#at the innerworkings of. And if I like a song like.. it's not because This Music Got Me Through A Hard time In My Life or because

[icewindandboringhorror]

*screenshots the highlights of my youtube to mp3 downloads folder as if it were some fancy aesthetic spotify wrapped image or whatever* 

[thatrando13]

I agree, this world can be be beautiful. With the many we find as we explore.

We find their souls and hearts, learn their mind before we ever tell or hear the name of their self, the description of their body, their name.

It is nice that way, to learn the innerworkings before seeing their face.

Without the mask, we will not crumble under expectations or pressure. We get understand the humanity of the young and old we befriend or see from afar.

We can try to climb, and if we fall it will be okay. Our pain will heal, our hurts will mend.

I would love to be embraced by them all.

To taste the tea Lilian has brought, to hold her as close as she does me. Often those who give love outward need someone to hold them too. And I would hold her too.

I would love to spar with Rena, I've been meaning to learn ways to fight and her help would be greatly appreciated. If she leapt off a precipice with me, I'd make sure we had a parachute because I would be devastated if she hit the rocks below.

Silence is fine by me, the twins' presence would be much appreciated. As would be their teachings of the forest, showing me a world I was blind to before.

Jon sounds lovely, one I'd be glad to share a joke with. To see tears of joy spill from his eyes and to smile at when he gives me words of comfort.

I would wait for Soraya to be comfortable with me, to let her be the one to approach. With every gift she'd give, I'd return one of my own. For her quiet work should be appreciated, her quiet love reciprocated. I would try my best to make gifts, perhaps write a poem or two for her, to give back what she has bestowed upon me.

Hotaru sounds fun to be around. I think I'd like to run in the grass with her, seek out the bugs scattered upon the earthen floor. I'd wear every gift with pride. And, sneakily I'd approach behind her to tickle her and hear her laughter. >:]

The stories, poems and tales you'd leave in my mind I would cherish. I'd try my best to write the poems you could not finish for you. To finish them for you, in hope you would like them and they'd live up to your thoughts.

I would show you what I see when I think of you. To show you what I see when I look at you. Just as you would do the same for me.

I would show you just how amazing you are, the hidden parts of yourself you may not like but I adore. The flaws you have that I see with love.

I feel honoured that you would memorise my favourite songs, that you would consider me enough to do such a thing. Thank you.

I would hold you close within my nightmares, and your own. Since you are here with me, I will be there for you.

Your darkness would be comforting too, the blanket of shadow that falls upon my shoulders. Your flaws so elegant, bearing your very being.

I would love all of you too. Everything there is.

-> Atlas

“I’d stand in the shadows of your heart and tell you I’m not afraid of your dark.”

— Andrea Gibson

[daylightaftertherain]

ok sea i REALLY need you to come with me on this one

been thinking about the folklore love triangle a lot today and remembered that i talked with one of my friends about a plot twist in the love triangle plotline where instead of augustine being in love with james she's actually always been in love with betty so here's how that looks in my brain

seven is actually about how betty and augustine are childhood friends and it's from augustine's pov and her looking back on how close they used to be, but somehow they grew apart. even though they grew apart, augustine always hoped for them to grow close again but instead she watched in high school as betty and james grew close and had to sit by and watch them fall in love so she thought the closest she could ever get to being with betty was to go for james. she knew in doing so it would probably ruin her chances with betty forever but she just wanted to feel close to betty again and she felt like the only way to do that was see what she saw in james... and james fell for it but betty wasn't supposed to find out. she never did it to hurt betty.

however there's a small part of her that's relieved that this means betty probably won't get back together with james.... however then she hears (from inez) about the party and how james showed up and basically proclaimed his love for betty and betty fell for it and augustine just loses all hope that she'd ever have a chance.... however then betty, for some reason, starts turning to augustine thus we get illicit affairs, and at first it's everything augustine had wanted... until she realizes betty is still with james. however she feels like she'll take all that she can get... and that's as far as my brain goes lolll

(then because of this storyline in my brain, i looked up if there's any stories on ao3 and there's about 114 so...)

(this is SO long wow)

anyways yeah this is the innerworkings of my brain

-miels 💜✨

HI omg thank you for the long ask sdhgfdjhgfjdg

oh my GOD that makes so much sense (a slightly long answer for you comingbecause I'm always willing to talk about the teenage love triangle)

also going along with my theory that the "hide in the closet" was actually about betty being queer and augustine knowing, seven could also about all of their secrets and stories that they told each other. the "cross my heart won't tell no other" line makes sense with that context, and the "your dad is always mad" line could totally be about betty's family being homophobic.

and I think somewhere along the line augustine fell in love with betty too, and illicit affairs could be an ambiguous song that could be about both betty and james. like "what started in beautiful rooms" could be augustine's perspective on the rooms she and betty held tea parties together, and now they only see each other in mundane places like a parking lot, and the "for you I would ruin myself" being about her summer affair with james that probably ruined betty's view of her, from childhood best friend to the other girl.

ANYWAY loved reading your thoughts, taylor is so good at creating stories that can be interpreted multiple ways it's insane

[ts-unpopular-opinions]

Side Tracks opinions part 3: Logan

(Here I go again! Logan’s playlist is a bit more straightforward than the other bois, so heres hoping this one doesn’t take me as long 🤞)

1) The Elements: Not much to say. It just a literal musical list of the periodic table of elements. You can’t get much more Logan than that 😂 Also, Logan likes chemistry!

2) White and Nerdy: Apart from the obvious listing of nerdy things and the legitimate title, Logan feels like he doesn’t always get taken seriously enough by the other sides (“I wanna roll with the gangstas, But so far they all think I'm too White and nerdy” “I wanna bowl with the gangstas, But, oh well, it's obvious I'm White and nerdy”). Basically Logan is a big nerd and a dork. He knows that and he’s worried that sometimes it ostracizes him from the others.

3) Algorithm: Logan doesn’t understand humans very well, at least, he doesn’t understand anything but the logical aspect of humans and the world. He has a different view on life than the other sides (“Supercomputer status, walkin' along streets”). He thinks that the dilemmas and problems in the world would not exist if it wasnt for humans throwing a wrench into all of it with their feelings and emotions (“Humans don't understand, humans will sell a lie. Humans gotta survive, we know we gon' die. Nothing can live forever, you know we gon' try. Life, is it really worth it?”). As the song puts it, Logan believes that the theoretical algorithm of life is perfect, and he doesn’t understand why it needs to get muddied and ruined by simple human issues (“Looking for something worth it, the algorhythm is perfect, mmh”).

4) Fitter Happier: This song is interesting because it shows us the innerworkings of Logan’s thought process. A lot of what he does involves simply planning daily tasks (things as small as drinking or eating) based on what he knows is most healthy for Thomas. The song completely lacks any sense of feeling or emotion and is, as I stated, a legitimate list of things to do in a day. All tasks are put in place to keep Thomas fitter and happier, however, Logan doesn’t have a grasp on emotions and clearly doesn’t know all of the things that Thomas needs to be happy AND healthy. I’ll just list some interesting daily tasks in the song here: “Regular exercise at the gym, three days a week” “Eating well, no more microwave dinners and saturated fats” “Careful to all animals, never washing spiders down the plughole” “Favours for favours, fond but not in love” “Still cries at a good film” “Still kisses with saliva”. As the song goes on, you kind of get a sense that Logan is losing his grip on Thomas, or doesn’t understand why Thomas isn’t feeling satisfied with the plan that, to him, is perfect. Thomas feels trapped in the life that Logan plans for him, and Logan does not understand why that is (“A pig in a cage on antibiotics” “No chance of escape”). There are also a lot of points in the song where Logan shows that he finds emotions to be a weakness, or something to hide away (“Will not cry in public” “Nothing so childish” “No paranoia”).

5) Medicine: I’m not 100% sure what this song is about, but it talks a lot about ancient philosophy. Basically being curious about the world and people in it. I’m guessing that Logan just likes philosophy and thinks that people should always stay curious. Logan really values curiosity and thinking (of course).

6) The Watchtower: This ones... interesting to say the least. If you’re a fan of the broken blue crayon theory you may want to look into this song a bit more. The song talks about being broken and wanting to restart things, possibly showing that Logan will crack at somepoint and need to reevaluate how he’s been handling things (“I'm breaking, I need another start. Far away, From the city lights.”). Ultimately, I think this song is about Logan’s neutrality over all the situations that the group handles. He doesn’t really see problems as good or bad, because he can see logical scenarios with both options (“From the watchtower, We can see things coming. Good or bad”). He knows that this mentality makes him a bit unlikeable because the other sides want him to side with them, but he doesn’t really mind (“I don't mind, If I'm impopular-ar.”).

7) The Breach: Another interesting one which I feel like could have two meanings. My first take was that this song was about Virgil escaping the dark side of Thomas’ mind and mixing in with the light sides. Logan wasn’t quite sure how to process this new arrival at the begining and had no control over his escape (“Generally operating normally, A small anomaly has become evident” “There is spiking in the pulse of a member of the cargo” “First: the recommended course of action should be to Administer a sedative to all the cargo via ventilation” “Now: one specifically is up and moving to the door”). After looking into the lyrics a bit more though, it seemed like a lot of them could be applied to Janus as well, specifically his first appearance when he was disguised as patton. Logan knew from very early on the Janus was taking pattons spot, but was unable to say or do anything about it due to Janus being the only one with “the access code” (“The ship is fully capable of automating this But requires an approval code from the administration” “He has found the access panel situated in the floor. He is entering the codes and overriding has begun. Reading rage in the nervous system, nothing can be done”). Either way you see it, I’m nearly positive it is about a dark side coming out to the light and Logan not being able to control it.

8) The Letter C: I LOVE THIS ONE 😂 And it’s the first in our list of songs that Logan vent’s about Roman in! The premise of the song is that someone insulted the main singers rap and so the main singer goes off about the comeback he wished he would have used to tell this guy off. It’s honestly such a funny song and I couldn’t give it the justice it deserves here by just listing the lyrics. It gives off huge rap battle vibes and I’m sure Logan would have been imagining the one who insulted him as Roman. Here’s just some great lines that I’d like to point out: “Man I wish I could’ve hit him with a zinger. Should’ve served him with the verbal equivalent of a middle finger.” “I’d say, "Are you insured medically? ‘Cause you sure better be When you’re broken in half from provokin’ the wrath” ““Aw shit!” “Oh crap!” Everybody within earshot would be like, “Oh snap!” I’d high five all around while the guy falls down in a ball on the ground” “I pull out a sharpie marker, Narrow my eyes through my Warby Parkers. Like, “Watch who you’re f-in’ with, with your f-in’ ish””.

9) Galaxy Song: Logan trying to calm Thomas down in the only way he knows how: Gushing about how great the natural world is (“Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving” “Now the sun, and you and me, and all the stars that we can see, Are moving at a million miles a day” “Our galaxy itself contains a hundred billion stars” “And our galaxy itself is one of millions of billions In this amazing and expanding universe”). It’s cute, its wholesome, and Logan tries his best to be comforting 🖤 (“So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure, How amazingly unlikely is your birth; And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space, Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth!”).

10) Streaks: Logan explains to Thomas that growing up is a process that he needs to experience. He understands that it’s hard and scary, but he believes that if you follow the plan and stay in the lines, everything will work out alright (“You can decide on the colors that you like As long as you stay in the lines” “All these years of filling out papers, Building a future, keeping your head down. Tryin' to keep a head on your shoulders” “Cause It's all a piece of the plan. It's something You'll understand When you're older” “Give em what they need to move on, then you let them go”). As he’s explained in canon, he doesn’t really see room for taking a lot of creative liberties in life, and he believes Thomas should follow the mold set out for everyone in life. That’s the logical way to survive anyways.

11) What I do for You: (This song and the next song feel pretty connected to me, so keep that in mind) In this song, Logan really shows his pride and ego. He believes he is the most important side for Thomas and that he will get Thomas the furthest in life (“I want you to survive” “I'm your only hope, I'm your savior too. Every single test You've been ever carried through”). Despite his superiority complex, he knows that Thomas doesn’t see Logan as important as he should. Logan knows how much he does for Thomas but is a bit annoyed that Thomas never seems to notice (“I couldn't ever give up on you, But don't thank me”).

12) Erase Me: Oooh boy. This ones heavy... Logan is PISSED. The whole song feels like a jab at Thomas, daring him to get rid of Logan to see what happens. Logan still feel important and knows his necessity as part of Thomas, but he’s frustrated with the lack of recognition he gets for all of the things he does (“Would it be easier? To just delete, our pages And the plans we've made” “Erase me, so you don't have to face me. Put me in ground and move the daisies” “So what will you do? With no me for you” “Erased me, what the fuck is this? You're crazy, Turn around and do each time, Replace me”). Logan sounds MAD in this song, something that he’s shown in canon quite a few times. It’s interesting that Logan alone seems to be the only side whose shown such anger and furstration, this song just adding to his list of instances. I’m not sure what that could mean going forward...

13) Art is Dead: Well what do yah know? Another rant song for Roman! We all know how Logan feels about Thomas’ choice of career as an entertainer and this song is basically just that. Logan can’t understand Roman’s dreams and aspirations for Thomas because they don’t make any logical sense to him (“ Have you ever been to a birthday party for children And one of the children won't stop screaming Cuz he's just a little attention attractor. When he grows up to be a comic or actor He'll be rewarded for never maturing, For never understanding or learning That every day can't be about him. There's other people, you selfish asshole!”) Logan would rather Thomas take up a job that is benefiting society and making his world a better place (“Cause I wanted my name in lights When I could have fed a family of four For forty fucking fortnights”). Roman’s self-centered and fantastical view on Thomas’ future is just childish to Logan and he feels like Thomas may one day grow out of it (“I'm just a kid And maybe I'll grow out of it”).

14) Equation: Oh man... I just don’t know. The song mentions a mom and dad, so I automatically go to a younger Thomas and his younger version of Logan. The song just asks a bunch of questions that feel like things a little kid might ask (“Have I made you cross? Have I made you sad? Have I made you proud Mom?” “How white is the snow, Does it matter after all?Will I ever learn How to fly like a birds?” “Are you going to school? Are you far from home? Are you well alone Dad? Will I be a brave? Will I be a bright? Will I be a good grown up?”). Logan may have represented more of Curiosity in Thomas’ younger years than Logic. A lot of Logan’s songs have an encompasing theme of wonder and curiosity being amazing things to have. I think Logan really values that part of himself/Thomas.

15) Sunrise: Yes! The love song everyone! I’ll shut that down right away and say that Logan DOES NOT UNDERSTAND LOVE. He isn’t even capable of “love” as some of the other side may be. He of course understands love and how it works, but it’s merely a process to him, and a word which he’s openly stated that he doesn’t like to use. So lets try to look at this from Logan’s perspective. The song is literally about learning spanish, yes its clearly romantic, but its about learning spanish. Something that Logan has shown an interest in since wayyyy back at the begining of the series. I like to imagine that this song came up in Thomas’ playlist and Logan was overjoyed that Thomas was not only learning something from the song, but also learning spanish!

16) One More Time with Feeling: This one feels kind of tough to crack. To me, I get the feeling that Logan’s again talking about the others and the fact that they don’t listen to him. He prepares his words and hopes to get through to them, but is only welcomed by blank faces and misunderstanding (“Everyone takes turns. Now it's yours to play the part And they're sitting all around you, Holding copies of your chart, And the misery inside their eyes is Synchronized and reflecting into yours”). After getting shut down, Logan tries again ‘with feeling this time’, hoping to get through, but it falls flat over and over again (“Hold on. One more time with feeling. Try it again, breathing's just a rhythm. Say it in your mind until you know that the words are right”). Logan has been trying really hard to appeal to the others in different way, but if seems like it never works in his opinion (“You thought by now you'd be So much better than you are. You thought by now they'd see That you had come so far”). He want’s to finally be shown the respect that he believes he deserves and hopes to one day be loved by the others and much as they love each other (“And the pride inside their eyes Would synchronized into a love you've never known. So much more than you've been shown”).

17) In My Mind: Logan has a drastically different view of Thomas’ future than is actually the case (“In a future five years from now. I'm one hundred and twenty pounds, And I never get hung over Because I will be the picture of discipline” “And I will be someone I admire And it's funny how I imagined That I would be that person now, But it does not seem to have happened” “Maybe I've just forgotten how to see That I am not exactly the person that I thought I'd be”). He’s realized that he has some unrealistic expectations for Thomas and that’s odd to him as, logically, things should have played out how he thought they would. At the end of the song, Logan seems to accept the fact that even though Thomas hasn’t strictly followed the plan that Logan expected, he’s still doing great and succeeding at life (“I am exactly the person that I want to be”).

18) Not Perfect: This song has a lot of lyrics, but most of them can be taken at face value. Logan recognizes that everything in Thomas’ life (his world, his country, his house, his body, and his brain) is not perfect. I’m sure it’s a metaphor for Logan realizing that he, himself, is not perfect and he’s begining to realize that he can’t solve every problem.

19) Human: This song is also long. REALLY LONG. But thankfully it is fairly straight forward. When life is getting Thomas (or any of the sides down) Logan will list facts about their life as a human that are supposed to be comforting or inspirational. It’s basically just like Galaxy song, but a bit more personal and loving. Here’s just some cute quotes from it to keep you all going: “For you are a force of skin & nails & heart. A walking Monae, you're breathing art” “The average human heart will beat over 100 million times in one lifetime. I'm sure you'll find someone who won't mind skipping one for you” “You need to grow up. You need to grow out of things. When something doesn't belong, even your body knows when it's time for that thing to be Replaced” “15 million blood cells are Destroyed in a human body every second. If your body can get over it You can get over that last relationship”). Basically Logan trying to ground Thomas in reality to make him realize that everything he’s going through is just human.

20) Time Adventure: (ughhh this song make me cry every time I hear it) That being said, I was a bit surprised to hear this on Logan’s album and not Pattons. Not only that, but it’s his finishing song. The song is all about growing up and how, even though time passes, you will always have the good memories that you built along the way. It’s also about how, no matter how much time passes, the singer and the person theyre singing about will always be friends. Seems kind of like a weird song choice for Logan right? It seems like it needs to include Patton in someway... So perhaps its Logan trying to comfort Patton. Patton has shown a fear of growing up and changing, so perhaps telling him that he’ll always have a friend in Logan no matter how the times change is something that Logan does to ease his worries.

(Oh boy... this one took a long time 😅 Sorry about that! Like usual, let me know what you think and give your own opinions if you’d like!)

[topconfessions]

Fxxt-it was indisputably DAESUNG's song. It's really sad when Vips discuss Bigbang's songs but they never or rarely bring him into talk, as if his inputs and voice means nothing or add nothing the songs, when he always made his parts smooth and hard to copy. I know it's personal taste and yes, i know a lot of vips especially huyngs stans don't like his voice's tone but still, it would be great if he got some credit from times to time. personally, i feel like he is the most oppressed in Bigbang and his voice is just wasted most of the time becuase in bigbang's song he has no room to show his talent, since he always given just the high notes i would loved see him giving the same privilege as TAEYANG ( opening a song, killing parts, more lines, different notes ...etc)

That's all GDs doing. I don't know the innerworkings of whether or not he gets a say and is content with the line distribution or if GD overrides his suggestions. As for me tbh I know overall Daesung is the overlooked member. I don't have a strong opinion on it just because BIGBANG allowed this to be the dynamic (or didn't fight for growth).

FXXK it to me in ranking goes:

Taeyang,Daesung, TOP, Seungri, then GD.

In general towards the end GD, TOP, YB got the best chunks of the song and Dae & Ri the scraps.

Daesung is the strength of the songs yet is better off Solo. Sad but true

[taylorteffyswift]

The Swift Preface of Dylan

This is the story of how @taylorswift changed my life and describes why she is also directly responsible for my career…

I was raised in a small commuter town south of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada called Greely. I was born with a rare genetic condition called Ocular Albinism. Sparing you all the technical details of this ailment, bottom line… I’m legally blind. Aside from all the practical challenges this entails, there are also social challenges that at times are far worse. I have always loved people and growing up as an only child in the country, though being very magical atmospherically, is also very lonely. To make matters worse, when you’re in grade school in the 90s it’s not exactly cool to hang out with “The Blind Guy”. Elementary school wasn't so bad but once the peer pressure and social tensions started to kick in for my peers in middle school, I was alone most of the time and usually on the receiving end of emotional/physical bullying for the rest of the time from both students and faculty. After a while I started to believe my aggressors and began to feel ashamed of who I was in a pool of many other dark thoughts wondering if I would ever find a place in this world or find a crowd of people that would even want to be around me.

I always tell people that the worst part wasn’t the things that I was going through with bullying and loneliness but was that I had nobody to talk to about what I was going through. Having to bottle up it all because I didn’t have a friend to open up to and had to be “strong” and “be a man” to avoid further ridicule and bullying just made the scars deeper. I felt alone more than anything. Until one Wednesday morning in February of 2007. I was at home getting ready for school and in passing, I heard a song come on the radio. My parents often listened to the local country station as it had the best reception around and they didn’t mind the genre. I’d always loved music as a kid but most of the time was focusing on the musical aspect rather than the words and poetry. The words and singing of this song grabbed my attention immediately. The further I got into the song the more I could relate to the story (as I had something similar happening to me with someone at school at that time) and I could also relate through the honesty and conviction of the vocal performance. Whoever this performer was, they were saying what they felt… and they meant it. That entire day that song kept echoing in my head and I was thinking about the words constantly. It wasn’t long before I knew I had to hear more by this artist and find out more about who they are. The name of this song was Teardrops On My Guitar by Taylor Swift.

I managed to find someone to lend me the album for an evening. I must have gone through that record from edge to edge about 5 or 6 times at least. I could relate to and understand each of these songs and it made me feel less alone. Some time not too long later, I read her uniquely written MySpace bio and started thinking “Hey, she thinks a lot like I do about stuff”. And for once, I felt like I wasn’t by myself all of a sudden. For once I felt like I had a friend.

It was about a month later and I started thinking about the people that made this album and wanted to know more about the process. I found a lot of different roles but none of them were really what I was looking for. Then I read about the role of Producer. I said to myself “If a producer is the person responsible for taking an amazing artist’s songs (like Taylor) and helping to turn them into a finished product that will touch the hearts of millions of people and spread solace to people like she did to me with her music and talent, this is what I need to do. This is how I will feel fulfilled in my life and make the difference and impact I always wanted to make in other people’s lives”. So from that moment, I started on a journey and since have spent every waking moment learning every skill and gaining every perspective that I could to become better and more well-rounded, faster.

The next day I started teaching myself guitar straight away. I went to an arts high school to learn music (though I couldn’t enroll in the music program due to my sight reading of sheet music notation being terrible obviously). I spent those years in high school focusing on Music, English (for my songwriting), the technology and business classes (for my understanding of engineering concepts and the industry) as well as taking part in as many bands and musical projects that I could to learn the best ways of collaborating with other musicians. I also picked up several other instruments during my high school days to hopefully get to the point where I’d be less dependent when it came to my creative process as a songwriter and arranger.

As soon as I graduated high school, I went into college in Ottawa for music industry arts which is where I learned about producing in great detail and the innerworkings of the “Big Machine” that is the music industry. After graduating college, I started canvasing for songwriters to work with and bands to record. Ottawa has a very over saturated producer and technical scene so getting artists and clientele on-board for a newbie that lived in the middle of nowhere was a challenge… but I had a few great projects coming along in no time. I have spent a while working as a radio producer across Canada as well to learn that aspect of the business as I think it is still a very vital distribution system for the music industry.

Throughout all of this, each one of Taylor’s albums has come out at a time when I really needed it. TS1 in the beginning when I desperately needed a friend and when I decided what I was doing with my life, Fearless when I was working on my first album of all my own work, Speak Now when I came across my first real love interest While I was in a band in my last year of high school, Red when I had the worst breakup I have ever been through and was in a spiral of depression, 1989 when I was going into college for a second time living away from all my friends and family and reputation when I needed a confidence boost when I felt my life was going nowhere and like I’d been betrayed as a punishment for trusting all the wrong people. Reputation also gave me the confidence to start singing and perhaps sharing some of my own songs and stories with the world as well which has led me to embark on a whole new chapter of my story. Any way you slice it, Taylor’s been there through it all. No matter what has happened she has been able to pull me out of the darkest places I’ve ever been as a person and as an artist.

I still work tirelessly each day creating in new styles and learning new perspectives on arranging the musical backbone of a good song. More recently I was given the confidence to start singing and perhaps bringing some of my own stories to the forefront that others might want to hear. I still love collaborating with artists and will always love that workflow as a producer but that the end of the day as long as I’m playing a part (or THE part as the case may be) in producing music that makes a difference and makes people feel less alone who are going through things like I’ve been through, I can get a good night’s sleep with a smile.

At the end of it all, Taylor showed me with her amazing talent, kindness and raw fondness of people and being good to people who are good that music can change hearts and minds. She also showed me that you don’t need millions of dollars to change the world, but just a few beautiful words to describe what some people in their best and worst of times, struggle to express.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that another dream of mine is to someday have the honor and privilege of working with Taylor and contributing to one of her masterpieces in one way or another. I know it’s a beyond ambitious goal that might as well be impossible as Taylor is known for only keeping the best of the best professionals by her side (and she deserves nothing less than the absolute best). But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t still a big motivator for me pushing forward like I do. She moves so… swift (for lack of a better word) with her art and creativity that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to catch up at this point. If I can’t have that opportunity, my last wish would be just to have the opportunity to tell her my story and to thank her for all that she has done for me and helped me through by changing my life and at times, saving my life.

To Taylor: 

I doubt you’ll ever read this and probably will never know who I am as there are so many of my fellow Swifties that are probably far more deserving of your attention than I. But Taylor, you are my best friend and have been there for me through it all. You’re the one person that I can always count on to bring me up when I’m in my darkest places and make me feel like there is someone there even when I have no one. I think it would be one of the biggest tragedies if you, the closest thing I’ll ever have to a big sister, did not know how much you mean to me and how much good you have brought into my life through the beauty and power of your music and art. I will be in your debt for life and I can only hope that one day I may be able to repay at least part of that debt by working with/for you and your music. If that’s pushing beyond my talent and potential skill, then I at least would like to have the chance to thank you in person for all you have done for me (and possibly one of the world’s biggest hugs to accompany that)

Either way, even though you will probably never know my name, I’d always have your back no matter what Taylor.

Swiftie for life & All good things,

Dylan Lalonde

P.S. Taylor, a few weeks back I produced a few covers of your pieces as a little tribute to you and your work. The latest of which is a cover I did of Delicate (which is a few posts down on my blog). I know you’re busy with so much going on, but if you could spare the time, it would mean the world to me if you heard it. No pressure, just if you somehow find yourself bored and curious...

[miasscreeningjournal]

Hail Caesar! The Coen Brothers

Hail Caesar - 26/01/2021

Hail Caesar! is a classic prestige film. Its fast paced, “looney tunes” , feel to it perfectly showcases what Hollywood is. The perfect balance between silly humour, and elaborate performances of song, dance, and set which flaunt Hollywood’s money and power gives an insight into how ridiculous the whole system can be. 

Like many other Coen Brother films, Hail Caesar! touches upon a philosophy. In this case, an economic philosophy. The conclusion we can make upon this film is that capitalism is good - which isn’t a surprising turn since capitalism is what fuels Hollywood (and arguably America as a whole). While it does include the communist kidnappers who attempt to create a perfect society and system which benefits the workers equally, it is still diminished and crumbled by the imperfectness of human nature. After all, the true reason why Baird even considers this argument is because it would directly benefit him. The fact that this was the tactic his kidnappers used to convince him shows that, really, they know it, too. 

Each scene in Hail Caesar! plays homage to different stages in Hollywood and Hollywood tropes. From Scarlett Johansson’s mermaid scene to Channing Tatum’s tap dancing sailor routine. It brings remembrance to these successful pieces, while also (proving that you can) gaining popularity from them. 

The Coen Brothers do a brilliant job of selling the “fairytale dream” that Hollywood - and America as a whole - strives to present. From the storybook voice over to the unrealistically silly plotlines, Hail Caesar! does a perfect job of not seeming real. This may seem like a literal fairytale for any aspiring actors, but look again. The Coen Brothers have done a fantastic job at showcasing the brilliance of Hollywood, but they also do a very good job of illustrating how exhausting it really is. This is primarily done through Josh Brolin’s character - Eddie Mannix. From the very moment we meet him, we get the sense that Mannix is a man stretched thin. He is rarely seen sitting down and taking a breath. Instead, he is constantly moving, constantly thinking, and constantly stressing. His internal and external debate about leaving his high stress job for a more comfortable, relaxed one is constant throughout the film. This debate represents the precarious balance of Hollywood: A place where dreams are made, but where souls are crushed. It begs the question: Is this really worth it? The Coens Brothers raise and answer this question throughout the film using a series of cinematic techniques.

The thing I loved most about this film was the use of editing. With each star that is introduced, we start first with them in the film, and then cut suddenly to them in real life. For example, with Deeana Moran. We first see Moran in her beautiful water sequence, where she is perfect: not a hair out of place. It is filmed to show none of the set, but instead as we would see it if it were the actual movie. This is a very effective way of drawing the audience into the performance - so that we forget that it is, in fact, a performance. We are yanked out of this perfect world, however, when Moran tosses her crown at the conductors head and swims off. We then see her swearing, smoking, and yanking her way out of her tight mermaid costume. This balance shows the two very different sides of Hollywood: the perfect wonderland, and the barely functioning reality that seems to be just minutes from falling apart. This idea/struggle is enhanced upon when Hannix discusses yet another marriage ruse with Moran. This scene does well to remind the audience about stars and their shifting image. Are stars really as we see them? It also makes you question how much we see in Hollywood is a ruse, or truth. 

This film encapsulates most of what I want to examine about Hollywood. What are its innerworkings? What do you really need to do to succeed? Is it really a place where everyone has equal opportunities? I’m very excited to further my understanding and this discussion as we delve deeper into Contemporary Hollywood Cinema.  

[prplzorua]

Chill Day

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhchhh'

The sound of the marker against paper.

Of blue and purple swirls and flowers and rainbows and whatever the heck Prince was drawing.

He stayed silent, just watching...or well, trying to.

He really should have gotten more sleep, especially since he knew today was Tuesday.

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhchhh'

Every Tuesday, Roman would come out into the commons and Art, either he painted something or drew, or sketched.

"Anything to get those creative juices flowing", he said.

Anxiety couldn't quite care less really, but somehow or another, this became their thing.

----

🎶"When I was a young boy-🎶

The dark persona was relaxing in the commons, not too unusual but not too common either.

Thomas was feeling pretty good today, so Anxiety feeling rather "chill" as he put it.

With the week's video already posted and his host taking a well deserved nap, the younger trait found it to be a pretty "chill day" indeed, not that he'd say that out loud.

So here he was lounging on the couch, listening to MCR.

🎶"My father-🎶

Prince came in, with a mat, colored markers, paper, pencils, stencils and all.

He moved the coffee table, the one that Logan had insisted be in the middle of the  room, to the far right, placed the mat down and flopped onto it, pencil in his left hand, scratching away.

Anxiety frowned, couldn't he enjoy his peace and music alone?

Sure he could do that in his room, but that was besides the point.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm sketching something so I can color it later-"

"I get that but why-?"

"Why not?", smirked the Prince.

Anxiety glared at him.

"I meant, why here?"

"Because I want to-"

"Why not on the coffee table?-"

"If I mess it up with a small smudge of marker Logic will kill me-"

"True, then why not on the table?"

"I don't want to bend, strains my neck-"

"So you're doing it the lazy way?", now Anxiety was smirking.

"It's not lazy-"

"You're flat on your stomach, on a plush mat and barely scrawl in anything resembling a background"

Roman blushed.

"Fine, it's the lazy way, but it's relaxing,  so leave me be-"

"Then why didn't you do this in your room?"

"Why aren't you in your room?", shot back the royal.

"Fair enough", the younger persona shrugged and went back to lounging on the couch.

Prince continued his drawing.

-----

'Schch'

'Schch'

'Schchhh'

One of his earbuds had fallen out and the simple sound of the pencil scratching on paper filled his ears.

His MCR playlist had just finished, there were only so much songs a deceas-split up band had after all.

Apparently Roman's drawing was abstract, lots of lines and patterns, it looked rather interesting, but it would probably look better colored.

So there he was, silently watching the other's Arting process.

The entire room was silent, with the exception of the paper and pencil of course, he had expected Princey to hum or something, but no, just quiet, it was...actually quite peaceful.

So he watched.

The movement of the pencil.

'Schch'

'Schch'

'Schch'

The stretches, curves and curls of the lines.

'Schch'

'Schch'

'Schchhh'

The colors as they slowly filled the page, when Roman finally colored them in, bringing his design to life.

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhchhh'

It left him in a daze.

----

"How does it look?"

Anxiety blinked, Prince was now holding up his finished artwork, loud, bright and vibrant lines, it was rather beautiful.

"Nice"

Prince beamed at the compliment.

And so it began.

Every Tuesday was art day, Roman drawing or painting on occasion and Anxiety simply watching.

------

Every Tuesday, without missing a beat, he watched, today...he was falling asleep. These sessions always made him feel relaxed, but geez, he was full-fledged drifting off.

'Shhch'

'Shhch'

'Shhchhh'

For each stroke of the purple marker, Anxiety's eyes drooped lower.

'Shhch'

Lower.

'Shhch'

Lower.

'Shhch'

Lower.

'Shhchhh'

Really he was gone already, just the small gap to cover the whites of his eyes were left. Titering on the balance of sleep-and-wake.

Breathing slow and lips already parted. All that was left, was for him to fall...

Logic walked in at that exact moment.

"Anxiety", he whispered.

The younger jumped, blinking rapidly as his vision became clear.

The Teacher carefully pulled Anxiety to the kitchen, silently as to not disturb the artist on the floor.

"Are alright? Are you getting ill?"

"What? No, I'm fine!"

"Are you sure?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Grumbled the younger. Pulling him out of his almost sleep state, really wasn't helping his mood.

"I mean, sometimes I see you lying on the couch in a complete daze"

Anxiety blushed.

"It's just...relaxing I guess"

Logic paused.

"What is relaxing?"

"Watching the Royal pain draw and stuff"

"Hmm"

"What?"

"I don't think that watching Prince draw is what leaves you in a daze-"

Anxiety raised a brow.

"Logan, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you enjoy the sound of pencil, or in this case marker,  scratching on paper, it's quite interesting really, but it does make make sense you'd follow the Autonomous sensory meridian response"

"I- what?"

"Asmr"

"Wait, wait, isn't that, just a bunch suggestive whispering, lip smacking and roleplay videos?"

Logic rolled his eyes.

"While some videos do include such things, not all of them do, there can be no whispering and just the sound of something constant-"

"Like?"

"Like the sound of a marker on a paper", this time the younger rolled his eyes. Logic smirked, "there's also hairplay"

Instantly pink flushed on pale cheeks, pink bright enough to show through all that white foundation.

The Teacher chuckled, ruffling Anxiety's already mussed up hair.

Of course the younger pouted and batted away the offending hand.

"Is it bad?"

"Asmr? No, not necessarily, paper and markers are harmless, personally I enjoy pen on paper and chalk on a board, Morality enjoys the sounds of paint and slime, though I'm not sure what Roman prefers"

They shrugged.

Logic went to his room and Anxiety moved back to the couch.

----

When Morality came in an hour later, he smiled.

Roman had just finished his artwork and wasted no time in showing him. Being the proud father he was, he couldn't stop his instincts to put the peice on a frame and hang it up.

The Prince beamed.

Chuckling he patted the young regal's shoulder, and then quietly retrieved a blanket and placed it on the sleeping Anxiety.

-----

Bonus:

\Hey Thomas\

"Oh hey Joan, what's up?"

\Nothing much, Talyn and I were just takling, you up for a road trip?\

"Now?"

\Yeah\

"Sure"

\Really? Someone's feeling good today\

"Yeah I am"

Joan chuckled.

\Alright, we'll pick you up in ten minutes\

Thomas agreed, hanging up the phone, he went to get ready.

He was all set when the sound of a horn reached his ears.

Smiling he grabbed his keys, locked the door and jumped into the car with his awesome friends.

Yeah, today was a chill day.

----

9am let’s tag: @prinxietys @prinxietyhell @the-prince-and-the-emo @anxietyismycuppatea @anxietyandlogic @thebrightsun @the-sanders-sides

if y’all would like to be tagged tell me, i’ll be happy to oblige ;)

 AN:// Sorry I haven't posted anything sooner, I've been sick, still am actually, I legit couldn't move on Monday. Tuesday I found out what Asmr was, yes, yes I'm very late to that but life. My little cousin loves to draw, markers and paper galore. Basically she was Prince and I was Anxiety and my best friend, who came to visit my sick behind was the one who told me about Asmr, so she was Logic XD. Anyway, I'm currently working on another drabble chap, it's a comfort piece for a really sweet peep that needs it and also the new chap for Innerworks, I'm dying here and I wanna sleep, but like, fanfiction lol.

[strongwithoutrealising]

Day 4 - Power Pose . Sometimes it’s the small things that can have a huge impact in the way we do or be in this thing called life. . This one is simple - it’s called the Wonderwoman or Superman Pose. You simply stand powerfully with your hands on your hips. By powerfully I mean with your feet grounded on the floor with your chest up, shoulders back and head up as well. If you can do it looking in the mirror even better! . I have an entire playlist I’ve called Wonderwoman on Spotify I’ll share a link in my insta stories. I choose one (or however many you like) song/s that lift me up or inspire me or just make me feel good and I stand in this pose while I listen to it. . Since being taught this pose I’ve often found myself unconsciously going into this position if I need an extra boost of confidence 😍 . I thought it was silly when I first learnt about this. How could standing in one position make me feel a certain way? But if you think about it you will realise our body postures tell so much about how we are feeling about ourselves. Think back to a time where you didn’t feel good or comfortable - I can bet your arms were crossed, you were possibly looking down to the ground and avoiding eye contact? I know because I’ve done it. . I would love for you all to give this a try and let me know how it goes. As always send me a DM or if you decide to share in a post please tag me so I can see it ❤️@strongwithoutrealising #strongwithoutrealising . . . #7daysofempowerment #worldempowerment #empoweringpeople #powerpose #peacewithin #superman #liveinthenow #innerwork #wonderwoman #soulwisdom #trusttheuniverse #beherenow #selflove #selfloveritual #rituals #empoweringmen #loveyourself #loveyourbody #inspiredselfhelp #selfloverules #lovethyself #beinthenow #inspiration #motivation #bodylove #confidenceboost (at Burpengary East) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtHOxD4lCKB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=s80rdmr7xq72

[disangel]

" Chrys ? " voice low, but filled with gentleness all the same " I'm sorry I was never there for most of your birthdays, but I'm here now my sweet boy. " & without hesitation she pulled the young boy into her arms, littering his face with kisses. " I got you something " momentarily she stopped the kissing to reveal a hand made black bow : not the best, but it still looked like a bow regardless " I know it looks a little terrible, but hey I tried and I think this bow will look gorgeous on you ! "

♘┇ ON THIS DAY, A DEMON FELL FROM YOUR SINS. HE IS YOUR SON. / CHRYSANTHOS’S BIRTHDAY ( accepting. )

the song goes so simply —— it started with a solemn story. on march 22nd, a demon fell from an angel’s sins. of course, none expected this birth to be one of terrible tales in his innerworkings — for the demon’s younger days were pure — for he, too, was once an ANGEL. &&. his tiny face lit up the world — love was only evident in his mannerisms &&. his tendency to snuggle CLOSER to the mother angel. but as fate would have them, mother angel would ABANDON or DISCARD her child —— both versions were up to your own personal belief —— either to FORGET or PROTECT.

none but the mother angel knew the truth behind her true doings — as a woman with a small child, growing close to a newborn was anything BUT easy. &&. the angel was not a cold-hearted lady —— she was completely the opposite. even if the demon knew this, he could not help but feel a MISTRUST, a BETRAYAL —— to discard her young boy into a world where he’d thrive with STRANGERS he’d have to call FAMILY in place of his own.

&&. the young angel, sweet boy, too pure for the hands of those whom were not the one who gave birth to him, was quickly poisoned with beliefs &&. thoughts that NOBODY could cease him from having, as strangers were still strangers — there was no CARE. he had pages upon PAGES to write sorrows upon, but the angel refused this — he refused the cruel possibilities of his mother.

however, as the mother angel’s visits shortened tremendously, &&. as his age spiked, he only began to ingest more of his MALICIOUS thoughts, hungry for his once WHOLE heart, eating away, slowly, slowly, for the REST of him.

&&. the angel’s downfall was INEVITABLE —— he learned to HATE after being BROKEN by another individual, whom was not his mother. he learned to emit WRATH, experience JEALOUSY, hold PRIDE so big his body could perhaps BURST at the notion. &&. he could do little to control it — he could do little to control HIMSELF.

&&. the gods knew how much he WISHED he could blame his mother — blame the woman for DISCARDING him like a ripped up RAG — but he could not muster the thought in the slightest. a raised fist against his mother was a stab in his own distorted heart — to which was existent, not even he knew.

so he grew to IGNORE her, like he did with everything in connection to the woman — her portraits &&. belated birthday presents &&. USELESS blessings for a better birthday — &&. his birthday altogether. because, in those times, all he could think was his mother’s face —— &&. wonder, mother, are you aware that your sweet boy is anything but?

her calling of his name is familiar now that he has been here for a duration of time — fighting in a war he does not even fully comprehend. regardless she is here, she is tranquil, &&. her voice carries her usual ounce of happiness. something chrysanthos would ENVY over the years of his upbringing.

     ❝ Ah, m-mother — ❞ he feels ashamed of his own stutter, but it’s partial to blame for his mother’s EMBARRASSING act of affection —— there was not a day he recalled when this had occurred, in this broken &&. BEAT body of his —— to the sinner he had BECOME, behind the lilac eyes of the heaven before him. chrysanthos had undoubtful urges to push the princess away — a sign, to tell her, i didn’t need you then, i don’t need you now. — but he fell defeated to the fact that, if it was never THEN, it was NOW.

her energy is too hasty for chrysanthos to have EVER caught up with, even for his youth at the moment — he was fast on his own feet, but when it came to these situations, he could do nothing but stand there, DUMBFOUNDED. &&. he hated to just STAND AROUND ——

he cannot even register her words before she already has the present pulled out — a ribbon. no no, incorrect —— it’s a bow, &&. that is when he realizes that his mother had gotten him something. lilac digits blink for a second to spare as the princess before him begins to display her doubt, her insecurity, &&. her troubles —— &&. her positivity, above it all. there’s a moment of silence as he analyzes this — analyzes the way she handles her own words — analyzes how SHE can do that but HE could NOT ( just like EVERYTHING ) — as he gingerly takes the bow she had made.

it’s gentle, &&. soft — like elise’s voice. her words are not unfounded as it is more POORLY done than most professionally tied bows ( actually, was that a thing?, ) but frankly, chrysanthos did not mind the fact that the ribbon was not perfect. in fact, an emotion inside him welled —— a rush of dopamine as his heart, so small, so fragile, began to pump against the cage of his bones, &&. he found himself lost.

he ran his fingers meticulously over their wrinkles, their creases — their mess-ups &&. stains from tried attempts, again &&. again. chrysanthos is a cruel one, however, he is not so blinded by the devil as to not acknowledge such tries — such tiredness, he sees in it’s warn out edges. just like him, it is a velvet — it was once so beautiful, to be done, to be made even MORE beautiful.

however, it became anything BUT that —— &&. at the hands of his mother no less. it became withered &&. worn — from troubles that only it &&. it ALONE experienced. it’s almost terribly held together, &&. holding it, chrysanthos feels if he handles it too hard it will FALL APART —— just like HIM. just like him.

there’s a wave of emotions chrysanthos cannot decipher or comprehend. he found himself unsure, blank —— nowhere to go in the case of gazing upon this present. he does not know if he should be ANGRY, if this is some sort of TEASE to his own history or personality — or if he should have been THANKFUL &&. smile. his mouth warbled, visually, &&. chrysanthos felt the rush to only run, RUN, like he always did  when it got too much.

but he glanced up at his mother, still a perky visage, eyebrow creased in only slight worry —— &&. it is the same gut-wrenching feeling, as if he is about to HIT her. a knife JABS through his abdomen at her visage, porcelain &&. dolled, the exact face of a BEAUTIFUL BLACK RIBBON. &&. then there is him, here, in his hands —— so tired &&. beat up —— wrinkled, done-over, &&. exhausted.

but it is him. &&. his mother knows this well — perhaps not in this metaphorically sense. but it is still him.

&&. his heart begins to weep at the thought —— the possibility of his mother knowing his suffering. not for him, but for the sake of —— she never deserved to know these thoughts. &&. as his heart bawls, his eyesockets begin to release —— &&. there’s nothing but fat tears trailing down his face.

     ❝ M-Mom — ❞ &&. there’s the sweet boy’s smile — an ANGEL’S smile, just like his mother’s. &&. his smile wept too — tears that were bittersweet.

     ❝ Thanks. I love you. ❞

[just-call-me-johnny-archive]

{A thing I wrote at like seven in the morning mmm I'm tired.-}

He had found it while cleaning out the basement for his work space. It was tucked in the deepest parts of an old couch. The cracked black leather seemingly bled brown as the cover feathered away slowly beneath his fingertips. He held it for several minutes, unsure of what to do exactly with this artifact.

He should have thrown it away- shouldn't have peered inside and found something he was not looking for. Something he hid so purposefully well that it was supposed to be impossible to recall.

It's hard to forget the past when it's right down your nose- when you've always been curious. He'd always wondered what his past was like. He questioned the notion of a family; a childhood; some type of relic long forgotten.

He found skeletons instead.

The years were blotted out. The pages were strewn with sloppily, hastily applied ink blots that his younger self pain-stakingly put time into darkening beyond recognition. Names were marked away. Things that held memories were ripped out- the marks of old tape showing the abuse he'd put upon the book.

And as he took to reading- night by night by night- he realized why he'd done everything in his power to get rid of the memories.

His skin crawled anew with old skin slowly molding back onto him- like shedding in reverse. He could feel the weight of his past self physically dragging him down.

It made him jumpy again- alert- cautious. Emotionally, mentally, and physically. Definitely psychologically. Except his demons weren't external.

He fought this new reality. Of being.. the same person in those pages.

With a penchance for dramatics, Johnny couldn't trust that he ... may have been fibbing is all. After all- who would know one was lying within a time capsule other than the person who grew along with it.

He grew to despise himself again. In that hot boiling manner. No longer cold glances in the mirror of indifference or acceptance of a not-so attractive appearance.

He traced along the ridges- the places where he was struck and the pieces weren't able to come completely back into place. It didn't hurt- or at least not anymore- but when he read about it again- he tasted iron on his teeth and the back of his throat. A pinch- some muscle memory- jolted him in a manner that scared fiercer than anything had before. Reached inside him and manipulated his nerves and left him vulnerable as before.

He closes his eyes and all he can see behind them are closed fists and open palms that are blinked away right before making contact. He still flinches because - well he's not sure why- but he believes if he doesn't then the hit might connect regardless.

Phantom pains they'd called it somewhere. But that's if you lost something. He didn't lose anything. But he grinds the meat of his palms into his forearms because he's mending the slit clay back together. Keeping it together. Keeping it inside. Where it belongs.

No more baths only showers and even then he can't close his eyes because he starts feel something pull at his arms. And it gets so bad that sometimes he has to sit at the bottom and remember to breathe because he's still drowning.

And there's silence as the pages grow less and less used and for a normal person that's good. Youre busy. Youre doing something.

But he has a feeling these blank pages are the silence that follows a broken record scratching off. Cut short- defective record- flip it over and over- end to end- line by line. And it still plays the same songs- still cuts off at the same area.

He has answers- but not to things he wanted to know.

Creativity was always something he was gifted with- maybe it was a play- maybe a dream- or a concept born of masochism.

Maybe he needed an effigy to turn his misery into something meaningful and poetic.

But he knows poetry and this is not it. This is bare, naked unrelenting truth that scraped him down to the sternum.

This isn't something that came about by the innerworkings of a imaginative mind, but rather the sludge that he'd choked up after keeping it in his brain to spoil and rot for much too long.

'There's something else living in these walls...' he gasps out one night. Cold sweat. Trembling frame. Wide eyes.

And his husband turns him over with a soft look of concern and gentle affirmations that there was no longer something scratching from within the plaster. That he was safe. That there was nothing to be afraid of anymore.

He doesn't know and Johnny would like to keep it that way.

But before the the Wall was around, there was someone behind the corners watching his every move, controlling his every step, and ultimately bleeding Johnny dry.

[thehandmaidstale114]

Reflection:

My syllabus encapsulates the innerworkings of Feminism and how it relates with The Handmaid’s Tale. Feminism has fluxuated in popularity and adherence from Margaret Atwood’s times to the present, but it currently has been very influential in pop culture and mainstream media. It is not very hard to open up a phone or computer and find an entire onslaught of information pertaining to feminism, so I attempted to present basic information imperative to the understanding of the importance of The Handmaid’s Tale, in addition to being a well-informed and functioning member of society. My websites are basic information about feminism- what it means, what it stands for, and its history.  It is imperative to begin with some form of knowledge on the background of feminism and how it relates to the present. The third website I have included is Bitch Media. This is a media outlet that revolves around the equality of women as it pertains to news and popular culture. Though it shouldn’t become a one-all be-all news source, it is interesting to add these view points to the mainstream media. I would like people to understand the differences between a more conservative media outlet and this outlet, and understand that not all issues of feminism ever gain a larger platform. Onward into the articles. The articles I collected remain in a similar realm- feminism and its influences today. It was hard to pass up the idea and theme that feminism has been revived or sparked, really, by the election of Trump. I attempted to balance out the articles about Trump and feminism with articles that revolved around either the novel or feminism in general in order to ensure the syllabus was not simply inducing the feeling of Hatred for the President of The United States. Also, the inclusion of Beyoncé’s article catered to my intended audience- young, probably millennial, students. Almost every person I know is familiar with her 2014 VMA performance, but not everybody understands the depth in which Beyoncé thought about it as well as her advocacy for women otherwise. I really wish I could make this blog begin to play music when it opened, because if it did, it would be the song ***Flawless, for full effect. I attempted to take all of my articles from notable news sources like TIME and The Washington Post to promote learning from online news articles, rather than primarily social media. Arguably the most important part of this syllabus are the articles as they juxtapose many different current events with the novel written in the 1980s. Both books I used I took from my research paper, each discussing both feminism and The Handmaid’s Tale. Though I would not anticipate my audience to pick up both books and read for fun, they have very important parts that lead to a better understanding of the context of the novel, as my audience would not necessarily know the context. Next, the academic journals lead to a more scholarly understanding of this book. Both scholarly journals come from academic institutions and are peer reviewed, the Beauchamp article I even used within my research paper. The Beauchamp article offers both an analysis of the book and a reaction from both himself and other students. This article is very important to the overall understanding because Beauchamp discusses what Atwood wanted the book to be interpreted as. The pop culture items were relatively easy to find, as feminist issues take up a large chunk of the news presently. I cannot comment as to if I would entirely suggest watching the new TV series, but from what I have heard, it is absolutely amazing. Furthermore, the protests in the capital bring attention to the book, the problems at the capitol, and the social feminist movement. I first saw this on twitter and then went and found the article and it was interesting how I had participated in this pop culture moment way before I had read the book. Each of these pop culture instances I had either seen or participated in prior to this assignment, so I felt as if those were ones that my audience should be able to easily grasp. The entirety of the syllabus is not to teach simply on this book, it is to educate on the issues that Atwood included, especially those which she hypothesized would happed and actually did. My audience should take away a new understanding of the relevance of a book published almost 30 years ago and how it is important to stay informed on these topics to ensure that a Gileadean society wont ensue.