#a lot of my violet songs are based on my personal interpretation of her

[when-we-drive-away-in-secret]

Violet for the character song asks? :)

Surface Pressure from Encanto

This song is peak "Violet's spent the last year prioritising her siblings' safety and well-being over her own because That's What She's Supposed To Do." Hers is also BY FAR my most developed playlist out of all the kids, and it was very hard to choose just one song, but I tried to pick one that was not only uniquely her and couldn't be just as easily applied to the other kids (because I like sad things and like, at least half her playlist are Grief Songs), but also one that was actually based on canon lmao

[lafiametta]

If I see one more teen of Twitter say Anora is 'male gaze', I'm gonna scream. It's such a lazy critique and the term has lost all meaning thanks to being online. I have to say when I first saw the film I was surprised at how un-malegaze it was. Like the scenes of Ani doing her job are shot in a very neutral way imo. Yes breasts are visible, but they're not the focus. Male gaze would have the camera panning up and down the body, the breasts and ass, but that doesn't happen here. Like the scene of Ani doing the dance for Vanya isnt very sexy (imo) partly because of the setting in the living room, but also even when Ani's doing the sexy dance moves, the majority of the focus is on her face.

Plus, the sex scene are untitilating by design, mostly because of how shitty a 'lover' Vanya is lol. But even when there's nudity its either shown for just a second or it's obscured by the lighting or camera angle, that would NOT be the case if it was 'male gaze'. (Plus Vanya is as, if not more naked as Ani but no one brings that up).

I think the opening shot is the most 'male gaze' moment of the feel but even then it's a subversion. First of all it's set to a Take That song (got a big chuckle when I saw it in cinemas in Ireland), making the silliness of the job visible. But also when the camera reaches Ani and the title comes up, it stays on her face, not panning down as a 'male gaze' director would. It's almost like they're saying 'Hey pervs I know what you wanna see, but these bodies have real people behind them and this story is about one of them'.

I know opinions vary, I just think people are misusing the term (shocking). I think Baker did a good job or not demonising sex work, but not glamourising it either; its just another shitty job with no health insurance. Sorry for rambling lol.

No worries, I love a ramble — and, yeah, I think you're totally right. I mean, I'm not as privy to what the teens of Twitter are saying, but I think a lot of these media criticism terms get thrown around by people who don't really know what they're talking about (and probably just want to sound smart and sophisticated). Female nudity on camera does not automatically equate to the "male gaze" (just as male nudity on camera does not automatically equate to the "female gaze") and the only scenes where we see nudity in the film — at the club and the sex scenes with Ivan — are shot in a way that's not meant to be objectifying or titillating.

The opening shot, I would argue, is glamorizing, like the creation of a fantasy, with its slow pan and blue and violet lighting — but we're meant to recognize it as a fantasy because it immediately cuts (with a corresponding sharp musical cut) to Ani's rather unglamorous hustling for clients in the club (i.e. the reality).

The sex scenes with Ivan are definitely not titillating — the goal is not to make you desire Ani's body (even though it's a very nice body), but to make you feel bad for her and embarrassed for him. The scene where she dances for him in the mansion's living room could be interpreted (or misinterpreted) as "male gaze," I suppose, if you were only looking at Ani and had no other context. But it's almost too cringey to ignore: she's dancing to music out of a portable Bluetooth speaker that she puts next to a bag of Cheetos, and the person she's dancing for (the theoretical audience our vicarious "male gaze" shares) is a gawky kid in athletic socks, wearing big silver chains like he's some kind of gangster. Ani's clearly trying to create a fantasy for him, with her sexy dance moves and tiny pleated skirt, but it's almost so crass, so in-your-face that (at least in my opinion) it becomes fairly unsexy.

Ivan's too young and stupid not to get wrapped up in the immediate-gratification-based fantasy of it all, but as the audience, Baker is cluing us in to the reality of the fact that this is a performance. She's being paid by the hour. And she still doesn't have health insurance.

[theoutsiderswiftie]

My Tortured Poets Department Theoryyy

I haven't seen that much analysis of the letter she posted to preface the album... I think it's supposed to be significant. It reads like a riddle/spell/forewarning... I'm gonna deep-dive analyze it here, but basically I think the letter spells out what each side of the album is going to be about... now that she released the tracklist (thanks to the krayziefemale tiktok leak... which also deserves investigating), we know there are 4 sides. Based on the letter, my theory is that each side is going to tell present different parts of the whole story:

Side A - My Tarnished Coat of Arms

Fortnight ft. Post Malone

The Tortured Poets Department

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

Down Bad

Side B - My muses, talismans, and charms

So Long, London

But Daddy I Love Him

Fresh Out the Slammer

Florida!!! ft Florence and the Machine

Side C - The tick, tick, tick of love bombs

Guilty as Sin?

Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

loml

Side D - My veins of pitch black ink

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

The Alchemy

Clara Bow

Bonus Track - The Manuscript

I want to say too while this might be pure clownery in terms of the categorization, I think that there could be some truth to the letter signifying the major themes of this album's songs. I also saw a twitter thread on how this can be interpreted as a meta-commentary on her role as a celebrity and her songwriting, which makes a lot of sense! Writing songs about personal pain and love and etc. is a lot like entering pieces into evidence (into the court of public opinion), and she might be playing into how we all analyze everything to death that she releases!

Ok deep dive on the letter so you can see how I came to my conclusion lets go.....

"And so I enter into evidence..."

Evidence is entered so that a jury/judge can make their decision, or in this case the court of public opinion

She believes that the following pieces of evidence, or songs, are vital to the album's narrative

Implies that there is "another side" opposing her argument

"My tarnished coat of arms..."

A coat of arms is a “heraldic bearing” or shield, used to “establish identity in battle”, could represent a person/country/etc.

Tarnished means “lose or cause to lose luster” or “make or become less valuable or respected”

Worn, dirtied, from war? Implies she defended herself or fought for something… and the worn coat of arms is the proof that she did 

“Tarnished” here can also be interpreted metaphorically-- allegiances and loves that she once fought for/with, that have faded since

She has often defended her principles, experiences, truth in her music as if "in battle"

NOTE - This isn't her first time using war/battle imagery in recent years...

“So yeah it’s a war, it’s the goddamn fight of my life and you started it” from Ivy

 “Fighting in only your army” from YLM, “Tore your banners down, took the battle underground” from The Great War

"I tried to pick my battles til the battle picked me" and "When I dropped my sword" from Long Story Short

"When did all our lessons start to look like weapons pointed at my deepest hurt?" from happiness

"My muses, acquired like bruises..."

Muse - "a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist"

She is submitting her "muses", creative inspirations... plural... as evidence-- why and who? Probably her loves and friends lost

She is clarifying that these muses were "acquired like bruises", which I interpreted as to say that no love of hers has come and gone without leaving their indelible and painful mark on her

NOTE - This isn't the first time using bruising as imagery in recent years...

"My knuckles were bruised like violets" from The Great War

"The mark you saw on my collarbone..." from Maroon

"Past the blood and bruise..." from happiness

"My talismans and charms..."

Talisman is a "an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck"

Her muses are her talismans and charms... the work they have inspired have become her lucky charms for her future and life's work

"The tick, tick, tick of love bombs..."

Love bombing is a manipulation tactic, "an attempt to influence a person by demonstrations of attention and affection

The repetition of "tick" evokes the sound bombs make before they are set off-- perhaps the signs of manipulation to come

I like to interpret this line more in the way that she in love-bombed by the public-- adored one day, and then loathed the next (think 2016 and reputation), this might all be part of the narrative that she is wanting to tell in TTPD

NOTE - Her use of bomb imagery and descriptions of manipulation in recent years...

"Uh huh, the bombs were closer..." in The Great War

"I greet you with a battle hero's welcome" in tolerate it, a song that can be interpreted about being manipulated to think because your partner is older/wiser they matter more and "know best", you rely on their approval for emotional validation

"My veins of pitch black ink"

Ink in veins is a phrase that is used to refer to a writer's "predisposition, interest in, and passion for the written word"

In this album she is presenting her passion for writing

Let me know any thoughts or corrections you might have!

[thefatalmarksman]

𝟎𝟏. ( ALIAS / NAME ) ——   screamy

𝟎𝟐.  ( BIRTHDAY ) ——  march 5th

𝟎𝟑.  ( ZODIAC SIGN ) ——   pisces (yeah, i know, go ahead and slaughter me, i wouldn’t blame you) 

𝟎𝟒.  ( HEIGHT ) ——    5′2″ (and yes i am one of those Angry Short People)

𝟎𝟓. ( HOBBIES ) ——   writing (been really into rping on here lately), drawing/doodling nonsense, and i’ve been trying to get more reading done recently, since work will allow book-reading but soon enough, when the workplace opens up, i’m sure phone use will go back to being... limited :/

𝟎𝟔.  ( FAVORITE COLOR ) ——    dark violet-reds and bruise-y colors

𝟎𝟕. ( FAVORITE BOOKS ) ——    frankenstein by mary shelley (i’ve been told my writing is similar to hers?? and i am so flattered :’3 ); i, lucifer by glenn duncan; fight club by chuck palahniuk (i know, sooo edgy, but he knows how to follow a narrative and a theme with consistency), the great gatsby by f. scott fitzgerald (i know everyone reads it in like high school but it’s legit good okay), and like??? i really do like reading i swear and i’m probably forgetting a bunch of titles i could add here, but i’m mostly enamored by victorian literature (currently working on jane eyre, and sometimes it’s WILD to think how, way over a century later, i can STILL get SCANDALIZED by someone ALMOST ADMITTING THEIR FEELINGS for someone they’ve been secretly pining for, but that’s just being human, huh??)

𝟎𝟖.  ( LAST SONG LISTENED TO ) ——   been listening to the Radiooooo app all day, where you can listen to music all over the world from different eras and i’m on russia from the 1990s. it’s awesome, toootally worth the download

𝟎𝟗. ( LAST FILM OR SHOW WATCHED ) ——   the office is on right now---tbh i usually just have the tv on as background noise

𝟏𝟎.  ( INSPIRATION FOR MUSE ) ——   well ooobviously xig is not my own original character, but i do try my best to draw inspiration for my own interpretation from different sources. dumb story, but i made xigbar’s blog back in 2014 when there was stiiiil some hype around DDD and someone casually suggested i’d do a decent job portraying him, but no one seemed particularly hyped on him so his muse just kinda vanished for a while. :/ buuut when kh3 popped its head up his muse came back in full and violent force, and when he became a MAJOR character given that epilogue (oh, how could i not recall that XigThirst that ensued all over the internet B)c ), now he’s basically my entire focus. i’ve been doing my best to explore all the different facets behind his character, put him in unique situations and AUs that draw out all the “what ifs?” canon might not allow. i will admit, while i depict him as a brilliant and intelligent person, i’ve also projected some of my own personal troubles onto him, with his bouts of depression and doubts and a thoughtfulness that can stem from very dark places, which is covered up with his witticisms and shameless, point-blank sarcasm. he’s just a fascinating character to me with a lot of potential that i sincerely hope won’t be squandered in future titles.

𝟏𝟏.  ( STORY BEHIND URL ) ——  it actually stems from the german opera der freischütz, which is actually what his alias “the freeshooter” is based on, as it can also be translated as “the marksman.” i scoonched “the fatal” in the beginning because, well... he’s just a dangerous kinda man. B)

tagging: y’all

[myaekingheart]

All of them for the writing asks 😁😁😁

HOLY CRAP HONESTLY THANK YOU xD

Writer Asks

Was being a writer a dream of yours when you were little? Or did it spring up when your older? Or is it just a hobby? I’ve always been a writer, regardless of whether I necessarily knew it at the time. I’ve shuffled through some other career ideas– when I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and then in middle school I liked the idea of modeling– but at the end of the day, writing is what I always came back to. I used to come up with elaborate storylines when I played with my Barbies and hog the computer on Microsoft Word making shitty stories that I’d print out and staple together and draw covers for. I don’t think I really considered it a viable career at the time, but now I know that writing is what I’m meant to with my life above all else and that if I lose every other opportunity that comes my way, I’ll be fine so long as I can still write.

Overall, would you say you are more driven by plot or characters in writing? (What makes you more excited about an idea?)  I think, truthfully, a little of both. I love thinking of cool ideas and ways that my characters will fit into them. It’s exciting to think of their lives and the things that can happen to them that will make or break them. I love seeing my characters happy and getting what they want, but I also love when things don’t go their way and when something completely breaks them. The torture is fun to see. I am sadistic.

Give an overview/description of some of your past stories. (Only if you are willing, of course!) Oh god, okay, so I have a couple. There was this one story when I was a little kid that I came up with, I forget the name of it, but the basic premise was that there was this disease and you turned every color of the rainbow ROYGBIV style and then when you reached violet, you died. I had another one I was working on fifth grade called “The War of Sacawragi” that I cannot for the life of me remember what it was about, but I remember rambling about it to my friends one day at lunch and being all hyped about it. Maybe it had to do with a refugee woman fleeing a war-torn country with her baby, or to protect her unborn baby, or something like that? I never finished it, and I lost what I did write when my computer at the time broke, but I don’t know. I don’t think I totally care that it’s gone? Maybe one day I’ll revisit the idea, but for now I don’t really care.

INSPIRATION. What inspires you the most?Images, music, movies. Sometimes history and mythology. A plethora of things.

Do you have an idea for a story you don’t feel you can write at this current time? (Whether it be because life is busy right now, you need to do more research, etc.) I have a couple ideas for stuff I want to write, but I just don’t feel the motivation to quite yet. It’s tough, because I’m deep into writing From Upon the Golden Thrones (my Narnia fanfic) and focusing so much on the following sequels of that that I feel like I don’t want to start anything original until I finish that. Which sucks because I know original work is what’s going to bring home the bacon and shit but I just care so much about this goddamn fucking fanfiction that I cannot get it out of my head. Plus, I feel like I’m at a spot in my life right now where pouring more energy into writing fanfiction is acceptable because I’m in college rather than out in the working world depending on churning out original stories to earn a living. Once I graduate college, I’m terrified I won’t be finished with these Narnia stories and will have to give them up for the sake of focusing on my career, which makes me incredibly sad because as stupid as it may sound, I have never cared about any of the other stories I’ve written (original or otherwise) as much as I care about this fucking fanfic.

Favorite POV to write in? (As in First, Third, or maybe a specific character?)I really like third person omniscient. I used to write almost exclusively in first person but I felt like that was really restrictive to me. I like the way third person omniscient feels like playing God– you know exactly what everyone is doing, where they are, how they are feeling, but the characters don’t know shit and it’s kind of fun to fuck them up like that. It’s fun to know stuff they don’t. Plus, I really like paying attention to everyone’s take on a situation. I like delving into their internal monologues when something happens, good or bad, and how they interpret those situations. I like my readers to know what’s going on in my character’s heads and how they view the world compared to one another.

Favorite writers? Have they influenced you at all? Obviously CS Lewis is a fave. I just love the way he was able to interpolate scripture into fantasy. I’m not a wildly religious person but Narnia is the closest thing I’ve felt I’ve come to religion in my adult life, like Narnia makes me feel a particular way that nothing has ever made me feel before. I think that is also in part to my Irish heritage, and knowing much of Lewis’s inspiration for the landscapes of his book was inspired by his homeland. I actually wrote an entire essay about this for one of my classes last semester. I’ve never really been as big a fanatic of any other writers as I am with CS Lewis, much in the same way as I approach my music tastes-- I more often than not like particular songs rather than whole bands. Much like Nirvana and Beartooth is to my music taste, CS Lewis is the one artist whose work I am a wild fan of (even if the only other work of his that I’ve read outside of Narnia is Out of the Silent Planet).

If one cliche could be eradicated from writing, which one would you pick?The idea that everything has to be romance, and that every romance has to be a certain way. I like the stereotypical chick flicks as much as the next woman but I like complicated love that waxes and wanes. I like love that has a purpose, that at it’s core is hopeful but that rips your insides apart and makes you realize things about your life you never knew before. I like love that is based on more than just the superficial things. Situational love, childish love, war-torn love, all of that good shit. I prefer love that is real and raw and it hurts because it pays no mind to caution in the literary sense. I’m tired of the love we always see in YA lit where everything is meant to be poetic and flowery. Give me blood and sweat and tears. Give me something that’s real. That’s the kind of love I enjoy reading.

Favorite cliche or trope? I like the comedic stuff a lot, like funny misunderstandings. I wrote one into the last posted chapter on my fanfic that I was pretty disgustingly pleased with. I’m really bad at writing comedy but I try. I don’t know if this is necessarily a cliche or a trope, either, but I adore bildungsromans. I live for character development.

Do you have to force yourself to write, or is it something you want to do? Half and half. I feel like my will to write exists on a spectrum. On one end, there is the idealistic mix of motivation and inspiration where I sit down and the words just flow out of my fingertips and when I look back at these chapters, I typically have to do very little editing because I was so deep in the zone and so focused on what I wanted to write and I did that. On the opposite end is the numbness of feeling zero motivation and zero inspiration. It’s like sex-- I’m just not turned on and not thinking about sex whatsoever. And that’s fine. You don’t need to write 24/7. The worst is when I fall somewhere in the middle, which is where I am most often. I either have all the inspiration and no motivation or all the motivation and no inspiration. Most frequently it’s the former. I think about my current story constantly and yet more often than not, I never have the strength to open up the word document and actually work on it. This has been especially true this past month, when I went on a three day writing binge and wrote eight chapters only to find on day four that the file got corrupted and I lost all of my work.

Share a passage from one of your works and tell us why you liked it so much. Oh god, this is dangerous. One of my favorites is a scene in Chapter 12 of From Upon the Golden Thrones, but it’s too long to copy and paste here so instead I’m going to use a passage from Chapter 9 instead:     As night swept across Narnia, the bad dreams took hold once again. Eilonwy’s breath hitched, tossing and turning as fearful visions paraded through her head. Peter snapped awake the moment he heard so much as a whimper, climbing onto the edge of her bed to try and soothe her awake. Her eyes fluttered open, brimming with tears, hands trembling wildly. “It’s okay, Ellie, everything’s alright. It was just a bad dream” he whispered, petting her hair. She shook her head and burst into tears.     “It never ends…” she whined, burying her face beneath a mountain of pillows. “I want to go home!”     “Ellie, shh, you are home” Peter replied but the huntress shook her head in great protest.     “This isn’t home, this is hell!” she screamed. With a sudden jolt, she sat upright and began throwing pillows left and right.     “Eilonwy, stop! Please!” Peter begged but she refused. She launched pillow after pillow into the wall, toward the window, knocking things off her vanity and even cracking it’s glass. She kept going until the entire room was drenched in a blizzard of feathers. It wasn’t until the window creaked open and a soft breeze blew through that Eilonwy finally began to calm down. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the mattress and wept softly, tears staining her cheeks. Peter swatted at the downy rain, climbing into her bed and wrapping his arms around her tightly. She sighed and fell into him, far too tired to fight him off, and deeply inhaled the sweet smell of his skin.     “It’s alright now…everything’s alright” he whispered, gently rocking her back and forth like an infant.     “It never ends…” she repeated softly, her hot breath grazing Peter’s collarbone. Not knowing what else to say, he sat there in silence continuing to rock her and hug her tight in hopes that perhaps he could glue all of her broken pieces back together. As she slowly drifted back to sleep, however, a quiet murmur caught his attention and sent his heart soaring. In the softest tone imaginable, she breathed a quiet “I love you…” And finally, Peter received the confirmation he had been searching for. She officially loved him back just like he knew she did. I love this scene so much because it’s finally this breakthrough with the relationship between these two characters. In the entire first installment, they’re getting to know one another and learning about each other and experiencing these scary, foreign feelings and they’ve come so far since then at this point, and Peter wants nothing more than for her to reciprocate his feelings for her, and this is the scene where he finally gets it and he’s over the moon. As for Eilonwy, she really struggles with the whole concept of attachment and affection and so this is a really pivotal scene for her, as well, and one that affects both of them heavily long after it’s happened, both for better and for worse.

What is the worst writing advice in your opinion? I’m not sure this is even really advice but the worst, in my opinion, is the pressure to write literary fiction rather than genre fiction. Stick literary fiction up your ass and smoke it. I don’t give a shit. I’ve noticed more than anything that in my college writing classes thus far, there’s this desperation to drill literary fiction into our heads, to convince us that it is the only fiction of quality and that genre fiction is trash. I completely disagree. Genre fiction is so much more liberating. Shit actually happens in genre fiction. Yeah, some of it is cheesy and commercialized but to say genre fiction, especially genre fiction of today, is worthless is to completely disregard the amazing, accessible commentary it’s providing to people of all ages, socioeconomic statuses, races, genders, etc. Genre fiction is giving us characters we can relate to, characters that we see ourselves in whether they’re transgender or of color or struggle with the same mental illnesses we do. It can give us both an escape from reality and a comfort within it by showing us that we are not alone and that we can fight our demons just like the characters in these books do. So I say fuck your literary fiction. Genre fiction has given me far more than literary ever has.

What is the best writing advice? The best writing advice I can think of is to write what you feel. I’m a firm believer in the idea that our best writing comes from our emotions. We kind of have to keep them reigned in to a certain degree, I think, in order to keep control over the language and the emotion but if your words aren’t fueled with some sort of feeling, then to me it’s like staring at a plain piece of cardboard. There’s no meat in the message.

Character names. How do you come up with them? It depends. Sometimes I see a name or even a word somewhere and a character shows up in my head. Sometimes I just pin random names to people. Sometimes I go onto those baby name websites and look up something meaningful that fits the character both in sound and in definition. And sometimes things just come together, like with my original character in my Narnia fanfiction. Her name is Eilonwy like the character in The Chronicles of Prydain. I’ve never actually read the books, but I like the long-forgotten Disney movie inspired by them. The name was just really interesting and pretty to me, and I really wanted to use it. At first, that was all it was: just a superficial reason. I was fourteen when I first came up with the initial idea for the story, so of course I didn’t have any deeper reasoning behind “It sounds pretty!” Now that I’m older and more thoughtful about my writing and shit, though, I’ve come to find that the name holds much deeper meaning to the story than I ever could’ve imagined which feels great. I love when things just randomly work out like that.

Do you tell friends/family about your writing, or do you keep it a secret?They know I write and some know what I write about but I don’t make too big a fuss about it. If I’m deep in a writing binge, I’ll post my pride on facebook like “I’ve written such-and-such word count so far!” or whatever. For the most part, though, I keep pretty quiet. I’ll share when I have to, like in writing workshops, but in regards to my fanfiction, the only person I really ramble to about it is my best friend. She’s heard all the spoilers and given me feedback on paragraphs I was either proud or unsure of. I’m really grateful for her feedback, and that she lets me fangirl over my own work when I need to!

What are some of your favorite words to use in writing? I don’t know if I have any favorite words. I have overused words, but I don’t know if I have any favorites.

Opinions on smut? Good if done right. I’ve tried my hand at my fair share of smut and when I look back at the stuff I tried to write for my last finished fanfiction, a Jack Frost x Violet Parr American Horror Story AU, I cannot help but cringe. I had the hot and heavy shit down pat but situational appropriateness was not entirely grasped. But then again, I was sixteen and a virgin when I wrote that so of course I didn’t have any realistic handle on it. Looking back, I’m just proud of myself for even writing something of that length because as problematic and cringey as it is to me now, that was the story that really confirmed I had the stamina to write novels. Up until that point, I had never written a full-fleshed, novel-length work. Now I’ve written two more and am working on a fourth. But anyways, about smut, my approach has shifted since then. Nowadays, my guidelines are to do it only when it’s appropriate to and to do it tastefully. Less is more. I care more about the emotion in it now than I do the physical act.

Is there anything you have found that you cannot, under any circumstance, write about?I’m not sure. I can’t think of anything right now off the top of my head, because refusing to write about something and finding difficulty in writing about something are two completely different things. There’s lots of things that are difficult for me to write whether it’s because they’re not my strong points (like humor) or because I feel inexperienced, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try to do as much research as I can to write them. If I care about a situation or idea enough, I will go that distance. I don’t know if there’s anything I would shy away from writing, including triggering material. I’ve already done stuff regarding rape. I write a lot about anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, even some PTSD. I don’t think there’s anything I’d shy away from writing.

Creative nonfiction. Have you dabbled with it? Do you like writing about your own life?I honestly love writing about my own life. That makes me sound really narcissistic but I mean, I’m telling the truth. There’s this one quote from a movie called Stuck in Love that I absolutely adore, it says “A writer is the sum of their experiences.” So much of my writing is inspired by my own experiences, and while I certainly don’t think you have to have experience in something to successfully write about it, having that extra layer of knowledge on a subject really adds realism and meaning to something. I can fake it, sure. I did that a lot in stories I wrote for my community college creative writing class. I wrote one story called Princess about a girl auditioning to be a face character at Disney World. I’ve never done that, though I’ve done a lot of research because I desperately want to. People thought I had actually experienced it. I wrote another about a young woman in the hospital for an eating disorder who desperately wanted a baby. While I’ve never been hospitalized for an eating disorder, I do struggle with one and my greatest fear is losing the ability to have a baby because of it so even though it wasn’t something I directly experienced, I channeled my fears and feelings into it. At the end of the day, I think so long as you’re passionate about something, you can successfully write about it and make it believable. But back to the question, one of the experiences I look to for inspiration most often is my love life and what I’ve been through with that. I’ve never been abused or cheated on or any of that bullshit, but I’ve had a very interesting history with my boyfriend that hinges on not only romance and compatibility like in all relationships but also in self esteem, grief, family, and the past. I’ve written quite a handful of short stories based around it, and some of the not-so-lovely feelings that have come from it. (Disclaimer: This is not to say my boyfriend and I are unhappy or in an unhealthy relationship. We just haven’t always had it easy and early on, I had a really tough time coming to terms with some things that I’m not going to go into detail with right now).

Allusions and references to other works. Thoughts? Do you like to use them?As a fanfiction writer, I feel like I’m obligated to say yes since that writing mainly takes place in other people’s works. At it’s foundation, though, I love allusion. I’m a big fan of fairytales and I have some interest in Greek mythology, as well, so I like taking inspiration from those and alluding to them in my stories. It’s easy to do in my Narnia fanfiction, especially, because it already alludes mythology and also religion which can tie into fairytales. Eilonwy, my OC, is a very heavy reference to the story of Snow White, as well as to Adam and Eve and Joan of Arc. I think it’s fun to tie certain things into shit like that, and I love when everything connects and makes sense.

What do you think characterizes your writing?My style and approach. I command the language a certain way where I try to sound cohesive and intelligent but also pump those big words with emotion and meaning. I don’t really know how else to describe it; my best writing comes when I’m in that zone and the words are just flowing out of me. I like trying to express abstract concepts in ways that feel tangible, too. I think tangibility is a big aspect, too. As an adjective here it probably doesn’t make much sense, but there’s something about my writing that I feel gives it this kind of tangible quality, almost. I like being able to feel the emotions and words in the air around me like oxygen. I also think the fact that I don’t like to shy away from anything helps to characterize my writing, too. I like to pull out all the stops. I don’t like censoring myself for the sake of comfort or digestibility. Maybe that makes my work kind of hard to get through but still. I feel like you have to have a stronger stomach for my work because I will not resist uncomfortable topics or scenes. Rape, gore, anxiety, whatever. I don’t shy away from any of it.

Do you control your characters, or do they control you? For the most part, I have pretty decent control over my characters but sometimes they like to go their own way and screw up the plan. Sometimes it’s for the best, but I’m the kind of person who likes to strictly stay to the path I’ve mapped out so more often than not it’s a nuisance. That resistance can be a real struggle, too, because sometimes where my characters take me flows nicely but it would mean reworking everything so I have to go back and try and channel that flow into the right direction.

Are there any misconceptions people have about your writing? I don’t really know. I try to be as clear as possible about what is happening and what I mean when I say certain things. If anything, they’d probably mistake me for a psychopath.

Best compliment someone has given you about your writing.I think the best compliments are honestly the ones where people are just straight-up fangirling. I love reading people’s reactions to my works, especially when they love it and want more of it and are screaming at their computer screens because of choices the characters have made. I had one person even send me a message telling me that they love my story so much, it’s all they can think about and gives them motivation to live (in a non-suicidal manner) and implored me to keep writing. That’s the kind of feedback that really motivates me to keep doing what I do.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer? In five years, I hope to be a published author with at least a small repertoire of original work under my belt and out in the open. I know it might take longer than five years to get there but I’ve come so far already and I think if I have the passion and the will to do it, I can get there. The end goal is to just get my stories out there and accessible to the public in hopes that someone may find something in them that they relate to, that helps them feel less alone, or that they just enjoy reading. The day I find my name on a bookstore shelf is the day I will feel as if I’ve truly made it (which brings me to another point about my opinions on paper versus digital publishing but I think that’s a rant for another post-- I’ve already made this one long enough!)

[baddly-well-done-translations]

Hole/M. Manson: The Beauty and the Beast | by Richard Royuela, Rock Sound magazine N°15, year 1999

  There’s no doubt that at the present time, Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson are two of the most controversial characters in the world of rock: egocentric, capricious, intelligent, shrewd… Well, they possess all that sort of adjectives that anybody needs if he wants to triumph in this complicated circus.

  Both of them are the frontmen of their bands, Hole and Marilyn Manson if somebody was left with doubts, and have been at the center of the world these last nine months because of the editions “Mechanical Animals” and “Celebrity Skin”, albums which practically have overcame all commercial and qualitative spectations everyone had on them.

  The big surprise came when at the end of last year, it was announced that Hole and Marilyn Manson were going to protagonize a two month American tour in which they’d play in big enclosures with the increasingly popular Monster Magnet. Lots of people didn’t believe in the implausible nature of the prompt, since it didn’t seem easy for the egos of Courtney and M. Manson to coexist too much time together, but at the same time, being as intelligent as they are, both of them should have known that it was the perfect way for them to be seen by the biggest number of people it could be. This way, the big question of the year was open. Or did somebody doubt this wouldn’t be?

Aerial crisis n°1

  Obviously such an event couldn’t be ignored, and because of that, we decided we had to be there at all costs. The chosen date would be Sunday 14th of March, in which both bands would visit the legendary Forum of Los Angeles… But it wouldn’t be so easy.

  When I entered Barcelona's airport the Saturday before the concert, I wasn’t minimally aware of what was going to happen. The so classical behind-of-schedule arrivals made me lose the junction between Paris and Los Angeles. It seems that the fact that twelve persons had to make that same junction wasn’t enough motivation for the airline to wait for us fifteen missere minutes, and there you watch me rotting seven magnificent hours in Paris airport waiting the eight of the night to come so I could take the following flight… But the surprise had to come soon, because after two hours waiting, the “magnificent and educated” company’s staff told us that the flight had been canceled and it wouldn’t leave until the next day. That meant I’d lose an entire day of my short stop in Los Angeles and also have the beautiful sensation of being treated as a donkey and of an oh-so-educated staff of my new favorite airline called me “rubbish” because I asked for explanations of that big caos. Let’s see if he’s so confident when the report arrives to him. Anyways, let it all be in the name of rock.

The preambles

  Thanks to God I arrived safe and sound to Los Angeles with the exact time to go to a hotel, contact with the person from Universal Records, the great Jose Puig, take a shower, eat something and go to the Forum. Little time to find out that that would be the last concert of the tour. Yes, all those bad omens from the bad talkers had come to reality, and the tour hadn’t even lasted one month. Hole had decided to abandon. Official reason was “production problems”, a too broad term to be taken seriously. In some declarations I found on MTV, Courtney Love said that she had soon noticed that playing in sites with 25.000 persons wasn’t a very good idea and the best was to finish it soon. But as it’s often the case, the rumorology had started and now other motivations about Hole’s abandonment were running. The most popular one was one the actress Rose Mcgowan, current Manson’s girlfriend, had started. Reportedly, she was totally jealous about the possibility of Mrs. Love approaching her man and because of that, she prohibited him from having any kind of contact with Courtney. This and some declarations she made in the magazine Alternative Press, in which she said that she couldn’t understand how anybody could like Hole’s new album, and that if the press said good things about it, it was because they were scared of Courtney Love; it seems that these things flamed up the fuse of discord. What is clear is that watching the show Hole gave made it easier to me understanding why the band’s desertion. But we’ll talk about it later.

  It seems that difficult times start to be history for Monster Magnet. Dave Wyndorf himself has affirmed on more than one occasion that after the “Dopes to Infinity” tour he thought about ending the band, at least at a professional level. Luckily for him and all of us, “Powertrip” has achieved an unexpected success in America, they’ve just been awarded with a gold album and in Europe they’ve even managed to  increase their status in Europe. The fact that “Powertrip” has sold 500.000 CD’s in America hasn’t only been useful to the confidence of the band for going high, but apart of that to open the doors of big tours like this one. However, it’s obvious that on this tour Monster Magnet is nothing more than a special guest, as Faith no More in the tour of Guns ‘n’ Roses and Metallica. With a technically empty forum, and an empty forum is something impressive! Monster Magnet started the short half hour it had available. Without doubt the tracks of “Powertrip” are the ones that take up the totality of the repertory, being “Space Lord” and “Powertrip” those which were best received by their few, but unconditional, fans that acoplated in front of the scenery. With the inclusion of a second guitarist, the total protagonist of the stadium is Dave Wyndorf. Getting rid of his guitar in more than half concert, he feels more comfortable in his character of frontman and lots of his movements remind of the ones of his admired Iggy Pop. Having in mind that the conditions weren’t made to triumph: few lights, poor sound, so little amount of time, the truth is that Monster Magnet got off the scenery more than successfully, proving that all the rewards they’re getting and will get are more than well-deserved. At this time, a tour with Metallica, that isn’t little. 

Courtney’s rage

  For any fan of Hole, a start with “Violet” and “Awful”, the best songs of the new album, would be enough to be satisfied. And that’s no more, no less, what they did. Although in the course of these two songs, it’s easier to understand Courtney’s rage. Far from being the double billboard that was sold, Hole wasn’t more than some luxurious support band. The Californian quartet didn’t compete, neither in terms of scenery and sound quality, at the same conditions as Marilyn Manson and also a big part of the public, although the forum was technically full, wasn’t there because of them. But any of that was an impediment for Hole to perform an antologic concert. With the ascension of Melissa, a red-dressed goddess and the entry of the new baterist, Samantha (from Shift), spectacular and effective to the maximum; Hole has gained a lot in the aspect of visuals. Courtney is still the main focus and Eric, as always, is “conformed” with being staying next to the podium carrying the musical weight. And although she isn’t that beast that seemed to be dying in every concert anymore, she still is a star full of charisma that not even Hollywood could calm. The concert was based on “Celebrity Skin”, although the memories from the past -”Doll’s Dress”, “Miss World” or “Teenage Whore”- weren’t left to the side and in the 60 minutes the group demonstrated that they’re in the right path to be an atemporal rock band, or the Fleetwood Mac of the 2000, said in other way. As the concert continued, Courtney got hot and as she started getting out of her clothes (she ended in a transparent dress and an ass check in the wind) she didn’t stop shouting instructions against the press, television and whatever got through her head. Definitively it won’t be easy to stop Courtney and the fact that “Celebrity Skin” has got up again in the American charts will surely help with that. As expected, she didn’t even condescend to thank Marilyn for the days they spent together. 

And with you, the most stupid fall of all the history of rock

  When Mr. Manson appeared in the scenery crucificted in a cross made of televisions, the hysteria was total. That’s the unequivocal simbol that they’re a big group with all that entails. Dressed in the same way that in the tour that brought them to Spain, there wasn’t any real differences with what we had seen before. That means that his ribcase was punched, there were microphone foots all around the floor, the stilt act, etc… although it’s fair to recognize that the band was having an inspired night. But the great moment came when in the middle of the interpretation of “Rock is Dead”, Mr. Manson, over a one meter high platform, decided to lower his pants to his knees. Not conformed with that, he tried making some steps. Result? He couldn’t maintain the balance and fell off straight to the floor, totally fulminated. While he was still totally  inmovile in there, the rest of the band kept playing as if nothing extraordinary had happened. After that the lights went off and Manson was dragged out of the scenery. In those moments we all thought it was part of the show, but something indicated to us it wasn’t normal when the concert didn’t resume and the loudspeakers told us that because of technical matters the show was going to stay interrupted for another five minutes. Five minutes which guided to the final communication said that because of an accident of the artist, the show had ended. Only a few complaints as an answer. Would we have reacted the same way in Spain? And 25.000 persons with a “circumstance face” started getting out of the forum. The next day it was said that M. Manson had suffered from an ankle break and the tour would continue with Monster Magnet and Nashville Pussy as guests.

  It was speculated that the fall could had been an act that would permit Manson gain time and restructure the tour after Hole’s dissertation.

  An unforeseeable end, or depending on how you see it, totally previsible for a tour that had only started a month ago.

Aerial crisis n°2

  The next day I had to abandon Los Angeles and return to Barcelona, but a new surprise was waiting for me. The flight had been canceled again and I’d have to stay a short night in Los Angeles. Incredible. And as if it weren’t enough, in the hotel I was given I couldn’t smoke and there wasn’t any porn channel. Somebody take me the hell out of here!

[x0401x]

Violet Evergarden Official Event Report: This Is What We Are Now!!

Third KyoAni & Do Fan Appreciation Event Sound! From Kyouto to the World

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During two days, from October 21 to 22 of 2017, a part of the third KyoAni & Do Fan Appreciation Event “This Is What We Are Now!! –First Festival in Two Years–”, “Sound! From Kyouto to the World” was held at the RHOM Theater in Kyouto.

Up until that point, “Violet Evergarden” had gone to America and Germany in a worldwide premiere. While the broadcast from January of next year is anticipated, a prestigious first screening and talk event for Japanese fans took place in Kyouto, where Kyoto Animation is located, on Saturday, October 21st. Since a typhoon was approaching and it was raining, the weather was unfavorable, but many fans had crowded the venue.

Prior to the screening, Director Ishidate Taichi and Ishikawa Yui, who plays the role of Violet Evergarden, went up on the stage. Director Ishidate commented, “At any rate, I am nervous (about having everyone watch it). I’d be happy if you don’t speak too severely of it after watching it (laugh). Please enjoy episodes 1 and 2.”, which instigated laughter from the people at the venue. Ishikawa said, “We screened it overseas first, but in the end, I was concerned about the reactions of everyone in Japan. Albeit anxious, I was looking forward to today. Since this is a work with quite a lot of extremely detailed depictions, I’d like you to enjoy yourselves thoroughly after taking a deep breath and bringing yourselves to a relaxed state.”

And so, the screening started at last. The audience, which consecutively appreciated the first episode that had its first public release in Japan, as well as the second episode that had its first public release in the world, was drawn into the domain of “Violet Evergarden”, and, at the same time as the screening ended, loud applause engulfed the venue.

Once again, Ishidate and Ishikawa went on stage and the Talk Show started. Upon observing the reaction of the people at the venue, Director Ishidate expressed his feelings frankly in one phrase, “I am filled with emotion”. The MC then said, “Today has been the date of the first meeting between ‘Violet Evergarden’ and the fans from Japan. Well, then, Ishikawa-san, how was your own first meeting with Violet (whom you yourself are playing)?”. At the question, Ishikawa talked about her memories from the day of the audition, “I read the novel after being selected for the audition, and I was really moved. ‘I want to participate in this work no matter what’ is what I felt when I took on the audition.” In addition, as she was asked about her impressions when she tried out her acting, she commented, “In episode 1’s gradation, Violet is still a child who is at ‘zero’, as if she doesn’t know anything. At first, I attempted to perform with a little emotion. However, the Director gave me an instruction, ‘In any case, I want you to begin from a state of knowing nothing’, so I played her over again and it became the way it is now.”

As she did so, Director Ishidate added, “I always hear Violet’s voice in the post-recording booth one wall away; (Ishikawa-san) understands Violet very well, and she lets it show. That’s why, technically, there’s nothing to be said from my part. Isn’t that it?” And she responded, “That’s right. There are times when I become a little uneasy, though, since you do not point anything out to me (laugh). But I believe that having earned an OK without nothing being said means that my current performance is probably all right.” Director Ishidate then replied, “It is!” and the venue was enveloped in a temperate mood at the interaction.

Subsequently, as a special guest, TRUE, who is in charge of the opening theme song of “Violet Evergarden”, appeared on stage and was greeted with a big applause. TRUE commented, “I feel that participating in the World Premiere with the Director, meeting people and getting involved with them has been gradually granting this song a soul, and that ‘words’ have souls residing in them. I had been really looking forward to having you all listen to this song today. I will be in your care.” She then enthusiastically sang the opening theme song “Sincerely” in the premiere’s special live, and the audience fell in love with her singing voice.

Moreover, as TRUE announced, “If there’s an opening... there’s also an ending, isn’t there? The artist in charge of the ending theme song is also here today.”, a surprise guest went on-stage. Chihara Minori, the one in charge of the ending theme song, came to the stage and was awarded with lurid applause. Chihara, who plays the role of Erica – someone that works in the same place as the Violet in the animation –, stated, “This time, I also wrote the lyrics. The original novel was full of truly good stories, and it had been the first in a long time that I had shed so many tears. As I read Violet’s own story, I felt... that maybe she would be able to keep moving forward as the presence of her important person becomes a ‘guidepost’ in her long life. And so, I wrote the lyrics while having in mind that it’d be nice if I could give you all a song that would gently mantle you with the world of Violet.”, and then courteously sang the ending theme song “Michishirube” (“Guidepost”).

After the special live, along with Director Ishidate, the two talked about the opening and ending theme song production, and the image of the CD jacket to be released in the future was also revealed as an extra. Ishidate said, “I explained to (TRUE-san and Chihara-san) each that the nature of the character called Violet is like a baby’s, and that, basing ourselves on this, I had wanted to make this a work in which we would thoughtfully write about the process of her growing from a child at zero years of age into a three-year-old. This opening and ending theme songs had both of their lyrics created from the interpretations of each of these two. Once I listened to the completed songs, what I felt was truly inexpressible.” And TRUE replied, “I felt that Violet’s existence is extremely dangerous and rather delicate. But in contrast, I also felt that she was dazzling. Just as she learns words little by little, I, too, made these lyrics by cherishing each sentence, as if I were rewinding the meaning of words again.” Chihara chimed in, “When I had a meeting with the director, I was told that ‘the atmosphere should be one that Violet would hum’, ‘I want you to make gentle lyrics that even children would understand’, and ‘with an image of naïveté’, so I wrote lyrics that would above all be simple no matter what.”

Lastly, came the conclusion, and Ishikawa, Chihara, TRUE and Director Ishidate each gave a speech.

“I was really happy that so many people came today. Although Violet is like a baby, I think that I’d be glad if you all watch over her with warm eyes, as if you were her parents. Please do look forward to it airing next year.” (Ishikawa)

“Plenty of extremely wonderful and charming characters will be introduced. Violet meets various people and grows up, and the people who are touched by Violet also make her become aware of important things. It is a truly wonderful story. We will be counting on you all to cheer us on.” (Chihara)

“I think I’d be glad if this work and its music grows just as Violet gradually does so. I myself have also been taught many things through this work, so I believe I want to grow up along with it. There is still more to the World Premiere, so I will do my best in trying to convey the fineness of Japanese animation, the beauty of Japanese language and the importance of communicating through words to the people overseas.” (TRUE)

Finally, Director Ishidate said, “Ever since I was selected to make the adaptation from the original work, what I had been obsessing over was doing it ‘seriously, purely, and not messing around’.

Anyhow, we intend to face the character named Violet Evergarden earnestly, and develop her till the very end, so I believe we might be able to turn this into a work that will make the people watching become a little positive. I would like everyone to watch over Violet together with us until the finale, as we will be in your care.”

The curtains of the premiere and talk event then closed in a great success.

[quinnmorgendorffer]

I've just recently in the past few years gotten more into musical theater, so I have a lot to learn. I'm not a singer or anything, but I like to watch and listen. Also, I have to randomly ask something. Why the heck did " Glee" have Brian Stokes Mitchell on the show and not let him sing more? What a waste. Ha ha. What are some really underrated musicals?

That’s awesome! Nah man, you don’t have to be a singer to get into/like musical theater! We actually need more people to appreciate musical theater who don’t participate, honestly. Same with opera, but that’s another story I know no one here wants to get into lol.

Who knows, man? I mean, they had Victor Garber on and didn’t have him sing and fucking Cheyenne Jackson!!!! Even The Real O’Neals had Cheyenne sing!!!! And he was on one ep of that unlike being in several episodes like he was for glee.

Okay, so as I said, I’m a bit of an MT hipster. So I like a lot of weird shit lol. A not very detailed list is below, with some notes by yours truly lol. Sorry that this got so long omfg

Bat Boy - based on the Daily News articles, this chronichles the story of a bat boy found in a cave in West Virginia. He’s taken to the local vet, and while everyone in town just wants the doctor to kill him, the vet’s wife wants to take care of the teen, who she names Edgar, and teach him how to behave. The doctor kind of goes crazy and their daughter, Shelly, falls for Edgar. A lot of the parts in the show outside of the family are double casted, and it’s honestly hilarious and also makes me cry by the end, poking a lot of fun at “Christian Charity” (that’s the name of one of the songs that also gets a reprise) and the like. It’s extra loved by me for featuring the impeccable Kerry Butler (the original Penny in Hairspray, female lead in Xanadu, Catch Me If You Can...the ageless girl wonder)Reefer Madness - the Off-Broadway production opened the weekend of 9/11, which definitely effected its possible success. It’s, of course, based off the ridiculous propaganda film of the same name, though it takes it a bit farther and pokes fun at all of it and even more of the racist/sexist attitudes of the 1930s. While all/most of the others I’m talking about here only have CDs and maybe some bootlegs, this one has a movie version!!!! That actually is almost 100% like the stage version (at least based on what I saw). The movie features Kristen Bell as Mary Lane, the part she originated, and also features Alan Cumming and the forever under-appreciated Ana Gasteyer and Amy Spanger. Side Show - you can debate which version is better, but whether you prefer the original cast or the 2014 revival that changed some of the story to make it more accurate, it’s absolutely amazing. A musical based (loosely) off the true story of the conjoined Hilton twins who made a career of their oddity by working in freak shows, vaudeville, and even a few movies, though they were all critically panned. Features some of the best duets for female voices (most famously “Who Will Love Me As I Am?” and “I Will Never Leave You”). The original has Alice Ripley as one of the twins (Violet, and while I still think she screams a lot, she does a great job), and Norm Lewis as Jake. If you ever want to cry, just listen to his big song “You Should Be Loved” or the above duets. Or just read about the Hilton’s lives because it’s so depressing and the musical doesn’t even touch on that. I’m forever sad this never gets awards or the long runs it deserves. It should also be noted that Alice and her fellow twin, Emily Skinner (Daisy Hilton), were nominated together for the Tony.[title of show] - okay, this show is just...fucking........hilarious. “It’s a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical...” Just a lot of silly fun and also some great quotes, like “I’d rather be nine people’s favorite thing than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing.” It also points out a lot of flaws in Broadway, like the lack of original musicals and how there are waaaaaaaay too many musicals based off movies lol. It’s a four person cast, all of whom are named after the people who originated the roles, and it manages to be just so funny and still inspirational and such a joy to listen to.Zanna, Don’t! - okay. so I get why most “oppressed group written as oppressors” stories are awful, like that whole “save our pearls” book or w/e that happened a few years back. But Zanna, Don’t was written by a gay man who just wanted to write some musicals with fun, catchy love songs for gay couples. So, in this world, being gay is the norm and straight people are the hated group. Zanna is an actual fairy (in high school) who matches up everyone in his town and never actually remembers to pair himself up with anyone. So when a straight A student and the quarterback of the football team fall in love...well, it finds a way to be cute, funny, and poignant all in one. Features Queer Eye “culture vulture” Jai Rodriguez in the title role and the show should get extra points for the line “what kind of world would this be if the football star wasn’t the lead in the musical??”In the Heights - not necessarily underrated so much as it’s just forgotten in Hamilton’s success. This tells the day in the life of people in Washington Heights. It also features a completely diverse cast and, imo, has some catchy songs that outdo some of Hamilton. If you don’t bawl while singing along to “Breathe” while stressing about failing at college/your dreams, what do you even do with your spare time? That used to be my most common activity.The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown - Idk if I can truly say it’s underrated since it really hasn’t been on Broadway so it’s never had a chance to get known...plus I think it’s popular among actual theater performers, but not enough of musical fans know about this. A lot of theater kids probably know “Freedom” and “Run Away With Me”, as the duet is a great choice for two women and shows a ton of depth/vocal prowess, while the solo can show a very tender male voice, but the show is more than those songs or “The Proposal” or “The Girl Who Drove Away”. The story starts with Sam sitting in her car. She’s supposed to be driving to college, but she’s fantasizing about driving away. She conjures up her best friend, Kelly, in her mind, and Kelly convinces her to relive her senior year and figure out why she wants to leave. You eventually find out Kelly died that year, and along the way you learn about Sam’s college applications, her boyfriend, and how lost she felt all year, all while still trying to learn how to drive. It’s so moving, and, honestly, “Freedom” is still a jam and probably does deserve to be one of the most famous songs from the show. The show might also inspire you to run away so...watch out for that. The bootleg I have is what inspire my love for Melissa, quite literally, since I had stopped watching g/lee at the time. The Boy from Oz - one of the better done jukebox musicals, since it focuses on the writer of those songs, and also is the best role Hugh Jackman will ever have. I’m sure a lot of people on my dash are familiar with Chris’ version of “Not the Boy Next Door” on g/lee. If you like it, you should check out Hugh performing that at the Tony’s. Anyways, it tells the life story of Peter Allen, whose songwriting credits include the above song, “I Honestly Love You”, and “Don’t Cry Out Loud”. He met Judy Garland and, of course, then met and married her daughter, Liza Minelli. I will never praise Stephanie J. Block’s Liza enough, she is perf. And, again, Hugh is flawless, and he originated the part both in Australia (Peter Allen’s home country) and then on Broadway. Getting to see the original cast in this was one of the highlights of my life.

That’s it for now. I’d also suggest checking out some classics. I didn’t put it on the list since it’s not underrated, but the original cast of Sweeney Todd is the best thing you could ever listen to - Victor Garber in his prime and Angela Landsbury is the forever best interpretation of Mrs. Lovett, #notsorry Patti. The movie version directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp is truly a disgrace compared to the actual version which has a legal taped version available for your viewing pleasure! You can see why it’s performed in opera houses nowadays!!! Though the video sadly doesn’t  have the original Anthony (Victor Garber) and the Johanna is bad...not that I’ve heard a Johanna I truly like. Rodgers and Hammerstein should at least be somewhat known, though a lot of their stories are like...gross. But Sondheim is pretty damn solid -- and if you didn’t know, he wrote the lyrics for Gypsy and West Side Story. A lot of people seem to not know that, but like he was making some big strides long before Company was a hit. Which also deserves a listen

[gmara4serious]

Prince and the Evolution of a Concept Cocktail

(This piece was published at http://www.abitofterrific.com/blog on February 27, 2017.)

What does the name “Darling Nikki” evoke in you? Is it the indignant arousal on Apollonia Kotero’s face as she watches The Kid’s electric writhing in Purple Rain? Is it Tipper Gore’s peculiar insistence that the concept of “masturbating with a magazine” is inappropriate for her 10 year-old child? Or is it simply The Purple One himself, His Royal Badness Prince Rogers Nelson, and the blistering guitar solo of “Computer Blue” giving way to the atonal sweaty thrusting of strings and keys that introduce our favorite “sex fiend”?

Now take all of that emotion, sweat, scent in the air and the first time your LP of Purple Rain started spinning in your grandma’s basement and turn it into a cocktail.

How?

Behind the bar, ideas can come out of nowhere: The lingering taste of a cough drop mixes with the taste test of a white wine and voila, a mint melon white sangria. It comes in clumps: one day, a vodka infused with blood orange gets added to a Moscow Mule and then three shifts later a lemon-cranberry kombucha top is added to the recipe and it becomes The Cosmonaut. Or you just think of something that might be good. You grind away at it, adding ingredients, subtracting ingredients, consulting your coworkers, giving up on it, coming back to it, and giving up again until it becomes something you don’t hate.

What I like to do, using all those methods, is work from a concept. It’s a method that will almost guarantee an endless number of deeply humiliating failed recipes, but now and again, you hit one out of the park (with a little help from your friends), and you can justify pulling a drink idea out of the ether and/or your ass. What do I mean by a concept? I’ll let the craft cocktail bible Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails do the heavy lifting:

“Sometimes a new drink will be born out of a simple stroke of inspiration, be it an ingredient, a flavor combination, a song, a movie, a mood, or just about anything else. Such cocktails, created to express a unified idea, are what we call concept drinks.”

Some may find this idea daunting, but I pooh-pooh that. A concept drink is your personal expression of an idea in cocktail form. It’s your interpretation. The only way it can be wrong is if you don’t like it. Whether or not it’s up to par for bar service is another question entirely, but I have faith in you. If this all seems very abstract, don’t worry, it is. Take advantage of that.

Here’s an example mixed in with concrete.

Prince makes me think of purple and lushness. A juiciness melded with an otherworldly sensation. Like listening to When Doves Cry with headphones on, letting it vibrate your spine out to your fingertips. His sexuality was strong, but never threatening. His music made you want to FUCK but not fuck like clocking in on a Sunday night after Westworld; Prince makes you want to fuck like you know it won’t last and can’t last, so you grind and push and lick and moan like there’s nothing in existence but your bodies.

So obviously it’s a lot to consider.

Darling Nikki makes me want to start with a strong base, something clear, steely, high in alcohol. Let’s piggyback off another Bookstore Speakeasy cocktail, the Tiny Dancer, and begin with a muddled cucumber slice and Plymouth Gin. While the muddled cucumber adds the softest suggestion of a mouthfeel, Plymouth, a classic that dates back to 1793 (it’s a breed and a brand all to itself), has a blunt smoothness that insists on its 82 proof and doesn’t let you forget it. It’s a gin for bold martinis (it was Churchill’s preferred gin) made up like a world-weary working class warrior on a dressed up night out. Plymouth is like drinking perfectly smooth plate glass; harsh rivulets of alcohol riding in your mouth that level off into clarity.

Plymouth alone as a base, however, is too cold, too angry for something like a Darling Nikki. It’s supposed to be a funky time in a spinning castle, not anonymous bondage set to German industrial music in a cold meat locker. To soften the edges without tarnishing its core, the base is split 1 to 1 with Pimm’s No. 1. For those unfamiliar with Pimm’s, first of all, my condolences, and second, Pimm’s is a gin-based lightly-spiced liqueur from England. It’s technically a “fruit cup”, a British highball drink usually topped with lemonade or ginger ale, so its low proof (50) and gently dark spice made it ideal to cushion the Plymouth from the coming waves of sweet and sour in the cocktail.

Now that I have my foundation, it’s time to furnish and design. Quick, what does this make you think of?

I think of changing teams, just for a second.

What I want now is purple complexity in the second layer of this cocktail. I go with three ingredients: first, Creme Yvette, a violet liqueur deep and rich in blackberry, raspberry, cassis, and other subtle flavorings. Second, Creme de Violette, the flipside to the same coin as Creme Yvette, with a highly floral nose and delicately sweet, almost medicinal taste. And thirdly, Lavender Simple Syrup, a cordial so simple and elegant, you’ll regret the entirety of your life when you didn’t have it: Take one part hot water, one part plain cane sugar, mix, then cover the surface with dried lavender. Let it brew for 10-20 minutes. Strain out the leaves. Done. Magic floral deliciousness. We go through quarts and quarts of the stuff at the Bookstore Speakeasy and people speak in tongues at the taste of it.

Now a quick recap: what we have is a lovely violet cocktail with the backbone of Plymouth Gin, the even spice of Pimm’s, the crisp sweet of muddled cucumber, the deep berry sweet of Creme Yvette, the floral shine of Creme de Violette, and a grounding flowery sweet from the Lavender Simple. Where to now?

At this juncture, the concoction is too sweet and juicy, to the point it would become overwhelming after three or four sips. What it needs is a hint of sour, a mid to upper level sweetness, and a touch of dry.  For the sour, we go Lemon Juice. Easy peasy. Adding lemon to nearly any cocktail will tighten the fat and trim away any excess salivation. For the upper level sweetness, it’s a little trickier. We have several heavy hitting ingredients already so what the cocktail requires is something strong in proof, a tiny touch of the astringent, and a sweetness more along the lines of an apple, rather than a berry. Enter Art in the Age’s Rhubarb Tea, a shockingly light 80 proof liqueur that tastes like your high school combination of Arizona Tea and purloined vodka from dad’s cabinet. And finally, we finish with sparkling wine. The dry bubbly ties off the top like a little bow and no garnish is necessary (obviously, don’t shake the cocktail with the champagne in it unless you want to lose an eye).

Last consideration is the glass. I settled on a martini for a touch of elegance, but a champagne flute will suit the Darling Nikki and all that grinding you’re about to do as well.

All in all, it took several hours worth of experimentation across three shifts to complete the recipe. I had a great deal of help fleshing out the finer details and flavors, so credit for this cocktail goes as much to the Bookstore Speakeasy superstar bartender Neil Heimsoth as it does to myself. It takes a village to raise a killer drink.

The only truly important part of the process is to have fun while doing it. My favorite part of the craft cocktail creation machine is workshopping with customers on a slow Wednesday night. Who doesn’t like free drinks and contributing to something new? In an industry like ours where we thrive on hard work and creativity, the real gift isn’t in the fat checks and phone numbers written on napkins; it’s in sharing warmth and ideas between the stick.

Now drink, be merry, absorb art, look at the sky, smell the sweat in the air, feel the viscera at your fingertips, and make me a cocktail.

The Darling Nikki

1 oz Plymouth Gin 1 oz Pimm’s No. 1 0.5 oz Creme Yvette 0.5 oz Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette 0.5 oz Art in the Age Rhubarb Tea Liqueur 0.5 oz Lemon Juice 0.5 oz Lavender Simple Syrup Muddled Cucumber Slice

Shake Top with Sparkling Wine Serve in Martini Glass