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wondereads · 3 months ago

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Weekly Reading Update (11/17/24)

I'm back! And hopefully I'll keep up with this once again.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (★★★★★, reread)

Ostensibly, I was reading this for my thesis, and I was keeping a close eye out for any way that Novik uses language and magic to signify power. Things like the incantation track being the most popular and certain languages being more valued. However, nothing can keep me distracted from El and Orion for long. I absolutely adore their romance, and they're such fun characters on their own too. Reading for my thesis allowed me to really get into the nitty-gritty of the worldbuilding, my second favorite part of this book, and even while annotating and taking notes I burned through this in only a few hours overall. As always, I highly recommend it!

More under the cut

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (★★★★☆, reread)

I only vaguely remembered this book from my childhood, but it remains a cute story about beauty under the surface. I think that thematically it's a bit more heavy-handed than Levine's other works, but it's still sweet. Aza is a character that is both kind and selfish, and her desire for beauty is one many young girls can relate to. The whole concept of a singing kingdom is lovely, though it does contradict Char's account from Ella Enchanted where he claims they are largely silent outside their sings. I liked the romance for the first part, but Ijori turns on Aza too quickly for my taste, and I know it's a children's book but Ivy getting off scot-free when she nearly caused a rebellion and attempted murder doesn't sit right.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (★★★★★, reread)

I mean, do I really need to say more about this book? This reread was as an audiobook, as I had a friend hostage in the car for a road trip and seized on the chance to make her listen. I had as much fun as I ever do, and the audiobook is fun. It's narrated by an older English woman, and her attempts at a Welsh accent for Howl are...not great, but her voice for Calcifer was spot-on and humorous.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (★★★★★, reread)

Another audiobook I held my friend hostage for, I stand by my assertions that this is the best Cinderella retelling out there. Ella's obedience is supernatural, but her abusive family, tough social situation, and refusal to bow her head are all things that occur perfectly naturally. Her romance with Char develops naturally and is just absolutely adorable, probably one of my earliest romances personally. I will say that for some reason they had a prepubescent narrator, even though Ella is 15/16 for the majority of the book, which, while I got used to it, was quite annoying.

The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris (★★★★☆, reread)

Yes, another reread. This one I've been working on for a while, and the influx of work I've been doing with Arthurian legend spurred me on. This book may seem a bit quick-paced and disjointed, but Morris does a great job of mimicking the style of Arthurian legend itself and the work of fantasy authors such as T. H. White. Despite being written by a man in the 90s with an almost entirely male cast, the story does its best to respect women and include a variety of characters that, even if exaggerated, rarely fall into stereotypes.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (CR: 29%)

I am being forced to take another go at this book by my thesis. I wouldn't say I dislike it, but I'm not enjoying it either. There are hints of things going on, but I need more than hints, and the main character is resolutely not picking up on any of them. The House itself is incredibly interesting, but I need more than statue descriptions to keep me engaged. I should be finished with this by the middle of the week, so wish me luck.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (CR: 4%)

This is a bit of a last-minute read for my book club. Despite the fact that I've barely read anything, I'm enjoying it so far. Miryem is already my favorite character; I love a ruthless woman. I also love that this is an explicitly stated Jewish fantasy, though I can't tell yet if it's set in our world or a world adjacent to ours. I'm excited to keep reading!

#books #reading update #a deadly education #naomi novik #fairest #gail carson levine #hmc #dwj #ella enchanted #the squire's tale #gerald morris #piranesi #susanna clarke #spinning silver

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yakuzabrainrotlive · 6 months ago

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How would you rate the 3 games you've played? I'm also on a Yakuza marathon myself.

LONG POST INCOMING!

I gotta say Yakuza 0 < Yakuza kiwami 1 < Kiwami 2. But all of them have been great; I'd say Kiwami 2 is like a 6.75/10 for me.

As a huge karaoke minigame enthusiast I was horrified to discover that in Kiwami 2 they added that weird high-pitched tambourine(??) sound effect to whenever you hit the notes.

I also prefer being able to switch fighting styles in 0 and Kiwami 1, but I did get used to the style in Kiwami 2 and had fun with it!

Kiwami 2's main plot kind of dragged it down, the end portion was kind of a.... mess in a way. I did like the Majima & Nishida bomb scene but overall I found the plot to be my least favourite. But the existence of Majima saga and the character development for Kiryu throughout the game balance it all out. I also found the new graphics very satisfying and I liked the EXP point and stats system a lot.

As for Kiwami 1 vs Yakuza 0.... I LOVED having two playable characters and all the antagonists (besides Lao Gui) in 0 were fleshed-out and I liked all of them in a way. The story was brilliant overall in both. I do feel like I enjoyed Kiwami 1's sub stories a tad more overall, though.

I ADORE the Majima Everywhere system, but I left the game kinda confused about whether it's canon or not and what kind of dynamic Kiryu and Majima truly canonically have in Kiwami 1. The main story and Majima Everywhere kinda clashed when it comes to Majima's chatacter.

I find that if I wanna go back to play the minigames (especially karaoke) in previous games, I gravitate towards Yakuza 0 automatically.

Also 0 has 24 Hour Cinderella and Judgement. Instant +100 points.

RANT OVER LMAO

#yakuza #yakuza thoughts #ryu ga gotoku #ask #yakuza spoilers

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thececeverse · 10 months ago

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THE FIRST ALBUM … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

SINCERELY is the debut album by CHOUKA AIKAWA. Released on July 26th, 2024 by Republic Records, it has since been hailed as one of the best and most unexpected debut albums of the year. The album’s concepts, subject matter, and even packaging were all praised by critics, and its release cemented Chouka as one of the industry’s newest pop princesses.

TRACKLIST … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

GIRLS DON’T CRY

CAKE

SINCERELY ! LEAD SINGLE

EYES ON ME ! SECOND SINGLE

LUXURIOUS

RETURN TO SENDER ! BONUS SINGLE

SILK ‘N DIAMONDS

CELEBRITY

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM ! THIRD SINGLE

G.O.Y.D (GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS) ! FOURTH SINGLE

HEART ON MY SLEEVE

PHOTOCARDS … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

Album of the year! Chouka truly brought girly pop music back, and everyone agreed. Sincerely—like her debut single—was a huge success. The album was announced just a month prior to its release through a video Chouka posted to her social media accounts. It featured her writing a link onto a pink card before signing it, and the same link could be found in the captions of each post. Turns out, it was a link to preorder the album. At around the same time, Chouka’s website was updated with the link, along with the album’s title and cover art.

Now this news went viral, with the term “she’s releasing an album” being Tweeted over 500,000 times. Within a week, Sincerely had garnered over 400,000 preorders, and it had hit over one million by July.

Three weeks prior to the album’s release, Chouka posted a silent video of herself in a studio in Sweden, along with a few-second snippet of one of the instrumentals to her album. The post gained over 3.5 million likes within the first 24 hours, and it garnered over two million views on Twitter.

The album’s title track and lead single, “Sincerely,” was released a day before the album dropped. Like Chouka’s debut single, this song was also a massive hit. The music video—which was shot at the Palace of Versailles and inspired by Marie Antoinette (2006), the fashion of Rococo-era France, and Madonna’s VMAs performance of “Vogue” in 1990—garnered over 40 million views within the first day, surpassing “Girls Don’t Cry.” It topped YouTube’s trending page, and topped both the Spotify and Apple Music charts. Chouka would end up breaking Olivia Rodrigo’s record, with “Sincerely” becoming the highest streamed song on Spotify in regards to first day streams.

Like its predecessor, “Sincerely” topped charts in numerous countries, and it remained atop the Oricon charts for a staggering sixteen weeks. The song was leagues more popularity online in comparison to “Girls Don’t Cry,” which—to the surprise of Chouka and her fans—led to her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Upon the song’s debut, it had sold over 300,000 units, and would go on to sell 1.5 million by mid-September.

“Sincerely” would be praised for its catchiness and sound reminiscent of early 1990s house music, with critics calling it “the 21st century’s answer to ‘Vogue.’” The song was also praised for the carefree, cheeky, indulgent, and “I don’t give a fuck” tone that it set for the rest of Chouka’s album, despite not being the opening track.

Of course, the album’s other singles also did just as well! “Eyes on Me” was definitely a crowd favorite, with many praising its unapologetic “girlishness,” comparing it to singing alone in a pink, frilly bedroom. The song’s music video was the main talking point, though, as so many people loved the references to various nineties and 2000s chick flicks, such as: Clueless, Jawbreaker, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, A Cinderella Story, Uptown Girls, and 13 Going on 30.

“Eyes on Me” would debut at No. 2 on the iTunes chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it would top charts everywhere else, including on the Billboard Hot 100 Excl. US chart. It stayed on the charts for four weeks before falling off completely.

“Strawberries and Cream” debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard chart, unfortunately not cracking into the Top 10. “G.O.Y.D” fared much better, however, debuting at No. 8 on the chart. Like before, both songs entered the Top 10 in other countries outside America.

The cherry on top was the music videos, though. They were all filmed to appear as if they were their own individual short films, all connecting to form an overarching story about love and relationships. “Sincerely” begins with Chouka writing a love letter to someone and preparing to send it off. “Eyes on Me” starts with her slipping the letter into a mailbox. “Strawberries and Cream” deals with her receiving a letter back, but it turns out to be a rejection, which causes her to tear the letter up (it turns out to be a fake version of the letter). “G.O.Y.D” (which was notably inspired by various Old Hollywood films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Funny Face, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s) has Chouka convincing herself that she doesn’t need a man and that her crush missed out, and she writes a scathing letter in return, but in the end, she decides to not send it.

Critics were in love with every MV, and Rosettes were all down Twitter absolutely singing their praises. They were praised for their clearly expensive visuals, along with the movie style cinematography, themes, aesthetics, and overall story. Each MV broke into the Top 10 of YouTube’s trending page, and each obviously received millions of views (unfortunately, though, “Strawberries and Cream” had the least).

Overall, the album was a resounding success. Fans were unsure if the praise that “Girls Don’t Cry” received could be sustained with the release of an album, especially since it was a larger project that Chouka had never tackled before. Clearly, though, she had surpassed everyone’s expectations. And, of course, Rosettes were thrilled that she finally got that No. 1 single.

STYLING … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

ERA HIGHLIGHTS … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

Girl this era was everything!

First off, the promotion for this album was heavy. Y’all thought “Girls Don’t Cry” was huge? Well, damn, this blew miss girl out the water!

Chouka was all over televisions across America, and in other countries, as well! She had an interview with Kelly Clarkson (again), she was on GMA, she was on The Zach Sang Show, she did the Buzzfeed puppy interview, she did a “What’s In My Bag” with Vogue Japan (again!), she had five hundred magazine interviews … like girl, Chouka was doing it all!

She performed on TRL for the second time, and that was just a precursor to all the award show performances that she would give.

You know how Chouka didn’t get a chance to perform at Coachella because she only had two songs to her name at that point? Well know she has twelve, and she scored a set at Lollapalooza!

She had such a blast, girl. Like the way Rosettes turned out for her was truly insane … like to the point where she was tearing up onstage. And that barely happens! She had so much fun during her set, though, especially since the fanchants were so loud and her costumes were so good! She also performed on the same stage as Melanie Martinez, so of course she got to meet her!

And of course Chouka had to do overseas promo too! Her first stop was Japan, so she was on Music Station again, she had a cute little photoshoot with Marie Claire, and she also appeared on her first variety show! Her episode was so fun like literally she’s so charming.

Japanese Rosettes have mutually decided that every time she has a comeback, they have to organize a café pop-up. So that’s exactly what they did!

Like last time Chouka went, she signed some autographs and took pictures … just had a great time!

Chouka made a stop in Korea again! We cheer! Although her music show appearances were (once again) limited, as she only performed four times, she still got to meet so many idols! They were all down her TikTok doing the “#SincerelyChallenge,” and some of the most notable were Julie from Kiss of Life, Xiaoting and Bahiyyih of Kepler, Chungha, literally every member of Haute Pink (@hauteplnk), and Baebi and Sena of Venus (@venusvity)! Additionally, she also held another fansign! Over 13,000 fans attended this one, and Chouka received so many gifts! Like literally, the back wall was covered in bouquets and pink gift bags by the end.

She had another photoshoot with Céci (she was literally on every magazine cover this era) and shot a campaign for Etude House while there, and she was supposed to appear on Knowing Bros but couldn’t due to scheduling conflicts … sigh.

However! There was news going around that Chouka had agreed to star in an upcoming drama! Rumor has it that her co-star is supposed to be Cha Eun-woo so!

Chouka was also in Brazil for Lollapalooza, too. And the vibe was even better in comparison to the US sjuwjhdhe. Like Brazilian Rosettes absolutely adored her, and her Portuguese was surprisingly good! She just had an absolute great time … she was even doing football chants with the crowd too like we love her!

After she came back to the US, she went straight to award shows. She first went to VMAs, and girl, she was literally that girl of the night. Like she was wearing pink archive Versace! She looked so good on that carpet, and she stood there and posed for so long that Jason had to drag her away jsjwjjsjs. It’s not her fault that the photographers were hyping her up!

Chouka was actually a co-host that night, and she presented an award, so rest assured that she was changing outfits like eight times. And they were all in shades of pink, ofc! She also won her first music award ever, as she won the award for Best Pop!

Like girl she beat out Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo … Rosettes were on Twitter yelling!

Her performance was towards the end since of course the VMAs had to extend their watch time (every time Chouka appears on something Rosettes will literally flock to watch it), but when it happened? Oh, the girls were simply not ready!

Taking heavy inspiration from Madonna’s 1990 VMAs performance of “Vogue,” she had Marie Antoinette written all over her. The performance first started with an extended intro of “Sincerely,” and with male backup dancers performing vogue-style choreography. They suddenly stop and bow, and Chouka comes out from backstage with four female dancers (her court, of course). Her hair is piled up high and powdered pink, and she’s dressed in this absolutely huge, Rococo-era gown! Unlike Madonna’s “Vogue” performance, though, after the start of the first verse, Chouka rips off the skirt to reveal a shorter one!

Like “Girls Don’t Cry,” subtle costume changes were very common this era, along with Chouka’s use of paper fans for every live performance. And speaking of fans, every time she did the “#SincerelyChallenge” with someone else, she would give them a fan, too! And they got to keep it as a gift. ♡

She next went to the AMAs and had a great time (won New Artist of the Year, too!), and she even got a chance to attend the MAMAs! She performed at the ceremony in Japan and had a killer dance break, and she was also reunited with Haute Pink again! They were sat next to each other at the ceremony in Hong Kong, and they were chatting the entire night. Chouka is truly their secret seventh member at this point.

The last thing Chouka did before her tour started was attend Jingle Ball! Of course, like every time before, she had fun! Rosettes turned up in droves, and they even got a little gift bag as thanks. Although not all of them got something because Chouka’s team underestimated how many people were actually going to be there … but at least there was a handwritten letter in there!

She was supposed to attend New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, but she wanted to rest before her tour. And also she spent New Year’s in London so she wouldn’t have been able to go anyways sjiwjsjjd.

Her tour (which was titled the Return to Sender Tour and girl, people noticed that!) started at the beginning of next year, and unfortunately, it was pretty short and limited only to North America, Asia, and parts of Europe (including Italy, luckily). Despite that, though, it was a cute and fun little tour! Chouka actually sold out every show on her roster, which was surprising to her but unsurprising to everyone else. Like yes, girl, people do like your music!

Now after Chouka’s tour ended, Rosettes thought that was it. However, nothing’s ever it for her snjwjjeje like y’all should know this by now!

“Return to Sender” (the tour was named that for a reason!) was released as a bonus single sometime in March, and everyone ate it up. They were so invested in the lore at this point, and since the letter Chouka ripped up in “Strawberries and Cream” was revealed to be a fake in “G.O.Y.D,” they were all wondering what happened to it! And Rosettes could finally breathe a sigh of relief since they finally got their answer.

In “G.O.Y.D,” Chouka was trying to convince herself that she didn’t need a man, but in “Return to Sender,” she knew she didn’t need one! As the title implies, in the MV, she literally sent the rejection letter back! Like she truly did not care! It actually ends in the same boudoir that “Sincerely” started off in, and it ends with Chouka writing herself a love letter instead!

It was truly such a cute little message. Rosettes were in love with her character’s progression from being lovestruck to being unbothered and okay with self-love like we love that here!

Since we got a bonus single completely out of nowhere, Rosettes were hoping and praying that either “Heart on My Sleeve” or “Silk ‘N Diamonds” would be released as singles, too. Unfortunately for all of us, though, that literally never happened. And when I tell you Rosettes were so pissed off at her, I mean it jsiwjejjdjs.

However, “Silk ‘N Diamonds” would get its flowers in due time, no need to worry!

Like “Girls Don’t Cry,” the creation and subsequent promotion of Sincerely was all covered on a documentary, which was released on Chouka’s music channel! It was shot more professionally this time and didn’t have any personal footage by her, but it was still a great doc! A lot of celebrities made appearances (such as SZA and Taylor Swift!), and throughout the entire documentary, you can tell just how well Chouka handles stress. Truly the most admirable girl on the planet.

Jason was with her every step of the way, and we love him for that. He was always reassuring her, taking care of things for her, making sure that she wasn’t overworked … like he was literally starting to act like Chouka’s second manager and she had to tell him to slow down hshejjejs.

He quite literally has a fandom of his own within Chouka’s fandom! Like he’s so beloved to the point where every time he showed up during one of Chouka’s schedules, Rosettes would cheer for him, too!

By the end of the era, Chouka held a huge beach party in Spain to celebrate a successful era, and half the industry pulled up! Everyone had to wear pink (of course shwjjdjs), and the party literally went on to three in the morning. It was just so incredibly fun, and every guest got a signed copy of the album, a box of Dior perfume, and a rose! Some notable guests were Paris Hilton, Bella Hadid, the Haute Pink girls, and Klara of Venus!

All in all, what an amazing era! Chouka once again proved that she was the It girl, and she blew everyone’s expectations out the water. Sincerely was truly one of the best and most surprising debuts in history, and fans couldn’t wait to see what else she had in store. ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

#˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ COME INTO THE VERSE !#˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ CHAR … CHOUKA !#DISCOGRAPHY … CHOUKA !#kpop oc #kpop oc soloist #kpop soloist #kpop solo artist #kpop idol oc #fake kpop idol #fictional kpop oc #fictional kpop idol #idol oc #idol soloist #idol oc soloist #idolverse #fake idol #fake idol oc #fictional idol oc #fictional idol community

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galaxysupreme17 · 7 months ago

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True Family

Regina Mills x daughter reader Swanqueen OC! x Reader!

Once upon a time, in the Enchanted Forest, a kingdom brimming with magic and mystery, Regina Mills and Emma Swan ruled with wisdom and kindness. Their daughter, Y/n, now 24 years old, was married to James Arrowswift, heir to a throne in the realm of Auradon. Their love story begins when Y/n helps her brother, Henry, find his girlfriend, Ella, better known as Cinderella. During this adventure, Y/n met James, and they soon fell deeply in love.

Two years into their marriage, Y/n discovered she was pregnant. The news brought immense joy to their families. Emma and Regina, ecstatic about becoming grandmothers, moved to the Enchanted Forest castle to support Y/n during her pregnancy.

One crisp autumn evening, Y/n went into labor. The castle was abuzz with activity as Regina and Emma prepared for the arrival of their grandchild. James stayed by Y/n's side, holding her hand, his eyes filled with love and concern.

"You've got this, Y/n," James whispered, squeezing her hand.

Regina used her magic to ease Y/n's pain while Emma stood nearby, offering support. After several hours, the room filled with the cry of a newborn.

"She's here," James said, tears streaming down his face.

Y/n, exhausted but elated, held her baby girl close. "Welcome to the world, Mallory."

Emma and Regina approached, their eyes filled with tears. Regina placed a gentle hand on Y/n's shoulder. "You did wonderfully, sweetheart."

Emma kissed Y/n's forehead. "We're so proud of you."

The family spent the next few days bonding with baby Mallory, the castle filled with laughter and love.

Four years later, they were a happy little family of three, living in a small cabin outside the main village where the family castle lay. One evening, the family was having a picnic outside when an evil villainess named Maleficent appeared. She wanted revenge on James and desired his throne.

James sprang to his feet. "Maleficent! What do you want?"

Maleficent smirked. "Your throne, of course. And I think I'll take your daughter as well."

Y/n, now 28, tried to use her magic to defend her family but was overpowered and knocked out. James also tried but was soon immobilized by Maleficent's dark magic. With a malevolent laugh, Maleficent stole Mallory and disappeared into the night.

James rushed to Y/n, holding back tears. He carried her inside, laid her on the couch, and quickly sent a distress signal to their family. Emma and Regina arrived first, their faces pale with worry. Regina immediately began to heal Y/n with her magic, while Emma tenderly brushed her daughter's hair from her face.

"James, what happened?" Emma demanded.

"Maleficent took Mallory," James replied, his voice shaking.

Regina and Emma froze, their hearts breaking. Henry and Ella arrived soon after, and Emma quickly filled them in. They devised a plan: James, Henry, and Ella would search in one direction while the guards scoured another.

Two days later, Y/n awoke, her heart heavy with grief. Regina, ever the comforting mother, held her close as she sobbed. Emma joined them, her concern evident.

Once Y/n regained her strength, the three women joined the search. Months turned into years with no sign of Mallory. Emma and Regina eventually persuaded Y/n and James to return to the castle. Time passed, and Henry and Ella married, welcoming a beautiful baby girl named Lucy into the family.

Twelve years later, Regina and Emma decided to vacation at their lakeside castle, leaving Y/n and James in charge of the kingdom. One cold winter night, they were reading by the fireplace in the castle library when the butler entered, announcing visitors.

"Visitors? At this hour?" Y/n asked, puzzled.

"They claim it's urgent, Your Majesty," the butler replied.

Curious, Y/n and James walked to the throne room, where a group of teenagers stood talking. A girl with purple hair and a boy with brown hair stood close together, a girl with blue hair next to a boy with white hair, and a boy with long brown hair beside a girl with brown hair.

As the doors opened, the teenagers turned. The purple-haired girl stepped forward, her eyes meeting Y/n's.

"Who are you?" James asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

The boy next to the purple-haired girl stepped forward. "My name is Ben. This is Mal, Evie, Carlos, Jay, and Lonnie. We've come because Mal has been having nightmares about a man and a woman who fought to keep her safe but couldn't."

Mal and Y/n stared at each other, a connection forming. Mal moved closer, and Y/n extended her hand. As Mal grasped it, both women were engulfed in a vision. Mal saw her true family and how she was taken. Y/n saw how her daughter was raised and who she became.

Tears filled Mal's eyes as she fell into her mother's arms. "Mom," she whispered, holding tight.

Y/n hugged her fiercely. "I've missed you so much, my little Mallory."

James, eyes wet with emotion, placed a hand on Mal's shoulder. "Welcome home, Mal."

They showed the teenagers to spare rooms, promising to talk more in the morning. Mal, however, refused to leave Y/n's side. They returned to the library, speaking in front of the fireplace. Mal wanted to know everything about her parents. James joined them with hot cocoa, the warmth of the drink matching the warmth in their hearts.

In the days that followed, Mal's friends returned to Auradon, but Mal chose to stay, eager to reconnect with her family. As Christmas approached, Henry, Ella, and Lucy arrived, surprised to find a purple-haired teenager wandering the halls.

"Who is she?" Lucy asked, wide-eyed.

James knelt down to her level. "That's your cousin, Mallory. She's come home."

Henry and Ella embraced Mal, joy filling their hearts. "It's so good to have you back," Henry said, tears in his eyes.

The day before Christmas Eve, Regina and Emma returned. Y/n, holding Mal's hand, introduced her to her grandmothers.

Regina's eyes filled with tears as she embraced Mal. "You've grown into a beautiful young woman," she said softly.

Emma smiled, pulling both Mal and Y/n into a hug. "Our family is whole again."

That Christmas, the castle was filled with laughter, love, and the magic of family reunited. As they sat around the tree, exchanging stories and gifts, they knew their love would always bring them back together, no matter their trials.

#x reader #once upon a time #swan queen #regina mills #emma swan #descendants #evie

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9eeeeevvvvvaaaaa6 · 3 months ago

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Got all three of those paw badges.

They´re looking good up there and the boop-o-meter is also looking good. Don´t drop it until you got it ;) .

Even thou I haven‘t participated in the first Boop event earlier this year (Ides of March, assassination/stabbing of Julius Cäsar) I am glad I can/get to do it now. Kinda suspected/hoped the return of the Boop and especially during Halloween (😈😝).

A tired but satisfied start into this day.

Might adapt this post later.

Have to spent some time away from the screen first.

............... ............... ...............

I booped some more and figured out all three "Boop-Slaps" (boop, super boop and evil boop) until the end.

Here´s my Boop-o-meter towards the end of this war:

(00:00)

vs.

(2:25 am)

Tried to change it some more but it´s fine.

It was fun. Any chances we get to repeat it? It might get old at some point but I am not there yet.

Stayed up to get last boops out and to see if/when the Boop/the Boop-o-meter vanishes and Tumblr returns to its regular form. Kinda feels like Cinderella with the Pumpkin carriage… Something is missing. Even thou it was only there for a day (24 hours ish) it brought people together and I gladly participated. Certainly a memorable experience for my first Halloween here on Tumblr.

Wondering how many boops I sent/received altogether. Are there infos regarding the number of boops you have to give/receive to get to eg. MAX, OMG, LOL, TUM BLR? Looking back I wish I had kept track of the journey aka the development of the "Pumpkin"/Boop-o-meter. It looks like one of my donuts btw. .

Anyways that leaves me to say:

#tumbr #tumblr community #tumblr newbies #2nd booping this year #war #lol #fun

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h0rnyv01d · 1 year ago

Note

0: Height

1: Virgin?

2: Shoe size

3: Do you smoke?

4: Do you drink?

5: Do you take drugs?

6: Age you get mistaken for

7: Have tattoos?

8: Want any tattoos?

9: Got any piercings?

10: Want any piercings?

11: Best friend?

12: Relationship status

13: Biggest turn ons

14: Biggest turn offs

15: Favorite movie

16: I’ll love you if

17: Someone you miss

18: Most traumatic experience

19: A fact about your personality

20: What I hate most about myself

21: What I love most about myself

22: What I want to be when I get older

23: My relationship with my sibling(s)

24: My relationship with my parent(s)

25: My idea of a perfect date

26: My biggest pet peeves

27: A description of the girl/boy I like

28: A description of the person I dislike the most

29: A reason I’ve lied to a friend

30: What I hate the most about work/school

31: What your last text message says

32: What words upset me the most

33: What words make me feel the best about myself

34: What I find attractive in women

35: What I find attractive in men

36: Where I would like to live

37: One of my insecurities

38: My childhood career choice

39: My favorite ice cream flavor

40: Who wish I could be

41: Where I want to be right now

42: The last thing I ate

43: Sexiest person that comes to my mind immediately

44: A random fact about anything

oop this is long so

1: yeah lol

2: 6

3: nope, gotta keep them lungs healthy to stay slutty

4: nopity nope, i’m so scared of saying something i’ll regret while drunk

5: again, nope 😭😭

6: recently people have been offering me kids menus at restaurants? it’s odd, idk how old they think i am but

7: no :(

8: i wanna get a star pattern on my collarbone at some point, and maybe a jellyfish on my upper arm

9: yep! regular lobe, and a cartilage piercing on my right ear

10: i wanna get a bunch of piercings, but just on my ears, i’m getting a conch piercing on my left soon

11: probs my friend sophia but you wouldn’t know her obv lol

12: it’s complicated- we’re both into each other, and weve dated in the past, but neither of us is willing to b like “let’s get back together”

13: men just casually hinting at something they’re into. it just makes my brain go WILD with possibilities

14: being mean outside of sex

15: cinderella (1950)

16: i’ll love you if you’re sweet (my standards are so low i’m sorry)

17: my friends i don’t talk to anymore

18: i’ve had two seizures, and those were probably the worst moments of my life

19: i’m clingy but i won’t admit it

20: my chin and my need for attention

21: i got that hourglass figure <3

22: i wanna be an author!!

23: i have one little sister, i love her, but she’s nuts sometimes

24: no father, and my mom is more like a big sister than a mother to me

25: any date is perfect as long as i’m with someone i love. but if i had to pick, watching fireworks together

26: people pronouncing my city name wrong, idk why

27: he’s a lil short, he’s got curly blonde hair, and he’s so sweet, he wants to be lawyer someday

28: the person i dislike most has greasy brown hair, is 5’6, and looks like he doesn’t shower

29: protecting feelings, and also i’ve lied if i thought it’d help repair friendships

30: waking up early!! i hate getting up at 6

31: “will you wake up if i send you more pictures of cats i like, or should i wait until tomorrow?”

32: ‘we need to talk’

33: i’ve gotten told i look like cinderella twice today :)) that made me feel so amazing

34: i’m more attracted to men than women, but i’ve noticed that whenever i’m into women, they tend to be really strong

35: brunettes for some reason

36: tbh i’m perfectly fine in florida

37: my laugh

38: i used to want to be a marine biologist, and while that field is still incredibly interesting to me, i think i’d rather write

39: vanilla, i’m a basic bitch <3

40: adelaide kane, shes dropdead gorgeous i’d love to be her

41: greece, because apparently there’s a ton of cats!!

42: i had a banana a few hours ago

43: chris hemsworth. on his poster for thor: ragnarok, he literally fits leonardo da vinci’s idea of perfection, so i will unapologetically be saying this

44: the blue whale is the largest animal to have ever lived

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carneflower13 · 1 year ago

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Share your fairytale AUs with the class bestie

(CRACKS KNUCKLES) alright where the hell do i even start with this

the main one i've been pretty fixated on lately is my little shop of horrors/little mermaid au with seymour and audrey. (did i make this au because howard ashman/alan menken wrote the songs for both little shop and disney's little mermaid? perhaps)

honestly i think you could put either seymour or audrey in the "mermaid" role but personally i prefer seymour as the mermaid in my au bc the plotline about sacrificing parts of yourself to a malevolent entity (sea witch or man-eating plant) in exchange for your dream life/getting to be with the person you love is a common thread in both stories (and in the original fairytale of the little mermaid AND the director's cut/stage musical ending of little shop, this deal winds up going wrong and leaves the protagonist dead by the end of the story). plus, seymour technically "rescued" audrey from orin by killing him, just like how the mermaid saves the prince.

now let's seeeeeee. i also have a majimako cinderella au that i'm pretty attached to. i read a post once about majima's plotline in yakuza 0 being almost a direct parallel to cinderella and it changed my brain chemistry honestly. it's also what birthed this au. plus he literally sings a song called 24 hour cinderella duh. so along with majima as cinderella (person forced to work for someone else who suddenly gets a chance to escape servitude) and makoto as the prince (who loses track of the person they formed a deep connection with...although makoto actually ends up finding him again in this story!!) there's also sagawa as the stepmother (but there are no stepsisters in this version bc i couldnt think of any), nishitani as the fairy godmother (because i got that idea and it was hilarious to me so it stuck) and yuki and the rest of the club sunshine crew as majima's mice friends.

uhhhhh beauty and the beast is one of my favorite fairy tales so ive made like a bajillion of those aus for various fandoms ive been in over the years. i have a majimako batb au that i like but haven't done a lot with (although im thinking to set it in the modern day rather than a more traditional fairy tale setting). i also wrote a sort of beauty and the beast-esque thing with seymour and audrey a few years ago but i reread it recently and it was cringe to me so if that idea ever comes back around it'll probably need more than a few plot tweaks.

i'd kill to have a little mermaid au with nishiki as the mermaid btw (bc helloooooooo koi imagery....pretty merman nishiki with a pretty koi tail <3) but i have no idea who his prince could be. maybe kiryu? maybe he doesn't even go up to the human world for romance at all maybe he just wants to prove a point or something idk.

anywayssss im sure i have more but i cant think of em right now and this mostly turned into rambling about half-baked ideas anyways lmao

#jess speaks #little shop of horrors #yakuza #posting my cringe on main but i am Free #if anyone wants to discuss any of these ideas or has their own ideas feel free to message meeeee

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iceiceparis · 1 year ago

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Assigning Star Rail cast the songs they would sing in Yakuza/Like a Dragon karaoke along with the cinamatics.

1. Tail - Bakamitai

He's the most unfamiliar with emotional attachment so he def the type to rather just sit in a room and drink helio-whiskey instead of showing any real affection as a green ball floating above a stool.

Of course the pictures being replaces with his moments with Huohuo in his mind cuz hes basically her family now 😭😭😭

Also its funny cuz Huohuo would be too scared to sing but the gang somehow got him to sing so she has to akwardly stand off the stage nearby so he has his wifi connection.

2. Caelus and/or Stelle Judgement -Shinpan-

Its all about breaking za law and they always say that "Rules are meant to be broken." They would be into that cheesy image of cool.

March (or even the other Trailblazer) would be in Nishiki's spot with Dan Heng or Welt as the keyboard player as they rock out.

3. Caelus - 24 Hour Cinderella

Of course both TBlazers can be interchange able but I like to think they have their own slight personality differences.

In their mind this would have a March theming in colors and outfits and who ever they first think up as the background dancers. He did this to out-idol and out-cute March, somehow gets a higher rating from the machine at the end.

4. Stelle - Machine Gun Kiss

Much like Caelus, this is her way of out-cooling Welt even though he sung a completely different genre of song. Also gets a higher rating but just barely. She especially would really ham it up especially on the end with the "aaaRRUUHHGGG!!!" like Adachi.

5. Clara and Svarog - OtoMetal MY LIFE

The name alone should be enough. Small child with a red and white color scheme with a menacing seemingly emotionless legendary guardian with a deep voice? Heck yeah it works.

First, she asked for him to participate in karaoke,

Then she asked he do the actual back up vocals instead of replaying the built in cheers. After a few songs, Svarog began to understand the energy he had to put into the vocals.

6. Sushang - The Future I Dreamed of

Both Ichiban and Sushang dream to be a hero who does good and with friends even if they have more heart than brains.

Basically are both shonen protags who hit things with metal objects with a big smile on their face and never back down even at impossible odds (unless its ghosts).

It wouldnt even matter if she could hit the notes either because she rarely sings due to her training, Sushang would put in alot of effort in her singing and that alone is enough.

7. Bronye and Seele - Like a Butterfly

Seele and butterflies, what else is there to say.

Bronya singing the softer vocals with Seele complimenting it with more "aggressive" back up matches their dynamic pretty well, also its funny imagining her going all out on a song and going "Oh yeahhhh."

8. Guinaifen - Spring Breeze

"All the pictures that I could take,

All the gigs these videos make,

None of it replaces the you that I know.

But they'll be there after you go."

I mean cmon, this is easily her singing to her SQUAD outside of her streaming stuff. 'Blazer, Sushang, Huohuo, they would all be in her imaginary MV as she sung. Would be one of the better singers in raw quality.

9. March - All Idol songs + 3x SHINE

I am certain she would be a bonafide idol if she had the opportunity. All the interjections are basically any of the Star Rail passangers minus Pom Pom unless she convinced him its an essential for the sake of the ride.

Even someone like Dan Heng would be going off with their interjections she just has that latent power.

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asteracaea · 2 years ago

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A few months ago I started joking that half of the treatments in my psychiatric practice had become “Taylor-based.” Many of my patients are adolescent girls and young women, and they have leaned on Taylor Swift as a kind of big sister through the daily agonies of being a teenage girl: unsteady friendships, the 24-hour firing squad of the internet, and of course, the endless longing to feel seen and valued. At the end of a session exploring these struggles, I’ve appreciated having her to keep my patients company the rest of the week.

But as the Eras tour steadily lurched toward our favorite city, the Taylor-based therapy issues reached a boiling point. “How am I going to stay calm before she goes onstage?” “I need to do remote today because I can’t get Covid before the concert.” “How am I going to go back to regular life once it’s all over?” They were saying they needed to calm down, and to help them do that we dug through the full bag of tricks — behavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic, existential — and explored these patients’ relationships to anticipation, to enjoyment, to self-regulation, to suffering.

I was already a casual fan. My husband has been quasi-ironically blaring “Hey Stephen” from our speakers for years, and my daughter, 9, has strong views about whether Taylor should still be with Harry Styles. But I couldn’t really understand why this artist and this tour were so powerful — and so disruptive.

And so I started listening. And listening more. And I started staying up all night refreshing apps for last minute access to the “Taypocalypse.” And then I went to the show with my daughter. And now I, too, cannot calm down.

Swiftmania is a very different kind of high from what I experienced listening to music as a teenager — a high that is worth the pain. It’s not just the plethora of songs to discover, but the nonstop Swiftie culture itself — the constant access to the music, the news, the scrolling for swag, the shout-outs on the street, the sharing of songs and lines of poetic code via text or passed bracelet — a party that is raging all day and all night.

When I was growing up, I had the Indigo Girls, Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco, singers for whom a troubled inside matched a raw, edgy outside. But there was nobody who held forth on righteous anger from the inside of a sparkly bodysuit — who suffered as I did, but whose confident prowl could make me walk a bit taller. My singers would sit outside the party and complain with you, but when you got your courage up, they weren’t going to go inside, ready for it. Taylor doesn’t force you to choose, because she is both The Lucky One you want to be, and every bit the Anti-Hero you are inside.

Who is the Swiftie? In my practice, these patients share certain characteristics. Raised on a healthy diet of kindness and fairness, she is sensitive, ambitious and a bit of a perfectionist. Like Taylor, she dresses to be pretty and cool (and sometimes, for revenge), but inside, she is in all kinds of pain. Her self-doubt perpetuates a vicious cycle in a world where she is timid and young, and others may assume she knows nothing. She’s hard-working and frustrated, and wonders if she’d get there quicker if she was a man. Desperate to experience love, she has had her moments of begging for Romeo to just say yes, or tolerating being treated badly in some situationship (you said you needed space — what??). And yet, the Swiftie strives to be the modern day Cinderella, who doesn’t remember if she has a man. She finds in Taylor Swift an actual hero who meets her where she is but also shows her the badass place she could get to — so intoxicating precisely because it is within reach.

“What would Taylor Swift do?” is a refrain among certain patients in my practice. Teenagers suffer for many reasons. One is being fragile and in formation — a human construction site. Another is being surrounded by others who are fragile and in formation. Taylor Swift articulates not only the treachery of bullying but also the cruelty just shy of it that is even more pervasive: meanness, exclusion, intermittent ghosting. She says: Borrow my strength; embrace your pain; make something beautiful with it — and then, you can shake it off.

But what is singular about this artist, in this time, is the access she has created to a cohesive community, particularly for the pandemic generation, whose social connections grew tragically elusive and for whom the internet’s offerings assumed a central role. Whatever you are upset about, the poet laureate of this generation has got a song somewhere in her mega-oeuvre describing that precise feeling. She is not going to solve whatever problem you are having, but she is going to sit with you in it until the passage of time does its work: Look at her now.

Teenagerhood taunts you to explore and perform who you might be, on repeat, and the “Eras” theme of her current tour electrifies this process. MetLife Stadium was a bacchanal of mass identification, a celebration of that ubiquitous girl who felt somewhat invisible until there were 83,000 of her, sparkling from miniskirt to concert bracelet, lighting up the night sky, and wondering: Which era am I right now? Who was I last year? And what’s the part of me that is emerging, gaining complexity? The eras offer a reassuring developmental trajectory that includes them all. You may dress up as 1989 party girl, but it’s understood by everyone here that you are also heartbroken and rageful and forgiving and brave.

We will all eventually calm down, but for now I am leaning in to this fever dream, this restlessness, and sleeplessness, and decline in focus on anything else — a champagne problem perhaps, but also a gift. Sometimes it’s good to let yourself be disrupted, to be a little less productive, to stay stay stay in an enchanted place as long as you can. Especially when there is someone new in your life who shows you colors you can’t see with anyone else.

My patients have their own dedicated professional to listen to them for 45 minutes a week and work with them to identify complex feelings and unhelpful patterns. But few teenagers have access to this kind of support. It’s confusing to be human and to be female, and I’m glad, both for my patients in their midnights, and for their populous, shimmering community, that they have someone so articulate, so generous, and so endlessly present to talk to.

#what a beautiful piece 💗🫶#eras tour

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news365timesindia · 2 months ago

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[ad_1] Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chairman and Champions Trophy (PC: X) If you speak to sources within the International Cricket Council (ICC), one thing is certain. It is very clear that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has little or no support within cricket’s governing body. The writing is on the wall for them. Either they can accept the hybrid model or give up on the Champions Trophy hosting rights. Dig deeper, and you will know that the other boards are now prepared for a Champions Trophy without Pakistan. The broadcasters will be compensated, and the ICC is more than ready to carry on if the PCB continues to play hard ball. Pakistan, on the other hand, stand to lose close to 65 million dollars, a sum that it can’t really afford to give up. In the brief ICC meeting that happened on Friday afternoon, the PCB clearly understood what is likely to happen. Now, it is their call. If they accept the hybrid model, the ICC will meet again on Saturday. If they don’t, there could be a decision in the next couple of days which could go against Pakistan. Based on what has happened in Pakistan in the last few days, the PCB is in no position to stand firm or bargain. And every other board knows it. India controls the purse strings and has enough money to take care of the broadcasters if the PCB don’t turn up. The wiggle room, or room for posturing, is diminishing by the hour, and now it is for the political establishment of Pakistan to take a prudent call. The PCB’s tough stance was based on two assumptions. First, it had assumed that if Pakistan threatened to withdraw from the tournament, the ICC would find it tough to go ahead with it. And second, it needed to show a firm stance to its own people in Pakistan. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here Pakistan Cricket Board (PC: X) Sources confirmed that all the boards are now aligned that the tournament can and will go ahead without Pakistan if they continue to play hard ball. All of them are united behind the BCCI, and there is absolutely no support for the PCB within the corridors of power. Also, if the tournament does go out of Pakistan, will the PCB be able to rally its own people? What impact would it have on Pakistan cricket and the players if the tournament was completely taken away from Pakistan because of ego issues? A prominent cricket portal had reported that the agenda for Friday’s ICC board meeting included a third option: Holding the tournament in Pakistan without India taking part. The ‘source’ for that news must have been abusing some pretty potent substance because an ICC tournament without India is as likely as the pumpkin playing Cinderella. Every cricket board knows which side their bread is buttered. India’s millions of cricket fans and the revenue they bring are that butter. For the BCCI and the ICC, it is now wait and watch for 24 more hours. If the PCB agrees, the ICC board would reconvene and things will move with immediate effect. If it doesn’t, the ICC will regroup and take a harsh call. Back-up plans are also being worked out, and all of these decisions will be taken in the next few days, in time for Jay Shah to take over as the new ICC boss. The truth is that Pakistan is trying to turn a blind eye to existing geopolitical realities. They haven’t been able to curb terrorist activities within their borders. Secondly, they don’t have the numbers within the ICC board to take on the BCCI. So, it is only a matter of time. Either they will accept the hybrid model and move ahead, or see the entire tournament taken away from them. Pakistan now runs the risk of being timed out if it doesn’t act fast. And a number of other countries are eagerly waiting for that to happen! Also Read: Champions Trophy: Overwhelming support for hybrid model, Pakistan stands isolated in ICC The post Pakistan Cricket Board to get a reality check and possibly lose Champions Trophy hosting rights appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

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news365times · 2 months ago

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minty-marshmallow · 10 months ago

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Once Upon a Crime [Spoiler Warning]

So, this is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood I assume? I love how overly dramatized Japanese dramas are lol, like why is this woman crackling like that haha?

What a strange lady, and why use magic that you're not even good at lol. Something tells me this was a set up though. So, who is this lady? Why is she out here in the forest like that? Oh, so it's Cinderella.

Little Red is quite observative and smart though.

[I also just realized this is a movie and not a series lol]

Yo, is she crying or laughing? (actors/actresses who can't really cry are annoying to be honest lol but whatever) Wait, she's supposed to be ugly? The actress is so pretty though.

OMG, the step-sister just killed the pigeon like that!? That's crazy!

So the dresses will run out of magic before the shoes do though. I wonder if that will be important? Maybe, it will play out with how the original fairytale goes, and that's how the prince finds Cinderella.

Why is the mouse man laughing like that? That's so ominous. Dang, that just scared me lol what did they hit? Oh...shit they hit a person...is he dead? I mean I guess that's what you get when you let a mouse drive a carriage.

Well, he is dead, but they didn't kill him. So I wonder who did? Poor Cinderella does have a good heart she wants to report it but Little Red doesn't want her to miss the ball. Also why she gotta make an evil face like that?

Well, their dresses really stand out, don't they? I guess the witch didn't get the dress code memo haha. Oh, Margot isn't there, I wonder if she committed the crime? What woman that disappeared?Also, the prince is quite handsome.

Oh no, the body was found and they're probably going to be accused. Little Red is right though, they can't just leave because that's just like seeming guilty.

Well, at least they are doing a pretty good investigation I suppose. Naw, that's too easy of a theory for a movie bruh lol. I don't think Anne did it. Plus, we're not even halfway through the movie yet.

So Han wasn't even really a good guy, he was kind of a jerk. So Anne was sneaking around though lol, but I told you she didn't do it. I don't think the Prince did either though. Okay, so he threw the crown away...so what lol. [I love Japanese shows they're so funny to be honest]

Aww, he really loved the maid. I wonder why she left though? The king says it wasn't because of him, so I wonder why. Look, Little Red does have bad timing but she's got a point. They need to move on with the actual investigation, not try and fix their father/son relationship at the moment. It's good that he didn't give him the mirror. I feel bad that his own father accused him of killing Hans though. I genuinely feel like he wouldn't do that. I mean he might have been upset about being blackmailed and stuff but I don't think he seems like the kind to kill.

Oh, evidence is piling up against him though. Oh is that creepy person that snuck in, is that the missing maid? Hold on, why is the stepmother trying to divert the blame back to the prince? Didn't she want Anne to marry the prince? So why is she trying to put the blame back on him but discounting this lady's testimony?

Lol, that was so quick. Little Red is smart though. But also I think she's just lucky too because she just happened to find the bramble from his clothing. Anyway, I hope that the creepy lady is the maid and that she and the prince can get married.

Okay, so they didn't solve the murder and he's just letting everyone go. Their magic is about to run out lol. I wonder if the prince is going to end up with Cinderella or the maid? If the stepmother doesn't shut up about her daughter Anne...good grief.

So she did leave her shoe like in the story. So, the magic doesn't run out if it's not on her person? Oh, wait...the shoes will last for 24 hours. I forgot that part.

Ah ha, I knew it! I said I thought Margot did it. However, she says it's an accident. Okay, so someone hit her and then set her up to make her look like the killer. This is very interesting.

Well, Little Red didn't lie. She never said she would help her. Margot just kept spilling out the truth. That's a piece of a glass slipper, right? Plus I knew she didn't actually kill Hans.

Wait, what did she figure out? Because I'm kind of confused.

Aww, the prince came to find Cinderella just like in the story. Okay, look in the back of my head I was wondering if Cinderella killed him. Now, I'm bout to find out how and why. Well, I mean I still don't think she intentionally meant to kill him. She didn't want her hair cut and the dude was really creepy. However, I guess it was worse to try and cover it up.

I feel bad for Cinderella though. She did kill him but I don't think she meant to. Aww, I'm glad it was Remi and I'm glad that the prince and her got to reconcile and get married.

So, they gonna make this into a series or what? lol I'd like to see more.

#once upon a crime #japanese movie #japanese movie review

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thalenteot17 · 1 year ago

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Mental Health-care is the Cinderella of healthcare

Seems we have a glass half full/glass half empty kind of situation here, but we know the famous story of Cinderella and from today’s topic we get that Mental Healthcare is an ignored and overlooked beauty, or you might be optimistic and say it was that hidden beauty that is now coming out to notice, overshadowed by its siblings of other areas of healthcare.

It depends on your perspective on these kinds of things.

As I am sure you know mental health has become closely linked to the physical state, with the former affecting the latter, Governments of most countries have noticed this and have come to realise that mental health does in fact have a big role in their people’s lives, and eventually the state of the economy. This has caused a move towards more appreciation of this area of health, if you go to countries like Sweden, Germany, and France you will see what I am talking about.

In fact, these countries are the top 3 best countries in Mental health, with South Africa being in 18th place, I know, surprising right, we are in the top 20 😊, This classification is based on hours spent on leisure, the greenest countries, average temperature, average rainfall and my favourite factor, Government expenditure. Looking at those factors, I am sure you already get why South Africa is in the mix; our Rainfalls. We have the second most amount of rainfall in a year.

Before you start thinking that mental health is the Cinderella who comes from that lovely family, raised by her parents with love and loved by everyone. I am afraid to say good times never last and possibly never exist regarding mental health. Of these countries mentioned above, France is the leading country in government expenditure, which allocates 15% of its health budget to Mental health care. That is an impressive allocation, and maybe Cinderella in France is wearing her magical beautiful clothes and dancing with Prince Charming, but is this enough, when Depression and anxiety are on the rise when we are just ending Covid, and when people lost their loved ones, isolated from family members and all that anxiety that came with the pandemic and the lockdown.

Bringing it back home, to South Africa, as we know from Mnr. Joe Phaahla’s 2023/24 Health Dept Budget vote on 09 May 2023, only 5% was allocated to Mental Healthcare. Now I may not be able to speak for France, but I can for South Africa. South Africa is well-known for its high levels of violence, poverty, unemployment, inequality, and absent fathers in childhood, Need I continue!

All these are drivers of mental illness. Clearly, Cinderella here is left at home cleaning as a slave, not fed, not cared for whilst the other health care fields are out dancing for the ‘prince’.

Research indicates that the number of people succumbing to mental illness increases every day, and of those, only 27% of them receive treatment, meaning the other 3 quarters do not, and this is for several reasons, including but not limited to:

Shortage of mental health specialists, here again, we see the abandonment of Cinderella as our practitioners shy away from this field.

Stigma behind mental illnesses

Lack of understanding of mental illnesses

Lack of resources

Drug influence

The list is endless, but to continue with my point.

Our community-based care is also incapacitated, which sadly is supposed to be the healthcare’s defence against disorder, and by the time these mental illnesses become mental disorders requiring hospitalisation, we have already failed at the primary care level.

After the 27% are treated and are at discharge, there is no one who wants them back in the community or family, which makes their support structures weak, and more susceptible to a relapse.

As a country, we still have a long way to go in terms of mental health care, and I believe we should reach out to everyone, The Government cannot be a country on their own but requires unity and solidarity till ‘Cinderella’ gets her Happy Ending.

For a list of support services contacts visit: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sadag.org%2Fimages%2Fpdf%2FSADAG-newsletter-jul-2018.pdf&psig=AOvVaw23KO2A2xYjMkcQ9V5g_Qmn&ust=1693683669817000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJDgp76VioEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ

And today I leave you with this meme from the (Most) Simply Life

stop the stigma of Mental Health, guys. It’s not fair on her!

References:

Cooper, W. (2022, December 13). Countries with the Best Mental Healthcare In The World-Mapped. William Russell. https://www.william-russell.com/blog/countries-best-mental-healthcare/

Department of Health. (2023). South African Government. https://www.gov.za/speeches/minister-joe-phaahla-health-dept-budget-vote-202324-11-may-2023-0000#:~:text=The%202023%2F24%20budget%20allocation,1%20billion%20in%202023%2F24.

Mashatile, P. (2023). SA depressingly low on mental health. Mail and Guardian. https://mg.co.za/news/2023-04-30-sa-depressingly-low-on-mental-health/

University Counselling Centre [@UofOCounseling]. (2021, November 18). Mental Health Stigma Can Sound Like. Twitter. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FUofUCounseling%2Fstatus%2F1461348969506750465&psig=AOvVaw1UmloAoK-RJldG6CHqTGZl&ust=1693686194621000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBIQjhxqFwoTCMDP4fGeioEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

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