#I would just give you all my spotify folk playlist but then I would have to explain why the muppets is on there

[cowpokezuko]

For anyone interested, here are my song recs for each genre. Some of these are traditional songs that have a lot of versions, these are just my favorites. Also the line between country and folk is very fine and I run between the two like an excited dog.

Colonialism but Sad

Northwest Passage-Stan Rogers

Let the Bulgine Run-Four Pints Shy

Rollin' Down to Old Maui

Johnny Boy's Bones-Colter Wall

American Remains-The Highwaymen

Shenandoah-Pete Seeger

Rocky Mountain High-John Denver

Lost Lovers

Girl from the North Country-Bob Dylan

Bury Me Beneath the Willow-Four Pints Shy

May the Road-Four Pints Shy

Diamonds and Rust-Joan Baez

It Ain't Me Babe-Joan Baez

Leaving on a Jet Plane-John Denver

Lay, Lady, Lay-Bob Dylan

Undone in Sorrow-Four Pints Shy

Workers of the World Unite!

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize-Pete Seeger

Tear the Fascists Down-Woody Guthrie

John Henry-Woody Guthrie

The Rebel Girl-Hazel Dickens

John Brown's Body-Pete Seeger

Come Out Ye Black and Tans-The Wolfe Tones

Leave 'Er, Johnny-Dublin Gulch

Union Maid-Old Crow Medicine Show

Which Side Are You On-Pete Seeger

Chemical Worker's Lament-The Teeside Fettlers

Fairwell Johnny Miner-Dublin Gulch

I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore-Woody Guthrie

Blowin' in the Wind-Bob Dylan

Kinky Boots-The Irish Brigade

The Ballad of Bloody Thursday

Sparrow-Four Pints Shy

Byker Hill-Four Pints Shy

Additional subgroup: War Protest Songs

Where Have All the Flowers Gone-Peter, Paul, and Mary

Draft Dodgers Rag-Phil Ochs

Man in Black-Johnny Cash

Wild Irish Rose-George Jones

Knockin' On Heaven's Door-Bob Dylan

Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation-Tom Paxton

There are three genres of folk music:

Colonialism but we're sad about it

I have lost my one true love and now I'm going to play a sad banjo song

Workers of the world Unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains! You can and should beat the shit out of capitalists and their thugs.

[antiquitea]

I AM THREE DAYS OUT FROM THESE PHOTOS BEING TAKEN AND I STILL CAN'T QUITE BELIEVE THIS NIGHT HAPPENED.

(please do not repost my photos)

so!! i had the pleasure of seeing atta boy in toronto on october 22 and it was amazing in every conceivable way. they opened for richy mitch & the coal miners.

as i was waiting outside, i was mostly texting mr. megan; his work day had just ended so he was catching me up. i was first in the outside line (the venue is also a bar so there was a small inside line as well), so i was a couple of feet away from the security guard. i saw this guy walk up to them in the peripheral of my vision, but didn't think anything of it. just someone asking if it was the line for the gig or saying that they just wanted to get a beer.

the blue carhartt pants should've given it away.

i was so close to lewis that i could've reached out and touched him. and i definitely stood there for a moment just like 😲 as i watched him go inside the bar. he was wearing a blue cap, a red shirt, and of course those blue carhartt pants.

when i got into the horseshoe tavern i did the usual wandering i do at a gig. grabbed a beer, scoped out the stage, and checked out the merch table. atta boy merch wasn't being sold yet, so i was just having my beer and walking around.

and then ... i saw lewis sitting at the back of the venue in a booth by himself, having a beer and on his phone (like texting or something). there was a part of me that said "megan, don't bother him. he goes on in an hour and probably just wants to chill." but another part of me thought "if he doesn't want to be bothered or if the vibes are off you can just fuck off. no big. no hard feelings."

well!

i wandered over, and was midway through saying, "excuse me, lewis? could i bother you for a moment?" and he was already looking up at me and gesturing to the chair next to him. "yes, of course you can bother me!" he said.

(some paraphrasing is ultimately imminent)

i sat down next to him and said something along the lines of how i really loved and appreciated all of his art - his acting, his music - and thanked him so much for sharing that with us. i told him that i wasn't going to get into the details, but that the last year was really shitty for me and that his art helped me a lot, and brought me a lot of comfort. his face lit up and he said, "oh my god, that's so sweet. that's so kind. that's why i do this! thank you!"

then he asked me my name, and proceeded to keep saying it throughout our conversation (at one point i said "okay, you need to stop saying my name so much because you're giving me butterflies" and he laughed). he then asked if i "lived around here" and i told him that no, i lived in halifax.

"halifax? that's far!"

i told him that yes it was 😂 but that i really wanted to see his band, so i'd flown in earlier in the day, and that it was totally worth the trip! "it means so so much to me that you would travel all that way to come see us! really, that's so sweet! thank you!"

i asked if he would be cool taking a couple of selfies and he was already taking his cap off, and he said that it was absolutely cool! he mentioned that it was kinda dark so we might have to use flash. i told him that flash and i weren't great friends (i blink a lot and get pretty shiny), and he laughed. we got a couple of really good photos! (the first one up above).

i told him about my bestie @wildbornsiren, who wanted to be there so badly and couldn't make it, and asked if he would be cool saying hi to her? lewis said he was down with that, and we recorded a sweet little video for her where he said hi to her.

lewis then said to me, "you know, when i think of halifax i think of stan rogers." rogers was a popular folk artist from the area, and while he's a big name, i was kinda surprised that lewis knew who he was! not to flex, but based on his spotify playlists we have similar tastes in music so i shouldn't have been that shocked.

i said that i "fuckin' love stan rogers!" and we talked about him and his music for a little bit. after gushing over our mutual love of stan rogers, i said, "if you like stan rogers and his type of music, you should really check out joel plaskett. he's from the area too, plays music in a similar style as stan, super prolific - highly recommend!"

i had to spell joel's last name a couple of times for him (the bar was kinda loud), but he may or may not be a joel plaskett fan now, who's to say!

i thanked him again for taking the time to chat with me, and he shook my hand and said, "hey, if the selfies didn't turn out come find me after the show and we can take some more." to which i replied, "i will!"

then lewis added, "i really hope i can see you after the show!"

we parted ways, and i found my place in front of the stage, a little off to the side. the place was packed! i'd actually never heard of richy mitch & the coal miners until atta boy announced that they were touring with them, and i had no idea they were kind of a big name because the place was filling up fast!

atta boy's set was amazing! of course i wish it had been longer, but they played a bunch of my faves so i was absolutely thrilled by that. poor eden was just getting over a cold, so her voice was a little strained at times, but she still did fantastic! the rest of the crowd was absolutely in love with them. if they weren't fans before the gig, i'm pretty sure they left as such.

(i posted some photos of lewis specifically here)

after their set i went to the merch table that dashel was working and bought a hoodie. we chatted for a little bit, i told them that the set was fantastic and thanked them so much. they thanked me for coming and said that they hoped i had a great rest of my night. 😊

during richy mitch & the coal miners' set, i went up to the bar to get another drink, only to see the bartender already heineken for me haha! it's so nice to be seen. lewis was also at the bar, but like three or four people away from me. but he glanced over, saw me, came over, and said "hey megan!"

i am dying from glee. "hey lewis!"

he propped his arm against the bar and leaned against it, and asked, with this big fuckin' grin on his face, "what did you think of the set? was it worth coming out to toronto for?"

i am flabbergasted that a) this was happening, and b) that he genuinely seemed interested. i said, "oh my god it was so good. i enjoyed it so much. it was such an honour to see y'all live."

he told me that i was so sweet, and then asked, "how did the selfies turn out?"

i replied, "pretty good! i have t-rex kinda arms, so sometimes it's difficult for me to get people who are taller than me in frame. but they're great!"

lewis laughed and then looked at his own arms. "i have t-rex arms too."

i laughed and said, "oh, no you don't!" NOT EVEN THINKING i reached out and touched his arm. MEGAN. DO NOT FLIRT WITH LEWIS PULLMAN. YOU ARE IN DANGER, GIRL.

he was laughing and said, "well, i'll take them!" he grabbed my phone, and asked "do we want flash or do we not want flash?"

"no flash. it's kind of my enemy because i get really shiny."

he took a couple of pictures and there was flash, and was like "wait ... we didn't want flash." so together, while he was holding my phone, we were pressing my screen together trying to figure out how to turn it off. our hands kept touching and i was... really trying not to spontaneously combust.

(hiding my face in this one because i'm not a fan of it, but his is darling)

after he handed my phone back to me, he said, "let's see how they turned out!"

i was scrolling through them and he leaned over and said, "oh these are really good!" i landed on the one above and he chuckled and said, "i really like that one!"

i don't like my face in it, but i'm laughing and clearly so so happy, and said, "you know what? i like that one too."

i asked if he would mind signing something for me, and he said that he didn't mind at all, that he'd love to sign something for me. he was putting his ballcap on (because he's such a gentleman who took his hat off for our pictures), and it was a little askew when he asked "do you have a pen?"

gonna need this dude to stop being so darling.

i did, and pulled out some bar napkins i'd stuffed in my purse earlier and asked if this was good. lewis laughed a little and nodded saying that a napkin was great.

i was just expecting a signature, so as he's writing this little novella above it, i'm like "oh my god, you don't have to do this." and he kinda giggled like it was some kind of big secret. "what are you writing, you sweet man?" i asked, and he giggled again!!

lewis handed me the bar napkin and i gave it a quick read and said, "thank you so much. this is so sweet!"

he leaned against the bar again for a moment and said, "it so means the world to me that you travelled all that way to come see us, and that you had a good time."

and then, before i'm truly aware of what's happening, he leaned in (and crouched because i'm a full foot shorter than he is), and wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me so close to him and squeezed, rubbed my back. and again thanked me so much for coming out, meant the world, made his night.

y'all. getting a hug from lewis pullman may have cured my depression. like it was an actual hug.

i, on the verge of flying into space from joy, thanked him again for everything that night, and he said, "you are so welcome! i hope i can see you again!"

LEWIS WHAT ARE WE.

i, very drunk on elation and a little drunk on beer, blew him a kiss, and he smiled and put his hands over his heart. i floated away back into the crowd, and tried to not just scream with happiness.

and that, my friends, is how lewis pullman damn near killed me.

[whoyacallinyellow]

Could you do an alternative version of borrowed time but it's a happy ending? Like they meet again maybe a couple of months or years later and idk it's super fluffy (idk I loved ur Javier fic it made me cry so hard)

Borrowed Time II (.5)

Javier Escuella x F! reader

Spoilers: RDR1-2 events Content: 18+ mdni, high honor Javier, fluff, loyalty, canon typical events & violence, possible spelling mistakes, some google translated Spanish, (slight angst? sry couldn't help myself) Type: second pov (wc - 3195) / pc: my PS5 a/n: here's my mediocre yapping, anon! I believe someone suggested this to me before, so here we are :) (btw I took some writing inspo from my spotify playlist.)

Summary: Javier is left with nothing after the gang's demise. Enticed with returning to Mexico, he finds redemption within his loyalty to you.   

After being chased out of Beaver Hollow by the law, Javier found himself alone with Williamson. Somewhere in the sticks of northern Ambarino, where the risk of a grizzly finding them was higher than any lawman. 

Laying low and listening to Bill squaller on about Dutch for a month was about all he could stomach, Javier reckoned he liked Bill a lot more when he didn’t talk. 

As each day came to a close, one could guess where Javier’s mind wandered too. His bitter thoughts permeated on losing everything. Money, the gang, and you— Hell, the man didn’t know what to do with himself, considering you an extension of himself at this point. 

Where were you? Did you make it out okay? Were you hurt?

These were a couple of the many questions that swam in the sea of Javier’s head. 

“Are you still thinkin’ ‘bout that woman?” 

Bill’s words of disgust were often displaced through his racing thoughts, but he wouldn’t be wrong. You were all Javier had upon entering these foreign lands, now he possessed nothing but the rocks in his boots. 

The days would merge and turn into weeks, it didn’t take long for the plan of fleeing south to form in Bill’s lackluster head. Keen on the protection Javier could potentially bargain in Nuevo Paraiso. 

Javier knew he was a dead man returning south, under no circumstances was that a can of worms he wanted to open with—Bill Williamson, out of all folk. 

Besides, there was no man’s bidding Javier would consider doing to get the leverage Bill desired. But Bill’s ideas soon evolved into frustrated persuasion. 

“How do’ya know that woman wasn’t the rat, anyhow?”

Bill would rant about you, the delusions Dutch fed him would resurface, but soon be swallowed back down with the same loyalty Javier once held so close.

“My chica wouldn’t, I’m telling you, cabrón. She’d save your neck just as much mine.”

Perhaps not completely true, Javier’s apathetic statements held no power over Bill, but at least it stopped his ear from being chewed off. 

For all Bill was concerned, you were a coward just as much as the rest who left. Especially for plaguing Javier’s mind. 

Bill would resort to not just questioning your loyalty to the gang, but your loyalty to Javier all together. The bold claims would make Javier think back to Clemons Point. 

After a particularly nasty fight with Dutch, Molly sat on a nearby log as he sharpened his knife. He never knew what to say in situations like that, it was probably best he stayed out of it. 

“The way she looks at you…”

The timid words escaped her. Realizing there was no one else around she could have been talking too, he met her stricken gaze which glistened off the moonlight. 

“Huh?” 

He wondered, caught off guard by the illusive topic. Molly wiped her rosy cheeks before she tenderly spoke. 

“I wish I could look at Dutch the same.” 

Javier just stared at the tear-stained woman in pity, unsure what to make of her unanticipated words. 

That night's shift would give him plenty of time to think about it. Before eventually settling on giving you some extra attention. If it wasn’t obvious enough, he soon learnt that what you two shared was irreplaceable. 

There was no doubt to Javier that you loved him, every lead he went on, you’d listen for the horses. Ready to greet him by his hitching post for a kiss, or with small talk that was exclusive to you both.  

Javier would often get teased for the love you shared, perhaps some of it branched into jealousy. Not that he minded, the others knew you were off limits. 

So it was safe to say that Bill’s claims was one thing Javier didn’t take lightly. With curses spat, and threats thrown, Bill had no other choice but to eat his words. 

“Me ‘nd her go way further back than you and I.” 

Javier’s irate words would soon remind Bill where he stood— below you. 

That was Bill Williamson’s final straw for him to realize their parting was long overdue. 

“If you wasn’t a fool, you’d be comin’ with.”

Was the last thing he spat to Javier one cloudy morning, bedroll and guns thrown on his unkempt steed. 

You won't be seeing me again. 

Javier thought in vain. Watching Bill’s departure in silence, just as he watched yours— except their time was up. 

A cruel nightly cycle would leave Javier somewhere beneath the stars. The same night sky you’d lay him down gently in; he wondered if you were looking up at them too— or maybe you don’t think of him much anymore, just to get by. 

Dozing off provided no sort of relief, the same thoughts that ate him alive during the day showed no mercy for a night's rest. 

The dreams began after Guarma, and have stuck since. Most nights he would wake up confused, drenched in sweat, and frantically reaching for his gun belt only worn hours prior. 

Your sweet voice would unknowingly soothe his hurt, all while he dismissed your attempts of rebuilding the bond you once shared. Javier regrets the distance, but he’s not sure if he would ever be ready to talk about Guarma. 

Nonetheless, the terrible dreams always persisted, but managed to worsen after you left. They were so convoluted, Javier wasn’t sure which was a worse way to die; a watery grave, or succumbing to torture in a cage. 

Other nights, Javier would dream about the day he returned to you at Beaver Hollow, god only knew how long they were gone for. 

It was a rather gloomy day, at the end of the camp path was where he found you by your lonesome, as if you’ve been waiting for any sign of the missing men. Javier had seen better days, unshaven, wounded leg, and tattered garments that barely resembled the botched heist clothing he once wore. Javier approached you with a conflicted feeling of dread and relief, unsure of what to expect of you. But to the man’s horror, you crumbled before him. 

You were just as much of a mess as he was. A terrible feeling arose from within his ribcage and drifted up, he momentarily thought he was going to black out from the knot building in his throat. An unmanageable feeling in his legs had already begun to brew throughout the day, vibrating and distorting his ears, blocking out your sobs he created. A near breaking point was threatening to consume him— he didn’t even know what day it was, how could he not know?  

“You stupid bastard,” 

Fallen at his feet, he cradled you soon after his initial shock dissipated. 

“I know, I’m here now.” 

Javier could barely recognize the hoarseness of his own voice, the words felt foreign to say after being gone for so long. Hopelessness overflowed from within him, and seeped into your frame that he held. All he could do was shield you from the cruel world he created for you both on that barren dirt path. 

Your frantic pleas to leave would go unacknowledged, only to be substituted with soft hushes that were swept away in the trees. He couldn’t have just left, he had already sacrificed too much to quit now. Javier always swore Dutch would change your lives for the better. 

—

In the recent nights of Macfarlane’s Ranch, life was still. 

Javier’s dreams would evolve into a vessel of his old possession. Through bittersweet nostalgia, a buck would galavant by a stream, only to eventually stop and stand in triumph before fleeing into the distance. Those dreams offered Javier both temporary comfort and the humbling desolate nights he needed to return to you. 

While staring off into the plains, Bill’s idea would occasionally infatuate him. The uncut ties of Mexico were beckoning, it was only a day's worth of digging in. Javier wasn’t sure he was built out for the vaquero life anymore, but those old chains around his feet would pull him back down. 

Javier would eventually decide he wouldn’t watch the west die out, with false hopes of one last score followed by a life of freedom— he figured he already lost what made life rich. 

At the ranch, Javier would chat up the yokels, describing you to the best of his abilities. Which usually stumped him— you... well, you were just you. He’s never been apart from you to have to worry about your description— Javier was always there. 

Days passed without trace of you, it was probably best he left before the law caught wind of his excessive presence. 

It was hopeless, yet he prayed on the North wind that it would him to you. 

You could run the fool around in circles looking for your whereabouts. Hell, you could be in Timbuktu by now. Just like the day you left, the same hopelessness would creep upon Javier in those rare moments of disparity. 

Those moments would eat him from the inside out, that discomforting pit forming in his stomach was always enough to empty it on the ground. 

—

The aimless paths of New Austin was a place where the souls of saddle tramps go. 

Into the horizon of the blazing sun was where you sat, under the only tree seen in miles. Your shire grazed in between you and the lonely road, like a black flag it stood in the orange dirt. Not even it could escape the mourning which life embraced.  

You are not sure how much time passed you there, perched up under the tree, you’d watch the road. Studying the little silhouettes of cowpokes slowly growing as they approached periodically, all you thought of was Javier.  Hope overturned your grudge until they were near. 

Some of these men would simply tip their hat as they passed, others would offer you a ride to town, and a few just stared at you; their forlorn eyes scratched at the walls of your soul. As if they were trying to tell you something. 

Just as unfortunate as yourself, the nameless victims would soon be swallowed and spit back out by the blazing desert that awaited them. 

It wasn’t until a clear morning for Javier to stumble upon that fork in the road, leading to the tree where you sat; seeking the same retreat you did days ago. 

Sickeningly poetic; with no such weight on your shoulders, you seemed to have found the freedom Javier had been chasing all these years. Right front of him this entire time in the devoid lands of New Austin.

Usually well groomed, the man showed a five o'clock shadow, earning a more rugged demeanor his months away from the luxuries of camp. 

Lost puppy-dog eyes stared your way, being shielded by his bowler cap. The hair you used to run your fingers through was neatly tied back, and draping over his poncho. 

“Javier,” 

You greeted solemnly, your tranquil gaze greeting the man from where you sat. The thumping began in his ears as he staggered off Boaz, stiffly trying to shake the sudden feeling that your voice gave him. 

���hola amor.” 

He uttered awkwardly, approaching your newfound paradise underneath the old shady tree. 

“I reckoned you’d be in Tahiti by now.” 

You remarked bitterly, eyeing your lover from under the brim of your hat. He gripped the front of his gun belt, knuckles turning white and misshapen after all the years of abuse, the same hands that would be placed around your hips as he guided you through a busy town. 

Javier let out a rueful huff as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. It flustered him to be antagonized in such a low moment of his life, especially by you. 

But he simply did not possess the words and feelings begging to be shared with you— there were just too many. 

Expecting you to continue, there was a deafening silence. 

It was more than just the silence that plagued these western lands, but a sadness that often followed Javier everywhere he roamed, you could see it in his smile. 

The lands gave Javier a place to duck under his doubts and troubles for a time, like a buck stuck beneath the bottom wire. 

“It’s over,”

Javier’s voice came out as a whisper, thumb and finger caressing over the stubble on his chin. 

A conclusion which needed no further words, you understood. 

He never imagined it not meaning anything, but yet his brothers were reduced to the barrel he pointed. 

Small shines of orange bathed through the wilting leaves which provided your gracious shade. As you contemplated his words, a soft breeze accompanied the both of you. 

Finally arising to meet his frame, he towered over you slightly— lost along the way but finally found, 

you were no longer his partner in crime, nor a part of the Van der Linde gang— but just his chica he met all those years ago in Old Mexico, before the world was big.  

Javier knew he couldn’t make up for your lost time together, but for now, being with you would do. 

Without a word his arms wrapped around you and trailed down to the small of your back, the smell of rolled tobacco leeched off his poncho, a smell you’ve grown fond of over the years. As his cheek rested on the crown of your head, a different kind of silence was shared. 

“Oh Javi,” 

Your voice now both sorrowful and tender, it was impossible to hold a grudge against the warm honeypot eyes that yearned for you. 

“lo sé,” 

Javier murmured softly, giving into the relief that a calmer life brought. 

Behind where you rested revealed a testament the tree possessed. A bald spot in the maple-colored wood had bark torn away, faded letters with sap-filled groves were carved by previous visitors of the solitude tree: 

‘blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’

Javier united your lips with a long awaited kiss, your cheeks softly being caressed by his thumbs. To him, it was like falling for you all over again. But this time, he wanted to do everything right. 

“Figured the law got you.” 

You mumbled one of your many worries after the man pulled away. Javier scrunched up his nose, cringing at your doubts. 

“Course not, nunca.” 

Eventually bidding your farewell to the tree, you joined Javier at Boaz’s saddlebags for what seemed to be a celebratory smoke. 

“They were hangin’ around that ranch, it’s not safe.”

You proclaimed, even the west had reminded you that a quiet cabin life was unrealistic. He hummed against the tobacco in between his lips, considering your words. 

“Where does that leave us?” 

Javier asked through an exhale. His sharp eyes squinted under the sun, staring at you in devotion. 

For the first time in a year, you made that choice together. 

With possessions on your shire and the both of you on Boaz, was where Javier liked you best. Feeling your heartbeat on his back always reminded him of Mexico, yet you were his home.

While riding, your hands would instinctively grasp Javier’s gun belt. Marking both the leather and his heart throughout the years you spent together. 

Later that day Javier’s buck would graze upon the open fields you crossed, only to scamper off once your horses made way. Its coat bright and shining off the sinking sun, he swore it’s the biggest one he’s ever seen. 

Expecting a comment, Javier thought maybe you dozed off, or perhaps he accidentally sipped his flask instead of his canteen. 

Aways up north yielded reassurance and prosperity, the man decided that tonight he would sleep instead of keeping watch, an unusual gesture he knew you both needed. 

Far away from the lands you once both resided, a comfortable wilderness separated you and any dangers— Maybe tomorrow night he would keep watch, but tonight, he just needed you. 

Javier’s shaking hands prepped a small flame, and smoothed out the creases of your bedroll that night. The same hands that would work a revolver effortlessly, and confidently beat in the faces of men in a moment's notice. 

but for you? they trembled. 

Fingers that had been busted more times than you could count were now fumbling through every button of your shirt, leaving a trail of his lips where his hands once touched. 

Nonetheless satisfied with these tasks, the crinkles beside his eyes would reflect off the flame as he flashed you a content smile. 

The fire crackled within your cozy makeshift camp, its orange flame lighting up Javier’s torso just enough to highlight the tones and scars on his chest. 

Javier was used to catching you staring, never failing to tease you about it. A mere husky chuckle and verbal warning would remind you of his diminutive willpower when it came to you.  

Joining you beneath the blankets, his body radiated with the warmth you craved. With a protective arm easing you towards him, your skin colliding with his was enough to wash all his hardships away. 

Your lips ghosted down his neck, causing a loose sigh to escape his lips. Javier cooed words of endearment, unsure if he deserved your regained affection. 

You felt him tense around you as your lips traveled down to his adam’s apple and the large horizontal scar that covered it. 

“lo siento,”

He muttered softly, finally getting the long awaited words out— It was for a lot of things, that scar was just one of them. 

His breath hitched and ran down your bare skin, your torso being consumed by his restless large hands. Only you reminded Javier of his scars, usually in a way of gratification, having earned them throughout your time together. 

But that healed slit along his throat brought the man waves of embarrassment, Javier was thankful for your love nonetheless, and you for his loyalty. 

With belated love and words begging to be said, Javier knew his lips had a lot of catching up to do. But tonight you both needed rest. 

As if it was tradition, he ensured you found your peace first, maybe it solaced the man knowing you were safe within his arms. 

Gusts of winds whistled through the trees, causing them to sing a song made just for the two of you. His coarse hands ran down your sides before settling at your waist, once again basking in what he could have lost. 

Up yonder was where the starry night sky shined just for him to see you. The constellations washed away his most honorable sins, and extended the borrowed time you both had been lent years ago. 

The blanket you shared was pulled over your shoulder, ensuring your undisturbed rest. Javier’s gentle lips ghosted over your cheek for just one more kiss goodnight. 

You were long asleep, closely tucked within the arms of the man you called home. Yearning to chase the relief your shared nights provided, Javier’s eyes grew heavy. Through a gentle state of somnolent, his prideful buck accompanied him in the meadow it frolicked. 

Whispered words slipped into the night and greeted his slumber. 

“te amo.” 

~

[bonebrokebuddy]

I’ve been seeing a few folks complain about people writing hcs of DC characters with ooc song preferences, which it’s not that serious. But it gives me an excuse to show off my DC character playlists.

I initially created them as I saw a lot of playlists for Bruce & Jason with just a lot of dad rock.

Which, fair. Not everyone’s into metal.

But since I know it’s not an easy genre to get into, if you want inspiration, feel free to check out these playlists!

My one main rule for making playlists is that a majority, if not all, of the songs need to be in a genre I think the character would listen to based on their canon music taste. This is regardless whether or not it’s a genre I like. I try my best to find fun songs regardless of my personal preference.

The Playlists:

Batman: various genres of metal. I tried to go for more Doom Metal(slow & repetitive vs thrash’s blast beats and fast guitar) but there’s more than one genre of metal that’s characterized by slower instrumentals & I can’t keep up with all the names so it varies. Dad metal. Made sure that there was a sprinkle of Black Metal too (mainly bc I think it’s funny. If you’ve never listened to black metal, it sounds like you chucked the vocalist in a grinder at high speeds then proceeded to mix your instruments & your vocals the worst you could possibly make it. It’s nearly incomprehensible and it’s Perfect for Bruce.)

Bruce Wayne: a touch of old school doom metal, a sprinkle of black metal as you can write a Batman story without Bruce Wayne but not a Bruce Wayne story without Batman. A more chill version of the Batman playlist that I think Bruce would jam out to as not everyone’s into metal and I wanted to give people another option that didn’t have as heavy stuff in it.

Tim Drake: Mostly time accurate with 90s-2010’s punk rock & alt rock influences all the way through with a touch of metal to show his connection to Bruce & a few other off genre songs that represent his YJ98 pals. I tried my best to include as many bands as I could find that he canonically enjoyed as well.

Jason Todd: Jason was introduced in the 80s & is a canonical metalhead, so I think he’d listen to a combination of 80s dad metal, death metal (come on, it’s just too perfect of a genre name to pass up), thrash, & a little black metal (the genre I assigned to Batman).

Clark Kent: Dad metal. He canonically listens to Metallica post-crisis so I just gave him my dad’s taste in music lmao. Made sure to add a few satire ones because Clark is an little shit and would very much enjoy satire songs. Unfortunately, I genuinely could not get my Spotify recs to give me decent country music. I tried. It only gave me modern mainstream artists and after a month of trying to find good pre 2000’s country, I just gave up. So it’s mainly metal:(

If any of y’all want to send me 80s-2000’s country recs, that would be very kind of y’all. (the type of country music ma & pa kent would listen to that Clark would have grown up with)

Kon-El: is full of songs that are, well, time accurate to his original run. Ranging from 1969-2002 [the year his solo run was canceled], this playlist not only has songs he could have theoretically picked up in a record shop or blasted on a boom box during the day but is also full of bands he canonically listens to! This playlist is chalk full of Kon’s canonical alt rock & metal music taste as well as rock and proto-metal hits of the time!

Bart Allen: to be clear, Bart wouldn’t listen to any of these as music is just too slow for him. These are songs that relate to Bart or songs that represent his connections to his friends with no specific genre as I didn’t just want to have playlists full of nothing but metal. (Although I think he’d really like metal concerts as he’d probably enjoy the feeling of the heavy base resonate in his chest.)

[salternateunreality2]

Salty, what does Cloud’s Spotify wrapped look like? (I’m seeing everyone’s on my dash and I wonder if Cloudy would want to be included!)

Cloud can't afford the paid version, and didn't know about the free version, so he uses Shinrafy's ad-filled version.

But they have a sort of wrapped too!

He doesn't want to share, he's shy. I MEAN TOO COOL. But Zack wheedles it out of him.

He listened to:

* All of Zack's favorite workout songs, mostly high energy rock.

* Genesis sent him a playlist and he surprisingly didn't hate it...then grew to LOVE it, and Genesis can NEVER KNOW. It consists of a tasteful mixture of foreign language songs, Broadway, classical, rock, and folk.

* A playlist from Sephiroth that is just screamo. Cloud identifies strongly with this and no one else gets it. He uses it when people try to stay too long and he wants them to leave.

* The 5 songs Angeal and he both like, because Angeal likes a lot of country and Cloud has Opinions.

* 21 Pilots love songs and he thought he'd hid those ZACK GIVE IT BACK!

Cloud is no longer sharing, look what you did, Zack! *My little pony theme song starts playing* IT'S ABOUT FRIENDSHIP. REAL MEN LIKE CARTOON MUSIC.

* Dance music of all sorts.

[desire-mona]

so, i want to get into nickel creek, where do i start?

a comprehensive guide / masterlist by desire mona :-)

so ive gotten like. probably 3 or so asks about this + i need a pinned post for the nickel creek community so im making this. keep in mind that i am still a relatively new fan so i definitely dont have the seasoned advice that someone who's been listening for a while would have.

more info under cut!

lets start with the basics -

who is nickel creek?

nickel creek is a 3 piece bluegrass band from california made up of chris thile on mandolin, sara watkins on fiddle, and sean watkins on guitar. all 3 members are vocalists and sing lead vocals on various songs, but youll most likely hear chris on main vocals in a majority of their songs. though they are categorised as bluegrass / folk, their music delves into sounds from a variety of different genres, so a general acoustic label would probably be more fitting. they were originally known as "the nickel creek band" starting in 1989, but they dropped the "the" and "band" in uhhhhhhhh... some time before 2000.

what should i listen to first?

thats honestly up to you, i think anywhere is a good place to start since literally everything they make is good, but i can give u some kick off points so u can know whether or not u like them the quickest i suppose. i was introduced to them at a pretty young age, and the 2 songs that i remembered after years of not hearing them were the lighthouse's tale and this side.

lighthouse's tale - youtube, spotify, apple music

this side - youtube, spotify, apple music

after deciding that i should fully commit to the creek, i started with the tiny desk. i was BLOWN away by how kickass their live vocals were. i went thru and i listened to their albums one by one after that, but i'll have a list of all the albums later on.

"ummmm mona that's too many fucking buttons!!"

ok FINE here's two much easier ways but i think the way i did it was best. whatever.

both my father and my fellow creeker coworker discovered them from their best of album released just after they began their hiatus from 2007-2014. that was a good starting point to go through and listen to the rest, but beware that there are two (very good) albums that came out after this was released.

reasons why: the very best - youtube, spotify, apple music

OR i'll be extra nice and make a spotify playlist for you that i'll eventually make a youtube playlist as well (but not apple music im not paying for that shit <3)

(DO NOT LISTEN ON SHUFFLE - IT IS IN INTENDED ORDER)

every nickel creek album (even the baby ones)

*im doing my best to link physical copies from their official merch site, but some vinyls havent been reissued. if theyre not sold then ive linked the amazon page, but if theyre just sold out then ive linked the merch page anyway. physical copies linked are cds and vinyls respectively, sorry tape users.

little cowpoke (1993) - internet archive, cd

here to there (1997) - youtube and theres a cd but its over $100 so

nickel creek (2000) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies (cd on official merch site is sold out as of 10/2/24)

this side (2002) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies

why should the fire die? (2005) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies

a dotted line (2014) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies (no dotted line physical copies on the merch site, sorry!!)

celebrants (2023) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies

ok fine i like these guys, what can i watch?

OH IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED!! here are my favs, you can do some exploring on your own as well!

their music videos

celebrants music videos (these are live performances)

2002 live @ aol sessions

2000 acoustic innovators documentary

toxic cover

studio session @ the current + interview

cmt's on the verge

new haven 2024 concert

kill bill cover w/ kacey musgraves

ok but what else have they done?

well all 3 members have their own solo careers, as well as separate bands and projects that theyve done. i wont be linking anything for this section, so you're just gonna have to do some digging for yourself.

chris thile:

solo career

unbelievable amounts of collaborations, too many to list

punch brothers

mutual admiration society

live from here

probably other shit, chris is kinda everywhere

sara watkins:

solo career

watkins family hour

im with her

mutual admiration society

sean watkins:

solo career

watkins family hour

fiction family

works progress administration

mutual admiration society

in conclusion + notes

listen to nickel creek or i will kill you with hammers. if you have any more resources youd like me to add to this post, let me know and i absolutely will!! i do plan on making some fandom-y stuff, such as blinkies and dividers. if youd like to check out all of *my* nickel creek posts, you can visit my #certified creeker tag, or if youd like to see all my posts about chris thile, you can visit my #dangly mandolin boy you will be mine tag. i apologise about the name i just. i like him.

thank u for reading!! feel free to send to anyone you want to annoy the shit out of <3

[b0nes-mcgee]

It’s time for music headcanons with the batfam, bc if I don’t get this out of my head and onto page, I’m going to implode.

Fave first, Dick is definitely a indie pop/indie rock kinda boy. Not just because I identify with that, but also bc he gives me those overly energetic, bubbly vibes, that I feel like only come from Grouplove, Vampire Weekend, and Adam Melchor. I also feel like he’s a Mitski and Boygenius kinda bitch, bc ough, boY, he has angst. Said angst can only be expressed through sad girl music, bc he will die before he ever expresses his feelings about anything to anyone.

NEXT we have Jason, I think he’s an emo ass boy, ngl, but specifically like folk punk. He listened to twin sized mattress one time, broke down crying, and hasn’t looked back. Also things like The Mountain Goats, PUP, or Modern Baseball. Ugh, I could make a whole ass playlist for this boy. If he’s with other ppl, I think he’d play something more mainstream of the emo genres, like Arctic Monkeys or The Strokes.

DAMIAN, I THINK, IS COMPLICATED. So, for one thing, he grew up in a weirdo environment, where they probably never listened to music, and if they did, it was “”tasteful”” music, for rich ppl. That, or it was culturally significant. So, I think I’m his exposure to music after moving in with Bruce, he started just absorbing absolutely all the music he could. Like, he’s an everything enjoyer. His spotify liked songs are a minefield, bc one second it’ll be playing Chet Baker, next it’s Viagra Boys, then some country shit, then Chopin, and then it’s Lil Nas X.

BABS, I think, would be a folk music/sad girl music enthusiast. She really likes Ryan Adams, Phoebe Bridgers, Hoizer, Mitski, etc. It’s something that she and Dick bonded over when they first started dating. I think with her, she appreciates the calm/slightly sad music bc she lives in a rlly crazy world, and she just wants to meditate a little when she’s sitting at that desk all day, trying to keep her family and friends alive.

Timmyyyyyy is a Kpop enjoyer. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. Specifically, he probably likes SEVENTEEN or ATEEZ a lot. He actively tries, every day of his life, to not stan any of the members, but it’s rlly hard when he’s had two hours of sleep in the past week, and Yoon was just really cute in that last interview. I also think he’s really into trap and pop. He knows all the lyrics to every recent song on the top 100 list.

Duke, I think is really into R&B. I think he’s amenable to pop/rock/rap, etc., but he really just wants something to belt out. Common occurrences are finding him in the kitchen, making an omelette, singing Amy Winehouse at the top of his lungs. If u catch him doing it tho, he gets rlly shy. His guilty pleasure is theatre music. He has to bribe his family to go see Little Shop of Horrors with him.

Stephanie has a 2000s-2010s pop addiction. Anything that makes her feel like Hannah Montana is her SHIT. She’s out here blasting Bubblegum Bitch and early Taylor Swift. You also can and will find her crying to sad One Direction songs. When she’s moody, she will unironically play My Chemical Romance. She understands pop punk a lil bit, but the lyrics tend to get male-manipulator-y, so she sticks with the bands she already knows.

Alfred likes 50s/60s jazz/pop. Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, etc. It reminds him of home, and of his family. He also really likes old French music, like Joe Dassin. I’m ngl, I don’t know old music enough to add more to this one, but u get the idea 😭

BRUCE. Ugh. He’s definitely the kind of dad who never moved past the music of his childhood. He firmly believes that the Beatles is the best band of all time, and no one can convince him otherwise. I think he tends to gravitate towards the rock/goth end of 70s/80s music, so things like the Cure, New Order, maybe a lil bit of Siouxsie and the Banshees. His goth phase was INTENSE, Alfred can attest to this.

Edit: HOLY SHIT I CANT BELIEVE I FORGOT CASS 😭😭😭

Ok, Cass is defo a similar situation to Damian, grew up with literally silence, so music is a super new thing to her. But I think she really enjoys all kinds of genres. I think that especially instrumentals get her, bc it’s just noises that she can focus on, no lyrics to distract her from the sound. I think she also likes to “sing” along to said instrumentals, but mostly it’s just making noises to the same beat and sound, but it’s very off-key.

[lovesongbracket]

Reminder: Vote based on the song, not the artist or specific recording! The tracks referenced are the original artist, aside from a few rare cases where a cover is the most widely known.

Lyrics, videos, info, and notable covers under the cut. (Spotify playlist available in pinned post)

Work Song

Written By: Hozier

Artist: Hozier

Released: 2014

Alternate version included: Live in America, 2015

This is the only song on Hozier’s self titled album to have a title that is not entirely composed of lyrics from the song. The song is about the love of a worker’s life lending him strength during a hard day’s work. The song encompasses indie with strong influences on folk, blues and negro spirituals.

[Verse 1] Boys, workin' on empty Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat? I just think about my baby I'm so full of love I could barely eat There's nothin' sweeter than my baby I'd never want once from the cherry tree 'Cause my baby's sweet as can be She give me toothaches just from kissin' me [Chorus] When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her [Verse 2] Boys, when my baby found me I was three days on a drunken sin I woke with her walls around me Nothin' in her room but an empty crib And I was burning up a fever I didn't care much how long I lived But I swear, I thought I dreamed her She never asked me once about the wrong I did [Chorus] When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her [Bridge] My babe would never fret none About what my hands and my body done If the Lord don't forgive me I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me When I was kissin' on my baby And she'd put her love down, soft and sweet In the low lamplight, I was free Heaven and hell were words to me [Chorus] When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her

Lay All Your Love On Me

Written By: Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson

Artist: ABBA

Released: 1981

Cover included: Amanda Seyfried & Dominic Cooper for Mamma Mia!, 2008

“Lay All Your Love On Me” explores the high emotions and passions that can emerge when falling in love, and documents one woman’s shift into erratic behaviors as she falls under the spell of her new lover. The song hit number one in the US dance charts in 1981, but has lasted in popularity over the years, becoming an ABBA staple. It was featured in the band’s jukebox musical (and its movie adaption), Mamma Mia, and in 2006 was named the 60th greatest dance song of all time by Slant magazine.

[Verse 1] I wasn't jealous before we met Now every woman I see is a potential threat And I'm possessive, it isn't nice You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice [Pre-Chorus] But now it isn't true Now everything is new And all I've learned has overturned I beg of you [Chorus] Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me [Verse 2] It was like shooting a sitting duck A little small talk, a smile, and baby, I was stuck I still don't know what you've done with me A grown-up woman should never fall so easily [Pre-Chorus] I feel a kind of fear When I don't have you near Unsatisfied, I skip my pride I beg you, dear [Chorus] Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me Don't go sharing your devotion Lay all your love on me [Verse 3] I've had a few little love affairs They didn't last very long and they've been pretty scarce I used to think that was sensible It makes the truth even more incomprehensible [Pre-Chorus] 'Cause everything is new And everything is you And all I've learned has overturned What can I do? [Chorus] Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me Don't go sharing your devotion Lay all your love on me Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me Don't go sharing your devotion Lay all your love on me Don't go wasting your emotion Lay all your love on me

[redstringraven]

For Cassia: 3, 8, 11! And for Nyxram: 1, 6, 11!

<:D!! AAAAA thank you so much!

Secret Ask List

-------------------- .: • CASSIA --------------------

3) what song describes your oc?

cassia is one of those ocs where the music i find for her playlist is almost all vibes and not really based on lyrics. it's the energy of the music, the way it makes you wanna move or bob or sing along. that being said: "rage" by hyper crush and "joyride" by kesha immediately make me think of her. lyrically, "i love it" by icona pop might be a good fit.

8) what hobbies does your oc have? what do they do to unwind?

cassia's major hobby is rollerskating! but she's also super into street art, and she enjoys beautifying her favorite areas of new york in a manner of silly or meaningful ways. when she's at home, she also enjoys random doodling--mostly ideas for graffiti or future street art--learning dances from her favorite music videos, and playing a variety of video games.

11) what was your inspiration for your oc?

i distinctly remember driving to my local movie trading company to see if they had any physical dvds for tmnt'03, and "girlfriend" by avril lavigne came on spotify shuffle. for whatever reason, i got the image of a pink-haired girl in rollerskates, and she wouldn't leave my head. cassia's my first tmnt oc, and i think she was always meant to be kind of like april in that she's a grounding presence in their otherwise chaotic lives. despite how high-energy and mischievous she is, she's extremely stable and does regularly go to therapy, which has made her more thoughtful and aware of others along with herself. her biggest conflicts come from being an out trans-girl in the 90s and early 2000s, but none of it is tied to her immediate family (her parents ADORE her). she is, for the most part, about as ''''average'''' a civilian in the tmnt'03 world as you can get. i dunno! i think i kind of just wanted to give them all another anchor of sorts, another safe haven. cassia's parents, oliver and esme, also become guardian figures to the turtles in a sense (especially mikey). esme loves to mother them.

-------------------- .: • NYXRAM ----------------------------

1) does your oc have a voice claim, if so who?

god yes. nyx's voice claim is shohreh aghdashloo. the moment i heard her as enforcer grayson in arcane, i pointed at the screen and muttered: "you". as someone who's very picky about these sorts of things i seriously feel like it was gift-wrapped to me. >xD shohreh also provides the voice for the dragon in damsel, which is a dumb as hell movie but i will continue to listen to it for the sake of hearing her talk.

6) if your oc is in a fantasy setting, what profession would they be in the modern day?

kind of a weird question, since 'modern day' implies that this is more a difference in time period? e-e;; i imagine she'd likely still have assassin roots, but. after the rebellion succeeds, the republic begins to rebuild, and the games are disbanded, nyxram takes it upon herself to use her family's "estate" as a sanctuary for the animals used in the games, since most of them can't be returned to their natural habitats due to injuries and/or being raised in captivity. so! i think a potential "modern day" or "human" profession for her might be owning and managing something like an old friends senior dogs sanctuary. providing housing, love, and comfort for older animals when most folks want younger pets, and ensuring that their last few years are happy and safe. she's taken so much life, so... it feels like giving back, in a way.

11) what was your inspiration for your oc?

@/plantdonut doesn't live with me (alas), but if she did, i would have turned to her during our '03 rewatch a few years ago and asked, bluntly, "why do all the triceratons gotta be dudes? where're my giant, amazon warrior dinosaurs?". and within a few days, i was practicing my hand at drawing triceratons, so i could make it so. my two major points of inspiration for nyx come from cassandra cain (2nd batgirl, pre-new52) and john wick. cassandra for being... basically born and bred to be the perfect assassin, only to have 'too much' compassion and love and guilt and go hero instead, and john wick for being a 'baba yaga' to anyone who knows his name. not the boogeyman, but the one you send to kill the boogeyman. the idea of a triceraton assassin was very cool to me, given that they're often a straight-forward, loud, and blunt force to face with little concern for being subtle. it also draws an interesting connection to her and the turtles; at some point nyx comments that despite their practice being tied to assassins such as herself, any blood on their hands comes from self-defense. in some ways, she envies them. but in many more, she doesn't. she's the sole survivor of her clutch, and the only one of her siblings to 'earn' a name. she was, in a way, a political move--a gift/tool offered to the prime leader to ensure that her parents had a connection to power and could continue their own work with protection from punishment. ...they just didn't expect for her to want something else. since the triceratons seem to have a handful of 'nods' and aesthetics pointing toward the roman empire, i named nyxram after the greek goddess 'nyx', the personification and substance of night. i also specifically use greek spelling with her, whereas her parents will have roman spelling of their names to further emphasize her 'otherness' from triceraton society as a whole.

[badstargateimagines]

Vala Deserved Better and This is My Proposal For How I Would Give Her Better

Here are all the things that I think Vala and I would do if they ever let her breach fucking containment. Jesus H. Christ let the woman LIVE!!! Shout out to @judgeverse and all the other fine folks in the discord for giving me this powerful vision

Go to the club 

Obvious but apparently too much for the writers to handle 

We would go with like 40 dollars between us and we would find a man to buy us drinks for the night and then give him a fake snap/number at the end of the night 

She would finally experience the experience of the bathroom at a club and I think she would find it extremely healing 

We would close that bitch and then go and get kebab before we called an uber to get us home 

Pre Drinks 

This would happen before the club obv but I think pre is a VITAL component to the experience while also being nearly entirely separate 

All the SGC girlies chilling doing their makeup 

We are all chilling on the floor of a living room using what using whatever mirrors we have close to us sharing big pile of makeup  

Our brushes are filthy and Janet is low-key lecturing us about the dangers of sharing eye shadow and having dirty makeup brushes 

Her's are also dirty 

We have a Spotify jam going that absolutely shreds 

We started out w a playlist but then we all wanted to show Vala some tracks so we needed to collaborate. 

I show her Meghan Thee Stallion so when she comes on at the club she knows what to do 

Janet shows her all the Y2K bangers 

Sam just goes fucking crazy on the queue and puts everything from midwest emo to sea shanties on there 

Shots obvs 

Cam and Daniel keep texting the gc to ask when we're leaving for the club and we keep saying we're leaving soon 

We brief Vala on club/bar safety so she doesn't go missing or perish or something 

Watching movies but specifically the Barbie movie 

I think she would find it very healing 

She starts calling men Kens 

A week later I find her watching TikTok edits under the 'close your eyes and feel' sound and we watch them together and cry 

I gather mine and my mom's old Barbies and we play with them because there is no age-limit on Barbie!!! 

I get distracted and go over the bonkers plotlines I used to give my Barbies back in the day. 

I also show her other movies that altered my brain chemistry 

The Breakfast Club 

Mean Girls 

Legally Blonde 

Pretty in Pink 

Ferris Bueller's Day Off 

Freaky Friday (2003) 

Hairspray (2007) 

Going for drives in a total shitbox while blasting music 

She needs to experience driving around aimlessly for an hour and then ending up having a life-changing conversation in a random parking lot 

Girlhood (TM) 

Going to the mall  

Sometimes you need to show aliens capitalism in action 

I have to physically drag her out of bath and body works before she gets swindled into paying full price for a candle like a rube 

I explain to her that she just has to wait a couple weeks for candles to go on a like 6 for the price of 2 sale or something and that I will tell her when it's happening 

She is baffled by this revelation but listens to me because of my credentials (used to work at a mall and have a spending addiction) 

We also buy a new outfit and then go to Sephora to get our makeup done to go w the new fit and also so I can show her my roots 

She will also experience The Mall Pretzel  

Sleepovers!!!!! 

I would do my best to create the ultimate sleepover vibes 

I'm talking we buy brand new fuzzy PJs, I string up christmas lights, every snack we could ever want, the entire living room is transformed into a comfy cozy area with everything we could ever need close to us 

Trashy reality show playing on autoplay on the TV at a low volume so we can still talk and listen to music but also hear Kris Jenner saying out of pocket shit to her children 

I would also give the experience of playing Nintendogs with your bestie 

Maybe even a powerpoint night??  

Putting tinder on the big screen and roasting men together 

Playing the Sims and collaborating on the most ridiculous sims and houses to ever exist 

Go Karting 

Let this woman at the wheel immediately!!! 

We could kick ass and then get a lifetime ban from the track 

These 10-year-olds aren't ready for us!!! 

Lighting section at Home Depot 

Self-explanatory 

IKEA 

We would spend so many hours there just pretending we were furnishing a mansion with unlimited money 

Saying: "Omg this should be in the Sims" to each other 

The IKEA cafeteria my beloved 

The only thing we buy is a Djungelskog each 

Racing the carts in the warehouse part 

A crucial yet forbidden part of the experience 

Karaoke 

She would love karaoke 

No further points your honour 

[ckret2]

loving your posts, especially your music posts! one of my partners is getting me into Gravity Falls so I’m excited to see your fic when you’re done with it (godspeed 🙏🏻)

I’ve been putting playlists for characters togeyher and always felt like something was missing, ao your post about how to avoid making it sound like your taste was really helpful.

All that said, I’ve been doing research, and I came across a…category? Subgenre? idk it seems to cross a lot of genres - whatever, called “murder ballads”. Are there any characters you’ve made playlists for that murder ballads would fall on? (There’s a wiki page with a list of 132 of ‘em, the ones I’m familiar with are the country murder ballads like Goodbye Earl, Independence Day [by Martina McBride], and Two Black Cadillacs, but there’s songs with different parent genres on there like metal, folk, pop, rock, and medieval.)

"Murder ballad" is like, "love song". It describes the subject matter but not the style of the song itself. They tend to gravitate toward certain genres but it's not a genre-specific label.

Outside Gravity Falls, i've put murder ballads on Alastor—1920s jazz murder ballads, and EARLY early folk murder ballads (he had to listen to SOMETHING as a kid before he was old enough to go watch jazz bands, and dude's morbid).

Inside Gravity Falls, I see old Appalachian murder ballads for Fiddleford (but he's a character i haven't sufficiently fleshed out a playlist for yet, just haven't made the time; Appalachian murder ballads are a genre I've specifically earmarked to dig into for him tho). My Fidds playlist currently has a bluegrass cover of "In The Pines" (better known as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"—you might know the Nirvana or Lead Belly version), although I wanna find a different cover of that song because the specific one I added to the playlist took out the actual murder lyrics lmfao.

For a while I had a few 1950s murder ballads on Stan's playlist—Mack The Knife, Stagger Lee, Folsom Prison Blues—but I've taken most of them off because uh... i got tired of listening to them sdflkfh. I need to find fresh ones to put on that I'm not yet tired of. In general, for Stan I try to steer toward 1950s songs—preferably rock n roll—about crime, prisons, murder.

If you have spotify, I recommend the podcast Murder Ballads (unfortunately a spotify exclusive, so that's the only way to listen to it). It's only six episodes but it goes over the history of murder ballads AND gives several covers of each featured song across genres/years

[goatsandgangsters]

🦗 and 🎵 for the emoji ask meme!

🦗Do you write in sequence or jump around?

I used to be Very Strict about only writing in order, but I started letting myself jump around ~two years ago and WHAT A GAME CHANGER, IT HAS SAVED MY WRITING LIFE!!!!!

I get so much more written by jumping around, because when inspiration hits for a scene I can actually take advantage. it makes my writing so much better when I have not just an outline for What's To Come but specific scenes written that I can write towards and mirror very intentionally with word choice, lines of dialogue etc. jumping around when writing multichap fic has made my vision for the whole thing clearer, my choices more deliberate, and—most importantly—it's made it more fun. because I actually get to write the fun parts that inspire me!! instead of torturing myself by dangling the good bits as a carrot of something I might theoretically one day get to write!

(general you, the writer reading this, try it. give yourself permission. if it's not for you, you've still learned something about your process. but if you've never tried and think "oh I could never write that way," I would have said that once too. but tbh if I'd let myself do this earlier, it would have made everything SO much better and I would have gotten so much more done. just experiment so you Know if it's really for you or not)

🎵Do you make playlists for your fics?

yes but they're waaaaay less Curated than if I were making a fanmix. my writing playlists are not "here's a highly selective 12-song playlist with lyrics and music that fit and that come together to tell a story musically" as with fanxmies. they are "I need a 13-hour playlist that's Vibes Only that I can put on shuffle and have the right ambiance for whatever I'm working on."

I've got specific ones for all my different Boardwalk AUs, then one for generic grishaverse writing purposes, and I think "sexy" speaks for itself

50s au: honestly not that long, I don't have that much 50s music

Focus au: ~7 hours. the great gatsby (2013) soundtrack is actually perfect vibes. plus a lotta amy winehouse, lana, etc. anything that feels humid and sultry

Grishaverse: ~24 hours. not fic-specific but works for anything in that fandom. I've got the shadow and bone soundtrack, the lotr soundtrack, a lot of florence, anything that has light/darkness imagery, anything that feels Bigger in a high-fantasy, fate-of-the-world way

High School au: ~24 hours. basically all pop music circa like 2008–2012 and some pop punk. whatever makes me feel Teenagery again. also functions as a fun nostalgia playlist

Hunger Games au: ~9 hours. as many soundtracks from the movies as I could get from my local library, plus anything folk-y and sad (the civil wars, etc)

Sexy: ~2 hours, not necessarily songs about sex, just songs that Are Sensual musically or kinda kinky bc let's be real about what I'm writing

also it's not a saved playlist, but I've been writing a lot of Edwardian-set stuff lately, so for that I'll go on spotify and put on early 20th-century English composers like Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughn Williams and let the algo take it from there

fanfic writer emoji ask meme

[el-tur-el]

As I'm chipping away at this Zevlor fic, I thought it would be fun to give you a little glimpse behind the curtain of my creative process. (Nobody asked for this, I'm well aware, but I like talking about the how of things.)

There's a very specific ambience I'm trying to capture with this piece; heady, romantic, and intensely sincere in that bluegrass folksy indie type of way. At least some people will understand what I'm trying to say, I hope.

A lot of my writing relies on ambience while I'm piecing things together. I'm listening to a lot of folk music (specifically a revived version of the now long dead Spotify 'sexy as folk' playlist), and a lot of stuff with heavy string instrument usage. Cello and violin are playing a big part in the setup of all of this for me - I don't really have the words to explain why it feels right for Zevlor's character, it just kind of does. Classical with a modern edge, devotion with all of the intensity of an orchestral swell.

Expect the fic late this evening. I am still sick, and trying to wade through my porridge brain to get this done has been a surprisingly refreshing challenge! I'm literally too tired to be overly-critical of everything I'm putting down on the page, and it's letting me be a lot more free with my prose.

[randomvarious]

Today's mix:

Feed Your Head by Michael Dog 1993 Psybient / Ambient / Tribal Ambient / Dub / Downtempo / New Age / Trance

Well, it's definitely not my cuppa, folks, but if you want some early 90s UK spacey ambient acid chillout psychedelia, the Planet Dog label's Feed Your Head series definitely seems like a good place to look. Coming out of a hippy-ish British space rock tradition, Planet Dog, like a whole lot of other UK labels that launched at around roughly the same time, originally started out as uniquely quirky and eclectic club nights, first under the name of Club Dog in the mid-80s, and then as the more popular Megadog afterwards. And here for 1993, the biggest brain behind the operation, Michael Dog, puts together a partially mixed set that reflects upon his new label's then-current electronically-driven state.

Similar to what the San Francisco underground had been putting down at around the same time—as the Haight-Ashbury Grateful Dead spirit of the 60s collided with the contemporaneous techno-libertarian vision of Silicon Valley—this comp pulls ambient, dub, spiritually new-agey eastern tribal sounds, and trance all together, yielding a linked crop of tunes that feels fit for something like Burning Man, which is a festival that you couldn't pay me to ever attend, unless it was enough for me to quit my day job and explore the history of modern music full-time! 😁

And speaking of San Francisco, it also can't be ignored where this series' title obviously derived itself from: Grace Slick's repeated, finishing line on the late 60s psych rock staple, "White Rabbit," by SF heroes Jefferson Airplane.

(by the way, isn't it bonkers that the same band that made that song would transition to Jefferson Starship, and then just Starship, and then release that ridiculous early 80s hit of "We Built This City" too?!)

Anyhoo, I don't mind cyberhippy music altogether, but I'm much more partial to the downtempo side than I am to the ambient one, which means that I prefer the music to have some kind of consistent drumbeat that I can nod my head along to. And the only song on this album that really seems to hit me in that regard comes courtesy of the one-and-only Banco de Gaia, an inimitable pro's pro when it comes to that beautifully lush and psychedelic globally-quilted chillout sound. A more well-known Washington, D.C. duo like Thievery Corporation would take a similar approach to newer generations and masterfully enmesh themselves in that massive global chillout scene that would flourish between the late 90s and mid-2000s, but a song like BdG's "Qurna (Haj Ali's Birthday Mix)" is more or less emblematic of where that type of sound comes from, as it lays beautiful blends of psychedelic and string synths alongside nature sounds, hand-drums, and my sought after steady backbeat 😎.

Another thing worth mentioning here is that even though I don't really like this mix very much, kudos still need to go out to Michael Dog for how he went about making it, because rather than just doing normal transitions like almost every DJ does, he went out of his own way to create passages himself to link these songs together to make the whole experience feel more seamless. Not the first time I've heard of this happening—in fact, some in-house person did it for one of those pre-Jock Jams, MTV Party to Go mixes at Tommy Boy a couple years afterwards—but definitely not a commonplace practice by any means.

Also, the liner notes on this release give a shout out to Beyond Records, another UK label that was in a similar vein to Planet Dog at the same time, whose own Ambient Dub series inspired PD to put out this Feed Your Head one. I prefer Ambient Dub as a whole over this first volume of FYH, and you can find a bunch of my favorites from that series in the earliest sections of my own coveted 90s Downtempo playlists—word to the wise, though: the YouTube one has more Ambient Dub stuff than the Spotify one, including an extra super tasty cut from Banco de Gaia himself 😋.

And one other thing I wanna mention here is how a lot of the music on this album seems to have come from offshoots and side projects of already well-established psychedelic and space rock acts. Astralasia, the group that opens this comp up, are from the Magic Mushroom Band, duo System 7 came from Gong, and Eat Static, Nodens Ictus, and The Ullulators were all directly linked to Ozric Tentacles. All part of the same UK scene and all traveling along this sort of newfangled psychedelic electronic club thing together too. Interesting times, to say the least.

So, once again, not the biggest fan of this broad, early 90s psychonautic ambient vibe, but if that's your thing, or you think that it very well might be your thing, this release feels like a pretty wide-ranging and exemplary capsule of it.

Listen to the full mix here.

Highlights:

Banco de Gaia - "Qurna (Haj Ali's Birthday Mix)"

[imdoingsortagay]

Impromptu Dance Party

Summary: Doing something sweet for your girlfriend

Word Count: 1k

a/n: EVE FLUFF

also, the playlist for this will be here<3

The day had seemed to drag one for you, wanting to just me home with your girlfriend. Eve had been called into work last minute to help Amanda with something at the old folks home while you went to go to your classes or any errands that you had to do. Getting back home expecting to see her there, you were sad to get a text from the older woman about having to stay a couple of hours more and you felt terrible. She had wanted to use today to relax, get some cleaning done, and overall just spend time with her favorite person in the world, you. 

Having about 2 hours before she came back home from work, you decided to give Eve something special, a playlist with all of the songs she loved to listen to on repeat. 

As much as you loved her, she didn’t have much experience with technology, and if she heard a song that she knew was gonna be one of her favorite, the older woman would save it on her notes so you can help her get it to her Spotify for later if she’s driving, at work or any other reason. Making playlists for people you loved was something and the thought of making one for her was exciting. 

The moment that you get home from school, you clean around the house, ordering her favorite food to get here a couple of minutes before she arrives then make your way to the living room to get this playlist made. The first four songs in the playlist are some that she heard when both of you had first met, in margo’s class and when she decided to have class in a bar. A couple of other songs that you had introduced her to as you felt it was “ something that she would love” which was proven true as you’d catch her humming to them around the house.

Making sure not to forget to add a couple of Abba songs to the mix for your girlfriend because it would not be a playlist that had all of Eve’s favorite songs if there weren’t at least three or four songs. Time goes by quickly as you make the playlist for her, the food from her favorite food place getting there in about ten minutes from her arrival. You set the food on the table, connect your phone to her speaker, and patiently wait for her arrival back. 

While Eve, on the other hand, was super tired and wanted to see you. Her day off was a work day because Amanda needed her to come in about one of the new residents coming in and she was unsure of what to do while Eve on the inside wanted to say sorry, she felt bad leaving her on her own since she had just started there. For a senior citizen home, she sometimes wished there would be at least one day when she’s able to rest. 

Even the drive on the way home felt longer than usual with all the evening traffic and she just wanted to be at home with you, eating dinner, and cuddling among other things.

My love: You coming home already eve? <3

Eve: I’ve got about 10 more minutes. 

You feel bad for the woman as you know she’s stuck in slow traffic and decide that take a quick little nap while she’s on the way. Eve plays some random radio station that helps her calm down and before she knows it, Eve pulls into the driveway to her house, so happy to be home to her lovely girlfriend. Grabbing all of her belongings from her car, the older woman is greeted by you, happily sleeping on the couch, the smell of food from her favorite restaurant in town, and the sound of what seems to be music. 

Eve wakes you up from your nap, very gently and the moment your eyes met the face of your girlfriend, you pull her in for a kiss, never not excited to see her. Eve giggles back as you give her kisses all over her face, blushing like crazy at the attention she’s getting, very much enjoying it. 

“ Is today a special day y/n? You got me food from my favorite place,” she asks while you get up to be in a sitting position, the woman wondering if she missed an important date today.

“ Nope, just wanted to treat you to something nice eve,” you pause,” and I also made a whole playlist for you with your favorite songs to listen to anywhere”. Eve would be lying if she said that she wasn’t on the verge of tears. Never not grateful to have you here, to even be dating you after having to deal with a son who was the worst, a rude ex and the universe did her a favor when you had walked into the writing class that she decided would be fun to do on her free time after her son left for college. Looking through the playlist it had many songs that she grew to love, songs that you told her many times reminded you of her, and some new ones that she was over the moon to listen to if she was driving to work, on her lunch in her office or anywhere else.

Eve pulls you off the couch without a word and puts the playlist on shuffle, the first playing being Honey by Coastal club, dancing along with your girlfriend. Each song going on made your heart swoon at seeing this woman be so happy, not giving any shit about anything else in life, grinning from ear to ear as she danced like she’s the only one in the room. Dancing offbeat to the pop songs and slow dancing together to any of the slow songs. You cherished times like these between the two of you, excited to make many more happy memories.

Every time that you did small things like these for your girlfriend, she would always be forever grateful to have you in her life and make it better

[anemoiawithatouchofobsession]

Hi 👋🏻 @anemoiawithatouchofobsession I've recently been getting into the 80s and 90s K-pop songs and kdramas, but I don't know where to start. Do you have any recommendations on where I should start?

I love your posts, by the way. Keep going 😊🫰🏼

BESTIEEEEEEE LUV YA FOR THISSS

Sooo I'll try and keep it general. I got into the 80s and 90s through 1st gen Kpop (whoch is late 90s - 2000s kpop) and working my way backwards- but that might not work for everyone.

I would say, let YouTube do your thing. There are a lot of compilations and playlists, some are specific, some are general.

You will have to search in Korean because 99% of the content on 80-90s Kpop is in Korean, like so :

"80년대" if you want the 80s, "90년대" if you want the 90s or "8090년대" for both.

If you're specific, you can add "남자" for specifically songs by male artists, or "여자" for female artists.

Then your genre (Ballad : 발라드/Rock : 락/Dance : 댄스/Folk : 포크/Trot : 트로트)

Then you want to search for a compilation so you can add "노래모음". Literally means song compilation. Then you'll get a few compilation videos, and you can listen to it. Pick out songs and artists which you like, and slowly start building your own playlist and taste!

For example : 80년대 댄스곡 노래모음 gives you this result page. I personally love love THIS compilation of stages - also helps you to get into the artists and their performances and all.

If you just want to dive right in randomly, you can just hit random and search "8090년대 명곡 베스트" (8090s hit songs best") and let a bunch of compilation vidss take you wherever. Or there are compilation albums on YT and YT music that are supposed to have the "Best Of". Albums such as "7080 명동연가" or "7080 회상" are a good starting point,

And then, literally - just let the algorithm take over. When you're on spotify, click on the "realted artists" section or on YouTube Music look in the "related" tab...

You might have to have a translator at hand or learn how to read Hangul. Or you can ask me! Hehe.

For dramas... this is a bit harder since you need subtitles and allat. I would literally just go on MyDramaList and search for certain actors, scroll to their dramas section and just pick one that has a streaming source linked. YouTube has a lot, and SBS-KBS-MBC are currently re-uploading and re-broadcasting a lot of their older dramas. KBS's oldschool channel is here, MBC's is here and SBS's is this one

If you want recommendations, I'm good for early-to-mid 90s dramas and it seems like @seulpeunballad knows a bit about late 90s dramas. MDL is your best bet though. A lot of 90s fans there.

My MDL profile is also slowly starting to build some "Best Of" lists for notable 80s-90s talents, so here you go too!