity of structural interest -- that chorus is worn out by the third repetition -- squeeze out the more interesting parts. It's a La Croix song, with just a hint of flavor beneath all the empty fizz. [5]

Jonathan Bradley: “‘Lisa, can you teach me Japanese?’/I said ‘hai, hai’” is such an ostentatiously silly lyric, especially for one that recurs that many times, but it helps lighten a song that could otherwise be too self-serious in its stunting. LISA's got a likeable charisma, but she doesn’t fit imperious well, which is perhaps why her royal fanfare comes in the form of a mere Tame Impala sample. Likewise, that sample drops in just before the harsh pinging production threatens to become alienating. A pose of indomitability that is fortunate not to be as uncompromising as it imagines itself to be. [7]

Taylor Alatorre: The self-orientalizing doesn't land as hard as it should because it aims a bit too broadly -- after two decades of hallyu, it's more plausible that an oblivious fan would mistake Lisa for being Korean than Japanese. Hip hop is built on hyperbole, but the low-hanging "all look same" punchline represents a missed opportunity to foreground her status as the only Thai member of a flagship K-pop group. CL, while lacking such status, seemed to have more fun with her version of this trick on "Hello Bitches," zipping from Macau to Kakao to sake with breathless irreverence. But "Rockstar" is more stylishly produced than "Hello Bitches" was, with a refurbished griminess built of interlocking machine parts. If the end result is to evoke the kind of amalgamated cyber-Asia that forms the backbone of Bullet Train and Elon's Twitter feed, that isn't the worst possible thing; at least it gives the joke a proper setting. [6]

Will Adams: Much like a lesser known Rihanna single of a similar title, "Rockstar" is an endearing game of play-pretend that doesn't take itself too seriously. Do I believe LISA is actually a rock star? No. Do I believe she's having fun? Oh yeah. [7]

Ian Mathers: It didn't fuck me up when I saw people roughly my age noting that kids these days will sometimes refer to "taping" shows without understanding why we call it that, or that they don't recognize what the save icon is a picture of. But I did get a bit of a jolt listening to this and realizing that "rockstar" as a term is probably as referent-less these days as "dialing" a phone number is (and that's without getting into the precipitous and not wholly unwelcome decline of calling people). That doesn't mean the use of "rockstar" feels inappropriate here at all; for the length of "Rockstar" LISA certainly feels like one in the modern sense, even as the song doesn't even vaguely gesture towards the music genre that used to inform the term. But who cares? It kinda bangs. [7]

Nortey Dowuona: James Essien, a Ghanaian songwriter who cowrote "Hurt People" for Belizeian-Trinidadian pop singer Kamal., is one of the three co-writers (along with Delacey of "Drama Queen" and Lucy Healey of "imtyn"  by Grace Enger), alongside producers Ryan Tedder and Sam Homaee. These have nothing to do with the light faux Tame Impala drums that play for two bars, but I'd rather mention all of that than anything that happens in this song. [3]

Katherine St. Asaph: I don't know how I feel about Ryan Tedder being brat. [6]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Perhaps the most obnoxious piece of music I've heard this year. [9]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[orangemocharaktajino]

For a show that was bad pretty much from the beginning, Beyond the Star really outdid themselves by making the final episode so much worse than the rest. This was probably the worst final episode I've ever seen (other than MODC) and that's kinda impressive.

My toxic trait is if the NC scenes are good enough, I can forgive plot holes big enough to drive a bus through.

I loved Tonnam and Phupha, especially in episodes 6 and 7. And unfortunately that's where the fun ends because this bus is just too big.

I have been known to obsess over objectively bad shows before because my main goal as a viewer is entertainment. Sometimes bad writing and ridiculousness can be their own type of fun, imo.

I initially started watching Beyond the Star only because of Willi (Kita) who I loved in another high heat show with very questionable writing, Till the World Ends.

From the initial trailer of Beyond the Star, it seemed like the main storyline would be about twins Tin and Tul (played by actual twins and not simply one actor!) fighting over a man. Now, when I say man, I mean it because another thing that I was excited about initially was this cast's ages. The average age of the main cast is just shy of thirty years old which is something I would frankly love to see more of. Kind of weird for this to happen with a story about a new boyband, but hey.

The main characters and the ages of the actors who play them:

Kita - 34

Nathee - 27

Kengkla - 27

Namo - 26

Tonnam - 27

Phupha - 29

Trin - 30

Tul - 30 (obviously)

Copper - 30

Dance instructor Kawi - 30

CEO Araya - 33

CEO Kiat - 35

I didn't include the babies of the group Mawin (20) and Mangkorn (20) in this because I feel like we got more scenes of other characters explaining away their absence than we got scenes of them. They weren't even in the last two episodes at all so their story had absolutely no resolution.

Unfortunately that's kind of the case for most of the plot lines in this show. We had way too many characters with simultaneously too much going on and not enough going on. Way too much of the CEOs plotting only for them to inexplicably team up at the end. And way too much dance rehearsal footage that apparently needed to be shown instead. The last episode was chock full of loose threads.

I have so many questions

Why so many scenes of Nathee talking about how hot Kita's dad was when he was younger?

Why did they do Willi like this with this wig?

What happened with Kita and Nathee's relationship? Why did they have zero scenes in the finale?

What happened with Film's blackmail plot?

Why wasn't Nathee in the group at the end yet and previously disgraced Kita was?

What happened with Kita and Kawi being pissed about Kita's song being stolen?

Narrator: He did not deal with anything

Why wait until the very last episode to do anything with Tul and Tin and Copper? Okay, so Tul told Tin early on that he liked Copper. Tin agreed not to pursue Copper only to then immediately fuck him the very first chance he got? They decided to have a quickie in the bathtub while Tul was running a simple errand that he would be back from very soon? Not only did they not hurry, they didn't even close the fucking bathroom door????? Tul and Tin almost immediately made up after this even though apparently they already fought over a guy in the past?

Why did Kengkla even like Namo? Bro straight up told him his religious beliefs were stupid and they never really addressed this?

Did they break Namo's glasses during their sex scene? They showed Kengkla taking off Namo's glasses and putting them on the bed beside them and then a few seconds later they seemingly rolled over on them?

What was with Kengkla's pained expressions during their NC scene in the finale? Between that and Namo's unhinged smiling paired with the throat grabbing I couldn't tell what was supposed to be happening there. Kinky shit? Does Namo use cosmopolitan magazine's 2004 indian burn handie technique? Too much teeth? The possibilities are endless

Tell me this man isn't Bajoran though with his religious devotion, nose bridge wrinkles, and dangly earrings

Why even include the suicide attempt plot line? The whole thing was infuriating but especially them patting themselves on the back for solving Tonnam's suicidal tendencies by comforting him in the hospital?

You don't have to be sad buddy, you've improved as a dancer!

Narrator: It was not resolved

Also, here's where I have to admit I gave the writing team too much credit. I repeatedly thought that scenes were surely included for a bigger narrative purpose but that was overwhelmingly not the case.

In earlier episodes they showed a hidden camera in one of the rehearsal rooms at the agency that was, unbeknownst to the boys, streaming online. When they showed Phupha and Tonnam about to get it on at the agency and Tonnam specifically said he was worried about being seen, I thought that they were maybe going to be unknowingly exposed online and cause a huge scandal. When I saw the promo for the finale where it showed Tonnam on the ground with pills all around him, I thought for sure that was where they were going. I thought it was a little late for a big plot point like that but oh, how little I knew.

Why have Kengkla asking repeatedly why they're focusing so much on singing and dancing when he wants to be an actor only to have him turn down the acting job so he can be in a different boyband at the end?

Bad writing, bad directing, bad editing, bad pacing, bad dancing (perplexingly shown in slow motion which only exacerbated the lack of sync), bad singing, no character development, way too much focus on the two rival CEOs who are the producers of the show which explains so much.

The workshops must have been good though because the chemistry was the rare positive. Kita and Nathee had a few good scenes and I loved Tonnam and Phupha (except in the finale which I'm going to forget I ever watched). The kissing in the NC scenes was good all around but the lack of direction was pretty apparent. Lots of up and down and back up kind of aimlessness with too much position switching. It seemed like the actors were giving it their best but weren't given any specific instructions and were just kind of stalling until they heard cut.

The intro was catchy but I can't say the actual group they apparently built this show around promoting (in the most roundabout weird way) doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth because of this mess.

Don't watch this unless you want to try your hand at the world's least efficient way to learn the numbers 1-8 in Thai

Or you know, maybe you could just skip around to the good parts

May these guys find better writing in their next projects

Sadhu

[justreckin]

20 questions for fic writers

alright @emonydeborah said hey there's a thing and i say yes (ages later)

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 6

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 28,070

3. What fandoms do you write for? Honestly, whatever's catching my fancy in that moment. Of the things I've posted, The Librarians is the only fandom that I've ever even posted more than one fic for.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Raising Harry (Harry Potter/Underworld) Where Selene comes across Harry playing at the park alone at night and decides that the best idea is to sorta adopt him.

Never Say He Isn't Grateful (Agent Carter/Captain America) Howard realizes he owes Peggy big time and the best way for him to repay her is to go rescue Steve.

5 Times Ezekiel Called Eve Mum and the Time They Made it Official (The Librarians) 5+1 what it says on the tin.

Second Time Around (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) Coulson went in on the Bahrain mission, May died. Oneshot re-write of the first episode that I considered expanding and have actually written other chapters for but... 🤷‍♀️

How Apep got Ezekiel Grounded for the Rest of his Natural Life (The Librarians) Season 3 Finale in the same universe as the previous Librarians fic that has a second chapter I have yet to write...

5. Do you respond to comments? I certainly try to. I'm not the best at it, but I love getting to have a conversation with anyone who likes the same things I do.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Heh probably I'm Not Your Mother but even then it's a) not really all that angsty and b) mostly that I dropped a mean bomb on characters and then ran away because I have no idea what else to do with it.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? ...everything else? Look, canon is already regularly very mean to characters. I am here to live in my happy little fantasies where everything works out.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not hate per se but I'd left up an unfinished multi-chapter fic at one point and someone commented that I was the reason they'd lost faith in authors with unfinished works and is maybe more responsible for me not posting any of the myriad of things I have on my computer than I want to admit.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Nah. I write more family than relationship stuff, really.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? Yes. Uh... it's not posted, but maybe the Harry Potter/Song of the Lioness that I hashed out at one point.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Don't think so.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?  Don't think so.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Ha! @emonydeborah and I spitball all the time (it's wonderful) and she absolutely gets credit if that parent trap fic ever gets finished, but I don't think I'm up to the group project that would be co-writting a fic.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? the Enterprise NCC-1701 dash nothing! All jokes aside, it genuinely is the only ship I go back to on a regular basis.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Uh... honestly, I don't know that I'll ever finish half the things in my WIP folder.

16. What are your writing strengths? Probably dialogue. I feel I'm pretty good at getting the character's literal voice down.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Anything happening around the dialogue. In my head these people are always moving around and doing things, but it always feels so clunky if I try to put that onto a page.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Maybe an individual word or two for a curse or endearment. I know enough Spanish I'd probably be comfortable writing in it. But that'd be about it.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Uh.... Star Trek? One sec, must check files. Yeah, pretty sure it was a short TOS thing. Hmm might need to take a look at that again, clean it up, repost...

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? Posted? Probably Ezekiel calling Eve mum. Not posted? Nah, actually, don't know that there is one that's not posted.

.... @the-redhead-in-a-dress and @sun-lit-roses did you do it yet, did you do it? I wanna see 😁

[houseofkirklands]

Aph Northern Ireland headcanons because why not

1. Youngest Kirkland brother no matter what the canon say as England being the "youngest" among them. Northern Ireland was created in 1921 he is a very young country compared with England that was founded in 927 AC, that makes a gap of 994 years of difference between England and North, North is the youngest!!.

Northern Ireland was created because the people, a huge majority wanted to stay in the UK, most of them protestants compared with the amount of catholics most counties in Ireland had and that was created after Ireland went all for it for independence in 1916 (and ignoring the fact counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone had catholic majority and were drawn into the concept of Northern Ireland) and even with the hc of Northern Ireland being the province of Ulster he would still be younger than his brothers

There is no way Northern Ireland as a country could be older than England, Scotland, Wales and even Ireland

2. He knows he can trust his brothers a lot and tell them all the problems he has but he feels like he is being unfair and shouldn't complain about his "problems". He knows his brothers didn't have it easy back then, North doesn't know how is to live just to survive, to go to the forests to get some food, to learn how to fight and use weapons because you need to survive in this world, to be able to manage to get food and clothes to keep warm from the cold.

He was born in a modern world, a world where he has everything his brothers didn't have when they were younger, he lives in a good house, a good bed, has good clothes, has food and can eat more than once per day, a lot of medicines...etc. thats why he, while he appreciates what he had, he feels left out in some way from his brothers, they have lived so much compared with him, they know easily how to survive in this world while he just doesn't so he tends to believe he doesn't deserve anything of this and he has some trouble to open up when he is struggling with something, he feels like his problems aren't that much serious compared with the problems his brothers had and I'm not referring to problems like "let me play videogames" "buy me candy please" no problems from anything related with school if he has some troubles with a teacher or classmates to political problems knowing how much fragile politics are in Northern Ireland.

3. He and teen nations have a group chat where they either complain about their older brothers or play videogames.

4. He and Hong Kong are very close friends same goes with Iceland and South Korea

5. He is really good at drawing and painting, he loves visiting museums and see the art pieces there. He loves going through the streets of Belfast and see the murals and he will always draw something if he has some free time

6. Social media addicted, his post are mostly about the s*it his brothers do which surprisingly has many likes and reviews from other nations. Ireland is happy to see he had left that house a long time ago but North will definitely bring Ireland into this

7. He is into videogames a lot, he will stay until very late at night playing, England has caught him and got angry at him for staying for so long playing and the excuse North use is that he is playing with Hong Kong and South Korea and they are awake now cause if he goes to sleep when he wakes up they will be already sleeping (no)

8. He loves playing Just Dance with Ireland but he gets angry at it cause he always loses agaisnt him. He knows Ireland is a very good dancer but there is no way he can manage to get more stars than him when North maybe knows the whole choreography of the song and Ireland probably is the first time seeing that. If he manages to win Ireland is mostly because Ireland didn't even tried to win and let North win for some time and make him happy

9. He is into Pokemon, he has played every single game, has a collection of cards and can tell you the whole pokedex

10. Besides Pokemon and Just Dance, he loves also League of Legends, Animal Crossing and Mario games specially Mario Kart. He is more a Nintendo fan, he doesn't like PlayStation games at all. Also he loves Minecraft he has plenty of worlds created

11. He likes kpop, South Korea talked about it to him a long time ago and well he got into it mostly because he find funny to learn the choreographies, also Hong Kong and Singapore are into it so the 4 of them will sometimes meet and do some dance covers, Iceland will occasionally join them because he is a closet kpop fan but he doesn't want to admit (and he doesn't want to learn the choreographies).

12. He speaks 3 languages, English, Irish and Ulster-Scots

13. He had tried to learn Irish via Duolingo until he realised he needed Ireland to learn the language

14. During the 6 Nations tournament, given the fact the Irish team is unified with people from the Republic and the North, he will support the Irish team. He indeed becomes more Irish than Ireland during this time.

If there is anyone who loved the most Ireland winning the tournament with a Grand Slam, on St Patrick's Day agaisnt England as the final match in England, that was definitely North

15. He hates History class, he just wants to cry and kick England ass everytime he heards something about history

16. He is into Gaelic football too, he will defend the Ulster teams with his life, specially Armagh and Tyrone which are the most popular currently but he will stay in the middle if that match happens just in case Armagh and Tyrone end arguing

17. He gets along really well with his counties and he between the 4 countries of the UK he is probably the one who is more close to his counties but not only his but the other 3 Ulster counties from the Republic, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal

18. He struggles with anxiety and PTSD, he will sometimes not being able to wake up from bed and just skip school, he has many days where he just doesn't want to talk no matter how good intentions their brothers concerns for him are but they remind him that if he needs to talk about it, they will listen to him. Problem here that many times it's because of his brothers specially England, he knows Wales is the easiest to talk about but he knows Wales supports England way too much so if he talks with someone it would be Scotland or he will call Ireland.

19. Given the fact he is a very young nation, his brothers have talked to him about things he as a nation should have in mind. Starting with humans, they aren't like them, like their people, the brothers know North has many human friends cause after all there aren't too many nations that has the age he has and many of them live in the other side of the world so North will mostly meet his human friends to hang out, go to the cinema, to a park, etc so he is very fond of humans and he is developing his social interactions with them. This is something that is not bad but he needs to remember his friends will grow up while he will stay as a teenager of 17 years old even if it passes 50 years, his friends will grow up, get older, start their lives... and he is afraid of this. He is very concerned the friends he hangs out with nowadays, will forget him in 15-20 years, his friends wouldn't want to be his friend anymore when they became 40 or 50 years old,what kind of grown men of 50 years old is friend with a teenager? yeah they can remember him and North will try to help them if needed but that's something North isn't really that much secure about, at the end of the day again he will left alone, his human friends will dissapear one day, the friends he has made many memories and good times together, friends he met in school and became his classmates, friends from his dance school, friends from his neighbourhood. He wants them to stay like they are now or grow up like them, North feels more human than a nation given the fact many of the things North does as a nation are supervised by England and occasionally by Ireland but there are some things that are hitting him, as a friendly reminder he is not like them, that he is a nation and he is supposed to live for many centuries.

20. Kinda related with the one above, he really means it when he say he feels alone, his brothers have thousand of years behind their backs while he is just a little more than a century old nation and his friends will grow up and he will be stucked in his teenage body. He has many problems with this because he doesn't know how to be alone, he is afraid of being alone, of losing absolutely everyone, he just can't be left alone, yeah he needs his own space but he needs to know that there is someone near him or in the house. He has 4 older brothers, lives with 3 of them and yeah they will keep an eye on him but sometimes he will just feel really bad and sad. He feels like he is just in a limbo, in the middle of somewhere where he can see his brothers and his human friends but if he goes to them, they will get more far, so close but so far. He can't be alone, he can't be left alone, the brothers will always try to make to someone be in home but there are times it's just impossible for them, they will sometimes call Ireland to see if he can come to look up for him or just have a conversation with him through the telephone which sometimes it has worked but he can't avoid to feel like he is a burdern to his brothers that why he will get pretty emotional if he sees his brothers helping him with anything

21. He hates the division his people has but he knows he just wants peace for everyone.

22. He identify as both, Irish and British

23. Name goes by William/Liam Kirkland because he doesn't want to have a name that can cause some trouble to him for being "too Irish" or "too British". He needs a neutral name to evite those problems, Connor is a good name for him but it's an Irish origin name and he doesn't want to have problems with the unionists that identify as British for his nation having an "Irish name".

William would be used by this unionist/British people and Liam being the short version of William and its most commonly used in Ireland (coming from Ulliam) so this way he has "both communities at peace"

24. He is the only brother that doesn't have a proper surname, Wales and Scotland have individual surnames when they weren't part of the UK. The Kirkland in the family its becasue of being part of the UK, which England represents both so England going by the name of Arthur Kirkland and the representative of the UK, Wales, Scotland and North got the Kirkland surname. Ireland had the Kirkland until he got independent but Northern Ireland's case its different.

He can't go for independence unlike Scotland and Wales, given by the Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998 by both the UK and the Irish government and with a big majority support of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, it is said the agreement reached was that Northern Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, and would remain so until a majority of the people both of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland wished otherwise.

So Northern Ireland has the Kirkland surname while he is part of the UK until his people wants to join the rest of Ireland, he will get Ireland's surname if Irish unity happens

25. He wants to study something related with technology but he loves biology and psychology a lot as well. He is very concerned about mental health, sex education, bullying, drugs, alcohol, etc