#I learned how to put photos side-by-side and I'm proud of myself

[lightofraye]

Debunking Nonsense Against Jared

There's apparently some crap about Jared that is just absolute nonsense. Full of lies and bullshit.

It'd be one thing if people just didn't like him. It happens. Not everyone is likeable. You're not expected to like him. But don't pull up lies to explain why you don't like him. Especially when they've been debunked again and again and again.

1. The "racist" tattoo. Y'all, this is nonsense. It's been debunked over and over and over. It's not a racist tattoo. For one, it's lacking the logo of "Come and take it", which would make it a racist tattoo. But a lone star above a cannon does not a racist tattoo make.

Jared is a proud Texan. He also donates to many a charity and organization that help people, speaking out about them often. Not to mention, prior to pro-gun rights appropriating the symbol and logo, it stood for a proud history in Texas. Jared would've known.

So how about instead of focusing on a mere tattoo, come up with more proof that Jared is a racist? Hmm?

Besides, if you're mad at Jared's tattoo, are you then mad at Jensen's t-shirt, which did show the saying as well?

2. Fighting with fans online. Oh come on. Misha's done it. (Misha's done worse, in fact.) Danneel's done it. Jared doing it does not a bad person make. And I don't think he's done it in a long time.

And of course, people will go "Danneel was hitting back!" And? What's the difference? Jared was hitting back too. Danneel went a step farther most of the time, siccing her followers on them, threatening them with Clif, even ran crying to Clif because people were being "mean".

3. RE: Prequelgate. Give me a fucking break! Jared was right to be upset! He called and texted Jensen for hours before he gave up and responded to that tweet about The Winchesters announcement. Jensen also lied about not being allowed cellphones on The Boys set. When they weren't filming, they were allowed. (Of course they can't have their cellphones on their person during filming, unless it suited the scene!) Besides all that, Jared honestly didn't know about it! Kripke was even shocked when he learned Jared didn't know! Supernatural and its legacy is as much Jared's as it was Jensen's! The whole freakin' industry gave Jensen a massive side-eye for his unprofessional behavior. Kevin Smith, a man who has directed, written, and acted in the industry, thought it was uncool. Also, Jared wasn't drunk.

4. Supposed bully accusations. I'd need to see more of this to believe it, but outside of occasionally putting Misha in his bullshit place, I've never heard of Jared bullying anyone. Everyone he's worked with has sung his praises. The only one who hasn't is Misha and that's because Jared won't let Misha put him down. And in fact, has had to step in to stop Misha from torturing Jensen. So fuck off with your noise.

5. His fanbase. Is he now responsible for his fanbase? I never knew that. What about Misha's fanbase sending Jensen death threats for denouncing Destiel? Has Misha ever stopped that? What about AAs hoping for Jared to suicide after Walker was cancelled?

6. What about Genevieve? Oh come on! Do I like that Gen is featuring the kids a lot? Myself, no. But if Jared was truly bothered by it, I'm sure he would've spoken to Genevieve. And Gen isn't any different than many other mommy influencers. I'm not keen on exploiting the kids like that, but would you say the same about Danneel abruptly grabbing the kids at Wales Comic Con and dragging them out for a photo op? All because she had no one in line for her autographs and desperate for attention?

7. Jared's Hair. Apparently there are some claiming Jared had gotten hair plugs. My response to that is: So what? Misha's had plastic surgery (trust me, it's obvious--his eyes and clearly lip fillers). Danneel's had worse--her hair is fried, bad extensions, plastic surgery galore that has ruined her hair line because of facelifts, fillers, Botox, and breast implants (twice!). Jensen's likely had a bit of work too.

So. Fucking. What. About Jared's hair?

--

Come up with truthful reasons to hate Jared, hmm? Not bullshit.

[ira-scargeear]

Haters gonna hate!

Recently I showed my Makeda in a BJD group and got a comment on how little I know about cultures, anatomy and proportions.

My reaction? I thought it was hilarious!!! Because my dolls are among a few on realistic side and often wear ethnic clothing which is created after a thorough research. I basically was accused of exactly the things I'm proud of 🤣

I'm a seasoned Internet user, so comments like this one doesn't do me any harm. It was very different back then, when I joined Russian speaking BJD community. It wasn't a business for me, but a hobby where I wanted to share my first creative endeavors and my passion for dolls.

I've got all sorts of comments, like:

my photography is terrible,

my doll characters are ridiculous and are a laughing stock,

I think too much of myself,

how dare I to share the photos of my dolls all over the Internet,

how dare I to be frustrated if my creations don't get enough feedback,

I should "hold the blows with grace", like if I'm some sort of punching bag,

and so on.

It took me years to accept the harsh reality and to understand that not me and my dolls were the problem. The people around me were the issue.

Forums slowly died out, social media rose. I moved to Facebook and Instagram, and I very rarely got some criticism anymore. Polite, civilized people watch their tongues most of the time. It's usually lack of knowledge when people criticize my dolls, or, sometimes, their own traumas are poured upon me occasionally.

When you face a criticism, it's usually about them, not you. If you're a novice, remember: nobody made perfect overnight, it requires a lot of time, trial and error. If people try to put you down because you're not perfect - block them. Learn and perfect your skill, if it's your goal. If you don't have resources for that - just enjoy the moment. We're here for fun!

[lia404]

(tl;dr: this is just a long ramble, me trying to convince myself that I need to stop feeling so shy and inaccurate about my bookbinding and that sharing my photos and talking about my projects is valid.)

As I'm preparing Binderary, I've contacted authors of my favourite fanfics to make sure they didn't mind me adding their stories to my bookshelf, posting photos And, if they're interested, to send them a copy (if funds allow; being on the verge of becoming a redundancy does put a question mark to it. It's still something I very much want to make a part of my ethics.)

I tried to build a script for when I contact said authors (and maybe you noticed already, if I've contacted you): a comment in which I desperately try to explain my approach and show I'm a reliable and passionate fanbinder. I swear I'm a writer, but I cringe every time I try to put words on this. I have this huge feeling of illegitimacy, of someone who needs to apologise before I even started the process of binding. I feel like I have to justify everything, in a "don't be afraid, this is a nice project I swear, look here are a billion references that make my message all the more overwhelming" kind of way. I also feel like I'm getting everyone's hopes up, because so many fanbinded books I've seen are gorgeous, while mine are terrible. There's glue everywhere; the pages are printed sideways; the ink bled; the hinges and squares are uneven. Everything is a "prototype" because I don't dare call it a book.

I am immensely grateful for the kindness of the authors I contacted, who were all so accepting, encouraging, and even enthusiastic (although this last one makes me nervous, because as mentioned above: expectations, oh no.)

Now that I have completed some personal projects, I know from experience that photos should not always be trusted, that gorgeous projects have their flaws too, and as such, that mine have a right to be wonky and uneven.

An example: the very first notebook I binded.

I took an old notebook I didn't like the cover of, destroyed it, re-sewed the signatures, added these "Flower Power" pages from a decorated pad I bought for something else completely, and then fought for my life against glue and the paper I picked for the cover.

It does not look awful, if you see the photo from afar. I know multiple people around me said it was nice.

The truth of it:

My cover tore, and I had to add a ribbon to vaguely hide it. Except I didn't have a ribbon that fit. So I added a torn ribbon over a torn cover, adding glue everywhere.

It's even worse on the other side, where you also see that my book case is completely crooked and the squares are so uneven it's almost funny. There's one centimeter of difference here.

As the case would not stick, I added glue and ended up wrapping the endpages INSIDE the cover, rather than glueing them above. The paper tore. Beginner's mistakes.

But hey, the glue makes it shiny, and wrapping looks like I wrapped a present! How fancy.

And yet, when you don't know about it, with the right light and the right untrained eye, it actually looks somewhat nice.

I'm not exactly proud of the result of this first attempt, although I'm really proud I managed to complete the first attempt itself. But I didn't learn from these first mistakes, no. I kept making them again and again, so much so that I gave up doing it by myself only and ended up attending a short bookbinding workshop. (Possibly my best decision of 2024.)

Having access to actually good material with a trained teacher definitely helped. The results look better—and yet.

Look, this one I did last year is so pretty:

The paper cover is gorgeous, and so are the endpapers.

And it's a rounded spine, too, so that's quite fancy. I've had so many people compliment it, and yet...

...yeah. Even with my teacher supervising me in the workshop, it seems like squares are not my friends. It's a good half centimeter here, which on such a small format of notebook actually makes a noticeable difference—that no one notices when they stick to the first photos, the ones that made people go "oooh" and "aaah" and received compliments.

Bottom line: I am an amateur, I am legitimate and not inaccurate as such, and I need to stop feeling shy about sharing my bookbinding photos here. (I do need to learn to take photos, though.)

I've been binding more and more notebooks lately, and made "prototypes", and learnt a lot. And now, I have received the approval of many writers who are eager to see their stories turned into physical books (and I'm eager too) so I know I can proceed with my experiments. Maybe they even won't feel (too) robbed when they see the result.

I'm still looking for a nice/funny/fitting name for my press. Once I have it, I'll likely do a separate blog specifically for my experiments and actual bindings. I am hopeful that having a blog serving as a portfolio will help in feeling more legitimate when I end up contacting more creators, because there are TONS of stories I want on my bookshelves. I've been trying to handmake books since I was five (there was a lot of adhesive tape involved back then), experimenting a lot along the way, until over 25 years later when I stumbled upon Renegade Bindery and reached the "anyone can make books!" mindset.

A few years later, let's be real: NOT anyone can make books. Why is this hobby so expensive in money, time, energy and room? My apartment is small, my bank account will likely not enjoy the job redundancy, and god knows my time and energy were already quite scarce before this.

But I proved myself that I can make books, and people don't seem to hate it? And maybe I can give back to authors who spent hours and hours and hours writing story that kept me going through all these years. Even if my squares are uneven, my pages are cut sideways and my my glue stains are impossible to hide.

So here we are. This was my first post about bookbinding, and most of all fanbinding. Now, onto finding a nice name for my press, before I can finally share photos of my lovely mess.

[soundwave-starlight]

My personal queer adventure. Happy Pride!

For those who are uninterested, this is my story of how I became very queer. I yap a lot so tl;dr I'm an Aromantic Bisexual Demigirl who couldn't be more happy right now.

I am making this post in part to always remember this pride month (and specifically this day). Being queer has always been hard for me to do, growing up AMAB and surrounding myself mostly with people who judge highly for being outside the norm made me pretty convinced of some schools of thought that I currently find detestable.

Despite my struggles, finding people who accept me and learning how to allow myself to be queer has been a frankly bizarre and wonderful adventure. I wouldn't trade it for anything, even with how difficult it can be.

It was rather easy to come to the conclusion that I was Aromantic (for as long as I could remember I wasn't the biggest fan of romance) and not long after it became pretty apparent to me how attractive men can be, even if not in a romantic lens. What was really difficult was understanding what the fuck was going on with my gender identity.

It took a while for me to realize that I didn't like my assigned gender at birth. To be fair I still don't take as much issue with it as others like me do. That's probably why it was so easy to dismiss my feelings. "I hate how I look not because I'm experiencing gender dysphoria but because I'm ugly." You know, stuff like that. I felt for the longest time that I couldn't be a different gender because of how little I seemed to hate my assigned gender compared to what others said about there own gender. At the end of the day I was probably just in denial.

Things started to change when I was finally able to grow my hair out. Having long hair gave me something to actually like about myself that I didn't have before. Granted I just chalked this up to liking long hair, no implications of gender whatsoever! What was harder to deny was the way wearing dresses made me feel. One of my best friends was able to gift me one of their dresses. When I tried it on it was like I had finally woken up out of a nightmare. I actually liked what I looked like in the mirror. Liked it! Me! I looked at myself and thought "I look good"! That had never happened to me before.

Now of course this was not enough to make me consider my gender identity no no no I just liked dresses! That was totally cisgender (btw it can totally be cisgender all clothes are unisex if you try hard enough). What especially stopped this was showing this side of myself to my family. They didn't really understand. Some of them tried. Others didn't. It ended up putting a huge damper on my feelings around GNC dressing and really halted my exploration of this side of myself.

Unfortunately for those who very much did not want this outcome, my insatiable gender envy and dysphoria stopped for no mortal! I started to genuinely wish I was born with features that are more feminine. It got to the point where I had started doing research into how I could fake some feminine features. The big one being breasts. I felt like if I could get breasts it would cure a lot of my dysphoria. It was around this time I started to consider the label of demigirl. Mainly because I still don't really feel fully like a girl. I want to look like a girl and dress like a girl, but I'm not fully a girl. More and more research and time went into it and I decided to try out the label, see if things worked.

That leads us to today. In which I haven't fully completed operation fake titty, but I have something to base my feelings around. And oh my god, I love them. I realize that I do not have breasts, but seeing what looks like breasts on my body gave me so much euphoria that my brain finally full sent me into "oh shit, I'm not a man." and honestly, I don't know if I've ever felt better!

This is the only photo I'm proud enough of that has the fake breasts that I can be proud of right now, but I still wanted to share it. I can't put accurately into words how happy I am right now, but wow. This feels good. This pride month will always be special to me. Today will always be special to me. Because today was the day I finally found a piece of myself that I have felt missing for years. Happy Pride everyone. I hope yours are as good as mine is.

[mcssages]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A drop of sweat formed on the side of her head when she witnessed the precarious bag situation. Nothing was going to come loose, but it might be difficult to cart around. Chaesun didn't have a car of her own. After all of the threats to her life were resolved, she quite enjoyed walking around. She only got to do it when work called for it, but any exercise and fresh air was desperately needed. The poor girl was more similar to a houseplant than a human being. Thankfully her charisma wasn't impacted by it. " I'll call for a car once we're done eating. The hotel has a pool and spa , so you can relax as soon as we get there . " She listened to what she had to say about wishing she could spend more time in Korea and her cheeks gained the slightest bit of heat. " Honestly , I'd love to bring you back here anytime ! Not only do I like showing people around , but I'm also scared my English will start to get rusty if I don't use it . " A tiny laugh escaped. " You're always welcome here . " They weren't proper friends yet, but Persephone's warmth was contagious.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Strong mental images of all the possible selfies and fun pictures that could be taken at the party made her giggle softly to herself. The compliment wasn't lost on her, but she couldn't help but be modest. " Oh , I don't know about that , but I'll be in as many photos as you want ! I wouldn't be a good representative if I let myself be camera shy . " Posing wasn't her forte, yet being the face of an organization required her to get power through her lack of confidence. This whole arrangement forced her out of her own comfort zone, and as terrifying as it was, it was liberating to discover what she was capable of, as well as learn how to work around her limitations. " I don't think I've ever hit my phone's storage limit before . . . " The life of someone who made a living from social media sounded so demanding. Imagining having to look through all those photos and selecting which ones to post sounded exhausting.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Once inside the eatery, Chaesun waved her hand toward the various open tables. " Go pick a seat and I'll order the wings . Do you drink ? I can get us some wine . " Instantly after her reply, the hostess scurried over to the small line and waited patiently, eager to share part of her culture with someone new. She would have gotten alcohol without thinking normally. It was very typical to have some wine, beer or cocktails with Korean wings, but she wanted to be professional; as much as she was capable of anyway. Jumin would be so proud that she showed some restraint and actually made sure to sweat the details.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Tossing the sign she had been holding from the airport on her way to the counter, Chaesun heard her stomach growling. The aroma of the sauces and breading filled the air in the building. It was finally her turn! With how hungry she was, a few minutes was like a mini eternity. Once she rattled off their order and paid for it, she was given a number to set at their table so their order could be brought to them. This was relieving since two baskets of wings and drinks were risky for a clumsy girl. saucy foods likely weren't a very business-like choice, yet being too stuffy would possibly put people who don't work in an office or corporate setting off.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀When she found where Persephone had chosen to sit, she hurried over and sat down, placing the number on the edge of the table. " Everything should be ready soon . So , what other things have you thought about trying here ? If there's a lot , you should totally come here on vacation ! " Business trips were so limited. Showing up just to experience the country offered much more space to go with the flow rather than sticking to a schedule, or being bound to a hotel.

It was easy enough to send the picture over, and Persephone nodded along as she collected her bags. There was always such tension between packing light enough to easily carry around, and making sure she brought everything she might need. Other people probably planned out their outfits in advance, so it was easy to bring only the necessities, but Persephone preferred looking at an open closet or suitcase and feeling the sense of Spontaneous Inspiration. For her, at least, it helped to keep from falling into a rut of gravitating towards the same looks over and over.

When she was finished, the collection of bags and suitcases seemed a bit unwieldy, but could be stacked and locked and tied in such a way that made it a bit more manageable. "Okay, good to go," she said with an affirming nod, pulling along her things tentatively at first, then with a bit more force once it was clear that nothing was going to fall out of place. She'd sort of expected that Chaesun would have a car, but the lack thereof wasn't the end of the world, even if Persephone thought she probably looked A Little Ridiculous to any onlookers.

Well, at least she'd work up an appetite, and the more she heard about the wings, the more it sounded like they'd hit the spot. "Oh, I see," she murmured as she listened. "I heard that Korea is supposed to have good spicy food, so I'm totally looking forward to it." Not that she was any kind of chile head or anything, but food that had that kind of Extra Kick always reminded her of her dad's home cooking. "I wish I had more time here to like, eat all the things people say you should try. I'll have to try and come back sometime. You'll invite me again sometime, right?" That part was just teasing, at least. Mostly.

As they walked, Chaesun's explanation helped at least partially put her at ease. Parties, she could do. Even if she really didn't consider herself much of an extrovert, she had Blown Up (in so far as a mid-tier fashion girlie could be considered having Blown Up) with club looks and having a Face Card That Never Declined (allegedly, given that Persephone could definitely think of some examples where it had). "Sounds like a plan. I take tons of pictures so I can like, max out my phone storage." She gave a small laugh. If that was really all that was wanted of her, then she could do that much, and the point about making connections was a good one. "You'll just have to promise to take some pictures with me then, since I cannot in good conscience allow such an Undiscovered Beauty to go un-photographed."

She giggled as Chaesun rambled about food. "I'm honestly starving too, so you're fine." As for the plane... "Air Canada does this thing on international flights with these multi-course meals and stuff, but honestly, I feel Super Ick if I eat too much on a plane, so I just had a salad and a cookie." The pork bulgogi that had been offered her looked good, but she definitely didn't regret passing on the tuna sandwich that had been brought later as a snack. Once they were in the restaurant, she found an out-of-the-way spot for her things, giving an apologetic smile and wave to any other patrons she had to pass by, before returning to Chaesun's side. "You're the expert, so you can just order whatever is good, and I'll eat it, okay?" It wasn't like she could read the menu much anyway.

[no-name-publishing]

What Doesn't Kill you by Hanschen (@whatwememeintheshadows)

So so SO pleased with how this turned out. It's almost one-to-one how I imagined it in my head. If you're a fan of the WWDITS movie then this is a MUST read. Check under the cut for close-ups of the cover and typesetting!

My idea for this specific binding was to replicate the imagery of the peeling wallpaper inside the character's home. I did this by first painting gray paper (using acrylic ink and white tempera paint) to look like water-stained drywall, and then using the same acrylic ink mixture to stain the marigold paper. After I assembled the cover paper I used some coptic markers to finish coloring in the moldy areas and accentuate some of the 'discoloration' and running water.

Transferred the title using carbon transfer paper, used a paper towel to really smudge it out, then darkened it a bit with black acrylic ink. After that was just tearing up the marigold paper and arranging it over the 'drywall', just used wheat paste and put it under my press to dry as flat as possible. No shots of that though, I forgot lol. Anyway, the typesetting, complete with emails and journal entries and text messages:

Thank you so much to @whatwememeintheshadows for sharing this lovely piece of writing with us and for letting me bind you a copy.

[fourseasonsfigs]

LV 1854

Following up yesterday's Shizuka is today's LV model Gong Jun!

I actually adore Louis Vuitton. Many, many, (many) years ago, when I got my first bonus check at work, I was so proud of myself that I bought myself a LV handbag. A ridiculous use of money, especially at that time, but I wanted to reward myself for working so hard with a fancy purse. I still have the handbag, and every time I look at it I remember how it felt to hold that check in my hands, and feel that sense of accomplishment and joy. I still love it as much as I did then, after all these years. So I can't tell you how delighted I was when Gong Jun became the ambassador for LV!

I'm not saying I necessarily like all their fashion looks, because I don't, but I don't think the point of high fashion is to necessarily like the looks. I think it's more about appreciating the artistry. Some outfits, I must admit, I am just too artistically impaired to appreciate. But put Junjun in LV, and suddenly my artistic appreciation goes way, way up.

The inspiration for this fig is Junjun's pics from one of his photo shoots for LV on his Weibo account on August 17 last year:

This is the exact inspiration pic for the fig! See how his leg is kicked up like that and his arm is alongside his crossbody bag?

I love those flowy white pants on him! Also a big fan of that crossbody bag, it seems a lot bigger and more functional than the one he was wearing at the concert. Which I love for obvious sentimental reasons, but it's the smallest and most impractical thing in the world. I can fit my phone and the world's tiniest wallet in it, and that's literally it. Well, and a lip balm, Junjun was right about that when he showed it off at the concert.

There is a LOT going on with this jacket. For fig comparison purposes, I tried to find this jacket on the US LV site, but was unable to. So I went to their China site, and found it! It is the Multi Patches Mixed Leather Varsity Blouson Jacket, for a cool 46,500 RMB (roughly $6,700 USD).

The patch saying LV 1854, the year the house was founded in France, is of course the name of this fig. Huh, wizards. Go figure!

And another 1854 patch on this sleeve! Two patches, I guess, if we count the #54. So much detail on this. Alright, on to the fig!

Ahhh he's so cute even all packaged up for traveling! His perfect little face, and the beauty mark on his ear right there.

Unfortunately, his cute little kicked-up foot pose means that he can't stand up at all, even for a single glamor shot. So on he went onto a standee. I don't typically like to do this, but I glued him down immediately. He's really heavy - that head of his is solid! My experience with heavy headed figs with any tilt to the side has been that the weight of the fig will topple them over. I have learned this the hard way as figs have gone careening down my display shelves! I was not going to risk his precious little self, so out came the glue, and he's not budging now.

Since this is a light colored outfit, I figured I'd put him on a non-white background for better contrast. Wow, his hair looks incredible from this angle! I love this hairstyle on him, and fig-wise it's perfect.

The detail here on his coat is fantastic. You can also see how his foot is totally lifted up there off the base - it's not resting on the fig stand at all.

Ah this is a good angle to see his foot kicked up too. He looks long and lean from this angle - definitely Junjun's proportions.

Again, really fantastic level of detail on the jacket here. It's hard to see all the patches clearly Junjun's photos, but if you scroll back and forth on the actual jacket photos you'll see this is an excellent rendering at this small of a scale.

You get a little bit of the flowy look of the pants here, while still preserving all the detail on his white and blue shoes. This fig maker does a phenomenal job!

Speaking of the shoes, this is a great angle for the detail on them.

Ahahaha, I see the wizards! And of course, instead of the name of the maison, we have Gong Jun's English name.

Here you definitely get the flowy lines of his pants, and please note the little fold line in his ear, so cute (wow, never in my life did I think I'd be commenting on a fig's ear fold, life really is stranger than fiction). His eyes are expressive and beautiful, and his hair is absolutely perfect! This is another great angle of those fancy shoes, too.

Here's a zoomed in pic of the front so you can see the really incredible level of detail.

I made sure to get a bottoms-up photo before I glued him on the standee!

The top down pic is not too exciting, I admit.

A+ box cards from this fig maker. Just like with yesterday's Shizuka card, she uses the actual background from the photo.

I can't believe I forgot to mention how much I love his rascally little quirked up smile there. My favorite! Junjun you cutie!

Thank you fig maker for literally listing out every piece of the inspiration for this fig on the box card! Even down to the time stamp. Amazing.

There wasn't any box art - these all came in plain white boxes, but no matter when the card art is this lovely.

Come back tomorrow to see the last fig in this series of releases!

Material: Resin

Fig Count: 346

Scene Count: 24

Rating: A varsity jacket has never looked so good!

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]

[belladonnix]

I've been making my boyfriend a custom jacket for Christmas and it's finally Finished!

I'm so hyped to finally be able to share this. He doesn't use Tumblr anymore so there's no risk of him seeing it but I've been working on this present for MONTHS! It cost me about £180 for all the materials for this jacket and I will never ever tell him - I don't want him to feel like he owes me anything or that this was about money at all. Luckily I have enough of some of the materials, like fabric ink and photopolymer, to use on dozens of other projects so it's not a huge loss of money.

The jacket itself cost me £10 second hand and I didn't anticipate spending so much on it but the more I fell in love with him the more I decided he deserved something he would love and treasure and hopefully that would remind him of how much I love him when he wears it.

So here it goes;

#1 - The Jacket

Got this faux fur removable collar, 100% denim jacket for about £10 second hand on eBay! Absolute bargain. I bought it before we got serious, probably in July or August, and was only gonna distress the denim a little originally. Maybe buy a few cheap band patches if I could find them. But as time went on and I fell in love with him, I decided it should be a lot more meaningful than that.

#2 - The Patches

It took me M O N T H S to accumulate the patches I wanted. I made a detailed list of all of his favourite bands and got to work. I was only able to secure 4 patches from the bands he loved - one of them being catfish and the bottlemen. This gave me a little trouble since Catfish haven't been active since the middle of last year and the patches on their merch shop hadn't restocked, but I was deadset on getting that patch. I found it on a redbubble clone and ordered it from overseas - the biggest issue was it came printed rather than embroidered, which is what I wanted for an authentic look, but it's on the smaller side so I figured it didn't matter too much and went ahead.

There was something missing though. A back patch, yeah, of course! I wanted to find the perfect back patch, something that would scream "HIM" as loud as possible. I'd already been playing with the idea of what I wanted but I went ahead and looked for a back patch of The Fool Tarot Card. Unfortunately, like catfish, all the patches I found of it were printed. For such a big patch it was important to me that it was as authentic as possible, so I reached out to someone and had my dream patch custom embroidered just for this project! It was the most expensive piece and without it the jacket would have been less than £100 worth of materials but alas, when it came I was starstruck. The level of detail he'd been able to attain was not unnoticed and I was proud to be able to put this on a present for someone I love.

Then there was the layout. I messed around with it a couple of times until I got it right but I was beyond happy with the composition and my absolutely flawless, somehow for once, sewing skills.

But there was something missing.. his favourite band of all time, I couldn't find any actually up-to-date or stylish patches for it but it was a must. I wanted to show him I truly pay attention, and there was one perfect solution for including it...

#3 - Screen Printing

That's right. I taught myself to SCREEN PRINT FROM SCRATCH FOR THIS! I learned how to make a frame, what materials to use, bought a good photopolymer and fabric ink (of which I have TONS left over) and took my sweet time making it. For transferring the design onto the screen I troubleshot a few different ideas; I couldn't find any plastic to print the design on, so I decided to just use the glass that came with the photo frame I used! We're resourceful in this house. Next getting the design onto the glass, I tried tracing with Sharpie and paint but I'm so impatient it just wasn't working for me. So I got the brilliant idea to painstakingly cut out the intricate design and PVA glue it onto the glass, since it dries clear it wouldn't affect the photopolymer! And it worked!

Oh what band was this for you ask? What band was so important to him that I spent hours stretching chiffon, cutting a design, curing polymer and scrubbing out the screen for?

My Chemical Romance, baby

After the screen finally dried from rinsing I did some test prints on an old pair of jeans, and it went so well I was ready to try it on the jacket!

Didn't go so well. There was a button I hadn't accounted for that made it impossible to print it on the pocket where I wanted it, so I tried just lower and it was a complete bust. I spent 15 minutes cleaning the ink out before retrying on the sleeve. The sleeve went a lot better, not exactly what I wanted but it's clear, visible and opaque.

Perfect. Now we just needed some final touches and it would be ready just in time for Christmas.

#4 - Final Touches

We're talkin' lil bits and bobs here. Nothing too extravagant but small embellishments that really make the piece what it is.

I'll start with pins. I only have 2 so far, maybe planning on getting him more for his birthday next year to add to the jacket, but these have just as much sentimental value as the rest.

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, the pin was on sale and it's another one of his favourite bands! It was a must. The goose, goofy and silly but perfect as we'd played Untitled Goose Game together earlier this year as a sort-of date.

Adding a personal touch; the jacket was originally an ASOS piece, but I didn't like how the label looked in the back so I removed it, only to feel like it was too bare after. So I painted him a custom brand label using that fabric ink from earlier and scrap black cotton from my fabrics; sewed it in place and it was finally coming together.

Fixing up any damage; I found on the removable collar, while I was sewing the patches, that one of the elastic loops that held it in place had almost snapped and was hanging on by a thread, so I repaired that! I know it might never be noticed, but that's the funny thing about love isn't it? We do things that our loved ones might never notice just to make their lives a little better, a little easier.

I'm considering roughing up the edges of the seams with a scalpel, just to give it a more worn look. But knowing my Kyle, it'll have that look no problem by the middle of summer.

Conclusions

This was absolutely a journey. There was a lot of stress, but equally there was a lot of time, effort and love poured into this project. I can't imagine him not loving it based on that alone, not even considering the inclusion of his favourite things. If this gets a good reception I'll post a reaction when I give it to him on Tuesday.

I love this man so much, and I think I already know I've created something he will adore and cherish for years to come. And in years to come, assuming I'm still around, I'll be there to patch it, paint it and fix it however he wants, however our lives evolve together as inspiration. I'm as proud to have put work into this as I am to have put work into our relationship. All the tenderness, and care, and patience will be worth it.

And before you ask; Yes, my love language IS acts of service.

[repo-net]

Month of Nagisa - I'm Still Me

(IT IS OCTOBER 23 AS I POST THIS. HAPPY NAGISA DAYYYY FOR 2022, HERE'S TO ANOTHER YEAR AND FOR HOPEFULLY HITTING 1000 NAGISAS IN MY ALBUM SOON)

Another 7pm evening where I sit down on a desk, a cup of ramen noodles on the side as I type at a computer for hours to search all across the internet for the notes and answers I need while I try to finish the thesis paper that got handed to me last minute.

Really, what was our professor thinking? Does he genuinely expect us to finish a four page paper before his class tomorrow morning? We're not lab rats who can pump out product after product at inhumane speeds. Not all of us, at least.

Look at me and my genius self though, complaining about how much I detest the work I've been given yet finishing it anyways. I haven't changed at all, have I? I guess some habits just never die, no matter how hard I try to put them away.

It's bizarre to think about in general... there's so many ways my life could've turned out differently. For better or for worse, really. But what can a man do about it other than just ponder of what could've gone right, and what could've gone wrong.

Yeesh, look at what's happened. I'm doing work on an ever-approaching deadline with absurd expectations. It's not as severe as it used to be, but it doesn't make me feel good either way. You're still outclassed in that department, Father. No one can touch you when it came to burdening me the way you did.

Burdens... it's safe to say I still carry far too many of them for my own good. It's not like I'm completely innocent either. I had far too many chances to do the right thing, and yet I stood idly by and let people get out of control and die. I lie awake at night thinking about whether what I did was just, and yet I remember the hollow gratification I felt when you two died.

... And I know. If there's one thing I would've wanted, it's that you would've loved me. I wanted to see you be proud of me more than anything else. But now... I feel like redemption for myself is a far-gone conclusion and isn't ever something I could really truly achieve in it's fullest capacity.

I look around me and notice the picture frame I have on my table. A group photo of me and the most important people in my life. Me, and four other kids in a classroom posing with one hand each from us forming a heart. It was childish, but we were kids back then, so why would I get mad about that?

Even if you four have wronged me at some point in my life in one way or another, I wouldn't have traded the experience and time I had with you all for anything in the world. I just wish for one of you... we could've ended on better terms. I don't mind if you hate or don't care about me, I just wish I could've had closure and told you that I think you still have a chance to turn things around.

Heh, I talk about redemption for myself a lot but you four have far more opportunities for it than I. Maybe the road'll be shaky at times, but I think you'll all get there. Doesn't matter to me if no one else believes in you, I always will. I learned with all of you that family wasn't connected by genetics nor name, but rather by bond and growth.

We all screwed up. Massively. Fought back against a world that wronged us, and innocents got hurt in the process. But there's still hope for you all... and if I'm still alive despite everything I've been through, from near-death experiences to the hell that my own blood put me through, then I might as well keep thinking there's hope for me too.

People are going to keep bringing my past up as I get older. And that's fine. I don't expect or need people to forget about what I did, or forgive me at all. I just want them to know that I'm not the same idiotic kid I was back then. The Nagisa Shingetsu that tried to repress himself for a hopeless goal is long gone, and what I am now is a Nagisa Shingetsu who's going to keep at it. Not for anyone else's expectations or satisfaction, but for myself.

I hadn't lost my heart. I just finally figured out to open up and listen to it. And that's all that matters now. I'm still me.

[defdaily]

‪[TRANSLATION] Arena Homme+ Magazine April 2021 Issue featuring JAY B

Translated by defdaily.

JAY B is free and starting again from scratch. That is what JAY B has in mind. GOT7’s leader announced that he would be leaving JYPE as the group stays together. JAY B is preparing to debut as a solo musician while planning to also release mixtapes and hold exhibitions as Def. We had a chat with JAY B, who has gained more freedom and strength, at the swimming pool about courage, depression, literature and aspirations.

Did you come here alone?

Yes. I took a taxi here. I was the type to go around freely even when I was in JYPE but catching the taxi to work this time around felt new.

All GOT7 members decided to leave JYP but stay together as a group. As a leader, you needed to make a decision, right?

Although we ended up leaving JYPE, we wanted to continue as GOT7. We all agreed to leave [JYPE] and try it between ourselves.The product made from me taking responsibility/taking charge was the single 'Encore’ that was released not too long ago. I was involved in the whole process with a new record label. I was happy to see a good response [to the single]. It was lacking in some areas but I was just very proud that we were able to show a different step. Since we showed through this single that “we did not disband”, what’s next is more important. When we left JYPE, Director Jung Wook mentioned "Your role as a leader starts now." I'm realizing it now.

”I wanted to learn everything about the process of releasing an album and how difficult it is. I wanted to start again from scratch.”

Your role as a leader actually starts now.

I used to find the role of a leader burdensome at times but now I feel a greater sense of responsibility. While supporting each person’s journey, I thought I needed to be the one to step up once we got back together. We also talk regularly in our group chat. Not long ago, Jackson went to China. When Mark went to the USA, I could see him off but when Jackson was leaving, we couldn’t be together because of a schedule. So I told him to have a safe flight, apologised for not being able to see him off and thanked him too. He replied saying he’ll take care and be back.

What motivated you to leave the large agency you've been working with for a long time?

The thought came to mind suddenly as we were promoting as GOT7. Am I taking all these benefits I get for granted? When a schedule is released I just do it, and when they ask me to confirm things I do, but what kind of long process has it gone through before it came to me? Who sends a request and how is it processed? Why am I only waiting until it reaches me and simply watching it unfold? I wanted to be directly involved in that process. I wanted to learn everything about the process of releasing an album and how difficult it is. I want to be humble and start from the bottom again.

Didn't you need the courage?

Of course I did. I was also afraid. My position has risen to all the way up here, but when it comes to my actual knowledge, I think I'm only down there. I was afraid that the difference would feel too big once I left the company. But I think I would have been more afraid if I stayed at JYPE. Since that difference would have grown bigger and bigger. My real self is here, so I should face it head-on a little faster. That's what I thought.

As JAY B or as Def. who releases mixtapes and holds exhibitions, you must have had the desire to do something new.

I want to do research and build it up step by step without haste. JAY B will show hip hop and RnB music that appeals to the general public and Def. will do activities that Def. wants to do. It could be mixtapes or exhibitions, or other different kinds of fictions. Def. is the nickname I used as a bboy before I became a trainee. It’s like air floating about freely. It could be house or soul or acoustic or even modern rock. In a way, you can say that Def. is close to my “main self” but since I debuted as JAY B, I’ll also show a devoted side of myself through JAY B. I want to be a person who can do both what he has to do and what he wants to do freely.

Listening to your mixtapes, and hearing that you like the styles of D’Angelo and Ray Charles, you seem to be attached to the Southern US rhythm and blues and soul music.

I do like them a lot. I like the entire hip-hop culture that originated from there. That culture also includes DJing, graffiti and even bboying. Since I started as a bboy, I would look up older videos to watch, study the culture and also look into what each dance move symbolizes, with my bboying crew and that's how I became fascinated. What captivated me the most was their obstinacy. I felt respect towards the conviction and obstinacy they carried with their culture.

Is that mood still incorporated in your music and dance?

Yes. For example, I don’t think choreography is dance. I think dancing is when music plays and you like the rhythm and start humming and bobbing your head and moving your body. I think dancing is a free act you do out of enjoyment.

What was the reason you joined an idol group after starting out as a bboy?

I gained an interest in music too, not just dancing. When I was young, I listened to D’Angelo’s music and wanted to become a singer like him. But I was rebellious when I first joined JYPE. Haha. I was even suspended for a month once as a trainee. I definitely said hello but they said I didn’t so they said "If you're going to be stubborn, then go home" and me with my young heart replied “Then I shall head home.” and left. Then I met up with my bboying crew after a long time, and in just a few months it turned into a different world. The crew members were above me and I was worried because I could feel myself far away by myself. Should I go back to bboying? Should I continue as a trainee? In the end, I wanted to do my very best in whatever I chose so I decided to focus on becoming a singer. Since I wanted to do music, it was a choice I made with no regrets.

You started as a dancer and ended up as a main vocalist. What was music to you back then?

It was a challenge. Trainees are divided into singing and dancing. I joined as a dancer but what I wanted to do was become a singer and not just do dance. But since I was put into the dancing division, I worked even harder with singing to break that prejudice. I often felt defeated. I still feel defeated with singing. Haha. But music is about endless research. Now it’s more about research than studying.

You grew up as an only child to your parents who did farming?

I was an ordinary kid. I enjoyed Haruki’s Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage and thought the “colourless” kid was just like me. I was a calm kid who helped his parents with their farm work. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t have any older siblings but they said I used to talk to myself a lot. My mother said there was a way she would know if I was home or not. If I was home, she would hear me talk to myself and be like “Oh really?” “Yes really” haha.

It’s extraordinary to read Haruki at that age.

There was an older friend that I knew and he was really cool. He looked really cool reading on the bus with his legs crossed. He said “Hey, Read a book and build up some knowledge.” As I was trying to be cool like him, I gained a favourite author and started reading more since I enjoyed it.

What kind of books do you like?

When I was a teenager I often read Kafka On The Shore. It felt like Kafka was just like me, and so while reading it, I even cried. The style of Murakami Radio was also interesting. The ending phrase “But I like that more…” was very witty. I’m collecting books from secondhand bookstores from authors who won the Young Author awards. I like Lee Jang-wook's short story Byeon Hee-bong. The main character knows the actor Byun Hee-bong, but the world doesn't know him. He would ask "Don't you know Byun Hee-bong from the movie The Host?" But no one knows. I like stories that don’t intend to be funny but they end up making me giggle.

What do you read these days?

I try to read poetry. I purchased and read the first volume that appeared on Moonji’s Poetry Collection, but it has too many Hanja characters. Haha. I started with Munhwak’s Poetry Collection. I have volumes 1 to 85. I also read poet Park Joon's collection of poems and poet Lee Eun-gyu's Affectionate Name. I even underlined and wrote things down.

Among the idols and musicians I’ve met, I think you are the most extensive reader.

We went on tours often and we would have a lot of time in my hotel room. When I went out I took pictures and when I stayed in my hotel room I read books. When I go on an overseas tour, I pack around 30 books in my suitcase. Then I bring back the books that left an impression on me, and those that didn’t sometimes I dispose of them there. These days, I look for independent publications too. I often look for independent publishing bookstores in Nakseongdae or Haebangchon. There are many books that contain honest stories that are not refined, and the power of those sentences is great.

How does reading influence your work?

The poetic expressions with poetic license help when writing lyrics. You read a new sentence and think “What is this expressing?” You receive inspiration from that image being expressed in a new way. I think of lyrics as poetry too. There are times I write how I feel honestly, but when I want to include a certain meaning I’d want to write the lyrics like poetry.

In your photo exhibition <ALONE> last year, you took pictures of objects and signs in the middle of the road.

Wouldn't it feel very lonely if you think about it from an object’s point of view? The camera captures just an instance but the object will stay there. I think each person has an insatiable loneliness. I like the artist Seonglib’s works, and I feel loneliness in his drawings. I don't know why I keep talking about loneliness, I guess I’m familiar with loneliness.

Seems like you take more pictures of objects and landscapes than people.

I don’t really like taking pictures of people. You can clearly see a person’s emotions in their eyes. I prefer hiding things rather than revealing them too much. I prefer objects, backgrounds, and natural objects rather than subjects that openly express 'It's me!'. Tranquil things, I like when you go past something and go “that’s how it was.” I try my best since my job requires being presented to people but that’s also how I am.

Who do you like as a movie director?

I like Woody Allen’s directing. My favourite is Match Point. It's a love story that goes beyond taboos, and it's electrifying. The face of the actor who secretly asks the reunited lover to give him her number remains in my memory for a long time. How could he direct such a real-looking, raw look in their eyes? When I was a theater and film major, I used to take directing classes rather than acting. If I were to direct a film, I would like to shoot an eccentric witty romantic comedy like Love Fiction directed by Jeon Gye-soo.

Are you self-conscious as an artist?

I’m interested in a variety of genres, and interact with crews often, but I think goofing off just because they are an artist is an arrogant attitude. Everyone is their own artist, no matter what they do, right? I'm not trying to be pretentious, I just think there's a difference in expression, and people who work in the office are also doing their own art. That’s why I’m a little shy about the title “artist.” Is there a need to be puffed up with pride because I’m an artist? I’m just a person.

While filming for “What's in my bag” and revealed your medications for depression and panic disorder. When did you face your depression?

I didn’t know I had depression. I thought I was being weak for a short while and let it pass. But on an occasion I got examined and found out I had depression. They asked how I lived by without going to the psychiatrist. I said I just thought I was the type to feel blue. Haha. I’m the type that doesn’t show [what is wrong] but they said I was in a state where I needed treatment. After going to counselling and taking medications, I’m much better now.

“I just wanted to talk about it. It may not show, but depression is both a common and dangerous illness.”

I think you’re cool for having the courage to talk about this.

I got diagnosed and looked at the people around me. There are friends who are ashamed of it and try to hide it, and there are friends who talk about it as if it’s insignificant. I just wanted to talk about it. It may not show, but it’s both a common and dangerous illness. A mental illness is an illness too. Among my fans, or those who read this interview, if there is someone who feels depressed, don’t be ashamed of it and I hope you receive treatment and overcome it. It’s not an embarrassing thing and it doesn’t need to be hidden. And I was filming content where I show what’s inside my bag; I can’t lie. I wish everyone would be healthy.

Are you bad at lying?

Yes. If I have to tell a lie, I think it’s just better to not say anything. Since I’m the type that’s honest and straightforward, I also don’t like beating around the bush.

Can you share a way one can take a step forward towards recovering from depression?

Look at the world in a broad view. Know that there are many places you haven’t been to yet and there are many things you haven’t felt yet. It's also good to take a walk and go off your usual route and take a path you've never been on. Small adventures can also be of great help. Just by leaving the house you’re already halfway there. I think there are more ways you can refresh yourself outside rather than inside. Also, I thought I was an honest person but after being diagnosed with depression, I thought I should be more honest with myself and more faithful to myself. At times like this, think of yourself before others.

What do you believe in?

I just believe in god. I don’t have a religion. I don’t know what kind of existence god is but I do believe that there is a god. When I’m thankful or am having a hard time, I pray. “Thank you.” “Please let me get through this wisely.”

What is the greatest motivation that moves you?

As long as I’m alive, I want to continue doing work that will leave a message. I believe that there is no next life. I think I should live this time diligently to the fullest. To have no regrets.

Translated by defdaily.

[jiminsproof]

alike with my idol🌛

(tagged by @mintsugarr and @cosyserendipity!! thank you, i enjoyed reading yours so much!! elena buying children books and sonja keeping photos and tickets legit made me so emotional, you two are genuinely so sweet and i'm sending you a big hug.🥺)

The goal here is to think of one of your idols and chose the idol whom you share the most similarities with. It's not the "oh we share the same birthday, favourite colour, same age..", you know? You gotta think deeper than that hehehe.

listen, figuring it out was DIFFICULT. i frankly have no idea who i am most like cause there is no way for me to be objective about it. i know the most about bts, so i knew it had to be one of them. HENCEFORTH I THINK that i share a few traits with jk.

pardon me for going quite deep with this, using my psychologist card as a reason for rambling this time! also, of course, this is my interpretation of jk's behaviour and words - he might be a completely different person, or you can have a different opinion than me.

competitive, loves a good challenge: well, it is clear as a day that jk is a very ambitious person. it can be actually said about all members of bts but in terms of jk, i feel like his enjoyment of challenges goes even slightly deeper, to the point where the hardest choreo like 'on', which puts him under considerable strain, is actually his favourite. i can absolutely relate to that. i genuinely enjoy doing things that are seen as difficult or hardly possible, and my life is basically doing a crazy amount of objectively difficult things in order to feel the challenge, otherwise i'm bored and uneasy.

hard time focusing on things that are not within the range of their interests: when jk said during his interview that he can't focus on things he doesn't like, i felt that. despite always being deemed as the 'gifted' kid who was supposed to become a lawyer, i actually quit after one year of doing a law MA because i absolutely loathed everything about it.

was a shy kid and still gets shy sometimes: lmao, you know the compilations of jk trying to avoid giving a speech like it's the plague? i feel like that often, too. i still prefer to pretend i do not see an acquintance than do small talk tbh, though my confidence soars quite high nowadays.

had to grow up fast: when yoongi said in one of the interviews that he felt sad for jk because he had to grow up very fast and at first didn't really know who he was, i felt that. it must have been tremendously difficult for him to go through puberty in the spotlight, and i am so in awe that he turned out to be such a well-mannered, thoughtful person. in terms of myself: my younger sister once told me that she is very grateful that i have been a parent to her, and i think it sums up nicely what kind of a child and teenager i was, as she was born when i was 10. before now, i could not really be a child, and i'm very happy to be discovering this side of myself.

goes against the rules/social constructs: in terms of jk, i am thinking about his beautiful body art and piercings, as well as wearing genderless clothes (what an icon). and he does both in a very conservative society!! in terms of myself, i wear clothes that are men's and women's wear because gender is fake. i'm also out and proud about my bisexuality, despite living in a homophobic society.

self-proclaimed romantic: my bro believes in fate, loves romantic movies and songs about love, wants to have a very public beautiful kiss with picking up his SO before he dies. sadly, i get it.

feels strongly for the ones they care about, sensitive, cries easily: play a sad movie and this is it for both jk and me! all jokes aside, i am always in awe about how thoughtful jk is, how much he feels for his hyungs (and army), how he tries to help them (even the fact that he is learning english to help namjoon - wow). though it seems to me that he is the least physically affectionate out of the maknae line (which, lol, is not difficult, since jm and tae are basically PDA in a human form), his care is very easily noticeable. i especially can relate to the fact that he seems all tough on the outside, with his black clothes, piercings, tattoos but on the inside... softie.😌

tagging the lovely (but please don't feel pressured, this IS very personal, i know): @tinyhope, @clutterbugs, @kimchokejin, @mutedstring, and anyone else who wants to do this!💜

[madampianoo]

Hey guys 💖 Here's Zlatans latest FULL interview with France Football. Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. This was such tasty appetiser before tomorrows main course meal match and start of his new season.

P.S. Please excuse english, it was google translated

Have you ever found your stolen Fido Dido ?

"Not. They stole it and I never saw it again. But maybe it was cosmic justice for all the bikes I stole. It's a pity, it was my favorite bike ... "

If you could find the one who stole it from you now, what would you do to it?

"I would buy him a new one and take mine back."

You devoted a lot of space to that story in your autobiography. Was it a turning point in your life to move from the role of victim to the other side?

"No. I was young and stupid. I did all sorts of things to survive. I needed a bike to ride here and there. When they stole my bike, I started stealing them from others. I did it solely for the reason that I could not afford to buy others. I know it's not a positive story ... But things like that are done to move forward in life, right? ”

What would you steal from football today if you could and give it to little Zlatan ?

"Nothing. I would just tell him to be more patient. And that his hard work will return one day. I worked hard, but I didn’t have the patience. I wanted everything now. "

How did you learn to be patient?

"It's very difficult when you're young. But when you have the experience I have now, learn what patience is. But when you are young and wild, full of various ideas and energy, when you want to discover the whole world and learn everything at once, then it is not easy to be patient. You need to be surrounded by people who have experience, who will calm you down and who will tell you the truth. "

What will be left behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he finishes his career?

"I do not know. Something will remain ... If something remains, it means I did a good job. Maybe some of my ideas and thoughts will remain from everything. That you should believe in yourself, that you should have your own personality and that you should not refrain from saying something you think. "

Did you make mistakes?

"I make mistakes every day. I am making a mistake now that I am talking about your newspaper. "

Maybe we're making a mistake talking to you too ...

"I'm kidding ... Mistakes are normal, we make them every day and they help us to be better people. "No one is perfect."

What are you most proud of?

"Everything I did. I come from a place where everyone condemned me and told me that something was impossible. I was constantly told that I was not good enough. And I'm still here. I stand still in my football boots. At 39 years old. And I'm proud of that. "

Could you have done more than this?

"It can always be more and better. It's a question of mentality. "

Even you?

"Every person can do better and more. In my head I always aim for the maximum and I am always convinced that I have given the maximum. Could I have done better, that can be discussed ... "    

Do you ever get tired of the attention of the public, journalists, fans, everyone's opinions?

"It's all part of my job. I didn't choose it that way. When you are as good as me, that is inevitable and must be accepted. "

How do you comment on the claims of some that you are a great player in small games?

"Everyone has the right to an opinion and to express it."

Did that bother you when you were younger?

"Not. I used it as a propellant to be as good as possible. I was motivated by such stories. I went forward and looked to never be satisfied. I received all these criticisms in such a way as to ignite the fire in my heart and to extract additional energy from them. "

What do you regret?

"It simply came to our notice then. Do you really think that I would be a better football player if I won all the trophies? "

Not. Even the Brazilian Ronaldo did not win everything ...

"Exactly. Of course, it would be wonderful if I won everything. But that doesn't make me a weaker or better footballer. I like guys who say to me: 'Zlatan, you didn't win the World Cup, you're not a good player'. Okay ... But it's easier to win the World Cup when you're French than when you're Swedish. Let's go back to the Champions League. The longer you wait for it, the sweeter it is. I still have a goal to win it. I won everything but her in club football. But I won't quack even if I don't win it because I've already done a lot more than most footballers. I'm a happy man. "

You didn't even win the Golden Ball. Does Zlatan miss the Golden Ball or does the Golden Ball miss Zlatan ?

"I think they miss me there on that list of conquerors."

You finished in fourth place in terms of the number of votes in 2013, and that is your best ranking. Is it weird that you didn't win it?

"You see, every player wants a trophy that tells him he is the best in the world. Deep down, I think I'm the best in the world. It would be prestigious if I won it, but it is the voters who decide. You journalists are voting and you know why I didn't win it! Ha-ha-ha ... ”

Well, it's not just us from France, there are also journalists from all over the world ...

"A-ha-ha!"

Messi and Ronaldo have won it several times. What do they have that you don't have?

"If you talk about essential qualities, I have nothing less than them. If you look at the trophies, I didn't win the Champions League like them ... But I really don't know how you measure and calculate that. Nor am I obsessed with it. You see, when you do good collective things, then individual rewards are a consequence of that. An individual cannot be good if the collective is weak. "

Where do you see yourself in the history of football? If there was a table, where would you put yourself?

"What do you want me to answer you?"

Who would be next to you on that table?

"It is not relevant to compare players from different eras. Everyone played in their generation, with different teammates. These are difficult things to compare. Everyone has their own story, and mine is full of problems. "

Does your personality set you apart in the world of football?

"I am just what I am. People try hard to be ideal to others. I always say ‘Be what you are and that is perfection’. I will not change because of success. For no reason will I change. Whatever happens, I will be what I am. I just want to play my game and have my team win. The rest will come of its own accord. I didn't choose to be famous. It's just a consequence of the work I do. "

We thought about jumping out of the pattern and what you're doing on the field.

"But it's all connected to the field. People talk a lot off the field today. But if you're not good on the field, and you talk a lot, then you're just a clown. "

Are there many clowns in the world of football?

"As much as you want ... A bunch!"

You consider yourself ideal in your head because you are what you are. How do you know this is right?

"I don't want to be perfect to someone else by force and talk about how I don't make mistakes. Maybe all this is a mistake. But I will remain what I am. I don't want you to send me questions before the interview, I don't want to know what you're going to ask me, I don't care. Readers will judge us whether the interview is good or not. "

When you left Paris Saint-Germain, you said, 'I came like a lion, I leave like a king . ' Do you really care so much about being remembered?

"I wrote my story in Paris and left my motto. Now let someone else write it and leave your motto. I don’t try to make people remember me by what I say. He will remember me on the field and what I did there. "

Are you arrogant or pretentious?

"I'm just a man full of confidence."

Does it matter to you that they recognize you as special?

"I am not special. I am a normal guy and a professional. I don’t want to share my whole life with the rest of the world. I'm not an instagram clown who wakes up in the morning and thinks what is the most beautiful photo for him to post. I share my professional challenges with the rest of the world. Privacy must exist. I don't want to share it either. But I want to share some parts of my professional life because it's part of my job. "

Do you deliberately block the fragility and insecurity from your childhood with your behavior, when the fierce guys in your Rosengard called you "lukewarm"?

"No. And I have a part of the personality that is fragile. I have emotions and weaknesses. There are things that hurt me. It's all natural. I'm not the Hulk, I'm not Superman, nor have I ever wanted to play them. I had difficult moments that hardened me, but I stepped forward. Today, I am no longer a guy of 20 or 25, but a family man with two children. I think differently, but my character has remained the same. "

Are you still a fierce guy at 40?

"People, is it possible that you still consider me a football gangster?" I know you had that title and some picture ... I'm no gangster. Of course I'm still a strong guy. I am almost two meters tall and I train hard and work on myself every day. I'm not someone who lies on the beach and shows muscles. I was born like this and I try to adapt the game to my constitution. I'm not as fast as I was at the age of 25, but now I have some other qualities. "

Does that mean you're a good guy?

"Yes I am. When you meet me, you will see how much heart I have. When they don't know me, people hate me. "

Do you want to be loved by everyone?

"No. I just want to be respected when I do something good. In fact, what is the love of all? There can be no love from someone I don't even know. Love is something reserved for those closest to you. Take Inter fans for example. When I was with them, they loved me. Now they hate me. This means that love has never been as real as with loved ones. Love cannot arise and disappear so quickly. I'm not one of those guys who will organize humanitarian actions just for someone to tell them: 'Wow, he's a good guy!'. It's a 'fake'. I'm going to do something because I want to do it. And not because someone would like me. I do it with my heart, some do it with my brain. If I send money to hospitals, it doesn't have to be known. I'm doing this because they really need that money with this damn crown. And I will not brag publicly. "

Is that one of the worst things in football today?

"It's simply part of football. People want to have perfect images. But in the end, they will meet reality. Everything will be known. Look at Tiger Woods. It seemed to be the most perfect character in the world ... People, just be what you are and don't try to be someone else. Don’t manipulate because it will all come back to you. No filters! ”

When you learned the Swedish national anthem, did you do it from the heart, not to be loved in your own country?

"When I was little, I didn't feel like a Swede. My parents are from Bosnia and Croatia. They influenced me to feel different, to look at me differently, to judge me differently and to treat me differently. That's why I didn't feel 100 percent Swedish. But today I am 100 percent Swedish. Even in France today, many talk about some old France and old times. The world today is full of various mixes and contrasts. And it doesn’t mean you’re not 100 percent Swedish or French if you accept that world. When you are young, you do not understand some things. It is mentally difficult when you are treated differently as a child. People think that it will pass quickly, and they do not know that the consequences remain for years. I was always in favor of getting the strongest blow at once because the pain lasts less than being constantly harassed with small and vile blows. Constant harassment leaves longer traumas. But those people who are harassing do not know that they are backward and live in the old world while we pass in front of them with the new world. It is a world of open minds in which I am Swedish and in which my children are Swedes. "

Do you still think differently from LeBron James, with whom you used to be friends?

"I do not want to enter politics because it divides people. Football unites people. I was lucky to meet people I would never have met without football. From all over the world. "Sport and politics are two different worlds and I am glad to be in the former."

But it happens that you express an attitude that has to do with politics.

"We athletes spread love and joy. I'm good at it and I know how to do it. You will not bring politics into my world. "

What are your fears and anxieties?

"With this corona situation, the world has changed completely. The situation is improving a bit, but ... The other day I went out to a restaurant with my family. It was weird. Then cam video audience in stadiums. And that was weird to me. I got used to it and I only wanted one thing: To go home ?! I'm used to the house, the masks ... It won't be easy to come back mentally. I hope that everything will be the same as before, but I am afraid that this will leave consequences on people. "

When you became a parent, did your children bring fears?

"There is no room for fear when we talk about children. We can talk about weaknesses. When you have children, they become your weakness. Then your life is no longer in your hands but in theirs. They become the most important ... Guys, we missed the interview date! I won't give you any more! I'm too expensive to tell you so much, ha-ha-ha ... "

How expensive are you?

"A lot ... Ask PSG!"

Can I have another five, ten minutes?

"Come on."

We would like to ask you about retirement. Are you afraid to stop playing football?

"A little bit. It is difficult for every football player when he has to retire. You have been programmed throughout your career. It is known when you get up, have breakfast, train, have lunch, rest, have dinner ... Someone else takes care of everything, it's just yours to press the 'repeat' button every day. The first day you wake up at the end of your playing career, you ask yourself, 'What the hell am I going to do today?' You are no longer programmed and you do not know what to do. That scares me a little. But what should I do? Luckily, I don’t think about it yet. I'm not for retirement. "

We in France call it the ‘little death’.

"That's it! Absolutely! After a lot depends on what kind of person you are. How will you cope and how will you fight. It's not easy".

But isn't that some kind of relief? You can eat and drink whatever you want

"After my playing career, I want to disappear. When you are in this world like me for so long and you know what you have been through physically and mentally, you just need to disappear and enjoy life

[giulsherondale]

"I will never give up on her."

Serkan is really changing and for the first time fighting for the one he loves the most. I'm so proud of him.

Serkan telling Engin that this is the last day of Eda at the office so he has to find an excuse because Serkan needs to spend the most time possible with her. This gave me episode 11 vibes✨

Serkan didn't listen a word during the meeting because he was so afraid that Eda would leave him again. My poor babe is so in love that he doesn't know how to handle it.

"Eda is more important to me now."

The proof that Serkan is changing pt. 2.

Eda takes out the meter to misure that Serkan is at least one meter from her. This was so funny. And he ask her if she feels safe now that she knows that there is one meter of distance.

Serkan asking Leyla if she can put the ring in Eda's pocket. I think that the ring represents Serkan's hope in the relationship. I love Serkan and Leyla relationship, he's the only one to notice the ring on her finger, and when she tells him that she's engaged to Erdem (the one that he doesn't love😂) he's worried about her, his face say oh come on you can have someone better than him. He even tells her that they would talk about this engagement. He cares so much about Leyla.

Serkan wants to open a case against the paparazzi not because of his imagine or reputation, but because this upset Eda and made her faint, because is so worried about her. And he ask Ceren not to tell Eda because he doesn't want that she thinks that he's interfering in her life. The proof that Serkan is changing pt. 3

"What do I need to do to make you stay?"

"Nothing."

"Say whatever you want. What can I do to make you stay?"

"Serkan, you're so unbalanced towards me that I no longer know what to think."

"Don't go away... Don't go away."

"Serkan..."

"Didn't you tell me to say 'don't go' if I didn't want you to go... So now I'm telling you not to go away."

"Why? To get even more disappointed?"

"There will be no more disappointments. I promise you."

"Look... Every time I believe you, every time... Breaking the promise that I made to myself. But this time I won't. This time I gave my word to my aunt, I will stay away from you. And I will keep my word."

Episode 11 vibes in this scene. I get why Eda behave like that, I would have done the same, but I feel so sorry for Serkan. When he finally has the courage to say 'don't go' Eda doesn't believe him anymore.

The whole scene when Serkan see the photographer and Eda talk his jealously is over the moon. He even ask to Engin to say something just to be near them so he can hear what are they saying. And when Engin told him that he wants to marry Piril and have 7-8 babies Serkan says that he approves, like an old brother. Their friendship is so special.

Serkan showing up at the photoshoot... Oh God he's so jealous. I love the fact that Serkan has still and effect on Eda and he knows it. She more than once ask him not to look at her.

"The woman you called an angel, Eda... Is my girlfriend. We're not just dating, we are a couple. She is the woman of my life. And I'm everything in her life. So no hamburgers. You understood me. Cancel. Now."

His smug and proud face make me laugh so much. He's so jealous.

"How can you still call us engaged?"

"Yes, it might not be real, but..."

"But?"

"We fell in love with each other. Now will you give up our love?"

"And then deception, disappointment, lies..."

"I only deceived you only once, and in order not to upset you."

"But it doesn't work that way. You can't destroy a relationship and then stick it together."

"You're right. There's only one important thing..."

"Which one?"

"You. Eda, everything can work out. Everything. Let me settle this."

"What are you still talking about? What are you talking about after last night? You made me wait for you for hours, do you know?"

"What?"

"I shouldn't have said. I said again. Because I'm stupid. Stupid!"

"Eda, what's going on?"

"Don't bother anymore. Please don't bother. All mine feelings to you... It's over."

"Eda. I was waiting for you all night yesterday at that restaurant."

"You were definitely waiting."

"I waited."

"I was waiting for you there, Serkan."

"It's impossible I was there."

"I was there, you didn't come."

"Eda are you kidding me? Which restaurant did you go? Maybe you went to the wrong place?"

"Restaurant in the Levent area, I went there."

"What?"

"Not the one?"

"No."

"Not the one?"

"You went somewhere else. Was it written in the envelope?"

"Yes."

"Good, so someone changed the envelope."

"Who would replace it?"

"There is someone on my mind but... Wait a minute you went at the restaurant. So to give me a chance?"

"Not in terms of love relationship. That's what you said."

"Yes. I told you to help me become a better person."

"Serkan, I really don't know what to think..."

"Do not think. Do not think. Feel. I know that you feel the same as me. Therefore, do not think. Be by my side. How would you go to the end, so let's go. As you want. Just be there. What do you say?"

I don't think that this scene need an explanation, it speaks for itself.

"Eda is in the kitchen, I think. It's time for me to drink some water."

Eda worried about Serkan, because he followed the man that Sayfi hired and never came back. And he's so satisfied because she still worries about him. And the way they look at each other🔥

The engagement misunderstanding was so hilarious. I laughed so hard during the whole scene. And the photos... Awww beautiful.

"Good night Eda Yildiz."

"Good night Serkan Bolat."

Yesssss they're back at it. I missed this 'coded message' between them. And he's going to pick her up the next morning. I'm so in love with the old Eda and Serkan.

"I missed it. This place. Through this beautiful air, through the trees."

Of course Serkan... You missed the place... Of course. He really needs to learn how to lie, he's not believable.

The final scene... Oh God it was perfect. The fact that he didn't want to go to the restaurant because Eda's claustrophobia. I love that he didn't force her to try to get in the elevator. But when she's willing to try he's immediately at her side to help her. I loved that he push all the buttons so if she couldn't do it they could get out. And the way Serkan calmed her down. It was beautiful and perfect. And the kiss... WE FINALLY HAVE A KISS... I'm so happy. The kiss gave me Teen Wolf vibes, when Lydia kissed Stiles to calm him down because he was having a panic attack. It was really beautiful.

[ratherbefangirling]

hiya! May I get a BTS ship? please and thank you! my personality type of INJTA-A and I'm a Gemini! Year of the Tiger!

Little about me, I am 5'3, green eyes and a brunette. I am actually colored blind, with my blues greens and purples, so I 100% think my eyes are blue. But Ive argued with the eye doctor before, and they've said they are "most definitely green". I am rather opinionated and confrontational, I am not scared nor shy away from standing up for someone. Ill speak my mind when it's appropriate, I've learned that sometimes it's just best to save your breath and your words. I love older music, 20s 30s all that jazz, and even jazz it's self along with other genres. Im not much of a TV shows kind of person, I sometimes watch some shows on HULU, but I'd rather be outside doing something visiting new places. I have taken painting as a hobbie, I love to go on trails and LOVE TOO COOK MORE THEN ANYTHING. Plus I like to take photos. Am also a huge sarcastic dick, that it has gotten me in trouble at times. And sometimes I don't even realize I'm being a said dick, I am rather honest and blunt. I'd rather someone get an honest opinion that comes from myself, from a good place then from someone that wants to do harm an be a bully. Cuz sometimes it's not best to sugar coat things, cuz then how are you supposed to grow?

I'm an extrovert but sometimes need to stay in to charge but not always. I'm rather loud at times, and am not afraid to dance in public if I see others dancing or shout compliments across the street if I like someone hair color, clothing etc. Or even just go play on the playground or just have some fun regardless of what others think.

The oldest of 4 kids, so I have a mothering side to me with others that are younger then I or even older. I'd use to skip school and steal food or other necessities for my siblings. I really did put their own needs before my own. So I really took the roll of the second parent, and sometimes it makes it difficult to find others that relate to such a thing.

Though I am rather hard on the outside, I am very much soft (though it doesn't come out often) on the inside. I can be rather quiet, and reserved, I'm rather nice and people have told me I'm great with conversation and a great listener. I'd be the first to approach someone if they look uncomfortable or are shy at a large event, but I'd be the LAST to do karaoke.

I do have four pets, three rescues beside one that I did buy. I love nature, and I work a lot to be able to provide for my pets. Can't have them with no toys or treats or not looking their best. Same with my siblings, I buy them a lot of things, and make sure they have what they need.

I'm sorry this was so long! But thank you and have a great day!

Hey @animesllut666,

You sounded wonderful, manifesting a great week for you.

The person I ship you with is Jungkook.

Magic, wasn't a word foreign to you any longer born in the slums picked up by a passing magician who could sense great levels of mana* in you when you tried to steal from them. In your defence you belonged to a not so well to do family and tried to save your lunch money by stealing any food you could find or going hungry.

Now as a high level witch working in the government things were different. You could cook all the food in the world. Buy all the original Music instead of replayed discardes pirated ones. Not only could you provide for your family, you also were a proud owner of your pets who you spoiled to your hearts content.

You were enjoying your normal day off when you recieved the summons. Jin was at the hospital. Jin or Kim Seokjin was your benefactor, the magician who you had stole from who had later become your guarantee.

You rush to the healers tower. You find Jungkook there, your arch rival and his guarantor Namjoon who was Jin's close friend.

"What happened?" You ask.

"He overworked himself to a near mana deficit."

You gasp. Mana deficit could have killed a wizard of lesser calibre. But Jin was no lesser wizard infact he belonged to the division called bull proof knights. <pls don't kill me>

"Does anyone have a mana reserve that we can provide Mage Jin." The healer asks.

Jungkook volunteers. You have always been envious about his high level of mana... among other things.

You and Jungkook had come around the same time. Always competing. You remembered the wide innocent looking doe eyes and introverted boy. Over the years he had become an a prankster and a tease. You remembered the day you had completely removed him from your life. The day he was taken as a member of bps. How him and Jin grew closer almost like brothers.

Jungkook can barely stand as he comes back the healer advises bed rest. It's decided Namjoon would stay with Jin and you'd drop Jungkook home.

"Cant" He whimpers and collapses without giving you his address. With no other choice you take him home.

Jungkook inhales the scents of delicious food. Licking on his face wakes him up and he finds himself with your furry buddy.

"Ah, you're awake would you like something to eat?" You ask.

He nods you set the table for the two of you. You've prepared porridge for him and a hearty lunch for yourself(to treat yourself for facing such a difficult situation nicely).

While you think he'll leave he decides to stay over you're secretly glad you don't have to stay alone with your thoughts that will drive yourself crazy with worry.

You both sit and work on your documents at the dining table. At night you sit under the stars sharing hot chocolate.

"I kinda hate you." You confess.

"'I know."

"Who even says that?"

"You don't hate me you hate loosing to me."

"I guess that's true."

The night passes and things get better. In a few days Jin is well enough to work. Life is back to normal. Except you're kind of in love with Jungkook and he's in love with you and you're kind of crazy for each other and it's just like magic.

Mana - magic level indicating aura

[catcze]

Oh, Catte, my beloved... The bracelet is so beautiful. Goodness, did I cry when I took it out of the envelope. It's almost as beautiful as you are, I love it so much! I'm never ever taking this off. Oh starlight I'm so happy, you may as well have just proposed! I love you so so much, thank you💜💜💜

I'm glad Cyno is doing well for himself these days! It's not really that complex of a spell, simple transmutation really, but I'm sure he didn't want to overwhelm you. He may not talk a lot but trust me; he cares. I should write him sometime, if only so the next time an emergency arises he won't think I only remember he exists when I need his help, hehe... I'm joking of course, he's not the kind of person to care. I do still owe him a favor though. Two, now that he's gone out of his way to teach my girlfriend magic, and specifically for helping you make me this wonderful present. Send along my thanks please, but please don't mention that I said I'd write him, just in case I somehow forget to. You know me, heh..

Also I'm a little surprised to hear that name again! Collei was quite the visitor when she was here a few years ago, it's a long story, and one I doubt very much she'd want me to tell. Suffice to say she and Amber are good friends, but I'm sure she already asked you about her as soon as you mentioned Mondstadt. I'm so relieved to hear she's safe, and studying medicine no less! Tell her I'm proud of her. She'll do great things in her life.

I must admit I'm slightly bothered to hear that so many scholars accosted my poor babygirl to ask if I'd return, I'm so sorry darling. If they give you any more trouble, oh I'll come visit alright. To dispense punishment(although I'd definitely grab some food on the way as we left). Speaking of food, that's so sweet of you to offer to learn the local cuisine just for me~ you're so thoughtful, it's one of the many many things I love about you. My reputation around the school is honestly the only accomplishment you'll find though sweetheart. I wasn't really all that social there, aside from talking to the professors and scholars. I couldn't afford to procrastinate if I wanted to learn everything I could. Funny, that sounds completely unlike me, now doesn't it~ Those lectures can be tiresome at first, did they provide you with the appropriate reading materials, or are you only listening? I still have my copy of the first semester alchemy textbook--it's only about 800 pages, but they're packed to the brim with knowledge. I still reference it sometimes.

Like I mentioned though, most of my time in Sumeru was spent at the Academy or at the local restaurants. If you wanted food recommendations, those I can provide, but unfortunately I won't be of much use otherwise. Sorry cutie~

[the next page of the letter is a list of local restaurants, many with recommended dishes written next to them. There's also a fair number of heart shapes and "I love you"s doodled around the edges of the paper]

I hope you'll try at least some of those and tell me what you think. The more you talk about it honestly, the more it's beginning to grow on me. I do want to go back and visit with you, my love. I miss it, even if I don't want to admit that. It would be so much fun to sight see with you, being able to just meander aimlessly through the city, not a care in the world, and with you by my side... That sounds amazing. I'd want nothing more. Perhaps for our honeymoon~? [the last sentence of the paragraph is crossed out with a single streak of ink cutting through it]

Your photos are all amazing, darling. I just wish I had as many to send you in return, but unfortunately I don't own a camera, nor can I afford to leave the library long enough to travel to Liyue and buy one. That being said, Albedo does have one, and he already took that first photo. Darling, I'm curious, and please, *please* say no if it would bother you even slightly. If I... Perhaps wanted to take some... Pictures, just for your enjoyment~ ...would you mind if I had Albedo continue to serve as the photographer? I want my baby to be thinking of me, especially since I'm not there to pleasure you myself~💜 again, PLEASE say no if you'd have any problem with that. Or I could ask Jean if that would be better. I just want to treat my princess to some candy~

That line is going to have me up all night, I swear. I do wish I was there for you in every sense, but goodness does my heart ache for you. I miss the way you taste so much, my precious little munchkin~ you're not going to sleep at all the first night you're back in my arms, I hope you know that. I'm going to edge you so hard you'll cry for me, hehe~ I'm a little peeved you didn't take notice of my comment about punishing you! There will be ropes involved when you return to me. Just the way you always like it, cutie~ tell me, how bad do you miss me? Miss my tongue you love so much~? Don't worry baby--you'll get everything you could ever want for when you come home. I can't wait to taste you~ goodness, excuse me a moment baby... I need to scratch an itch before I finish writing this letter, hehe...~

Okay, I'm back. That was quite the itch, it just kept coming back~ that picture you sent with this letter may have helped with that... Celestia, you're so so beautiful, my rose..~ I love you so much.

Where was I... Ah yes. I'm very glad you've been eating and sleeping properly. Such a good girl you always are~💜 and don't worry; I'm taking care of myself as well. I've been becoming more adjusted to the late nights lately, since your letters often arrive around this hour(it's 11:30 right now, although up until a page ago it had been 10:15, hehe...). I don't mind it at all, since you know I love to sleep in anyway. I love reading your letters sweetheart. They truly do carry your love across the distance. I'm so happy that you're my partner. I love you so so much. I reread your letters every day, they put such a smile on my face.

Also, what's this about ideas you're having ever since I mentioned the uniform? Tell me!! Pretty please~? 💜

I'm going to call my letter to a close here, before I end up needing a bigger envelope, hehe~ I love you so much, starlight. Please take care, and I hope you're well rested when you read this. Hopefully I can put a smile on your beautiful face. I just wish I was there to see it. I love you so much, take care and write me back when you can, promise~?

Yours Always,

- Lisa 🌺💜

Milddd nsfw here muaH <33

Hi, love, I’m so happy that you like your gift! I love you very much as well— hopefully it can give you comfort on some particularly hard nights where I cannot be with you, dearest. Sort of like a reminder that although I cannot be there with you in person, you always carry a piece of my heart with you, you know?

I’ll be sure to relay your message to Cyno and Collei! They were rather surprised when they found out I was your girlfriend, haha! In a good way, of course— they’ve been great company so far.

And don’t worry about the other scholars, Lisa dear. I can handle them plenty fine. I’m sure they’ll go running if I even so much as imply that you wouldn’t be pleased with them for their behavior, my love. They wouldn’t want to mess with one of the best sorcerers to ever roam those halls, you know?

Regarding the lectures, they offered to loan me some textbooks actually, but I had to turn them down since, well, I am just an observer, and carrying so many books with me to and fro would weigh me down. Still, although I sometimes get confused while I observe, It’s such a fun and interesting experience! I can’t say I’m remembering every bit of knowledge I hear, but I’ve definitely learned at least a thing or two.

Just yesterday, there was a bit of a lull in lectures that I was attending— something about one of the scholars who had agreed to host me taking their class out to fieldwork, and I was unable to accompany them. So I took the time to check out some of the restaurants you listed for me! I went to just one of them for lunch, since I didn’t want to get too full throughout the day, and I enjoyed it very much!! I included a picture of one of the dishes you noted for me (a best seller of theirs, apparently) and I didn’t regret purchasing it at all. It was so good! In my free time, it’s one of the recipes that I hope to familiarize and bring back home to you— I think you’ll rather like it, especially since there’s no meat. Hopefully I’ll get good enough at making it that you’ll be able to savor the flavor too!

Though, I don’t mind either if you’d rather return with me next time, and we can have a dinner date here? I really like the ambiance of the place— its both romantic and private. And the view from the balcony here is absolutely magical. Or we can maybe visit a couple of the other restaurants you’ve recommended to me? I doubt that I’ll be able to try all of them this time, and being able to experience it with you would make the experience a million times better.

Also, regarding the photos you mentioned— well, I’m fine with it if you are. As long as you’re comfortable with whoever is photographing you love, then it’s perfectly alright with me. Besides, I know that we’re devoted to each other, so there’s no cause for me to be uncomfortable 💞 If you so wish to grant me such photos, I eagerly await them, love! They’re not the same as you being here, of course, but I’m sure they could help me with how much I miss you.

And ah, sending such things only makes me miss you more! Perhaps I should take a good, long rest before I come back to Mondstadt, if you plan to keep me up all night. And who says I didn’t notice your comment? Perhaps I was just teasing you by keeping quiet about it, especially if I know what’s awaiting me back home. And yes, I miss you so so much, I miss your tongue and you lips, your touch on my skin, the way you hold me and make me feel so good each and every time— Love, really, if your intention with that letter was to get me all worked up, then safe to say you’ve succeeded. My, I doubt I’m going to be getting any sleep tonight, thinking of you.

And regarding that bit about the Academy uniform… well, I might have found a local seamstress who was willing to make me a version of it, tailored to my measurements. It’s not ready quite yet, but hopefully I can send you some photographs soon 💞

By the way, love, there’s no need to have to wait up for my letters, not if you’re not getting enough sleep! I don’t mind waiting a bit for your reply as long as I know you’re sleeping on time. I worry about you as much as you worry about me, so for both your sake and mine, promise me you’ll get enough sleep? Either way, though, I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself, dearest. It makes me happy, knowing that you and the others are doing well. I love you very, very much you know? Please continue to stay safe, dearest, and know that I’m always missing you.

And, well, regarding a proper proposal, though I can’t say I haven’t thought of it before (how could I not? I can fully envision spending the rest of my life with you) I would much prefer if I were able to give you the ring and ask you in person, love. That being said, take the bracelet as a promise that I’ll return to you soon— and hopefully with a ring that I think you’ll like and a question that I plan to ask you.

All the best wishes, dearest. I love you very much 💞

—Catte 💞

[diffuserlover]

🌊✨🌊✨🌊✨🌊✨🌊✨🌊✨🌊✨🌊✨

Hey there bub<33 how’s your summer going?? I was wondering if I could request a ship with Txt and Enhypen ?

I’m a ‘04 liner and, as a South Asian, am extremely proud of my heritage and culture. I can accept other cultures easily and love to learn about them so someone who is respectful and open about other cultures and heritages would be ideal. I feel that I want someone that I can kind of match with too like me and him could wear the same aesthetic and take cutesy pictures. I have a deep interest in the arts, from painting to dance-which I have been doing for the past 11 years- as well as biology and science in general. I don’t really have a specific favorite color or season cuz I think every color has its own vibes and every season brings something new to the table :)) I’m a bit indecisive and pretty bad at expressing jealousy, though I do put great emphasis on communication in any relationship. My love language is quality time but I do reserve physical affection for those close to me. I’m also a inconsistent in my endeavors and am working on that trait of mine, but I do better with consistency if I have someone constantly motivating me. (Lol the unfinished paintings in my room could probably tell u that) I also love public speaking and such but only until my social battery runs out haha. Plus I have an easier time trying something new if I have the comfort of a warm loved one near me. I prefer sunny blue skies and warm days with a light breeze, major picnic vibes lol. I can be a bit guarded though with what I say, even to the people who care about me the most, so I get along well with people who won’t misunderstand me. My parent’s , especially mom’s, opinion really do matter to me a lot and I am someone who thrives in social environments and cares about keeping a respectful and kind reputation towards all. I'd also love it if I could go on and on about different theories and topics , deep or not, with him. I need constant mental stimulation in a relationship and honestly, without it, I just get bored. I want to be able to learn from him and I want him to be able to learn from me. Like to just be a couple that is always trying and doing something new, but I also want to be able to relax with him as well when the world gets overwhelming. I feel that I, myself, have a hard time grounding myself so someone who can help me keep my feet on the ground and head in the clouds would be nice. I'm either totally logical when it comes to matters of the heart or totally head in the clouds. It's something that I am working on, but I do acknowledge that. As for pet peeves, I can't stand it when people come to me with an issue that I already tried to help them solve and they don't even take my solution. I need someone who is going to at least try to take my advice and not just throw it down the drain. Again, at times I can run away from my emotions and just be detached for no reason..I need someone who understands that and knows how to handle that. I like it when my loved ones are a little argumentative with me as well, as light teasing though, rather than being all sappy and lovey-dovey all the time. I need someone who isn't going to get too hurt by my way of joking and can joke back but knows not to cross the line. Fun fact: my friends unanimously agree that I’m the color yellow :))) and one of my fav movies is “Your Name”

Ahh sorry I tend to go a bit overboard 😅 but thank you so much <33 Hope you have a wonderful day/night 💕

Hii! Thank you so much for requesting!! I am so sorry that this took so long! Thank you so much for being so sweet😭🤗 I really hope you like your ships!! :)

TXT:

I ship you with…

Yeonjun

I feel like you guys are a great fit!😄

Yeonjun would love to take cute photos with you and dress anyway you want him to for those photos😊

Because you said you want someone who you can learn from I feel like Yeonjun would be a great fit, you said you liked dancing so I feel he would try to teach you new moves or the choreography to one of his songs😇

You both hold off in communication when it comes to jealous but overall your communication in the relationship is great other than when he’s busy with his schedules🙃

Yeonjun is your #1 hype man, he will do anything to comfort you, motivate you, anything, he will be there for you. Though he does expect for you to do the same🤣

I feel like he can always tell when your social battery has run out and does anything he can to make you feel better😚

He loves how you hold yourself, how strong, confident, and mature you are😁

He adores listening to your little rants about the topics you like, if he doesn’t know about them he will always listen and probably look up more about it so you guys can talk about it together🥰

You said you like when your s/o teases you, Yeonjun is that s/o, he loves having little arguments/teasing fights that are always fun🤗

You guys have the most stupid inside jokes only you two would understand it confuses the others😆

Overall, your relationship with Yeonjun is never boring and you guys are the cutest together😚

Enhypen:

I ship you with…

Jake

I think he would be very interested in your culture and asks you to teach him about it😊

He would hype you up when taking photos to the point where your embarrassed😆

He expects you to hype him up as well but he gets shy really easy😁

He is quite touchy with you, he only does it when you seem comfortable with it😚

Jealousy is a bit of a problem in your relationship because you both don’t express or talk about your jealousy well🙃

He’s always by your side when you are out in public, though you do most of the talking when it comes to strangers he likes being close to you😭😭

He will drag you out of bed across the floor to help motivate you to do things like finish some of your paintings(he adores them and plus loves your cute face when your focused)🤣

You and Jake have easy conversations, nothing is never awkward and you could talk for hours about either serious stuff or is things like of a straw has one or two holes☺️

You guys are quite adventurous 🤗

You guys push each other to do things😊

Jake hates when you push back your emotions and don’t let anyone in, he just wants to help you and he doesn’t k ow how to help you when you don’t tell him what’s wrong🥺

At first he had absolutely no idea how to help you when you pushed away from him🙂

Jake seems like a big romantic but he also loves to tease you and joke around with you😇

Overall you and Jake have such a precious relationship and you guys really understand each other🥰