#american gods plays in familiar territory

[samsno1]

Liberty or Life

Billy Butcher x Gn!POC!Reader

hello i fucking suck at titles? anyway, i wrote this at the beach while i was getting tanned because i never found a butcher fic with this exact vibe so i said "yk what, imma write ts"

ill maybe do a part 2 if i feel like it

Sumary: The reader finds something about Liberty and wants to check it out. Butcher thinks it's just too easy to be true.

Warnings: SPOILERS THE BOYS S2, english isn't my first language, kinda mean butcher but he means it well, poc!reader (wrote it with latinos in mind but i didn't mention us especifically so dig in), use of y/n, HURT/COMFORT, blood, violence, gore (?), cursing (i mean its the boys), hom*lander mentioned (yes he gets a fucking warning), i didn't make the reader speak neither spanish nor portuguese, up to ya, i had no idea how to transcribe his british accent but i did my best. NOT PROOF READ

WC: 3.3k

You can learn how to change the "Y/N" for your actual name here

if you enjoy it please lmk!

Of course it was a trap. A fucking trap.

While confined in your apartment, searching more and more about Stormfront - AKA Liberty - after the encounter with the poor woman that ended up losing her brother to her hands right in front of her eyes you found a clue, something that could help take her down.

According to the document you spent the whole night reading with several cups of coffee and a killing migraine, there was a file hidden in a building close to Vought's that gave away all the racist behavior of Liberty's past (and present). It would be more than enough to make the people mad.

Hell, it made you mad. An immigrant trying to bring down an incredibly popular Supe, who would definetly get rid of any of your people out of North American territory? Definitely a perfect situation for your ass, not dangerous at all.

But still, if not you and The Boys, who? Even if Butcher's focus wasn't her it was for you, as a personal offense.

You knew racism wasn't foreign in the Superhero industry (or in the United States as a whole, you lived it constantly) but executing people of color is borderline a genocide and it was happening right under the peoples noses. God, praised even.

You scoffed at the screen of your computer and picked up your phone to call either Butcher or MM about what you found, to see if they could back you up on the mission.

You dialed Butcher first, putting your cell to your ear as you got up from the chair, your legs needing a stretch, as you walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge to get a beer. It is 6pm somewhere you thought.

As you popped open the can the familiar british accent hit your ears and you subconsciously smiled to yourself.

“Wha’ d'ya want, luv?” He asked, voice gruff, clearly woken up by your call. You imagined his tousled hair. Maybe he was shirtless.

“Did I wake you?” You asked, taking a sip of the bitter drink on your hand, the alcohol much appreciated in your stomach.

“Maybe” He said and you could hear the teasing smile on his face.

“I'm sorry, I just called to say I found something on Liberty…Stormfront…whatever her fucking name is” You clarified as you mindlessly play with the seal of the beer can with your index finger “There's a building nearby that hides some documents about her, y'know, the shady stuff. I wanted to go there tonight, see if I find it”

You hear shuffling in the other line with a grunt, assuming he was getting up from the bed – or wherever he was sleeping.

He didn't speak for some moments letting you hear his bare feet walking around his apartment.

“I don’ know abou’ it Y/N, how'd ya even find those?” He asked, his voice hesitant.

“Butcher, I'm a hacker and Vought's system sucks ass compared to what I've already done” You explained “I just got in, easy”

You can't see it but he bites his bottom lip on the other line. He was still skeptical, would it really be that easy to find stuff on a Supe like Liberty? He knew your abilities, hell, he admired it but he was always extra careful when it came to you.

“Really?” He asked and you could feel the way his eyebrow raised and you scoffed “Okay, I'm jus’ doubtful, Liberty hasn’ been talked abou’ in ages an’ ya find stuff…easy?”

“What, lost faith in my abilities?” You teased. You finished your beer and threw the can in the thrash, it hitting the bottom of the thrash with a loud thud “C'mon, it will be easy. In and out”

“I'm not sure it's a good idea, luv” He said and you frowned, sitting on your island in the kitchen, your feet dangling off the edge.

“Y'know I called to warn you I was going, not to ask permission, you ain't my father” You mumbled with the intention to let him hear it, the tone in your voice serious “Just wanted to know if you wanted to come with”

“Nah” He replied, his voice loud and clear over the phone and you make a shocked confused face to yourself. Did he not want to keep you company? “Ya ain't going, it's risky. It looks too easy. Nothin’ with these cunts’ easy” He said firmly and you scoffed in disbelief.

“Uh, yeah, I am, alone or with you, I'm busting into that building” You said just as firmly as he did “You know how I feel about that racist cunt” You cursed. The more time you spent with Butcher, the more you started using his British vocabulary. Cunt was the most common but Bullocks also came with from time to time.

“Of course I know but still, we have to be smart abou’ it” A tip of anger laced his voice. He often got pissed at how stubborn you could be and this was one of those times.

“I'll be in there tonight. Goodbye Butcher” You said and turned off the call, not wanting to hear him going on and on about your ‘recklessness’ as he called it, scoffing and smashing your phone down on the island beside you, running a hand through your head.

You liked when Butcher was caring towards you, it was what made you start catching feelings for the man in the first place, but sometimes he just treated you like a kid, as if you could do nothing without him lecturing you beforehand.

On the other side, Butcher groans angrily as he notices you turned the call off and he throws his phone on the bed. “Fucking ‘ell” He curses to himself as he rubs his temples with his thumb and index fingers.

He knew you wouldn't drop it. You were a force of nature, but impulsive. Sometimes he loved it, sometimes he hated it.

This was time he wished you just listened.

The feeling in his gut that something wasn't right remained for the whole day, his head barely able to focus on anything else as he was too worried. Worried about you.

At about 8pm he was nervously biting on the side of his thumbnail trying to ignore his phone besides him as he told himself over and over he should call you to see if you were fine. The other (minor) side of him telling himself he should drop it. You were strong, you could pull it off and he didn't want to bruise his ego giving in to your stupid idea.

Fuck it.

He checked his phone to see a message from you. The address to said building. He smiled to himself and shook his head. Maybe you weren't so stupid after all.

He grabbed his keys and put on his black trench coat and a gun in the waistband of his jeans.

As he closed the door behind him he rushed to his car, wondering if you were okay or if something happened.

At the thought of you hurt he hurried his feet on the pavement to get faster to his car. To get faster to you.

He drove above the speed limit after he tried calling you 3 times, all going to voicemail. He cursed to himself as he arrived at the building and took in the sight in front of him.

The windows were busted and, as he got in, he could clearly see bullet holes on the walls and his heart started beating faster in his chest. Please be okay, please be alive, I can't lose you too.

He moves through crumbles and remains of the walls, taking his gun in his hand and moving slowly, aware of any danger.

The more he walked without any sight of you, the more worried he got.

As he went down the stairs to the basement he heard a low groan and his eyes widened and his whole body turned towards the noise.

The basement was a complete wreck. Shelves down on the ground, glass and books everywhere.

Then he saw you and his heart sank to his stomach. You were sitting down against the wall, a huge stab wound in your side where your hand was trying to keep pressure, which clearly wasn't enough as he took sight of the amount of blood beneath you and in your hands.

He took a quick look around and rushed to you, kneeling in front of you. He took notice of how pale you looked but still, at least, half conscious.

He held your shoulder with one hand and pressed the other over your wound making you wince in pain. His face was serious, angry. He didn't know if it was at you or at whoever did this to you but he was livid.

“What the fuck did ya do?” He asked through gritted teeth, not expecting an answer but you put your hand over his forearm, the blood staining his coat and smiled. You fucking smiled, that beatiful smile that could make Butcher melt from miles away.

“You came” You said, your voice low and hoarse and then you went into a coughing fit and Butcher held you to his chest.

“Easy, easy Kid” He said as he took a deep breath so as to not get emotional. He took your hand and pressed it over the bloody wound “I'm gonna need ya to keep pressure in this while I get ya out, c'mon”

You nodded weakly and pressed it as hard as you could while his other arm wrapped below your knees and lifted you up, the movement making you hiss.

He carried you out as quickly as possible as he placed you in the backseat of his car as he went to the driver's, turning the vehicle on and sprinting back to his place.

At the feeling of being safe, the adrenaline started wearing down and you were suddenly very tired. Your eyes closed as you felt your consciousness slip away and then you didn't feel anything anymore.

When you woke up again you were laying on a bed that wasn't yours, in a room that wasn't yours. Your head was pounding and breathing hurt and you let out a groan.

As your vision focused, you looked around and took in the place until your eyes caught a glimpse at someone on a chair besides you. Sleeping, with his arms crossed over his chest, was Butcher and you started remembering what happened.

You mindlessly put your hand over the neatly done bandaging in your stomach and looked at Butcher again.

“Butcher” You said, your voice low and weak. The man besides you stirs awake, his eyes opening slowly.

As he notices you're awake he gets up and places a hand on your forehead hurriedly, breathing deeply as if it was a relief seeing your eyes staring back at him.

“You're awake” He said, looking between your eyes.

As you looked back up at him guilt started pooling in your heart and you looked away, you smiled sadly.

“You were right” You mumbled and he pulled his hand away from your face and sighed angrily. He brushed a hand trough his face, his nostrils flaring up.

He didn't say anything, just stared at your bandaged wound, lost in thought, so you continued talking.

“They jumped me, some people that worked for Vought. I knocked some down but one of them caught me. Thay ran away after that, leaving me to die, apparently” You explained, still refusing to look at him “I'm sorry.”

At that, he looked at you again and you looked at him. He was angry and sad, his face gave it all away and you felt small under his stare. Maybe because you were laying down but still, you felt helpless.

“Why didn't ya fuckin’ listen to me” He said, his voice low, apparently calm and that was the most scary of it all. You preferred that he yelled at you, screamed in anger and never looked at you again then to act like this.

“You– I fuckin’ told ya” He said squinting his eyes as a hand goes to nudge at the wound and you grunt as he aplies pressure to it “Look at where your stupidity gotcha”

Tears prickle at the corner of your closed eyes as you grab at his wrist to pull it away from your skin, your own hand covering the bandage protectively as you glare at him. You knew you fucked up but what was going on with him?

“What the fuck Butcher!” You exclaim through your teeth as the pain eases away “I know I should've listened to you, I already said I'm sorry!”

“Sorry don’ cut it!” He finally yells at you, making you shrink as he points a finger at your face. “When I arrived the color on your face was gone! You were basically dead as I carried ya out! There was blood everywhere, Y/N”

He turned his back to you, and sighed loudly. If it was possible, smoke would be coming out of his ears.

You felt your eyes water. He seemed more than angry and you hated that you were the reason that he felt like this.

“How long was I out?” You asked lowly as you forced yourself to sit with your back against the headboard, making a face at the sting in your belly.

“About 52 hours” He replies, his back still turned to you and your eyes widen in shock and look at his back.

His head was down and his hands were both on his own waist.

You nodded even if he couldn't see you, more so to acknowledge it to yourself. As you let the information sink in, Butcher leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

He couldn't let you see the tears forming in his eyes as all his thoughts went back to your limp body on his arms and the hours he spent beside the bed, holding your hand and talking to you while you were in your coma. He wanted to hug you, hold you and he couldn't bear the idea of losing you. Not when he hadn't told you anything about what he wanted from you.

How everytime you looked at him with those bright eyes he felt like he could drown in them, how your smile was the reason he got out of bed every morning, how your voice was like a beautiful tune that was hypnotizing. How your lips always provoked his deepest desires to emerge.

Seeing you bleeding broke him apart further then it should've and that scared him. He had sworn to never care for someone this much since the last time he felt this his heart got torn to pieces by Becca.

He shouldn't. He couldn't.

But he also couldn't help that every time you touched him he felt his skin warm up and his heart accelerate.

He pressed his forehead to the shut door and mentally cursed himself over and over again, he didn't know what to do until he saw the handle turn and the door slowly open.

You opened the door, a hand on your waist to ease the pain as you looked at him teary eyed.

He made a confused face with slight worry but then you choked out a sob and threw both of your arms around his neck and started to cry against his shoulder.

Butcher was shocked until his arms eased themselves around your lower back. One hand rubbed up and down as he felt your tears wet his shirt.

“I was– so scared” You admitted, shaking with your sobs and gripping his shirt tightly under your fingers to make sure he wasn't going anywhere. “It was so cold. The only thing that kept me breathing was when…when I looked at my phone and you– you were calling” You sobbed harder after each word, your body trembling.

“When you left voicemails…I was happy because if I…” You swallowed “If I died I would at least hear your voice one last time”

His grip around you tightened and one of his hands went into your hair as he adjusted your head into his chest, his jaw above you as he closed his eyes. He felt a tingle in his heart at your words, a spark of love lighting itself up in bad weather.

“Shh, you're fine now, you're ‘ere, alive, I'm 'ere” He whispered comfortably as you kept crying and he thought of all the things he wanted to tell you.

“And I know I was stupid. That I– That I should've listened but I want her dead, I want Homelander dead and I just–” You choked “I just wanted to have control over something, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry”

He gently swayed both your bodies side to side, a comforting hand rubbing at your scalp. Butcher didn't say anything, just letting you get it all out until your breathing calmed down.

The tears had stopped flowing and now you were just sniffing, your cheeks puffy and your eyes red. He grabbed both sides of your face and pulled you back to look into your eyes, a hint of a smile on his face.

“Feel betta’?” He asked and you nodded slightly and he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before looking into your beautiful orbs again. “I'm sorry too, luv, I really am”

You opened your mouth to protest but he silenced you before you could speak.

“I shouldn’ have said those things t'ya, I was just– Angry, but not at you” He gently brushed his thumb over your cheek, drying a stubborn tear rolling down your face. “I was angry at myself”

Apparently you made a face at him because he gave you a thin-lipped smile.

“I was angry because I knew you were going anyway an’ I let'ya go alone. If I was there, this wouldn’ have happened”

He took a deep breath before continuing.

“I was scared that I'd neva see ya smile again, see your beautiful eyes look into mine, hear your stunnin' voice” He hugged you again, his hands wrapping you in a warm embrace. He didn't want to let you go in fear this was a dream and he buried his face in the crook of your neck before finishing.

“I was scared I would neva be able to tell ya tha’ I love ya” He mumbles in your neck as his arms tighten around you and a shiver runs through you.

William Butcher loved you.

Your hands grabbed at his shoulders and pushed him back lightly as you looked into his eyes.

Your expression doesn’t give anything away and Butcher starts to feel sick as he thinks he's going to be rejected. He prepares for impact.

Then you smile.

Your smile wide because you feel warm. Warmed by his love. Diferently then the cold night at the building.

Your hands travel up to both sides of his face as you pull him in. You go slowly, waiting to see if he'd pull back but he surprises you with a strong, passionate kiss, making you gasp in surprise.

The world feels small around you as his hands grab at your waist, careful not to hurt you as you pour out every feeling you bottled up through the years in that kiss.

And Butcher was consumed by you, by every single inch of you, by every part of your being. Your voice was a melodic chorus to his ears, your lips a river to which he was drowning in, your body the perfect fit for his.

When you pull away from each other with rushed breaths you're still smiling, your hand caressing his beard covered cheek.

“I love you too” You whisper and Butcher smashes his lips against yours again, making you giggle in surprise.

Now that they had each other it was them against the world. Nothing could tear them apart because they were made for one another, the flames of their souls dancing together in a single rhythm.

They didn't know or didn't feel it but ever since the first time they had locked eyes the destiny made their paths merge into a single one at one point in both their lives. And this was it. Two souls bound, forever.

☆

☆

☆

A/N: Notes and reblogs encourage me to keep writing. Feedback makes those writings better. Thank you very much for reading. Xoxo

[madraleen]

Moriarty the Patriot - Ryōsuke Takeuchi & Hikaru Miyoshi Volume 6-Chapter 64 "It's not you, it's me" turned to "ASJFSDF": A Commentary

[tldr; i got so very bored reading the anime-covered parts, but once new things were introduced, i got excited again.]

-v6 is anime territory, i have nothing to comment.

-i'm halfway through volume 8. really, i have nothing to say, all this is anime territory, i know it. i want to get to the new stuff.

-william is such a sweet professor tho

-*chokes* "HEY PROFESSOR DID I PASS YOUR TEST"?! SHERLOCK YOU DIRTY MINX

-i see sherlock and william are adopting a son (bill)

-sherlock's cigarette fell off his mouth when william told him to survive "sherlock," and you know what, relatable 

-i'm speed reading, i just want to get the anime stuff over with. i feel like i'm not experiencing anything new story-wise or visually-wise and i'm losing interest.

-i wonder how guilt-ridden "i can't forgive myself/i want to die" william gets by in the remaining six volumes.

-i really do like that louis who's so william-obsessed betrays william to protect him.

-sherlock's apology to john, peak apology.

-i like william's reasoning "i wanted to get rid of the devils, i became a devil to do it, therefore i have to get rid of myself too." makes it grounded and convincing

-william visited sherlock to tell him to kill him and they're two seconds away from blushing and confessing their love. john playing matchmaker without knowing it

-bold of liam to assume that with this kind of letter sherlock wouldn't move heaven and earth to save him. profiling-sherlock: 0-1.

-i'm excited again. anxious even, even though we're still on the bridge, familiar territory

-sherlock making his wedding vows as liam hangs down the bridge

-"sherly"

-"when did you guys get together?" "well, we were falling down this bridge into the thames to certain death and..."

-that hair tho. damn, sherlock! don't ever tie that hair again, what

-SHERLOCK LOOKS SO GOOD WITH THE LONG LOOSE HAIR I CAN'T GET OVER IT

-louis must be dying inside wanting to know if his brother is alive too

-goddamn sherlock's face is so soft when he realizes william is on the bed next to him after he comes to

-sherlock getting worried and protective over his damn man, he's giving it his all here, i wish william were conscious and seeing this

-who is this american ray of sunshine?

-ah i see, billy the kid. the third william-related name in the manga.

-the US department of justice saved them, i see

-MY GOD, SHERLOCK'S FACE, HE'S SO SOFT FOR WILLIAM

-oooh, i can't wait until louis tells us how he actually feels

-i can hear you/see you speaking, sherlock, but the words don't register, all i see is the mermaid hair. THAT HAIR

-awww louis is thanking sherlock for saving liam and staying with him <3

-yes, fred, i hope we can ALL see him soon. (*william)

-it's nice seeing louis being his own person, making decisions, doing action stuff, it's cool. he does look so much like liam sometimes, but also very different

-louis ffs, all you have to do is yell at moran "BROTHER IS ALIVE."

-THANK YOU for clarifying that, moran's hand is prosthetic, okay.

-all these reunions and partnerships are so heartwarming

-WELCOME BACK TO THE FOLD, MORAN!

-now i feel bad about little william, that's such a high pedestal to be put on by albert.

-interesting how albert sees ~the original sin as his, not william's.

-albert's pov is very interesting. it's nice to see him get so introspective

-ffs william, just get into the goddamn tower and save this older brother of yours from this anguish

-oh bb william, how are you? are you doing well?

-albert: “hello, brother, i'm glad you're alive, but whoa you must be suffering living in this world with your sins, huh?” *facepalm* this is probably not the welcome william expected. not even william.

-this is so sweet, the william-albert discussion. it's so honest and heartfelt and they are so deeply connected and care for one another

-idk, i love it when characters go from "i intend to die" to "i intend to live on." 

-i like how it's "i needed this time to reflect and understand, otherwise atonement would be meaningless," it explains the three year gap and gives everything weight.

-YES, REDEEM YOURSELVES TOGETHER, DO IT TOGETHER WILLIAM AND ALBERT NII-SAN, WELCOME BACK TO THE FOLD LIL WILLIAM

-oh lil bb william burying his face in his big brother's chest, my heart

-dude this is a beautiful reunion, well done

-yes, let's go to louis :)

-sherlock sent a letter to john to let him know he was alive?? how considerate!

-the sherlock-john-miss hudson is also a sweet reunion

-WE'RE ALL HAVING DINNER WITH THE MORIARTYS? A MEETING OF THE FAMS?! ASKLFSDGNJ THAT'S TOO MUCH EXCITEMENT

[gedeonburkhard]

FROM GEDEON

Award-winning actor Gedeon Burkhard stars opposite Brad Pitt in the much anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. Burkhard plays American Jew Sgt. Wilhelm Wicki who serves as a translator for Pitt’s character. Some of his other film credits include: The Last Train (directed by Joseph Vilsmaier), Melodies of Spring (directed by Martin Walz), Golden Times (directed by Peter Thorwart) and Making Up (directed by Katja V. Garnier).

Burkhard is the recipient of the Best Actor Bavarian Award for his work in Acting It Out and also received a Romy for Best Actor for the acclaimed his television series Detective Rex, which went on to sell to over 140 foreign territories. In addition, he also helmed a successful television series Alarm for Cobra 11 that aired in 120 countries.

Burkhard’s success in film and television has catapulted him onto the main stage in one of the most highly anticipated movie releases of 2009, Inglourious Basterds. IFQ caught up with Burkhard on the eve of the film’s premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

IFQ: You play opposite Brad Pitt in the much anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. Without revealing too much about the film, can you tell me about your character Sgt. Wilhelm Wicki?

Gedeon Burkhard: He’s a Basterd! One of 8 Jewish American, Nazi killing predator’s, in a world gone awry. Especially for Jews! As far as his history goes, he was born in Austria, immigrated to America in the early 1920’s, became American and was one of the first in line to go fight when the US entered the war. Aside from killing and mutilating, he also translates for Brad Pitt’s character, Lt. Aldo Raine.

IFQ: You are an award-winning star of consecutive top-rated television dramas in Germany and over 120 territories worldwide, as well as starring in many films in German-speaking territories. How did you cross over and score a supporting role in Tarantino’s film?

GB: Ten years ago in Vienna, I come home from a night shoot and find one of the greatest Directors of our time, fast asleep, on my couch. As it turns out, my girlfriend at the time, Emma Hickox, and Q are old friends. Actually, one of the characters in Inglourious Basterds is named after her late father and director Douglas Hickox. One year later in L.A., Quentin tells me about this character he has me in mind for and then, very generously, gives me eight years to prepare for the audition.

IFQ: How did you prepare for this role? Were you previously familiar with the old school WWII epic films?

GB: When I was 11, working on a miniseries dealing with the rise and downfall of the Third Reich, I was confronted with the subject matter for the first time. Since then I have played a Jewish prisoner picked from a concentration camp to act in Jud Süss (Anti-Semitic propaganda film) and a Jewish boxer fighting for his family’s survival on the way to Auschwitz. So since a lot of research was already in place, I mainly concentrated on playing around with knives, handling guns, slitting throats, scalping and so forth. As far as WW II epics go, any existing gaps where closed by Q’s weekly screenings during preparation.

IFQ: What was your initial reaction when you first read the script? While shooting, did Tarantino make everyone stick to the script or was there any room to improvise?

GB: My initial reaction was, God I can’t wait to see this! And, who do I have to kill to be in it?! I’m not quite sure about the order. Who, in his right mind, would want to change a Quentin Tarantino script? You’re just happy to be one of the lucky f***’s chewing his dialogue. But Quentin is the easiest going Genius I ever met and he is always open for someone bringing something to the table.

IFQ: How was the experience working with Tarantino himself? What’s his working process like on set?

GB: A film set is always the realm of organized chaos and to me, Quentin is King Arthur and Merlin wrapped into one! So being one of his chosen Knights, I naturally look to him for direction and guidance, which he readily gives. But Quentin also likes to let you run free in his magic castle; his only demands are devotion to the cause, passion and concentration.

IFQ: What was it like working alongside such a diverse cast: Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Samuel Jackson, Maggie Cheung, Julie Dreyfus and Diane Kruger? What was your rapport like with them on the set?

GB: I never had the pleasure of meeting Maggie or Samuel. Quoting Quentin, Brad’s not a star; he’s a planet! And still he manages to be nothing but inspirational and a pleasure to be around. He is a wonderful colleague whose huge talent just drags you along, making you be the best you can be. Eli is a great buddy, but on set he was also our boss, Sgt. Donnie Donowitz! So if you mishandled your weapon, on or off camera, he chewed your ass out! Julie and Diane are both gorgeous, inside and out! I didn't have the honor to work with Julie but Diane, who I worked next to for weeks, was an endless fountain of entertainment and laughs.

IFQ: How do you think the German population in general will react to the film? Will they be able to separate history’s past and appreciate it as an entertaining film on its own merit?

GB: Quentin has managed to deal with this difficult subject matter in a way that gives everybody in his right mind the possibility to access and partake in the story and the ones that don’t, can as far as I’m concerned go F*** themselves!

IFQ: You have worked on both German-speaking and American films. Can you compare and contrast working on German-speaking films/TV and the USA/Germany co-production film Inglourious Basterds?

GB: Crew size and Production value. Aside from that, everybody is trying to do the same thing: make a good movie!

IFQ: Can you tell me how your educational background has allowed you to play both American and German speaking characters?

GB: Being an impossible child and always getting kicked out of schools was, not at the time but in retrospect, a good thing. It led to me being educated, first in England and then in America, giving me the gift of two languages and two cultures.

IFQ: Since Inglourious Basterds will premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, will we see you there?

GB: Since I have never been to the Cannes Film Festival, you can bet your ass you’re going to see me there this year!

IFQ: Any upcoming projects?

GB: I just finished shooting a film called Mazel. It‘s a Jewish take on My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

[golyadkin]

I absolutely adore this, what made you choose those titles for the books? - @casimirt

To be honest the main inspiration was me looking at my bookshelf going "what's plausible for the bookshop" but there was some thought put into it lol. As follows (long post ahead):

Frankenstein - man plays god, creates living thing he hates, abandons that thing, thing grows to hate his god and seeks revenge. Both parallels to how god treats humanity in GO as well as Adam's relationship with Satan in S1 (especially with the monster in Frankenstein comparing himself to the original Adam)

M*A*S*H - comedy about a war zone; innocent bystanders trapped in the goriest parts of a war they don't believe in trying to make the best of it. Sound familiar? (let this be your sign to watch the show)

Crime and Punishment - man commits a crime, convincing himself it's justified if it makes things easier for good men, but then has to recon with the guilt and horror of what he has done

John le Carre - author of a series of spy novels. Felt appropriate with Az and Crowley's roles in the war and Crowley's love of spy stuff

The Brothers Karamazov - deals heavily in questions of god, morality, and free will

Hitchcock and Cinema - I misremembered the title of the book Hitchcock and Art: Fatal Coincidences, which is a book about the cinematography of Hitchcock movies and how they relate to or reference famous art pieces. Partly in reference to the cinematography of the show (which had some great shots) and the arrangement of my own drawing which... yeah...

Mr. Punch - picture book by Neil Gaiman, mostly there for the Gaiman brand but also it's a beautifully illustrated book dealing with damaged memory and learning the authority figures in your life aren't always good people

Bury the Lede - a graphic novel about a journalist interviewing a murderer; there for the title and how Az and Crowley tend to conceal things from each other, especially where Heaven is concerned

Canon - both the canon of the show and the original meaning of canon as it relates to religion; not a book, just needed something on the spine

Vile Bodies - book about the socialites in England post-WWI and how their relationship with the world changes at the outset of a new war; in the movie adaptation, Bright Young Things, Michael Sheen plays a character called Miles who, in the midst of enjoying a hedonistic lifestyle, is forced to flee the country or be arrested for his sexuality following the betrayal of his lover

Oxford English Dictionary - should've been an encyclopedia or a French-English dictionary but it was late and I was tired

Great Gatsby - more hedonism post-war; Gatsby is constantly trying to regain the affection of a woman who loved him in the past but she can't be with him

Our Kind of Traitor - another John le Carre novel about spies; the title here works for both of them as they've both betrayed their sides

Neverest - a thriller novel about an expedition a woman takes to find her missing husband's body after he disappeared climbing Mount Everest; obsession with finding an answer leading you knowingly into dangerous territories (God doesn't like it when you ask questions)

American Gods - this one feels pretty self-explanatory; Gaiman, Gods, Earth as a battlefield (this is a great book, read it if you haven't already)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - newcomer to a psych ward stirs things up a la Jim at the bookshop; but what's also in the book but not in the movie is a HUGE theme of questioning reality, danger being translated into something otherworldly, persecution, and the strict dictator who sets all the rules and can strike you down if they so please (this one is great too, but be wary going into it if you ever read it, there's a lot to be conscious of)

The Voice of the Night - two best friends, one good and one bad, and the slow temptation of the good one to do a very bad deed; morality and obsession and the realization that good and bad are not as distinct or simple concepts as they seem (similar vibe to Strangers on a Train)

The Underpainter - I read this in high school and have very little memory of it tbh, but it dealt with obsession with the past, the horrors of war, the grief of loss, and struggling to connect with humanity while both desiring that connection and deriding it; it's also about love

House of Leaves - I'm reading this one now so I'm not done yet, but it's already said a great deal about God, humanity, and the nature of a labyrinth that I feel applies nicely to the ineffable plan

Obviously these aren't all super relevant to GO, but I hoped to keep it within the wheelhouse in one way or another. I wanted as much as possible to keep it to fiction novels and things that could feasibly be in Aziraphale's bookshop. Looking back I should have added Jane Austen and maybe some Shakespeare, but I'm happy with what wound up on the books

Just a little temptation

[screenwritinggym]

Ye-Kanye West - READ THIS IMPORTANT LETTER - Save yourself from Segregation in the western finance world.

Hey Ye-Kanye,

Here is a short poem written by me:

Title: "Dealing With People Who Don't Listen!"

"It's like holding a treasure map, showing the path to untold riches, yet everyone prefers to navigate their own uncharted territories. I've mapped out the routes, marked the shortcuts, and highlighted the pitfalls to avoid, all in their best interest. But it's as if my advice is whispered in a crowded room—lost amidst the chatter of impulsive decisions and fleeting trends. If only they'd lend an ear, embrace the guidance, they'd uncover a chest of wealth within reach. But alas, my words drift away, unheard in the cacophony of missed opportunities.

"It's like being the conductor of a financial symphony, waving the baton of wisdom while everyone dances to their own tunes. I've got the score for success, the secret melody to turn dimes into mountains of gold. Yet, they opt for the off-key tunes of "get-rich-quick" schemes and "play it safe" refrains. If only they'd tune in, follow my financial sonata, they'd waltz into billionaire status in five years. But alas, my advice echoes in an empty amphitheater of ears closed to the sound of prosperity."

"In the shadows, where ambition sleeps, Lurk those who embrace what lethargy keeps. They shun the toil, the sweat, the grind, Letting fortunes slip, leaving dreams behind.

Sloth, the sin that whispers soft, Entwines them tight, their will aloft. They lounge and watch as chances fly, Their potential fades, a muted sigh.

While dawn breaks with promise bright, They linger in the comfort of night. Wealth, a distant mirage they yearn to clasp, Yet idle they stay, in the slothful grasp.

Oh, lazy souls, with riches at bay, The price of inaction, they'll rue one day. For opportunities, like waves, will depart, Leaving them stranded, with an empty heart."

End of the short poem.

I hope this message finds you well. I've been thinking a lot about black struggle in the finance world of America; our discussions on navigating the finance world as a black man, especially considering the challenges of racism and segregation in Europe and America. I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

Imagine breaking free from the confines of familiar shores and stepping into a world where opportunities soar higher than skyscrapers. From 2024 until 2035, you should leave the American territory. Leaving the USA territory for a decade-long adventure in Hong Kong could be your ticket to liberation from the shackles of racism and segregation in the finance world. Here's the scoop: immersing yourself in a new culture means meeting minds from diverse backgrounds, altering your perspective, and embracing a world where the sky's the limit. Think about it—being a multi-billionaire by simply taking this leap, trust in GOD, you will become a winner in Hong Kong, you will never lose again, only wins from now on. You will work hard to build your wealth and fortune in Hong Kong. Your work ethic is on par with the greats like Elon Musk, and in Hong Kong, that drive will pave a path to success. Picture days filled with relentless work, collaborating with Asian, Russian, and Chinese billionaires. They'd line up to work with someone as driven and dedicated as you. It's a chance to redefine your life, Ye-Kanye, and emerge not just wealthy but with a global network and a transformed worldview.

Here is a list of Billionaires in Asia and Russia:

List of Russian billionaires, click the wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Russian_billionaires

List of Chinese billionaires, click the wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_billionaires

List of Chinese billionaires, second link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_by_net_worth

List of Indian billionaires, click the wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_billionaires

List of Indian billionaires, second link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indians_by_net_worth

You can call these billionaires once you settle in Hong Kong and they will be your business partners in Asia.

Don't forget to call your friend Jackie Chan, he is from Hong Kong and he will be honored to protect you in Hong Kong. Don't hesitate to call Jackie Chan. Here is his wiki, click the link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan

America's landscape isn't always welcoming to someone like Ye-Kanye, and you've witnessed firsthand the segregation and biases here. You've seen it, acknowledged it. Yet, here you are, living in this environment. It's time for a change, a departure from a setting that might not fully embrace us. It's akin to the journey of those seeking freedom, reminiscent of a true pioneer. Perhaps it's time to consider a different path, to explore opportunities beyond these boundaries, similar to what a 'field negro' seeking liberation might do. It's a daunting yet potentially liberating choice. Do you think it's time to pack your bags and seek a more inclusive environment? It's important to acknowledge the barriers and biases that exist in these regions, affecting opportunities and growth. But it's equally crucial to explore alternatives that could offer a more inclusive environment for your aspirations. That's where Hong Kong comes into play.

Hong Kong is often dubbed as the NYC version of Asia, bustling with opportunities and a vibrant business landscape. It's a hub for finance and commerce, offering a more cosmopolitan and diverse atmosphere than some Western counterparts. The business prospects here are promising, and its multicultural setting might provide a more level playing field compared to what you might have encountered elsewhere.

Regarding your concerns about family and your children staying in the USA, it's fantastic that Kim is a devoted mother who will undoubtedly take great care of them. Your presence and involvement in their lives won't diminish, despite being physically distant. Thanks to modern travel conveniences, regular family meetings can be arranged in Tokyo or Hong Kong. Kim's support and willingness to facilitate these gatherings will ensure you stay connected with your children, creating memorable moments despite the distance.

Making this shift might feel daunting, but it could open doors to a world of possibilities for your professional and personal growth. The move to Hong Kong could offer a more inclusive environment to thrive in your career while maintaining a strong connection with your family.

I'm here to support you through this transition or help with any information you might need. Let's catch up soon and delve deeper into this exciting possibility!

Best Regards,

Your friend. Black Putin.

[laura-apexart]

Day 25: 8.1.23 

Tonight is a full moon and rainy rainy day here. 

Claustro de San Agustín photojournalism exhibition El Testigo

Takes place in the Devenir University “a biocultural project engaging in the process of an Amazonian territory becoming a university.” Like most of the museums or cultural spaces I’ve visited, this one also has an incredible courtyard in the center lush with plant life.

There are two massive videos on the ground floor filmed in the Amazon rainforest, the orientation of the indigenous communities toward centering plant life -non human centric understanding of the world and learning through experiences, fieldwork, physical engagement, an oral tradition of story telling vs western focus on knowledge desire to catalogue and classify and record and document.

On the second floor is the exhibition of photo journalism which are incredibly poignant and sharp

Powerful.People holding up photos of family who has gone missing or were killed. Images of the cemetery. Military men using a person's shoulder to prop, rest their gun on.

Video of men in hazmat suits digging up bones from unmarked trails in the jungle.  

A young girl, maybe 6 looking through a shattered windowpain -her eye lining up with the bullet hole. A room of photos focusing on protests and demonstrations In simon de Bolívar square.

The Devenir University is located in the complex of Municipal/government buildings with lots of -Military on guard —I hear music/drums and sounds familiar from the military Parade music and when I leave the building, I follow the sound and see that the military marching band is practicing and this seems more interesting than the military parade itslef because I like watching their bodies shift from rigid and uptight to relaxed and resting in between sessions. I also like the formalism of their bodies against the backdrop of imposing marble buildings.  I want to film but don’t out of fear that I’ll get stopped or yelled at and am feeling too tired to handle that. 

In the late afternoon I have a Craft Beer Tour with Tasting

I am the only one which is funny but also nice because I get to just chat with the Guide–Gabriel who reminds me a bit of a friend-I tell him that this is a tour a would not sign up to take myself but he is a great story teller and very knowledgable and I realize that this is another way, angle, perspective of learning about the history of the city.  

We meet at the Cranky Croc Hostel in La Candeleria neighborhood and opens a bottle of beer for me and asks me to look at the brail number on the inside of the cap–I have the higher number so if we were at the store, he would buy the beer–a game him and his friends and other Bogata people play. He studied language and told me that when studying English his class was asked if they wanted to learn British or American phonetics–they chose American. 

Grew up on caribbean coast of Colombia and Venezuela and we spoke a bit about the politics of moving between both countries and the tensions. 

He also told me a story behind one of the indigenous ceremonial fermented drinks of Bogota first? made by the Muisca originally called Fatcqua but now called Chicha made of (apple, sugarcane, (spit) water and corn) —when the spaniards came the Muisca thought they were gods because they had guns which were like thunder and so they gave the colonizers whatever they wanted and they drank the Fatcqua and werent used to the corn in their bodies/diet and ran to the bushe with  diarirhea–and the Muiscas yelled Chicha Chicha–and the spaniards thought that was the name of the drink but really it was Diarrhea.

We talked about the culture around eating mombe as a social activity and the “Circle of Words”–emphasis on the oral tradition here, how information is transmitted through storytelling and not written down (which makes me acutely aware of this  process of listening to the guides, trying to hold what they say while having an experience, knowing that I must write it down, that much of what I write will omit certain details and maybe even botch up histories and facts etc and limited perspective.

[lord-radish]

I was a weeb when I was a teenager. I really liked slice of life shows like Kimi Ni Todoke and K-ON, and I especially enjoyed anime OSTs.

I put anime OSTs on a pedestal because they were usually composed in a very deliberate, analogue-sounding way - lots of orchestration, heavy use of leitmotif and rearranging music tracks with different instruments to communicate a different mood.

I'm listening back to the Kimi Ni Todoke soundtrack, and I'm noticing kind of a... cheap, synthy quality to some of the music? And some of the big emotional "drops", like this loud, melancholy violin on a song called Starlit Sky, are on the nose to the point of being cheesy. So the effect has diminished after all this time.

That being said, it was still food for the brain and the soul when everything I saw on TV had very wispy and borderline unnoticeable incidental music. You don't see a lot of American shows or movies with a score that stands on its own two legs alongside the thing it's scoring, at least not any more. Anime's heavy focus on the music helped me become more interested in music in general y'know, whereas the only music in American media that really gripped me was licensed music - actual pop music that record labels were selling, not the incidental stings and stuff that were composed specifically for the show.

And sure, comparing the music of something like The Blacklist or The Equalizer to something that's meant to be bold, bright and aimed at general audiences like a cheery, optimistic anime is like comparing My Little Pony to a movie like Battle Royale. But there's definitely something about an anime OST that's just meaty and meant to be consumed on its own merits as much as it's meant to support a show or a movie.

That's not to suggest that there's a defined split between American stuff using licensed music and Japanese stuff using a stronger original score, though? Like just off the top of my head, there's a Japanese movie called Linda Linda Linda about a high school band playing Japanese punk rock hits, like the titular Linda Linda by the Blue Hearts. And the movie 5 Centimetres Per Second incorporates a popular song from 1997 into the score called One More Time, One More Chance - it eventually uses the song wholesale, but there are multiple songs that use the chorus's progression as a sort of leitmotif.

Honest to god, the most recent American thing I remember seeing with a strong sense of musical motif was Illumination's "Sing" using Golden Slumber by the Beatles throughout pivotal scenes of the movie. That's probably just an indictment of me and my media tastes - though I was working in a cinema when I saw Sing - but yeah.

I was listening to the end song of the Garden of Words too, another Makoto Shinkai movie, and when it was released as a single it also had a b-side by the same singer. Totally unrelated to the movie, but I think it was used as promotion for the musician's own solo stuff. And that had me thinking about music labels in Japan and how album sales factor into merchandise sales for stuff like TV shows and movies - because merch sales for stuff and licensing rights and stuff in Japan is kind of nuts, at least from what I remember.

I know next to donkey dick about any of that stuff though, at least any more, so that's just waffling and thinking out loud on my part.

But yeah, for all of the familiar territory it treads, there's still something really unique and special about anime OSTs. American shows, imo, focus a ton on licensed music - Boston Legal, Scrubs, Daria, Eli Stone etc. Maybe live-action Japanese shows focus more on incidental and licensed music too - I don't really know. Rather than a direct comparison, I do want to say that it's more of a comparison between two different streams of media I had ready access to when I was younger. But yeah, idk.

Anime soundtracks aren't perfect, they can be hokey, generic and corporate in their own ways. But man, what a breath of fresh air after a lifetime of music in shows and movies that didn't seem to care.

[doberbutts]

I'm not so familiar with Evangelicals, I was raised Mennonite and funny enough Mennonites do not play nicely with any of the other cult-y Christians except kind of the Amish but just because they'reore or less cousins and older Mennonite and Amish families are actually related. I was raised to think that Evangelicals, Mormons, Jehovah's Witness, Messianics, and Catholics were all various flavors of heretical cults and not "really" Christian. It's funny to me because Mennonites have more in common with them than they think but they refuse to admit it.

Certain branches of Christianity period certainly could fall under "death cult" territory, and some have actually succeeded in at least amassing a large zealous religious gathering and then committing mass suicide. There exists to this day Christian cults that are really just glorified compounds where little girls are forcibly married to adult men in an attempt to hasten the Rapture. Some branches of Evangelicals support the fighting going on in Isreal because they believe if the world's Jewish population all gets deported to Isreal then the Rapture will begin, and you can't fit that many people in Isreal if "usurpers" (Palistinians) are there too. Other branches of Christianity believe that the world's Muslim population needs to be completely killed off and all traces of Islam erased from existence in order to bring about the Rapture.

It is not just an Evangelical thing- Mennonites don't go this far but my very Mennonite school taught me about some of these cults. Most of them are within the region we call the Bible Belt but not all of them. They continue to exist because *technically* they're not breaking any laws and the huge grey area they're able to exist in is really chalked up to claims of religious freedom. Some of these states don't have adequate mandatory minimum age for marriage or will waive age of consent concerns if the parents of the little girl sign her care over to her new husband- meaning he's now her legal guardian and can do whatever he wants with her and more or less owns her until she's old enough to legally marry, at which point she's been so heavily groomed to want this that of course she'll say yes to marriage. He's not supposed to be having sex with her prior to her hitting the state's age of consent but... how likely do you think these households are actually staying chaste?

(That's normally how those that do get caught, get caught, because someone fucks up and gets her pregnant waaaaaaaay before he's "supposed" to and it lets the government step in at that point, but a lot of these cults also don't believe in modern medicine and thus won't take their pregnant women and girls to the hospital 🤔 for some reason wholly seperate from this I'm sure 🤔)

There's even a couple Christian cults that literally genuinely believe that the head priest *needs* to cum in every fertile womb possible- including those of young children- because during sex he gets possessed by the spirit of Jesus and thus his children are all blessed and have his godlike powers etc etc American Christians get REAL fucking weird the moment you start looking at the extremes. Mennonites aren't an American thing, however. They're German, and though they predate the Nazis, European Mennonites did lean heavily into their German roots during Hitler's time. The Amish are technically Swiss, after the German Mennonites heavily influenced the church there fleeing from religious oppression via the Catholic church. So there's weirdo Christian cults in Europe too, and those too weird for European laws to tolerate come here instead.

The Amish and Mennonites don't really care so much about the Rapture- it's an inevitably to them, one day the world will end but it will happen in God's time and nothing Man can do will change that. They believe most of the book of Revelations, which depicts the Rapture for nonchristians reading this, has already happened in the Roman sack of Jerusalem in about 70AD and it's all metaphor and allegory. The only thing they're really waiting for is Heaven and Earth as one, Jesus coming down from the clouds and welcoming his children home, and there's no death because it's everlasting life, your earthly body no longer needs to expire in order to reach Heaven because it's comingled with Earth now. And they run the spectrum on the Isreal issue, and have your stereotypical allergy to treating Muslims with respect but the doctrine acknowledges that they worship the same god. So not really death cult, and thus viewed as mainly harmless and quirky compared to some of the other examples I gave above.

America has a weird relationship with cults where they’re terrified of small cults (or organizations they think are cults) but completely normalized massive cults that hurt many more people (eg: LDS Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Amish, Scientology, most Megachurches)

[the-lightbulb-and-the-octopus]

The Library At Mount Char...

... or the book I was apparently waiting for.

Actually, I hyped myself so much with this book. I bought it like... around Christmas 2020? Maybe even earlier. And I didn’t read it because it seemed like a good book. I’m noticing a pattern here...

Anyway! First thing first, I read the French translation and it was good. Also I think that the French summary is better than the English one, if only because it’s shorter and much more mysterious - which fits the story, trust me.

I think it’s classified as urban fantasy and horror at least? As the notion of horror can greatly differ from people to people, I’ll just say that I didn’t feel it. As for the urban fantasy, there are ‘magical’ (Carolyn would be so against that explanation) elements in a modern world so it ticks the boxes. But there are a lot (really, I stress it. A. Lot.) of potentially triggering things in there so... be ready. It’s not soft, it’s not lighthearted.

As for my feelings... I loved it. I lack the words to express how much fun I had. The year is only beginning, but I doubt that I’ll read anything better before it ends. The plot is dark and twisted, the characters are so morally objectionable and yet so relatable and you’re constantly playing with the story to see if you understand where it wants to take you (don’t worry, at least one character is as lost as you are). Everything is so strange, so different but it all makes sense on its own in the end. For my mind, that’s good writing.

[tameila]

May Week Two-Week Four Albums.

 May 9th: New Again, Taking Back Sunday

familiarity: we are now entering the territory of TBS albums that I have not heard yet

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: New Again, Summer, Man;  Swing, Where My Mouth Is, Cut Me Up Jenny, Capital M-E, Carpathia, Everything Must Go

May 10th: Taking Back Sunday, Taking Back Sunday

familiarity: happy birthday to me! we’re breaking into the self-titled album today.

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: Faith (When I Let You Down), Sad Savior, Since You’re Gone

May 11th: Happiness Is, Taking Back Sunday

familiarity: Funnily enough, when I was studying abroad in Ireland back in 2014, I checked in on TBS and - instead of checking out all the albums in between this one and the last one i remembered - i jumped straight to this one. don’t regret it! this album feels like a slight turn from their older stuff, but it was a direction i really enjoyed and it reminds me of long, evening walks around the University of Limerick’s campus.

favorite(s) before/after listen: Flicker, Fade; Stood a Chance, Beat Up Car, It Takes More, Better Homes and Gardens, Like You Do, Nothing At All

standout lyric: the bridge and outro of “Flicker, Fade” is [chef’s kiss]

May 12th: Tidal Wave, Taking Back Sunday

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: Homecoming, I Felt It Too, Call Come Running, I’ll Find A Way To Make It What You Want

May 13th: Dance Fever, Florence + The Machine

familiarity: [bangs on pots and pans] new Florence album!! NEW FLORENCE ALBUM!!!

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: King, Free**, Choreomania, Girls Against God, Dream Girl Evil, Cassandra, Heaven is Here, Daffodil, My Love

standout lyric: the bridge of Free, my friends. that’s what it feels like to be a creator of any media of art. that’s just the meaning of life right there.

May 14th: Monsters, The Midnight

familiarity: discovered The Midnight through Julien Solomita. he uses their song “Good in Red” a lot on his streams, and I would highly suggest their Horror Show EP. it’s an album for driving at dusk with the windows down. figured, since I enjoyed it so much, might as well check out an album!

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: ((gonna be honest with you. i am filling each of these days out right now and i usually like the songs that i like the most on spotify so that i remember but i don’t have any liked on this album. but i remember enjoying this album so i think i just thought the whole album was a vibe overall. maybe, someday, if i have an extra hour, i’ll relisten and update this with specific songs but...until then...I’ll just give it a thumbs up!))

May 15th: Preacher’s Daughter, Ethel Cain

familiarity: No familiarity with the artist but I ran into a tiktok on my fyp that included a snippet from the scream in Ptolemaea and I was like,”Sign me up!”

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: American Teenager, A House in Nebraska, Family Tree, Thoroughfare, Ptolemaea, Televangelism, Sun Bleached Flies, Strangers

standout lyric: "What I wouldn't give to be in Church this Sunday / Listening to the choir, so heartfelt, all singing / God loves you, but not enough to save you / So, baby girl, good luck taking care of yourself”

May 16th: Back of My Mind, H.E.R.

familiarity: I am going to see my favorite boys, Coldplay, on the 28th, so we are officially entering the preparation stretch of the month. H.E.R is one of Coldplay’s openers. Also, should be noted, I will be skipping the song on this album that features a certain abuser.

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: We Made It, Damage, I Can Have It All, Slide

notes: Since I am getting to these write-ups so late, to the point that the concert has come and gone, I can say that H.E.R was amazing on stage. This album was pure R&B, which I enjoyed, but she was up on stage, shredding on the electric guitar and playing the drums and just rocking out. Loved that style from her!

May 17th: FANDOM, Waterparks

familiarity: had an extra day in my concert preparation to slip in a random album. I know Waterparks from their song “I Miss Having Sex But At Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore”, a Scanlan Shorthalt anthem, but felt compelled to check out the rest of this album after hearing another song on a playlist. also, i gotta be real here. didn’t realize that this album came out in 2019. it has the vibe of the mid-00s emo/punk scene.

favorite(s) before listen: I Miss Having Sex But At Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore

favorite(s) after listen: I Miss Having Sex But At Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore, Watch What Happens Next, High Definition, Telephone, Turbulent, [Reboot]

May 18th: Gallows (Deluxe), DRAMA

familiarity: another one of Coldplay’s openers.

favorite(s) before listen: N/A

favorite(s) after listen: Barely Friends, Falling, Missing

May 19th: Parachutes, Coldplay

familiarity: ah, and here it begins, the album where my love for Coldplay began. I used to “steal” the CDs for this album and A Rush of Blood To The Head from my dad’s car and listen to them on our 5-CD boombox in the basement. I listened to “We Never Change” with all the wistful melancholy that a prepubescent child can possess.

favorite(s): Since I love Coldplay and they are My Boys™, I feel entitled to wax at length about my feelings on each album. because I have opinions. That being said, there are only two Coldplay albums that I consider to be true “No Skips” albums and Parachutes is very close...but not one of them. I would still highly recommend it to be listened to from start to finish. There’s no true “duds” on this album, just a couple songs that take some warming up to. While Yellow is, of course, a classic, I would pick a live version of it over the album recording any day. my personal favorite picks from this album are...Don’t Panic (one of their best and my favorite from this album), Shiver, Trouble, We Never Change, Everything’s Not Lost

standout lyric: "Oh, all that I know / There's nothing here to run from / ‘Cause yeah, everybody here's / Got somebody to lean on”

May 20th: Harry’s House, Harry Styles

familiarity: Taking a break from Coldplay to check out the new Harry Styles album

favorite(s) before listen: As It Was

favorite(s) after listen: As It Was, Music For a Sushi Restaurant, Late Night Talking, Little Freak, Matilda, Day Dreaming, Keep Driving, Satellite

standout lyric: not a lyric, but the outro to As It Was where, after the bridge, he brings in wedding bells...that shit changed me fundamentally

May 21st: A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay

familiarity: remember when I said that I only have two Coldplay albums that I consider to be perfect? This is number #1 out of the 2.

favorite(s): There’s not a single song on this album that I would ever dare to skip. This album should be enjoyed front-to-back often and with reverence. Not only are these songs all amazing on the album recording, but this album is best known for having the most songs that are staples to Coldplay live performances to the point that I was disappointed when songs like In My Place and God Put a Smile upon Your Face were not included on the setlist for their current tour. That’s the problem with having a 20+ year discography. You can play a 2-hour long show and still not be able to fit in all your best hits. In particular, those two aforementioned songs MUST be enjoyed alongside their live versions. God Put a Smile upon Your Face, especially. I love this album so much that I even struggle to pick a favorite. I long dream of them embracing this sound again but, at the same time, you could never replicate this album..Just...You Gotta Listen To This Album. That is my platform. That is my truth.

standout moment: I think I’m gonna hand my honorable mention to the bridge of Politik. life-changing bridge. Also, See You Soon, a song from this era that was never officially released but has a live recording is one of my absolute underrated Coldplay songs. Highly recommend.

May 22nd: X&Y, Coldplay

familiarity: notoriously the most hated Coldplay album by Coldplayers. if someone names this album as their favorite, it’s one of the most surefire ways to out yourself as not really listening to Coldplay. that being said, this album holds a lot of sentimental value to me and, as such, I think quite a few songs that I love like Low and The Hardest Part would be scoffed at by more reasonable fans.

favorite(s): My favorite from this album is Swallowed in the Sea. It’s attached to be a very specific and personal childhood memory for me, and I am very protective of it. I think we all have a song like that. Which is to say, seeing it crop up on Fjorester playlists all throughout CR2? Drove me mad. How dare you reduce it to a simple love song when it means so much more than that!! Other notable mentions from this album are X&Y (listen, and listen close, the lyric is “YOU become my best friend” not “SHE become my best friend”. Coldplay uses gender neutral pronouns more often than not which is why they are beloved among the queer community, you fools!!) and A Message.

standout moment: When the bridge hits in A Message and Chris’ adds on, with absolute devastation and heartbreak, “And I love you, please come home” to the chorus lyrics. yeah. We should talk about it more.

May 23rd: Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, Coldplay

familiarity: and here we have it -- the second perfect Coldplay album. I may be biased because this is the era where I saw them in concert for the first time and when I actually felt like I was a part of the Coldplayer community, but I think every song from this era -- Prospekt’s March and all the B-sides -- are worthy of praise as well. though I could take or leave most of the “remixes”. After X&Y, this album was a huge comeback for Coldplay. X&Y almost tore them apart, and every inch of this album is built on togetherness and love between four best friends who chose each other and the music they loved to make. Like A Rush of Blood to the Head, it has such a unique and distinct sound to it that, as much as I’d love to see it, I know that it’s not replicable.

favorite(s): My favorite from this album is 42, but my underrated favorite is Yes. Do the people know? Do they know that Yes is one of Coldplay’s sexiest and most sensual songs? Do they know? Also, the best version of Viva la Vida can be found on their live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, only now available on Spotify as of this year.

standout lyric: My standout lyric is actually gonna go to “Gravity, release me and don't ever hold me down / Now my feet won't touch the ground” from Life in Technicolor ii from the Proskept’s March EP. I can’t explain it; it’s just always meant a lot to me.

May 24th Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay

familiarity: Coldplay’s official entrance into the pop genre, and -- Damn, they did it with style. It was also the introduction the Xylo bands at concerts -- now a Coldplay staple. This is another album that has a lot of sentimental value to me. The first single, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”, came out the day of my high school graduation and it was also the day that we had to put down our childhood cat, Annie. The full album was released on the day that we had to put down our childhood dog, Ellie. It was an album that was there for me during a year where it felt like I was having to say goodbye to my whole childhood. This album also saw a huge boom in the Coldplay fandom on tumblr. It’s since died down, but those were fun days.

favorite(s): My favorite song from this album is Charlie Brown. You know when you’re at a concert and suddenly everything seems to slow as you look around at the thousands of people who are there with you? Confetti rains down around you. Every nerve in your body is buzzing. You are elated and bright-eyed. and every single person is experiencing the same moment as you. all of you, together. and you are just hit with a wave of total adoration and affection for every single one of them? Yeah, Chris Martin captured that feeling with the last 35 seconds of Charlie Brown in 2011, and I have never emotionally recovered. Honorable mentions go to Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, Hurts like Heaven, and Up With The Birds. Major Minus is also majorly underrated.

standout moment: when the instrumental shifts in Up With The Birds, and Chris sings “Might have to go, where they don't know my name / Float all over the world just to see her again”....yeah...i cry every time....

May 25th Ghost Stories, Coldplay

familiarity: ah, the divorce era. I honestly don’t have a lot to say about Ghost Stories. I see it as the yin to Mylo Xyloto’s yang. It was an intimate era -- quiet and subtle -- compared to the big, loud explosions of color that were the trademarks of MX. and, I think a lot of Coldplayers view it in the same way. It’s not an album for discussion and Opinions. it’s just an album for listening and nodding understandably.

favorite(s): My favorite song from this album is Oceans. When I went to see Coldplay live in 2016, our show got rained out, but they went out with a bang by playing A Sky Full of Stars. The energy in the stadium that night was and remains unmatched. To this day, 3 minutes and 3 seconds of ASFoS hits and I tear up....I just...love Coldplay so much...

standout lyric: “You’ve got to find yourself alone in this world” are the lyrics for the one and only tattoo that I am dead-set on getting one day

May 26th A Head Full of Dreams, Coldplay

familiarity: another notoriously hated album by Coldplay fans. which is a fact that I’m glad I found out much later because this album carried me through the worst years of my life. Coldplay really said “When you’re in pain, when you think you’ve had enough / Don’t ever give up” and I sobbed on the interstate, driving 70 mph, because I knew they were right.

favorite(s): Up&Up has my heart. It’s what hope sounds like to me. A Head Full of Dreams deserves to be used in some kind of cyperpunk/sci-fi media -- 1:50 and onwards? Perfect sci-fi ambience. I am in space. We are the universe and the universe is us. Birds is beloved amongst Coldplay fans, and for good reason. I also have a soft spot for Adventure of a Lifetime. It should also be noted that Everglow is only valid when it’s played live; the album recording is meh.

standout lyric: Gotta give it up to “When you’re in pain, when you think you’ve had enough / Don’t ever give up”

May 27th Everyday Life, Coldplay

familiarity: After the more pop-rooted sounds of the previous three albums, this album was a return to their more alternative sound -- with a lemon wedge of pop. In a lot of ways, this album listens to me like the culmination of all their previous eras. There’s elements of Parachutes, elements of A Rush of Blood to the Head, elements of It’s also the first album where Chris Martin let himself say ‘fuck’; we were all very happy for them.

favorite(s): My favorite song is Champion of the World. Honorable mention to Arabesque. The sax solo goes on just a little too long, but it’s otherwise perfect. I love any Coldplay song where they go a bit harder, dig a bit deeper with their sound, and Arabesque is definitely one of those songs. You also can’t go wrong with Sunrise, Trouble in Town, Orphans, Èkó, Everyday Life, and Old Friends.

standout lyric: when Chris sings “I guess we’ll be raised on our own then” in Orphans

May 28th Music of the Spheres, Coldplay

familiarity: It’s the day of the concert, and we have reached the most recent Coldplay album! This album is very hit-and-miss for me. Songs like Colortura and People of the Pride are easily two of the best amongst their entire discography, but they’re stuck on an album that feels very sparse and mid-tier. Out of all the albums that they’ve released before now, this one has felt the most incomplete and poorly executed. Coldplay always puts on a great show, but this album was truly saved by the graces of its best songs. 

favorite(s): The moment Coldplay dropped that minute-or-so long trailer video for Music of the Spheres and I heard that snippet of People of the Pride, I was in love. The moment I heard People of the Pride on the album, I knew I needed to hear it live. The moment I heard it live, I lost my goddamn mind. People of the Pride is easily one of the best Coldplay songs, and it makes saying this album isn’t that great so hard lol. If Coldplay would just release an album that’s full of songs like God Put a Smile upon Your Face and People of the Pride, they would be unstoppable, and I believe this whole-heartedly in my heart and soul. Colortura is also a masterpiece. It’s over 10 minutes long, and it should be. When the music box instrumental starts at 5:34, I ascend to a higher plane of being. I was so disappointed that they took it off the setlist of the tour, but also I would have been sobbing in that stadium if they’d kept it. Honorable mention to Infinity Sign for immortalizing the “Olé Olé Coldplay” chant, which is the best Coldplay chant, and to Humankind. Biutyful won me over eventually, mostly because it comes right after People of the Pride and I listened to People of the Pride so much, but it’s mostly saved by Chris’ solo vocals at 2:12.

standout lyric: “We’re only human / But we’re capable of kindness / So they call us Humankind”. Also, the last 30 seconds of My Universe are the best part. I love when it just sounds like they’ve having fun.

[a3hastakenovermylife]

Me: *incoherently sobbing in the corner*

(I swear I hate tumblr’s image limit with every single atom of my existence) (I would have uploaded the whole conversation)

Oh

MY

GOD

OH MY FRIGGIN GOD

This is literally the opiteme of everything I imagine their friendship to be. Banri, being the punk that he is, is too emotionally frustrated to offer a lending hand in any way that wasn’t disguised as an insult. Juza, even as much as he struggles with social cues, notices the offer and actually ACCEPTS IT.

I am living, I was just an empty husk, an empty soul. This, right here, has given me LIFE.

Banri is right on when he said ‘You seriously gonna say some shit like ‘it’s my job as his brother’?’ I would have expected Juza to be too prideful, or too protective of his brother to be able to accept the veiled offer.

However, not only does Juza notice Banri’s subtle offer HE ACCEPTED IT. Just like that. He just did. More than that, he actually expresses his GRATITUDE in his little comment of “I owe you one.”.

I am so proud.

So friggin’ proud of him.

He’s grown up so much.

Like, AGH *clutches gut and collapses like I’ve been stabbed* MY FEELINGS.

What JUZA DOES HERE, is he shows that he is not only accepting that what Banri said (while he said it way to harshly) might be true, he’s actually acknowledging that fact to Banri himself.

Not that I think that Juza is a bad actor, because he’s not, Banri isn’t better than Juza that’s not what I’m saying. However, Juza is not the kind of person who does best studying just a script, I think. He’s not a natural actor like Banri, and he has to work harder at it. To expect any actor to perform a role based off of only reading the script and maybe participating in a rehearsal or two is insane, not to mention the fact that Juza isn’t exactly that experienced yet. He’s done a few plays, but that’s not exactly an extensive enough of a career to expect that level of skill from someone.

Banri is in fact a natural, and Juza understands, in that moment, that Banri is the more capable person in this particular instance, if only because of the time crunch. Juza is accepting the fact that he has his faults, and that’s ok.

MORE THAN THAT, Juza is trusting Banri to do this well.

After how shitty Banri’s attitude was when he first joined, some people might have held that judgement no matter how much he’s proven himself since then. It’s the kind of thing that’s hard to forget, and some people assume that lazy people will always be lazy. That’s an unfair assumption, but nevertheless an easy one to make.

Here, Juza is showing that he not only believes that Banri can do it better than he could, he’s showing that he trusts Banri to do it well, to actually make the effort, and in doing so, he’s acknowledging that Banri’s changed.

Not only that, but this is a problem that Juza considers his responsibility. This is something that Juza went out of his way to prepare for, that he felt personally responsible for, this is his brother, and he knew that something like this could happen and he considered it his responsibility to prepare for that eventuality.

Juza is trusting Banri to make up for his own brother’s mistakes in his place, not only is he swallowing his pride allowing Banri to do, he is genuinely grateful to Banri for the help, and he SAYS SO.

Banri probably doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal, half the reason he offers is probably to one up Juza. Though the other half is because he’s genuinely fond of acting and this company. He genuinely wants to help and he is able to do so, so why not lend a hand? If he can take a jab at Juza and one up him on the way, then that’s worth bonus points.

He genuinely doesn’t expect Juza to react that way, and it surprises him. He expected to bicker with Juza a bit and let the director decide in the end. Juza seriously threw him off with his gratitude.

Juza almost immediately knocks them back into their routine with a carefully placed insult, and Banri gladly settles back into familiar territory.

(Honestly, the fact that Juza was the one to steer the conversation back into familiar waters warms my heart too. Like omg he’s grown up so much!)

In my opinion though, that insult was a bit weak, I mean the length of his hair??? If you think about the rest of Summer Troupe most of them have medium to longish hair, Banri’s hair definitely isn’t any longer than Yuki’s and I think Kazunari’s is just as long, just styled differently. Muku and Misumi aren’t exactly slouches in the longish hair department either...

Really, Banri could easily pass for a baseball player, he definitely has the build for it. Juza’s a bit too muscular to pull it off, in my opinion. Baseball players just usually aren’t that bulky. Plus, Banri could definitely pull off a baseball ponytail or man bun. Though, I’m mostly thinking of American players, though there are still some American baseball teams that require their players to keep their hair short so I’m sure the Japanese teams are even more intense.

(Me who happens to know a decent bit about baseball rambling on about nonsense(the one sport I can actually tolerate watching and actually understand, yippee))

That almost adds to the genuine nature of this scene for me, it’s like, Juza takes a weak shot just to go through the motions and Banri eagerly follows just because he has no idea how else to react, so they keep bickering because that’s all they know how the do.

I loved their dynamic before, but this is BEAUTIFUL.

So, much meaning tacked into one little sentence.

(Imma just mention when I eventually do make that quote list this is going to the TOP)

(Also sorry for the long post)

[beatriceeagle]

I'm more of a fantasy than sci-fi person, but consider my interest piqued. Why should I watch farscape?

Okay, the thing is, every Farscape fan’s pitch on Why You, Yes You, Should Watch Farscape ends up sounding very similar, and that’s because Farscape is a black hole that sucks you in and does things to your brain, and after you’ve watched it you are never, ever the same, which incidentally is basically the plot of Farscape.

I would summarize the basic plot for you, but that’s work, and luckily, the show’s credits sequence includes a handy summary that I will provide instead of doing that work: “My name is John Crichton, an astronaut. A radiation wave hit, and I got shot through a wormhole. Now I’m lost in some distant part of the universe on a ship, a living ship, full of strange alien life forms. Help me. Listen, please. Is there anybody out there who can hear me? I’m being hunted by an insane military commander. Doing everything I can. I’m just looking for a way home.“

So let me break down that monologue into its component reasons you should watch Farscape.

1) Some of the strange alien life forms are Muppets.

Farscape a co-production with the Jim Henson Company, and while there are many aliens played by humans in make-up, there are also a considerable number (including two of the regular crew) who are Muppets. By which I do not mean Kermit. I mean really gorgeous, elaborate works of art.

Also, even a lot of the humans-in-makeup aliens just look cool, and incredibly weird. Here’s an alien who appears in a single episode of season 1:

Not that there aren’t, you know, occasional Star Trek-style “these guys are just humans with weird hair,” or whatever, but in general, the aliens on Farscape look really alien. And that’s more than an aesthetic choice; it’s Farscape’s driving narrative principle. The aliens look alien, they act alien, they have alien values.

You know how a lot of sci-fi shows will have a stand-in for “fuck,” like Battlestar Galactica has “frak”? Well, Farscape has “frell.” And also “dren.” And yotz, hezmana, mivonks, loomas, tralk, snurch, eema, drannit, dench, biznak, arn, drad, fahrbot, narl. Some of those are swear words, but some of them are just words, never explicitly translated, that the alien characters will pepper into their speech, because, well, why should translator microbes be able to completely translate all the nuances of an alien culture? You’ll pick it up from context. One time, in passing, a character mentions that he’s familiar with the concept of suicide, but there’s no word for it in his language. I cannot emphasize to you enough how fleeting this moment is; the episode is not about suicide, we’re not having a great exchange of cultural ideas—at the time, the characters are running down a corridor in a crisis, as they are about 70 percent of the time—it’s just that the subject got brought up, and this character needed to talk around the fact that he literally didn’t have a word, in that moment. Things like that happen all the time, on Farscape.

Because more than anything else, Farscape is a show about culture shock. John Crichton is this straight, white Southern guy, at the top of his game—he’s an astronaut! he’s incredibly high status!—and then he ends up on the other side of the galaxy, where none of his cultural markers of privilege hold any meaning, where he doesn’t know the rules, where he literally can’t even open the doors. And he has to unlearn the idea that humanity is central, that he is the norm.

2) John Crichton, an astronaut, is pretty great.

A show that’s about a straight white guy with high status having to learn that he’s not the center of the universe could easily be centered around a really insufferable person, but one of the subtle things that makes Farscape so wonderful is that Crichton is, for the most part, pretty excellent. He has a lot of presumptions to unlearn because almost anyone in his cultural position would, but he’s also just a stand-up guy: compassionate, intelligent, open-minded, decent, forgiving, brave, hopeful.

And the galaxy tries to kick a whole lot of that out of him. It doesn’t succeed, mostly, but if Farscape is about anything other than culture shock, it’s about the lasting effects of trauma. How you can go through a wormhole one person, and experience things that turn you into someone you don’t recognize.

That’s kind of grim-sounding, but ultimately, what I’m trying to say is that Farscape is almost fanatically devoted to character work. Crichton is not the only character who sounds like he should be one thing and ends up being another. All of the characters—all of them, all of them, even the annoying ones—are complicated wonders. And you don’t have to wonder whether the events of the episode you’re watching are going to matter. They will. Everything that happens to the characters leaves a mark. Everything leaves them forever changed. Whether it’s mentioned explicitly or not—and often enough, it’s not explicit—the characters remember what has happened to them.

3) The living ship houses a lot of excellent women, among them the ship itself.

Ah, the women of Farscape, thou art the loves of my fucking life.

There’s Aeryn Sun, former Peacekeeper (that’s the military that the “insane military commander” hails from) now fugitive, currently learning the meaning of the word “compassion” (literally). She will break your fingers and also your heart. John/Aeryn is the main canon romantic ship.

There’s Pa’u Zhoto Zhaan, a priestess of the ninth level, current pacifist, former anarchist. Sorry, leading anarchist. She orgasms in bright light! (Oh my god, Farscape.)

There’s Chiana, my fucking bestie, a teenage(ish? ages in Farscape are weird) fugitive on the run from a repressive authoritarian state. Chiana is like a seductress con artist grifter thief who mostly just wants to survive so that she can have fun, damn it. Characters on Farscape do not really discuss sexualities (sex, yes, sexualities, no) and it would be fair to say that several of them do not fall along human sexuality lines generally, but I’m gonna go ahead and say that Chiana is canonically not straight.

Then there’s Moya, the ship herself, and it’s hard to get a straight read on Moya’s personality, since she mostly can’t speak. But she definitely has opinions, and things and people she cares about. And she moves the plot, though that gets into spoiler territory.

Past first season, further excellent women show up: Jool (controversial, but I like her), Sikozu (I once saw a Tumblr meme where someone had marked down that Sikozu would lose her shit when someone pronounced “gif” wrong, and that’s absolutely correct, and it’s why I love her), and Noranti (who is incredibly weird, and incredibly hard to summarize, but man, you gotta love her willingness to just show up and do her thing). Plus, there’s a recurring female villain, Grayza, who I could write probably multiple essays about. (I don’t know how you will feel about Grayza, as not everyone loves her, but I think she’s fucking fascinating, especially because she’s not actually the only recurring female villain. We also get Ahkna!)

(Side note: I should mention, here, that the cast of Farscape is really, really white. There is one cast member of color, Lani Tupu, but he pretty much represents the entirety of even, like, incidental diversity in casting for the series.)

Anyway, Farscape is full of awesome women, and also awesome and unexpected men, and it really enjoys playing with audience expectations of gender roles, generally. Literal entire books have been written about the way that Farscape fucks around with sex, sexuality, and gender. It’s a little weird because it was the late 90s/early 2000s, and sometimes that does come through, but Farscape’s guiding principle was always to try not to present American culture of the time as the norm, so like. It is not.

(An aside on Farscape and sex: Literally every character on Farscape has sexual tension with every other character. If you are a shipper, this is a Good Show, because no matter who you ship, there will not only be subtext, you will get a Moment of some kind. Multiple characters kiss the Muppet. Farscape is dedicated to getting into the nitty-gritty of the galaxy—I like to think of it as showing the guts of the universe—so a lot of the show is kind of squishy. They live on a biomechanoid ship, instead of androids there are “bioloids,” there’s a lot of focus on strange alien biologies, and lots of weird glowing fluids and things. I think the sex thing is kind of part and parcel of the larger biology focus: Farscape is really fascinated with how we all eat and evolve and live and die and, well, fuck. Which is in turn, kind of part of its focus on making everything really alien.)

4) Other stuff you should know.

Farscape as a whole is excellent, but it was kind of the product of creative anarchy—an Australian/American coproduction (oh yeah, everyone except Crichton speaks with an Australian accent) that was also partnered with the Henson company, whose showrunners were based in America but whose actual production all took place in Australia, and who was just constantly trying new things. So individual episodes can vary wildly in quality. It really takes off in the back half of season one, but no season is without a few off episodes.

It is extraordinarily funny, and I really think I haven’t stressed that enough. It’s one of the shows I want to quote the most in my daily life, but almost all of its humor is really context-dependent, and if you just wander around going, “Hey Stark? What’s black and white, and black and white, and black and white?” people look at you really funny.

It’s very conversant with pop culture generally (although obviously sci-fi  specifically, and Star Trek most specifically of all) and really enjoys deconstructing tropes, often to the effect of, “Well, Crichton really does not know what to do here, does he?” but sometimes just to be interesting.

There are also a lot of themes about science, and its uses and misuses.

The whole thing is fucking epic, and if you get invested at all, will take you on an emotional ride.

This show is weird. I know that that’s probably come across by now, but I think it’s worth reiterating as its own point: Farscape is so weird. Like, proudly, unabashedly, trying its hardest, weird. An amazing kind of weird.

If you’re into fantasy, you should know that there’s a recurring villain who’s just a wizard. Like, they don’t bother to explain it any more than that, he’s just a fucking wizard.

In summary: You should watch Farscape because it is a weird, wild, emotional, epic romance/drama/action/allegory full of Muppets and leather and one-liners and emotional gut punches and love, and if you let it, it will worm its way into you and never let go, which, now that I think of it, is another Farscape plot.

Send me meta prompts to distract me from my migraine!

[higheldertala]

rosa salt commentary

apologies i don’t know enough on this topic so i can’t comment on the historical accuracy of this

first of all why the fuck is chibnall here? what the fuck does a white man have to say about the 1950s american civil rights movement that a black woman couldn’t say on her own. this is not your story to tell chibnall

out of the 4 episodes written by pocs, 3 of them are co-written with chibnall, idk about you but i think i would just trust these people to be able to write a script on their own. the way chibnall has to to stick his fingers in all the pies writing 75% of the stories in his era is extremely territorial.

at least they have a black director as well

according the tardis wiki this is the first episode to feature a historical figure since day of the doctor (im guessing this excludes robin hood) i actually never noticed this, that’s crazy

on iplayer there’s a subtitle which reads ‘in this episode, there are familiar prejudices to face for the doctor’s friends’ which is weirdest fucking content warning ive seen. like im not expert but surely you’d put something like ‘this episode contains themes of racism’

it’s very funny that it’s still the doctor that initiates going outside to have look, rather than any of the companions being enthusiastic that they’re actually in a time machine. again none of them give any motivation why they wish to travel with the doctor

pet peeve of mine is when the companions don’t dress in periodic clothing, that’s part of the fun!! i don’t think they do at all this season which is super disappointing

hey remember when a series ago the doctor full on floors a racist bc he dared insult bill, now the doctor immediately submits ‘we don’t want any trouble’ jc how far we have fallen

its really awful how they treat ryan as being in wrong. when rosa asks ‘are you crazy?’ the doctor doesn’t even defend ryan she just tries to excuse it with ‘we’re from out of town’

omg once again, ryan and yaz experience racism and the doctor just completely rolls over, someone call 12, this is an embarrassment.

‘shut up graham i don’t care that you’re hungry’ honestly this running joke of not letting graham eat isn’t funny, it just makes it look like the doctor is really inconsiderate and bad at looking after their companions. again why would you want to travel with this woman???

they continue on like graham is in the wrong. no he isn’t, he needs to fucking eat, that’s not an immoral thing

i just thought i should tally the amount of times the doctor uses the sonic, okays so we’re are at 4

the doctor is really hostile to graham, he raised reasonable concern that there might be a weapon in the bag and the doctor so snarky towards him

honestly the doctor looking at the bag whilst the rest of them stand behind her really shows their dynamic for the whole of this, it also just looks very unnatural

well at least space racist can’t aim

god chibnall really can’t do any way to do exposition without just word vomiting to audience

i hate 13’s interrogation technique where she just asks question after question whilst the antagonist replies to none of them

im sorry but what group of people stand like that??

‘ma’am still can’t get use to that’ you know the doctor doesn’t have to identity as woman, they can identity as any gender they wish. The way the doctor’s gender is treated is so cis-centric. the doctor never discusses their gender and how they wish to be addressed, they just treat it as because a female actress is playing the doctor, the doctor would automatically identify as a woman which is just completely untrue!! would these writers like to take a gender theory class???

‘i did not warm to him’ yeah no shit he’s a cop

ah yaz’s ‘not all cops’ line, no wonder she’s people’s fave so inspirational

‘i can be a police officer now so I can now go and oppress other people’ ah yes equality

i still can’t believe when yaz is talking about race and questioning where she could sit the doctor just straight up says fuck all

wow these are some really close closeups

‘You’re living in the past’ um racism was still bad then. it’s not the idea that racism ‘belongs’ in the past it’s that it should never have existed at all

at least ryan has the guts to actually deal with villain this episode

the worst part of this is the fucking pop song they play. it doesn’t fit in with doctor who at all this isn’t the fucking cw. why not just have no music playing at all, it could just be as impactful

they just causally ignore MLK’s assassination like it didn’t happen

oh no the song’s worse the second time round

the doctor uses the sonic 8 times if anyone’s interested

i feel like rosa doesn’t get much to do (in the episode itself i mean) compared to other historical figures in their episode, most of time they actually get to join in with the adventure but idk

[burlveneer-music]

VA - LA OLA INTERIOR Spanish Ambient & Acid Exoticism 1983-1990 (Les Disques Bongo Joe)

Following “La Contra Ola” (BJR015), Bongo Joe is pleased to present LA OLA INTERIOR, a compilation exploring the ambient side of the Spanish electronic music produced in the 80’s. It gathers musicians from various horizons and of many generations, who shared the desire to create an immersive soundscape and to combine electronic music with non-Western musical traditions. As a general rule, the Anglo-Saxon tropism did relate the spanish peninsula’s ambient music to the Balearic Sound, that is to say to the relaxing music played in Ibiza’s nightclubs. But this music takes place in the productive territory of experimental musics, and particularly in its two main breeding grounds: the tape recording underground and the independent musicians-producers scene. Inseparable from the processes of self-publishing, distribution and exchange of music that were then taking place in Spain in an artisanal way, the vast underground movement of cassettes was divided between an "ethno-trance" combining industrial beats and oriental sounds on the one hand (Esplendor Geométrico, Miguel A. Ruiz / Orfeón Gagarin) and unclassifiable low-fi tinkerers on the other hand (Camino al desván, Eli Gras, Mataparda, Victor Nubla). Hyperactive, this scene is radical and strongly dominated by the hardest musical styles, but the ambient, influenced by the German Kosmische Musik and "krautrock", also develops here. The second vein of Spanish ambient comes from some of the independent labels of the peninsula (DRO, GASA, El Cometa de Madrid, EGK) whose activity will mark the return of some of the most adventurous musicians-producers of the 70s. Some were influenced by American minimalism (Luis Delgado / Mecánica Popular, Suso Saiz, Javier Segura), others by Fourth-World Music conceived by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno (Finis Africae, Jabir). Having passed through folk, ancient, traditional or contemporary music, and being familiar with improvisation and studio techniques, these artists come from a mutant hippie culture, capable of phagocyting many musical styles from electronic ambient to ethnic improvisation and modal jazz. These two scenes and generations that make up LA OLA INTERIOR intersect around a common interest in non-Western musical traditions. Their exploration may be that of the tribal origins of electronic rhythms or the Arab heritage of Spain. Above all, it is a dreamy exoticism, an immobile journey as the sounds, rhythms or instruments of these traditions are scrutinized by Western practices (avant-garde music, electronic technology). The result is a hybrid music, filtered and reinvented, neither Western nor extra-Western, with a pronounced taste for the fusion of opposites, which we have called "Acid Exoticism" because of its permanent search for trance or contemplation. Atmospheric, contemplative and serial, these musics still plunge us today into a sensorial journey, at the same time interior and distant, organic and technological, between exotic reminiscences and interior visions. LA OLA INTERIOR brings together 20 little-known and innovative pieces from the golden age of Spanish electronic music. Compilation Project & Notes : Loïc Diaz Ronda Cover and Vinyl Pictures taken from the Film The Red & Blue Gods by Ben Russell (2005). Courtesy of the Artist. This Compilation is dedicated to the Memories of Juan Alberto Arteche & Víctor Nubla.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Love of my life; Ahkmenrah x reader

*Author’s note*

I promised you guys didn’t I? Well here is Part 2 to History comes to life In this chapter there is nothing but FLUFFY PINING, some hints of flirting(?), but above all LOVING. And a bit of makeout (but it’s all PG). I also couldn’t help myself with this fic by adding a certain band in this and joking around with the fact that Rami played both these characters/people so I hope you all enjoy the little fun poke I do in this fic. Enjoy my lovelies :) 

Taglist:

@psychosupernatural​

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@ixchel-9275​

@dancingcoolcat​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@queendeakyy​

@simonedk​

@geek-and-proud​

@kairosfreddie​

________________________________________________________

It was five months after the whole Save the museum fiasco.  And even though my internship ended, thanks to Larry I was still able to come anytime whether to do additional research or just to spend time with my new friends. Teddy was an excellent historian and it was amazing to hear some of the stories that only the real Teddy Roosevelt would know.

Sacagawea was great female company to have around when the men got to be a bit too much.  She told me about her story and she even taught me how to shoot a real Native American bow and arrow.  Even though I couldn’t quite understand him, Attila was fun to be around, he and the rest of his Huns always wanted me to tell them stories and see if I could perform any tricks for them (thankfully I still remember some of the close up magic card tricks I used to do for Nicky when he was younger).

Then there was Jed and Octavius.  Those two—they are something I’ll give you that. They especially like to watch funny cat videos on Youtube.  

Of course they still have their moments where they butt heads but either I or Larry are there to set them straight before they’re once again besties.

And of course I can’t forget, the pharaoh himself, Ahkmenrah.  Every night he and I would spend the most time together.  From learning each other’s life story, to dancing along to some of my favorite songs or showing him my favorite artists/bands.

Throughout all the time that Ahkmen and I have spent together, my feelings for him slowly began to grow.  I tried to hide it but every time I tried to ignore it, my feelings for the millennia’s old pharaoh just kept growing and growing.  The way his light blue eyes would stare into mine just felt like he was piercing my soul.  

They made you feel not only insecure because they held such regalness to them, but they made you feel safe because even with him being probably the highest authority in history he’d never make you feel like you were inferior to him.

His smile was like—literally looking into the sun because it made you feel so warm inside.  And when he touches your hand—it could damn well just make you melt.

The two of us were currently in the Hall of African mammals sitting up along the lion’s perch.  Ahkmenrah was currently stroking the top of the male lion whom he’s named Maahes, while I had the female leopard I named Seshat with her head on my lap, her deep purring sounding off as I stroked her head.

“So is it really true you knew the Guardian of Brooklyn before he took his post?”

“Yeah, the Daley’s and I go way back to when I was in high school. Nicky was probably the best kid I ever babysat. He never spoke back to me and he wasn’t spoiled. He’s—really become like my little brother.”

“Consider yourself lucky to not have any other sibling.” He said trailing off.  I noticed the somber look on his face and I knew Maahes saw it too.  The king of the beasts actually nuzzled against Ahkmenrah letting out a gentle roar.  “Thank you my friend.” Ahkmenrah thanked him as the king of the beasts suddenly turned into a kitten right before my eyes as he lay right across Akhmen’s lap.

“Now I know that you saw cats as link to the gods, did you ever go so far as to actually owning big cats such as these Maahes and Seshat?”

“My father did once own a lion of his very own. Unfortunately he got a little too rough with Kahmunrah and father was forced to get rid of him. My only real exotic pet would’ve been Horus, my falcon. He was such a reliable companion.”

“You must’ve trained him well.”

“He was a clever bird. Sharp as a whip and as clever as any man.” He reminisced.  Just before I could respond, I felt Seshat leave my lap and her ears twitched about.  Maahes reacted the same way as he hopped off the perch and joined alongside Seshat.

The two big cats soon crouched down into a hunting position as they both slowly stalked out of the hall right towards the door.

Ahkmen and I looked at each other confused before the two big cats took off like a shot before roaring out and we both heard two very familiar screams.

“Octavius!”

“Jed!” the two of us cried out as we raced out of the room and down the hall.  As we reached the end of the hallway we saw the two big cats crouched over with their front paws outward.

“Oh Ahkmenrah, lady (y/n). we are sorry to intrude on your time together…..” Octavius said from between Maahes’ paws.

“It’s alright, Octavius. Maahes, release him!” Ahkmenrah first started off calmly before going into his kingly tone.  That low and demanding tone that just made me want to bow before him and do whatever he wished.

Maahes grumbled before obeying and released Octavius. But that’s when I remembered that there was also a second voice that screamed.

“Where’s Jed?”

‘Bout time someone remembered me!’ oh dear god not again!

“Seshat! Drop him!” She looked up at me with those kitten eyes of hers but I scolded the young leopardess. “Right now!” she then spat out Jedidiah and he soon came tumbling out covered in cat spit.  Ahkmen and I both made a face of disgust as Jed brushed himself off.

“Stupid cat!” he called up at Seshat.  She hissed down at Jed.

“Steady my friend, she’s a young kitten after all. She still doesn’t know any better.” Octavius said.  I took out a tissue and ripped a portion of it and handed it to Jed.

“Not that we’re not happy to see you both but why have you come all the way over here without the racecar? You know it’s dangerous for you both to be here, especially with Maahes and Seshat.” I said to him.

“That dangum monkey stirred up some trouble once again. He opened up the hallway window near our exhibit and before we knew it, we were attacked by giant birds.” Jed proclaimed as he cleaned himself off.

“Oh great, the onetime Larry gets sick leaving me to take care of the museum and already Dexter is making things difficult for me.” I whined.

“I’m sure it isn’t that bad.” Ahkmen tried to comfort me.

“Uhh yeah right. No offense your highness but this is probably the worst thing to ever strike our exhibits since we were at war with each other.” Jed laughed.

“It’s probably best we show you both what we are dealing with.” I knelt down and extended my hand and allowed the two miniature leaders to climb aboard before we all headed to the Hall of miniatures.

When we got there, we were definitely not expecting what Jed and Octavius had told us.  The entire room was surrounded by dozens hell maybe even almost 100 pigeons.

“Oh my god.”

“You see what I mean! Birds everywhere!”

“How could there be so many?” Ahkmen asked.

“Apparently Dexter also had some food in hand when he allowed these pigeons in the museum.” We walked inside stepping over the birds. Of course when they suddenly took off, I couldn’t help but shriek and grab onto Akhmen’s arm.  

I set the boys down in Jed’s territory which seemed to be the worst case.

“Jed, Octavius. We’ve tried every single weapon we got but all it’s done is caused these birds to leave more of their crap behind.” Said one of Jed’s loyal cowboy friends.

“Oh god that’s gross.”

“Okay so dynamite won’t work, neither will the arrows.” Octavius pondered.  It was then I saw him look behind both Ahkmen and I, right towards Maahes and Seshat. “Wait, I’ve got an idea!”

“Lay it on my Octi.” Said Jed.

“What if the cats help?”

“That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. What else you got?”

“No, no, no Jedidiah listen my friend. Lions have one of the most powerful voices in all the big cats. If we can get Maahes to roar, then the birds should scatter.”

“Uhh Octavius lions aren’t the only ones with a powerful roar you know.” I told him.

“Ohhh I wouldn’t say that.” Ahkmen said wearily. I turned to him aghast.

“Excuse me?”

“I mean no harm when I say this but Seshat is a young leopard. Maahes is a fully grown lion and his roar is mature enough to scare these pigeons away.” He gently tried to assure me.  I crossed my arms over my chest and said.

“Bullshit!”

“Oh-ho-ho-ho. Looks like we got ourselves a competition ladies and gents.” Jed laughed.

“You hear this baby girl? Ahkmenrah thinks your roar’s not powerful enough.” She lowered her head angrily and let out a snarl as her ears bent back. “Show them what you got baby girl!” she then reared her head back as she opened her mouth and let out a fearsome leopard roar, which sent most of the pigeons out of the miniature wing.

“YEE-HAW!! Come on do it again! Do it again!” Ahkmenrah looked at my cockily before turning to Maahes and said.

“Show these ladies why you’re known as the God of war Maahes.” Maahes then reared his head and let out a loud lion’s roar which sent the rest of the flock right on out.

“WOO-WHO!!! Adios birdbrains!” Jed proclaimed as Maahes and Seshat then proceeded to pounce after the pigeons all over the room.  The birds soon took off flying out of the room trying to find a way out of the building.

“Why not make a little wager?” Ahkmenrah said.

“On what grounds?”

“If Maahes can manage to get the pigeons out, you must sing a song for me.” I tried to hide my blush and I countered.

“Fine, but if Seshat wins, then you have to watch both the Mummy and the Mummy returns, no questions or complaints.”

“Deal.” We shook on it and followed behind the two big cats.

Throughout the museum, Seshat and Maahes continued to chase after the pigeons roaring and swatting at them.  Jed and Octavius were now driving in their racecar catching up to the big cats wanting to get in on the action, cheering loudly at our two big cats.

Meanwhile Ahkmen and I raced behind cheering for both our cats in trying to get as many pigeons as they could.

“You know it’s never too late to back out!” Ahkmen laughed.

“Oh you wish we’re about to show you what girl power is all about!” I sassed at him.  We raced on ahead down the second hall, passing the other exhibits who dodged our path.  

The six of us just having a joy of chasing these pigeons all around the museum.  Nothing could ruin this fun now.

But it was when we turned at one point of the museum that some of the pigeons were on top of the herd of rhinos and African water buffalo.

We all skidded to a stop right before the herd and I couldn’t help but say.

“Ohhhh shit.” One of the water buffalo’s snorted aggressively while a rhino let out a bellow.

At this point all of us including Seshat and Maahes took off running back the other way with the stampede following behind us.  Seshat soon bumped into me and the next thing I knew I was riding on top of her back as she ran faster down the hall.  I turned to see the Ahkmen was riding on top of Maahes’ back.

Both big cats did a sharp turn to the left towards the invertebrate wing while Jed and Octavius were just shortly behind us in the car.  I then noticed a small closet just ahead and I cried out to them.

“Guys in there!” Seshat soon noticed the door and I quickly got off her back and opened the door and soon everyone piled inside. I quickly shut the door and the next thing we heard was the thundering stampede passing by us.

When the thundering of hooves and giant feet stopped, for some reason Ahkmen, Jed, Octavius and I soon just started laughing. I don’t know whether it was the adrenaline of nearly cheating (well in a sense) death, or just for the hell of it but we were all bursting out laughing in the tight closet space.

“That was even more thrilling than the chariot chases I used to do when I was a child.” Ahkmen said.

“Boy you said it Ahk. That there was truly a wild rodeo!” Jed cheered.

“Okay guys, since they’re gone I’d say it’s safe for us to go out.” I told them as I opened the door back up.  And of course due to the tight space with me, an old pharaoh, two big cats and a ford mustang racecar, it was a tight squeeze to try and get out.

As Maahes and Seshat tried to get out, Ahkmen and I were jostled around for a bit, up until the point where our noses touched each other and our lips just barely grazed one another’s.  The two of us chuckled nervously as we couldn’t look away from each other.  

We were so caught up in the moment that we didn’t realize that we were now the only ones left in the closet.

“You both just gonna stand there all googly eyed or are you finally gonna wring up your saddle and kiss each other already?” we heard Jed proclaim.  We both looked away and apologized over each other as we both tried to get out at the same time, only to bump shoulder to shoulder again.

Finally Ahkmen allowed me to exit the closet first before he was the last to leave.

“I swear you two are as about as crazy in love as two turtledoves in winter.” Jed said again.

“Shut it Jed, less you wanna go back into Seshat’s mouth and maybe even this time see the inside of her stomach.” I threatened.

“No thank you! Thanks for the help you guys see yah!” the car soon quickly drove off leaving Ahkmen and I alone with our big cats.  I looked down at my watch and said.

“It’s an hour till sunrise. You should—”

“Yes. Care to walk me back?”

“Sure.” We first big goodbye to Seshat and Maahes and the two of them walked back towards the hall of African mammals which allowed me to escort Ahkmenrah back to his exhibit.

After helping Ahkmen back into his sarcophagus he then told me.

“Don’t forget, you have to sing for me tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our bet. I’ve been keeping score and Maahes managed to get the most pigeons out of the museum.” I shook my head and rather than argue with him due to time I accepted it.

“Okay. But just know I’m not the best singer.”

“Not according to young Nicky. He said you’d always sing him to sleep, and he’d always talk about how beautiful you sounded.” I tried to hide my blushing face and I said to him.

“Have a good morning sleep Ahkmen. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Yeah. See you tonight.” He said solemnly as his eyes went somber and he lowered himself back into his sarcophagus and I closed it up.  I internally groaned and thought to myself.

‘Damnit why did I have to hurt him like that?’ with that I left Ahkmenrah’s tomb and went off to handle any remaining birds that were still in the museum and clean up the mess before either Dr. McPhee or Rebecca came in.

Later that night I arrived at Ahkmenrah’s tomb with my laptop ready to give into his deal that we had made last night.  After getting him out of his sarcophagus we sat there along the floor while I opened up my playlist.

“So any hints as to what song you shall be singing for me?”

“Uhh no. You may have gotten me to sing for you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be telling you exactly what that song will be.” I sassed playfully.  He grinned at me while I went back to scrolling through my playlist.

“Have you found it yet?”

“Keep your tunic on your highness.” I then clicked on the playlist to highlight the song and I said. “Okay; now this song was written by one of my favorite bands in the start of their early career. This was also the song I used to sing to Nicky whenever he had a bad dream whenever I babysat him.” I double clicked on the song and soon through the speakers, “White Queen (As it begins)” played through the speakers.

I took a gentle inhale in before exhaling and waited for Freddie’s soft voice to come through the speakers before finally singing along to the track.

I sang along softly not quite trusting my voice (also cause I didn’t want to crack in front of my crush) but slowly my voice got a bit more confident when Freddie’s voice crescendo.

*Ahkmenrah’s POV*

Oh almighty Horus and Ra above, she—she had the voice of only a true goddess.  It was so soft yet passionate that it just…..she really was like the Queen in this song.  I have imagined stars in (y/n)’s hair and she was an ethereal of beauty in not just her looks but her kind heart and gentle but fiercely protective nature.

I couldn’t help but fall under the spell of her siren-like voice and just admire her.  Her eyes shining through the faint light that came into my exhibit, the way her medium length hair waved down like the Nile river.  She was everything and more.  By the end of her song, she clicked a key on her laptop and turned to me.

“How was that?”

“Beautiful.” I said in awe. “You—Nicky didn’t even come close to describing the true ethereal of your singing.” She looked away from me shyly and nervously laughed.

Even her laugh, shy or not, was always adorable.  The way her eyes would scrunch up at the corners, when her smile would go ear to ear.  A smile like that really showed me that she was truly happy.  And the way her eyes would sparkle…..it was like seeing the stars in the sky.

“Was it that bad?” she asked me.

“Quite the opposite actually. You sung beautifully.” I told her as I gently took her hand in mine.

*My POV*

As soon as Ahkmen took my hand, my heart went boom.

“Thank you.”

“Tell me what was that song?”

“It’s called White Queen. It’s by my all-time favorite band called Queen.”

“They sounded beautifully.”

“Yeah they do. I love almost all of their songs.”

“Could you show me more?” I nodded and he sat closer to me so that I could scroll through more of my Queen Playlist.  I shared with him some facts that I knew about Queen and showed him some pictures of the band in the past.

“You know Ahkmen, if you grew a mustache or just grew out your hair down to your shoulders and had four additional incisors, you could pass off as Freddie Mercury.”

“You really think so?” he asked me.

“Yeah I could see it.”

“Was he of Egyptian blood?”

“No. His family is Indian Parsi. Freddie was born in Zanzibar.”

“Well regardless. This Freddie Mercury would’ve been revered as a god amongst us. He truly does command his audience like a king.”

“He just knew how to make everyone apart of the show. Even the people in the balconies or in the very far backrow became involved. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any rockstar make everyone feel so comfortable during a concert. God I wish I could’ve seen them live with all four of them in person.”

“He will be remembered as a God and is watching over all of his people. Including the ones who come in later in life.” He comforted me as he placed a hand to my shoulder.

“Yeah.” I sighed softly.  Things got quiet before Ahkmenrah took my laptop and clicked on a random song and soon enough “Good old fashioned lover boy” started playing through my speakers.

“Would you care to dance?” he said as he stood up and held his hand out to me.  I looked up at him and I said.

“I told you I’m not a very good dancer, especially in slow dancing.”

“Well, lucky for you I was forced into taking all those slow dance lessons in my time as Prince. Do you trust me?” I looked up into those soft light blue eyes and along with Freddie’s serenading voice of the opening song, I was literally melting but couldn’t help as I took his hand and answered softly.

“Yes.” He helped me up and right as the chorus began, Ahkmen had us be in position one as his right hand holding my left and his other hand gently wrapping around my waist.

I shivered slightly and looked down at our feet before I felt his finger lift my chin back up.

“Eyes on me. Now just follow me lead.” He then began to lead me into a slow waltz.  Of course it was clumsy at first with me stepping on his foot the first several times.  I softly apologized profusely every time I stepped on his feet but he assured me it was all fine.

The song continued to play and while staring into Akhmen’s eyes I couldn’t help but think just what kind of lover boy he would’ve been.  Would he be like what the song stated? Or was it something else? God why did fate have to be so cruel? The one guy I take an extreme interest in and he has to be a 4000 year old mummy.

It was then I heard the song end and a new song (just to rub salt into an open wound) began playing, and that song was “Love of my Life”.

“(Y/n)?” I looked up at him slightly startled.

“Yeah?” He soon became shy as he spoke.

“These—these past couple of months have been…..well they’ve been the most fun I’ve ever had in 4000 years.”

“I’m glad.”

“You’ve been the one true friend I’ve had ever since I was freed from my prison.” Oh god please tell me I’m not gonna get friend-zoned.  “Unfortunately, I—I cannot deny what I must tell you.”

“What-what exactly are you saying Ahkmen?”

“I—I……” he trailed off trying to look down and hide his shyness.  He genuinely looked conflicted with what he was about to say.

“Ahkmenrah,” I cupped the side of his face. “Whatever you have to say, I won’t get mad.” He didn’t say a word, in fact he leaned closer to my face until his lips captured mine.

It was a shy kiss at first.  He was testing the boundaries of this to see if I would push him away or kiss him back.  I was shocked at first but as soon as my heart hammered in my ears and I fell under the spell of the kiss, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pressed my lips to his.

Seeing how I accepted the kiss, he wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me closer which deepened the kiss.  The anxiety and worries we both had melted away as I heard him let out a soft hum which made me softly moan.

We separated for air but kept in close proximity of each other.  Our noses gently touching each other’s.  I let out a soft choked laugh as I couldn’t make my heart calm down.

“I—” I softly spoke.  I licked my lips softly.  “I love you too, Ahkmenrah. I mean call me crazy but excluding the fact that I’ve known so much about you since the start of my college career. But spending these past couple months with you has been a dream come true. I’ve always wished and dreamed that I could meet you and just talk to you and—” he pressed his finger to my lips stopping my rambling.

“You talk too much my love.”

“You’re right sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re cute when you do that. It shows you’re passionate.” He tucked a strand of my hair out of my face and continued in a teasing tone, “So you’ve dreamed about me?” I giggled.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No. I’m honored. I’m honored that I have gained the affections of the only goddess on Earth.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. But I really like you too Ahkmen.” He smiled at me and asked.

“Can I—kiss you again?”

“What do you think?” I said as I leaned in towards him and kissed him now, but this time with more passion just as the song was ending.

[davidmann95]

Got a handful of DC-solicit asks, so I’ll just write up my thoughts on the whole batch again.

Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom #1: The BALLS to not only do the next Mister Miracle thing after King and Gerads, but to do it with Shilo Norman and therefore invite Seven Soldiers comparisons as well. I wouldn’t be that interested, but the preview art that came with the announcement looked fun so this is a maybe for me.

Wonder Girl #1: I got a Yara Flor ask so I’ll go more into detail with that, but this sounds...not good.

Future State: Gotham #1: Hahaha, thanks, call me in six months if the next team does something there’s a reason to give a shit about. Except...wait, Dennis Culver cowrote that E Is For Extinction Secret Wars mini, dammit this might be good. Either way though, god willing we get a Future State: Metropolis book by Dan Watters too.

Legends of the Dark Knight #1: Hopefully this going with Sensational Wonder Woman means there’s a similar Superman anthology in the cards too, but I won’t hold my breath. Darick Robertson doing Batman is enticing, but I’m not familiar with his work as a writer and the premise doesn’t sound that gripping so I’ll wait and see. That Francavilla variant though? DC, blow that up to poster size and you’d make a mint.

Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition #0: Hmm. I got love for Static, but I might wait for further announcements and/or buzz before taking the plunge on this one.

DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1: This is a SERIOUSLY stacked lineup, definite buy.

Stargirl Spring Break Special #1: Impeccable timing, DC. It feels like it must be some kind of statement that there are no Morrison members of the Seven Soldiers in the mix (even swapping out Ystin for the original version of Shining Knight no one cares bout) - we focus on the Moore fixation, but there’s enough tidbits that I really do feel like Johns probably flat-out hates Morrison. And what’s this ‘secret eighth soldier’ nonsense? There’ve always been eight soldiers, people have been joking about it forever!

Justice League: Last Ride #1: Discussed that announcement here.

Batman: Earth One Vol. 3: *blinks*

*blinks again*

*squints at the cover art*

...Geoff Johns are you seriously trying to step to Morrison and use the Miagani tribe? YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN PEOPLE

I Am Not Starfire: Interesting concept that seems like it pushes into indie-flavored territory as much as DC’s superhero output just about ever has, if word-of-mouth is good there’s a decent chance I’ll get this.

Action Comics #1031: Wonder if this is serious about the potential of Kryptonian refugees, given PKJ suggested the idea in Worlds of War and that could play a significant part in the New Krypton stuff from Bendis’s Legion (with Johnson being clear he’s following up on a lot of Bendis’s ideas with his own Superman run).

Superman #31: This sounds big-time like Johnson hammering Superman into a swords-and-sorcery shape for an arc since that’s his bag, but Superman’s malleable enough for that to work so I’m not complaining.

American Vampire 1976 #8: Still not getting, so.

Batman #108: Tynion’s well and truly figured out how to game the direct market’s dopiest instincts, hasn’t he? Well, as long as that’s in service of him getting to continue doing weird Batman stuff with Jorge Jimenez like introducing whatever the ‘Unsanity Collective’ is, that’s fine with me. And more Ghostmaker!

Batman: Black & White #6: Not as packed for the finale as some previous issues, but still looking good. And there’s really never gonna be a ‘last’ Scott Snyder Batman story, is there? Sure it’ll be good but that’s kind of a shame, his Detective #1027 feature really felt like a nice full circle.

Batman: The Detective #2: Guess I wasn’t the only one wondering if it was a stealth DKR prequel and they wanted to cut that notion out at the knees.

Batman/Catwoman #6: Still very down for it, but BOY that Batwoman costume Mann debuted on Twitter.

The Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries #2: I recently finally started reading Sholly Fisch and companies’ Scooby-Doo Team-Up! recently after getting the whole run for free on ComiXology earlier this year and have fallen in love with it, so I’m totally grabbing this digitally.

Batman/Superman #18: “The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel are on a mission to stop the godlike Auteur.io from destroying the pocket worlds he’s created...but where on Earth did Auteur.io even come from? The answer starts not on Earth at all, but with an ancient cult of World Forger worshippers on a planet far away—and if our heroes are to have a prayer of stopping this mythic behemoth, they’ll need to get to the bottom of his power source, and quick! It’s a race against time as the parallel lives of entire worlds hang in the balance!”

Anonymous said: Haha is Yang really doing Superman & Batman vs. Zack Snyder and the Snyder Cult (look up “auter” if you don’t know what I mean)? That’s fucking hilarious, especially since he apparently comes from the World Forge which is where all the shitty Earths full of bad ideas are made. Pretty pointed criticism there if I’m reading it right.

I’ve seen two or three people other than this anon independently conclude this arc is about the Supermen and Batmen of the Multiverse teaming up to stop Zack Snyder from destroying them all and at this point I’m ready to ask my LCS owner if I’m allowed to pay more than cover price for this run.

Batman: Urban Legends #3: Much more into this after the Grifter and Outsiders stories in Future State.

Catwoman #31: No reason not to assume this’ll continue to be great.

Challenge of the Super Sons #2: Good for the folks who want this, and that Nick Bradshaw variant is fun.

Crime Syndicate #3: I wanna be convinced to get this book, but the interviews are not persuading me.

Detective Comics #1036: How long is Mora sticking around?!

The Dreaming: Waking Hours #10: Another one I’ve got nothing to say about because I’ve never been getting it.

The Flash #770: Actually really excited to hear about how bad this run will suck now that I know it’s by the mind behind that “Geoff Johns’ OC - do not steal - beats up the Grant Morrison DC future” catastrophe from Future State.

Green Lantern #2: Really couldn’t wait a month for Far Sector to wrap up, huh?

Harley Quinn #3: Still not interested, but that *is* a nice cover.

The Joker #3: There’s a very real possibility I’ll have dropped the book by this point if it turns out to be the illustrated editorial mandate I get the feeling it could be, but fingers crossed.

Justice League #61: Not complaining, but wow, this really is Naomi 2 since Campbell’s busy in order to provide the necessary material for the CW show.

Looney Toons #260/Mad #20: Were these grouped with the rest of the solicits before?

Man-Bat #4: Very curious how this’ll be received, given nobody much cares about Man-Bat but Wielgosz seems to be quickly becoming a favorite.

The Next Batman: Second Son #2: Hadn’t realized this was only 4 issues - guess for at least one of them it’ll be the Luke Fox book everyone expected in the first place.

Nightwing #80: Dick Grayson vs. Heartless, not how I expected the DC/Kingdom Hearts crossover to happen but I’ll take it. That variant though? ALL TIMER:

The Other History of the DC Universe #4: I was trying to figure out who the focus of #4 would be since we know #5 is about Thunder and Lightning, forgot Montoya was confirmed.

Robin #2: Wanna care, so don’t care.

Rorschach #8: I will get it and probably like it.

RWBY/Justice League #2: My thoughts here will be their own post because there’s something particularly notable, but:

Anonymous said: Have you seen the BATtleaxe from the new art for RWBY/Justice League?

Yes, anon. Yes I have.

Sensational Wonder Woman #3: Eh, premise doesn’t grab me but maybe.

Strange Adventures #10: God I love the book about how Adam Strange sucks.

Suicide Squad #3/Teen Titans Academy #3: Hahahahaha

Superman: Red and Blue #3: Fiffe and Stokoe doing Superman stories!!! And...Nick Spencer. With Christian Ward art?! Sigh, fine, hopefully it’ll be Nick Spencer doing a nice little comedy, and not having Grant Morrison Superman throwing his t-shirt away because he grew up and realized changing things is too hard. A horrible shame Pope is doing the main cover though, the allegations against him I guess never really got any attention. At least there’s this JPL variant:

The Swamp Thing #3: Swampy will never be my guy but very happy for those who dig him, because I imagine this’ll be terrific.

Truth & Justice #4: Normally I wouldn’t care at all, but what I’m hearing on Twitter about this is a crying shame - that Jeff Trammell is really talented and Red Hood is a favorite of his and this is likely to be one of Jason Todd’s few Actually Good comics, but that artist Rob Guillory is a bullying transphobic piece of shit. Sucks all around.

Wonder Woman #772: I was so excited for this run, and then Immortal Wonder Woman had to go and suck.