#And then they go to culturally specific clubs language classes etc after

[actual-lich-queen]

In US media, kids learning magic is treated like an extra curricular (examples: Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Wizards of Waverly Place)

In the UK they get their whole education devoted to it (examples: The Worst Witch and Equal Rites)

[eetherealgoddess]

Hey, I just had a really good idea for u to write. A yandere bonten and a singer/ famous reader. I really love your writing style, and I get sooo excited when I see u post something 🫶🤭

Thank youu!! I get excited for good requests :)

ꨄMelodic Ruinꨄ

Oneshot - Yandere Bonten/Famous Singer Au

❦You’re an artist who caught Bonten’s attention❦

Sano Manjiro, Hanemiya Kazutora, Sanzu Haruchiyo, & Haitani Brothers x Reader

(Mostly Mikey but you’ll see what I mean)

❣︎I know in real life the manager doesn’t “own” the singer, but in this story, the reader will have signed all of their artistic rights to the manager so that the plot will make sense❣︎

Not fully proofread

Japanese language is red

MY TR FANDOM WORKS ARE ONLY ON TUMBLR, AO3, AND WATTPAD UNDER EETHEREALGODDESS! REPORT IF YOU SEE IT POSTED UNDER ANYONE ELSE BUT ME!!!

I apologize if I get any Japanese etiquette or culture wrong, I literally have to research the culture for some of my fandom stories so if anything is wrong, please excuse my ignorance.

Notice:

✩Y/n is 18+. I picture her as a black female but you can see her however.

✩Some parts of the story may not be realistic or factual. After all, this is a work of fiction.

✩Although it's a dark 'romance,' I do not condone any of the behavior displayed.

✩Dark content such as: gore, violence, triggering topics, graphic scenes, vulgar language, explicit sexual content, etc.

✩There may be scenes that involve non con and/ or dubcon so don’t read if that makes you uncomfortable

✩That being said, this story is for 18+ only.

Enjoy!

Melodic Ruin

Claps could be heard echoing throughout the concert hall as you stood on the surface with a sweet smile, thanking the audience before walking off the stage, the lights shutting off behind you as the crowd began to make their leave. The long dress you wore hugging your figure as the train of the fabric followed behind. You had just completed the last performance for your concert, your hands rubbing along your sides as you released a breath of relief. Of course you don’t get as much anxiety as you did when you first started singing in front of thousands of people, you just really cared about your craft. A perfectionist you could say. This particular performance was important as well considering the extra onlookers your manager warned you about, you having noticed a few of the “important” people in the VIP seats when you were on the stage.

You are ranked as a famous singer in your country, not having been worldwide just yet besides the few videos of you singing at home or in the studio that went viral, as well as your first album that was released recently. You’re a new industry baby, but you’re still trying to keep your own personality in your work without getting controlled by any record deal which is why you’re an independent artist. You take pride in your art, creative by heart and ambitious by nature. It took you quite a few years of releasing singles and singing social media videos to finally get noticed for your talent. You’re proud of yourself which is something that doesn’t happen often enough. You’re not exactly at the top yet but you’re not mad with where you’re at.

“Good job, Y/n! You’ve caught quite the attention!” Your manager greets you just as you made it backstage, offering you the business card in her hand. You look down and take the paper on your own, eyeing the print. Your eyes widened.

“I got invited to perform in JAPAN?!” You exclaim. Never have you ever gotten an opportunity to go out of the country, only touring around local concerts although still popular by demand.

“A private, high classed lounge owned by club owners Haitani Ran and Haitani Rin! Isn’t this great news?” She beams as she holds her hands up. You look at her with your eyes glistening, a wide smile on your face as you feel so grateful for the opportunity. And to be personally invited to perform at this specific lounge is a huge deal for you. You’ll have more of a chance at getting acquainted with bigger connections. It’s intimidating, yet you couldn’t help the excitement that your hard work is finally paying off even bigger than it has.

“We’re leaving first thing tomorrow so get your bags packed because it’s gonna be a long trip!” Your manager says before giving your arms a tight squeeze. “You deserve this, Y/n. Bask in it now because before you know it, you’ll be attracting even bigger opportunities.” She walks off, leaving you with the business card as you read the print once more.

You immediately change before packing your bags when you make it home, excitement making it hard to fall asleep although eager for the next day to come. It was early in the morning when you and your manager met at the airport holding your private jet. Checking your consistent notifications as well as scrolling through social media. Sitting on the plane was full of thought while you listened to the music blasting from your headphones, thinking about the venue you’d be performing at. How intimate it’ll be to sing amongst all of those people who will be judging you, observing your creativity to see if it’s worth the profit.

An empty estate was offered to you and your manager, coming upon a penthouse once your driver dropped you off. Your manager basked in the luxury as she unpacked, talking your ear off as if she’s more excited than you. You chuckle at the thought before heading to your own bedroom to unpack, an eyebrow raising at the name tagged on the door. When you opened the door, you were met with a modernized luxury bedroom. The body sized window gives you a beautiful view of the city from above. You stood there a moment before turning around to get your outfit ready for the night, already having notified your manager to not call the stylist since you already had an idea of what you were going to wear.

When evening finally struck you had just climbed into the vehicle, your driver helping you in before shutting the door behind you, along with your two security guards who traveled with you. Your manager sat in the passenger seat, the black suv moving along as you eye through the tinted window. Your nerves are struck, having never performed in a country other than your own. Especially with the presence of numerous important individuals, you couldn’t afford to make any rookie mistakes.

When you arrived, you were helped out of the car, different locals being held back by guards already posted for the lounge, keeping the crowd behind the ropes as you walked along the red carpet. You waved and smiled as people screamed your name and song lyrics, cameras flashing as well as paparazzi ready for the next best shot. Finally making it inside, you were greeted with a beautiful melody, red covering the walls with a marble floor. Gold decor plastered along as well as the large chandelier hanging from the middle of the room.

A red rug sat in the middle of the floor along with cushioned chairs and glass tables, a bar across from the stage as well as many people conversing with champagne and other alcoholic beverages. A woman holds a microphone on the stage, entertaining the audience with beautiful harmony. Everyone wears all black formal attire, causing you to look down at your shimmery, golden gown with a grimace. You turn to your manager as you both walk down the hall in the opposite direction, heading for the dressing room.

“I thought I was supposed to wear gold.” You say softly. She smirks.

“You are. Don’t forget, Y/n. This is your special night.”

My special night, right.

You take a deep breath before one of your security guards opens the dressing room.

Your eyes perk at the man standing inside. He turns his head back before walking towards you with a smile. You eye his purple orbs before examining the suit accenting his broad figure. His neck tattoo displays a symbol you’ve never seen before, though it fit him well. Fingers run through his short, dyed hair as he gets closer.

“Welcome, Y/n. Haitani, Ran.” He states, holding a hand out. You smile politely, ignoring your anxiety as you shake his hand. You couldn’t help but notice how soft his skin felt against yours.

“Hello, Mr. Haitani. Thank you so much for this opportunity.” You beam, subconsciously rubbing your palms against the fabric of your dress, refraining from picking at the dress.

“Please, call me Ran. The pleasure is all mine. We are grateful to have you here.” He says, before connecting his lips with the back of your hand, gaze still holding yours. You felt your face warm, having never been handled so gently by a man considering the type of males that live in your hometown. Your manager walks up, both of them greeting each other, though her body is slightly tense when she gives him a tight smile. You fail to notice the display of tension, too focused on the tingling sensation lingering from the contact with your hand.

“I see that gold fits you very well. Best choice I’ve ever made.” He chuckled. So he recommended it to your manager?

That brings you comfort knowing you hadn’t made a mistake, after all it never felt good to be the odd one out because of misinformation.

“Indeed it is. Y/n, let’s get you ready to perform!” Your manager eased her arm around your shoulder before pulling you off, Ran waving bye as he exited the room while you shifted your gaze at her with confusion.

“What was that about?” You question her as she fixes her own makeup in the mirror.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The way you just interr…”

“Y/n.” She breathes out. “Let’s focus on your music, yeah?” She says as she touches up your face. You nod your head right before an employee comes in to queue you. You exhale before heading down the hall behind the stage.

“Please give a warm welcome to Ms. Y/n!”

Straightening your back, you stepped onto the stage, revealing yourself to the audience who claps and cheers, giving you the welcome you deserve. You gaze at the beautiful view of the crowd, noticing a familiar suit sitting with eight other interesting looking men. You greet the crowd right before the music begins, beginning your performance as everyone quiets down, along with the light over the audience dimming.

During your performance, you allow yourself to get lost in the music. Closing your eyes as your hand moves along, flowing with the melody as your beautiful voice harmonizes well with the piano. Your head tilts as you release a stronger note that comes from the base of your voice, tightening your grip on the microphone as you walk along the stage. The slit of your gown opens slightly, exposing your thigh as you move across the stage. Your gaze shifts to different sides of the lounge, making eye contact with a few of the audience members as some of them sway their upper bodies with your song.

The frequency of your voice brings a sense of calmness to the crowd, some with their palm holding their cheek up as they wear a smile, pleasantly losing themselves with you as they seem to be in a trance that locks them in to only you. Some lean into your presence as they gaze at your figure, nodding their heads occasionally to the flow as well as admiring your overall appearance.

Your manager stands behind the stage, out of the sight of everyone as she chews her nails, shifting her gaze to the eight males that sit upstairs with the best view of the stage. Her eyebrows furrow while her arms tremble slightly, unable to focus on anything else but the intimidating gazes stuck on you. The platform of her shoe taps against the ground as she exhales.

The music goes out just as your voice lingers the last note, eyes fluttering back open as a grin grows on your expression, all the while one of your arms lie out to the side. You set the microphone back on the stand after you bow with a “thank you,” as everyone claps. You accidentally catch Ran’s gaze as well as the other men just as you wave ‘goodbye’ to the audience. You meet your manager behind the stage as she gives you a smile and pulls you into a hug.

“Great job, Y/n! Now let’s celebrate.”

The night was spent drinking as well as having conversations with various people, discussing their businesses and hobbies as well as asking you numerous facts about yourself. Your manager seemed to have disappeared a while ago, leaving you to sit by yourself on a lounge chair, the dress hugging your legs as if you were a mermaid. You eye your phone’s screen while taking a sip of your champagne, eyeing the recent post of your own performance until the shadow of a person steals your attention.

“We need to go, now!” Your manager says before snatching your wrist, pulling you along as drops of liquid splash out of the glass.

“M/n? What the hell?” You gasp as you’re caught off guard, almost tripping over your own dress while she forces you to rush to the dressing room.

You yank your arm out of her grip before glaring at her.

“M/n! What is going on? Why have you been so on edge tonight?” She quickly gathers all of your stuff as you stare at her with disbelief. She pauses, failing to look at you.

“L-look. I’ll explain everything later. We just need to get out of Japan right now.”

“Wait a minute. I thought we were staying for a few days.” Your tone shifted to concern. “What’s wrong, M/n? Did something happen?” She drops the makeup supplies before turning to you and gripping your arms.

“I told you, Y/n! I will explain everything later, but right now we don’t have much time! We need to leave, now!” You gaze at her with shock along with fear as you become nervous by her own look of terror. Sweat sliding along the lining of her forehead along with her eyeliner slightly smeared with red eyes.

What the fuck is going on?

“Oh? What’s the rush? The party was just getting started.” A smooth voice says with amusement behind you. You watch as your manager’s eyes widened before you turned to meet your gaze with three men. Your eyes met a familiar purple though the rest of the features were slightly different, the purple mullet being the most prominent as well as the matching tattoo you saw on the male earlier. You guessed this man to be the other owner of the club, Haitani Rin.

Standing to his right is a man with golden eyes, blonde strands falling over his face along with his black hair pulled into a neat ponytail. His expression was light, holding a smile that you could mistake for politeness. He placed his hands in his pockets after shutting the door behind them. To the Haitani’s left is a man with narrowed blue eyes that seem to pierce into your soul, his pink mullet shaped perfectly around his beautiful features. Your gaze shifts to the scars placed at the corners of his mouth, furrowing your brows before you take in the situation at hand.

“What’s going on, M/n?” You side eye her as you watch her eyes widen. Her lips slightly apart as she tries to think of something to say.

“That was a beautiful performance, Y/n. Fitting for such a gorgeous woman.” The blonde says as he approaches, holding a hand out. The tiger in black ink on his neck added to the intimidating aura that contrasts with the expression on his face. He mimics Ran, bringing your limp hand to his lips while gazing into your eyes. A look of such intensity that you had to look away.

“Thank you…” You pause in expectance.

“Kazutora.” You nod with a polite smile before shifting your gaze to the others.

The tension in the room has yet to disappear. You couldn’t really focus on anything else but how scared your manager looks right now.

“M/n. It’d be in your best interest to follow us. The King wants to speak to you.” The pink haired one says, a look of satisfaction crossed his face when he states ‘the King,’ which causes you a little confusion by the title.

Kazutora takes the opportunity to wrap an arm around your shoulder, pulling you along as you look behind to glance at your manager with a questioning look. You all walk out of the dressing room and through the hall. The only sounds being your heels clicking and their speech, nothing you could decipher because of the differing language.

“Surprised she’d be Mikey’s type.” Rin says to the other men.

“No kidding. Who knew a famous babe from Y/c would catch his eye?” Kazutora says while glancing at you.

“There’s a lot you two don’t know about Mikey.” The pink haired man replies.

“Hm, I guess you’re right Sanzu. Wonder how long it’ll take before blood sheds tonight.” Kazutora rubs his chin.

“Can’t wait to find out.” Sanzu smirks.

You turn back to glance at your manager who looks as though the color on her face has disappeared.

I hope I find out what’s going on with her.

You all arrive upstairs, walking down a hall before being met with an office. When you walked in, you noticed the other men who sat on the balcony with Ran, standing around the desk facing the entrance. Ran also in position though sitting in a chair next to the desk in the spacious room. A man with pale hair sits behind the desk with a sweater hanging off of his shoulders, dark eyes gazing into yours as Kazutora removes his arm and leads you to your seat. Your manager sits beside you on another chair, along with Rin standing by her side and Kazutora standing by yours, everyone facing the platinum haired male. Sanzu takes position beside the short man, standing by his chair with his hand holding the other.

You felt on edge, seven pairs of eyes focused on you, all the while silence filled the room. You turn in your seat to look at the blocked entrance, some other broad men blocking the door. Your eyebrows furrowed as the room seemed to get colder, turning back in your seat as you faced the mystery man.

“Speak.” His narrowed eyes meet your manager’s.

She hesitates as you watch her shift uncomfortably in her seat. Her chest rises as she takes a shaky breath in before exhaling.

“U-um, I…” She stammers, fingers trembling against the arm of the chair. You stay quiet, concerned with her behavior as your own body glistens with sweat from stress. You shift in your seat, straightening your back as you cross your ankles, your legs fidgeting as you feel the butterflies in your stomach.

“You tried to leave? And so soon?” He questions, his expression stoic as his eyes bore into your manager’s. Her hands move to her lap as her foot taps against the ground.

“U-uh, no. No I didn’t.” She breathes out.

“I think you did. Didn’t she?” They all responded with “Yes Boss.” Before silence falls once more.

“Why?” M/n’s mouth shuts as she tries to think of something. You could only guess that she was nervous because of whatever business title the men hold so you decide to speak up for her.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity, really. It’s just been a long night.” You explain, only causing some of the men to chuckle at the naivety. Your eyebrows furrow in irritation. “Okay, what the hell is really going on?”

M/n looks at you with wide eyes before holding her hands up and shaking her head.

“Y-Y/n, I’ll explain later, just give me some ti…”

“No, tell me right now why everyone is acting so weird. Stop wasting time.” You growl, sick of the antics and the vague conversations.

The man looks at you for a moment before nodding to Rin. To your surprise he pulls out a gun just as M/n hops out of her seat causing the chair to fall backwards. She runs to the entrance only for him to hold the weapon up, shooting the gun. The bullet penetrates her back, causing her to fall over, a shriek leaving her lips as the throbbing pain fills her senses. You jump out of your seat in shock, eyes staring at the blood staining her attire while she lays her head on the floor.

“What the fuck?” You exclaim, heading to the bleeding girl only to get pulled against a chest, arms wrapped around your waist, pulling your feet off the ground.

“You said to stop wasting time!” Kazutora laughs as the rest look on in amusement to the woman losing consciousness.

“Y/n! I-I’m sorry! I’m so fucking sorry! I had no choice! I had no choice!” She weeps, hand smacking against the floor as she covers her head with her arm. “I’m so sorry.” She whimpers.

“What are you talking…! Let me fucking go! She needs to go to the hospital!” You yell, beating Kazutora’s arms as you try to pry them off, kicking your feet.

Sanzu walks to the woman lying on the ground. Setting a foot to the wound before pressing down, causing a strangled gasp to come out of her mouth. You struggle harder as you watch him point a gun to her head from above.

“Explain yourself.” He growls, smiling wide with crazed eyes.

“I-I sold you! I s-sold… you! It’s… *gasp* all in their…*pant* hands!” She weeps, “I h-ha… *grunt* had no choice!” Her own nails pierce her palms as she turns her hands to fists, squeezing in pain as he continues to press his weight down.

You could only stare in silence as you paused your struggling.

“T-they’re a… a gang! A *pant* criminal….organization! Th-they…*grunt* threaten…!” She screams out in agony once Sanzu pulls his leg up and slams his foot down on her wound. You wince as you begin to struggle again.

“Let her go!” You were angry with her, yes. However, if the truth is that they threatened her, you couldn’t help but empathize despite your lingering resentment. Your only focus was to get both of you out of here alive. You wondered where your guards were.

“Yes, ma’am.” Sanzu smiles before moving his foot off of her and cocking the gun, pulling the trigger. The bullet blasts half of her skull open. The sickening sound of blood splattering the floor causes you to gasp before you yell out, tears falling out of your eyes at the traumatic display.

“Hey, save those vocals for the bedroom, yeah?” Ran jokes before lighting a cigarette, some of the other men chuckling at his response.

“Let me go! Let me go, goddamnit!” You growl angrily, crying as Kazutora forces you to sit down.

He cocks his gun, bringing the barrel to your head while putting a finger over his lips. You eye him with a look of horror.

“Shh.” He starts. “Boss isn’t done talking.”

You pant as you hold your chest, staring back at their ‘boss’ who eyes you quietly. The room calms down once more as everyone takes their original positions, a gun still pressed to your head. He slides a form over for you to read. You lean in your seat and look over the sheet that confirmed your manager’s signature, signing you over to Bonten, a criminal organization residing in Japan.

“The contract doesn’t lie. During this term and all others, you are now the property of Bonten.”

You shook your head while whispering, “No.”

“I own you, Y/n. You can either fall in line willingly or by force. I don’t care. You’re mine.” He says before standing from his seat.

“Mikey.” He says to you before shifting his attention to the others. “Take her to Bonten’s headquarters.”

Kazutora hides his gun and grabs your arm as you struggle against his hold. Just as Mikey and Sanzu, along with some of the other men, head to the doorway, he says, “Knock her out if you have to.”

A breathy laugh is released from Kazutora before he pulls back a fist.

“Sorry, doll.”

Darkness immediately engulfs your vision.

[scienceandmedicine]

Tips from my College Counsellor/Teachers

These are some handy-dandy tips from my college counsellor and teachers regarding medicine/science courses but can also be applied to more general majors/degrees:

Quick Disclaimer: Not all these facts may apply to you or your situation. It’s always best to directly ask your teacher and college counsellor whats best for you. This is just some food for thought.

1. It is competitive.

Medical school is highly competitive and often offer limited places, most colleges are like that as well. For entry to Oxford in 2019, around 23,000 people applied for around 3,300 undergraduate places. That meant Oxford received, on average, over 7 applications for each available place (https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/facts-and-figures/full-version-facts-and-figures#:~:text=Undergraduate%20admissions%20and%20access,applications%20for%20each%20available%20place.). You have to make sure you stand out, often grades were just the preliminary way of rejecting applications but in order to be more likely to receive the place you have to be an all-rounder (clubs, sports, cultural events, student leadership, community service, etc.). Remember: “Universities are always looking for a way to say no, not yes.”

https://www.ivycoach.com/2020-ivy-league-admissions-statistics/

2. Don’t be afraid to take a gap year

Travel, have experiences, volunteer at hospitals or doctors’ offices, take this time to beef up your resume, learn a language, learn a skill, take time to be sure that not only if college is the right choice for you but if the major you’re taking is truly the one for you, etc. Gap years are incredibly important if you personally don’t feel like you’re ready to jump into university. Not to mention it gives you time to mature and gain experience (referring to Point 1). 

This incredible website has some more general ideas: https://www.oysterworldwide.com/news/gap-year-ideas/

These are specifically medical ideas: https://www.themedicportal.com/blog/5-things-to-do-on-your-gap-year-to-boost-your-med-school-application/

3. Finances can be tricky

Scholarships. Scholarships. Scholarships. There is no reason to start your adult and working life in debt, not to mention with a mediocre credit score. Besides financial aid, it’s always best to consider what you could do to lower your expenses when going to college (e.g. buying the textbooks second hand vs. brand new). 

Oxford: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/assistance

Cambridge: https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/cambridgebursary

Edinburgh: https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/financial-support/student-loans/usa/apply

etc.

You can always ask your college counsellor what scholarships are available/relevant to you, but often taking a look at the university sites gives you an idea of what they offer.

(some stats from Stanford: https://news.stanford.edu/2019/12/03/trustees-set-2020-21-tuition-expand-financial-aid-middle-income-families/)

4. Don’t always go for big universities like Oxford or Cambridge

Whilst I’m not encouraging in any way to not apply to these universities after all ‘you can never be admitted if you don’t apply’, I am saying keep in mind that you may be unsuccessful as admission rates are low and you should have several ‘backup’ options in case.

5. Hard work + extracurriculars all the way

Most top universities get thousands of applications each year, it is not only important to get good grades, but be a well-rounded individual. Clubs, Community Service, Jobs/Internships, Sport, Cultural, Student Leadership, etc. are all important things to have when applying for university.

6. Be organised but have fun!

Being organised is so important when it comes to applying to universities and attending class at university. Universities often appreciate those who are organised at all times, it also makes your life one thousand times easier! However, if you work too hard you could experience burn out! Don’t be afraid to take some time for yourself and relax.

9. Be careful of your online history

This may sound a little ominous, but be careful what you post online, it could come back to haunt you. This person:https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/nasa-intern-job-loss-twitter-homer-hickam-space-council-a8503241.html lost their internship at NASA because of a tweet, and this 17-year old: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22083032 lost their job because of their tweets between the ages of 14-16. Take care what you post online, it may be the reason you lose your spot at a top university.

(This is Paris Brown in case you were wondering)

Thanks for reading! Please remember that these were just some general tidbits of advice given to me throughout my ongoing high school career and is food for thought. Everyone’s situation is different and it is always best to find out from a college counsellor/teacher what is best for you. Thank you!

[nyfacurrent]

Business of Art | The Arts Administrator’s Creed: 5 Guiding Principles for Your Arts Admin Career

Empowering advice from arts administrators nationwide on how to define and achieve success in your life and work.

Arts administrators work behind-the-scenes on behalf of artists and creatives everywhere, providing resources, support, and structure for their projects and practices. Often, these types of jobs combine a passion for the arts with business, management, education, programming, fundraising, or communications expertise. The work can be highly-rewarding yet also challenging in terms of budget, time, and staff constraints. To help you navigate, we’ve asked leaders in the field for their tips on how to succeed and thrive as an arts administrator.

Manage Your Time

It’s hard not to get stuck in the day-to-day and to lose perspective on the bigger picture. Avoid burnout and fatigue by recognizing that you can’t accomplish everything overnight (or by yourself!) and that there are tools and systems that can help you stay organized.

Many of the arts administrators that we spoke with make lists and use project management and time management apps to keep them on top of their workloads and priorities. Deana Haggag, President and CEO of United States Artists, writes a to-do list every Monday morning and tackles it throughout the week. “On Fridays, I audit what didn't get done and why, so I can resolve it the following week. For reference, we use several project management apps at work—Asana, Airtable, Lattice, Slack, etc—and they're all very helpful but nothing compares to my handwritten list. It's the holy grail of my work week.” Haggag also schedules a few hours each day or week to respond to emails, using a ‘VIP’ inbox to filter through priority contacts so she sees those immediately.

Ben Hartley, Executive Director of The National Arts Club, keeps organization top-of-mind. “Every day, I list my priority projects and make sure they are sitting in front of me at all times. However, sometimes this can be overwhelming, so I also keep on hand a one-page overview of the big things I have to achieve this year. It’s easy to get subsumed by day-to-day detail, but if you’re not stepping back and looking at the big picture once in a while, you risk losing perspective,” he says.

Hunter O’Hanian, Executive Director and CEO of Stonewall National Museum and Archives, relies on two time management techniques: first, he prepares things well in advance and second he is a life-long list-maker who feels a strong sense of accomplishment when crossing off his “to-dos.”

“Figure out what works for you and stick with it,” advises Heather Pontonio, Senior Program Director at Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. “I’ve tried lots of online note/task apps, but learned that I remember best when I’ve written it down — so my trusty journal notebook comes everywhere with me. I use my calendar app religiously and in addition to appointments, I include scheduled work time when there are projects that require focused attention,” she added.

Adriana Rios, Director of Programs at NALAC, takes five minutes out of every hour to stretch, breathe, or hydrate. “A tool I love using to help keep me accountable is the Focus app, which uses the Pomodoro method. In short, you set a time period (usually in increments of 25 or 55 minutes) around a certain task such as checking emails. For that time period, you focus only on that task. At the end of the allotted time, you have a five-minute break where you can do what you like. Personally, it’s helped me structure my day better and reduce distractions. It has also helped me start structuring my overall time by helping me better understand when it’s time to work and when it’s time to rest.”

Practice Self-Care

You’ll do your best work when you feel good about yourself and the value that you bring to your organization.

A lot of what Rachel Adams, Chief Curator and Director of Programs at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, and her curator friends say (especially as so many are now parents) is "we are not saving the world." She explains: “This is not to say our jobs are not important, but it is important to give yourself a little life/work balance. Even if it is to take a quick walk around the block for some fresh air. Or, turn off the computer and go see that show before it closes. Read something non-work related for 20 minutes a day. Building that into your calendar really helps. Block off that time, and you’ll be happier and also can focus better on the tasks at hand when you need to.”

For Pontonio, self-care isn’t just about yoga and eating healthy, it’s about holding time for what makes you happy. “My first job was with an off-Broadway theater that led to taking an additional house management job at another off-Broadway theater to make rent. I justified the 80 hours a week because I was working in a field I was passionate about. My schedule left little time to actually enjoy theatre and on a night off it was not how I wanted to spend my time.”

Jacque Donaldson and Mara Vlatkovic, co-directors and founders of New York-based networking organization Young Professionals in the Arts (YPA), reiterate the importance of keeping your passion for the arts close and not losing sight of it. “We find it vital to remind ourselves time and again why we work in our field. Go see that concert, exhibition, theater piece, or dance performance that will reignite that spark that made you choose your profession in the first place. Knowing that we all contribute to the art world and are helping creatives achieve their potential can be one of the most rewarding jobs!”

For Ricardo Maldonado, Managing Director of Unterberg Poetry Center at the 92nd Street Y, a demanding job goes beyond the 9-to-5. “Admin gigs require one to find a space—between rooms, between tasks—for the kind of creative thinking that eventually nurtures your own creative practices. For example, before I sat down to answer these questions and after spending a good two hours processing submissions for a poetry contest I run, I gifted myself five minutes to think in response to a screen-shot of a poem I read last week and write, for an additional five, my own response. I collect screenshots and lines that I shape into the body of a poem. As a poet and translator, I am constantly surprised at how the language of work—a move toward that language, and against it—has informed the spirit of/behind (and the ethics of) my poems.”

Stay Curious

Making things work better, identifying and tackling challenges, and being interested in the work that you do and the world around you are key to feeling satisfied in your job. “Always find opportunities to learn. We owe it to ourselves to be lifelong students. We owe it to the next generations to pass down our knowledge,” says Quanice Floyd, Founder and Director of the Arts Administrators of Color Network.

Rajshree Solanki, Chief Registrar for the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and Atelier 4’s first-ever Registrar of the Year, is interested in learning techniques on building and strengthening teams within her organization and providing others with the opportunities she was given earlier in her career (note: she donated her $5,000 award to the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Fellowships and Internships’ Minority Internship program, which gave Solanki her start). “I tend to read business management books specifically on project management, communications, and team-building. I particularly recommend books such as Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, Kim Scott’s Radical Candor: Be Kickass Boss without Losing Your Humanity, and Dan Coyle’s The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups.”

Pontonio stays curious by proactively keeping up with conference offerings in the field that align with her work. “If there’s something of great interest and I am not attending that conference, I will reach out to the presenter afterwards to schedule a meeting about their presentation and top takeaways.”

Adams recommends inexpensive classes from Node Center for Curatorial Studies or travel scholarships for conferences like Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC), College Art Association (CAA), and Common Field. “It’s best to get on all the email lists, specifically I like Call for Curators,” she added.

Yeiry Guevara, Grants Manager at Houston Arts Alliance, says her secret for staying up-to-date is newsletters. She recommends joining the mailing lists of Grantmakers in the Arts, NALAC, Americans for the Arts, and other cultural affairs offices, where she can learn from their layout, messaging, and content, in addition to getting relevant information from the field.

JiaJia Fei, Consulting Director of Digital at The Jewish Museum, makes staying informed a priority since success in the digital world means always keeping your eyes open and asking questions. She begins every team meeting with two agenda items to stay informed about industry changes and advancements: 1) Digital Landscape: sharing an outside project or news item from within the field and its application to the work they do and 2) Digital Cross-Fit: asking another colleague on the team a question about something they’re working on or training on a tactical skill, to encourage cross-training and collaboration. “As an added bonus, we have the privilege of working inside an art museum, which makes us all naturally curious and lifelong learners across everything we do,” says Fei.

Hartley suggests a more organic approach, and encourages you to allow serendipity and chance to play a role in your constant learning: “Sign up for LinkedIn groups, newsletters, and news-feeds that don't relate to your work, but may provide sparks for new ideas; be a source, not a drain, if you see an interesting article, piece of research or video, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them why you found it interesting. Ask them what they're looking at these days that's challenging, informative or exciting.”

Donaldson and Vlatkovic also recommend looking beyond the industry to learn from others, citing resources such as The Muse, Harvard Business Review, Inc, and The New York Times’ “Smarter Living” and “Entrepreneurship” sections to find out recent trends. They then suggest learning how to apply and adapt your discoveries and learnings to the arts.

Artist Sharon Louden, who wears many hats in the arts including serving as the Artistic Director of the Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution, believes that being curious means being open. She also dedicates time each day with a number of sources to explore what’s happening in the industry. “I love taking about 15-30 minutes a day to peruse online publications, blogs, social media to read about what people are sharing, etc. to not only follow the work of colleagues I know personally but also to see the road maps of their lives, which ultimately leads me to unexpected paths of discovery.”

This practice is also highly beneficial to Louden’s work as an artist: “Following a lot of artists' lives tells me a lot about community, how artists sustain their own lives and ideas for opportunities for myself to grow my own practice. That kind of organic research enables me to build more of my community by reaching out to those I discover, perhaps offering to collaborate, and definitely creating spaces and opportunities for others to share as much as possible."

Create Meaningful Relationships

We’re all in this together, so why not establish lasting ties with peers and mentors at your own and other arts and culture organizations? These relationships are mutually beneficial, and can help you chart and map your career path in ways you may not expect.

“A tip that has served me well,” says Maldonado, is “try to learn as much as you can from as many people as you can; if I’m being generous, in most of my tasks, I often remind myself that I am working with/within a language that needs to be tended to. That impulse to learn affects every curatorial decision I had made since the day I started working and pushes me to move beyond the boundaries of what's expected. And has made me a more attentive (and kinder, I would think) administrator.”

It can also be helpful to re-frame the concept of networking. To that end, Donaldson and Vlatkovic wish “we had known at the beginning of our arts admin careers that networking simply means making connections with other people. From volunteering for organizations you believe in, going to industry events, participating in professional development workshops, or even your small friends group that meets monthly over drinks, all that engagement counts as networking! All those connections are incredibly important and will provide support throughout your career, whether it’s friends looking at your resume, acquaintances recommending you for jobs, or former colleagues sending useful articles.”

Adams suggests a proactive outreach strategy, and encourages arts administrators to reach out to people who are inspiring to you. “See if you can buy them a cup of coffee or have a phone call. Mentorship is important and establishing these relationships (whether it’s a cold call/email or through a friend of a friend) will help propel you.”

It’s important to forge meaningful relationships with both your co-workers and with others in the field. “Your team is there to support you in this work, and if not in your immediate workplace there are other arts administrators out there that want to connect. Reach out!” encourages Rios. Guevara concurs: “I am able to succeed because of the immense support of my team and my current leadership. Their sage insight helps ground me,” she says.

Ashley Walden Davis, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Alternate ROOTS, encourages peer-to-peer relationship building. “Your careers will grow together and one day, you will be those executive leaders and the next generation of future leaders. Having relationships with your peers across the field will make it easier to execute the work of organizational partnerships, fundraise, and execute day-to-day operations which by and large takes place in middle management. Furthermore, you will develop lasting friendships with other arts leaders who can help you troubleshoot, talk through ideas, or just share a laugh about drafting an artistic grant narrative about a project three years away. Having a strong accountability and support system is key to a long, healthy, and sustaining career in the arts.”

Guevara is emphatic that peers make the best mentors because “we’re all figuring it out together. The transparency in learning about each other’s process is very validating.”

Be Confident in Your Abilities and Have Fun!

In any industry, self-doubt can creep in. Don’t let it get the best of you by learning to recognize the unique voice and vision that you bring to your work. Says Guevara: “The first step of owning your value is being able to see or acknowledge your strengths,” and suggests that having mentorship can help you reflect on your strengths especially if you may not be cognizant of them.

Louden has affirming advice for artists who are arts administrators: “We as artists have the ability to bounce back from failure like no other in any other field; we can easily create things from nothing and we can problem solve outside of our studio in much the same way as we do when we make things. The way artists think and just naturally do things in the world is unique from people in every other occupation. There is often a disconnect between artists making their work and applying those skills and talents elsewhere in their lives. Since I see artists valued beyond making their work, perhaps the real challenge is for them—us!—to recognize and apply our natural creative talents on a daily basis."

O’Hanian adds: “People often don’t understand their professional values because in many cases we think we should be doing something else such as paint, sing, write or dance—things we really want to do. However, most people I’ve worked with have been very good at their jobs, whether they know it or not.”

Haggag highly recommends that everyone follow Picard Tips on Twitter. “Wow! I stumbled on them a few months ago and had no idea how badly I needed Star Trek's retired admiral Jean-Luc Picard's management tweets in my life. He recently tweeted 'No one can relax around Dr. Jekyll after they have met Mr. Hyde.' In my management experience, has that been true? Absolutely. Or 'Once all their basic needs are taken care of, crew members are motivated by the meaningfulness of their work.' Like, yes! Gospel!”

In Closing

Kristy Edmunds, Executive and Artistic Director for UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) and the inaugural recipient of United States Artists’ Berresford Prize, provided us with inspiring words to illustrate her belief in arts administrators as change-makers. We’re closing things out with a stanza that we hope propels you forward in your day and in your career:

“Press on, press on, press on! Our cultural charge isn’t fleeting, of this we are certain indeed. Your hand on the wheel is impressive and furtive persistence is key. Press on through the standard of measures. Press on through the spreadsheets and sing! Press on (oh press on) we are counting on you…to care for the cause thus imbued.”

-Amy Aronoff, Senior Communications Officer

Arts administrators in the five boroughs of New York City and surrounding metropolitan area are encouraged to apply to participate in our Emerging Leaders Program 2020. Free of charge to selected participants, the initiative provides leadership training for arts administrators over nine months. Our core objective is to help arts administrators discover, identify, and develop their personal motivation and individual competencies as leaders while exploring the attributes and themes of arts leadership.

This post was inspired by “The Artist’s Creed: 10 Guiding Principles for Your Arts Career.” Published in 2019, it provided empowering advice for artists, distilled from people we admire.

Images: Jenny Kemp (Fellow in Painting ’15), Breach, 2015, gouache on paper; Christie Neptune (Fellow in Interdisciplinary Work ’18), Pulling At My Labels, 2016, single-channel video; and Paul DeMuro (Fellow in Painting ’15), Nailz, 2013, oil on canvas

[ice-cream-beat]

I'm sure you've gotten this question before, but how do you learn/study Japanese? Did you learn it from a class, or did you self-study? And have any tips for a fellow Japanese-speaker? Love your content, keep up the great work! ^_^

heya, thanks! I’m entirely self-taught, since the closest college that offers a JP class is two hours away and online tutors run more expensive than I’d care to pay for. for resources (whether you’re self-taught or class-taught), I’d personally recommend

WaniKani - a kanji-learning site (also available as an app) that’s dedicated solely to teaching kanji and vocab, nothing more and nothing less. it uses mnemonics to teach instead of just hammering you with lists to memorize, which is much more bearable and effective imo. it is a bit pricey ($80 a year) but you can try the first few levels for free, and every year around Christmas they offer a really big discount on the lifetime package. it also has a really active community forum that’s really helpful for answering questions on anything Japanese, and even has some fun things like book clubs.

Tofugu - a blog run by the creator of WaniKani. good list of resources as well as articles on culture, grammar, etc.

Midori - a JP dictionary app for iOS. costs $10 iirc but well worth it; you can type or draw in characters to look them up, and if you copy/paste words you want to translate it will show you the furigana over the kanji in addition to giving you the definitions. my only complaint is that it will sometimes incorrectly translate words/phrases with a lot of kanji in a row as several smaller, different words, but this is easily fixed as long as you pay attention.

HiNative - a site/app for a ton of languages that allows you to ask questions for native speakers to answer. the people on there are super nice from my experience and really quick to reply (it’s also fun to help out people learning English). for me, it’s been especially invaluable in learning casual phrases/slang that textbooks don’t typically teach you. the app is free, but the subscription of $8 a month gets you bonus question formats and a couple other bells and whistles.

Google Translate App - I recommend this with the heavy warning that the translation part needs to be taken with a grain (or ten) of salt; I use it for its scanning feature, which is surprisingly accurate 95% of the time. this is good for when you want to translate, say, a book page, but don’t want to hold the book open in one hand and write with the other. you can scan the text, copy it to an email/word document, and bring it up on your tablet or PC for easy viewing.

Twitter - if you can find some native JP speakers to follow, it’s a good way of getting a grasp on casual speech, and practicing your conversational skills if you’re comfortable doing so. I started off by following some of my favorite doujinshi artists, and through them I found other accounts that I liked.

As for textbooks, I’ve found that people’s tastes vary widely, but at the moment I use the Japanese From Zero series (which I avoided for a long time because the covers look so weebish, but it’s good at explaining grammar and has an integrated workbook, which is nice) along with Tae Kim’s Guide to Japanese Grammar (I own the hard copy, but it’s available for free on his site).

With regards to tips, the big things that come to mind are

- make learning part of your daily routine, even if it’s something as small as reading a couple sentences or reviewing stuff you already know. I make flashcards for important grammar/conjugation points, and if I put no other time into studying for the rest of the day, I can at least whip those out right before bed for a little review. I’d say that even if you can’t take in new information every day, you want to at least reinforce the info you already know.

- reading makes a big difference!! I noticed a big jump in my reading comprehension after I struggled through my first Japanese manga volume. it feels frustrating sometimes, but I think every little bit teaches you something. I’m still surprised that reading a phrase or word just once can stick it in my memory permanently if it’s used in a memorable scene. if you can find the JP and English versions of a manga or novel to read side-by-side (or the JP version of an English book you already know really well, like the Harry Potter series or something) then that’s all the better, as long as you keep in mind that localizations do often take some liberties in their translations.

- if you need incentive, set a goal for yourself--a specific, realistic one, like “I want to be able to read this particular book from start to finish” or “I want to be able to watch an episode of something in Japanese, without subtitles, and understand most of it.” or start even smaller if you prefer. (e.g. for a long time my end goal has been that I want to be able to read both Zestiria light novels comfortably--that is, hardly needing to consult a dictionary as I go, if at all. until I reach that point, I won’t even let myself attempt to read any part of them at all, so I remind myself of that on days when I’m feeling lazy.)

- lastly, don’t overdo it. if you need a break, take it, whether it’s for a day or a week. consistency is good, but burnout isn’t worth the risk.

I hope this helps! I’ve only been studying the language “seriously” for about a year now, so I know I still have a lot to learn, but these are the habits and resources that have managed to keep me interested and focused on a day-to-day basis. :]

[transcendent-paras]

Basic Info on My Paracosm

Don’t interact if you are not a MaDDer or an immersive daydreamer

I’m using paracosm lightly cause it’s like... mirrored thisverse? mirrored and slightly to the left with my paras added in, you know? I went from having paracosms with whole galaxies and gods and languages to thisverse 2.0.

Background/About Me: I'm a closeted trans male. Recently I’ve been hyperfocusing on music - specifically "alternative" music like punk, metalcore, rock, emo, etc  as well as kpop - and it's affected my paracosm. My current paracosm is a Trans punk rock band focusing on one band named Transcendent, and has Incorporated many of the bands I listen to into it. 

Original Paras: 

Parame - Michè Valentino: Lead singer, Pianist, Song writer. Trans male in his 20s, adopted by a family in the UK and has two older brothers. His middle brother is highkey based off  the kpop group *XO’s (to avoid this coming up in the tags) leader Su*o, and he is also in a band very similar to *XO. Michè fell in love with one of *XO’s members but because of the large age gap it was unrequited. Eventually Michè went to study abroad and moved to New York city and met his best friend and later boyfriend Ashley Nolans. Shortly after high school Ashley and Michè moved in together.

Ashley Nolans: Backing vocalist and screams/growls, Lead guitarist. A year older than Michè, he is a former myspace & later instagram drag king when he saw a drag queen at a mall. Slowly he realized he identified as a trans male instead of a drag king. His family was supportive of his whole journey and let him do what he felt comfortable doing, though they did manage his myspace since he was very young. Michè moved to Ashley’s high school and they were in the same music class. Ashley took Michè to his first pride parade. Ashley is slightly insecure that Michè will leave him for the *XO member he had a crush on, but Ashley never brings it up or lashes out/acts on it.

Nikki Archer: Bass Guitarist, Composer. Nikki is agender and has always identified as such even with out knowing anything about gender identities as a child. Their uncle took them to many rock and punk concerts growing up, and bought them their first bass for their 13th birthday, that Nikki still has but has retired it so it doesn’t get damaged on tour. Nikki’s uncle is the most understanding member of the family about their gender, but their parents try to be accepting and not ignorant. Nikki and Emilynn were Vice President and President of their high school’s LGBT Club. Though they went to the same school as Ashley they never met him and graduated before Michè started going there. Nikki and Emilynn dated for a while in high school but decided they were better as close platonic friends.

Emilynn Kay: Drummer, Leader. Emilynn is the oldest member, 5 years older than Michè and is a trans woman. She grew up in the south originally and not only had to deal with racism as a poc, but didn’t even dream of coming out to anyone besides her parents. Eventually her parents decided it would be best for her if they moved. When they moved up to New York she was able to dress the way she wanted and easily took her gender in stride. Of course she had harsher comments and bullying than white trans kids or cis black kids at her school she never changed who she was to fit in. She did percussion in the marching band and acted in theater often. She naturally took on a motherly role to other LGBT kids in the school, especially but not limited to younger trans kids, and they voted for her to be president of the club. She met Michè and Ashley at a pride parade very nervous to admit to being trans and she took them under her wing. When she realized she had a group of trans friends who all were into the same type of music and could play instruments she suggested forming a band.

Alexandria Woods: Rhythm Guitarist, Violinist, Newest Member. Alexandria realized at the start of high school she identified more feminine than masculine and after research felt Demi-girl described her the most. Her friends in high school helped her express herself while remaining closeted, especially from her parents. Her family were for the most part very kind and she got along with them on every issue except for gender. Meanwhile Alexandria also had a youtube channel that she posted guitar and violin covers on, gaining a respectable fan base on various platforms. Michè discovered her when she did a cover of a Transcendent song and he followed her on twitter. One day when she was 16, a cousin discovered one of her skirts in her closet and outted her to her parents, getting her kicked out and they have not spoken since. Alexandria made a tweet that she would have to put a pause on covers until she could find a place to live, and Michè swooped in asking if she need a place to live. After living with Michè and Ashley for a while, the band had a meeting and agreed that Alexandria would be a perfect fit in the band. The fans and later the members joke that Alexandria is Michè and Ashley’s daughter. Fans immediately loved Alexandria as a member of the band, especially since many of them had know of her in vlogs with the band and members retweeting her covers often.

Celebrity paras (censored so it doesnt show in tumblrs search results, if you cant figure out the * feel free to pm me or ask me off anon!): 

*XO: Originally in a past paracosm they were as themselves and a slightly different parame was just friends with them, but over time i latched onto the leader Su*o and started to see him as a brother figure. Not wanting to do culture appropriation I warped them from kpop to western music and made it so Michè was adopted by Su*o’s family. Nearly everything about them is the same including names and achievements, past members, and music. Because I actually know Korean there is no language barrier in music so it doesn’t bother me that they are supposed to be a uk based band and they sing in korean in thisverse, but in paracosm it is ‘in english’. The member that Michè is in love with is Ch****ol

Bl*ck Veil Br*d*s: Ashley and Michè bonded over a love for the band, and later got Emilynn and Nikki into them. Transcendent went from playing basement shows to being signed under Republic Records and it’s subsidiary Lava records, the same labels as B*B. Since they do a similar style music under the same label they crossed paths a few times in company, at warped tour, and eventually Transcendent did a few opening sets for B*B. They became close, and have talked about doing some sort of collaboration. 

P*l*y* R*y*l*: Alexandria really looked up to them, and was beyond ecstatic meeting them backstage at warped tour. The two bands have hung out a few times and they are very supportive of each other on social media. 

Other bands here and there that show up occasionally: P**rc* the v**l, f*ll*ng in r*v*rs* (michè has gotten into verbal arguments with r*nn*e a few times but they don’t hate eachother), my ch*****l romance, as ** is, sh*n*e (kpop).

Transcendent’s Music: 

Respect Existence - First album: Overall theme of the album is celebrating differences and who you are, with elements of punk rock, speed metal, and experimental rock. Usually when daydreaming about this era I listen to B*B’s album Set The World on Fire and P*V’s Collide With The Sky which is sort of the instrumental vibe I picture this album being. After this was released they were sighed under lava records

Who came first - Album: cover album dedicated to bands that influenced Transcendent’s music style. First album with Alexandria. Most recent album, and brought them further into the limelight, being a more recognizable alternative band. 

I’m Not Okay (originally by m*r)

Misery Business (originally by param***)

But It’s Better If You Do (originally by p!*td)

I Don’t Care (originally by f*b)

21 Guns (originally by gr**n d*y)

Bulls In The Bronx (originally by p*v) 

If You Can’t Hang (originally by s*s)

Don’t Feel Quite Right (originally by p*l*y* r*y*l*)

The Drug In Me Is You (originally by f*r)

10 Miles Wide (originally by es****e the f**e)

Can You Feel My Heart (originally by b**h)

The Legacy (originally by b*b)

Expect Resistance - Upcoming album: companion piece to Respect Existence (not a repackage album). Not only does it celebrate your differences but also a call to action to be unapologetically you and to ‘form a resistance’ against those who hold you back. I usually listen to B*B’s album vale and Agai*** me!’s song teenage anarchist when thinking about this time. My paras are trying to see if they can get any collaborations with different artists, Michè especially wants to have his brother on one of the songs.

[bonduniversity]

Exchange Survival Guide: Lyon, France

Hello readers! My name is Brayden and I am studying a Bachelor of Laws at Bond University. For my final semester, I wanted to go out with a bang, so I spent the semester abroad at Universite Catholique de Lyon (UCLy) in Lyon, France. This blog will give you an idea of the highs and lows of the experience and provide you with a clear and concise outline in order to be prepared and make the most of your experience.

Preparing to go

Travelling to France on a student visa is very easy, especially as an Australian. The first thing I did (not including the Bond University Exchange application) to prepare for my travels was look into my visa. However, the process is quick and painless if you have all the right documentation and they will provide you with your visa within 2 weeks. The hardest part about getting a French student visa is travelling to the Sydney consulate to hand in all your information because they do not accept the application at the Brisbane consulate or by email (ridiculous, right?). However, once that is done, all you have to do is sit back, relax and wait for your passport to arrive with the visa. One last note about the visa; make sure you provide an envelope with your address etc. so that they send it back to you, otherwise they will wait for you to pick it up (I made this mistake).

Contacting your host university 

I got in contact with my host university rather early, to ensure the process went smoothly and I suggest you do the same. We corresponded by email which was difficult regarding the language difference, but they are very helpful and will answer any questions you may have. However, even if there is a question that is just not resonating with them, the Bond University Exchange office can get in touch with them as well and get the necessary answer.

If you are travelling in the last semester of your degree, I suggest that you plan in advance and only have your general electives to do. I had three general electives and one law elective to complete and it was a little bit harder because I had to study in two separate faculties. This may cause delays and issues with receiving the academic transcript in time for graduation.

Credit point conversion 

The French Universities use a system called ECTS. Essentially 30 ECTS equals your 40 credit points or full-time load in Australia. Specifically, at UCLy the subjects can be as little as two ECTS for a single subject; so, depending on which subjects you choose you could potentially be studying approx. eight subjects for one semester. However, do not worry because that is a full-time load at French universities, so it is not abnormal.

Staying with a family 

I chose to stay with a family on my semester abroad so that I could learn the language. This was my main reason for choosing France. The process with UCLy was simple: you get in touch with the lodgement department of the University via email (email is on the UCLy website) and they will find you a family based on a questionnaire. This questionnaire will pair you with a family with similar interests, hobbies and take into account any requests you may have. The family I stayed with were absolutely sensational. They were the stereotypical French family who looked after me as if I was there child. The food was amazing and I definitely recommend considering this option for accommodation. The only downfall was that I lived about 40 minutes away from the University. However, the public transport in Lyon is very good so it was not too bad. If you decide to stay with a family and their name is Grivot-Bruhnes, then you are in luck and will have an amazing experience!

The University 

UCLy was a great university for partying, socialising and it was in a great location. The program for exchange students was….interesting. The organisation of the program was not great. It was difficult for many students to get their subjects right and the timetable changes weekly, so you really have to pay attention to your emails. However, in saying this, the University organises some great activities for you to participate in every Thursday.

Furthermore, even though you are a foreign student you have the opportunity to participate in all University activities and clubs. For example, I played rugby for the University. If you are a sporty person, I definitely recommend joining a team because it is a great way to immerse yourself in the French culture and language.

The exchange program

As I said above, the program provides numerous activities throughout the semester. These activities include:

Tours to small French towns

 Dinner with a French family

Cooking classes

Parties

Pub Crawls

International Dinners

I highly recommend doing as much as you can while on the exchange. The more immersed you become, the more you will get from the experience. The study is secondary when you are on exchange *wink*.

The city of Lyon

Lyon is a very beautiful city, which prides itself as being the art centre of France. It has some of the most awesome churches and traditional structures. However, the best part of the city is definitely the food, being Bouchon Lyonnais. The food is unique to the area and is delicious. Further, the biggest benefit of living in Lyon is the location. It is 2.5 hours from the Italian and Swiss border and about 6 hours by bus from the Spanish border. Therefore, there is a lot to do and see while you are there, so I recommend making a plan for what you want to see because the time will fly by at a ridiculously quick rate.

The one thing you have to get used to while in Lyon is the difference in culture and attitudes. The streets outside the tourist areas are, for the lack of a better word, creepy. So I suggest always walking around with a group, especially late at night.

Destinations to visit

Annecy

Chamonix

Paris

Nice

Monaco (Monte Carlo)

Amalfi Coast (Italy)

Normandy (if you like WWII history)

Tips and tricks

Due to the exchange rate, travelling around Europe is quite expensive as an Australian. If you are on a budget, I suggest catching buses/trains everywhere as flights can be very expensive. The bus company that I highly recommend is ‘Flixbus’. Flixbus have great buses with good seats and at a very low price (23 Euro for a ticket to Paris). I travelled with them to Paris, Amsterdam, Annecy and Geneva.

It is also very easy to rent a car. I rented a car with my friends and travelled to Chamonix. I was nervous to drive on the other side of the road, but it does not take long for you to get used to the difference.

Final words 

I hope this guide is helpful for you in making your decision or preparing to go to France. If you are unsure about whether to go or not, GO! It is honestly an insane experience. At the start of my trip, I wanted to go home because it was overwhelming and I missed my girlfriend and family, but I stuck it out and I am so glad I got past that moment. I met the most amazing people from all around the world and it is true that you make lifelong friends on exchange. I have heard that exchange is not for everyone, but I disagree. You will learn so much about yourself and create great connections and memories. It is difficult at times but the difficulties are worth it for the experience.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can look me up on Facebook (Brayden Williams). I wish I had someone to consult with beforehand so please contact me if you need any advice.

Find out more about going on Exchange as part of your studies at Bond University.

[vntcniv]

                                               {    H S H Q T A S K 0 2 1    }

1. COLD HARD FACTS

population: 54,8M area:  130,279 km2  / 50,301 sq mi  offical language: english currency: pound sterling ( GBP / £ )

2. SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

This is what everything boils down to. Doesn’t matter what kind of a person you make out of yourself, you are what you were born as. Usually, if a person isn’t hellbent on rising through ranks, they are proud to be what they are. If you come from a slightly poorer family? Oh you won’t hide the accent, you like footie --- the posh kids can have their rugby, Sainsbury’s all good, Poundland too. Rich and happy? Horses, rugby, sailing... that good received pronunciation aka “english accent”. Middle-class will divide between the two extremes, middle-class people also are more concerned about their image than the two other groups. Perhaps it’s the notion that perhaps, just perhaps, if they are lucky they could become something better, nicer. But like I mentioned before, you are what you were born as, the harsh truth remains. Self-made men, nouveau riche... they are try-hards, or they don’t know their place. Depends on whom you ask. The English tend to categorize people and then decide how to treat them. Where is their accent from? Which part of the town/county are they from? What school did they go/do their children go? The more facts you know about a person, the better guess you can make about their family. England is obsessed with its socioeconomic hierarchy.

3. VOCABULARY

Oh the confusion! Tea doesn’t always refer to the drink. Tea can also mean supper, lunch, in some cases even some snack. Pants mean underwear, trousers is a more appropriate word. Chips = french fries; crisps = potato chips. Trainers = sneakers, rubber = eraser. There’s of course more words that are mainly used in Britain but listing them all would be unnecessary. 

4. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

First of all, to simplify it, there are two types of schools: state-funded & private. State-funded schools are free of charge. Private schools, for day students, cost around 10K per annum, and for boarders 20K. Getting into a private school isn’t just about the money. The schools handpick their students and you may need to “prove your worth” to get in. So having connections helps a lot. The connection doesn’t even need to have anything to do with the school board --- if you know someone with a nice name or even better, someone with a title, and you get them to write a letter on your behalf, your chances of getting accepted are once again higher than some random chap’s. Most famous private school ( more specifically, public school ) is Eton. Alumni include William & Harry. Eton has produced a good number of prime ministers. It’s an all-boys school.

You know... the houses in Hogwarts, it’s not a made up concept. In more traditional schools, in majority of boarding schools, the students belong to houses. The houses are sometimes named after a founder or a person who has supported the school in some manner ( £££ ). 

Kids start school around the time they turn five. Some go to nursery before that. Primary school is the years 1-6. Nothing that important happens through years 1-11. At the end of year 11, students take GCSEs. There’s a lot of subjects to choose from, but it really depends on what subjects your school even offers. The GCSE grades are important and cause a lot of stress for students. After GCSEs students start college / sixth form that lasts for two years. At the end of college / sixth form, are the A-levels. A-levels are the hardcore version of GCSEs. Once you finish college / sixth form, you go to uni. There’s more terminology and it’s possible to get very specific but that would be a waste of time.

5. DRINKING

Legal drinking age is 18. You can usually enter most pubs even when you aren’t of age; they are just places to hang out at. Some places are stricter than others. If you’re with an adult, you’ll get in. After 16 it’s legal to have mild alcoholic drinks with dinner if you’re accompanied by an adult. Most parents aren’t that chill though. You can’t buy alcohol from stores after 11pm. Most pubs / clubs have to stop serving around 3-4am. Most places close around that time for that reason.

6. FOOD & DRINKS

Yes, fish and chips is a thing and so is tea, but they aren’t all people eat and drink. Being a tea person is playing into a stereotype, which some people do happily. There are people who have a cuppa every two hours. The palate is pretty bland. Steamed vegetables, fish or meat, and maybe some gravy to go with it. Every day food isn’t special. Beans on toast is an acquired taste. 

Beer is pretty popular and main reason for it is pub culture. Beer is cheap and there’s plenty to choose from, and when you spend a lot of time at pubs you kind of learn to appreciate those facts. 

Fast food? America has more chains, that’s for sure. You can find the most popular ones in the UK. Chains such as McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, Taco Bell & KFC. But you won’t find Denny’s, Wendy’s or Applebee’s in the UK. Five Guys is the most popular one according to a survey ( and I am not surprised ;)  )

7. TV

What’s on the telly? Most people are familiar with BBC hit shows such as Doctor Who, Sherlock and... I don’t know what’s good, you get my point. That stuff is easy to like, it’s so universal. But then there’s that famous British humour. Monty Python is pretty famous, most people find it funny. But then there are other cult classics like Fawlty Towers and Blackadder. They are old but they are gold ( perhaps not my personal opinion but that’s beside the point ). You can never forget shows like EastEnders and Emmerdale. They just keep producing the shows, it’s crazy. They are the Brits’ The Bold and the Beautiful. 

8. LONDON

London is, well, huge. The underground zones go up to 9, though zones 7-9 aren’t that relevant. Most people use this thing called an Oyster card to move around the city, it’s basically just a London version of MetroCard or whatever you have in your city. The city center of London isn’t that big though, you can see the main attractions in a day --- and you can walk! But the minute you venture away from zones 1 and 2, you realize just how big it is. The area of London is roughly two times NYC’s. Locals avoid Oxford Street --- sure it’s cool to have all of the shops in one place but... you can just take the tube to Westfield and enjoy a less hectic atmosphere. East London has a slightly bad reputation while West London is rather posh: nice houses with big gardens, private schools, that sweet life. Each borough has its own stereotype if you want to get even more specific. London is also expensive as heck! Hell, England is expensive. The prices for apartments within zones 1 and 2 start at a million --- and they go up up up. It’s one of the reason why people who work in London might actually commute from a bit further away. There are a lot of smaller towns surrounding London and even though they aren’t part of the City of London, they are said to be part of Greater London. For example towns in northeast of Surrey are a good example for commuter towns. Real estate prices are lower in these towns but I wouldn’t call them cheap.

9. MISCELLANEOUS

People don’t wear shoes inside the house. Nope. Most detached houses have carpeted floors upstairs. Most detached houses have three floors and fucking narrow staircases. English love reading up on royals. HELLO! is a daily magazine that centers around royals. They do articles on fashion, other celebrities and etc. but it’s mainly just about royals. Football is life. 

[v-le]

Ktravels/Klife: Halfway through it all / 첫 학기 끝 !

Foreword: I am almost done! I am almost done with my first semester at Yonsei… damn.

I honestly cannot believe that time flew by so fast. I’ve mentioned this before, but I had been thinking about studying abroad for over a year before coming here. And now that I am about halfway through with this experience… damn, I just have no words. Jk I do, which is why I’m writing this right now lol.

My favorite parts about Korea so far: it is my emotional, musical wonderland. More on that later, but… it’s heart-warming to hear so many of my favorite, treasured artists occasionally on the streets or in a café. And no, not K-pop lol I know nothing about K-pop anymore. In terms of café culture, it’s a love and hate relationship because some of them are just so expensive sigh. BUT, after going to so many different cafes like all around Seoul, I have come to actually have specific preferences for what constitutes a gr8 café (for studying specifically bc that’s all my friends and I mostly do at cafes anyway LOL) hehe:

AFFORDABLE!! No normal person should be paying like 7 or 8 bucks for a goddamn coffee. Base price for drinks should be around 5,000 won. If their iced caramel macchiato costs more than 5,500 won, the place is too expensive.  If it’s less than 5,000 won,

Reasonable cup sizes! Or better, LARGE ONES! (안녕, 낯선 사람 in hongdae has some super bang-for-your-buck coffee drinks, the best I’ve seen!! :^))

Music that isn’t too loud

OUTLETS. OUTLETS ARE A MUST.

Plentiful seats so that it’s never too packed & large-enough tables

Nice temperature (aka not too cold in the winter, not too hot in the summer)

You can sneak in outside food & eat it blatantly even if there are signs saying not to, and no one will ever say anything

Not too crusty: cozy, but clean

A nice, well-maintained bathroom

It may seem impossible to find the perfect café that could meet all of these expectations, but honestly there are just SO many cafes in seoul, that if you search hard enough or have enough luck, some will be out there somewhere :^)

ALSO can I address the business turnover rate here?? Is this why Seoul is considered a fast-paced city?? So many times, my friends I have tried to go to cafes or restaurants or stores we’ve seen online or found on Kakao/Naver Maps, only to arrive and discover that THEY’RE GONE. Even if I did thorough research and found a blog post of a place from 2 months prior, the place is just POOF, disappeared into thin air. This has literally happened countless times and we are flabbergasted each time LOL. As limited as the database of 맛집’s and cafes already is online, the Internet & maps can’t even keep up to date with information either. Businesses open up so randomly fast, too it’s crazy… Mangoplate, the supposed “yelp” of Korea honestly is not that useful either LOL it usually has places on the pricier side, it is also not always up to date, and I just feel like Seoul/Korea has way too many places & businesses worth trying that they can’t even all fit into one database. There are just so many of those un-documentable places. So I suggest: find a neighborhood, go with your friends, take a stroll around the place, and try to stumble upon a place of your liking. Unless you can read Korean & utilize naver blogs (slightly more extensive and useful than mangoplate but still not 100% reliable all the time), then walking around is probably your best bet rather than attempting to do research online. Trust me.

Hmm what else is there… It’s really nice to be able to get/buy anything pretty easily, with convenience. I am afraid I will get too used to this once I go back to the states.

I think once the work started to pick up later in the semester, I definitely started falling into a routine of going to my morning class & then leaving sinchon to run errands elsewhere in Seoul, or simply doing work in the business building which quickly became my go-to spot because 1) outlets, 2) can eat food 3) very nice facility, literally sparkling 4) on campus. It kinda hurts to think that this short-lived routine will be over quite soon, but maybe next semester will be a little more exciting.

Although I haven’t been speaking as much Korean as I would like to, I do feel like my Korean has improved to an extent: (very slightly) vocab-wise, reading-wise, and writing-wise. It is honestly SO refreshing to finally be learning Korean in a formal, classroom setting. It honestly makes me regret not doing it sooner. Why did I lock myself up in my room for 8 years and only settle for learning on my own?? Sigh, it’s okay. I can only get better from here, right? As much as I hate the timing of KLI, I still really do enjoy the class nonetheless and I feel some sort of… growth? I appreciate how all my background knowledge of Korean has helped me up to this point as well. That at least, I can be proud of lol.

With languages and culture in general, throughout the semester, for the first time ever, I got to reflect on how valuable languages are. It is so interesting; I’ll try my best to explain my realizations, but it might come out as gibberish in the end… I really think anyone that has been born & raised in the US should spend a prolonged amount of time abroad. As homogeneous of a society Korea is, being here has opened my eyes to the global society. The society in which multiculturalism is embraced, there is no one correct language of communication, and every member listens to the various cultural values of one another without judgement. I never thought of English as being a powerful language. In fact, I honestly think I have been taking English for granted. I have never realized the immensity of the English language, how the rest of the world vies to master it, and how I have been blessed to have grown up with English as my native tongue. But on the flip-side, learning other languages is just as worthwhile. Communicating in a different language is literally honing a different perspective, mentality, and set of values. You can try to translate target languages into your native tongue for ease of comprehension. Or, what I have come to deeply appreciate and understand is, you can and should take the target language as it is. In order to connect with the language and consequently the culture, stop thinking in terms of your native tongue. Doing this to a deeper extent in Korea than I ever did before has felt extremely rewarding: it makes the language dynamic and exciting to learn. It has led me to cherish specific words or phrases, more so than I already did before arriving here. And it really is just… beautiful. LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE! EXPLORE GLOBALIZATION!

Quite frankly though, I am disappointed that I haven’t been able to go to as many places as I would like, within in Korea. Okay more like: I am super grateful for the gorgeous places I have been to, but I also wish I could’ve visited those classic, “must-see” places like Busan, Jeju-do, Jeonju, Daegu, etc. I did however, visit lesser known, less expecting (??) places like Gangwon-do (Jumunjin Beach, Gangmun Beach, Gangneung, Yeongwol, Jeongseon, Pyeongchang) & Gyeongju & like Anyang & Seongnam…? Do these last two even count LOL theyre just smoller cities outside of Seoul… but yeah, I guess I’ll just have to save Busan and Jeju and the others for next semester… when I’m not as broke hopefully lmao.

But forreals, I actually really appreciated my trip to Gangwon-do even though it was technically an assignment for one of my courses called “New Media and Digital Storytelling” (shoutout to prof ted for supporting us with this valuable experience!!) because it was literally a breath of fresh air. Seoul is constantly jampacked with people and cars and smog and noises, but Gangneung was still a city, still just as civilized, but much quieter. Granted, nothing much happens out there and some parts are straight up just farming grounds, but the beaches have these stunning sunsets that look like they’re straight out of a graphically-altered fantasy movie. It was stunning and the image still lasts behind my eyes to this day.

One of the other things that I have been struggling to accept is that fact that I feel… unproductive in life? I wish I put myself more out there this semester. Even though I met a good number of locals and have had a few valuable conversations, I never deeply connected with any of them. Plus, almost all of them are going abroad next semester or graduating ☹. I also did not join any clubs or organizations or sports teams nor did I get a job or an internship or do any tutoring or volunteering on the side… I have just been going to class, occasionally spending a lot of money, and then spending some more. Last year at UCI, I feel like I ran into my freshman year with a fiery heart: I joined the badminton team, became a part of the Antleader Mentorship Program (AMP, which I miss so dearly with all of my heart) in fall & winter quarter, and took all upper division education courses my spring quarter as well as fulfilled my fieldwork major requirement by tutoring at a Kindergarten class for 6 hours every week. But coming to Korea, everything felt stagnant. Academically, career-wise, I feel like everything has been on a pause. Granted, many people could tell me that “Oh, you just being in Korea is already so much more than you need! You are doing more than enough, don’t worry”. But am I really?? I beg to differ. I am honestly pretty disappointed in myself and at this point all I can push for is to try to get more involved next semester. It has also been hurting to know that I have been digging into my precious savings that took over 2 long years to build up so quickly :(.

SO yeah, as great as Korea has been, it’s also been money-draining and disappointing from a personal-growth kind of view. Maybe I’m being too hard on myself, but that is also simply my reality. I think I am also choosing to be hard on myself because my luck with all my favorite artists has just been… totally undeserving.

I feel so blessed and “but why me??” at the same time. I have gotten to see Roy Kim four times live (fifth time will be this coming Sunday; the Seoul shows were blessedly scheduled the weekend right before I leave) & he released a new song in September. Eddy Kim, whom ive been waiting 4 years for to come back, finally did so right in the middle of my time here. Fromm, my extremely beloved indie goddess for YEARS now, released a new mini album in November; I got to see her 3 times live, and even attended her breath-taking solo?? Alone?? Personal? 그냥 단독 콘서트. Sam Kim, who I first listened to when I was 15, who has saved my life so many times with his music, finally released a FULL-length album 2 years and 6 months since his debut EP. Not only was I selected to go to his album’s release showcase, but I also got to a meet him through a fansign event. Oh yeah, I also met Fromm through a free fansigning & Eddy Kim through his new album’s fansign event, too. (I will post about these artist-meeting experiences separately because I feel like these three occasions alone have taught me so much). I saw DAY6 live for their third-year debut anniversary and I could feel the immensity and sincerity brimming from their voices, especially with an unfortunately missing member from stage; I will be seeing them soon for their newest music release, which also happened to come out this December. Nam Woohyun of Infinite, the group that I gave my heart to for over a third of my life, the group that I owe so much of my existence to, released another solo mini album, and I was lucky enough to even attend day 3 of his solo concert series; I saw a few other members of Infinite, I could feel my 12-year-old heart screaming & flailing & crying & apologizing from within because I’ve missed them for so long now, and I even heard a never-before released track from him as well. It was a miracle; I saw Woohyun & glimpses of the others on November 4th. Almost exactly 5 years ago in 2013, on November 11th, I went to a concert for the first time in my life and saw those very own loves with my own eyes: Infinite.

ALL OF THESE. ALL OF THESE EVENTS. Have been a blessing. Have been some sort of indescribable, boundless, breath-taking stroke of luck. I promise you, just luck. Roy just somehow decided to take a break from school at Georgetown THIS semester. Eddy Kim, Fromm, Sam Kim, Woohyun, and DAY6 all just somehow decided to release new music within the last half of this year. ME, I, just somehow decided to study abroad not as a 3rd year nor a 4th year, but a mere 2nd year. I decided to leave my home university barely 1 year in, and go to Korea. Just because. Because it felt right and I knew I wanted to, I knew I had to. But never could I have predicted any of these things to happen. Never in a million years. The very artists that I had only been listening to and watching from my computer screen for years as I hid beneath the deep blankets of my bed, the artists that have made me cry on cue because of how beautiful, meaningful, and healing their music is, the artists that seem to barely exist on the Internet, that are so lowkey and precious that I feel like I am the only that really listens to and loves them, the very artists that make my world revolve, that push me to go on when I want to give up, that I owe so much of my life to, all decided to release music, suddenly be active, hold events, and meet their fans in one way or another. Right. When. I am here, too. This sort of timing in life is nothing I had control of. It was all luck and I am just so deeply, infinitely, perpetually, until the end of this world, thankful. Every day I am so thankful. I didn’t ask for any of this, I didn’t hope for it, I didn’t even think about the possibility of these events happening in my life. But they did somehow. And for that, I am just so so so grateful. It’s just crazy to think that years ago, as a sophomore in high school. My heart would bulge with immense affection for these people & their music. They were unreal, almost-fantasy-like existences that made life-saving music and that I cherished so immensely. But little did I know 4 or 5 years later, this could happen to me. That there was actually a worth to loving these almost “nobody” musicians. I just constantly feel like I am always receiving from them, and never giving back. I really do owe them so much. Thank you, to my beloved artists. For everything.

Moving on to the people that have made my first semester here at Yonsei even brighter: our dumbass squad consisting of lil hoorey, 왕언니 ana, smol laura, dumbass closted weaboo Wilson, & even dumber josh LOL I am so blessed to have met such funny, stupid, understanding friends. Before arriving to Korea, I was STRESSED that I wouldn’t be able to find friends because I hate alcohol, I hate clubbing, I hate mainstream K-pop and simply many parts of popular Korean culture are things that I am not particularly a fan of. But thankfully, I have found an endearing group of friends that share these same sentiments. These reliable people have honestly shaped so much of my experiences here and I am forever thankful. IT JUST SUCKS THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE STAYING FOR A YEAR LOL. But yes, thank you friends, for everything <3 .

Have I exhausted all of my thanks at this point?? Probably not. But I’ll save those for my own heart and mind to cherish. Going abroad was and has been and will be an experience that I don’t think I could ever properly express with words alone. I think it’s always like that when it comes to these rants LOLLL. I rant because I need to vent these feelings and emotions and flaring thoughts. But I just end up struggling to articulate everything and get my heart across properly. Sigh.

Homesickness? Is this something I was supposed to address? Maybe exchange students are probably expected to always talk about this. But for me, it was a nonexistent notion. Being born and raised in the bay area, having lived in the same exact house, having slept in the same creaky, old bed for 18 years in a row, has provided me with a comfort that I probably take for granted more than I should, but has also left me with an intense urgency to explore more, see more, do more, and just breathe more. The Bay Area can be extremely toxic and suffocating in so many ways, and it a space that I know I can go back to whenever my heart desires, but it is also a space that I do not wish to prolong my stay in any further. My immediate family has also never been a significant part of my life: I have never relied on them for emotional nor mental support. Maturing into an adult with this sort of detachment has hindered and helped me in countless ways. There were definitely times throughout my life where I despised them for the way in which everything turned out. For how miserable or lonely or stuck or negligent I sometimes felt. But I know that without that detachment, I would not be where I am today. To my next semester at Yonsei, you look questionable, daunting, and exciting. I honestly can’t even begin to imagine what will be in store for me. All I can wish for is health & happiness.

가즈으으아!!~

[autodiscothings]

Drell Headcanons

I write a lot about drell, thanks to a fondness of Kolyat Krios. 

Here is a copy/paste of my Google Docs of things I have slipped into Disconnect universe, which is set 6 years after the War (Destroy ending; Thane saved the Councillor in ME3.)

This is work in progress, and ongoing.

SOCIETY

Most cultures from Rakhana are Matrilineal and Matriarchal. Women ruled the roost, and at the time of the first Compact agreement, men only just had the ability to vote in most societies.

Males are considered the most beautiful and are more brightly coloured of the species. Despite being physically stronger, traditionally they still deferred to women. The Illuminated Primacy exploited this; they used asari to help establish the biodome societies, and to help negotiate the Compact agreements.

There’s a cultural expectation to “come home” and have children. It doesn’t have to be a heteronormative family structure of 2.4 and a fishdog, but drell are expected to “remember” their legacy and contribute to the survival of their people. It’s a weight that hangs on many young drell, even if they leave Kahje- a rare feat to begin with.

It was the second wave of their Industrial Revolution (aeroplane and car level, think 1900s for humans)  that began to destroy their planet.

CULTURE

Kahje has an annual poetry and art competition, a lot of poems about water and oceans are to be expected. Music and art and culture is now heavily shaped by water, and new instruments had to be invented to cope with the humidity.

Drell have a large personal space bubble, and if living with other species will cover themselves up to the point of wearing gloves. Speaking of, drell only shake hands when a deal has been done and finalised or ideas have been exchanged, the fused fingers are lightly touched on a wrist’s pulse point, nothing is “shook.”

Gestures are not universal for all; while a human might raise their hand to want to speak, a drell cups their hand in front of them. Swearing is flicking fingers up a neck frill to a chin, just as a middle finger would be to a human.

Music is of course varied, but the most popular style is tonal based with round melodies/lyrics that change constantly.

FOOD, DRINK, ETC

FIsh is now a huge part of their diet thanks to Kahje, and has been embraced by the people with enthusiasm. Orishen are a kind of steamed fish dumpling popular with street vendors, and a national dish.

Drell are omnivorous, but not heavy meat eaters. Eggs and a farmed grub were a preferred source of protein on Rahkana, to the point of a group of First Compact drell getting in trouble with the hanar for “stealing” eggs of the local bird population of Kahje when they first came over.

Se’aus is a form of tobacco similar to Scandinavian snus. Along with a type of sugar similar to aloe sap, se’aus is responsible for the first Rahkana industrial revolution, and started wars over land and property. Se’aus is still somewhat popular, especially among construction workers and the working class.

An’fre oil is used instead of soap and water back on Rakhana. Some drell still use it, but it’s seen as a bit like Old Spice and lavender- a very Traditional smell. It is also used for incredibly disgusting candy.

Weeping Heart was brought out by an asari company in 2175, it’s now only 30% drell owned. Models are employed to wear stripper outfits and serve shots of the stuff to handsy patrons in bars and clubs. It’s a surprisingly well paid job.

MEMORY AND LANGUAGE

For a species who remembers, of course they divide different ways of remembering, and it affects the language.  A few examples:

*Tu’mar- where you remember everything you see because you know it is a special event- and you’re desperate to experience it all before the moment goes.

*Tu’sea- where details seem small and inconsequential at the time, but later on reveal themselves as important.

Tu’amo- where a meeting/moment is so perfect, why bother recreating it? Used mainly to describe meeting a person once and never seeing them again, those perfect stranger encounters.  

*Tu’we- usually used at the end of arguments, and means “we agree to disagree,” because you both remember things differently. 

*Tu’fira- lost in another. Everything you do reminds you of them.

Eidetic memory is only spoken out loud by those who spend too long by themselves. No drell calls it solipsism either; only a certain philosophical, ah, type would.

Drell memory does not mean “photographic.” You can still be thick as varren shit if you’re born drell; if you spend your entire mathematics lesson distracted by the ass in front of you, all you’re going to remember is ass.

The concept of a memorial service is baffling to drell. They honour their dead by existing, no need to hold a special ceremony. Loved ones reassure dying drell that they will never be forgotten, and that they will always live on in their memories.

MODERN POLITICS

Capitalism is king for Kahje and the Illuminated Primacy; despite the Compact, socialism is a somewhat dirty word.

Only a million drell exist in the universe. There are a handful of communities still on Rakhana, living in the pollution and ruins, but they’re ignored by both the Council and Kahje pre-War. It has been a “dead” world for over 70 years now.

Zakera Ward holds the highest population of drell outside of Kahje and her colonies, and only 0.0008% of the Citadel’s population are made up of drell citizens across all the Wards. Only ten drell class themselves as living as an Independent on the Citadel. (Kolyat Krios is one.)

Independent drell means literally that; drell who have formally registered themselves as free of Kahje and her Compact agreement. They cannot vote in the Illuminated Primacy, apply for benefits, or access healthcare if they do. They can however still vote for drell representatives of their registered dome.

Post War, however, both the press and the Council have taken notice of the Compact more... 

RELIGION

There are more Gods that the three Thane mentions, mainly because drell become patrons of Gods specific to them. A former assassin bent on redemption will choose a hunter god, a death goddess and the goddess of motherhood and protection. A doctor might choose the god of science for example, or a gambler the trickster goddess of enchantment.

[rennyji]

clarity on other randomness...

For 11 years, me and the word “girl” always end up translating to association with this one girl I don’t know. Wanted to go out with her once, approached her at a bar, in the dining hall on campus, but then she talks to some other guy in front of me, gives me an angry look all the time, disappears from the dining hall, or dances amongst other girls. You figure ur giving the wrong idea and then this randomness seems to start, as you nicely move away from that. I left the idea of that girl by giving her a letter, explaining things, and ultimately leaving the ball in her court. That’s when random kids go on about the idea of someone for years after.

I mean I’ve had the privilege of going out with this Muslim Pakistani girl (i totally respect what you consider haram) older than me and a genius Sikh Punjabi girl (to you Sikhinis, I share in your love for one God and traditions) who drew my picture in that epic Facebook and would distract me like h*ll while in class. Things didn’t work out, I see this new girl, with one of the best first names on the show Friends: Rachel- possibly my favorite name. I hope the mention of one of the most common first names, 11 yrs later, in this general fashion, doesn’t cause problems for me. But her and other women I’ve come across lately might give you a glance, but also give the impression that if you return the look for too long, they’ll be creeped out.

Though born a Christian, I see all religions as different languages to speak about one truth, and to one loving God. If I were to identify myself, I’d prefer the label of a God-fearing individual, more than anything. Reminds me to say, I like to relate with people. While these women of the past were of the Asian persuasion, I’m open to all cultures and religions when it comes to a relationship.

I saw a very modern Bollywood movie a while back about two people at a club, and the girl asks the guy, ur place or my place. On the flip side or other extreme, I saw a humorous clip on Facebook recently, about this very attractive girl, for some odd reason, nervously approaching a guy, and telling him she’s interested and would like to go out. The media and reality are very different. I think in reality, it always falls on the guy to initiate a conversation, while in tv and movies, it’s the opposite. Anywho, kindly, do me this favor. When I use the word “girl” in conversation or writing, please stop associating it with any women or the past. Past is past. Why random  kids think I’m only capable of walking away from this one girl, and can only refer to this girl, is beyond me. To make any type of commotion, is she famous? Does anyone, wherever in the world I go, even know this person? The word “girl” should not be associated with previous associations. I could be using the word generally or specifically about someone else. 

Binghamton undergrad: I had my freshman days, sophomore days, etc, along with the full college experience.

In party school/ transfer college, I went as an adult - not a teenager- to finish my school as quickly as possible without distractions. I had an apartment of my own, readily available/accessible food - thanks to my parents- all so that all I have to worry about is studying. Then the randomness from the orchestrators takes over, messing everything up.

My Twitter username is @rennyji The orchestrators-possibly involving party school professors- perpetuated the rumors of a girl and kids and took advantage of a situation for the purpose of their government project, that the world is unknowingly helping in.

[felixconcreativecultures]

Conversations in Creative Cultures (CCC) Week 10 Notes

Reflection: Really interesting lesson. Lots that was new to me. I had heard of the Dawn Raids but had little to no idea what they were. Watching the videos made me more appear of the large amount of New Zealand histories that are not taught at primary or high school level, and often high school history doesn't expand beyond the Treaty, (as important as the Treaty/Te Tiriti is and should be taught). Also learnt to spell it as Pasifika as includes letters that are recognised in Polynesian languages? 

Class notes transcribed from my notebook: 

Pacifica Histories...

What do I already know? 

Polynesian possesses a similar mythology, connections between the Pacific Island Region and Aotearoa. 

Some language overlap between Māori and Polynesian languages. 

What we don’t know and might want to find out?

How people made their way to the Pacific. That potential connection to South America through kumara. 

Polynesian Panthers. 

Video: 

Labour shortage, NZ encouraged Pasifika people to come work in New Zealand in the 1960s, being able to bypass the the regularly necessary permits to live/work in NZ. 

Auckland being the Polynesian capital of the world. Many Polynesians moving to Auckland/New Zealand for better paying jobs and better education or their children. They were paid better in New Zealand than Samoa. There was a big lifestyle difference from living in the islands opposed to living in NZ. Working for a pay cheque is order to live/survive. Less forgiving in NZ? Sometimes money people made wouldn't go to the church or back to the family/home and would be spent on alcohol. 

NZ economy struggles, lots of unemployment. The blame is placed on Pacific Islanders taking NZ jobs. Originally welcomed without residents permits to fill labour gaps, then flipped and deemed unwelcome when New Zealand felt it. Became the scapegoat. “Can’t let a flood come here...” “Keeping to British stock”. “New Zealand cities were once seen as quiet, clean and a nice place to raise children in before immigration.” They took a couple Polynesian individuals and used their minute image to stereotype and present the entire NZ Polynesian population as possessing the same negative reputation. White/Pakeha people also has similar problems but was not highlighted or used against them in the same way as they were in control of society and what was recognised in the media. 

Dawn Raids: Police came to their homes at early hours of the morning or came to people’s work places to take them away for being overstayers. Bias ads and news information, news broadcasting, which fuelled public fear. 

Police had a bad reputation, known for being racist, thugs and by no means friends to the Pasifika people. Whereas Pakeha people saw them as protecting their rights. Stopping people in the street, asking for papers. As if people just carry their passports around. 

“How can you tell if someone’s an overstayer” Minister of Immigration 1976: “I can tell a jersey from a fresian.” Dehumanises the people. Also suggestive of being derogatory if being suggestive of either cow representing Polynesians. 

Police would go to the areas which were largely populated by Polynesian people. Would question their identity and bring them in for questioning. Good relations between police and Polynesians was destroyed. Would go to hotels and billiard halls popular with Polynesians. “Random” checks. Would target Polynesian areas over European areas. 

When police came into the pub, men would leave out the back and be caught by police. All would be citizens and police would look stupid, so they'd be done for taking the pub glass outside of the facility, theft of property. An attempt to cover for rounding up Polynesians. 

1970s-80s overstayers were mostly Europeans and North Americans. 2/3 of overstayers were European heritage but 2/3 of prosecuted overstayers were Pasifika. 

Polynesian Panthers. Similar to Black Panthers, look a likeness. Racial and poverty issues. Used the image so they would be taken seriously. They weren't a gang and ha dot work hard to destroy the image/ides that they were. Had to organise and promote positive initiatives, eg homework club, fine arts, taking care of the elderly. 

The idea of being Un-Polynesian to speak up and challenge authority. Older people didn't understand why younger Polynesians born in NZ or otherwise were making such a fuss. Idea that “Police knew best” when they really didn’t. Polynesians, legal or not legal, were worried about being targeted, being next. “Heads down, arses up, keep working. Don’t make a fuss.” People in the Pasifika community tried to encourage overstayers to reapply for sake of others, for sake of everything the community was going through. People would report on their cousins, brothers, family members etc. “Coming home drunk too much...” or “Not sending money back home...” 

Targeting all brown people: Māori, Cook Islanders, Niueans and other legal New Zealand citizens. Polynesian Panthers documented police to highlight racism or discrimination. Rob Muldoon, (PM at the time) and Allan McCready, (Minister of Immigration at the time) were trying to say there weren’t random checks and discrimination towards Polynesians in and around 1976. Evidence of “random” checks meant police and the government could not longer cover up what was happening and the way they were handling overstayers. 

NZ loved saying after WW@ how multicultural we were and everyone got along so well when in reality that wasn't the case. Large problems with racism. 

When younger NZ born Pasifika people asked their parents and other family about the Dawn Raids or specifically about making it into a play, the older Polynesians figured it was better not to talk about it, and leave it in the past. Younger people are recapturing the idea of the Dawn Raids. 

Shared class reflection: 

Worth taking a look at Sean Mallon and Mark Adams discussion/project on photographing the Samoan community. Photos in Te Papas collection. 

Should look at Linda Smith’s work on decolonisation. Could consider takatāpui in my written formal piece. Look into Ariki Brightwell, Naomi Simmons, Kathie Irwin.

[bellphilip91]

Reiki Online Courses Amazing Useful Ideas

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How To Reiki Attunement

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[germanyinusa]

CBYX For Young Professionals

Exchange programs aren’t just for students! On the contrary, young professionals who are just starting their careers in a specific field are eligible for scholarships to live and intern in Germany. CBYX For Young Professionals provides 75 Americans each year with that exact opportunity and invites you to apply by December 1st!

Sound intimidating? Quatsch! To ease any anxiety about applying and to show you that real people come out the other side of this program with more cultural awareness and resume talking points, we reached out to our friend Jonah who completed CBYX this year.

Meet Jonah

Jonah started his CBYX fellowship after having graduated with a BA in Urban Studies from CUNY Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College in 2016. Prior to CBYX, he had only been to Germany once on a short language intensive study abroad and had never lived long-term outside of the city of New York.

What made CBYX an appealing option for you? 

CBYX was appealing for many reasons. Firstly, I always wanted to live abroad for an extended period of time and really immerse myself in a foreign culture; CBYX was the perfect opportunity to do just that. A big part of that desire was the prospect of learning a foreign language to an advanced level. I have never been gifted with languages, but I knew that the best shot of me learning one would be to immerse myself in it. Additionally, I really wanted to go back to Germany after having spent just three short weeks in Berlin in January 2014. I knew that the country was special and presented an interesting learning experience both culturally and professionally.

Where did you intern in Germany? Aside from language, how was it different than working back home? 

While in Germany I interned at Ecologic Institute and The Center for Metropolitan Studies at TU Berlin. The starkest contrast between my internships in Germany and in the U.S. was the much healthier work/life balance present in Germany. As an intern I was given vacation days and Fridays off. Most people took their jobs seriously, but also ensured that they had enough time in their lives to socialize, be with family, and relax.

How was your German before you started the program vs. afterwards? Was it difficult to work in your second language?

My German prior to the start of the program was relatively beginner-level. I could hold basic conversation, but struggled with comprehension and reading. By the end of the program, although not fluent, I was able to speak enough German to survive most situations without English. During my CBYX year I spoke with my host family almost exclusively in German, I would try to socialize with peers in German, and handled many aspects of everyday life in German, ranging from ordering a Brötchen at a bakery to navigating German bureaucracy at the Zollamt or Rathaus. At times it was extremely challenging but overall it was really exciting and fulfilling to feel my language abilities progress significantly over the course of the year.

What was the biggest highlight of your year, professionally or personally? What was a low point?

Professionally, it was when I realized I was speaking German with people or listening in on conversations in German and not even realizing it wasn't English. It was definitely a big accomplishment.

Personally, it would be a day in Cologne about a month into my stay in Germany. My host family were Karneval enthusiasts– my host father was a Senator in his local Karneval Verein and the whole family had three closets designated to just costumes. Although Karneval wasn’t until February, a Karneval-esque event was taking place over the summer called Jeck im Sunne Sching. My host dad insisted that I go and wear a clown costume. I was hesitant but decided to be a good sport–I put the costume on and headed into town. While there weren’t a lot of people in costume that day, I was very relieved to see that I was not the only one on the tram that looked ridiculous. Upon arriving at the event with some friends, we discovered that my host dad neglected to tell us that we needed tickets to get in. So instead we decided to just roam around the city, me in a clown costume in 90-degree summer heat, my friends in comfortable normal clothes. Regardless of the day not going according to plan, it was a fun time, a great Kölsch cultural experience, and a great memory. In February I returned to Cologne for real Karneval and had an amazing and very culturally immersive experience with my former host family and Kölsch friends.

How has having done CBYX benefited you since?

I walked away from my CBYX year more confident, more self assured, and more adventurous. My international experience and language abilities, as well as the valuable experience that I gained during my internships in Berlin is something that I am trying to emphasize in the job application process and will hopefully pay-off soon.

What advice would you give the next cohort of CBYXers?

My biggest piece of advice would be to be flexible and be involved:

Be flexible–CBYX is a huge program that tries to accommodate the varied interests of 75 diverse people–things don’t always go according to plan; in the same way that your normal life in the U.S. doesn’t always go as intended, your life in Germany won’t always either. The most important thing is to keep a good attitude, be flexible and willing to adapt, and always look at the big picture: you're living in Germany for a year on a fellowship!

Be involved--the more involved you are with your host family, your university, sport classes, social clubs, etc., the more friends you'll make, the more immersed you'll be in German culture, and the more fun you'll have. It's a great way to take advantage of the amazing opportunity of living abroad for a year and also helps to fight feelings of homesickness.

Intrigued? Find out more about the CBYX For Young Professional program here: https://culturalvistas.org/programs/abroad/congress-bundestag-youth-exchange-young-professionals/

Got additional questions for Jonah or about CBYX? Reply in the comments.

[treywrites117]

Three Dimensional Characters (more detailed)

Physiology:

Sex: The gender of your character means a lot and it’s not just “male” and “female”. There are people who identify as trans, non-binary, intersex, pangender, androgynous, agender, hijra, and much more. Different cultures have different names and relationships with different genders and that can affect your character.

Age: While this may just seem like a number, people lie about their age all the time to seem more experienced when interviewing for a job or to seem younger when trying to get a date. The importance of age also varies between cultures and generations which can affect your character. Do they lie about their age? Is it important that they see themselves as five and a half instead of just five?

Height and Weight: There are Napoleon complexes and there are people who are tired of being asked if they play basketball. There are also average height people who are affected by that in ways they may not even notice. Weight can define a character more because while height is usually genetic, weight is something a character’s choices and society affect. Are they skinny because they have a great metabolism or is it because they want to look like that celebrity?

Color of Hair, Eyes, and Skin: I saw a great play called The Bluest Eye (adapted from Toni Morrison’s book) about a young black girl who wanted to be fair-skinned, fair-haired, and have blue eyes so people would like her and she could be like all the popular girls, who were all white. Her appearance was greatly affected by the lack of representation of black girls on TV and in their selections of toys. The appearance of your character and their actions can be influenced by society and the culture around them.

Posture: How your character carries themselves can represent different parts of their characters. I know a lot of friends who have been drawing a lot since they were kids and they have a slouch to their shoulders from leaning over their sketchbooks. Strict posture could mean a strict family background.

Appearance: While a lot of the categories have already gone into appearance (Eye color, hair color, skin color, height, and weight…), whether their style is tidy or simple or explicit can really help define the character. Without going into detail about their fashion style, you can easily describe a character in your screenplay with “eye-catching outfits meant to grab attention” better than specific details of their wardrobe and still do justice to their character.

Defects: Clearly having something that can set your character apart from the average person can lead to a different experience in social aspects. If they have a deformity, abnormality, birthmark, or disease, it can change how people act around them or treat your character. What they take away from those encounters can mold their characteristics and choices.

Heredity: What has your character gained from their parents? Enviable red hair? A weak constitution? These traits are more genetic than they are learned from constant parental influence.

Sociology:

Class: What class your character comes from can influence how other characters interact with them. Class played an enormous role in the plot in My Fair Lady. Professor Higgins wanted to see if changing the language of a poor cockney woman, Eliza, could affect the way upper-class socialites interacted with her. Of course, her physical appearance was changed, but she was, under the surface, still a woman from the streets who lived her life off the pittance she got from selling flowers.

Occupations: An occupation that a character has can tell us more about their monetary situations which is a good way to understand character motivations. Are they in a dead end job they hate just to put food on the table? Do they have multiple jobs? What did they want to be vs. what job they do have? Have they had many jobs due to failure or boredom? In America, careers define people more than they should.

Education: Getting an education is not always enough, it has to be a certain type. A college education is great, but society places a greater influence on an Ivy League degree. Was your character homeschooled? Did they attend college at an early age? How well did they perform in high school? What subjects did they do best in? How people interact in the influential high school years very much affects who they are. If they had to drop out of school to get a full-time job to keep their family afloat, it can affect their socialization since they don’t see their friends and “drop-out” carries a negative connotation that can keep them from getting a career they want.

Home life: Everything from parents being alive to their own marital status is under this category. The relationship the character has with those they are living with can influence many of their choices. If they live with their parents, that can mean massive social difference between a fourteen-year-old and someone who is thirty. What about childhood home life? If they were raised in a violent atmosphere, they might be a shy, tentative person or quick-tempered.

Religion: Depending on what religion your character has, they might have some strict rules or beliefs that they adhere to. Those who observe Hinduism do not eat beef, which could cause conflict if they room with someone who does not share that belief and loves making hamburgers. Pagan beliefs vary and require a lot of different rituals and is usually associated with a negative stigma. A pagan believer might seem different than a Quaker, but depending on the faction of Quaker, they may not be so different after all.

Race, Nationality: It goes without saying that in this modern day, race has a large influence on how people treat each other. A character is defined just as much by how they respond and act toward others from a different race as they are growing up as the race that they are.

Place in Community: Are they a leader? Are they involved in clubs or societies that may affect who they are to certain people? They could also be someone in the community that is shunned or perhaps they were removed from the community for some kind of unforgivable infraction.

Amusements, Hobbies: How someone spends their free time can tell you a lot about them. Do they read? What genre? Do they like to tinker or build things? Sometimes what someone’s hobby is, could be what they wanted to do with their life if they didn’t have four children they needed to feed and had to get a better paying job for the price of their soul.

Psychology:

Sex Life, Moral Standards: These could be two different things. A character could preach certain moral standards perhaps that reflect the standards of their religion, but have a contradictory sex life. Maybe they are doing it to keep their sex life secret to not be removed from the religious community or because they want to stay in their conservative family member’s will. Sometimes people will boast about sex lives they do not have to boost their self-esteem or to impress others.

Personal Premise, Ambition: What is the goal of your character’s life? This is probably where the story and the character connect. This ambition drives a character’s more “big picture” actions and could be what lands them in the conflict of the story in the first place.

Frustrations, Chief Disappointments: Frustrations can be triggers for some people that lead to problematic actions. These frustrations can be born of past mistakes and disappointments that haunt the characters.

Temperament: This could be seen as where your character falls on the Friedman and Rosenman A/B Personality spectrum. Are they a very structured and high-strung person (A) or an easy-going and relaxed person (B)? Of course, this category covers other types of temperament, like optimism, skepticism, etc.

Attitude Toward Life: Does your character feel cheated? Are they cynical or defeated? They could also live every day like their last or have a goal to help anyone they can. The way they look at life and their own outcome can affect how they approach problems like the conflict of your story.

Complexes: Characters can have obsessions, superstitions, and fears that not only color their personalities but affect their actions. If someone has an Oedipus complex and only dated people that looked like their mother, it could influence how they interact with others and how others perceive them.

Extrovert, Introvert, Ambivert: A crash course in this is: extroverts gain energy from and enjoy long social interactions while introverts spend energy and can be exhausted by social interactions. Ambiverts are usually a happy middle.

Abilities: A multilingual character could be a very openly accepting person to others from different cultures. Does your character play a musical instrument? Do they play it well? Do they use their talents or repress them? Are they proud of what they can do?

I.Q.: What is there intelligence level? Are they ashamed or proud? Do they even care? Characters with different intelligence levels may have difficulties with conversation. It also affects how characters treat each other. Sometimes intelligent characters lord their brilliance over everyone else while some lower intelligent characters might feel shame.

[djsandok]

Heavy Hip Hop Set Reflection

Last night was special because it put my journey as a DJ in perspective. 

(March 13, 2020 - Mesa - My Birthday Weekend / The Last Weekend Before Quarantine)

It’s been a standard question to answer as of late: “How have you been dealing with the quarantine?”

I usually refer to THE QUARANTINE SERIES keeping me busy while explaining that I’m an extrovert that thrives off other people.  This is true with teaching, art, and especially DJ’ing.

I came into last night thinking it was going to be a casual R&B listening session with some old and new friends---I was even wearing my favorite R. Kelly shirt.  Little did I know I’d be playing for the generation that helped me fall in love with hip hop and DJ’ing.

--

I started DJ’ing after a road trip with my family to visit some extended family in San Jose.  I was around 12 or 13 at the time I think.  They weren’t professional DJs but knew the basics of DJ’ing.  I was surprised at how simple the concept of transitioning from one song to the next was.

I saved money and bought my equipment.  Then came my vinyl collection.  Then came the hundreds of CD-Rs I needed to make to play the newer stuff and/or rare stuff.

I didn’t know it then but I know it now.  I was part of the last generation of DJs that were hired because of the record library they had.  To put it in perspective, anyone can be a DJ with a limitless library of MP3s now.  You specifically hired a DJ because you trusted his/her limitations in music.  

It was an absolute honor to build a clientele strictly from referrals.  To this day, I don’t really like to DJ for strangers unless they’ve heard me perform somewhere.  

--

(Bryan Black tattooing my leg in 2012)

It reminds me of a conversation I’ve had multiple times with my friend, Bryan Black.  A tattoo should be a collaboration between the tattoo artist and the client.  A client shouldn’t be forcing their vision of the tattoo while disregarding the artist’s advice.  I feel the same exact way with my DJ clients.

All Bryan and I want for our clients are for them to trust us.  

That trust is usually rewarded with something special, memorable, and most importantly, organic.  

--

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A post shared by ej (@sandok_) on Apr 27, 2018 at 3:22pm PDT

(Skratching to Leon Bridges in my classroom in 2018)

I’ve been thinking about how I define myself as a DJ in 2020.  Yes, by default, I’m a Hip Hop DJ.  

However, I’m not really sure where Hip Hop stands today.  I think the “good” Hip Hop sampling era died somewhere along where Kanye’s music started getting overtly self-centered and simply not good.

With the music industry changing drastically because of the internet, it’s probably really easy to find a talented rapper.  Hell, I’m friends with some of the best emcees I’ve ever heard.

But what next?  How do you market them to people on the internet?  How do they make a career out of it?  How do you connect them to producers so they can reach their potential?

That’s why I think the next stage of Hip Hop is centered around artists like Bryson Tiller, SiR, and Frank Ocean.  

Simply put: you have to be able to showcase some musicality that isn’t necessarily based on rhymes and sampling.

--

(Toby, my munchkin cat, posing in front of some the most talented female R&B artists of the century)

Which brings me back to why last night was so special.  I’ve been so stuck on the above mentality for a very long time knowing I’ve been bored of new Hip Hop for a while.

Nevertheless, I get really excited about really good R&B.  And the 21st-Century has definitely been providing.  SZA, H.E.R., Jorja Smith, Lana Del Rey, Snoh Aalegra, Summer Walker, and Jhene Aiko to name a few.

I’d like to think I’m good at spinning that stuff because there’s an intimate feeling with their music that I’d like to share with the listener.

Nevertheless, where does that leave me in 2020 as a “Hip Hop DJ?”  Especially since I tried my hardest to have my roots grounded in the culture.  I learned how to DJ breaks from Dwenz and the Foundation FunKollective, an incredibly influential figure and organization in the Los Angeles Hip Hop community.  Did I abandon hip hop in the 2010/2020s?

Hell nah.

--

My first DJ mentor, DJ Redline, dropped in the set around 8:30 PM.  My sister had some classes with him at CSUF and he took me record shopping when I was in 7th/8th grade.  He let me in on all the DJ secrets with buying records, mixing, skratching, etc.  He even gave me a BUNCH of records which gave me a sense of pride knowing during those times DJs are what their records are.  I didn’t have anything.

Anyway, I decided to drop a LA Symphony track knowing we’re both big fans of them.  

Damn.  That was the catalyst that brought out a BUNCH of memories.

That was one of my favorite 12″ vinyl that I loved showing off back in the day.

I definitely feel spoiled that I have the MP3 and can play it whenever I want.

But, I don’t play it.  At all.

lordnik0n_ was the first to be stoked about the LA Symphony drop.

I later found out he’s the father of a former student.

That student used to tell me his family listens to my recorded mixtapes all the time.

Little did I know that he’s been tuning in to my quarantine series.

The night progressed into a HEAVY esoteric hip hop set that probably lordnik0n_, Redline, and I knew.  

Peep the set here.  It starts around 1:43:00

As a DJ, your job is to play for your crowd, my crowd was two people last night even though there were more watching.

I never get to play any of this stuff.  It was important to me to get a recording of it so I could listen to it later.

--

Last night was special because it brought my journey as a DJ full circle.

I grew up knowing there are really talented Filipino DJs before actually learning the fundamentals.

I learned the fundamentals through imitating radio station DJs (Icy Ice, Melo-D, E-Man, etc.) and other DJ Crews (Invisbl Skratch Piklz, The Beat Junkies, The 5th Platoon, etc.)

I immersed myself in Hip Hop culture by participating in B-Boy events as a DJ and building a record collection.

I built a clientele that trusted my taste in Hip Hop, R&B, Funk, Soul, Rock, etc.

I heavily incorporate my love and appreciation of music and culture into my English Language Arts classroom.

I was welcomed as a resident DJ at Mesa which started a shift in the music they were providing for their guests

--

It’s really hard to describe last night because I was thinking about all those bullet points simultaneously and reflecting where we are during this weird-ass quarantine lockdown.

But something really special happened when I was playing MP3s that I have as vinyl.  All those memories of when I was young, naive, and wide-eyed about the world came flooding back to me.  

All those memories came back and I was able to organically rock a hip hop set as if it were 2004 all over again.

All those memories made me realize that I haven’t really changed much.  My shift in music taste doesn’t necessarily mean I’m abandoning my Hip Hop roots.  It shows that I’m still hungry and wide-eyed about the world and want music to continue to give me the happiness it’s always provided me.

--

(Rampage, High School Sandōk, Sunnynblue circa 2005)

I wish I had more pictures of when I first started DJ’ing.  I think I was insecure because I didn’t want the label of “Bedroom DJ” because I wanted to be something much more.

Kind of ironic now that I’m DJ’ing in my living room for y’all.  HAHAH

--

A huge thank you to everyone that has been influential in my life.  That includes my clients, friends, family, and random people that enjoy my music at a bar/club/twitch stream.

holla.