#A live backup choir

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Evanescence - Whisper 2003

Fallen is the debut studio album by American rock band Evanescence, released on March 4, 2003. Co-founders singer and pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody began writing and recording songs as Evanescence in 1994, and after releasing two EPs and a demo CD, they signed to Wind-up in January 2001. Several of the songs from their earlier independent releases feature on Fallen. It is Evanescence's only studio album to feature Moody, who left the band in October 2003. Fallen received generally positive reviews from music critics. Evanescence received five nominations at the 46th Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song, Best Hard Rock Performance, and Best New Artist, winning the latter two. The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, and was the eighth-bestselling album of 2004 and the nineteenth-bestselling album of the 2000s.

"Whisper" one of the first songs Amy Lee and Ben Moody wrote as Evanescence and has had multiple releases, all entirely different versions. It originally made an appearance on their 1999 EP, Sound Asleep. Its next release was a year later on their demo album, Origin (my personal favourite version). Its studio release was on their 2003 debut studio album, Fallen. Its final release was on their 2004 live album, Anywhere But Home. There also exists three post-Origin demos from the 2001-2002 demo sessions that were leaked.

At the beginning of the Sound Asleep version, there is an introduction which is actually a part of the song itself played backward, culminating a sound clip from the movie My World Dies Screaming/Terror In The Haunted House (1958). A post-Origin demo begins with a sample intro from "Death Scene" and "O Verona" from the film Romeo + Juliet (1996) and includes backup vocals by David Hodges on the chorus. The sample would be forcibly omitted from Fallen, possibly due to copyright infringements. That demo was officially released on a cassette tape as part of Fallen's 20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set in 2024, however it doesn't include the orchestral intro sampled from the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack. There are a few versions of the song floating around the internet and various bootleg discs. All pre-Fallen versions of the song feature Ben Moody providing the eerie whispering vocals in the background. In the Fallen version, the backing vocals are either provided by Amy Lee or by The Millenium Choir.

"Whisper" received a total of 87,6% yes votes! Previous Evanescence polls: #44 "Imaginary".

[creampuffqueen]

Mal's Modern Avatars AU

Welcome one and all to my Avatar College AU, the premise of which is that the three female Avatars share an apartment during college and are all best friends. This is the official character intro post!

Yangchen Ngodup - she/her

Major: International Relations, minoring in Philosophy, Psychology, and Political Science (yes she is insane for this)

Sport: Volleyball setter (fall) & track sprinter (spring)

Clubs: Debate team, Model UN, Volunteer Chair for Eco-Representatives Club, Choir (soprano) & Class President her senior year

Family: Raised by her older sister, Jetsun, who disappeared without a trace when Yangchen was 7. After her sister's disappearance she lived with her elderly relatives Tsering and Dagmola. Her senior year of high school she went to live with her Uncle Boma in order to get in-state tuition for her top choice college

Other: Owns two siamese cats named Pik and Pak. Routinely exceeds the daily recommended caffeine limit. Leader of a bar trivia team that kicks ass

Kavik Aliyak - he/him

Major: Pre-med, hoping to specialize in emergency medicine

Sport: Intramural wrestling for one semester, drops it for intramural ice hockey

Clubs: Math Club, Chess Club, Pre-med Society

Family: Parents Tapeesa and Ujurak, brother Kalyaan who is 3 years older than him

Other: Complex relationship with his older brother. Attempted to rush a frat but decided it wasn't for him. Was a Resident Advisor for two years. Receives a yearly National Merit scholarship for his proficiency in math. Works part-time as a cashier at a local boba shop

Kyoshi Jampa - she/her

Major: Literature

Sport: Basketball, attends on a scholarship for the sport

Clubs: Poetry Club, Ceramics Club, Forestry Club, a small stint with the campus newspaper

Family: Abandoned at 5, bounced around the foster system until ending up with Kelsang at 10. Her parents passed away in prison when she was 13, and Kelsang officially adopted her when she was 14

Other: Sings backup vocals for The Flying Opera Company, a small band started by some of her friends. Works as a barista at a local boba shop. Very shy due to bullying during middle and high school. Her and Rangi's families are extremely close

Rangi Sei'naka - she/her

Major: Pre-law, wants to specialize in criminal justice

Sport: Intramural soccer and taekwando

Clubs: Debate Team, History Tutoring, LGBTQ Club

Family: Parents Hei-Ran and Junsik. Her father passed away from leukemia when she was 12

Other: Part of the school's ROTC program in the army branch. Attends this school specifically to be with Kyoshi

Korra Egoak - she/they

Major: Kinesiology

Sport: Intramural soccer, wrestling, and rugby

Clubs: President of the LGBTQ Club

Family: Parents Senna and Tonraq, plenty of close extended family on both sides

Other: Was homeschooled her entire life. Originally scouted to swim for a different college, but suffered an accident in high school that left her both traumatized and paralyzed. She is mostly recovered, but still deals with PTSD and occasional depression. Has a service dog, Naga

Asami Sato - she/her

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Sport: Intramural Jiu Jitsu

Clubs: President of the Robotics Club, LGBTQ Club, Chess Club

Family: Parents Yasuko and Hiroshi. Mother was killed in a home break-in when she was 8. Her senior year of high school her father was arrested for insider trading, and his million-dollar company reverted to her. It is currently being run by others, but she plans to take over after she gets her degree

Other: Part of a sorority

Relationships:

Yangchen & Kavik began dating the summer after their freshman year. Influenced by his older brother, Kavik broke up with her over winter break their sophomore year. He quickly regretted this and spent the next semester making it up to her until they felt ready to date again

Kyoshi & Rangi began dating their senior year in high school after being friends for several years. When Kyoshi got into this college, Rangi instantly decided to follow her

Korra & Asami met while Asami was dating Mako. She, Korra, and Mako all bounced between each other for a few months before the two girls realized they liked each other far more than they liked him. They began dating the spring semester of their freshman year

Yangchen, Kyoshi, and Korra became friends their freshman year and decided to rent an apartment together for their sophomore year. They enjoyed it so much they kept the apartment together until they all graduated

If you want to read more about this AU, check out this post or this post. Or this silly incorrect quotes post. Also feel free to send asks about it if you're interested!

[thetaoofzoe]

‘It Was Fun to Be Wanted by Someone Like Elvis Presley’: An Interview With Darlene Love

The gifted singer reflects on Elvis’s collaborative presence and his relationship to gospel music

by MICHAEL MUSTO August 7, 2018

The swaggering real-life Jeff Koons statue named Elvis Presley is hot again. Eugene Jarecki’s June-released documentary The King involves a road trip taken in Elvis’s old Rolls to survey his impact on the culture and determine that the American dream the singer represented is officially dead. (But oh, when it lasted!) Even darker is the film’s exploration of Presley’s appropriation of African-American culture, covering songs like “Hound Dog” — originally a non-hit for the brilliant Big Mama Thornton — and making them rock and sell. For singers like Thornton, the American dream never existed.

Enter powerhouse singer Darlene Love, who is represented on another new project, Where No One Stands Alone, a fourteen-track compilation of Elvis’s gospel work due out August 10 on RCA/Legacy. The L.A.-born minister’s daughter started singing in the church choir at ten, on the road to being scooped up by producer Phil Spector to belt hits like “He’s a Rebel,” “Today I Met The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” and “Christmas (Baby,Please Come Home).” The lead voice of such groups as the Blossoms and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, Love ended up working as a maid in the Eighties, but when she heard one of her old hits on the radio while she was scrubbing, it inspired her to get back into performing full-time. Her appearance in the Oscar-winning 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom was memorable, especially when it addressed the way Spector promised her a solo career, but gave other singers credit for her work.

I recently talked to Darlene about her backup singing for Elvis, and how she feels about the King’s relationship to the music he both co-opted and celebrated.

Hi, Darlene. What is some of the gospel work you did with Elvis?

There is “Let Us Pray,” the one from the movie we did with Elvis, Change of Habit. That was his last film.

It was in 1969, with Elvis as a doctor and Mary Tyler Moore as a nun.

We, the Blossoms, are in the first scene. And we were in his 1968 comeback special [Singer Presents … ELVIS].

His new gospel compilation album should be quite interesting.

They [recently] had me do some fill-ins, what we call ad libs, throughout the album to make it sound more gospel. I haven’t heard it yet. Hopefully it’s a wonderful thing.

Elvis went to church and listened to gospel singers to soak up what they did, right? 

Even today, it’s more mixed than it was in the Fifties and Sixties. Whites and blacks didn’t go to church together back then. What Elvis told me he would do — we had night service on Sunday night when we did what we called “praise songs.” A lot of them were songs he loved, what we called “hymn songs.”

We didn’t have air conditioners. We had pushup windows, with a little rope. Elvis said he would stand outside the church rather than going in, because they didn’t think black and white should be in the same churches together. He said he would listen through the windows. It gave him such a thrill. It’s a big difference between the way blacks sang gospel and the way whites sang gospel.

Do you feel he was dedicated to the music or he was just taking it for himself? 

I found out years later, when we were doing the comeback special, that his mother’s favorite music was gospel. He would always sing gospel around her. I think if he could have had a big career in gospel music, that’s where he would have been. But you can always make more money off secular hits. Elvis had 10 or 15,000 people come to his shows to see him. Today, they have mega churches that hold 25,000, but back then, you were doing great if you had 500 people.

I bet they have air conditioning now.

Oh, lord, yes. [Laughs] I lived in Texas for five years as a young kid with my father, and it was so hot we couldn’t even breathe. There was no air conditioning in church or the house. What a difference it makes to have a cool ensemble. You still sweat because of the energy, but back then, we were soaking wet, when we sang in church.

I love gospel music. If I had a calling — meaning from the Lord — just to sing gospel, I would have, but the secular music got to more people. I bet a lot of secular singers like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin felt the same way. They never paid us no money. “Do it unto the Lord.” “OK.” [Laughs] We would drive to the gigs and they’d give you an offering — gas money. They were hardly giving us a whole lot of money. But it was worth it, every penny of it. It was a wonderful experience singing gospel.

But was Elvis appropriating the music, or that’s just the way it was?

That’s just the way it was. A lot of people think a white person is copying the black person. He just loved the music and he was singing it the way he felt. He sang “Hound Dog” completely different than Mama Thornton. [Elvis’s version was rock, whereas Thornton’s was blues.] Even today, they take secular music and put it in gospel, and vice versa. You know, Elvis won three Grammys, and they were all for gospel records. 

What were your experiences like with Elvis?

One time, Elvis decided we’d all go to the movies. He bought this theater out that night.

What did you watch — Change of Habit?

Don’t even ask me. I don’t remember. [Laughs] We had a lot of free time when we were recording and when we were making the movie. That’s when the Blossoms and myself got a chance to know the gospel side of Elvis. He’d want to know the songs we knew. He’d get his guitar and say, “You know this song?” “Yes, we grew up on it.” He’d say, “Let’s do it.”

Was he funny or serious?

He was funny and he was serious sometimes. If he didn’t think he was doing great, he’d say, “Hey, girls, how’m I doing?” He was very, very funny. I call it that “country funny.” He would do his moves in the studio the way he was gonna do them onstage. It made it easy to be around him, but sometimes it was not easy because his bodyguards were keeping people from him. He wanted to be with the Blossoms, where he could pull out his guitar. We’d say, “We think you’d better go. You’re gonna get us in trouble.” We’d never forget, because he’d be giving us his personal time.

You’d just be hanging out and singing?

Yes! Whatever song he knew — “Amazing Grace” or “River of Jordan” or “Heaven Is a Wonderful Place” or “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” We called them hymns of the church. There was another one called “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” The Blossoms were known for their harmony. We’d harmonize with him. There’s something we had with Elvis that others didn’t have. It was fun to be wanted by someone like Elvis Presley.

He had tremendous respect for you.

Yes, he did. That was great. I always say he left us way too soon. He is where I plan to go one day, so I’ll see him again.

You were all rather young and great-looking. Was there any sexual tension in the air? 

There was. It could have been. But I was too scared to do anything.

You fool! [Laughs] Kidding. You wanted to keep it professional.

And I definitely did. Something about dating someone you’re working for, it takes away from that. “I know he’s never gonna look at me the same after this.” [Laughs] He’d start playing with me. He’d tap you on the shoulder or do a hip shake, and me and Elvis knew what that meant.

Flirting?

Yeah, I think so, and I think it showed his human side. I wasn’t bad-looking — and I was thin, too. [Laughs] He wanted to take out time and be around us. The reason we sang on his ’68 comeback special is he was the one that insisted that the Blossoms sing in the music section of the show.

So Elvis treated you better than Phil Spector did?

Oh my God, I’d say so.

That’s an easy one.

That’s a real easy one. Phil took advantage of me and my talent. With Elvis, he wanted us to work, and we got paid well. It wasn’t like Phil Spector cracking the whip and us running around!

[spiritboxies]

About OTP question meme:

Astra and Follow, and maybe question number 7?

(Would it be legal to ask questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 at the same time? Listening to your ideas about them is always interesting haha!)

send me a pairing & a number

you think i'm just gonna pass up on the opportunity to write an essay? but to keep this from becoming do you love the color of the sky 2 tho, i'll answer ur first question first and put the rest under a read more ^_^

7. What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

astra: starts seriously considering how he wants the rebellion to play out. when he first became a cyborg to fight the cumulor’s forces directly, he assumed he wouldn’t live to see the results of his actions. now that there’s someone he doesn’t want to lose, it makes him a little more cautious during fights

follow: became much more involved in the rebellion. at first he did privately support their ideas about how destructive the cumulor was but never really acted on it. reconnecting with astra was the push to get him fully involved.

1, Who is the most affectionate?

follow, since he’s just a more outgoing person in general! astra has the same level of feelings for him, just has a harder time outwardly expressing it

2. Big spoon/little spoon?

big spoon astra & little spoon follow. astra’s basically a person-shaped space heater lol

3. Most common argument?

follow scolds astra to be more cautious since he really wants astra to live to see his goals reached. but astra has this whole “The Greater Good comes before anything else,” mindset, so even when he tries to reassure follow, they both know he’ll probably get himself killed trying to overthrow the cumulor.

4. Favorite non-sexual activity?

karaoke! even though astra really wants to be all “i am A Weapon for The Rebellion and nothing else matters,” he absolutely still loves music and singing, and karaoke nights are one of the few ways he allows himself to indulge in that. and of course follow never really left music, so for him it’s a way to reconnect with the history he and astra have together back when they were in the same band!

5. Who is most likely to carry the other?

astra. his cyborg body makes him strong af so follow barely weighs anything to him lol

6. What is their favorite feature of their partner?

astra: follow’s charisma, since it’s something astra struggles with a lot

follow: astra’s optimism. despite his cold exterior, astra has an unshakable belief that a better world is possible, which follow finds very grounding and reassuring

8. Nicknames? If so, how did they originate?

follow frequently calls astra “starry eyes” or “starlight” because of the name astra chose for himself, and because of the previously mentioned optimism. astra occasionally calls follow “mon ange” (my angel) because of his role as the mechanic that repairs him no matter how messed up he gets in a fight. and because he’s French lol

9. Who worries the most?

it’s actually pretty even! follow will worry about astra because of his recklessness, since even though he’s substantially tougher as a cyborg, he’s still mortal, and too much damage to his brain or power supply could be the end. astra worries about follow because of how much more vulnerable he is as a normal human (normal as a clone can be anyway lol). he’s terrified of follow’s cover getting blown and how few ways follow has to fight back in a worst-case scenario

10. Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

astra in a super specific way. i headcanon that his “choir” disguise is specifically supposed to resemble follow’s backup singers, and he usually sneaks into follow’s penthouse by pretending to be delivering coffee or his favorite baked goods

11. Who tops?

neither. astra don’t got anything between his legs 💔 i just use the order astra/follow bc it was the only result for the ship tag on ao3 lol

12. Who initiates kisses?

follow ofc

13. Who reaches for the other’s hand first?

astra, as a way of reminding himself of follow’s continued survival

14. Who kisses the hardest?

astra again, bc his skull is steel. he doesn’t usually mean to do it tho, just comes with being a cyborg

15. Who wakes up first?

astra again, since he doesn’t really sleep the normal way. it’s more of a scheduled sleep mode so he can charge efficiently for the upcoming day.

16. Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?

follow, though he never really gets to because of his busy schedule as a musician

17. Who says “I love you,” first?

astra, actually! though follow probably confessed feelings first, astra’s the type of person to feel the relationship more deeply, and thus would be the one to take it to that extra level first

18. Who leaves little notes in the other one’s lunch?

astra, but it’s never actually anything romantic lol. it’s usually codes he sneaks in so follow stays up to date with the rebellion’s plans

19. Who tells their family/friends about the relationship first?

neither of them really outright told the other rebels lol. but because follow’s not subtle at all and astra’s bad at being subtle, everyone just sort of. Figured It Out at some point or another

20. What do their family/friends think about their relationship?

pretty much everyone is like “good for them 😊👍” except for bass, who thinks follow is way the hell out of astra’s league and has no idea why he’s settling, atlanta, who thinks romance is gross in general, and reach, who’s so new to the team that he’s still clueless lol

21. Who is most likely to start dancing with the other?

follow! obviously he’s had a lot of training in that regard as a performer, while astra’s a little awkward due to him having to basically relearn how to use his body as a cyborg

22. Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?

they’re both quite good at cooking, but astra’s the better between the two! he’s had a lot more time to practice and branch out his knowledge, since follow has pretty much stayed busy in the music industry since he was created

23. Who comes up with cheesy pickup lines?

follow. and sometimes he sneaks them into the lyrics of his songs :3

24. Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?

follow again. though it’s less “in astra’s ear” and more “in astra’s Brain” bc of how his mental operating system receives the rebellion’s communications lol

25. Who needs more assurance?

follow, surprisingly! sometimes the pressure of keeping up his double life, as well as his fear of losing astra in the fight against the cumulor, can become overwhelming. of course astra’s always there to remind him that their struggles are all in the name of a better future ❤

26. What would be their theme song?

i’m still cooking up a whole ass ship playlist, but if i had to pick just one song, it would be is it really you? by loathe

27. Who would sing their child back to sleep?

idk how the hell they’d end up with a kid, but i guess if The God of Fanchildren bestowed one upon them, astra would probably be the one to do it! he stays up a bit later than follow

28. What do they do when they’re away from each other?

kind of a boring answer but like. their jobs i guess lol. follow obviously keeps plenty busy with his music career, and trying to dismantle a giant corporation that’s taken over ur country is no easy feat either!

29. One headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart:

they both assumed & made peace with the likely possibility astra would end up outliving follow, since astra doesn’t physically age anymore as a cyborg while follow does (albeit much slower than a normal person). but then astra died when he blew up the pyramid 💔

30. One headcanon about this OTP that mends it:

follow at least got to live long enough to see the fruits of astra’s labor, and now follow thinks of him every time he sees the blue sky astra fought so hard to bring back :’) and of course i have my fanfiction where astra doesn’t die and they both get to live in the much nicer world of wekiddy lol

[manyfandomocs]

Big Time Rush OC Introductions

I was a ginormous fan of Big Time Rush when I was young so, I see people I follow making BTR ocs and I have no choice but to agree so after some struggles here we have (there will end up being others I'm sooooo sure of it I already have another fc in mind)

Montgomery Queen (Jeremy Shada FC), Carlos Garcia ship. Goes by Monty, he is the bassist and backup vocalist in his own band that he has been in since he was 14. As the youngest member of his band, he's the only one that lives at the Palm Woods, though he meets the boys late because he was on tour when they first moved in. He gets involved in the boys' shenanigans pretty quickly.

Serenity Meyer (Virginia Gardner FC), James Diamond ship. A former religious cult choir singer that, following her excommunication, has made her way to Los Angeles to be a singer. She's very new at most teenager things, and luckily Jo lets her live with her at the Palm Woods when she hears about her story, but the boys are very happy to help her figure out how to be a teen.

Juniper Poole (Olivia Rose Keegan FC), Kendall Knight ship. A child Broadway star, Juniper has always lived in New York City and that's where she was intending on always living. But then she gets cast in a movie, and her father/manager doesn't want to pass up the opportunity, so while she's filming and doing promo, she gets to stay at the Palm Woods. Which leads to her meeting the boys of Big Time Rush.

Vera Hewitt (Courtney Eaton FC), Logan Mitchell ship. Vera's one of the most well known young figure skaters around, bronze medalist two years in a row at the Olympics, gold at the Grand Prix more than she can count, there was not a name in sports that wasn't as known. Then she gets hurt. A bad fall leads to an early end and needing money for her family, cue sponsorship commercials and guest tv spots and moving to Los Angeles, where she met some hockey playing boys that may help her get back on the ice.

Gideon Gardner (Cameron Gellman FC), Kendall Knight, James Diamond, Carlos Garcia, and Logan Mitchell ship. Being from Minnesota, Gideon had grown up with the boys, playing hockey with them and having a good time when they hung out after games. Then, they got the opportunity of a lifetime and left. So Gideon was on his own, until his little sister got cast in some pre-teen show and they were moving to Los Angeles, coincidentally, to the Palm Woods, where he got to see the boys again and realize he's missed them much more than a normal friend would.

Tagging @daughter-of-melpomene because BTR!!

[mochiotomedumplings]

penacony thoughts (mainly sunday & aven) - bsky backup

i got into hsr cos of penacony… i rmb seeing sunday and thinking he looked cool. then i listened to the whole penacony ost, rlly digging the orchestral vibes… then i got spoiled for the boss fight but that got me into hsr. just to see that fight play out.

i wanted to save penacony for the right time but i couldn’t stop once i started. it was just so cool and hit a lot of things i like, dreams and drama. looking at it again now, it was really quite the thematic story even with all the gacha selling it was doing. my point was, looking back at the ost specifically 2nd album, like a third of the songs are about sunday. the orchestral ones ofc, those that play in the 3-act show and the fights, but the dewlight pav songs were also him - “polaris” “lodestar in evernight” this idea of lone star in the night.

there are few tracks in the ost that, perhaps its just me, depict the character really well. the “sin” songs are telling of the order sunday’s grown up under and learned to enforced. the pieces related to the boss fights were this sharp, dramatic choir that shows ena’s order -the strength of it, how it felt like fighting against a perfectly coordinated ensemble, the cold holiness of it that reflects the truth of ena’s dream and how sunday was becoming not-human anymore. it contrasts interestingly with the lone star pieces earlier, showing sunday’s sad and lonely heart under the banner of order he seemed to project so loudly (ref past him in trailer). and the last track in the fight was robin’s song about hope 🥹 it was all about finding hope in a hopeless world.

the end is the beginning… it really feels like this with penacony. the symbolism is tickling my brain so much 😭 i only wanted to write a little bit on this.

three tracks i can tell were about aven specifically - game of chicken, hell > nihility and nought may endure. aven and all these ref to psychological games 😭 the other 2 reflect the contrast btw aven’s outer and inner self… it’s kinda complicated, just like him 😭 the contrast is just like that of sunday, their outer self has so much going on but the inner piece is like really gentle and slow. they were really similar ppl even if their style was completely different.

not gonna analyze white night again but the message at the end was how even if there are sad things in life that we can’t change, how we tell our story (live) will change its meaning at the end. a message of hope, of doing what we can despite the sad reality - only we can save ourselves in that way.

god i love penacony 🥹 it had really been as cool as it seemed from the album cover. it was just so… human in a lot of ways. if belobog was this journey into a world that made me want to save, xianzhou was a brief interlude into bigger drama, then penacony was a sad and beautiful dream. there was plotting and the script involved but at the heart of it was a struggle most ppl can relate to, losing hope and wanting to find escape in dreams 🥹😭 i love sunday and aventurine so much 😭😭

[musemelodies]

hey folks, sorry it's been pretty slow on here. work has been really hectic and it's only gonna increase with the holiday months. still searching for a new job and trying to stay positive in the meantime. i did the morning shift yesterday and i'm closing tonight and then i gotta be back in tomorrow morning and it's...a lot.

a few years ago, i was thinking about going back to school for library science but the only one around here that offers it is ridiculously expensive and i got rejected anyway and then the pandemic happened and welp, here we are. i don't wanna cue the violin music or anything but i've just been feeling so stuck and in low battery mode a lot of the time. so much of my life consists of working and being exhausted and dreading going back to work.

i know it could always be worse, i could be homeless again or living with my terrible mom but it just feels like there's no balance. i would love to just walk out tomorrow (this place is embarrassingly anti-union and the current ceo is a third generation nepobaby and i have to deal with that micromanaging coworker way too often) but i don't really have a backup plan. also anxiety and the whole needing money to live thing.

anyway, i know i'm preaching to the choir and again, it could be a lot worse but it's really been wearing me down lately. as a wise philosopher once said: when the working day is done, oh girls, they wanna have fun...

[acanth3]

追憶＊マリオネットの糸の先 / Reminiscence＊End of the Marionette's Strings

EPISODE 13

Valkyrie Stage

Nazuna: ……!?

(Huh, the song has stopped!? Direction..? No, we didn't plan for this!)

(Our backup vocals have been interrupted! The recording of me and Mika-chan’s voices have stopped playing…the recording has disappeared!?)

(The microphone has turned off so I can only hear Oshi-san’s voice!)

(No…! Oshi-san is also surprised by the sudden intrusion and has stopped singing! Everything is going wrong!)

(Our fans are also confused, what is this!? An accident, a power outage!?)

(No! The light’s are still on! Only our recording has disappeared…?)

(I can help with the directing but I have to stay put. We just have to wait for the song to begin again!)

(Sing! All i have to do is move around a little and perform our live song! Just like back in choir!)

(It’s okay, I can sing/I can do it! I practise properly every day on the rooftop!

(But, I'm scared! My voice was packed and thrown away like in a garbage bag seen as worthless!)

(Won’t I just make Oshi-san angry again..?)

(My voice will be thrown away again right? Don’t sing without permission, I’ll get cursed at…No I will be punished.)

(If that happens, this performance will be over!)

(If such a miserable thing will come out of this, it’s better to just stay silent…?)

Mika: ~..... ♪ 

 ♪~ ♪~ ♪

Nazuna: (Mika-chan, you too…You were practising by yourself too, weren’t you?)

(Always left behind us..)

(I laughed thinking your position was too easy. You wanted to sing too! You are an idol after all, aren’t you?)

(Mika-chan is much more obsessed with Oshi-san than I am. He’s always cursed at and called a failure..)

(And still, he was with me.)

(He always laughed, worked harder, and followed me around desperately!)

(He’s so good at it! It’s a much more beautiful voice than mine! I think I would fall in love with you, you’re really an idol!)

(Mika-chan…you kept quiet and obediently followed us, didn’t you?)

(Oshi-san who’s nervous and in high spirits with a bad mouth, and me who's expressionless and unfriendly!)

(Everyday we spent together as ‘Valkyrie’...I don’t want to be stopped here!)

(His favourite Oshi-san that he loves get’s frustrated with him, and he sang, overcoming his fears of being thrown away!)

(Yea…! I don't even want it to end here! In a stage like this!)

(I also want to put on that costume for my birthday! And more costumes and more..!)

(Yes! I'll give you a birthday present! So, let’s all sing together please!)

(From now on, forever we’ll be ‘Valkyrie’..!

Nazuna:  ♪~ ♪~ ♪

Shu: (Kagehira…Nito…I see, that’s right..!)

(Aa..really, I can't believe I was a fool.)

(I thought about our failure so much, if either of us showed our weakness we would have been taken advantage of. So that’s why I…)

(It’s far too late to regret any of this now, it’s a bit hard to hear..)

(Our live performances as Valkyrie must stay perfect, and yet both of their voices..)

(Of course it’s a consequence for me, I didn’t help them practise singing and sync my voice with them. I thought I had protected them.)

(I couldn’t see their true value, through my blinded eyes.)

(My body lost its balance a little, I feel as though my body is going to shatter..)

(Because we’re just antique dolls, relics from the past..)

(I noticed it too late, even if we just get a scratch I’ll only continue to sink down further.)

(But we should at least go out until the end. Nito, Kagehira, my youth…my dear ‘Valkyrie’.)

 ♪~ ♪~ ♪

Nazuna: (We really all sang, I feel like crying to death.)

(.....Our reputation amongst the audience is tattered now.)

(We sang together over the recorded one…this was our first and last time.)

a/n cant upload nazuna and shus singing part ill post it seperately mayb

[crimium]

My thoughts on the new Hifuu Album

Well, Taboo Japan Disentanglement just came out! after reading the story and listening to the tracks, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the album!

The tracks

I'm going to go through the album tracks in order and give my individual thoughts on them.

1 - Morning Comes on Tanabata Hill (Original)

This is surprisingly emotional for an opening track. The new drum set here is wonderful, and the piano is soothing and atmospheric. I do think the melody is kind of all over the place though, and it's a bit hard to follow. All in all, a really nice calming song.

2 - Tinkerbell of Inequality (Original)

I've been excited to listen to this one ever since the album got announced because of the interesting title, and HOLY SHIT THIS SONG IS AMAZING. The instrumentation is so weird but oh so good. The track is ominous but jazzy. The melody is catchy. It reminds me of GFC and CoSD, with it's apocalyptic futuristic vibe. This is easily the best track in the album. Solid.

3 - Does the Forbidden Door Lead to This World, or the World Beyond? (HSiFS arrangement)

Now we get to the arrangements. The song is sporting a new drum set and piano, and I can safely say that the instrumentation is a huge improvement to the original. To be frank, I'm not too much of a fan of HSiFS's instrumentation, now don't get me wrong, the songs are great, but they suffer a bit because the instruments ZUN uses are a bit lackluster. Here, that is not the case, this a great arrange. Something I do want to note, is that the BPM of the arranges seems to be lowered a bit from their original counterparts. Not a bad thing, but it's interesting to keep in mind as you keep listening.

4 - Smoking Dragon (UM arrangement)

HOOOOOOLYYYYYY SHIIIIIIIT. The key change. the new drumset. the new, climactic/triumphant atmosphere. The new section added in??? It's all so perfect, this does the original song justice. I love this so much. One of my favorite arranges in the whole album.

5 - Mugen Noh ~ Taboo Marionette (Original)

This song is calming, but sinister sounding as well. It hits a nice balance of calming and uneasy. The instrumentation, once again, is really good here. I do feel that the electric guitar a bit later in feels a bit out of place, but in general, the song creates a really good atmosphere, and it's definitely a standout track.

6 - Crazy Backup Dancers (HSiFS arrangement)

I don't really have much to say about this one, other than that it's a fairy good arrangement of the original song. ZUN added a new synth(?) into the mix, which gives it a distinct sound from the original. It's fun!

7 - Yorimashi Between Dreams and Reality ~ Necro-Fantasia (AoCF arrange)

ZUN. you can't keep getting away with this. This is peak. The song has a newly added intro of the Necrofantasia main theme before the song kicks in, and WOW does it create an atmosphere. The instrumentation is once again great and the key change (that just dissapears half-way through lmao) is also really cool. This is a great track.

8 - The Lonesome Path in Hitachi (Original)

A surprisingly upbeat track given the title. It's composed in swing rhythm, and because of that, it kinda reminds me of Let's Live in a Lovely Cemetery and Like the Brilliance of Fairies. Not that that's a bad thing, but it does make it sand out a bit less for me. Still a good track, though! Also ZUN chill out with those reverbs

9 - The Lamentations Known Only by Jizo (WBaWC arrange)

I like the new choir here, it makes it sound more dramatic. I am a bit disappointment that the flute kind of overshadows the Spooky Lead from the original, but it's not a bad arrangement at all. And man this drum set is really doing wonders rn

10 - The Concealed Four Seasons (HSiFS arrange)

WOW. TALK ABOUT A GREAT FINALE. This arrangement tweaks just enough without completely changing the vibe of the original song, and it's fantastic. About halfway through, there's a key change that makes it sort of feel like a phase 2 to the song, and it really completes the whole package. Fantastic.

11 - Apparitions Abound Even Outside of Night (Original)

Oh cool, what a nice, calming, uplifting trac- ZUN WHAT ARE YOU DOING. So the song starts off very calming and atmospheric, and then turns into digi-rock like a minute in. It's kind of jarring but I think it works, the song is still fantastic, and does a good job wrapping things up for the album, and the story. Speaking of which...

The story (spoiler warning)

Without going into too much detail, because I highly recommend you read the story on your own, the predictions of Merry and Renko being separated where not exactly wrong, although I think the story was a lot less heartbreaking than everyone thought it would've been. It serves as a nice drama and really shows how these characters relate to each other. Seeing Renko drop everything just to save Merry shows that even if they get on the wrong foot, they're still the Hifuu club, through and through.

In conclusion, this album is absolutely stellar. ZUN's instrumentation this time around is incredibly diverse, and I can tell he was having fun experimenting. The story is also well written, showcasing these two characters and their conflicting yet similar ideals. Please, go give this album a listen! It may have been 8 years since the last hifuu album, but it was definitely worth the wait.

[mossmittens]

3, 5, 12, 13 14 for the Ask Game

This one is LONG, sorry all

3. Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year?

I'd heard RAYE and Escapism before this year, but I finally started digging into her music for real and was so pleased. Her live performances are magical. Highly recommend her medley at the Brits — the bridge from Ice Cream Man is an earworm that puts me on the floor and the CHOIR for Prada and Escapism. I want to live in it. Maybe I relate to this album too much to be healthy sjkhgfkjgd

Other songs I loved: Josephine Oniyama - House of Mirrors, Labi Siffre - Bless the Telephone, Kacey Musgraves - camera roll, Bob Dylan - Knocking on Heaven's Door, Troye Sivan - Rager teenager!, Sufjan Stevens - Will Anybody Ever Love Me?

5. TV show of the year?

I mean, the Delicious in Dungeon anime coming out this year defined the year for me, so it must be that. I wouldn't have read the manga if the show hadn't swept me away. Genuinely, it is impossible to guess the person I would be today if I hadn't seen it, which feels crazy.

12. Talk about a new friend you made this year

This is like a part 2 to the previous question djghfhjd. I absolutely refuse to choose just one, though. I found a core group of fandom friends that I really adore. Pompoms, making stupid emojis and edits just to make them laugh, forcing them to stream video games for my amusement while I very loudly eat sandwiches into the mic, stupid in-jokes we can't possibly explain without sounding insane. It's a complete pleasure to know them 💞 mwah mwah mwah to you all

But that's not all! I started talking to mutuals I've had for years and made some new ones. I've never really talked to people here before and I always felt like I was shouting into the void. It's been a nice change of pace and I love my little circle to bits.

Sorry for the long-winded answer, but I have so many warm feelings rn!

FYI: My backup accounts are @moss-mittens or @mossmittens2 (for dunmeshi stuff), if you would like to follow them. Won't be posting there unless I get nuked again, so don't worry about double posting. Also happy to share my Discord with moots :)

13. How was your birthday this year?

It was actually a shit day in the moment, but it turned out to be a really special memory. My whole family visited my grandpa, who I share a birthday with. He had a big health scare last December, so we were worried about him not making it to his birthday but he did!!

What makes it special is that he winded up passing two weeks ago. He was my favorite out of an army of grandparents, step-grandparents, ex-step-grandparents. I'm so lucky that I got to spend one last birthday with him, so I'm gonna treasure that stupid, awful day forever.

14. Favorite book you read this year?

A Curious History of Sex by Kate Lister is a complete joy, though I admit I haven't finished it. It's more of a collection of essays on selected parts of sex history than a wide-ranging deep dive, but the writing is easy to get through. It's very sex positive and sex work positive.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I reread The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. It's a mystery written for children and you can probably get through it in an afternoon. It's just a wonderful and well-constructed story. Highly recommend to people who like to read a mystery and don't try to solve it haha

[fromtenthousandfeet]

How about a change of topic, @fromtenthousandfeet?

Last night I watched the JK Golden mini-concert on YouTube. Hold on, I am going to relate this to Jimin, promise. Here are some things I noticed:

He only sang 12 songs. 10 from his album, and two from his BTS days: Still with You and Magic Shop (singing his part with the recording.)

There was a fair amount of talking. Also two brief videos. So that took up some time.

I wondered how he would work the collabs. As far as I could tell, he just sang Seven and 3D without including the others.

He used the backtrack for his BG vocals. Why don't they ever use real background singers? This seems so inexplicable to me.

The production values were, I would say, modest. As in, sparse.

This was definitely an event for Army and JK solos. RM was there and did speak briefly from the audience on how much he admired JK. He said the others couldn't attend because they had schedules or words to that effect.

OK, here's how this relates to Jimin. I keep hearing that Jimin doesn't have enough songs to do a concert, but he certainly has more than 12! He wouldn't even have to include his collabs (except SGMB?)

Does he have enough time to rest between the intense choreo ones and the no-choreo ones? I think so? And please include his Black Swan solo. And maybe a cover or two. Keeping hope alive for something in Spanish, como siempre, but there are other possibilities. Recently I read a recommendation for Human Nature by MJ. What a brilliant idea. I could totally see (hear) that.

Everybody seems to agree that the 1st song has to be SetMeFree, pt2. Hell, yeah! But could they bring in the actual choir, please? And I wonder if Suga would do the rap part--I'm glad he isn't on the album, but it would be cool to have a truly live performance... and something that ISN'T just like the recording. That's why you go to a concert, isn't it?

I mean, I get why they have to have a backtrack, but how about some live background vocals from background singers, too? I found it disconcerting when Jimin sang WHO on Jimmy Fallon and there were those moments when his recorded voice came in. Isn't there a way to use BG singers in those moments?

But...bottom line: Jimin has enough material to do his own concert. Perhaps not a full two hours, unless he had an opening act, but his own concert is entirely feasible and very desirable. I believe he has the fan base to support him, or am I being delusional?

Should we start making a set list?

Anon,

Thank you for this wonderful ask. I'm sorry I'm a bit late in responding.

All of your points are so on point (lol)! I'm now obsessing over the idea of Jimin covering the best song from MJ's Thriller (IMHO). JM was born to sing Human Nature!

While it wouldn't allow him a chance to rest, I would love an award show-style dance performance or two. Marionette Fake Love? Blindfolded Lie? OMG. And yes, let's get Black Swan in there, too. He doesn't have to repeat these performances, of course. Something new would be amazing. Do people understand just how one of a kind Jimin is? His dancing is on another level.

Backup singers? Yes, please! I beg. Rearrange his songs so that he doesn't need to rely on backtrack vocals and use real, human backup singers since add such warmth and depth to songs. Why is BH so violently opposed to them? And that choir from LA? They are breathtakingly talented. Please add them to the tour, too.

Finally, a song in Spanish? Claro que si! We know he has it in him - it's only a matter of time.

Anon, let's get the set list started, vet some possible opening acts, and start crowd funding for the tour because I don't trust BH to do anything.

[bluedalahorse]

For the drabbles!

Sarah

Reunion

Backup: Fear

Thanks for the request! You’re my very last drabble for this year’s challenge. :) Couldn’t resist doing reunion as a future saraugust drabble because one must create what one wants to see in the world. Enjoy!

Tagging @youngroyals-events since this event was their brainchild.

Close Harmonies (link to AO3)

In their twenties, Sara and August cross paths at Christmases and stray birthdays.

Sara works on the opposite coast and visits family when she can. August starts living his apology to Simon after some initial halting conversations.

When Sara turns thirty, a concert celebrates Simon’s choral compositions. Sara drives across Sweden to attend and discovers August in the audience.

“You don’t have to…” August starts when Sara asks.

“It’s alright. Sit with me.”

From the choir: an unguarded melody, weaving around dissonant chords, persisting toward change.

Sara sees tears glint at the corners of August’s eyes. She catches his hand.

[rickyderose]

A Symphony of Music and Motion - Day 3 Countdown: Celebrating the Male Talent

🎤 Meet the Exceptional Men Behind the Music and Motion 🎶

Today, we honor the extraordinary male artists who will take the stage and enrich A Symphony of Music and Motion with their diverse talents and dedication. Their artistry spans genres, styles, and instruments, creating a tapestry of music and emotion.

🎧 Ken Meade

* A featured Hip-Hop artist whose dynamic energy will electrify the performance of Free Palestine. Ken's powerful lyrics and stage presence bring an unforgettable spark to this production.

🎹 Gabriel Whitman

* As the musical director and conductor, Gabriel skillfully orchestrates the event, playing the keys, organizing the choir, and performing as a vocalist. His expertise ensures the seamless harmony of every performance.

🎤 Angel Dweh

* A versatile artist, Angel will lead some performances and lend his vocal talent to the choir. His passion for storytelling through music adds depth and heart to the show.

🥁 Steve Brown

* With over 50 years of Experience, Steve is a legendary drummer and founding member of The Innocence Mission. His rhythmic brilliance will drive the show's energy, making every beat resonate with the audience.

🎭 Sean Davis

* A dynamic performer with 8+ years of Experience, Sean contributes as a backup vocalist for the live song release with Ricky. His passion for singing, dancing, and acting elevates every moment on stage.

🎤 Steelton White

* A high school senior who excels in orchestra, choir, and drama, Steelton brings joy and dedication to the stage and inspires the audience with his heartfelt performances.

🎵 Owen Ridenour

* At nine years old, Owen's enthusiasm for singing, dancing, and gymnastics makes him a standout performer. His youthful exuberance and talent will captivate every member of the audience.

🗓 Witness these incredible talents live on December 28th, 2024, at Mickey's Black Box, Lititz, PA.

🎟 Tickets are available now! https://mickeysblackbox.com/event/a-symphony-of-music-and-motion-a-december-celebration-of-song-and-dance/

Join us tomorrow as we continue the countdown and celebrate the phenomenal female performers who will bring A Symphony of Music and Motion to life!

~ Ricardo Derose

The Creator of Philoetry

Amy Eileen

Dance Educator/Choreographer

Sponsored by:

* Derose Entertainment, LLC: https://derosentertainment.com/

* Derose Entertainment Store: https://derosentertainmentstore.com/

* Premiere Danse Academy: https://www.premieredanseacademy.com/

* Amy Eileen Store: https://amyeileenstore.com/

#History #Philosophy #Poetry #IGiveYou #Philoetry

#ASymphonyOfMusicAndMotion #KenMeade #GabrielWhitman #AngelDweh #SteveBrown #SeanDavis #SteeltonWhite #NoahJohnson #OwenRidenour #RicardoDerose #DeroseEntertainmentLLC #LivePerformance #MusicAndDance

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Doris Troy

R&B Singer Doris Troy was born Doris Elaine Higginsen in Bronx, New York, on January 6, 1937. Both a singer and a songwriter, her biggest hit, “Just One Look,” was released in 1963 and peaked at no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Troy’s father was a Barbadian Pentecostal minister, and she began singing in the church choir.  Her parents disapproved of R&B and rock ‘n’roll music and forbade their four children to listen to it. Despite their ban on that music, she became an usherette at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem where she heard and met many of the performers including James Brown, who was credited with “discovering” her.

In 1957, Troy formed a three-girl group named the Halos and began writing songs. A publisher paid her $100 for her song “How About That,” which became a hit for Dee Clark. To earn a steady income, Troy began singing backup and teamed with Cissy Houston and her cousins Dionne and Dee Dee Warrick for Atlantic Records in 1963. Calling themselves the Sweet Inspirations, they sang backup for The Drifters, Solomon Burke, and other established artists.

After writing “Just One Look” with Gregory Carroll in 1963, the couple took the demo to Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records who immediately signed them. The record was released under the name Doris Troy, as Higginsen changed her name to Troy after the legendary heroine, Helen of Troy.  “Just One Look” was a smash success and was later recorded by The Hollies and Linda Ronstadt. Unfortunately, Doris Troy was never able to match her first hit.

In 1964, Troy visited London and became enamored with the British music scene. She moved to the United Kingdom in 1969 and signed with Apple Records, owned by the Beatles. Throughout the 1970s, she collaborated with British artists and developed a loyal following. She once did a live show backed on piano by Elton John, who at the time was not well-known. Troy sang backup on George Harrison’s hit, “My Sweet Lord,” Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” and Billy Preston’s album That’s the Way God Planned It. Returning to the U.S. in 1974, she shared the stage with Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, and other noted artists.

Perhaps her most memorable stage performance was in Mama, I Want to Sing, a musical she wrote along with her younger sister, Vy Higginsen, and her husband, Ken Wydro. Based on Troy’s life, the musical featured Troy playing her mother, Geraldine. When it opened at the Heckschers Theatre in Spanish Harlem on March 23, 1983, it ran for 1,500 performances before going on a national and international tour. From 1986 to 1999 the musical toured Germany, Italy and Japan, and was performed at the West End Theatre in the UK. The musical was made into a motion picture titled Mama, I Want to Sing starring Ciara, Patti LaBelle, and Hill Harper and released on DVD in 2012.

Respiratory problems forced Troy to move from New York to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the dry desert climate. She continued to perform in supper clubs and casinos. Doris Troy died of emphysema on February 16, 2004, at the age of 67 in Las Vegas.

[sleepanonymous]

Hello! I’m a bit confused about timelines still so I figured I’d ask you if that’s okay? The Choir in past shows like the St. Pancras ritual and The Room Below ritual is Espera/the one we have today, right? They are so stunning and their voices are so beautiful, it makes me happy that they’ve done background vocals live with the band for so long if they’re indeed the same 😭🖤 Their upgraded looks are so cool too, they look like the fates

Hello Anon, ty for the ask 🖤 It’s more than okay, I’m always happy to answer questions (I just have an awful response time at the moment).

I have the majority of Sleep Token's timeline in a post here, but it is a long read so I’ll summarize the parts that may help clarify things for you.

Specific to Espera/The Choir, you’re correct. They’ve been the same three women each time they performed/toured with Sleep Token. They’ve opened for several of Sleep Token’s rituals in the band Exploring Birdsong, and as far as I can tell, the first time they did so was for Ritual XI at St Pancras Old Church on October 11, 2018. They also performed The Way That You Were with Vessel and the Keyboardist, concluding the ritual for that evening. The first full ritual they performed with Sleep Token, however, was when the band opened for Baby Metal and Amaranth on July 2, 2019.

The Choir wasn't a staple of Sleep Token’s rituals until more recently. They would perform alongside Sleep Token at most UK/European rituals, but had not followed Sleep Token overseas to Australia or The United States until 2023.

It’s worth noting that the Keyboardist did backup vocals for Vessel as well, until she left the band after Ritual XI to pursue personal projects. You can hear her singing in some live videos from 2018, but she’s most easily heard in the Maida Vale session recordings that Sleep Token did in April 2018. My friend has this video on his YouTube channel, and I put his mp3 files in my Google Drive under “Maida Vale Session 2018.”

[miashyperfixations]

MTV EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARDS 2024

10.11.2024 @ The Co-op Live Arena, Manchester (23,500 Capacity)

Written Nov 2024

Earlier this month, I was able to go and watch the MTV EMAs live for free through my university. This was an experience I never would have imagined happening to me ever, so doing it so early into my career journey was so exciting. 

Being admitted into the venue almost 2 hours before the start time, I was able to fully take in how much effort and logistics truly goes into live broadcasting. It was so fun and interesting to be part of a live broadcast event as an attendee with an eye for these kinds of things. We were also able to see stage setups going up and down from where we were and it was truly fascinating to be able to watch the absolute military operation that was the stage switchovers in between acts whilst the cameras focused on the presenter or other aspects. Le Sserafim’s setupalone was a mission, with a whole extra 3-tier step pyramid stage being put together piece-by-piece on the middle stage, for a full production alongside backup dancers.

As MTV Superfans, we were treated with a side-stage view in the back half of the arena, meaning we were directly across from the celebrity seating area with the centre ‘H’ stage in between us, whilst still having a pretty great view of the main performance stage at the end of the arena. Seeing so many amazing acts in one night was unreal. Benson Boone opened up the show from his floating piano and went on to win the first award of the night (Best New Artist). ‘The Warning’ live was an absolute dream come true, and those pyrotechnics? Amazing. RAYE was a complete powerhouse with her orchestral medley of  ‘Escapism’, ‘Oscar Winning Tears’ and ‘Body Dysmorphia’ with a choir backing her. I was blown away. She was definitely the highlight of the night for me. Other performers included Teddy Swims, MTV Global Icon Award-Winner Busta Rhymes, THe Pet Shop Boys, & Shawn Mendes

This experience gave me a lot to consider when it comes to my future career. The multitude of job roles involved in a production like this is endless, and certainly gave me a lot to think about when it comes to deciding what route to go.